The Trump Card...
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USA TODAY: National Enquirer admits paying model to aid Trump https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/12/national-enquirer-admits-paying-ex-playboy-model-help-trump-campaign/2291445002/
Catch and kill ....
I think most Trump supporters are also supporters of the First Amendment. I could be wrong, things change so quickly in Trumpville.
During the election process don't people have the right to know? Suppressing a tryst as some rich real estate honcho is not the same thing as suppressing that story while you're running for President.
Is that really debatable?
Catch and kill ....
I think most Trump supporters are also supporters of the First Amendment. I could be wrong, things change so quickly in Trumpville.
During the election process don't people have the right to know? Suppressing a tryst as some rich real estate honcho is not the same thing as suppressing that story while you're running for President.
Is that really debatable?
1. Regarding the two campaign finance crimes, the court finding that these were actual crimes (felonies) committed for the purpose of influencing the election rest on more than than Cohen's statements alone. There is the tape recording between Trump and Cohen of the two discussing specific details. There is the paper trail of the shell company formed for the purpose of deception. There is corroboration of Trump's direct involvement and in these crimes and his intent to influence the election from American Media Inc. (AMI).
2. It is no longer the prosecutors alone implicating Trump in these crimes. A federal judge has now said the same.
3. Info released by SDNY regarding Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and the Trump Organization's involvement in these crimes is significant. It seems SDNY is saying they have a case against the Trump Organization and its primary executives and they intend to pursue it.
The Weisselberg information is old news reported months ago. I said little or nothing about it then because I was unsure how significant it may prove to be. I'm taking the same approach with the SDNY info. It's content is interesting but that's about it. If there are any shoes to drop, a lot has to happen between now and then.
But the shoes have very much dropped with the campaign finance crimes. At least three entities were involved in committing them, (Trump's attorney, AMI, the Trump Organization plus Donald Trump himself). It is now a finding of fact by a U.S. Court that the crimes were committed for the purpose of influencing the election.
While more prosecutorial actions are likely to follow from these facts, the facts themselves are well established.
2. It is no longer the prosecutors alone implicating Trump in these crimes. A federal judge has now said the same.
3. Info released by SDNY regarding Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg and the Trump Organization's involvement in these crimes is significant. It seems SDNY is saying they have a case against the Trump Organization and its primary executives and they intend to pursue it.
The Weisselberg information is old news reported months ago. I said little or nothing about it then because I was unsure how significant it may prove to be. I'm taking the same approach with the SDNY info. It's content is interesting but that's about it. If there are any shoes to drop, a lot has to happen between now and then.
But the shoes have very much dropped with the campaign finance crimes. At least three entities were involved in committing them, (Trump's attorney, AMI, the Trump Organization plus Donald Trump himself). It is now a finding of fact by a U.S. Court that the crimes were committed for the purpose of influencing the election.
While more prosecutorial actions are likely to follow from these facts, the facts themselves are well established.
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"For the purposes of influencing any federal election."
Those words are significant in the current EO forum discussion. Looking deeper into it, I came across this piece. The title states the author's view on this matter.
Michael Cohen Plead Guilty to Something That's Not a Crime
I find the piece interesting and well written; but not persuasive. More persuasive to me are the prosecutors and federal judge who took the opposite view after reviewing the evidence and law. For now, at least, it is the prosecutors' and judge's views that are carrying the day. This will certainly be challenged if Trump is charged and/or impeached. We'll have to wait 'til then to see how that turns out. For now, the Court's view commands the day.
I share the piece here simply to refine the quality of our forum debate. As I said, this piece is interesting and well written. It states exceptionally well some of the points shared here by those who do not accept that the payments in question were crimes.
Those words are significant in the current EO forum discussion. Looking deeper into it, I came across this piece. The title states the author's view on this matter.
Michael Cohen Plead Guilty to Something That's Not a Crime
I find the piece interesting and well written; but not persuasive. More persuasive to me are the prosecutors and federal judge who took the opposite view after reviewing the evidence and law. For now, at least, it is the prosecutors' and judge's views that are carrying the day. This will certainly be challenged if Trump is charged and/or impeached. We'll have to wait 'til then to see how that turns out. For now, the Court's view commands the day.
I share the piece here simply to refine the quality of our forum debate. As I said, this piece is interesting and well written. It states exceptionally well some of the points shared here by those who do not accept that the payments in question were crimes.
Trump's Ex-Lawyer Didn’t Violate Campaign Finance Laws, and Neither Did the President
Yeah, I think the Prosecutors are bit off the rails about this. They're really opening a can of worms unnecessarily.
