The Russia Investigation: Trump Pardons Flynn (3 Viewers)

[cobalt_27]

They figure that since Trump hasn't been indicted, he must be squeaky clean. As if Mueller would really be dumb enough to write the last chapter before the others.

I figure that's just the current talking point for message boards and other social media.  No one with an IQ north of 80 actually thinks he must be clean if no one has dropped the hammer yet.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

What an interesting confluence of events:

FELIX SATER PROMISED A PUTIN MEETING WITH MICHAEL COHEN MINUTES AFTER DON JR PROMISED TO REVISIT MAGNITSKY SANCTIONS

Trump Jr, promises to revisit Magnitsky Sanctions at Trump Tower if/when Trump wins.

Sater - sends text to Cohen trying to set up a meeting with Putin later in 2016

Oh, and Trump himself tweeted about Hillary's emails that same night.

odd timing, all of that.

At that point, Sater told Cohen there was a “very strong chance” he would meet Russia’s President, which Cohen and Don Jr would have both believed meant that the Trump Organization could make $300 million by lending Trump’s name to the tallest tower in Europe.

Quid pro quo, all executed on social media.

>MONEY<​

 

[Rove!]

I suspect (guess*) that Sater has been cooperating under immunity. But I am *sure* if Cohen, who has known Sater a good part of his life, really thought he had been entrapped he could have just told the judges - either or both of them because he's got two - that that had happened to him and *poof* Trump would have been vindicated, he would have gone free, and he'd be a hero today to Trumpworld.

But nah, he didn't do that.

Cohen had to take a bullet for his whole family going to jail for the whole taxi cab scheme, which is powerful leverage...so powerful that they made Cohen plead guilty to a non-crime ..

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Cohen had to take a bullet for his whole family going to jail for the whole taxi cab scheme, which is powerful leverage...so powerful that they made Cohen plead guilty to a non-crime ..

If Cohen unveils that Mueller and the FBI have been working an entrapment scheme, no one is going to jail. It's over. No one's going near Cohen's family after that because - guess what - threatening a witness with criminal prosecution to make them lie or shut up is witness tampering and anyone who did that would go to jail too.

And they should, don't you agree?

 

[Don't Noonan]

This thread is amazing!

 

[sho nuff]

This thread is amazing!

I know...so many facts and you just ignore them all.

 

[Rove!]

>MONEY<​

So the DOJ, Fusion GPS,  the Clinton Campaign and the Kremlin were all coordinating together to entrap the Trump campaign

 

[sho nuff]

So the DOJ, Fusion GOS, the Clinton Campian and the Kremlin were all coordinating together to entrap the campaign

No

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

So the DOJ, Fusion GOS, the Clinton Campian and the Kremlin were all coordinating together to entrap the campaign

Manafort has two - count 'em two - different judges he can tell this tale to. And has Manafort said anything about this theory, or do you think he wasn't close enough to the facts to be aware of it?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I'm :whoosh: Wasn't Trump the one that brought up threatening to bring up the taxi cab crimes?

Why yes, yes he was.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Cohen had to take a bullet for his whole family going to jail for the whole taxi cab scheme, which is powerful leverage...so powerful that they made Cohen plead guilty to a non-crime ..

What non-crime was that?

 

[Rove!]

No

Yes

Sater is a DOJ informant with ties to Lynch and her time as a US attorney 

Lynch had to make an exception to let Natalia Veselnitskaya into the US

Natalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin worked for Fusion GPS which was an extension of the Clinton campaign 

Fusion GPS also worked for the Kremlin to lobby against the Magnitsky Act - which Hillary Clinton also opposed

So, at the same time, the Clinton operatives are trying to entrap Jr, with an assist from Lynch, another DOJ asset is trying to entrap Cohen, and all of these people seem to be aware of what they are all doing.

This demonstrates that the DOJ was colluding with Russia

 

[Rove!]

What non-crime was that?

The campaign finance charge. 

 

[Sinn Fein]

So the DOJ, Fusion GPS,  the Clinton Campaign and the Kremlin were all coordinating together to entrap the Trump campaign

"entrap" 

Trump campaign was told explicitly - "We think the Russians may try to infiltrate your campaign"

In the weeks after he became the Republican nominee on July 19, 2016, Donald Trump was warned that foreign adversaries, including Russia, would probably try to spy on and infiltrate his campaign, according to multiple government officials familiar with the matter.

The warning came in the form of a high-level counterintelligence briefing by senior FBI officials, the officials said. A similar briefing was given to Hillary Clinton, they added. They said the briefings, which are commonly provided to presidential nominees, were designed to educate the candidates and their top aides about potential threats from foreign spies.

