On Monday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” Weekly Standard Editor-at-Large Bill Kristol reacted to the raid of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen by stating he believes the move is either part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, or in concert with Mueller’s wishes. He further said that the move is “war” and “shows that we are very close now to the end game.”

Kristol said, “[I]f Robert Mueller asked the Southern District of New York not to do this now, they would have held off. I mean, he has sort of precedence here. So, I’m a little doubtful that this is not either part of his investigation or in accord with his wishes. I mean, this is a huge escalation. They obviously can’t use privileged documents. They’ll have to set those aside. They’ll be reviewed by — as I understand it, a third party reviews them and they set what’s privileged and not. But this is war. … I believe this shows that we are very close now to the end game. You did not go bust in with a — get a judge to give you a warrant to search the president’s personal lawyer’s office unless you think you are close to the end of this, you are getting important information. The president is now going to go to war against him. If the president has ever thought about trying to fire Mueller or pardon people, this is the moment where it goes to the very front of his mind.”

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