While busy hacking our election, the Russian government was also renewing licenses on Trump trademarks. Well, what a coinky dink.

Courtesy of the New York Times:

Last year, while hacking Democrats’ emails and working to undermine the American presidential election, the Russian government also granted extensions to six trademarks for Mr. Trump that had been set to expire. The Trump trademarks, originally obtained between 1996 and 2007 for hotels and branding deals that never materialized, each had terms that were coming to an end in 2016. 

Despite their inactivity, the Trump Organization sought extensions for the trademarks from Rospatent, the Russian government agency in charge of intellectual property. In a series of approvals starting in April 2016 and ending in December, Rospatent granted new 10-year terms for the trademarks, the agency’s records show. 

Four of the approvals were officially registered on Nov. 8 — Election Day in the United States. 

Under normal circumstances, renewing trademarks in Russia is generally a routine matter, and there is nothing to suggest from the few public records available that Mr. Trump was shown favoritism. Still, extensions are not guaranteed and can be subject to challenge — particularly if, as in this case, the trademarks went unused for years, according to interviews with a half-dozen lawyers specializing in intellectual property law.

Okay okay now this does not necessarily prove any kind secret deal making between Trump and the Russian government, it could all be very routine.

But then there is this: 

Beyond the questions about Russian government approvals, the trademark renewals cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s oft-stated insistence that he has no business interests in Russia. Mr. Trump has made the claims in response to investigations of possible collusion between his associates and Russia during and after the election. 

In January, he wrote on Twitter, “I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA — NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!” He told NBC News in May that he has “no investments in Russia, none whatsoever.” And on Thursday, he expressed frustration on Twitter over scrutiny of his “non-dealings” in Russia.

Gee look, another lie.

I don't know about everybody else but I am pretty much past giving Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt about ANYTHING.

Sure this information is not definitive proof of anything, but if you throw it in with the rest of what we know about Trump and his interactions with the Russians it starts to seem like the kind of circumstantial evidence that gets people sent to death row.