The candidates were urged to alert the FBI about any suspicious overtures to their campaigns, the officials said.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Yes

Sater is a DOJ informant with ties to Lynch and her time as a US attorney 

Lynch had to make an exception to let Natalia Veselnitskaya into the US

Natalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin worked for Fusion GPS which was an extension of the Clinton campaign 

Fusion GPS also worked for the Kremlin to lobby against the Magnitsky Act - which Hillary Clinton also opposed

So, at the same time, the Clinton operatives are trying to entrap Jr, with an assist from Lynch, another DOJ asset is trying to entrap Cohen, and all of these people seem to be aware of what they are all doing.

This demonstrates that the DOJ was colluding with Russia

Manafort: "Your Honor, I am guilty of nothing, this man [wildly points at Robert Mueller] has entrapped me by using a secret informant and now he is persecuting me by exploiting old misdeeds to pressure me into lying against My Leader!"

Judge: "Release this man!"

This happened, right? Or if not why not?

 

[Don't Noonan]

Yes

Sater is a DOJ informant with ties to Lynch and her time as a US attorney 

Lynch had to make an exception to let Natalia Veselnitskaya into the US

Natalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin worked for Fusion GPS which was an extension of the Clinton campaign 

Fusion GPS also worked for the Kremlin to lobby against the Magnitsky Act - which Hillary Clinton also opposed

So, at the same time, the Clinton operatives are trying to entrap Jr, with an assist from Lynch, another DOJ asset is trying to entrap Cohen, and all of these people seem to be aware of what they are all doing.

This demonstrates that the DOJ was colluding with Russia

but where are the facts!@##

 

[sho nuff]

Yes

Sater is a DOJ informant with ties to Lynch and her time as a US attorney 

Lynch had to make an exception to let Natalia Veselnitskaya into the US

Natalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin worked for Fusion GPS which was an extension of the Clinton campaign 

Fusion GPS also worked for the Kremlin to lobby against the Magnitsky Act - which Hillary Clinton also opposed

So, at the same time, the Clinton operatives are trying to entrap Jr, with an assist from Lynch, another DOJ asset is trying to entrap Cohen, and all of these people seem to be aware of what they are all doing.

This demonstrates that the DOJ was colluding with Russia

As saints and others are showing m...clearly...no.

 

[Sinn Fein]

The campaign finance charge. 

This one?

COHEN caused and made the payments described herein in order to influence the 2016 presidential election.  In so doing, he coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments.  As a result of the payments solicited and made by COHEN, neither Woman-1 nor Woman-2 spoke to the press prior to the election.

This is the charge that Cohen admitted and pleaded guilty to.

What is it about that charge and guilty plea do you think is not a violation?

 

[sho nuff]

but where are the facts!@##

Supporting colluding by the Democrats and don tonentrap Trump?  There are non...Rove his making unfounded claims he simply can’t support.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

but where are the facts!@##

If these were facts, like real true honest facts, and Manafort or Papadopoulas or Prigozhin or Cohen or Gates or Vesenitskaya... or any of the 37 (38? 39?) people convicted/indicted who can read Gateway Pundit... they would 1. tell a JUDGE (and there may be five or so at this point), 2. get released, 3. see their enemies vanquished before them, and 4. sue and win a gazillion-trillion dollars.

It's really hard to imagine why every time they get a chance to do just that instead they fall on the floor prostrate or hide out in Russia, well except for Manafort who just keeps criming and adding years to his sentence (but still just won't tell these facts to either of his 2 judges).

 

[Ignoramus]

I thought Ig was being sarcastic- that the answer to the question, and why he didn't simply answer is obvious. That said, definitely not a dumb question in that there should be transparency and accountability for anything a representative votes for/against... particularly on a committee that is either assisting or impeding a Special Counsel investigation. That committee has been allowed to operate in the shadows for too long. 

Yes, that's what I was shooting for there. Just attempting a joke.

 

[Rove!]

This one?

COHEN caused and made the payments described herein in order to influence the 2016 presidential election.  In so doing, he coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments.  As a result of the payments solicited and made by COHEN, neither Woman-1 nor Woman-2 spoke to the press prior to the election.

This is the charge that Cohen admitted and pleaded guilty to.

What is it about that charge and guilty plea do you think is not a violation?

Yes

paying off a mistress is not a campaign expenditure. The FEC ruled that way in the Edwards case.  These types of payments have never been adjudicated to be campaign expenditures.  

Cohen only pleaded guilty because the DOJ had leverage over him and his family,.

