A Treason to Live; A Treason to Die (The Mueller Investigation Part 16)...

Link to previous thread for reference:

The Trump White House is serving up Benedict Arnold Realness.

The tariffs are just a last ditch attempt to win the PA-18 house seat. If he's willing to implement tariffs for one measly seat in the house, what's he going to do for the midterms??

R3 That explains the cringe-worthy news conference Trump conducted with those steel (or whatever) factory workers...

[quote] If he's willing to implement tariffs for one measly seat in the house, what's he going to do for the midterms??

Launder money for Kim

Stormy Daniels new tour is called "Make America Horny Again".

CNN's New Day Saturday refused to say the title of the tour.

Hopefully, every blue-haired, evangelical Trump voter gets to know about Stormy other than the denials fed to them by Fox News, which largely avoids speaking about Stormy.

One just knows, Stormy has pics that would make even the pee pee girls blush.

That video of Nunberg leaving after testifying is amazing. (It's in the last thread, in the 580s.)

He normally can't keep his mouth shut, but here he doesn't say a word. He also tries to bob and weave a little to avoid reporters, and looks sick to his stomach.

I guess the drugs from earlier in the week wore off.

So, can we expect Devin Nunes to follow Stormy around on her "make America horny again" tour, trying to find dirt on her; then go back to his office and write a MEMO for Trump to approve; then Nunes gives it to Ryan for a Congressional vote for authenticated release?

You’re absolutely right, r8. Nunberg was in the Grand Jury for six hours. After his psycho press tour, he had to be on his extra best behavior.

Of all things, it looks like this Stormy Daniels bullshit might be the scandal that gives Trump (and his lawyer) the most heartache in the end.

Figures, the media and the population always go for the tabloid story.

Will we hear it soon from the Murdoch & related tabloids & perhaps rumors tied, somehow, to Roger Stone?

False narrative could go something like this:

"Stormy is a long-time lesbian lover of Hillary, whom Hillary paid from the Clinton Foundation funds to falsely entrap Trump. The details of the plan were in the 30,000 missing Hillary Emails that the FBI discovered, but were covered-up by Comey. Special Committee Chairman Gowdy was getting close to finding out who agent PP (now known as Stormy D.) was, but couldn't get any closer because Obama had labeled these documents super-duper top secret, knowing Stormy was a double agent in Benghazi, deceptively misleading Prince's heroic mercenaries and the Russian good guys who could have aaved the day. A noble county clerk in Kentucky, asking not to be identified, but using her amazing sleuth skills, figured it all out".

My theory is, that Nunberg's performance last week on his media tour was a warning shot to Roger Stone. He was sending Roger a message. I'm guessing he was unhappy with Roger, and he had already given some indication to the investigators who interviewed him, earlier, that he was going to give Roger up. Roger, foolishly, threw Nunberg under the bus and when Nunerg went to the grand jury, he threw Roger under the bus. My conclusion? They're gonna need a bigger bus. Lots of people are going to be throwing one another under the bus. Maybe Stone figures they can argue that Nunberg is not a credible witness because he's unstable, but I think Mueller would very likely have a lot of other evidence that would support Nunberg's information.

Good God! When all this is said and done, someone is going to write a book about this mess and It's going to be longer than "Ear and Peace", and Gibbons' "History of the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" COMBINED!

These assholes were driven by relentless greed and Hillary Derangement Syndrome. They convinced themselves she was the absolute devil so anything they did could be justified.

And bonus if they got richer in the process.

Its called projection.....accuse your opponent of the very things youre guilty of to deflect the attention to them.

Crooked Hillary has a small penis! The smallest penis! It can’t even get hard anymore! And that’s not her real hair!

Interesting that Nunberg thinks those around Trump will go down...but not Trump himself.......I find it hard to believe that Trump is that cunning....

I forgot Nunberg was fired after his racist comments were discovered. Classy.

R14 Ear and Peace. LOL, I know it's a typo but it's a good one.

R18, Trump has had years of experience and people like Roger Stone, Michael Cohen, and Rudy (Let's not forget abut him) Giuliani advising him on how to insulate himself on every issue he has ever faced like larceny, real estate fraud, and anything resembling legal liability for anything he has done. If Trump has thought of nothing else in the past 50 or so years, he has put self preservation at the top of his list. Now, he is also arrogant. He thinks he is immune from the regular pitfalls ordinary mortals face. So I believe he did in fact discuss things with Cohen, and with Jared and possibly Donald, Jr. But he is not very trusting and probably compartmentalizes stuff. I firmly believe he conspired with the Russians to commit fraud against the United States and he is guilty of treason. I think his co-conspirators include Jared, and Michael Cohen, and Donnie and Ivanka. I can't see him talking to a large circle of people. Certainly no more than a half dozen knew what he wanted to do and why.

TIllerson is ill & had to cancel his schedule while visiting Africa.

[quote]TIllerson is ill & had to cancel his schedule

Is not us!

Doesn't DL do some matchmaking? Guys that fret about not having a partner, and don't see what's before them

Perez Hilton looking......an extensive thread on that.

Sam Nunberg is now famous. He sounds as if he needs love and support.

Get them introduced already.

R20, I take it you never read Rollstoy?

I have no idea how legit this reporting is but this is a fascinating article.

It suggests Devin Nunes was recorded in conversations with Carter Page. And THAT’s why he’s so desperate to attack the FISA warrants against Page.

Intriguing stuff.

It's Louise Mensch, who's credibility is all over the map. It's accuracy could depend whether or not she's in a bipolar episode.

[quote]Serving Benedict Arnold realness

[quote]Its called projection.....accuse your opponent of the very things youre guilty of to deflect the attention to them.

Or to beat them to the punch, so that when the more diligent opponents have the facts lined up to rightfully accuse you of said fault, you’ve already said it and now it just sounds like they’re parroting back at you.

Bring back that sunny day

Don’t know why...

The other night I was watching that Benedict Cumberbatch movie about Julian Assange and Wiki Leaks. At first they did some good. They even went into corrupt corporate execs' banks and oligarchs backgrounds and leaked information all over the internet about them. My question is, now that Julian Assange is working for the Russians, why don't we find someone who is even better at hacking and leaking and start exposing these oligarchs, and get into the bank accounts and e mails accounts of the bad guys? Are we so jaded now we have become "scandal proof?"

Am I the only one who gets Stormy, Dizzy, and Sunny mixed up, r30?

R29 Yes... the whole "Fake News" claim is the classic example of preemptive projection, when ultimately the fakest news is what the deplorables watch on Faux News. It immunizes the deplorable from people trying to wake them up that they are fed propaganda by giving them the talking point that other people are the ones fed "fake news" from the mainstream media.

[quote] It suggests Devin Nunes was recorded in conversations with Carter Page. And THAT’s why he’s so desperate to attack the FISA warrants against Page.

I have no trouble believing that Nunes is a traitor. He is certainly acting the way a stupid, guilty person would act if they were trying to cover up their crimes. However, wouldn't Adam Schiff also have seen those same transcript references to Nunes to which the article alludes? If Nunes is mentioned and Schiff knows about it that should give him all the ammunition he needs to get Nunes booted out of the chairmanship of the committee. Unless he knows, but is being asked by Mueller not to say anything at this point.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ favorite addressing interjection:

“Look”

She thinks that if she precedes whatever outrageous lie she’s about to tell with the word “look,” she will sound superior to and assertive with the press. Fuck those feeble dramatics. Someone call her out on such use of lame reprimandory rhetoric.

Bitch, don’t you be all looking me

[quote]Am I the only one who gets Stormy, Dizzy, and Sunny mixed up, [R30]?

You forgot Windy

It is quuite obvious Paul Ryan is not going to remove Nunes or reprimand him pertaining to his actions in chairing the Intel Committee.

Ryan is not going to criticize Trump, unless it is over something such as tariffs which the Kochs oppose.

In the Senate there is Miss Lindsey, posing as a pensive, wise statesmen with clever and witty comments; but is nothing more than a party-line blatherskite.

[quote] He is certainly acting the way a stupid, guilty person would act if they were trying to cover up their crimes.

As quite a few people have noted: I'll stop believing that Trump & Co. are guilty when they stop acting guilty.

The cable networks again are giving Trump free airtime and coverage for what is essentially a campaign rally. Is Lamb going to be granted the same? No.

R41 It's ridiculous that he barely does his job but finds time to golf and have deplorable rallies.

r14, "Ear and Peace"? Have we just discovered a new DLism?

R35, I agree Nunes is a filthy traitor, but I would think that if Schiff or Ryan knew anything incriminating about Nunes, Ryan would find a pretext to remove him from the committee. It's the very least he can do. Ryan is part of the "gang of four" who see Top Secret Intel. He, McConnell, Schiff, and Schumer.

[quote] Ryan knew anything incriminating about Nunes, Ryan would find a pretext to remove him from the committee. It's the very least he can do. Ryan is part of the "gang of four" who see Top Secret Intel. He, McConnell, Schiff, and Schumer.

HAHAHAHA. Sorry.

What on earth would make you think Ryan would ever do the right thing much less, "the very least he could do."

R44 here. I also want to add that I believe Nunes was up to something shady while he was on the transition team. You have to figure that Flynn, Page, and who knows who were all looking forward to cashing in on some highly profitable deals with gas and oil licenses and other shit with their Russian buddies.

R45, Ryan is a weak greedy unprincipled bastard, but he is also into self preservation. He would run like a scalded cat before he would e seen to be breaking the law. He will do a lot of unethical reprehensible thing. But I believe even he'd draw the line at self incrimination.

R46, don’t forget Tillerson.

R26, a couple of threads ago I speculated that the only logical explanation for Nune’s overreaction to the FISA docs “unmasking” was because it revealed his and Kevin MaCarthy’s (House of Representative’s #2 in every sense) involvement in laundering Russian money to their GOP brethren. I also suspect Ryan has (im)plausible deniability.

I feel like Ryan could be the one actually directing Nunes. We shall see.

[quote]He would run like a scalded cat before he would e seen to be breaking the law. He will do a lot of unethical reprehensible thing. But I believe even he'd draw the line at self incrimination.

I think you're very wrong.

Remember, Nunes has already been caught running to the WH and spilling shit to Dump and Ryan STIlL has him on the committee.

R44, R47 here. You're right, a case can definitely be made against Ryan. and I have read that Nunes does nothing without Ryan knowing about it. I guess I was just thinking Ryan was smarter than Nunes. The simplest explanation for Ryan's behavior is that he is in it too. And he is definitely a Koch whore.

Does anybody have a reasonable explanation for Lindsay Graham's unreasonable behavior? Working to get a Special Counsel to investigate Mueller and the FBI? His behavior makes no sense to me because he is supposedly very close buddies with John McCain, the man who turned the Dossier over to the FBI, and who believes Trump, (or at least his campaign), DID collude with the Russians. And Graham was a No-Trumper until only recently. At the very least, I'd think Graham would stay silence out of deference to his friend, McCain.

Anybody?

R53 I think we've discussed that previously.

It's obvious he was presented with photos of him presenting.

In the midst of this week's shitstorm I remember hearing that Sessions is hiring a second special counsel to "investigate" the investigation. Any news on this?

R55 how can he do that? Doesn't that go against him recusing himself?

The Republicans desperately want that, r55, but I don’t think Sessions has agreed to it.

To be clear, Republicans want a special counsel to investigate the FISA warrants against Carter Page. It’s basically more Nunes memo bullshit.

R53 Speculating, Miss Lindsey is compromised. At the first golf outing with DJT, she perhaps was told that dirt on her was discovered. At the second golf outing, she perhaps was given further directives.

....and dont forget that there was a large donation to one of his superpacs with Russian funds....it was reported around the same time they reported Trey Gowdy took over 900k for his.

Also, Miss Lindsey previously was a big critic about Russian behavior i. e. Ukraine/Crimea aggression, supporting Assad, bombing in Syria, election meddling in Europe, etc.

Recent months, little to no criticism of Russia is hear from her.

What do they know?

Yes - it's ALL fishy. So has McCain been on the phone with him, asking him what the fuck is going on? Why does this bullshit seem so clear to us on DL, yet the majority of the country is totally oblivious?

Theyre aware r62.......very aware.

Hunny, everyone's playing to the cheap seats right now. It may simply be that Lindsay believes his constituent want him to do these things and be more Pro Trump. Or it maybe McConnell told him to get in line. Or maybe the Kochs paid him a visit or maybe Trump promised hi Sec of Defense or State. It could be any number of reasons. They're not called a "Parliament of Whores" without reason.

Or maybe Trumpty-Dumpty has a picture of Miss Lindsay on her knees at the Congressional glory hole...

You varmints better all hush your nasty mouths! You know butter wouldn't melt in mine.

A girl is going to do what a girl is going to do, especially when Yuri and Olav have those certain pictures of her and will hit send if I don't do what they tell me I must. Including playing golf, the dullest game alive, and me not allowed my parasol or a julep on the course! Barbaric!

[quote] Ryan is a weak greedy unprincipled bastard, but he is also into self preservation. He would run like a scalded cat before he would e seen to be breaking the law.

Ryan does what he does best: Talk a big game and when backed into a corner, by having to face some facts, he takes no responsibility and throws one of his underlings under the bus. It's his way of self preservation and its quite predictable, because that's how pretty much anybody in a high ranking position operates these days.

The whole GOP sticks together, because they are all Putin's bitches by accepting donations from him and his friends. They couldn't just settle for the US oligarch types like the Koch Bros.! No, they were greedy and wanted more and that's why they need to cover each other now, because they are about to be found out to be greedy sons of bitches who would sell their own grandmother for a few more coins in their bottomless pockets. The hard cold truth is that they sold the US to Putin. The Koch Bros. THINK they own the US, but rather sooner than later they realize that Putin will waltz into the US and put some Russian oligarch loyalist on the Koch Bros' turf to push them out.

I think most of the Republicans in office are very connected to Russia and their attack on our elections. It's pretty obvious.

I wonder if Trump will return with a Trump golf course to be built in NoKo?

Re: R59's speculation. Intriguing to imagine just how the fix was imposed. Miss L gamely mixing with the jocks, making the best of it, thinking all was going well.

Then, her guard down a bit, some third-rate henchman breezily engages her in conversation. With a fake smile, just a few loaded words are dropped, which Miss L cannot misunderstand.

The sunny demeanour drops - yet somehow needs to be revived for the rest of the gruesome afternoon. Miss L has a reflective evening, to say the least. Politely declining the second golf invitation is not now an option.

Yes, r70. Trump and Kim are going to have intense negotiations. N. Korea will get to keep all their nukes and in return the US will get a Trump Hotel in Pyongyang. That’s fair, right?

Vlad has offered to host the meeting between Kim and Donald. I am serious. I, too, believe the reports that a lot of Russian oligarchs' money flooded into GOP campaign coffers, but I also think that for now, the Russian interference to prop up Trump works out well for the Kochs' agenda. They will not relinquish their pre-eminent position of influence in the United States. They will not surrender their primacy to a Russian Dictator. They find it useful right now to cooperate because they are getting what they want from Congress. But at some point, and it may come soon, the Kochs will pull the plug on Russian influence.

[quote]But at some point, and it may come soon, the Kochs will pull the plug on Russian influence.

And who are the government representatives going to side with, the Koch Bros. or the one who has a reputation to poison his enemies with radioactive poison? What will come soon is the moment where Ryan and friends will no longer take Koch Bros' calls. They are in too deep.

Just remember. Bob Mueller doesn't need Paul Ryan or Mitch McConnell's permission or consent to charge members of Congress with crimes. And they cannot ignore the federal marshals who come to arrest them.

Are there a lot of trolls busy this morning? I can’t see the last three comments,

Fyi....Republican PACs have spent over $1,800,000.00 at Trumps properties since the election......violations of both ethics and the emoluments clause.....yet nobody says a word.

Democrats have spent $0.00 at Trump properties.

Whos going to do the right thing ?

R76, the previous three comments before yours are from the Koch defender who thinks they will save us from Russia in the end after all. He's also the Paul Ryan defender.

Is the Koch Bros poster the guy the media caught in a Koch sandwich? I believe they tried to say it was a meeting about adoption, but it involved motor oil and green jello on a Twister mat.

[quote]in return the US will get a Trump Hotel in Pyongyang. That’s fair, right?

Indeed. And I know JUST the place.

Interesting read:

And just when you think the news day was over, this gem comes out.

When asked where the $130,000 sent to Daniels’ attorney came from, Cohen told ABC News “the funds were taken from my home equity line and transferred internally to my LLC account in the same bank.”

