 |
| George Papadopoulos |
A former Trump campaign adviser struck a cooperation agreement with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, secretly pleading guilty three weeks ago to lying to federal agents about his contacts with Kremlin-connected Russians.
George Papadopoulos, who joined the Trump team in spring 2016 as an energy and foreign policy expert, communicated with a "campaign supervisor" during the campaign about his attempts to arrange a meeting with the Russians to discuss U.S.-Russia ties during a Trump presidency, according to court documents.
The supervisor, who was not named in the documents, told him, "Great work."
He relayed to the superviser that during his communications with Russian contacts, the Russians said they had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton and thousands of emails.
Papadopoulos lied to the FBI about the timing and nature of the communications, officials said.
"Through his false statements and omissions, defendant ... impeded the FBI's ongoing investigation into the existence of any links or coordination between individuals associated with the Campaign and the Russian government's efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election," prosecutors wrote.
And now the dominoes are all starting to fall.
Oh man you just know that Trump's orange tinged sphincter is locking up tight right now.
Update: This seems like pertinent information.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, one should never lie to the FBI.George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacts with an influential Russian. This is how it relates to the campaign. pic.twitter.com/iYFPGhq3Ve— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 30, 2017
Makes me wonder who else lied, and when Mueller will pull the rug out from under them?
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
ReplyDeleteApparently Papadopolous is a vastly more important announcement than anyone seems to realize...
Deletehttps://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/924988111880417280/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdisqus.com%2Fembed%2Fcomments%2F%3Fbase%3Ddefault%26f%3Dwonkettecom%26t_i%3D625006%2520https%253A%252F%252Fwonkette.com%252F%253Fp%253D625006%26t_u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwonkette.com%252F625006%252Fcan-trump-youre-fired-robert-mueller-a-guide-to-our-inevitable-constitutional-crisis%26t_e%3DCan%2520Trump%2520%25E2%2580%2598You%25E2%2580%2599re%2520Fired%25E2%2580%2599%2520Robert%2520Mueller%253F%2520A%2520Guide%2520To%2520Our%2520Inevitable%2520Constitutional%2520Crisis%26t_d%3DCan%2520Trump%2520%25E2%2580%2598You%25E2%2580%2599re%2520Fired%25E2%2580%2599%2520Robert%2520Mueller%253F%2520A%2520Guide%2520To%2520Our%2520Inevitable%2520Constitutional%2520Crisis%26t_t%3DCan%2520Trump%2520%25E2%2580%2598You%25E2%2580%2599re%2520Fired%25E2%2580%2599%2520Robert%2520Mueller%253F%2520A%2520Guide%2520To%2520Our%2520Inevitable%2520Constitutional%2520Crisis%26s_o%3Ddefault%26l%3D%23version%3Db9c7ecba0cf063679e153e2c475ee349
No wonder Dump had to cry FAKE, FAKE, FAKE for months and months to get his base ready for this.
ReplyDelete"Oh man you just know that Trump's orange tinged sphincter is locking up tight right now."
ReplyDeleteActually, I do not believe it is. The way he keeps trying to get Mueller and the Congress and any other departments to examine Hillary and anything else tells me - and lots of other people - he is too far into his own world to actually believe any of this is actually happening.
I would be willing to bet he won't be able to admit anything because he has already convinced himself he is too perfect to do anything wrong.
I really don't care, however. As long as Humpty Trumpty is OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE. PERMANENTLY. I would prefer he changes clothes to all orange, but I don't want to jinx what is going on now.
I hope Mueller has absolute proof that Trump is up to his chin in this mess and impeach him. He is one of the worst humans that has ever occupied the wh!
ReplyDeleteThis investigation isn't about impeaching Trump. Are you still not aware of that?
DeleteWho do you think that unnamed supervisor is? If it was Manafort or Gates, they’d be named.
DeletePoint is mlaiupa..... Mueller was not given instructions by some entity to simply 'impeach Trump', his task is to uncover Federal crimes. Everyone has known for some time that Manafort and likely Flynn were under investigation for federal crimes... which obviously may or will implicate some people around them also. That is a far cry from assuming this is all about impeaching Trump, which seems to be what a lot of misinformed people think this is all about.