 

[Sinn Fein]

Yes

paying off a mistress is not a campaign expenditure. The FEC ruled that way in the Edwards case.  These types of payments have never been adjudicated to be campaign expenditures.  

Cohen only pleaded guilty because the DOJ had leverage over him and his family,.

Yeah - thats not really true.

Edwards case went to trial - where a jury found that his specific case was not a campaign violation.  It was not decided as a matter of law, nor was it decided for all cases - these are fact sensitive cases.

If the DOJ is exerting undue pressure on Cohen, and causing him to lie in Court - then he should definitely bring that up.

 

[SWC]

This one?

COHEN caused and made the payments described herein in order to influence the 2016 presidential election.  In so doing, he coordinated with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments.  As a result of the payments solicited and made by COHEN, neither Woman-1 nor Woman-2 spoke to the press prior to the election.

This is the charge that Cohen admitted and pleaded guilty to.

What is it about that charge and guilty plea do you think is not a violation?

Yes

paying off a mistress is not a campaign expenditure. The FEC ruled that way in the Edwards case.  These types of payments have never been adjudicated to be campaign expenditures.  

Cohen only pleaded guilty because the DOJ had leverage over him and his family,.

do you ever feel at least a little ridiculous telling lies like that the fec ruled that way or does that just not register with you at all take that to the bank brohan

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Schiff's statement: https://intelligence.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=447

Now, in the 116th Congress, the Committee’s investigation will focus principally on five interconnected lines of inquiry, beginning with these incomplete or unexamined investigative threads:

(1)    The scope and scale of the Russian government’s operations to influence the U.S. political process, and the U.S. government’s response, during and since the 2016 election;

(2)    The extent of any links and/or coordination between the Russian government, or related foreign actors, and individuals associated with Donald Trump’s campaign, transition, administration, or business interests, in furtherance of the Russian government’s interests;

(3)    Whether any foreign actor has sought to compromise or holds leverage, financial or otherwise, over Donald Trump, his family, his business, or his associates;

(4)    Whether President Trump, his family, or his associates are or were at any time at heightened risk of, or vulnerable to, foreign exploitation, inducement, manipulation, pressure, or coercion, or have sought to influence U.S. government policy in service of foreign interests; and

(5)    Whether any actors – foreign or domestic – sought or are seeking to impede, obstruct, and/or mislead authorized investigations into these matters, including those in the Congress.

I guess (3) means they're going after Trump's finances.

When did the HIC issue their competing reports, a year ago? Or May? The investigation has continued for another year, they'll have to write another report.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

paying off a mistress is not a campaign expenditure. The FEC ruled that way in the Edwards case.  

FEC: John Edwards must pay back $2.3 million in campaign funds

 

[roadkill1292]

Shame on you, Rove. 

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

[donnie]FUKS!!!!!![/donnie]

Donald Trump’s dream of putting his name on a tower in Moscow came with a hefty price tag: $20 million.

Trump demanded that non-negotiable fee in 2006 from a Ukrainian-Russian named Pavel Fuks, who made his fortune in oil trading, banking and real estate development. Fuks, who says he’s been barred from entering the U.S. and is embroiled in a dispute over money he spent to attend Trump inaugural events, spoke about the early Moscow negotiations in an interview with Bloomberg News in a Kiev office with a team of armed security guards stationed outside.

...Fuks’s description, which differs from some earlier reports on the effort, indicates a more extensive deal proposal than has been previously understood, pulling in Trump family members and one of their significant business partners in Trump SoHo. Fuks says he was introduced to Trump by the late Tamir Sapir, a Soviet-born American who shepherded Russians into the New York development around the same time. ...

- Bloomberg.

- Ah, Sapir.

- I think this makes dealmaking in Moscow in 1996, 2006, and 2 in 2015-16.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The DOJ was colluding with Russia to help get Trump elected and then impeach him?

Seems unlikely. 

When Q-Anon is your baseline for believability this stuff probably looks really really good.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Meh.  FAKE NEWS

 

[The Future Champs]

This is a cryptic statement from Rep. Schiff.

“In the interests of the investigation, Michael Cohen’s testimony has been postponed until February 28th.”

He was originally scheduled to testify behind closed doors on Friday.

Closed door is still likely to leak.   Mueller’s not wrapping it up just yet, IMO.  

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

FEC: John Edwards must pay back $2.3 million in campaign funds

This link doesn’t refute Rove’s claim.

 

[JuniorNB]

I need a cup that says "Trump tears."