Friends, hedonists, and fellow revelers of schadenfreude, breathe that in for a moment and enjoy the delicious aroma before you gently sip it. It's better than a Chateau Petrus '78, Chateau D'quem and a Remy Martin Louis the XIV. That's the taste of impeachment for POS#45.

So here's the breakdown of one of the most idiotic statements in all of human history. Cohen has admitted that this payment was to keep Miss Clifford from telling her story before the campaign. So anything which is donated to help a particular campaign is subject to these things we call, "laws." One of those laws states that the maximum personal donation for a campaign is $2700. Dinesh D'Souza donated $10k to one of his friend's campaign and he went to prison for it.

Michael Cohen just admitted to committing a felony which will win him disbarment. Eric Schneiderman is going to have those charges filed as soon as humanly possible if Mueller doesn't ask him to hold off. But of course, there's more.

Do you think lawyers go into hock to pay off a settlement agreement for their clients who claims to be a billionaire? If you do, I have a bridge for sale. There is no possibility, NONE, as in **ZERO** chance that Cohen did not get an assurance from either Trump or some other evil-doer that he would be reimbursed for the $130k. If you still aren't sure, let me explain the Trump position which is going to give Grendel Sanders an apoplectic fit.

The *official* stance by Trump and the White House is that there was no relationship between Trump and Miss Clifford. Even if there were, Mr. Trump has already won in arbitration which means there was no relationship. Case closed, sort of. Also, Trump did not know anything about the NDA between Cohen and Miss Clifford. If he knew about the NDA, he didn't know anything about the $130k payout and since Trump never signed the NDA, it had nothing to do with the campaign and isn't subject to campaign laws. Further, if there are pictures or anything to do with Trump and Miss Clifford, those don't exist and Trump reserves the rights to those images in the NDA that he didn't sign. Okay, got all that?

If you feel like your brain is about to collapse from the sheer weight of bullshit from the White House, you're not alone. The problem is that a $130k payout to Miss Clifford is subject to campaign laws. You can ask John Edwards how that $1 million payout to his mistress worked out for him if you like. Cohen did two things which should put him in the pantheon of most incompetent attorneys in world history: First, he complained to multiple people that he had not been reimbursed for the $130k. If he did this of his own volition to help protect Trump, why would he complain about not being reimbursed? Prosecutors call that "consciousness of guilt." Clearly someone told him that he would be reimbursed.

Hmmm. I'll give you 3 guesses who that was and the first two don't count. AND, it's worth mentioning you'd have to be a complete imbecile to believe he did it to 'protect Trump.'

The second moronic thing Cohen did was to implicate his client Trump in a felonious scheme which he has admitted to publicly. Trump did not report this in his FEC financial disclosure forms. That's what got John Edwards indicted. Not only has Cohen admitted to committing a felony which will end in his disbarment, he implicated his own client in a criminal conspiracy with the aid and assistance of Grendel Sanders. Trump can't claim that he knew nothing about this expenditure while also claiming that he won an arbitration case against Miss Clifford. If he knew about the arbitration, then he knew about the payment and he did not amend nor disclose that payment on his FEC financial disclosure forms.

Ty Cobb and John Dowd must be ready for seppuku. Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan are going to wake up to that news and know that this can only end with impeachment. Those are serious felonies.

Mueller's people must be seeing this and shaking their heads in absolute astonishment at the clown-shoe-wearing nincompoops they are about to take down.

R83 I hate to sound like the Concern Troll, but somehow Trump just keeps getting away with more and more. It's unbelievable how many laws he has broken and continues to. Like there are so many they don't where to start so nothing is getting done and he's still in the WH.

And the situation with Lindsay Graham is really scary. He seemed like one of the few ethical moral leaders left. Then an abrupt 180 degree turn. It's like a movie you shut off halfway thru because it's way too implausible. It seems there are too many Republicans in power, enough to continue getting in the way of any kind of justice getting done.

"If he knew about the arbitration, then he knew about the payment and he did not amend nor disclose that payment on his FEC financial disclosure forms."

I don't think this has the timeline right. The "arbitration" just occurred, as a ploy to shut her down from further talking about the payment. The NDA has a clause that says any disputes are to be resolved by arbitration, which they argued included this question about it lacking his signature. The unilateral arbitration initiated in California (which apparently is a thing?) concluded the NDA is valid, thus they argue she can't freely talk. Unfortunately, I don't think it shows knowledge of the payment being made at the time.

The fact that Dump is claiming he won "arbitration," means he's acknowledging he is the person in the NDA which means he's admitted he is the person Stormy spanked while dressed as Ivanka.

R85 I think the thinking is that if Dump would even be pursuing arbitration re: the NDA means he was inf act aware of the NDA. Otherwise why would you be fighting for it? Makes no sense to be fighting for something you claim you had no knowledge or part of.

And a headline on today's news has Trump quoted as saying this Stormie Daniels affair is "hard on Melania". Yeah, right...

Like Melania hasnt seen him do as much....right in front of her.

R88 So funny they act like Melania's some Virgin Mary when she was literally the Whore of Babylon, I mean, Slovenia. The only difference between Melania and Stormy is Stormy doesn't need to marry for a green card.

R89 are you implying that Melania has had threesomes with her husband and Ivanka?

As Spurs engulfed into the maschoist play; Stormy may have some provocative pics. Delivered unto him: facial piss drenching, nipple twisting, high heel depressions, hot wax drops on penis, ball compressions, ball sac pinching, back whip lashes, chest nail digging, ebony dildo insertions, diaper romping, ordered toe sucking, clitoris licks begging, bondage, face slapping, scat smears, and buffalo riding and kicked with spurs.

I posted at R75 & R73 and I'm not some "Koch troll." Yes, there are trolls and disruptors on these boards, and some of them are even the very people doing the accusing to sow confusion. But I am not one.

I was operating from the premise that before the Russians surfaced in our electoral politics, the Kochs were the pre-eminent force, buying members of Congress and exerting their weight & influence often invisibly on our public policy.

So I am curious to know whether the Kochs are part of the Russian conspiracy, actively supporting and cooperating with Putin, or if the Kochs and the Russians just happen to have a similar interest in keeping Trump in place? It's a fair question.

We have read a lot of really good investigative pieces about our current mess, but I don't think enough attention has been given to the damage the Kochs have done , and whether we're dealing with a double-barreled threat, or if at some point these two entities , the Kochs and Putin will part company.

My worst fear is that the Kochs and the Russians are working together, in a multi-national effort that's bigger than just Trump who is the puppet clown.

Oh please. Trump’s way too big a coward to be a masochist.

The Summit...

r94 S. Nunberg

[quote] Michael Cohen just admitted to committing a felony which will win him disbarment. Eric Schneiderman is going to have those charges filed as soon as humanly possible if Mueller doesn't ask him to hold off.

A quibble about this: I don't think that Eric Schneiderman has anything to do with either a felony FEC violation or disbarment from the NY State Bar.

Oh, I think Cohen has probably committed the felony, and, yes, he will be disbarred if he has, but the NY AG doesn't really have jurisdiction over either of those matters.

I'm liking this image of the Senatrice as undergoing some sort of abrupt Stepford change from Trump critic to Putin lapdog.

"How could you do a thing lahk that? Ah thought we wuh friends!"

I believe Michael Cohen is a thug lawyer who Eric Schniederman will happily find a way to indict. If Cohen broke the law in NY he will get charged.

On another note, as I recall, after Clinton was found to have lied and obstructed, or whatever they got him for, he was disbarred for a specific period of time. I think it was five years. So disbarring Michael Cohen for this illegal campaign contribution, etc. ought to be easy. He can no longer fly under the radar.

But I believe he has bigger things to worry about. Like going to Russia on Trump's behalf to talk about some convoluted peace plan. Which I now believe was a ruse. If Erik Prince went to the Seychelles to set up a back channel, and Jared Kushner approached the Russian Ambassador about using the safe room at the Russian Embassy, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Cohen went to Moscow on a mission that had nothing to do with what they said it did.

I can't stand Cohen. He's an abusive arrogant piece of shit. He reminds me of the Sean Penn character in Carlito's Way.

R93, I was only teasing about you being photographed in a Koch sandwich. I meant it with love.

I like the way you think, R92.

Kinky shit! On video! BRING IT!

God knows I don't want to actually watch it. If it exists, and if it finally gets the deplorable fuckwits to think about their godawful decisions, that's more than enough for me.

Remember the whole outrage that Barron Trump thought his dad was really beheaded in that Kathy Griffin picture? Now they try Melania being really hurt by all that news reports about Stormy. What a bunch of sleazy cowards.

[quote]And a headline on today's news has Trump quoted as saying this Stormie Daniels affair is "hard on Melania".

So Trump is admitting to guilt and remorse over the public humiliation his actions are causing his wife. This self-awareness and concern for others is new, and so unlike him.

Alas no, R103.

What they seem to be saying is that the [italic] allegations [/italic] of an affair with Stormy are hard on Melania.

Here is what the Koch Bros. Defender Troll at R73 R93 said at R73

[Quote] But at some point, and it may come soon, the Kochs will pull the plug on Russian influence.

See? He thinks the Koch Bros will be our saviors.

Qatari covers up for Trump!

Make um sweat

R105, I wasn't as clear as I needed to be. In my post at R73 I ask the question in the third paragraph of R93 that really sums up my main concern. I should have said that in R73. I 'm hoping that if the Kochs are going along with the Russians' helping Trump at some point they may part company and the Kochs will be the ones to pull the plug on Russian interference. I don't see the Kochs surrendering their primacy to the Russians. Unless they are a part of this and maybe they even facilitated the "help." from Russia. I am in no way any Koch defender. I believe their obscene influence and the dark money flooding into out politics has done irreparable harm to our democracy. But if there was conflict between the Kochs and the Russians, it might accrue to our benefit. I will just repeat that the role of the Kochs has not been fully explored and how this ties in to the Russia investigation needs to be looked at. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than for the SCOTUS to order Koch industries to be broken up, and to issue a ruling that overturns Citizens United.

R109 here. My punctuation sucks. I meant to say. "I wasn't as clear as I needed to be in my post at R73."

So who in the media is calling out people like the Senatrice Miss Lindsay? I mean it is patently obvious someone or something got to him.

I have not seen anyone come for Miss Lindsey, R111. I really think there is something major in the Senatrice's walk in closets.

^Chelsea Handler back in January brought it up about LG. The problem, she used personal, homophobic language to make a point. Some journalists have noted LG's change, but he has not been pressed to explain.

Just this morning I heard on the radio a quote from Graham about how upset he is that people wrongly think Trump is a kook, among other things. Then they played a quote from last year where Gram said Trump was a kook.

I'm starting to feel like I wouldn't be surprised if ultimately we come to find out all these people are getting replaced by doubles! Like in the V miniseries or in Alias. All this turnabout is too fucking bizarre.

Manu Raju @mkraju

It’s the end of the House Russia probe: Witnesses interviews are done, GOP is prepared to announce. Now it’s time to write reports - two partisan reports - as Dems contend not enough was investigated

Damn. R116, I hope when indictments are handed out Devin Nunes and Paul Ryan,'s name are on them.

My take on Mz Lindsay is that he had a heart to heart with Mitch McConnell who explained things to him. Maybe he was told to stop fucking around and get on board. And maybe he was offered "sweetners" like a lot of $$$ from big GOP donors. OTOH, maybe he was offered the next spot on the SCOTUS. Or a job in the Administration. Lindsay would love to get the AG spot or Secretary of State or Defense.

The kook thing was such a Ms Lindz turn of phrase that people remembered the receipts.

Of course like Trump she's brazen enough to conjure up a strawman out of her own invective.

Miss Lindzey receives major contributions from the military industrial complex. Big contributors include manufacturing and financial entities such as Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and Morgan-Stanley. She's part of the "rebuild our military" crowd, heard since Reagan, but is a false premise. Even during sequestering, the military comfortably received acquisitions well beyond the minimum needed. They will push for systems and hardware not even asked for, sometimes opposed, by the military, let alone deemed necessary. Whether or not Miss L. is now a big Trumpster due to keeping dirt from being revealed is unclear. Nevertheless, there is a motive for the big flip, going as far as insisting on a Special Counsel being appointed to investigate the FISA warrant per Carter Page. That is certainly a deflection aimed at the Mueller investigation and the FBI, and some may view it as part of all the GOP obstructive-type initiatives.

I do believe investigative journalists and other media have been soft on Congress and the Senate in terms of being accountable for questionable behaviors in relation to Trump and the past campaign They should be OUTRAGED what Russian has done, and continues to do, in undermining the U.S. electoral processes. They have allowed Trump and Tillerson to get by without implementing new, approved sanctions. Miz L., and others, blabbing about the need for more national security when she isn't demanding sanctions enforcement, is quite hypocritical. They just give lip-service in promoting cyber counter meaures. This should be extraorinarily disturbing.

^extraordinarily

Trump’s refusal to stand with the UK on this Russian poisoning situation is going to speak volumes. Throw it on the pile, Bob, throw it on the pile.

Just because a Russian ex-spy was poisoned with a Russian chemical agent doesn’t mean it’s Russia-related. It could have been Jina. It could have been someone who weighed four hundred pounds in their mother's basement.

r117....its the HOUSE investigation.....there were never going to be indictments from it.....its purpose was to determine what was done during the election and how to avoid it in the future.

Both the House and Senate investigations have always been dog & pony shows. With the Rethugs in charge of the Intelligence Committees, nothing was ever going to come out of them except partisan BS like the Nunes memo. The Mueller investigation is the only legit one - and that will be going on for quite some time.

In today's episode of Trump Family Graft:

Donald Trump Jr. has a previously undisclosed business relationship with a longtime hunting buddy who helped raise millions of dollars for his father’s 2016 presidential campaign and has had special access to top government officials since the election, records obtained by The Associated Press show.

The president’s oldest son and Texas hedge fund manager Gentry Beach have been involved in business deals together dating back to the mid-2000s and recently formed a company, Future Venture LLC, despite past claims by both men that they were just friends, according to previously unreported court records and other documents obtained by AP.

Beach last year met with top National Security Council officials to push a plan that would curb U.S. sanctions in Venezuela and open up business for U.S. companies in the oil-rich nation.

Ethics experts said their financial entanglements raised questions about whether Beach’s access to government officials and advocacy for policy changes were made possible by the president’s son’s influence — and could also benefit the Trump family’s bottom line.

The grift that keeps on grifting.

[quote]Figures, the media and the population always go for the tabloid story.

You ain't kidding r11

Apparently Stormy's new attorney got into a Twitter fight with Cohn this weekend? They seemed to be going back and forth attacking one another and Stormy's attorney brilliantly asked Cohn who the million dollars would go to if Stormy broke the NDA...

Cohn went radio silent as if he realized he done fucked up.

It's Cohen. Cohn is the economic advisor who just resigned.

Now [italic] that [/italic] is brilliant !

Marry me, R120!

The House Committee's findings are:

A.) There was no collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.

B.) Putin did not favor Trump over Clinton.

C.) Donald Trump has HUGE hands. Like ridiculously big. Wow.

R26 I find it astounding that with that big,fat Mueller spotlight on all these Trump grifters, they nevertheless seem to be thumbing their nose at it all and continue with their nefarious ways. Is it that they feel they will all soon be drummed out and they better get while the getting is still good, or is it simply hubris?

I'm getting the feeling this may all come down to one brave soul in the intelligence community just leaking all they have to get the evidence out there.

R134 and it will most likely be their downfall. Hubris and arrogance are a bad combo.

R136 LOL GOP is part of the collusion and the cover-up. Can't believe the press will still give Nunes and gang the benefit of the doubt after all the shenanigans they tried to pull.

And I've already seen some Deplorables shouting, "SEE told you it was a liberal witch hunt!"

I'm actually really nervous. I hope it's hubris. It's as if they don't recognize the legitimacy of our laws. it's one thing for an individual to proclaim their own innocence, and lie and attempt to cover it up. But we're talking aout the entire GOP caucus of Congess. The entire majority members of a House Select committee on Intelligence.

If you study the Nixon/ Watergate Scandal, it' almost amusing that they actually thought they could get away with using agencies of the federal government to develop an "enemies list" and to have a slush fund for dirty tricks and then lie and compound the lies with more lies. And the techology back then was practically non existent. And there were a lot of people involved in the cover up. Nixon lied through his teeth.

But now these people act like they are unaware of the International Intelligence community alo helping in this investigation. Putin is hated. These guys are so clearly on the wrong side, how the fuck do they think they can get away with this ridiculous bullshit?

R139 And convince no one... This GOP "Report" is just a more verbose "Memo"!

No....this move is a preemptive strike....something big is coming.....within the next 2 weeks......wait for it.