DeleteListen to that big fat c*nt try to spin, but the ladies aren't having it.
ReplyDeleteFeud explodes on ‘The View’ as Meghan McCain tries to tout Clinton conspiracy: ‘Hillary wasn’t just indicted!’
...Republican and former Fox News contributor Meghan McCain claimed that this is all an “ultimate breakdown of democracy,” and that “both sides” were to blame for the allegedly illegal actions by President Donald Trump’s campaign staff.
Former prosecutor Sunny Hostin went off.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, let’s not talk about ‘both sides,'” Hostin said.
“Can I please finish!” McCain cut in.
“No, no, no, let’s not talk about ‘both sides,'” Hostin repeated.
“Hillary Clinton and the dossier –” McCain said, talking over her.
“Hillary Clinton is not the president and Hillary Clinton wasn’t just indicted!” Hostin shouted, and the audience went nuts.
Even Sara Haines began the segment joking that this so-called “nothing burger sure tastes good,” referring to the GOP talking point that this isn’t a big deal.
Co-host Joy Behar called McCain’s comments “a distraction.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/feud-explodes-on-the-view-as-meghan-mccain-tries-to-tout-clinton-conspiracy-hillary-wasnt-just-indicted/
Ironic it is named 'the view' as the hens shut down a view.
DeleteHillary is not out of the woods by a longshot.
Hillary isn't the problem, cluck at 8:46.
DeleteEvery time one of my republican friends says “but Hillary...” I very bluntly say Trump is president and has been for almost a year. It’s time to quit pulling out your Hillary card when Trump does something stupid. You voted for him, you own him.” Shuts them up right away.
Delete8:46am, so if Meghan McCain had started talking about Harvey Weinstein, should they have just let her keep talking? She would have been equally off topic there. I'm sick of the notion that we have to listen to all sides fairly. No, you're an idiot and wrong, I don't have to waste my time humoring you.
DeleteI watched the video of McCain wanting to talk about Hillary Clinton and the “Russian Dossier”. On Fox today Kelly Anne Conway also referred to Clinton and the “Russian Dossier”. I may have missed the Steele Dossier renamed the “Russian” Dossier to spin Clinton and DNC colluded with Russia last
Deleteweek. This is an addition to the talking points it was the Clintons working with the Russians.
Why they hired that witch Megan is beyond me,another liar
Delete"No, you're an idiot and wrong, I don't have to waste my time humoring you."
DeleteNot asking you to and don't bother.
But don't be surprised if at some point investigators start knocking on Hillary's door. Or Obama's for that matter.
12:29, no one is buying your deflection. Idiot.
DeleteThought you weren't wasting your time humoring?
DeleteHillary has always been deep in the muck. Just because she isn't President doesn't make her immune from possible crimes. She conveniently took another stumble and couldn't do her scheduled interviews after the dam broke on personal friend and contributor Weinstein. How very Hillary.
LunchTiME: 666pence & the Elfman>
ReplyDeletedRUMPfs" schedule involves lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions."
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/30/indictments-campaign-manager-trump-lunch-jeff-sessions-mike-pence.html
Beware of the republican sheep attempting to smooth over "The Crime of Century" directly funded by citizen united, gop and rnc. They deliberately and knowingly committed treason and espionage against America and the American people. Millions of Americans have been harmed and damaged for life due to the Republican Party actions and words. They deserve no mercy or forgiveness at this time.
ReplyDeleteDepression v2.0 coming soon. Paybacks a bitch.
DeleteWhy is Mueller’s team homing in on Paul Manafort? I asked a former federal prosecutor.
ReplyDeleteShort answer: They want to flip him.
https://www.vox.com/2017/9/19/16332842/mueller-paul-manafort-former-federal-prosecutor
How Paul Manafort's arrest fits into Robert Mueller's Russia investigation, explained
It’s part of a much bigger picture.
https://www.vox.com/world/2017/7/24/16008272/robert-mueller-fbi-trump-russia-explained
Read the unsealed indictment against Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/30/16570226/paul-manafort-indictment-pdf-rick-gates-robert-mueller-ukraine
Paul Manafort’s central role in the Trump-Russia investigation, explained
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/31/16125776/paul-manafort-russia-trump-mueller
Trump, Allies Brushed Off The Manafort Charges. Then A New Case Dropped.