Verified account 7m7 minutes ago

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Trump says Schiff probe into his finances, ties with Russia is "presidential harassment" http://hill.cm/mum07ns

With all his criminal activity, why wasn't he content to make deals with Russians and bang skanky porn stars into his old age? His never-ending thirst for attention and power caused all this. Now he's screwed and crying that he's being harassed. I have a feeling I'm going to LOVE 2019.

 

[JuniorNB]

Stay down, Rove.

He won't

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

This link doesn’t refute Rove’s claim.

You're right, that's about basic accounting issues, not the affair. Apologies and thanks.

 

[Banger]

Tom Winter‏Verified account @Tom_Winter

FollowFollow @Tom_Winter

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NEW: Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Office will get the following transcripts (partial list) from House Intelligence: - Jared Kushner - Brad Parscale - Jeff Sessions - Alexander Nix - Steve Bannon - Hope Hicks - Corey Lewandowski

Also included @mikememoli reports: - Donald Trump Jr. (his Senate transcript has already been made public). - Erik Prince - Glenn Simpson - Rinat Akhmetshin - Felix Sater - Rick Dearborn

just more process crimes...

 

[roadkill1292]

MSNBC‏Verified account @MSNBC

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JUST IN: Senate Judiciary Cmte. member Sasse says the US Justice Dept. has opened an investigation into allegations that dept. attorneys "may have committed professional misconduct in the manner in which the [Jeffrey] Epstein criminal matter was resolved."

Ooh, the stuff they got in return for letting a serial abuser off the hook better be off the charts good.

 

[2Squirrels1Nut]

Wouldn't you be too if you are continually asked stupid questions by the MSM?  

I hear that.  It's why I only answer questions from Alcoholics with Big Johnson's quarterly. 

 

[The Future Champs]

With all his criminal activity, why wasn't he content to make deals with Russians and bang skanky porn stars into his old age? His never-ending thirst for attention and power caused all this. Now he's screwed and crying that he's being harassed. I have a feeling I'm going to LOVE 2019.

2020 is going to be even better, imo.  That's when the wheels will really fall off.

 

[dozer]

Some kind of document dump on Buzzfeed... The link is a Seth Abramson tweet.

(NOTE) If you can read these 285 pages of docs and *not* think when you're done that Trump was trading US foreign policy on Russia for money, you're a....

 

[Rove!]

FEC: John Edwards must pay back $2.3 million in campaign funds

Completely unrelated to the money that Andrew Young helped him raise from supporters to give to his baby momma

 

[sho nuff]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1093277418767433729

These leaked Cohen texts look pretty bad for Trump.

And that’s just what we actually know. 

It’s clear this administration was dirty from the get go...yet people still think there was nothing/is nothing there.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Completely unrelated to the money that Andrew Young helped him raise from supporters to give to his baby momma 

I acknowledged that further up. The problem you still have is that Trump's own attorney (Cohen) testified that the payments were campaign related. Young testified the opposite for Edwards.

 

[joffer]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1093277418767433729

These leaked Cohen texts look pretty bad for Trump.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE WHITE HOUSE

-SHS

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1093277418767433729

These leaked Cohen texts look pretty bad for Trump.

Sater: "It's about Putin. They called today."

 

[Sinn Fein]

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE WHITE HOUSE

-SHS

True story:  There are rats in the White House

 

[Thunderlips]

The DOJ was colluding with Russia to help get Trump elected and then impeach him?

Seems unlikely. 

Yup.  And Trump, playing that 12D Chess that only he can play, LET THEM.....and then won the election....and then let them bring this investigation up in order to flush out the Deep State. Mueller's in on it.

This ends like Empire Strikes Back at Cloud City.....Hillary is Leia, Pelosi is Chewbacca and Obama is Han Solo....and Lando Mueller is leading them all to a nice sit down dinner with Darth Trump.  

 

[squistion]

Betsy Woodruff‏ @woodruffbets 7m7 minutes ago

NEW:

Paul Erickson, the boyfriend of admitted Russian agent Maria Butina, has been indicted for wire fraud and money laundering

https://www.thedailybeast.com/paul-erickson-russian-agent-maria-butinas-boyfriend-indicted-for-fraud

 

[Sheriff Bart]

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1093277418767433729

These leaked Cohen texts look pretty bad for Trump.

This is Putin's administration 

FFS Looks as bad as we thought for all of us.  :(

 

[Sammy3469]

Betsy Woodruff‏ @woodruffbets 7m7 minutes ago

NEW:

Paul Erickson, the boyfriend of admitted Russian agent Maria Butina, has been indicted for wire fraud and money laundering

https://www.thedailybeast.com/paul-erickson-russian-agent-maria-butinas-boyfriend-indicted-for-fraud

Go on...