[quote]its the HOUSE investigation.....there were never going to be indictments from it.....its purpose was to determine what was done during the election and how to avoid it in the future.

And, as reported in previous posts, they - well, the GOP side - declare they have found nothing and therefore there is no need to take action to protect future elections. There is a special place in Hell for guys like Nunes and it's not the luxury spa kind I am thinking of.

The nerve of these guy to stick their necks out and blatantly lie is either an act of desperation (thinking only short term) or the belief they will get away with it (longterm).

[quote] R110: [R109] here. My punctuation sucks. I meant to say. "I wasn't as clear as I needed to be in my post at [R73]."

Well, the most important thing is recognizing that you have a problem, R110. Have you considered a 28-day programme? I’ve got a facility in St. Bart’s that has an empty bed.

“I wouldn’t wipe my ass with it”

Take a look at the video below.

If we don’t jail at least 5 major players, I will be very disappointed. Is that too much to ask?

Phil Mudd is excellent at r145.

Bravo, Phil Mudd.

WoW!! You go Phil Mudd!!!!!

Damn, Phil. You go, boy.

Josh Marshall on rumors surrounding Stormy’s 60 Minutes interview.

“I’m told that in her 60 Minutes interview with Anderson Cooper Daniels suggests that Trump, how to say this, likes it when women aren’t nice to him, treat him in perhaps denigrating ways."

Scott Dworkin:

“A Republican who works on the Hill just told me that Trump’s White House was involved with the ending of the House Russia probe. They also said the White House was involved with the “no collusion narrative” and the drafting of the memo. This is pure corruption. #TrumpColluded”

I wonder where that comes from, r151.

Frightening, r153. And that’s probably the source of it.

Yes, never mind his equally abusive father and his own lack of character, R154.

Another ridiculous CNN panel on AC tonight talking about the Podesta emails and the one Trump Loyalist on the panel bragging about how the GOP wasn't hacked like the DNC, insisting the Russians don't have Republican emails. Really, the Repugs weren't hacked and the Russians have no info on them? Then how do you explain Lindsay Graham's sudden about-face? or Paul Ryan doing nothing to stop Russian Intervention? or Devon Nunes? Sure looks to me like the Russians got their hands on some Republican emails. The type of emails you DON'T release to the public. You keep them for blackmail purposes. DUH

Devin is so macho. He moves up five notches on my list of approved gentleman welcomed to call.

YIKES! R153, who is that creature? That would frighten children, horses and me. A relative of his orange-ness?

R158 it is 45's mother

That is trumps mom.

Did anyone see this story in the Washington Post this am? I guess Sam nunberg through stone under the bus:

Roger Stone claimed contact with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in 2016, according to two associates

In the spring of 2016, longtime political operative Roger Stone had a phone conversation that would later seem prophetic, according to the person on the other end of the line. Stone, an informal adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump, said he had learned from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange that his organization had obtained emails that would torment senior Democrats such as John Podesta, then campaign chairman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. The conversation occurred before it was publicly known that hackers had obtained the emails of Podesta and of the Democratic National Committee, documents which WikiLeaks released in late July and October. The U.S. intelligence community later concluded the hackers were working for Russia.

The person, who spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing federal investigation into Russian campaign interference, is one of two Stone associates who say Stone claimed to have had contact with Assange in 2016.

These threads will last at least till Nov 2020

The RepublCUNTS feel they have taken over, that if they 'stick together they can get by with selling their own country to Russian oligarchs. I mean, why would treason bother them if they are part of the new American oligarchy, and everyone of them are in office for life, they are part of the sole 'ruling class, and their rich asses are only getting richer. I sometimes wonder if the majority of Americans are too hypnotized by Facebook, candy crush, sports, etc. to worry about the fact that the GOP and the Trump crime family have taken over, and our democracy is dead. I mean, shit, Trump is going to cap off this year of his tyranny with a fucking MILATARY PARADE (just like any good totalitarian dic (k)tator would do)!!!

r160, I saw that story. They have another witness who told them about the Stone-Assange communication, in addition to Nunberg. I wonder who it is?

R162 we should have been in the streets a year ago - seriously HOW MUCH MORE SHIT DO WE NEED TO PROVE THIS! I feel the longer we wait the less our chances of getting them out.

Tillerson is out - the shit is hitting the fan in a big way now. When news is breaking furiously at 7/8AM things are bad.

If you did not watch Maddow last night you must - f-ed up!Corn &Issakof have connected ALL the dots from 2015 to now. If you weren't unhinged before you will be after watching it.

This segment "Trump set stage early for Russian permeation of his campaign" explains lot as well as the segment before it.

I wonder how the Koch Bros Defender Troll will spin this.

Tillerson Out.

Tillerson speaks out against Russia on Monday. Tillerson is fired on Tuesday.

Pretty much, R168. No one may speak ill of Mother Russia. Tillerson's lucky that he got canned by Putin and not poisoned by him.

[quote]Tillerson speaks out against Russia on Monday. Tillerson is fired on Tuesday.

Jeremy Diamond @JDiamond1

Press Sec Sarah Sanders says POTUS asked Tillerson to step aside last Friday, a day after Trump agreed to meet with Kim Jong Un

I don’t believe a word Huckabeast says. Tillerson said he never heard from Trump.

Fox News: Tillerson was informed of the firing on Friday, but not by the President.

R164, we were "in the streets" a year ago. Massive marches in D.C., and all over the country. January 21, 2017. Ans we did it again in 2018, January. And March 24th we will be out here making our voices heard against the NRA. Massive marches all over the country. But I believe that Trump and Putin want to provoke violent protests so he can impose martial law. And we have to be smarter than that. I hope everyone will march on March 24th to end gun violence. And work to get more Dems elected.

Maybe I've watch Mr. Smith goes to Washington too many times, but wouldn't it be wonderful, if after the Mid Terms in November, no matter what the outcome, the Republicans (particularly those who lose their seats, ) and the Dems team up in a bi-partisan fashion and begin impeachment proceedings? It could happen.

Natasha Bertrand:

“Omg. A State Dept official says Tillerson learned he was fired from Trump's tweet, per @CNN”

Sarah Huckabeast is a prevaricating sow.

Since when does Dump give someone the heads up they're being let go without them then resigning?

The time is long overdue for a huge investigation...by the media, of Nunes and his gang of clowns.

Nunes is an asshole. He does nothing without Ryan knowing and co-signing it. Look at Ryan.

Holeeee Shit!!!!!!!!! I just watched Maddow from last night. Everybody should watch it, then buy that book. Today! It's like everything I suspected or believe is being confirmed. David Korn and Michael Issikoff claim one of Obama's advisors called Trump "a Manchurian candidate" And Biden said it was Treason.

Why would Biden call it treason, then blame Hillary for a hacked election? He's a sexist opportunist. Clinton was playing against a stacked deck and he apparently KNEW this.

I believe, at the time, Biden is quoted as saying “If that’s true, it’s treason.” I believe they weren’t sure whether all the info was true back then.

Interesting breadcrumb dropped in that Rachel Maddow interview. She mentions that Bloomberg reported on how Mueller has yet to call Ivanka in for interviews... meaning she's on their radar meaning..... Treason of the Bitch might be just around the corner!

I just ordered the book on Amazon. I didn't realize they wrote the book on Bush too, so I ordered "Hubris" in paperback too. R180 makes an excellent point. And R181, while he may have qualified it some what, knowing what they already knew from Comey's Russian investigation, he should have STFU about Hillary. It was a gratuitous swipe and it was uncalled for especially if he knew there might have been the possibility of interference by a foreign government. If I recall Obama himself made an unhelpful comment critical of Hillary back then and I sincerely hope Obama has apologized to her. I don't expect as much from Biden. His candor only goes so far.

Has Pence been interviewed by Mueller yet?

Whooo Hooo!!! Rachel read that when Trump looked at him, " Sessions nodded his head" when Papadopoulis suggested he could set up a meeting between Trump & Putin.......

Pence refuses to be alone with Mueller without Mother.

More people fired at State.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Officials: White House fires top Tillerson aide who contradicted account of secretary of state's dismissal.

^^Sorry, that was for another thread.

Trump's personal assistant just was escorted out of the White House for "security related reasons." He also just signed up to be working on Trump's campaign for re-election. YOu do know the whole strategy behind talking about Trump's re election as if it's a done deal is to give the illusion that he is fine and he will triumph once again.It is about his viability. So the Nunes shutting down the investigation, and all Trump's hype about re-election is staged for a reason.

In anticipation, R192...

Tillerson about to give a statement from the state department....

What has become of the one time "suicide pact," where if one of the Tillerson - Mnuchin - Mattis triad was fired or resigned, the other two would resign? The body man's brother is Mnuchin's personal assistant...

[quote]Pence refuses to be alone with Mueller without Mother.

What, he is afraid he will pounce on Mueller without his wife to prevent him?

Isn't Tillerson still on his "shithole" apology (African) tour? He was just in Chad yesterday and en route to Nigeria. What's interesting was he canceled a full day of activities in Kenya on Saturday due to "illness"... I thought that was very strange, and now it makes more sense.

R194 I see it was reported he suspended his trip to Nigeria to fly back to Washington early to "deal with urgent work". LOL Well, that pretty much upended all the work he did in Africa...

Does Pompeo have to go through a confirmation hearing for Sec of State? Because that fucker has been covering for Trump at the CIA from the start. He snuck Russian spies into the US, agents leaked they didn't trust him and he mainly worked out of the White House. Now he's going to State where he and Pence can live out their Christian Dominionist fantasies of slaughtering Muslims all over the world.

All that House Republicans Intelligence Committee shananigans were under the authorization and directives of Paul Ryan. This guy is doing as much as anyone in dismantling democracy and enabling more Russian intrusion. He falsely acts like some kind of consensus builder; but is facilitating the on-going damage. Daddy Koch is very pleased.

The IC was a clear sham to cover Trump and the GOP's asses. Their "findings" will be forced upon the public, through the right wing owned media, over and over again.

This is the official stage of "nothing is wrong" and "we are not sinking!" to keep the public calm while Putin takes over.

The Orange Asshole wants his Great Wall of Trump to be "see-through." JFC, you can't make this shit up. Serenity now!

[quote]e Orange Asshole wants his Great Wall of Trump to be "see-through." JFC,

Probably so the poor Mexicans can flatten their noses watching how great America is. But in reality it will be US citizens who will flatten their noses wishing they were on the other side.

Yes R199, it's not the first time he's said that. He said something like it was better that way in case drug dealers tried to throw drugs over the wall, then people on the other side of the wall wouldn't be hurt by these deadly, heavy drugs falling on them.

Damn, where is nerve gas when you need it?

I was half listening to a pundit deliver some theories as to why Dump fired Tillerson. He said that he wouldn't be surprised if it was to move Mike Pompeo up, since he aligns with a lot of Dump's views and goals and ALSO to promote someone as the head of CIA to replace Pompeo... I missed who the replacement was but it was a female and they said to be wary of it because she's known to just do whatever she's told, refusing to use her own moral judgement.

Ned Price (the cute gay former CIA analyst and spokesperson) sounded surprisingly pro the new CIA boss lady today on MSNBC. He said people at Langley were breathing a sigh of relief that it was her and not Tom Cotton. She's been at CIA for 30 years.

CIA guys want a boss with CIA cred, news at 11.

When I first saw this photo of Trump's mother I thought it was Trump's face photoshopped with exaggerated hair. Couldn't believe it was an actual unretouched human.

Ned is also a flaming liberal with nothing good to say about anything Trump does, hints or intends, so that stood out.

When Pooty finishes taking over the country with DJT as his satellite vicor, they want the wall as a preemptive measure to keep out exiled rebel forces coming through Mexico to do battle.

vicar ^

I've been rooting for Mueller to come through but I'm also very frightened. I'm afraid that if collusion with the Russians is confirmed and money laundering by Trump is proven it will be too late to evict the bums because so many evil people will already be in place to resist. With so many Americans duped by these cons and election rigging still happening by the Russians, and I believe by some Americans, too, our future might be very bleak.

Please tell my I'm wrong and that everything will be OK.

ICE Spokesman Resigns, Saying He Could No Longer Spread Falsehoods for Trump Administration

There is absolutely no way to say things will be OK.

9/11 was beyond imagination. It happened.

Trump winning was beyond imagination. It happened.

Russian conspiracy inside and outside the country, inside and outside D.C., to help a presidential candidate was beyond imagination. And it's here.

This could be it for the country, either by Russian coup or North Korean nuke or who knows what else. Nothing is too implausible anymore.

I want to go back to the original time line.

[quote]Ned Price (the cute gay former CIA analyst and spokesperson) sounded surprisingly pro the new CIA boss lady today on MSNBC. He said people at Langley were breathing a sigh of relief that it was her and not Tom Cotton. She's been at CIA for 30 years.

She's a war criminal though. She tortured suspects at a CIA facility in Thailand, then ordered the torture tapes destroyed. This was where Abu Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in a single month, had his head repeatedly slammed into walls, and lost an eye, and endured other harsh methods before interrogators decided he had no useful information to provide.

So, is she better than Cotton? Hard to say. It's like asking whether you prefer vomit or diarrhea. I can see why CIA people would prefer another CIAer instead of an outsider though.

Remember Katrina Pierson? She's back on the Trump team. Move over Kellyanne.

That wall is going to keep people in as well as out.

R215 The Legion of Doom (they call it "campaign") is re-assembling!

[quote]People close to Mr. McEntee said problems related to online gambling and mishandling of his taxes prevented him from gaining the clearance necessary for the role. The Secret Service is investigating Mr. McEntee for those issues, according to a law enforcement official.

Gosh, what a surprise that Katrina Pierson slathers tons of makeup on her face and what looks like pumped up lips to make her look sex-ay. Who would've thought Trump wants a woman like that around?

She doesn't just part her lips in that photo, she parts her teeth, too.

YOU SEX-AY THANG

R215 she reminds me of Veronica from the Road Rules Challenges.

She multi-tasks, r221. She's a shoplifting whore.

[quote]She's a shoplifting whore.

Right, being a criminal IS the main requirement to be a senior campaign advisor.

Oh geez, Katrina will end up having her own pussie thread on DL. She won't overtake Kellyanne's though.

I think the reason so many of us are having anxiety attacks is because there has been insufficient outrage expressed in Congress. Paul Ryan and the House in particular are really corrupt. I have never witnessed this level of corruption. There is no sense of urgency or outrage. And you know what? The press ambushed Miz Lindsay in the hallway this afternoon and he really looked bad. They wanted him to comment about the Tillerson firing and he was stumblng and he looked ill. Sweaty, pale, sunken eyes. I swear he;s aged over night. But he mumbled about Pompeo is closer to Trump and maybe that's what it takes. Tillerson and Trump didn't get along, etc. He was very brief and then literally ran to the doorway to get away from the media.

Yeah, that footage of Miz Lindsay stumbling around the hallway, trying to avoid the cameras was wild. If there wasn’t so much damn other stuff filling the news right now, I’m sure they’d be showing it 24/7.

That bad, huh?

[quote]literally ran to the doorway to get away from the media.

Miss Lindsay felt the residue of last night's hired gentleman caller start to break through her panty liner.

Did one of the cameramen yank his veil up and yell "Let's get a look, Senatrice!"?

The mugshot by which all over administration mugshots shall be judged:

I need some reassurance that all will be ok like r210

R228 ha! Thought similar. Whatever it was, it was a rough night. She looks like she had quite a few drinkypoos last night and little or no sleep. She had company.

I wonder if Lindsay was hoping to get the SoS spot? I know he is a darling of the Defense contractors, but I think he sees himself as a diplomat.

R233 here. I also meant to say that Miz Lindsay did indeed look bad. I'd say distraught. As if she'd been up all night crying and on her knees.....pleading her case.

Miz Lindsay knows full well that she wouldn't be able to pass the security clearance for SoS ... in the 1960s J. Edgar Hoover sense.

Maybe McCain is near the end, and that's why Mz. Linds is upset.

Aw. Poor miss thang! Her sugar bear not doing well and she can't hold herself together.

R236, joking aside, it could be something like that because I have never seen Lindsay Graham looking so unglued.

Andrea Mitchell and Rachel were talking earlier and Andrea said the thing that "haunts " this White House is the possibility of the Dems winning in November. She said they would very likely re open the Intel committee investigation on Russian interference and they would "really insist" on getting to the bottom of the Russian questions. LOLOL! She's so damned diplomatic. Never once said the "I" word, but you know Trump is pissing on himself to avoid impeachment. You gotta believe he is thinking up all sorts of "options" for how to fight it. Including illegal and totally unethical measures. I think he literally may do anything to not lose the Presidency.

