Pardongate: I think it's Flynn (Update: Maybe not)

I had no intention of writing another post so soon after the last one, which covers some pretty damn important material. (Suddenly, Trump really does have a chance.) But two pennies have been burning a hole in my pocket ever since I learned about this.

The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House or related political committee in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court records unsealed Tuesday in federal court. 

Bribery in exchange for pardons. That crime was at the heart of the story which gave rise to this film. Such a thing used to be unthinkable at the Presidential level. 

Here's Marcy's take -- she notes that Bill Barr kept mum about all of this throughout the election -- and here's the actual documentation. It's pretty close to unreadable, since so much has been redacted. 

In this thread, Marcy toys with the notion that the person being pardoned is Michael Flynn. Looking at the document, it would appear that the individual in question almost certainly has a last name that is five letters long. Granted, this sort of game was a lot easier to play back in the days of monospaced fonts. 

 

Remember, Sidney Powell is Flynn's lawyer. Now take a look at the following excerpt...

 

Consider this reading: "This political strategy to obtain a presidential pardon was "parallel" to and distinct from Powell's role as an attorney-advocate for Flynn." Makes sense, doesn't it? A six-letter redacted name followed by a five-letter redacted name. Also, Flynn was in custody, as specified by the opinion. Everything fits. 

If Sidney was party to a bribe, she won't be a lawyer much longer. It's suddenly easier to understand why Team Trump cast her aside. If Flynn was party to a bribe, back he goes to the Big House. 

Did a foreign nation put up the money? Was Trump witting of a bribe when he pardoned Flynn? Can Trump pardon himself for issuing a flagrantly illegal pardon? Aren't some pardons unpardonable?

 

Update. This thread argues that the five-letter last name ends in the letter S. To the best of my knowledge, the only member of our dramatis personae who fits is Rick Gates. He's represented by Tom Green.