President Donald Trump and members of his inner circle on Monday were quick to distance the President from news that former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort had surrendered to the FBI for charges related to money laundering, among other alleged offenses.
Those efforts to disassociate the President from the first arrests of special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe quickly proved futile.
Just minutes after the President sounded off on Twitter to say the Manafort charges had nothing to do with him, and Trump’s former campaign manager defended him on television, court documents from a separate case were unsealed. Those documents revealed that a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser had pleaded guilty earlier this month to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-allies-brush-manafort-new-case-drops
Here are the five biggest links that connect Trump, Manafort and Russian organized crime operations.
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/here-are-the-5-biggest-links-connecting-trump-to-manafort-and-russian-money-laundering/
Now who do you think that supervisor was that said “Great Job?” Yeah, coulda been Manafort. But who is the hands on micromanager control freak? Loves to use the word “GREAT.”
ReplyDeleteEach month, thousands of witches cast a spell against Donald Trump
ReplyDeleteHow the witches of the #MagicResistance rise up against the Trump administration
On a typical Wednesday, by the light of the waning moon, Kate Doucette joined several thousand strangers on the internet in casting a spell to “bind” Donald Trump.
Doucette — which is her married name, not her legal name — is one of the “resistance witches,” an at least 13,000-strong umbrella group of internet neo-pagans, Wiccans, solo practitioners who self-identify as “hedge witches,” longtime magical practitioners in various traditions, and committed activists. They’ve come together each month since Trump’s inauguration with one goal: to perform a spell — equal parts quasi-religious ritual and activist performance — to “bind” the president, forming a collective known as the #MagicResistance.
The spell, a variant on a traditional “binding” spell found in many contemporary neo-pagan and other occult practices, involves channeling energy to limit Trump’s power, “so that he may fail utterly/that he may do no harm.” (Practitioners have the option to add, “You’re fired.”)
https://www.vox.com/2017/6/20/15830312/magicresistance-restance-witches-magic-spell-to-bind-donald-trump-mememagic
Use This Spell to Bind Trump and His Cronies
https://medium.com/defiant/use-this-spell-to-bind-trump-and-his-cronies-a5b6298f5c69
https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/pj-gladnick/2017/10/29/nov-8-scream-helplessly-sky-promises-be-major-media-event
DeleteTrump can absolutely pardon Paul Manafort
ReplyDeleteThe president’s power to pardon federal crimes is basically unlimited.
Donald Trump has a big problem: His former campaign chair, Paul Manafort, and Rick Gates, a senior aide to Manafort, have been indicted by special counsel Robert Mueller as part of Mueller’s investigation into Trump’s ties to Russia.
The indictment is not just embarrassing, but potentially a threat to the president should Manafort (whose legal problems appear to long predate his service to Trump, and who doesn’t have as enduring and solid a relationship to Trump as other key administration figures have) turn state’s evidence and flip on other current or former Trump aides.
All of which makes reports from this past summer that Trump was asking about his ability pardon aides newly relevant.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/21/16008168/trump-pardon-power-constitution-preemptive
Wonder if Trump's potential abuse of the pardon would lead to his being prosecuted for obstruction of justice?
DeleteI thought it came out awhile back that Trump could NOT pardon folks that have been proven guilty of federal crimes - only state crimes. ????
DeleteThis is going to be interesting to watch unfold. Mueller has a very large positive following for having a history of being truthful, honest, hard working and fair. Something we assuredly cannot say about Trump!
@9:14
DeleteArticle Two, Section 2 of the US Constitution: "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
Note the last sentence of the first paragraph.
Does THIS clear things up for you? Why should the President have the power to pardon STATE crimes? It's a FEDERAL office.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-trump-north-korea-bill_us_59f14ba7e4b07d838d320ed3
Delete"They want to require congressional approval before Trump could call for a nuclear or conventional attack."
Why would he pardon someone that hasn't been found guilty yet?
DeleteUnless he knows he is guilty
If he attempts to fire Mueller or impede him, if he pardons Manafort or anyone else, Trump will simply look GUILTY and will basically confirm that he is guilty of not only what everyone is saying but more. It will be the end.