I condole with the Russian population who are drinking themselves silly. I certainly understand why. The horrific news we're exposed to daily may drive me to drink. I wake up each day with a feeling of dread. Pompeo was put in place as CIA Director by Trump last year and was a Tea Party candidate when he ran for Congress. Our government is awash in corruption. It's scary how close the PA race is, I really hope the Dem wins.

Rachel Maddow’s tweet regarding what’s in the House Intelligence Committee’s Democratic Response Report.

“Lordy.

"The Minority has a good faith reason to believe that the White House does in fact possess such documentation memorializing President Trump’s conversations with Director Comey."

Rachel’s next tweet:

"the Committee has learned... candidate Trump’s private business was actively negotiating a business deal in Moscow with a sanctioned Russian bank during the election period"

R242 Breaking the law as a presidential candidate... either he's dumb as a rock or just a plain traitor who doesn't care. The two are not mutually exclusive.

The latter encompasses the former.

Between the angels circling Big Daddy McCain and the secrets seeping out of my many closets, my dears, I am holding it all together with barely a prayer! Juleps and medicinal gentlemen callers simply are not working any more!

The family of DNC staffer Seth Rich has filed a lawsuit against Fox News, an investigative reporter and one of the network's contributors, ABC News reports.

Oh, Senatrice r245! You're scaring us so with all of your fretful flitters, jerky jitters and such. Take a deep breath, adjust your cherry-blossom kimono, and then do call down to Suavecito and have him bring you a little nip of propofol!

I'm picturing Miss Lindsey having a nervous breakdown like that other Southern Belle, Blanche DuBois.

Miss Lindsey has always depended on the kindness of strangers.

As Rachel Maddow pointed out, Tillerson was fired immediately after releasing a statement harshly condemning Russia for their poisoning of that British spy. So why was Tillerson given that job in the first place? It has pretty much been confirmed that he was Putin's hand-picked choice. So we all assumed Tillerson was in cahoots with Putin just like Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort, et. al. But is it possible that Tillerson was merely being played and he might not be as reprehensible as the rest of them? Maybe he is a fairly decent guy who just has bad political ideology?

I mean, we know Tillerson in his CEO position engineered a lot of sketchy, borderline deals. But he never had the sheer stink of corruption that permeates Paul Manafort and some of the others. There are some businessmen who can be ruthless without necessarily being unethical. I don't know. It's late.

[quote]"the Committee has learned... candidate Trump’s private business was actively negotiating a business deal in Moscow with a sanctioned Russian bank during the election period"

Oh, please, Santa! Please! I know it's still 9 months to Christmas, but maybe you could make an exception this one time,

Tillerson seems to be woke to Russia. He must have gotten a reality check in office.

Miss Lindsey bolted like she just realized he Diva Cup was going to overflow! I really hope that we find out the dirt they are holding over her head - it must be deliciously wicked.

Given how old school Lindsey is I bet it's something rather vanilla like wearing lady undergarments out of season.

[quote]The family of DNC staffer Seth Rich has filed a lawsuit against Fox News

Good, what Fox did to that family was disgusting. I hope they win a huge settlement -- that includes a very public apology from Sean Hannity.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like Hannity is part of the lawsuit.

Although he should be.

[quote] cahoots

I love this word. It is so appropriate for these goings-on.

[quote] He must have gotten a reality check in office.

I think he got a check with many zeros once he took office.

[quote]And I've already seen some Deplorables shouting, "SEE told you it was a liberal witch hunt!"

Just got off the phone with my mother who hates Trump. She said "but the committee said there was no collusion". I said "the REPUBLICAN committee". I think a lot of people don't read the details. She also wants to know why it's taking Mueller so long if Trump is laundering money. People expect instant gratification now.

I think when Tillerson represented Exxon he did what he was supposed to do as a CEO. But when he became SoS he took his position, to serve his country seriously. And he was protecting our interests as best he could under Trump. I think he was/is politically naive, and had no idea he was going to be dealing with a moron. Maybe Manafort picked him, abd because Putin knew him he was brought in, but they seriously miscalculated when they did it. I actually have sympathy for Tillerson right now. His farewell remarks were very revealing. He made it pretty clear what he stands for.

[quote]Tillerson was fired immediately after releasing a statement harshly condemning Russia for their poisoning of that British spy. So why was Tillerson given that job in the first place? It has pretty much been confirmed that he was Putin's hand-picked choice. So we all assumed Tillerson was in cahoots with Putin just like Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort, et. al. But is it possible that Tillerson was merely being played and he might not be as reprehensible as the rest of them? Maybe he is a fairly decent guy who just has bad political ideology?

I think you all are being too generous to Tillerson. He's done irreparable damage to the State Department. Career diplomats have resigned in droves and he was still pursuing his goal of significantly slashing staff. Hell, the Republicans had to deny his request for cutting the budget for the State Department. So, since he couldn't officially gut the department, he just didn't staff it as he should have.

Remember two weeks ago exactly, on 2/28, Exxon pulled out of the deal with Russia for Arctic exploration. The thinking was always that Rex would be there to smooth things over regarding the Exxon-Russia deal. After Exxon pulled out, Putin had no more use for Tillerson.

Maybe that's tinfoil territory, but there's no denying Tillerson was an awful SoS.

[quote] But when he became SoS he took his position, to serve his country seriously. And he was protecting our interests as best he could under Trump

Where do you people come from? He GUTTED the State Department. He anted to gut it even more, but was prevented from doing so. He knew exactly what he was doing.

He & Trump are like mud wrestlers. They're both skanks who'll do anything for cash and they fight each other.

Idiotic Trump surrogate, Steve Rogers, actually said on CNN yesterday that Mueller’s Investigation had gone on for two years now and showed no collusion. Mueller’s Investigation started only 10 months ago. Trump supporters really are living in an alternative universe.

Did anyone correct Steve Rogers, r263?

Exactly R264!

There are so many times I’m watching MSNBC and I’m talking to (yelling at!!) the hosts, “are you going to say something?!?!”

It is frustrating that so few hosts are vigilant and informed (prepared) enough to challenge & confront a guest when they’re lying (spinning).

Joy Reid is the big exception.

Trump is replacing the old (evil) crew with a new (more evil) crew. It can only get worse from here.

Trump has failed at governing, so he's switching back to campaign mode to save his ass in 2018 midterm elections. Get ready for more rash decisions and unhinged behaviors.

I still believe the Koch Bros. are shitting bricks by now, because they lose control over Trump, because he ditches their representatives in his cabinet.

I wouldn't be surprised if Trump himself goes after Pence to get rid of Koch Bros' highest ranking representative and get more of Vladimir Putin's approved picks. After all Trump doesn't give a shit about constitution, honor, or national pride. And what will the GOP do? They are in as much shit with Russia as Trump. I bet the real reason why all these GOP senators retire is that they are all put in a place to choose between the US donors and Russian oligarchs and they are scared shitless of making a choice, because they will not win either way.

Trump's going to boot Sessions.

It was the end of the segment, R264, so the host said, “Three years...?” which just made it more confusing. But yeah, everyone on the panel was like, “huh? what?” but I’m sure there’s plenty of outlets where he gets away with it. It just makes it seem more likely that there is collusion.

I'm praying to the Dear Lord in Heaven that some Secret Service agent or other government sharpshooter is polishing up their bullets and practicing overtime to take out the fake Nazi Prez. It would be an act of high honor, just as it would have been for someone to have taken out Hitler early on.

r265, I will forever love Joy Reid for always correcting Conservatives and Republicans whenever they try to pull the "Democrat party" bullshit on her show. She corrects them and even adds "We don't use that name on this show" whenever she does.

Of course they always pretend that it was a mistake and not planned. Fuckin' liars.

I sure hope nobody is going to actually kill Trump (at least make it look like an accident where he dies sitting on the toilet and his heart gives out while taking a shit). We don't think Trump, the martyr propaganda from the likes of Fox News and Russian media outlets.

Sorry, ... we don't NEED Trump, the martyr propaganda ...

But what if it's Vearst Leddy who pulls the trigger?

Yes, this is different, R275. This is callled personal domestic problem So is not too bad.

LOLOLOL....that piece of shit Matt Gaetz is on with Ari Melber right now.....and hes backpeddling and trying to cover his ass regarding the House Intelligence Report. Now hes saying its just an interim report and that the investigation isnt over....it can reopen with new evidence. Hes so vile.

Tillerson as ExxonMobil CEO, had an army of corporate and tax lawyers that reviewed and approved every international deal. Some of it may be objectionable domestically, but was reviewed by appropriate government entities. They had to file required forms, including financial, obtain certain approvals, and report.

A real estate mogul making deals with sinister Russian oligarchs to borrow cash for bail-outs in exchange for money laundering through shady foreign banks whereby profits are under-reported and taxes avoided; is another matter.

“It’s just an interim report” — so it bombed, eh?

no, I think far too many people on the right questioned their motives.....they even saw it for what it was. Technically, its closed....hes just setting up way out should something come from the investigation by Mueller. Basically..."we didnt shut it down, we just stopped doing anything with it because we didnt find anything where and when we were looking"

Poor Paul Manafort. Three hundred and five years in prison or one cup of polonium tea. It’s a hard choice.

So how many years should Trump get?

No way is Manafort dirtier than Trump...

"West Wingers believe more people are set to be escorted out the building for security clearance issues."

R286 The only one who needs to be escorted out is Trump, the root of all ills.

Mueller getting DJT nailed? Maybe

Stormy nailing DJT with her story and salacious pics? Priceless.

Our own dear Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a really strong statement about the Russian who got poisoned in Great Britain. Unprecedented. Raised a lot of eyebrows. It was stern it was appropriate and it was tough. SO there's no daylight in terms of condemnation between us and the Uk on this. Except, of course Teresa May also outlined a long list of push back against Russia expelled diplomats etc. and she is not done yet. Except for this unprecedented strong statement from our WH there has been nothing else.

Still between this and the criticism Nikki Haley read at the UN today, we have never criticized Russia since Trump has been in the WH. He even equivocated today. He said he wanted to "look in to it to see if he agreed with May." the thing is, even though it's too little too late, I have to wonder if Trump has internal polling that indicates that more and more Americans are getting weirded out because of the Russia investigation. I also think Trump may try to kill the investigation and is allowing public criticism of Russia as a cover for trying to get rid of Mueller.

R289 Exactly, it is a ruse... verbal condemnation amounts to a lot of hot air. He wouldn't even implement the sanctions passed by Congress. There is nothing he can do to cover up that huge concession to Russia.

IT's hard to see how even a die-hard support of tRump wouldn't be suspicious is his under reaction.

They simply don't care, r291.

They would cut off their own dicks if they thought it would "make libtards heads explode".

Trump supporters watch Fox News. Murdoch is buds with Pooty, and of couse doing Trump's bidding. Fox does not pound on Russia's bad behavior, and when the topic can't be avoided, spins it to make Trump look more favorable and deflect whatever blame as being actions of HRC, Obama, Dems, etc. Same ole tactics.

^course

At what point do we say "enough is enough." This lunatic thinks that he is still in charge of Celebrity Apprentice -- White House Version. This is madness. If he fires Sessions and puts in Pruitt, who in turn fires Mueller (for no good reason) then what do we do? Will the rest of the country finally realize that we have traitors in the White House and the Congress who are undermining whatever shreds of our democracy remain?

This lying, cheating, treasonous, felonious, despicable, orange buffoon should never have been allowed within 10 miles of the White House. He belongs in a jail, not the Oval Office.

At this point I feel like all we can do is:

(1) Hope Mueller finds something that can (and does) put an end to this administration, and until then

(2) Vote, and

(3) Hope to avoid a catastrophe, brief or long-lasting, of Trump's making.

A State Department spokeswoman and former Fox and Friends co-host will replace a top aide to former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who contradicted the official account of how Tillerson was fired Tuesday.

"But what if it's Vearst Leddy who pulls the trigger?"

Remember, do it at Mar-a-Lago. And don't miss - it's Florida.

If Vanessa Trump goes ahead and divorces Jr, will she be able to testify against him since they won't be married?

Not a lawyer, but that whole 'can't testify against your spouse' is rarely an issue.

She CAN testify against him; she can't be FORCED to testify against him as a spouse.

If she's divorcing him, I'm sure her priority will be to fleece him out of as much coin as she can. So she may not be so hot on testifying against him but only use it as a threat. Ofc she can always be subpoenaed.

Alex PappasVerified account @AlexPappas

Fox News’ @johnrobertsFox reports possible Trump admin changes: national sec adviser McMaster replaced by Bolton; VA’s Shulkin replaces by Rick Perry; Ray Washburne to Energy; COS Kelly replaced by Mulvaney

Maybe if Trump replaced Melania with Stormy Daniels all his problems would be solved.

R303 With Bolton as adviser, how soon will Trump be going to war?

It's so funny that Manafort is wearing TWO GPS monitors. How long will he hold out for? Or will he take the fall to protect his family?

Wouldn't it be great if evil, corrupt men could get cancer from their horrible hairpieces?

S - T - O - R - M - Y !!!

Just the outer bands right now, but it will hit hard.

BuzzFeed: Multiple women are exploring potential legal cases against President Donald Trump, following the lead of an adult film actress who has filed a lawsuit in order to speak out about an affair she says she had with Trump in 2006, her attorney said Wednesday.

It would be sweet justice if it were women who brought him down.

If Bolton is installed we will definitely be going to war with someone. However, his personality is so toxic I doubt he and Trump will mesh.

Republican Rick Wilson, on Bannon's possible appointment:

Going to die in a sea of nuclear flame. It's been nice knowing you guys.

Did you mean Bolton? ^^

It's not impossible that both Stormy and Mueller - those unlikely dual Nemeses - could both unleash several devastating rounds on Trump, more or less simultaneously.

The justice would be beyond sweet, encompassing payback for a lifetime of comprehensive sleaze. It would be earned in full.

Not the least better-than-sex aspect of this plausible Nemesis would be the shattering of that repulsive smug untouchability Trump radiates.

This is the new American Dream, worth believing in.

[quote]Did you mean Bolton? ^^

Yes, sorry.

Protests have already been organized if Mueller is fired. Times, locations, etc. I don't have a link but it should be easy to find.

I can only hope that Mueller and his team have made contingency plans in the event that Trump begins the process of shutting down the Russia probe. The good thing is that there should be a bit of a heads-up. If he fires Sessions it would take some time before Pruitt can be installed as AG. That should be signal enough that the Special Counsel has to take some action -- in the form of indictments -- to demonstrate that the investigation needs to continue.

They don't give a shit about "protests", R315. It's going to take a million in the streets, thousands occupying DC who won't go home until Mueller is reinstalled and Trump gone, and possibly a general strike. Does the U.S. have the stomach for that?

With every new bit of information we get, it becomes more and more clear how crucial Mueller's investigation is. Every new testimony, every new subpoena, every new indictment makes it more difficult (but also more tantalizing) for Trump to pull the plug.

But the GOP is clearly no longer on the side of the American people or of democracy. It terrifies me to think that Paul Ryan and Company would likely just stand by as Trump dismantles the investigation.

As much of a "Mary!" comment as this is, I have to think that if Trump fires Mueller we'll be solidly into the first phase of a forming dictatorship.

"You know what? We really want a member of our party in the White House. We want a conservative making choices for the Supreme Court, and signing bills into law that support our values. We had hoped that Donald Trump would be that person, but he wasn't. We're sorry but we can no longer support his presidency. We promise we'll try to do better next time."

No, if the worst happens, Mueller is shut down, then the protests need to happen in every GOP Congressional district. Particularly Paul Ryan's. I'm serious. That fucker needs to see thousands of people camped out on his front lawn. With signs calling him a fucking traitor, and insisting he appoint re=appoint Mueller as a special prosecutor and begin public hearings on impeachment . They don't need Mueller to impeach. But we need to scare those bastards into acting. We need ads in the newspapers too. And huge expose's on the Kochs' Russian ties. (There must be some.) All of this should have already started. Congress needs to be more afraid of us than the fucking NRA & the Russians & the Kochs.

We can also show the Kochs they a re shit. They will be pouring tons of $$$$$ into the midterms. Tons. They will disrupt, divide, lie, etc. They will even get insurgent candidates to insure that the weakest Dem is the one who wins the primary so they can wipe the floor with them. But we have to ignore it. We have to make sure that we ignore the media ads and just vote for the Democrat. I don't care whether or not he agrees with me. Vote for the Dems and turn off the noise. The Kochs will be pissed that all their money was spent and they were completely ignored. It didn't matter.

Pruitt? The guy who spent lavishly for himself using taxpayer dollars?

He should not be confirmed for ANY government job at any level.

Ben Carson apparently admitted he does not know what he is suppose to do as HUD Secretary.

