was himself involved in backchannel investigations with the russians, clurgs kislyak, in trying to set up a back channel. he wanted to talk about syria issues, he even suggested that they have these private conversations in the russian embassy, something that was astonishing to people. the president s key special adviser on foreign policy maerl maerlts. that s not to say he is the person referred to in these court documents; we don t know. that is a set of intense vulnerability. do you think the sentencing will be today or over the holiday break? i don t think it will be today. my sources tell me it s a done deal, the new team is set. it s just a question of when. and it s going to be pompeo?