Deletemlaiupa, weren't you constantly talking about how Obama should have given Hillary a blanket pardon before he left office? I can go back and find your posts if you like!
DeleteRobert Mueller Releases Information Showing Trump Campaign Tried to Collude With Russia
ReplyDeleteSorry, Donald Trump, here’s more evidence your crew schemed with the enemy.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/robert-mueller-releases-information-showing-trump-campaign-tried-to-collude-with-russia/
Forget Manafort, George Papadopoulos Guilty Plea Should Have Team Trump Shaking in Their Boots
https://lawnewz.com/high-profile/forget-manafort-george-papadopoulos-guilty-plea-should-have-team-trump-shaking-in-their-boots/
Why George Papadopoulos' guilty plea is a much bigger problem for Trump than the Manafort indictment
http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/30/politics/george-papadopolous-trump-guilty/index.html
Gates & Manafort indictment is labeled "Indictment (B)". There must be another sealed indictment. It's not Papadopolous; has diff case #.
https://twitter.com/kieransuckling/status/925030925716545536
As caught by the keen eye of Kierán Suckling of the Center for Biological Diversity and then pointed out on Twitter, the Manafort-Gates indictment is labeled “Indictment (B)” (link). This one letter matters greatly, because it means there’s also an Indictment (A), which is still sealed. By the nature of these things, Indictment (A) is more high profile than Indictment (B). That means it’s someone higher profile than Paul Manafort. That’s a very short list.
http://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/sealed-trump-indictment/5796/
...It’s entirely possible that Michael Flynn will be arrested before the day is over, as the dual arrests of Manafort and Rick Gates – along with today’s reveal of the George Papadopoulos plea deal – have made clear that Mueller is going all-in today. But even if Flynn does quietly get arrested today, he’ll have been spared the humiliation of having been the prominent first arrest out of the gate. There’s really only one reason for Mueller to give Flynn that kind of courtesy.
If Michael Flynn has cut a deal to flip on Donald Trump, he’ll still be indicted, charged, arrested, and required to plead guilty, as part of the carrying out of that deal.
http://www.palmerreport.com/opinion/deal-michael-flynn/5793/
Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell that Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is intentionally helping Trump slow down the Russia investigation in Congress and cover up the President’s potential crimes.
ReplyDeleteVideo:
Rep. Swalwell talked about Paul Ryan’s role in slowing down the House’s Russia investigation, “It doesn’t have to be this way, and Paul Ryan is greenlighting all of this. He’s allowed Devin Nunes to recuse himself, but still issue what I think are non-relevant subpoenas. He’s allowed these new investigations to open. I think for Democrats as part of our case for why we want to be in the majority in 2018 is that we will govern responsibly and focused on what Americans care about when it comes to the freedom to choose in our democracy.”
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/30/paul-ryan-outed-congressman-covering-trump-russia-crimes.html
The White House Is Lying: Paul Manafort Worked for Trump Longer Than Bannon and Conway
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/30/contrary-wh-talking-points-paul-manafort-worked-trump-longer-bannon-conway.html
The former Trump foreign policy adviser who flipped and is cooperating with FBI on the Russia investigation was supervised by Attorney General Jeff Sessions during the campaign.
A March 2016 Washington Post story listed the members of Trump’s foreign policy team who worked under Jeff Sessions, “For the first time, Trump also listed members of a team chaired by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) that is counseling him on foreign affairs and helping to shape his policies: Keith Kellogg, Carter Page, George Papadopoulos, Walid Phares and Joseph E. Schmitz.”
It was revealed on Monday that George Papadopoulos took a plea from the FBI and had been cooperating with law enforcement for two months. Interestingly, as this news broke Trump was scheduled to have lunch with Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
The pieces are coming together. Jeff Sessions, Pence, and Trump are involved in the Russia scandal. These were not rogue actors acting independently on their own. Papadopoulos worked under Jeff Sessions on the campaign. Jeff Sessions is deeply involved in this scandal as is Pence.
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/30/net-closes-jeff-sessions-supervisor-trump-adviser-flipped.html
Paul Ryan is the next one that needs to be gone after BIG TIME! He's just as bad as Trump - no difference at all. A lying sack of shit just like his boss!