Yet, he and his wife figured out how to order a $31,000 dining room set using fed agency funds.

And his daughter gets a big fed contract via HUD.

R322, when repeating the story about the Carson corruption, please do not forget that the 31K was for the table only, the entire suite of furniture was 165K.

If we had background checks for presidential candidates that require they reveal their tax returns along with everything else that is required to get security clearance in the White House trump would have been excluded before his nomination. Why don't we have such checks on presidential candidates? Trump could kill more people than any one crazy shooter could with his ignorant and irresponsible, lying, cheating ways. It's a disgrace. Background checks now for presidential candidates!!!

My brother went' through an almost year-long background check for his job with the Sheriff's department. trump couldn't get a job in local law enforcement with his background.

Hunny, Trump is definitely destabilizing government,, and if he dumps Koch people he will be in for a world of hurt. OTOH, maybe he is dumping some of these people at the behest of his Koch advisors. Because he has been told they make him look bad and create problems for the GOP in the Midterms. But that is bullshit because HE is the problem for the midterms.

That PA loss was devastating. Even if Saccone had pulled it out at the last minute, a Democrat getting more than 40% in that district was real bad for Trump. What's even better is that he campaigned for the guy, he sent his kids, Pence was there, money was raised, and none of it mattered. He was so desperate to spin it, he claimed the Dem winner was "just like me!" Lied about his positions on issues, too.

He needs to be seen as viable. He needs for the GOP Congress to believe they need him to win. LOLOL! Once Congress (and the Koch brothers) realize he is a drag on their candidates they will turn on him, although I'd bet their internal polling is already telling them he is a loser, and some candidates may not want him campaigning in their district. His appeal is too narrow. ( believe the media hype his support to make it seem there are a lot more of them than reality demonstrates.)

Even if the Dems don't take over the Senate, all they need is a few decent GOP Senators to convict! If the Democratic House voted for impeachment, and made public all the dirty laundry of charges against him in a Mueller report, then the Senate, no matter who is in control would have to convict him. It would be too embarrassing. Susan Collins and a few more would be there in a heartbeat. I'd love it if John McCain lived long enough to vote to convict that asshole. But I doubt he will.

I love it and it's a great idea R324!!!! I would support some kind of security clearance for candidates. The problem is that fuckers have monetized running for POTUS. Even people without a snowball's chance in hell run for POTUS knowing they will never win the nomination, because it raises their profile and they can get lobbying contracts, "consulting " gigs, get paid to become talking heads on TV, get advances on book deals, etc. Newt Gingrich and Mike Huckabee are living proof. But you're right. If we could get a law to insist on some kind of basic security clearance for all candidates, before the primaries, and also their taxes, life would be much simpler. And there would be no President Trump.

I hope there's a plan for hundreds of protestors to storm and take over the Trump Hotel in DC if Mueller gets fired. Kick out all the guests, take over rooms, take over the rooftop.

Eat all the food, trash the rooms, turn on the taps and flood the place.. Make it look like a zombie apocalypse.

Thanks, R326. I don't know if it's an idea that's been floated before but it sure makes sense to me. I sent the suggestion to my senators, maybe they'll share it with others. It's crazy that the person most responsible for national security is a stupid, criminal, lying moron. It should never happen again.

If others would like to do the same you can reach your senators here through this link.

Oops, just read up on the process for making laws. Write to your Congressperson for writing the bill, Senator for supporting it if it makes it that far.

Here's some suggested text:

I posted this in another thread. Write to your congresspeople and ask for a bill to require background checks for presidential candidates, including copies of tax returns. Use this text (and add to it) if you'd like.

Dear Conressperson,

Please consider writing or supporting a bill requiring background checks for presidential candidates that makes it mandatory that they submit their tax returns along with everything else that is needed to get security clearance in the White House. The paperwork should begin when they file to run for office and be completed before the nominee is chosen. A person charged with the responsibility for national security and with access to the nuclear codes should be thoroughly vetted. Trump is a current danger to our country and we must ensure the election of such an irresponsible liar never happens again.

Regards

Mueller has subpoenaed the Trump Organization turn over documents, including some related to Russia, two people briefed on the matter tell NYT.

God bless that man. He didn’t ask; he went straight to a subpoena. Ha!

Wow! Mueller is going all in! He's got something on Trump org...Look for Trump, lawyers and sycophants to complain (and Trump to fire Rosenstein or Sessions in more obvious, desperate obstruction of justice)!

According to R331's link, the subpoena was "delivered in recent weeks." I wonder which hissy-fit that time frame corresponds to for Trump.

This is fantastic. Either Mueller will find corruption at the deepest level of Trump's organization (which Dems will love) or he will clear it of any wrongdoing (which the GOP will love).

Somehow I suspect it will be the former.

There’s absolutely nothing to suggest that Trump's business dealings have been shady. Except, ya know, everything he’s ever said and done.

I suspect this will center around his trying to build a Trump Tower in Moscow during the campaign. Or money laundering. Or both.

The fact is Mueller has subpoenaed Trump Organization documents. L.O. L.

Tell you what. If he fires Sessions and reaches for Mueller he will guarantee the Dems take both houses in November.

Remember the server links between the Trump Org and the Russian Alfa Bank?

This what I don't understand: so Mueller subpoenas Trump Organization for documents, but what is stopping them from destroying anything that may remotely relate to Russia? Nothing! I don't get it.

R338, ever hear of Enron? Doing so would be illegal during a time of discovery. Now that doesn’t mean they won’t do it - but if they get caught it could potentially make things worse for them.

Fine R338. They can also be prosecuted for destroying evidence. Now you may say they didn't know it was evidence, but once this investigation started they did. And you better believe that by now, Mueller probably has most of it anyway. Didn't the Feds get a FISA warrant because of that server being connected to Alpha Bank back in 2015 or 2016? I thought that was one of the reasons they were crapping themselves about FISA warrants and sliming Susan Rice for "unmasking" someone. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave..."

Damn. Bridge collapse in Miami. News can't focus on 2 stories at once. At least Mueller can!

Sessions is out. After that, he's going to fire Mueller.

How is a pedestrian bridge collapse national news? WTF...

Firing Mueller really isn't an issue. Mueller knows how precarious his position is and has been from the very start. A tremendous amount of work and research has already been done, and I'm certain he has already assigned somebody to take over in the event of his firing.

The issue is that Trump and his corrupt Republican loyalists, (Devon Nunes, Sessions, possibly Pompeo, etc.) are attempting to find a way to shutdown the entire special counsel, as abruptly as they ended the House Intel Committee. That's what we have to keep an eye on.

R343 Guess that could be a metaphor for Trump's impending collapse. Except it won't be accidental and those killed won't be innocent.

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave..."

WHEN FIRST WE PRACTICE TO DECEIVE!!!

[quote]Damn. Bridge collapse in Miami. News can't focus on 2 stories at once. At least Mueller can!

It's Infrastructure Week, again.

Sen. Mittens steps in.

Ees sad about bridge. Will probably be lead story in news now. How do such things come to be?

The construction company that built the now-collapsed Florida bridge has ties to Paul Manafort. You could not make this shit up.

I’d say what a weird coincidence, but who the fuck knows anymore?

The Barbara Leeden in this story works for Chuck Grassley. She ran her own "secret" investigation into Clinton emails and she's tight with Michael Flynn and Seb Gorka. When will the media ever, ever investigate Grassley? He's as dirty as Trump.

Trump is considering firing as many as FIVE senior officials.

Jake Tapper has Steven Hadley on. Steven Hadley, a slimey piece of shit rat bastard, was one of Cheney's chief Neo Cons trying to get us into a war with Iran. Hadley ought to be tried for war crimes for ginning up the Intel to insist we go in to Iraq.

Now he is saying that Trump has been "pretty tough on Russia." LOLOL! The fact is, Trump just imposed sanctions and admitted the sanctions were for the interference in our elections AND he agrees they poisoned the guy in London. Miracle of miracles!

I say two things have happened. I think Pompeo and the Nat Sec team told him he HAD to do something because of what Teresa May did. She is taking a hard line and has drawn the proverbial line in the sand. The other thing that is very likely happening is that Teresa May and the poisoning in the UK, makes Trump look weak on Russia in an election year, and the Dems are going to use this as an issue. By doing this he's acknowledging there is a political impact.

However. As I see it, by Trump finally acknowledging the Russians interfered in our election, and by imposing the sanctions,

1. he is admitting Mueller and the Dems are right.

2. Because Trump is imposing sanctions, there are some hardline GOP Trump supporters who are now going to start believing Mueller.

3. Since he is hardwired to believe any acknowledgement would compromise the legitimacy of his presidency, it'll be interesting to see how he lies and justifies this in front of his supporters.

4. I think he's trying to get ahead of Mueller so he can fire him, Sessions and Rosentein. He's lining up all his ducks, imposing sanctions, admitting interference, siding with the UK on the poisoning so he can fire Mueller and point to the sanctions, etc. to blunt the effects of firing Mueller.

5. BTW. He has just also fucked Devin Nunes and the GOP Intel committee members right up the ass. Trump is running scared trying everything to dodge impeachment.

6. He is trying to blunt the impact of Mueller's investigation on the mid term elections. The Dems can use his behavior as an issue, and it is obviously having an effect on the GOP, too.

Until this moment, I knew that the Russians corrupted our election but believed that Trump essentially was legitimately elected, I mean, a legitimate President. But now I don’t. One thing that changed my mind was how strongly Trump objects to the idea of Russian meddling. As he so strongly objects to the idea that the “fake news” wants to use “Russian meddling” to delegitimize his election, then it must be true. He’s the king of projection. Let history be our guide. He projects so much, it can't be ignored.

I wanted to be a graceful loser, but I refuse to be a sucker. Hence my eventual change of view.

Clinton's aide Jennifer Palmieri says when this White House starts acting "conventional" it's because they're very nervous.

^spot on, R356

oh for shit's sake, R355. Use your brains. Why the fuck would the Russians invest millions of $$$, hire people set up an entire operation, including sending people here to learn about and understand our elections process, I mean those fuckers visited places like Michigan and Kansas, etc. Please. They had been grooming trump for years. They spent time learning about our rivalries and our internal domestic issues so they could use groups like Black Lives Matter and other dissidents to agitate and provoke disruptions. They infiltrated social media and set up thousands of robot accounts. Why would they do all of that, all of which has been verified. Why do it if they weren't going to guarantee the outcome. John Lewis was right. Trump is illegitimate.

R355 It's always been my theory that Trump is telling the truth when he claims he did not collude. I don't think he did. But at some point he caught on that others were colluding and thought it best to look the other way.

What's that called? (something) deniability? And he did and continues to benefit from it, and Putin will help him win again in 2020. So technically, not guilty of collusion, but definitely complicit.

And R358 which posted just as I was finishing this, looks to be right on the money!

It's so obvious the Russians waged a successful propaganda campaign to sway voter influence, but I'm not so sure they were able to hack the vote totals. I kind of hope they did, and that Mueller can prove it, because wouldn't that then void the entire election? But I don't think they were able to do it.

R359 Trump as an innocent bystander... LMFAO. If you're not a troll, then you should be an honorary troll. Just like Trump is an honorary traitor.

LMAO Don Jr.'s wife just filed for divorce, according to Page Six.

How tall is the prime minister of Ireland? He looks a good inch or two taller than Dump here, even though he's standing on a carpet.

R362 The implosion of the Trump Crime Family is near. They are being squeezed from all sides.

Everything’s really clicking for the Trumps!

Donald (“The Apple doesn’t fall far from the fertilizer”) Junior

r362 Wife was tired of watching Junior fucking that stuffed Zebra he shot in Africa, instead of meeting her needs.

R365 The backlash from all sides couldn't happen to a more deserving group of scoundrels.

Melania, tick tock.

Hurry up mueller!

Lindsey Graham and her new partner, Chuck Grassley, are going on Fox @ 6pm to insist on a Special Counsel being appointed per FISA warrants, Justice Dept. & FBI.

Lindsey has gone all Pooty and out to save DJT.

[quote]Lindsey Graham and her new partner, Chuck Grassley, are going on Fox @ 6pm to insist on a Special Counsel being appointed per FISA warrants, Justice Dept. & FBI.

Chuck Todd the toad decided to spin this latest from Miss Lindz & her merry gentlemen callers as some super clever roundabout protection manoeuvre designed to save Mueller. I got lost in the convolutions of his reasoning. But he looked extremely satisfied with himself for that speculation.

The question would be, then, does Graham & Grassley want to protect Mueller? Grassley, in particular, is about protecting Trump at all costs. Lindsey went to the dark side serval months ago.

^several

I agree with the poster (R314? Not sure now, sorry.) who imagined Pompaio (?) gathering everything he'll need to betray The US, before walking into The SOS job (for big payday of course.)

I believe Putin has all The CIA’s intelligence, thanks to Pompaio.

I’ve been trying to imagine how they would be able to get US military to turn on fellow Americans?

I'm thinking lately, that in order to declare marshal law on a scale that would encompass the entire country an event far worse than 9/11 would have to occur.

These are the monsters capable of that.

R372, I saw that. Todd is either stupid or deliberately misleading under the assumption we are stupid. Grassley and Grahams maneuver will not delay or postpone the firing of Sessions Rosenstein and Mueller. First of all Sessions cannot initiate an investigation to anything connected to the Russia investigation. He is recused. Period. Would Rosenstein do it? Maybe. But here's the thing. it would be a separate investigation and it would have no impact on whether the POTUS will fire the three of them. Todd is full of shit. I also have to wonder WTF Steven Hadley is doing making the rounds. He was on with Jake Tapper, and he showed up on MTP tonight. He is one of Cheney's Neo Cons and he is an evil man.

Have the White House given an explanation for the firing of Steve Goldstein yet? I Googled it but can't find anything. It looks pretty damning that he was fired right after he contradicted the official account and said Tillerson learned he was fired on Tuesday, not Friday. That seems to have been buried by all the other drama that's happened this week. I wish Stormy Daniels wasn't distracting from the more important issues.

R361 By no means do I believe Trump is innocent, he was just a useful idiot. The Most useful of idiots. Putin is a genius, his plan wouldn't necessarily call for Trump to be informed in advance. The little information all of Putin's puppets know, the better. It's always been my theory that Putin had anywhere from 3 to 5 separate plans going on at once. But no need for elements in one plan to know about the other plan.

New Buzzfeed letter demands Trump WH provide all materials on Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels & docs given to Mueller — this rebuts Cohen’s lawsuit and Ty Cobb tells me they’ll “do the right thing.”

Here's a link to another story that helps break things down.

I’m missing something. Did Cohen sue BuzzFeed? When and why?.

January '18, for publishing the Steele dossier

In a world of bad lawyers, Cohen is in contention for the World's Worst.

Thank goodness Stormey Daniels picked a smart, serious, and persistent attorney.

She was clever enough not to engage Gloria Allred, whereby it would be treated as another celebrity publicity stunt, taken less seriously.

Calm down gals, I just needed a purpose to get close to that hunky Bret Baier. He's now on my approved gentleman callers list. And no, Putin never got access to my little black book.

I love the DL Lindsey Graham character. Not sure if it’s one or multiple posters but it’s always funny and always appreciated.

I have to admit that I miss a short-lived DL character “Anna Harkness, Esq.” an older black female lawyer who arose during the Soft Butch Sous Chef murder scandal in 2014-15. She was incredibly well-written and hilarious. Always offering acute analysis of Jamyra’s fate but with an interesting twist. I wonder what she would make of any number of these Trump scandals.

It’s a curious day when a porn star has a better lawyer than the freaking president of the United States.

R378 If Jr was gleefully colluding with Russians to get dirt on Hillary, you think Trump was just a puppet who was not informed? Your narrative is as fanciful as a fairy tale. Trump might like to talk out of his ass, but that does not qualify him for the clueless idiot excuse. Without his enthusiasm to cheat and play dirty, there would be no collusion. He was and is a vital driving force for collusion and everything went through him first. Besides, you don't have to be that smart to be a con man. You just need a lot of dumb people to influence with your lies, and the money to corrupt smarter people.

R388, FWIW I has R378 on block already as a Russian troll.

Did Scott Pruitt start the rumor he may become Attorney General?

After severely damaging the EPA, he appears anxious to abolish the probe into conspiracy with Russia.

R378, Trump had relationships with the Russians for years going back to 2007...incidentally the year when everyone thought Hillary would run and probably win the Presidency. . He was slobbering over Putin since at least 2013, but more than likely before that.

He was laundering money for Russian oligarchs and when he got in financial trouble and could not get anyone here to invest in his real estate business, he was able to get financing through Russian backed banks and the Money laundering operation in the bank in Cyprus of which one of his cabinet member at one time ran the fucking bank.

