The arrest last night of Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, two Giuliani associates, has got to have the Orange Cheeto running through his Depends like crazy. This is one of those complicated stories that becomes clearer when you gather all the puzzle pieces, move them around, and stand back to see the giant corrupt picture.
NBC News: The Congressman identified as "Congressman-1" in the Parnas and Fruman indictment is former U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, multiple people familiar with the matter tell @valiquettejoe and myself. @GarrettHaake notes he is the former Republican congressman from Dallas. https://t.co/LUltCJfe3Y
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 10, 2019
Parnas was supposed to be headed to Capitol Hill right now for a deposition with House impeachment investigators. Fruman was to be tomorrow.
They helped Giuliani on the ground in Ukraine as he tried to gin up inquiries into the Bidens and a conspiracy about the 2016 election https://t.co/6kcE9Eh8d9— Nicholas Fandos (@npfandos) October 10, 2019
YESTERDAY: @lachlan reported that former Rep. Pete Sessions got $3m from this pro-Trump super PAC after he wrote a letter calling for the sacking of the Ukraine Amb. that Parnas, Fruman and Rudy wanted out. https://t.co/UkOBYS82tw https://t.co/3eghhgdmPO
— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 10, 2019
"John Dowd, an attorney for the men, hung up on an Associated Press reporter calling about the case." https://t.co/G8YXQtrkYz
— Andréa López (@bluechoochoo) October 10, 2019
And the story is SO MUCH bigger than campaign finance.
These two were directly involved with Rudy and possibly Rick Perry, to replace the ENTIRE board of the Ukraine state run NAFTOGAZ energy company. Fruman and Parnas are Texas based energy guru's. https://t.co/D9nSirEy6z— Mr. F (@RUMINT79) October 10, 2019
Two Florida businessmen tied to Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani have been arrested on campaign finance violations over a $325,000 donation to a PAC supporting the president. https://t.co/6ZyLHrpvQj
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 10, 2019
NBC News: Attorney General William Barr has been aware of the investigation into Parnas and Fruman and was since shortly after he came into office this past February, @PeteWilliamsNBC reports.
— Tom Winter (@Tom_Winter) October 10, 2019
To a prosecutor's eye, this really looks increasingly like one big scheme, overseen by Trump and Giuliani, to obtain illegal assistance from Ukraine in the 2020 election.
— Harry Litman (@harrylitman) October 10, 2019
To a historian's eye, this really looks increasingly like one big scheme, overseen by the GOP, to obtain illegal assistance from Russia to win elections since at least 2016. Which GOP leaders are clean?
— Heather Cox Richardson (TDPR) (@HC_Richardson) October 10, 2019
NEW: Three House Committee’s subpoena Trump’s ex-attorney John Dowd for information on his newly indicted clients, Parnas and Fruman (associates of Giuliani).
cc: @CourthouseNews
Doc (CORRECTED LINK): https://t.co/FQuGFOGhI3 pic.twitter.com/vTqlv3PI71— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) October 10, 2019
Well this seems significant, part of the charges against Parnas and Fruman relate to funneling illegal contributions to a US Congressman and seeking his aid in getting Ambassador Yovanovitch removed. pic.twitter.com/KpOVQux45J
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) October 10, 2019
Don Jr., Tommy Hicks, Jr. , Parnas and Fruman in calmer times. pic.twitter.com/zCxuIDFi5N
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) October 10, 2019
two $500,000 payments from Russian national in Sept & oct 2018 to funnel thru parnas and fruman in illegal donations to US pol entities pic.twitter.com/tMMGAAUbWM
— Laura Rozen (@lrozen) October 10, 2019
NOW: Spokesperson for SDNY US attorney's office has confirmed Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman are in custody, and that it's an SDNY case https://t.co/fB0b1TArMF
— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) October 10, 2019
In addition to Parnas and Fruman's arrests at Dulles, a third defendant, Andrey Kukushkin, has been arrested and is expected to appear in court Thurs in the Northern District of California. The fourth defendant, David Correia, hasn't been arrested. https://t.co/BXj5EaTugX
— erica orden (@eorden) October 10, 2019
Re: arrest of Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, Rudy Giuliani tells me “I can’t comment at this point” which may be a first.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) October 10, 2019
If Rudy Giuliani was involved in Parnas and Fruman funneling money to politicians in exchange for pressuring removal of Ambassador Yovanovitch, that’s a big ol’ soup of conspiracy and money laundering.
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) October 10, 2019
IMPORTANT: Fruman and Parnas' lawyer (former Trump lawyer John Dowd) just laid out all of their connections to Trump world (in his famous Comic Sans letter).
It's not just Giuliani but DiGenova, Toensing -- and they even helped with Trump-related legal work. >>> pic.twitter.com/ITnTGvrhHu— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) October 10, 2019
Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, who were arrested today on campaign finance charges, visited Israel with Anthony Scaramucci and Mike Huckabee last summer pic.twitter.com/sXNQioiFIc
— Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) October 10, 2019
While we wait for more info about Parnas and Fruman's arrest, make sure to read @MikeSallah7 and @LoopEmma's big story on them from yesterday: https://t.co/Nw5L6RTr8l
And this deep dive from July about what Parnas and Fruman were doing with Rudy Giuliani: https://t.co/0qFajeFuWd— Zoe Tillman (@ZoeTillman) October 10, 2019
Anyone else fascinated by coincidence that there is no way the events are related other than its a pattern of history rhyming? At 2pm SDNY will hold a press conference about Guliani's associates. 46yrs ago to the day& hour Agnew pled no contest& resigned as Vp. Pence POTUS 46?
— Jay Sadowski (@jayc6390) October 10, 2019
Barr was in NY yesterday, specifically, visiting the SDNY.https://t.co/vm3ywjnXVU
— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) October 10, 2019
Last week SDNY was arguing trump can’t be investigated and this week they’re arresting Rudy’s goons. No idea what to believe here.
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) October 10, 2019
Lev Parnas, the foreign-born businessman who was indicted this week on campaign-finance charges, donated thousands of dollars last year to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. https://t.co/NaRVOUUVy4
— John FitzGerald (@TheTweetOfJohn) October 10, 2019
Should note with above that Lev Parnas was listed as a member of Donald Trump Jr's Executive Steering Committee for a DeSantis fundraising reception, Longwood Florida, July 2018. pic.twitter.com/cAGkngm5NS
— Omar Aslam Lugo (@OmarAslamLugo) October 10, 2019
Representing Parnas and Furman for today’s initial appearance: Kevin Downing and Thomas Zehnle, who also represented Paul Manafort in his trial here. Because, why not. https://t.co/j1AUIvI8Xw
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) October 10, 2019
Because Paul Manafort is running this scheme from prison and his Russian mafia business partner Dmitry Firtash is in on it. https://t.co/AeWPBXewqR
— Scott Stedman (@ScottMStedman) October 10, 2019
Breaking - @RepAdamSchiff @RepEliotEngel @RepCummings “sent a letter conveying subpoenas to two business associates of Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, for key documents by October 16, 2019 that they have refused to produce“ pic.twitter.com/qNzxWRdjH4
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) October 10, 2019
We'll update with more news as it breaks.
UPDATE:
And this is fascinating. Lunch with Rudy, a one-way ticket out of the U.S. the very next day.
US prosecutors were not intending to unseal the indictment against Giuliani associates Fruman and Parnas and 2 others [Kukushkin and Correia] Thursday, but their hand was forced when Fruman and Parnas attempted to flee the country.
Who tipped them off?https://t.co/nqeLgl6Qmz— Polly Sigh (@dcpoll) October 10, 2019