Delete@9:49 "In the Western world the phrase is often used to refer to those who deal with impropriety by turning a blind eye" 3 MonkEy$>
Delete"see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paul-ryan-manafort-trump-indicted-tax-reform_us_59f7472ce4b077d8dfcb3800?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
RMonEy<K?
Papadopoulous was "proactive cooperator" arrested July 27. Could've been/probably wired.
ReplyDeleteAlso, https://mobile.twitter.com/SenBooker to protect Special Counsel from DJT interference.
DJT is going down.
This is just the beginning.
Mueller Time. Country over Party.
GeorgiaPeach
Papadopoulous appears to be just a kid! Not excusing him at all and happy he spilled the beans, but he looks terribly young!
DeleteMANAFORT'S DAUGHTER'S TEXTS RE DAD & TRUMP:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/MsMariaT/status/925047336719466496
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/manaforts-ukrainian-blood-money-caused-qualms-hack-suggests-235473
This plea is going to be key to nailing Trump. The guy is obviously singing away.
ReplyDelete"Me wonder who else lied"
ReplyDelete---------
You are so funny,THEY ALL LIED,the list would be shorter if you wanted to know who told the truth.
Pathological liars, trump and everyone around him.
Christmas in Gitmo!!!
MAGA!!!
ReplyDeleteMany Are Getting Arrested!!!
Paul Manafort and Rick Gates appeared in federal court on Monday and entered not guilty pleas.
ReplyDeleteThe former Trump campaign officials have been indicted on 12 counts related to hiding foreign payments, including a charge of “conspiracy against the United States.” Manafort and Gate plead not guilty to all charges.
Bond for Manafort was set at $10 million, and bond for Gates was set at $5 million.
The special counsel team said that two men were a flight risk. The parties agreed to home detention. Both men must surrender their passports.
George Papadopoulos lied to FBI agents the same day Trump asked Comey for loyalty pledge
ReplyDeletehttps://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/george-papadopoulos-lied-to-fbi-agents-the-same-day-trump-asked-comey-for-loyalty-pledge/
‘How is that not collusion?’ Reporters hammer Sarah Huckabee Sanders after Trump’s former aides get indicted
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/how-is-that-not-collusion-reporters-hammer-sarah-huckabee-sanders-after-trumps-former-aides-get-indicted/
The White House responded to the damaging news that former campaign manager Paul Manafort has been indicted and a former foreign policy adviser flipped and is cooperating with law enforcement by turning up the pressure to investigate Hillary Clinton.
ReplyDeleteVideo:
Huckabee Sanders was asked if Trump is confident that Congress will investigate Clinton. She answered, “I think that’s a question you’d have to ask Congress, but I think that there are enough reports and enough information out there that seems to suggest that it might not be a bad idea.”
Huckabee Sanders tried to spend the rest of the briefing distancing Trump from Manafort and George Papadopoulos.
It didn’t work.
The other half of the Trump strategy is to play up the dossier and demand an investigation of Hillary Clinton. Sarah Huckabee Sanders falsely claimed that the Trump campaign only took a meeting, while Clinton spent money to help the Russians spread fake news about Trump to influence the election.
It is a bizarro world defense that is completely devoid of facts. Trump is retreating back to a familiar strategy of blaming Hillary Clinton for his own activities. If this briefing was Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ first real test as press secretary, she failed miserably.
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/10/30/white-house-responds-manafort-indictment-pressuring-congress-investigate-hillary-clinton.html
As a former federal prosecutor, it seems to me that there are several angles to Mueller’s strategy with the timing of these announcements.
ReplyDeleteThe most obvious is the effort to squeeze Manafort. Prosecutors indict lower level co-conspirators to get them to flip on their higher level counterparts all day long. The slightly more subtle dynamic is to put Manafort on an island, and let him see those he is protecting cut him loose and distance themselves from him. This will weaken his willingness to hang in and protect others. I think the timing of the release of the Papadopolous plea is designed to press another lever – it lets Manafort know that there is more to the case than the money laundering, and this is going to get a lot worse for him if he doesn’t cooperate. All of these moves are intended to bring maximum pressure on Manafort to cooperate with the investigation.