Trump's sympathies for Russia go back years and he admires guys like Macho Boss, Putin who also is reputed to be THE richest man in the world. In fact it has been proven that Flynn, Manafort, and several other people close to Trump were getting ready to cash in on Russian controlled gas and oil leases even as Trump was being sworn in

My hypothesis is that Trump was approached about seriously running for POTUS in 2011. But he wasn't prepared to lose. He wasn't going into it serendipitously. When he learned he could get backing and help from his Russian buddies if he were serious, he decided to go for it. They conspired and they worked together to get him into the WH for easily five years. I think the facts will prove that hyposthesis.

He was a useful idiot in that he did not fully appreciate the profound effects his cooperation with the Russians would mean for our country. All he was thinking about was how great it would be to be President and position himself and his family to get wealthy beyond their wildest penny ante dreams.

He had no problem agreeing to look favorably on Putin and Russia once he got into office as part of the quid pro quo. I mean. WTF did he care about the Ukraine? Right? He wouldn't recognize Patriotism if it bit him in the ass, and God willing it's about to.

Mueller Subpoenas Tяump Organization, Demanding Documents About Russia

WASHINGTON — The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has subpoenaed the Trump Organization in recent weeks to turn over documents, including some related to Russia, according to two people briefed on the matter. The order is the first known instance of the special counsel demanding records directly related to President Trump’s businesses, bringing the investigation closer to the president.

The breadth of the subpoena was not clear, nor was it clear why Mr. Mueller issued it instead of simply asking for the documents from the company, an umbrella organization that encompasses Mr. Trump’s business ventures. Mr. Mueller ordered the Trump Organization to hand over records related to Russia and other topics he is investigating, the people said.

The subpoena is the latest indication that the investigation, which Mr. Trump’s lawyers once regularly assured him would be completed by now, will continue for at least several more months. Word of the subpoena came as Mr. Mueller appears to be broadening his inquiry to examine the role foreign money may have played in funding Mr. Trump’s political activities. In recent weeks, Mr. Mueller’s investigators have questioned witnesses, including an adviser to the United Arab Emirates, about the flow of Emirati money into the United States.

Mr. Mueller has already indicted 13 Russians and three companies accused of meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, and on Thursday, the Trump administration included them in sanctions it leveled at Moscow as punishment for interference in the campaign and “malicious cyberattacks.”

The Trump Organization has typically complied with requests from congressional investigators for documents for their own inquiries into Russian election interference, and there was no indication the company planned to fight Mr. Mueller’s order.

“Since July 2017, we have advised the public that the Trump Organization is fully cooperative with all investigations, including the special counsel, and is responding to their requests,” said Alan S. Futerfas, a lawyer representing the Trump Organization. “This is old news and our assistance and cooperation with the various investigations remains the same today.”

The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, reiterated during her daily briefing that the president was cooperating with the special counsel inquiry and referred further questions to the Trump Organization.

There are few other publicly known examples of Mr. Mueller using subpoenas. In January, he ordered the president’s former chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, to appear before a grand jury. Mr. Mueller dropped the subpoena after Mr. Bannon agreed to be interviewed by investigators.

Mr. Mueller could run afoul of a line the president has warned him not to cross. Though it is not clear how much of the subpoena is related to Mr. Trump’s business outside ties to Russia, Mr. Trump said in an interview with The New York Times in July that the special counsel would be crossing a red line if he looked into his family’s finances beyond any relationship with Russia. The president declined to say how he would respond if he concluded that the special counsel had crossed that line.

Mr. Trump campaigned as a businessman whose deal-making prowess would translate directly into reforming Washington. The argument helped propel him to the White House, but the Trump Organization has been a magnet for criticism from Democrats, ethics watchdogs and some Republicans, who expressed concern that he remained vulnerable to conflicts of interest because he did not separate from the company. Before Mr. Trump was sworn in, he pledged that he would stay uninvolved in his businesses while in office but insisted it would be too punitive for his business partners for him to divest from the company altogether.

Among the Trump Organization’s holdings are golf clubs, hotels and licensing agreements for the use of the Trump name on pro

OMG. Turn on Chris Hayes RIGHT NOW. I'm in love!! Mikhail Zygar. Author. Remember his name. Mikhail Zygar. Shit

R393: OK, he's cute. Let me rewind and hear what he had to say...

Ugh. His accent is annoying.

I know. he should stop talking and just pose. Damn he has beautiful eyes. And such a mouth.

Post link to his beautiful mouth, please!

Great documentary about Clinton - Putin - Tяump and what happened in the years leading to the 2016 US election.

Tяump

я is pronounced "ya" in Russian.

In Cyrillic, "r" is "p."

For example, "restaurant" is spelled "ресторан." It's one of the words that is pretty much transliterate, meaning it's a word taken from another language that is pronounced the same way, but with Cyrillic letters.

"P" is "r"

"c" is "s"

"н" is "n."

So ресторан is pronounced "restoran."

And "Trump" is "Трамп."

House Republicans are privately venting that they’ve fumbled the release of their own Russia probe report.

The muddled messaging was the subject of a closed-door meeting of committee Republicans on Wednesday. According to three sources briefed on the discussion, a frustrated Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) raised pointed concerns about why critiquing intelligence agencies was even mentioned at Monday’s rollout. The finding, after all, won't be included in the committee's official Russia report — it will be the subject of a second report issued later in the spring. But the decision to link it to the committee’s Russia findings scrambled the release.

Trump has decided to remove H.R. McMaster as his national security adviser and is actively discussing potential replacements, five people with knowledge of the plans tell WaPo.

McMasters should use his last days to push the cabinet towards making use of the 25th amendment.

This is bad. This is really bad. Mc Master was the real voice of reason, the real professional keeping us safe. He is all the things we had hoped Kelly would be. This is as close to disaster as it gets....so far. All this turbulence is definitely going to be real bad for the GOP>REAL BAD> Something is up. Trump feels like he can do things with impunity. Why? Is it hubris, or does he have a plan? We need to "remove" Paul Ryan.

Asshole thinks going to rallies and firing people will give the impression he is working and he knows this job. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Is Jr's wife divorcing him because she's sick of his crap and wants her freedom, or is it a weak bid to hide/shield some assets because they know he's going down in all of this? Seems like this came out of nowhere. Will Ivanka follow suit?

Who knows, r405. The threatening mail she received gives her a good reason to want out of the situation. Perhaps she was involved in it. Why, of all of them, would she be targeted?

Shes no dummy....she wants to get paid before the whole damn family goes down. If she gets it now, she walks.....if she gambles on getting it later, there might not be anything there.

Yeah, I'm wondering if it's some agreement they've made to hide assets.

Probably, R406, she could be trying to prime the nation to feel sympathy toward her (e.g. Fake white-powder hate mail) to separate her from her in-laws' shitshow.

She's a minor player in this mess. TPTB probably won't let Melania divorce the dotard right now, so the second-string daughter-in-law may also establish a way to escape and cash in, so I think both R407 and R408 are right.

Nothing above board with any of these grifters.

Is the consensus that he's firing people left and right so that they can't invoke the 25th?

R406 That letter she opened, reportedly, was addressed to her husband, Jr. But she probably opens any house mail as spouses often do.

Trump is a deflector to chanel storyline in the news. With the Mueller investigation now at his doorsteps, and the Stormy saga esculating; he could undertake something drastic. The few competent and level-minded people he has around hI'm are diminishing. Whose going contain him from acting impulsively on the world stage. McMaster is experienced and well-respected when it comes to military policies. Losing him is troubling.

Geez, it may be down to Rick Perry as the most settling cabinet member. But he's at Energy and reports indicate he is being urged to accept the VA job. Sec of State, Sec. of Defense, Sec.of Homeland Security, and Nat'l Security Advisor, are the biggies per national safety.

change storylines, not chanel

Donnie Jr. is his father's son. he is full of himself, he loves the notoriety, the fame, the fact he gets to represent Dad and go all over the country making speeches, etc. He thinks he is a politician. I imagine he cheats on her a lot. So yeah, she's probably had enough and that suspicious envelope clinched the deal for her. I don't think they're hiding assets. Trump and his son Donnie have nothing but contempt for women.

From the NY Times article (linked above) about the potential changes in senior staff and Cabinet position:

“It’s devastating,” said William M. Daley, who served as former President Barack Obama’s chief of staff for about a year. “No business could handle this, much less the government. It’s supposed to be about stability and continuity. That’s just not in his lexicon.”

Daley is correct. This is a disaster and no way to successfully run the government. The instability that results from these shifts is abysmal failure but it gives this buffoon a sense of doing something because he is in charge, and he makes the calls, and he moves people around. He's the big boss.

Mueller can't indict this group of treasonous thugs fast enough.

Isn't Vanessa the one who called Tяump retarded?

Well the Mc Masters deal is all fucked up. I guess Trump and Kelly discussed it and agreed they didn't want to treat Mc MAsters as badly as they had Tillerson. Trump discovers he is looking real bad for firing his SoS with twitter. Kelly was really pissed about Tillerson finding out about it on twitter and he fired the guy at the state department who contradicted his lies that Tillerson was informed Friday night. LOL! Seems like Kelly was more pissed off because he had been contradicted, than because the firing was poorly handled.

Anyway, apparently they had decided to get rid of Mc Masters and yet they wanted to first make sure they had a good replacement, and also that when Mc Masters left he did it with grace, as in getting his 4th star. Trump has been persuaded that if he fires Mc Masters nicely then people will not be afraid to work at the White House. Because right now no one wants to. At least no one with any decent credentials.

The resident Mad Man is also rumored to be dumping Pruitt, De Vos, Carson, and the VA Guy. But of course #OurOwnSarahHuckabeeSanders has issued her own tweet tonight saying none of this is true. So ignore the 19 people who talked to the Washington Post reporters and the reporters from the Wall Street Journal.

White House staffers are saying there is a totally toxic reign of terror inside the WH, and total chaos, and they said Trump is talking to no one. they don't know how he is deciding WTF he wants to do. Some people are even saying Kelly is going too. Well, I hope so. Because IMO he instigated all of this and has totally lost control of the WH.

BTW: Who the fuck is running the store? How the fuck do you get rid of your SoS and you NSA and expect to prepare for talks with North Korea in less than two months? This is terrible shit. Terrible. I hate Paul Ryan SO much.

I love how every single time the leaks start coming out they all end up being absolutely true while the White House spends every single second denying they're true even after they actually happen exactly as the leaks said they would.

Oh, don't worry about the North Korea summit. Since we have no Secretary of State, IVANKA is meeting with the South Korean Foreign Minister to talk about it. Ivanka. And some deputy secretary at State.

Good, r419... NK can intervene and lock Ivanka up in a labor camp. Easy as kim-chi!

[quote] Trump has been persuaded that if he fires Mc Masters nicely then people will not be afraid to work at the White House.

Good lord. Is that what they told him? Like that's going to make a whit of difference. Anyone with half a brain can see what's going on and most qualified people don't want anything to do with this mal-Administration.

I guess Trump didn't expect the blow back he's getting about how he handled Tillerson. No one would give a fuck if he tweeted that he fired Rick Perry and Perry found out about it on twitter. I wouldn't. But no matter how inept he was, the Secretary of State is a top level cabinet position and Trump looked embarrassingly small and vicious. It was uncalled for, and completely lacking in grace or decorum. It was low class. So he wants to do better with the next batch. The thing is, none of the other cabinet people are worth keeping. None of them. Name them. Housing, Education Energy, Interior, VA, EPA, Treasury, Commerce, etc.., etc., etc.

Those Russian guys Chris Hayes had on said everything is about gas and the gas pipelines. They are highly political. Also they are supposed to be supplying the rest of Europe so people are really pissed off. Trump and Flynn thought they would get a piece of that. Manafort too.

Oh Kellyanne, Kellyanne, Kellyanne!

Fox & Friends needs your appearance to assure all is fine.

[quote] The threatening mail she received gives her a good reason to want out of the situation.

I did not read the thread, or threads, about the incident, but given that it's about the Trump family I assumed that the whole "she's in the hospital, because she openened a mysterious letter with white powder in it" was just a cover for a domestic abuse incident where Trump, jr. beat up his wife.

[quote]It’s a curious day

Every single one since November 8 2016.

[quote]It was low class

Ditto.

One shred of hope about the WH chaos is that 'POTUS', free of all wise restraint, is likely to say or do something so grotesque that it can't be explained away: something epitomising his deep inadequacy, a total game changer. The hope is that all the damage in such a case rebounds only on him. Before he can do grave damage to others.

r426, you mean there are still idiots, apart from the Deplorables, who don't realize what a fuck-up Donald Trump is and they need further evidence? At this point people ACCEPT the fact that Donald Trump is a fuckup but either he serves their agenda or they are in too deep and would be fallout from his fall from deplorable grace.

I know Mitt Romney got raked over the coals (rightfully) for his 47% comment, but you just can't convince or reason with the stupid who stay loyal to Trump no matter what (and yes, they will stay with him no matter what, because FAKE NEWS! HILLARY'S EMAILS, IT'S A WITCHHUNT! MAGA! DRAIN THE SWAMP! LOCK HER UP! BUILD THAT WALL! MOOSE LAMBS! - SNL Spicer).

TRUE R427. Suggests some forms of mental illness are far more prevalent than generally recognized.

Probably also why Trump reversed the tules restricting the mentally ills ability to buy guns.

Hurt his base.

[quote]Oh, don't worry about the North Korea summit. Since we have no Secretary of State, IVANKA is meeting with the South Korean Foreign Minister to talk about it. Ivanka. And some deputy secretary at State.

Republican Tom Nichols:

I don’t care if you’ve heard me say it before: If a major ally was visiting during a period of high tensions and a President Hillary Clinton fobbed the meeting off onto her daughter, Republicans would be in utter apeshit mode. But hey, lib-triggering and stuff.

[quote]Until this moment, I knew that the Russians corrupted our election but believed that Trump essentially was legitimately elected, I mean, a legitimate President.

I've always thought the same ... that the Russians interfered but Trump actually won without any electoral hanky-panky. But with yesterday's news that the Russians have hacked into American power plants and have the capability to turn them on or off at will – well, them accessing a few voting machines in the Midwest doesn't seem far-fetched at all.

Look. When George W. Bush was at his lowest point, I'm talking about his lowest, towards the end of his Presidency, he had 22% approval rating. That means there were still 22% of Americans who supported the POTUS. Now personally I think the media over hypes the importance of Trump's Deplorables, and they are a vocal group for sure, but we need to just streamroll the assholes, and move them out of the way.

I'll tell you what. If all the media really covers what the WaPo reported yesterday, about our nuclear energy grid and our water and electricity grids being hacked by Russia, and they now have the ability to wipe out power grids, I think it would have an impact. Because this White House was aware of it for a while now, and has done absolutely nothing to condemn it, or to correct and protect.

That is some real serious shit. We need to use that to pressure Paul Ryan. In fact I think the media needs to turn from this White House and sit on Paul Ryan's doorstep and insist he act. This is INTOLERABLE. They need to do something now. And where is the rationality in firing your entire national security team before a very momentous meeting with North Korea? But you know in less than 72 hours after a dog died in an overhead bin on an airplane, Senator Kennedy introduced legislation to "make sure this never happens again." Really?

[quote]I think the media over hypes the importance of Trump's Deplorables, and they are a vocal group for sure, but we need to just streamroll the assholes, and move them out of the way.

That is why they have this huge ego in the first place, because the media (and Trump) is not just humoring them, but validating them. Take that away from them and instead mock, laugh, humiliate them and then dismiss them they wouldn't be as brave anymore. Same goes for the NRA and their deliberate fearmongering and then going "you have every right to be scared and afraid and THANK GOD you have the right to buy guns to no longer feel afraid (until the gun companies come up with deadlier weapons forcing you to buy deadlier guns)".

These snake oil salesment CREATE the fear and the problem and then validate their fear and anger with "Oh, it's alright to be afraid and you're in luck we have the perfect solution for your problem!" for their own personal gain. The Deplorables are blind, because they buy these snake oil salesmen's bullshit for several decades now.

Congressional investigators have learned that a longtime attorney for the National Rifle Association expressed concerns about the group’s ties to Russia and possible involvement in channeling Russian money into the 2016 elections to help Donald Trump, two sources familiar with the matter say.

Cleta Mitchell, a former NRA board member who has done legal work for the organization, is on a newly disclosed list of people whom Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are seeking to interview. Democratic investigators for that committee’s Senate counterpart also are interested in what she may know about relationships between the NRA or its allies and wealthy Russians, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

These snake oil salesment CREATE the fear and the problem and then validate their AUDIENCE'S / CUSTOMERS' fear and anger with ...

