Phase Two

The Daily Beast reported a story yesterday (link here) that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who leads the criminal investigation of Donald Trump and associates, has begun a second phase of his investigation, this time into both the President's and other Republicans' possible illegal activities with various Middle East countries and individuals.

For its part, the Wall Street Journal broke the story yesterday (link here) that federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Trump's inaugural fundraising and spending and whether any quid pro quo was involved in buying access to the President.

For all the journalists assuming that Mueller is nearly finished with his work, the Beast piece suggests that's not the case. That aside, any attempt to shut Mueller down will not stop federal prosecutors in U.S. Attorneys offices from investigating the Trump administration, as the Journal article reveals.

As if this wasn't enough, the incoming state attorney general for New York has announced she plans to open a wide-ranging investigation into Trump, his business, his family, and his associates (details here). This is an important development because while Trump can pardon anyone charged with federal crimes, a President has no power to pardon someone for state charges. As residents of New York, Trump and his family are viable targets.

The bottom line is that if Trump thinks things are bad now -- and his public meltdowns suggest the investigations and charges are getting to him -- they're going to get a whole lot worse in 2019. It couldn't happen to someone more deserving.