While I agree that the Papadopolous plea had the effect of blindsiding Trump, I don’t think that was the primary goal of the timing of its release. What Trump tweets doesn’t matter to Mueller. He has his sights set on Manafort and getting him to flip.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/more-on-muellers-strategy
Why Did Paul Manafort Go To Work for Trump
ReplyDeleteIt was an extremely bad idea for Paul Manafort to get involved in a presidential campaign on the way to the nomination when he was sitting atop so much dirty laundry.
Unless of course, he had no choice.
This is not simply a nasty comment. Even based on what is publicly known, what was publicly known a year ago, that Manafort has been involved in highly questionable foreign representation for decades and a lot of financial transactions that look like money laundering. As I said last night about President Trump, lots of people slip through for years or decades without getting in trouble for their financial crimes. Some never get caught. Going to the white hot center of the US political process is a really good way to get caught.
Why would Manafort do that?
One plausible explanation is simple hubris. Arrogance makes people stupid. But there are other indications that Manafort needed money, that he was overextended and desperate. But he, quite conspicuously, worked for Trump for free.
That’s odd. Because there’s nothing about Paul Manafort and his forty years in the US political world that suggests he works cheap or for free. But a salary is not the only way or even the primary way someone like Manafort could restore himself financially through getting tight with Donald Trump. The big pay off would be in the influence he would gain and the money he could make off the work – either re-juiced for the US political game or to get the big money in Russia or the Ukraine with his influence batteries recharged. We know about exchanges Manafort had with colleagues speculating about how he could ‘make himself whole’ based on the newfound celebrity, particularly in the former Soviet sphere.
After Manafort sealed his arrangement with Trump, he asked his Ukrainian fixer Konstanin Kilimnik to pass on word to top Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska that he could provide briefings on the campaign if Deripaska would find that helpful. Manafort and Deripaska had a longstanding business relationship. Manafort also asked Kilimnik “How do we use [this] to get whole?” In other words, can do we use working for Trump to recoup their finances.
Here are some questions that need to be asked.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/why-did-paul-manafort-go-to-work-for-trump
Considering the money laundering expertise I would not be surprised if payments were made for compensation under the table/off shore accounts. No legitimate salary provided an out for the campaign.
Delete@11:10 Big Player$
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Papers
Human Trafficking Period!
DeleteTrump Can Try to Pardon Mueller’s Suspects But It Isn’t Going To Work
ReplyDelete...But let’s be serious. We all know that a sitting president’s pardoning the subject of an independent prosecution for the purpose of protecting his own possibly colluding ass is some next-level corruption. The impropriety of such a maneuver is so obvious that I seriously doubt Article 2’s plain language will amount to more than a minor speed bump.
Simply put, there are lots of reasons why pardoning Russia colluders is a colossally bad idea for Trump. Here are just a few:
https://lawnewz.com/uncategorized/trump-can-try-to-pardon-muellers-suspects-but-it-isnt-going-to-work/
Mueller’s moves send message to other potential targets: Beware, I’m coming
ReplyDeleteThe one-two punch delivered Monday by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III — an indictment of President Trump’s former campaign chairman and a guilty plea from a former campaign adviser — is designed to send a powerful message to everyone else caught up in the probe: the prosecutors aren’t bluffing.
“This is the way you kick off a big case,’’ said Patrick Cotter, a white-collar defense lawyer in Chicago who once worked as a federal prosecutor in New York alongside Andrew Weissmann, who is spearheading the prosecution of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates.
...“Oh, man, they couldn’t have sent a message any clearer if they’d rented a revolving neon sign in Times Square,’’ Cotter said. “And the message isn’t just about Manafort. It’s a message to the next five guys they talk to. And the message is: ‘We are coming, and we are not playing, and we are not bluffing.’ ’’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/muellers-moves-send-message-to-other-potential-targets-beware-im-coming/2017/10/30/f4fa5d7a-bd8c-11e7-8444-a0d4f04b89eb_story.html
Trump campaign adviser admitted to lying about Russian contacts
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-campaign-adviser-pleaded-guilty-to-lying-about-russian-contacts/2017/10/30/d525e712-bd7d-11e7-97d9-bdab5a0ab381_story.html
Trump’s meltdown in anticipation of indictments is telling
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/10/30/trumps-meltdown-in-anticipation-of-indictments-is-telling/
To what circle of hell are Republicans about to consign themselves?