Is the Blocked R434 a Concern Troll or the Koch Bros. Defender Troll?

Dunno r435, you could always unblock him and find out.

James Mattis is linked to a massive corporate fraud and nobody wants to talk about it. Better let a scandal slide than risk a nuclear war.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis is implicated in one of the largest business scandals of the past decades, described by the Securities and Exchange Commission as an “elaborate, years-long fraud.” Mattis served on the board of Theranos, a biotech startup founded on the promise of faster, cheaper, painless blood tests. But their technology was fake.

Mattis not only served on Theranos’s board during some of the years it was perpetrating the fraud, after he retired from US military service, he earlier served as a key advocate of putting the company’s technology (technology that was, to be clear, fake) to use inside the military while he was still serving as a general.

Nobody on the board is being directly charged with doing anything. But accepting six-figure checks to serve as a frontman for a con operation is the kind of thing that would normally count as a liability in American politics.

But nobody wants to talk about it. Not just Trump and his co-partisans in Congress, but the Democratic Party opposition is also inclined to give Mattis a pass. Everyone in Washington is more-or-less convinced that his presence in the Pentagon is the only thing standing between us and possible nuclear Armageddon.

And then there were none...

Oh, lordy!

Look for fired FBI Director James Comey to come out hot on the book tour that begins 30 days from now for "A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership," out April 17 from Flatiron Books.

OK. I'll bite. I'll watch a few interviews and check out the news coverage of Comey's book tour, but I will be damned if I will buy his book. That fucker was investigating the Russian interference, by July, 2016, and he never said one fucking word about it, but three separate times he had to discuss the e-mails of Hillary and actually reprimanded her in public for being "careless." His October surprise, combined with his complete silence about investigating the Russians, helped elect President Shithole. Please excuse me if I don't join in his canonization simply because Trump fired him.

[quote]And no, Putin never got access to my little black book.

But he can have access to my little pink nook.

How long will Trump sit there like a loud mouthed dotard, and allow Putin to SHIT all over the United States. I'd have greenlit a SEAL Team Six operation by now with a fucking top ten Russians list. As for Paul Ryan, he has enough information at this point to begin Impeachment proceedings. The fact that he is doing nothing is also against the law.

YOu know, there are certain people Trump trusts and feels comfortable with. We've read that Pompeo is one. There aren't too many, and probably none in the WH or the entire administration for that matter. But it seems to me that early on, and maybe even since the election he has said incriminating things about Putin and Russia. Enough for who ever he told to start connecting dots. With all that we know now, how the fuck can anyone want to work in that Administration. It would seem someone or several someones has to be talking to Mueller. I wonder when former Congressman Pompeo will sit down with Paul Ryan and insist he DO something.

Because Pompeo is probably complicit, as well.

Probably r444. But I also wonder if some republicans are setting themselves up to look like saviors down the road.

I can't believe there are some here who really thought Drumpf was legitimately elected and that the Russians didn't manipulate any numbers. That really surprises me.

"Trump Exposed" -- next week's New Yorker cover:

Eric and Lara Trump enjoying crepes in Aspen.

What crisis?

[quote]But with yesterday's news that the Russians have hacked into American power plants and have the capability to turn them on or off at will

Can't we do the same to theirs?

Are they crepe-crepes, r448?

Those private jet trips that former Health & Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, took at taxpayers expense, included a "traveling companion", Kellyanne Conway.

Elijah Cummings is inquiring.

Video outlet NowThis put together a stunning supercut of Fox News personalities — some former, some current — talking about the prospect of the U.S. president meeting with North Korea’s leader. And there’s an astonishing discrepancy between their reactions, based on which president it was.

Told you she was no dummy....Vanessa Trump hired a CRIMINAL ATTORNEY for her divorce.......shes looking to get paid before they take it all away.

[quote]stunning supercut

[quote]Fox News personalities

May as well, since his daily policy "advice" comes from Fox and Friends.

Kyle GriffinVerified account @kylegriffin1

Fox News personality Pete Hegseth has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, people with knowledge of the matter tell WaPo.

^^ his = Cheeto's

Trump only wants to hire people who will look good on tv. He's an unbelievably shallow and stupid creature.

^ then how do you explain all of his picks? None of them are attractive.

[quote]Trump only wants to hire people who will look good on tv. He's an unbelievably shallow and stupid creature.

You mean make HIM look good, right?

[quote]John Kelly acknowledged in an off-the-record session with reporters today that his boss, Donald Trump, is likely speculating about staff moves to people outside the White House and that reporters are then talking to those people. And that’s how a good deal of news is likely being made about all the possible replacements.

[quote] @JohnFugelsang I refuse to joke about Vanessa Trump bc it's NEVER funny when a couple files for an uncontested quick divorce, one where assets can be swiftly transferred, on the same day an independent special counsel subpoenas their family business. People, this could happen to you someday.

Sounds about right. Crucify them, Mueller!

R446 "I can't believe there are some here who really thought Drumpf was legitimately elected and that the Russians didn't manipulate any numbers. That really surprises me."

Depends on your definition of 'legitimate'. If you consider all the gerry-mandering and someone's concerted strategy on how to manipulate the voters in those crucial borderline counties that swung the electoral vote, it is possible. I personally believe the Russians were able to hack the final tallies giving Trump the "win" by a scant 78,000 votes across three states, but no definitive evidence has yet been revealed.

But if your definition of 'legitimate' also takes into effect the Russian campaign of flooding these areas, (thru Facebook, Twitter, etc,) with false stories about Clinton corruption, Obama's birtherism, etc, then even if Trump "legitimately" got the votes, it was accomplished by a tremendous campaign of lies and brainwashing. So there are many ways his "victory" could be deemed NOT legitimate.

But as for your statement in regards to those who "really thought", never underestimate the stupidity of the American public. Vladimir Putin didn't!

R462:

[quote]But as for your statement in regards to those who "really thought", never underestimate the stupidity of the American public. Vladimir Putin didn't!

Yes, I'm aware but my comment (and my surprise) was that there are people HERE (on DL) that believed he "won" legitimately.

R461

That's pretty much what I've been saying here. This divorce isn't about anything than hiding assets. They're slimy as fuck and always keeping one eye on how to game the system.

R463 Well, then those people need us to continually debate these issues on this board so they can be better educated. As long as we keep our comments dignified and respectful. Thank you, R463.

And I don't mean to malign those people or suggest all of them are stupid, (sorry if I offended). Even the most brilliant of minds can be brainwashed and manipulated. I like to think a lot of the "Deplorables" aren't bad people or even stupid, (though some are!), just well-meaning patriotic citizens who were targeted and duped. It's hard to admit you can be wrong about something that you've come to believe is right for so long.

Don't forget willfully ignorant R465. Trump's unfitness for office was readily apparent.

I would say GLARINGLY obvious. People are just really fucking stupid these days. No one reads anymore they go by what they've heard or they saw it on Facebook. Supremely dumb mother fuckers everywhere.

"This divorce isn't about anything than hiding assets."

Absolutely. Thus the use of the criminal attorney for a divorce. So how successful will it be given that Meuller has subpoenaed the documents? I hate to think of these scumbags getting away with it.

It's my theory that Donnie Jr. was implicating his wife in all manner of fraud and deception in terms of tax records and business practices, real estate, bank fraud, money laundering, etc. and he was probably called in to talk to Mueller, so now she is realizing that she could go to jail, and she lawyered up. Good for her. I don't think the divorce is a sham. I think she is over all this crap. There are a lot of wives who are not real bright about $$$ and business, and when a domineering nasty husband says, "sign this." they do it, because he "knows best." I don't think she is hiding assets for Donnie. That would be illegal and any criminal defense attorney would tell her so. I think Donnie was hiding assets with her, and she is scared she might go to jail.

Lindsey Graham continues to call the FBI and DOJ 'corrupt' in the Clinton Email probe; and they 'abused' FISA.

Lindsey is competing with Tom Cotton to be the 'Devin Nunes' of the Senate.

If they filed a joint tax return and she signed it, then Vanessa gurl, you in danger!

That can't happen to me!

But a wife can refuse to testify against her husband and vice versa. Mueller is looking for Russian connections. Handing over assets to Trump jr.'s wife will not make those past connections go away. It may very well make her look complicit by being ok with getting dragged into it and maybe even having to step in and deal with Trump jr.'s Russian connections if those assets are indeed still tied to Russians somehow.

Michael Avenatti now claims that some of the alleged thingies between Stormy Daniels and Cheeto happened since he took office.

R469 I think you're giving them far too much credit.

They're a family of thieves. They're about the money first and then finding ways to avoid and game the legal system.

I just don't buy that she randomly chose that day to divorce him... without his instruction.

R475, yes, I agree, they are a family of thieves. But I also get the distinct impression that not only do the men have complete contempt for women and view them as disposable, interchangeable and generally as outsiders, but they are alrgely kept in the dark about what's going on with the family business interests. Of course the exception is Daddy's Princess Ivanka.

But I don't think Melania, or Vanessa or Lara Trump are part of any inner circle when it comes to business deals. I think Jared, Donnie Jr. and Ivanka are the Big Three, Eric runs the business so he might know more, but he will never know as much as the other three. As for the women Melania, Lara and Vanessa, they are trophies. If we were playing chess they'd be pawns. I think because Poppa Trump has had 3 wives, he has learned not to share too much with his wives. He learned that from his mess with Ivana.

R476 I'm not suggesting Vanessa (or any of them) know anything or are anything but pawns... I think Vanessa is a pawn doing exactly what she's told... which is filing for divorce in order to help protect HIS stuff. I don't think the divorce was her idea at all.

[quote]Michael Avenatti now claims that some of the alleged thingies between Stormy Daniels and Cheeto happened since he took office.

The attorney is playing it in the media. He's on a cable news show-crawl and dropping a bit here, a bit there, practically every day.

Why is Gloria Allred so vilified for being camera-hungry but I'm not hearing similar talk about this guy's strategy?

R478 "Why is Gloria Allred so vilified for being camera-hungry but I'm not hearing similar talk about this guy's strategy"

1) Because Gloria Allred seems to take 2 out of every 3 cases. She's way overexposed. This is the first time we've seen Avenatti.

2) He's fucking hot.

Hes playing to Trumps weakness......public opinion.

He's much better at it too

He's really playing Dump's game better than Dump.

@MichaelAvenatti

How can President Donald Trump seek $20 million in damages against my client based on an agreement that he and Mr. Cohen claim Mr. Trump never was a party to and knew nothing about? #notwellthoughtout #sloppy #checkmate

So basically because he's a guy.

His Wiki page says: He routinely appears on broadcast and print media as a commentator on a range of legal issues and has represented parties in a number of lawsuits that have gained international media attention, including cases brought against the National Football League, various celebrity defendants, high-ranking business executives and Fortune 100 companies.

Another interesting tidbit from Wiki: While in college and later in law school, Avenatti worked at a political opposition and media firm, The Research Group, run by Rahm Emanuel (later White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama, and mayor of Chicago). Avenatti worked on over 150 campaigns in 42 states, including multiple gubernatorial and congressional campaigns and Joe Biden’s U.S. Senate campaign.

R483 that was delicious

So Cheeto's new lawyer on the Stormi case in the guy who sued Gawker into bankruptcy.

Whos paying him r485 ? Peter Theil payed for his services to take down Gawker.

Maddow didn't say who, R486.

Meanwhile, Flynn in on the stump to Make California Great Again lol

Matthew FuhrmanVerified account @mfuhrman

Michael Flynn speaking to a group of Palm Springs area Republicans, stumping for congressional candidate Omar Navarro @ABC #GOP #18For18 #Vote2018

R488 WTF?!! How can he be allowed to do that

Flynn needs to be in prison, the sooner the better.

UGh! The GOP is puling all the stops in California, one can only imagine how ugly it will get.

East Coast, keep your trash out of our state!!

Ha ha...Rachel Maddow just showed a clip of MIchael Flynn at that fundraiser tonight! Coming in the room to all kinds of cheers and clapping.

These GOP'ers have no hearts or souls.

The majority of those in attendance must have an average age of 80.

Trump/Sessions just fired Andrew McCabe before he was due to retire so that he couldn't collect his pension. Stay classy, motherfuckers. I don't think Mueller will appreciate it.

Sessions just fired Andrew McCabe....denying him his pension.

Sessions has fired McCabe. Just announced on Lawrence's show.

McCabe fired. Brutal.

[quote] Rachel Maddow just showed a clip of MIchael Flynn at that fundraiser tonight! Coming in the room to all kinds of cheers and clapping.

What does it say about your candidacy if a prime speaker at one of your rallies, who is being wildly cheered by your supporters, is a recently convicted felon and disgraced member of the current administration.

And that is despicable news about McCabe.

They did this for the base. They’re eating it up, for some reason. I can’t even follow their rants about it.

His “base” will go back to being the insignificant pieces of shit they were before. And the rest of us will rub their noses in their shit for the rest of their miserable lives.

McCabe fired.

Now he can't collect his pension.

Meaning there's going to be another lawsuit against Dump.

What really amazes me is how Flynn can openly walk in public and not be afraid for his life. I can't believe he's not indoors hiding when he doesn't have to be in court. And if he's not afraid of common Americans attacking him for committing treason, you'd think he'd be afraid of some Russian spy after him for possibly flipping in his testimony to Mueller, (which now concerns me as not being so damning if the guy isn't afraid to show his face at a public event).

I wouldn't be surprised if the Flynn event was staged to make it look like it's all good.

I wish some Dems would have been there to start chanting "Lock him up!"

What a dick move firing McCabe. Flynn thing totally staged check out the $69 fastsigns banner. Desperate.

Flynn must really hate aunt Maxine.

Maxine Waters' district is 46% Hispanic and was elected with 76% of the vote. It makes no sense for Flynn to be there given that he has no ties to California when he is from Rhode Island. He needs to get his East coast trash ass back to Rhode Island.

So am I supposed to be pissed that McCabe was fired or glad??

He screwed Hilary's campaign so fuck him?

He lost his pension, which fucking sucks for anybody, regardless or affiliation. Dude worked at the Bureau for over 20 years! That's fucked up that he has nothing to show for it.

He will be able to sue to get it back, right?

I love the way McCabe is framing this as witness tampering. That’s exactly what it is.

He isn't going quietly. He had interview after interview already in the can and they are running tonight. Someone is finally fighting back.

And after seeing their own treated this way if the FBI doesn't rise as one and end this fucking presidency by next week I will be so disappointed in them. They have the evidence to do it. Leak it all.

McCabe put out a statement that is FIRE. He is going to take them on. They will end up regretting doing this.

Firing Comey starts Trump's downfall. McCabe's hopefully ends it. Poetic.

I don't know if it's been mentioned here yet, but firing McCabe was apparently a strategic move, (for anyone who didn't see the panel on MSNBC). McCabe's testimony to Mueller is possibly the strongest to sink Trump, so they want the general public to believe that what McCabe "did" to cause his firing was so horrible it'll ruin his credibility and the Trump Loyalists can just pass him off as a liar. Yet now he's free to talk openly to anyone who'll listen, so it could horribly backfire on them.

Cowardly Trump, of course, had Sessions fire him. Talk about somebody being emasculated, (not that Sessions was ever masculine to begin with). Talk about a hateful troll. I truly hope there's some male hustler out there ready to come forward and talk about Session's sexual proclivities any minute now. A black, big-dicked hustler who can talk about Sessions penchant for golden showers. Wouldn't that be fucking amazing????

^^Jefferson Beauregard Sessions: the racist senator from Alabama with a secret fetish for Black Dick.

"Lordy, let there be tapes!"

Is Paul Ryan seeking re-election this year? If yes, then Wisconsin can redeem itself by voting this sleazy bastard out of office.

He is, r514; almost certainly against Randy Bryce, a steelworker.

^^Ironworker, that is

Cathy Myers is a schoolteacher in Wisconsin. I follow her on Facebook. At first I thought the iron worker Bryce was a good candidate, but after I checked out Myers I started following her on Facebook.. She is really good on the issues, smart, articulate and she is going after Ryan every damned day. Now I know there are Bernie people trying really hard to disrupt the Dems in every damned state that's in play.

I'm certain Ryan and his Koch brothers sponsors are doing and will do everything they can to divide us and outplay us. If you see through their strategy they will not be able to win.

Bryce is not a bad guy. He is a good guy. I just feel like Myers will be a better member of Congress. That's one thing we have to learn. Too many times during primaries we have to cast someone as bad and "go after them." We need to stop doing that. It plays right into the GOP's hands. Look and the two candidates, do your research and vote. And whoever the nominee ends up being, support them. I'm with Myers. If she loses the primary I will support Bryce.

Yeah, vote strategically. Look at the one Liberal or Democratic candidate the GOP, and the GOP media, go after the most. That's the one they fear most and he or she should get all the support, and votes, he or she can get.

I'm just going to support the Democrat who can win. Period. A dog would be better than Paul Ryan.

People who know,

Know BDO

------------

Bad Donald Obstructing?

So Andrew McCabe - what is hos story?

Rep. Eric Swalwell responded to Trump’s gloating tweet about firing McCabe:

“Gloat now, but you will be fired soon. And it’s not going to be done cowardly, as you’ve done to so many who’ve served you. There’s a storm gathering, Mr. President, and it’s going to wipe out you and your corrupt organization all the way down to the studs.”

Former CIA Director John Brennan also responded to Trump:

“When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over you.”

The best part is Sessions saying McCabe was untruthful during his testimony. That is fucking rich coming from him!

Strong words but we need ACTION - how do we get this fucker & his cronies out?

I love Swalwell and Brennan's tweets.

The best immediate answer to the McCabe firing is to win another special election in a red or swing district. Is there any winnable seat coming up?

And come November, to throw these mf-ers out of congress.

keep protesting, keep marching keep calling. Keep resisting. Let them know we are in their faces every fucking day. They can't turn out people like we can. They couldn't even show up for that fucker's inauguration. They bus people in to the rallies and PAY them!!!! They might even serve food. I am serious. Every time we go pubic with our outrage we are letting the media and the world, and the rest of America know that Trump's supporters , while not entirely a myth, are not nearly as substantial as they want us to believe. We need to go after everything too. Media does'nt always play fair. Covering his rallies or other shit exhaustively while ignoring the Dems is wrong. We remember 2016, when there was selective coverage . No more. That's the other part of what we can do. We can hold not only members of Congress accountable, but hold the media accountable. I've said it many times. Go to Indivisible's website. They give you the information you need to sound intelligent when you confront your members of Congress. I don't care if you really a re a 400 lb. jerk sitting on your bed in your Ma's basement. If you can use a computer you can become part of the resistance.

The FBI personnel are furious. Watch...intelligence services will be leaking bigtime.

.......

Miss Lindz has not weighed-in yet with praising Jeff S. After a Friday night, going to dawn, of 10 drinkypoos and two gentlemen callers, she's exhausted. Give her a few more hours.

Isn’t Sessions recused from all things Russian probe? How is he allowed to fire a witness in the case?

Why are people on twitter posting as if the firing of Mueller is imminent? Is it?

I think they're just assuming that's the next step, R533. Chris Matthews said last night that he's convinced Trump will fire Mueller. Oh, and Trump's attorney this morning told the Daily Beast that it's time to end the Mueller probe. He initially said he was speaking for Trump, but he's since walked that back.

[quote] and Trump's attorney this morning told the Daily Beast that it's time to end the Mueller probe.

That's rich. The lawyer for the felonious traitor telling the prosecutor to stop the investigation.

[quote]He initially said he was speaking for Trump, but he's since walked that back.

Okay yeah, now they are posting about the walk back, too. But the general consensus is that trump's next step is to pressure Rosenstein.

Jake Tapper @jaketapper

Since Friday 5 pm:

*POTUS sued a porn star for $20M;

*DOJ fired embattled former deputy FBI director McCabe hours before retirement, as POTUS wanted;

* we learned the Trump campaign's data firm, Cambridge Analytica, had unauthorized access to 50 million people's Facebook data.

I can’t wait for Stormy to testify in open court.

If Obama or either of the Clintons had engaged in a minute fraction of what Cheatolini has done -- just over the past two weeks -- the Repukes would have had them impeached, removed from office, and thrown in jail. The hypocrisy and double-standard is beyond disgusting.

I don't think the media is recognizing what a dangerous psycho bitch Trump is. He doesn't recognize Mueller's authority. He doesn't recognize the authority of law enforcement. He doesn't recognize the rule of law or the authority of the federal government. Do the assholes on Congress understand that he thinks they are a bunch of punks? They lick his ass and get used to the taste of his shit, but he is filled with contempt for Congress, for authority, and for the American people. He has even said so at various times. I swear, I think that almost the only way we a re going to rid ourselves of this monster is if he has a CIA induced stroke, and has to resign for health reasons. Trump thinks or at least he wants his supporters and the media to believe these are political attacks on him. But he knows that is a smokescreen because he knows he has broken laws. He's a fucking traitor. Everyone who is enabling him is to.

McCabe has hired a lawyer. He isn't going away either.

The lawyer is this guy.

See, R541, he is fighting back. Getting in Trump's face. And we need to support him. If for no other reason that this was a sadistic despicable thing to do. If they wanted to fire him they could have done it months ago.

Jonathan Capehart is kicking Paul Ryan's ass. Calling him shameful.

It's a bit dramatic to say it's sadistic R542. It's petty and vindictive, but it just prevents McCabe from drawing pension for another 8 or so years. In the meantime McCabe will probably go work for a legal firm with a hefty paycheck and I'm not gonna lose sleep over his finances.

The important thing is the political motivation and the obstruction of justice implications for Trump. Just hours after that Trump's lawyer is calling for shutting down the Mueller investigation "on the merits" as if everything hangs on McCabe's testimony.

Retired Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey:

Reluctantly I have concluded that President Trump is a serious threat to US national security. He is refusing to protect vital US interests from active Russian attacks. It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of Mr Putin.Retired Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey:

If Trump fires Mueller, he will guarantee a Democratic victory in November. He will do more harm to the Republican Congress than anyone can imagine. You would think the Republicans in Congress would realize this. Trump doesn't give a fuck about Congress. This is about him. All about him.

Trump's lawyer, Dowd, statement about ending the Mueller investigation was standard boilerplate from the White House. Someone close to Trump wrote that. And released it under Dowd's name. Literally putting words in Dowd's mouth. The fact is, Trump and his lawyers a re a joke. He can fire Mueller, but the investigation will continue. There's a misimpression out here fed by the Media that if Mueller is gone the investigation will end. It won't. It won't even end if it is hut down.

If even a fraction of this was happening in much of western Europe and many places elsewhere among developed nations, there would be massive public protests demanding the removal of the aspiring despot whose a puppet of a foreign adversary.

Paul Ryan is spineless.

Never chalk up to spinelessness what you can chalk up to corruption

[quote] The lawyer is this guy.

McCabe made a very smart choice in selecting Mike Bromwich to be his attorney. Bromwich was the Inspector General (appointed by Bill Clinton) at the Justice Department for much of the 1990s. I've known Bromwich since he was appointed IG in 1994. He is a smart lawyer, and a tough federal prosecutor out of New York City. He will be extremely adept at handling this.

So very glad to see a lot of my former colleagues in the mix of this whole mess trying, where they can, to make sure that the criminal justice system is well-served and the whole thing doesn't go flying off the rails.

FBI Agents Association: “The Association remains fully committed to ensuring that every FBIAA member is provided appropriate procedural protections. The FBIAA also strongly believes that personnel decisions should never be politicized.”

Betsy Woodruff:

‏When I first emailed with Dowd, I asked if he gave me the statement on POTUS' behalf. His reply: "Yes, as his counsel". He later emailed me to walk that back.

"President Donald Trump pressed senior aides last June to devise and carry out a campaign to discredit senior FBI officials after learning that those specific employees were likely to be witnesses against him as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, according to two people directly familiar with the matter."

Damn R530, the Cambridge Analytica whistleblower just sank the Mercers.

"[italic]We exploited Facebook to harvest millions of people’s profiles. And built models to exploit what we knew about them and target their inner demons. That was the basis that the entire company was built on[/italic]”

And Mark Suckerberg & Facebook too....

"[italic]Zero acknowledgement from Facebook throughout 2016 & 2017 that anything was untoward about its relationship with the Trump campaign, despite reportedly knowing in August 2016 that Trump-camp partner Cambridge Analytica possessed tens of millions of illicitly acquired profiles.[/italic]"

The end of Facebook and the Mercers is coming.

However exposed they are, they've made billions. That buys a lot of 'who fucking cares?' and if you doubt it, Jeffrey Epstein will sell you a fucking island. Justice for these fucks is an illusion. We can only hope to change the system enough to prevent this from happening again. Bye, fuckfacebook, we hardly knew ye'

[quote]"We exploited Facebook to harvest millions of people’s profiles. And built models to exploit what we knew about them and target their inner demons. That was the basis that the entire company was built on”

I do hope the word "exploit" gets social media angry enough to really go after facebook and the likes. Or are people too lazy get mad about being exploited and manipulated this openly?

@AP: BREAKING: AP learns fired FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe maintained personal memos regarding President Donald Trump.

R555, it's old news. They are too lazy. This shit came out about those 'personality quizzes' quite a while ago, in December of 2016, if memory serves correctly. I quit that bitch right away and warned people who are still on it. They really believe that nothing evil comes out of their usage because it shouldn't. So naive, so stupid.

[quote]@AP: BREAKING: AP learns fired FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe maintained personal memos regarding President Donald Trump.

The floodgates are open. Chirst, it almost feels unreal, the deluge of information just keeps coming down....

Christ* Damn it!

Yashar Ali 🐘Verified account @yashar

Not a surprise....the FBI teaches agents to take extensive notes...

News: Just like James Comey, fired FBI Deputy Director McCabe took contemporaneous notes documenting his conversations with the President and others. A source with knowledge of what McCabe has just told me there is other documentation as well (unclear what that is).

Could there finally be tapes?

I think maybe Donald should have left Andrew McCabe alone. This bitch is angry. And I hope he was wearing a wire.

McCabe knows who to hire as a lawyer.

From twitter: Michael Bromwich, who is representing McCabe, was formerly the inspector general of the Justice Department.

What other documentation could there be in addition to written notes? Media?

It's either's sketches, photographic evidence, video evidence, or audio evidence.

Trump, gurl you're in trouble!!!

Kyle Griffin: House Intel Republicans released a draft report without consulting Committee Democrats.

Cheeto already tweeting that he's exonerated and there was corruption in FBI, Justice and State, and to drain the swamp.

Interesting that he has included State here. This is about Tillerson contradicting him on Russia.

r478, To add to r479:

Avenatti is invited onto shows; he's not calling press conferences. He is forcefully succinct; his "Yes" answers to Mika the other morning were, in their context, awesome. He's not about a gimmick, such as wearing "all red."

And he's hot.

r564, You can bet on photos.

[quote]Avenatti is invited onto shows; he's not calling press conferences.

Splitting hairs. He obviously has a media strategy to influence public opinion.

James Comey @Comey:

Mr. President, the American people will hear my story very soon. And they can judge for themselves who is honorable and who is not.

[quote]It's either's sketches, photographic evidence, video evidence, or audio evidence.

Hey! What about me??

Did Bone Spurs pay for little David Dennison Jr. to be aborted?

If so, hope she has ultrasound pics.

Could it be R570? An abortion paid by Trump lawyer/Trump Org.

Oh shit, that would be the cherry on top.

Yes, but you recall that Obama put his feet up on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, which showed his complete disrespect for the presidency. . . So, Donald Trump . . .

Haha, I thought r564 was alluding to Stormy! Well, with McCabe, I wouldn't say photos or tapes (not cricket, you see); but the contemporaneous notes might be very revealing.

On a side-note: Were this a fair world, Jefferson Beauregard would have literally choked while Tweeting insanely about McCabe's allegedly not being honest under oath!!

[quote]If so, hope she has ultrasound pics.

I'd LOVE that.

If Miss Daniels had an abortion, we’ll pray for her blackened, murderous, sinful soul. As for the President, we’ll give him another mulligan.

There is nothing, I mean NOTHING that trump could do that will change the opinion of his fan base. They are already rationalizing 4 star generals weighing in against trump as deep state people that are angry and scared because trump is draining the swamp of the corrupt.

THe irony in all this is that Trump has been harassing and humiliating and threatening Sessions and on the verge of firing him for months and Sessions refuses to resign, but instead bends over backwards trying to placate him by doing all kinds of shit he knows is stupid. It is interesting to me that Sessions, knowing the law did exactly what Trump ordered him to do, in such a way that it will re enforce the case for obstruction of justice.

Actually, I think Mueller gets to add a charge of witness tampering to the charges of obstruction of justice and whatever else he has against the traitor-in-chief.

To add to R552....

The firing of McCabe was planned and strategically timed. To the latter, Trump's team knew the uproar it would cause, which is why they waited until the very last minute.

Best as I can surmise, he was fired for at least two reasons:

*the charges brought against him, that he lied and deliberately misled the FBI officials, severely damages his credibility, at least to Trump's base and the Loyalists still behind him. So it suggests his testimony to Mueller will be lies.

*therefore, it allows Trump to release the very statement that he just tweeted a couple hours ago, which goes beyond firing Mueller. Disbanding the Special Counsel altogether.

Desperate times call for desperate measures!

So far, we have only Sessions's characterization of McCabe's actions as a the reason for firing him. Who knows if the Keebler Elf is spinning it harder than the IG report

R570, and for anybody who hasn't learned of this juicy tidbit, the word "paternity" is in the agreement that Stormy originally signed. Avenatti has mentioned this in a few interviews. Every interviewer has asked him what the word pertains to, and he claims his confidentiality prevents him from answering. So everybody has been speculating she had an abortion, which could be the reason Trump himself has been silent about it.

Someone just said on the news that the IG report is expected in by the end of March or April.

Sorry IG?

r570, Atty. Avenatti said there is NO paternity issue (read that any way) whatsoever; that the wording was "boilerplate NDA."

r519, A DEAD dog, even!

A dyslexic would read that as "boilerplate DNA", r585.

I know it's been said before but... I can't stop laughing at the fact that Sessions fired McCabe for "lying."

Sessions has a problem with lying.

Ha.

It's wishful thinking on my part, but one can dream.

Here's the article in which Avenatti addresses the language in the NDA:

R577 "There is nothing, I mean NOTHING that trump could do that will change the opinion of his fan base. They are already rationalizing 4 star generals weighing in against trump as deep state people that are angry and scared because trump is draining the swamp of the corrupt."

I agree with you. The base is a lost cause as far as trying to change their minds. Even Nixon still had 22% support after he resigned. But Trump needs to hold on to them and to continue to proclaim his innocence, (i.e... lie out of his fucking asshole!) because he's hoping they'll protest and cause mass rioting either during his eventual trial, or remain with him and support Trump TV after he has resigned for "health" reasons and to spend more time with his family (wink, wink). The Trump network was Plan A when his losing the election was considered a foregone conclusion. He's just gonna go back to Plan A but with a greater and nastier following. It's possible his guilt will be undeniable, but he'll still get away with it and continue to campaign his divisiveness and hatred! It's fucking disgusting!!

r568, He's being invited. That is not a mere split hair from Ms. Allred's tactics (and I admire her greatly, actually; she has been in the forefront of advocacy for women). But I'll take whatever his "media strategy" is, although I think it's more of a "hint here, mention '60 Minutes' there" tactic.

One thing: Trump cannot "fire" either Stormy or her lawyer(s).

Even though 30% or so of deplorables will always support tRump, I am waiting for the a slow decline among all republicans. I believe he has started trending downward.

I can't stop thinking about poor Al Franken. He was relentless in his pursuit of Jeff Sessions, which is why we really needed him to stay in the Senate. I've also posted previously that, although that picture of him was pretty damning, I truly believe many stories that came out afterwards was a set-up. The Repugs found that unfortunate photo of Franken and just ran with it.

He's sitting at home watching all this unfold and pulling out the few hairs that remain on his head.

[quote] But Trump needs to hold on to them and to continue to proclaim his innocence, (i.e... lie out of his fucking asshole!) because he's hoping they'll protest and cause mass rioting either during his eventual trial, or remain with him and support Trump TV after he has resigned for "health" reasons and to spend more time with his family (wink, wink).

Trump is just too cheap to hire actors to act as his supporters in pro Trump rallies (and the actors know they don't get paid by Trump anyway). That's why he just says stuff pandering to the Deplorables. It's cheaper. He is a business man after all.

hahaha at this comment:

[quote]eezus Creepin' Christ, please tell me there aren't MORE little Shitgibbons running around out there loose.— soddruntlestuntle (@teddsorenson)

Link to new thread for when this fills up:

r596. What the ...? Time really flew by. We didn't even manage to have a discussion about the next thread's title!

I know... I almost missed getting a new one up too.

Please continue discussion below.

How is this title for Thread 18: Too Tired to Treason

"A Stormy Treason"

^^I myself am fucking exhausted!!!

Thread Closed.

New thread below.