...Trump’s ultimate objective in all this matters greatly. If he wants to recruit Republicans into a defense of the shady political and business dealings of Paul Manafort and the rest of the president’s political circle — now exposed by federal indictment — it will be discrediting and humiliating. A party that rallies to the defense of corruption will eventually be seen as a swamp in need of clearing.
But if Trump’s goal is to escape a tightening legal investigation by firing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and issuing a string of self-protective pardons, the participation of the Republican Party takes on a different meaning.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trump-is-counting-on-republicans-to-attack-mueller-they-shouldnt/2017/10/30/1007f1e8-bd8f-11e7-97d9-bdab5a0ab381_story.html
Now begins the crisis stage of the Trump presidency
We knew it was coming, and now it is here. The Trump presidency had crisis written all over it from the beginning, and all the symptoms were apparent from the first day of his campaign. Americans who voted for Donald Trump hoping for some disruption didn’t know the half of what they were bargaining for. We’re about to experience that. Trump is a bad bargain.
We should all be grateful for the speed and apparent rigorous professionalism that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has brought to his investigation of Russia’s subversive involvement in our election. It will make it a good deal harder and a good deal less credible when Trump turns on him personally, which seems almost inevitable.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2017/10/30/now-begins-the-crisis-stage-of-the-trump-presidency/
The Fox News-Murdoch effect: Mueller must resign! Or be fired!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2017/10/30/the-fox-news-cum-murdoch-effect-mueller-must-resign-or-be-fired/
With money laundering charges against Paul Manafort, Trump’s ‘fake news’ claim is harder to defend
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/10/30/with-this-paul-manafort-indictment-trumps-fake-news-defense-has-zero-credibility/
Comey just Twitter-trolled Trump after the Manafort indictment in a strange and cryptic way
ReplyDeletehttps://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/comey-just-twitter-trolled-trump-after-the-manafort-indictment-in-a-strange-and-cryptic-way/
Here are 4 flashbacks to the 2016 campaign that show just how involved Paul Manafort and Rick Gates were
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/here-are-4-flashbacks-to-the-2016-campaign-that-show-just-how-involved-paul-manafort-and-rick-gates-were/
‘If you think this is the worst day — think again’: GOP strategist taunts Trump fans with future indictments
Trump fans upset about the indictment of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort are hanging their hats on the fact that special counsel Robert Mueller’s indictment did not mention his work on Trump’s campaign in the charges.
However, Republican strategist Rick Wilson taunted Trump’s supporters on Monday by explaining that the case against Trump and his 2016 presidential campaign is far from over — and that there are many more shoes yet to drop.
In particular, Wilson zeroed in on the revelation that former Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos reached out to Russian officials to arrange meetings with the Trump campaign — and even to help coordinate the release of what he believed were emails from Hillary Clinton’s private server.
“We now have confessed collusion and a complex electronic trail from Pap to his fellow Trump campaign members,” Wilson wrote. “These are serious people running a serious investigation and you’re either a cooperating witness or a target.”
He then went on to mock the Trump administration’s legal strategy, while noting that Mueller has hired a team of top-notch investigators.
“That the intelligence community has a royal flush,” he joked. “Team Treason has a pair of twos on their best day.”
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/if-you-think-this-is-the-worst-day-think-again-gop-strategist-taunts-trump-fans-with-future-indictments/
Paul Manafort pushed Trump to choose Pence as VP
ReplyDeleteThe man who helped put Mike Pence a heartbeat away from the presidency is now facing federal charges.
Paul Manafort, who was hit Monday with 12 counts tied to alleged financial schemes, pushed for Pence to become Trump's running mate and even managed to talk Trump out of his doubts. As the Trump administration now works to distance itself from Manafort, his Pence pick stands among the best evidence of his impact as Trump's short-lived campaign manager.
Before Trump formally announced Pence as his vice presidential candidate, it was Manafort who made sure it happened, as The New York Times reported last year.
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/10/paul-manafort-pushed-trump-to-choose-pence-as-vp/
How Donald Trump Finally Settled on Mike Pence
Deletehttps://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/16/us/politics/mike-pence-donald-trump-vice-president.html
Did you let silence become a false sense of security Mr. President? Tick tock, tick tock.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/RoguePOTUSStaff/status/924795337486856192
Let's keep in mind that Watergate resulted in 69 indictments and that was a speeding ticket compared to Trump and the TreasonWeasels.
https://twitter.com/TrueFactsStated/status/924686905903669255
ReplyDeleteWhite House Press Secretary: Indicted Campaign Members Had ‘Nothing To Do With’ Trump
Sarah Huckabee Sanders resorted to a familiar tactic to distance the president from the Russia investigations.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sarah-huckabee-sanders-trump-manafort-indictment_us_59f76847e4b0c0c8e67b9b45?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
George Papadopoulos Is Bad News For Donald Trump
This little-known 30-year-old campaign aide has been cooperating with investigators for months.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/george-papadopoulos-big-deal_us_59f72de7e4b077d8dfcb085b?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Trump orders State Department to dig through old Clinton emails as Russia scandal explodes
ReplyDeleteAt every turn, Trump has hamstrung State Department diplomats’ ability to broker foreign policy. Instead, he has another job in mind for them: dig up documents on Hillary Clinton.
According to a recent CNN report, Trump is ordering Tillerson to fast-track the release of any Clinton emails they still have, and clear a “backlog” of 13,000 Freedom of Information Act requests to the State Department — many of which are fishing expeditions filed by right-wing activists on Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, and have nothing to do with meaningful issues.
All of this is supposedly in the name of “transparency.” But as Trump’s behavior over the past week makes clear, it is really about trying to put Clinton back in the news, and distract from special counsel Robert Mueller as his first indictments start to drop.
It is hard to overstate how inappropriate this is. FOIA requests are rote administrative work. Per Ilan Goldberg, former chief of staff to the Israeli-Palestinian envoy, high-level State Department officials with security clearances are now being ordered to trawl through databases of Clinton’s old documents, rather than do their actual jobs.
https://shareblue.com/trump-orders-state-department-to-dig-through-old-clinton-emails-as-russia-scandal-explodes/
There is a pic tOO>"In one email, a “high-ranking campaign official” forwarded Papadopoulos’ email to another campaign official and noted the need to “communicate that [Trump] is not doing these trips” and that they should send “someone low level in the campaign so as not to send any signal.”"
ReplyDeletehttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/george-papadopoulos-big-deal_us_59f72de7e4b077d8dfcb085b?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/trump-campaign-papadopoulos-russia-investigation
Delete'the “Papa-Who” defense.'
"Trump campaign’s Russia ties is recorded in a commemorative photograph."
"Papadopoulos had sent campaign officials an e-mail with the subject line, “Meeting with Russian Leadership—Including Putin.”
" the March 31 meeting as the moment when Papadopoulos seems to have announced to Trump and Sessions that his Russian connections were eager to aid the campaign."from a man he believed to be a Russian professor and a woman who claimed, fal$ely, to be Vladimir Putin’s niece."
"August 17, 2017, story in, of all places, the conservative Daily Caller—which reported that Sessions told Papadopoulos to drop the subject and not bring it up again. Instead Papadopoulos, in the ensuing weeks, sent out e-mails to Trump’s national security team pursuing the idea,"
"We know that Sam Clovis got them, and he was a bigger player than anyone has accepted yet, given that he did all the hiring for the national security team.” Papadopoulos’s e-mails provide a kind of CRUDE {OIL} road map for where the Mueller investigation could go next."
Sam Buell worked the Enron case as a federal prosecutor, and now teaches at Duke University law school. “The Papadopoulos plea is very significant,” he says. “Mueller has a witness, a cooperating witness, who has pled guilty and is prepared to testify about pretty extensive contacts between himself in his capacity as a campaign official and individuals purporting to represent the Russian government. And in those discussions there’s talk about an exchange of information, in the form of e-mails, for help fostering a relationship with Donald Trump. If this isn’t collusion, I don’t know what collusion isIS.”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/10/trump-campaign-papadopoulos-russia-investigation