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I just don’t foresee the anti Trump crowd, both Establishment Republicans and Democrats, ever coming around, because they are inseparable from globalism.
The witch hunts keep coming up empty, the accusations get thinner and thinner, and the Mainstream Media is full Trump Derangement Syndrome.
I’m glad their viewpoint is the minority in the majority of American States.
Going to need a big can opener then.
More from the article:
By the way, if Khuzami’s legal theory is correct—that any payments made to settle such a claim are campaign-related expenditures because they are intended to protect the reputation of a candidate and thus influence the election—a lot of members of Congress are in potential trouble. Last year, it was reported that Congress has secretly paid out over $17 million to settle close to 300 cases by staffers claiming sexual and other forms of harassment and discrimination.
Such payments are obviously being made—in secret—to protect the reputations of senators and congressmen, many of whom will and have run for re-election. Does this mean that they are using taxpayer funds to pay campaign expenses? Is Khuzami going to open up investigations of all these settlements and all these members of Congress
More from the article:
By the way, if Khuzami’s legal theory is correct—that any payments made to settle such a claim are campaign-related expenditures because they are intended to protect the reputation of a candidate and thus influence the election—a lot of members of Congress are in potential trouble. Last year, it was reported that Congress has secretly paid out over $17 million to settle close to 300 cases by staffers claiming sexual and other forms of harassment and discrimination.
Such payments are obviously being made—in secret—to protect the reputations of senators and congressmen, many of whom will and have run for re-election. Does this mean that they are using taxpayer funds to pay campaign expenses? Is Khuzami going to open up investigations of all these settlements and all these members of Congress
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Obamas $375,000 civil penalty for campaign violations wasn't an impeachable offense and neither was the attempted bribe for silence during 2008 campaign to influence the election.
Double standards much?
https://nypost.com/2012/05/13/the-bribe-to-silence-wright/
Double standards much?
https://nypost.com/2012/05/13/the-bribe-to-silence-wright/
Gee, I dunno. Donald Trump had an affair, or 30, when he wasn't a candidate for president. Most of them were front page news of the NY Post when they happened. But the only reason the stories of Stormy and the Bunny broke when they did is because Trump was a candidate, and it looked like he had a shot, albeit a small one, at winning the election. The stories broke to damage the candidacy of Trump and to help the candidacy of Hillary. Would that be an in-kind campaign contribution to the Hillary campaign that she should have reported?
Well, it's been well established at this point that there are more then a handful of anti Trump judges. But more to the point, prosecutors all have the same agenda, namely, to win the case. And when the prosecutors have a swampy anti Trump bias, they'll twist reason, logic and the law to achieve their goal
The author of the piece linked above, a former FEC Chairman, does not have the same agenda. Nor do all of the other current and former heads of the FEC who have said the same things about this case. The article should be quite persuasive, indeed. If one isn't persuaded by the article, it is because they do not want to be persuaded, and prefer to pick a side.
"For the purpose of influencing an election," isn't even a legal thing. And the prosecutors know it. Prosecutors know they can't indict Trump, anyway. And they also know that even if they could, they certainly wouldn't indict him using that language. They used that language in the Cohen plea deal in order to indict Trump in the media. That's the only reason to do so.
A narrative of mans continuing unraveling and why.
1Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5They don't have troubles like other people;
they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11“What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what's happening?”
12Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
15If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
21Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
1Truly God is good to Israel,
to those whose hearts are pure.
2But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3For I envied the proud
when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
4They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5They don't have troubles like other people;
they're not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7These fat cats have everything
their hearts could ever wish for!
8They scoff and speak only evil;
in their pride they seek to crush others.
9They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10And so the people are dismayed and confused,
drinking in all their words.
11“What does God know?” they ask.
“Does the Most High even know what's happening?”
12Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14I get nothing but trouble all day long;
every morning brings me pain.
15If I had really spoken this way to others,
I would have been a traitor to your people.
16So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
But what a difficult task it is!
17Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18Truly, you put them on a slippery path
and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20When you arise, O Lord,
you will laugh at their silly ideas
as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.
21Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
and I was all torn up inside.
22I was so foolish and ignorant—
I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23Yet I still belong to you;
you hold my right hand.
24You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
26My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart;
he is mine forever.
27Those who desert him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.
Pride and envy lives eternal
I just don’t foresee the anti Trump crowd, both Establishment Republicans and Democrats, ever coming around, because they are inseparable from globalism.
The witch hunts keep coming up empty, the accusations get thinner and thinner, and the Mainstream Media is full Trump Derangement Syndrome.
I’m glad their viewpoint is the minority in the majority of American States.
They can't get Trump on Russia collusion to influence the election( which isnt a crime anyway)so they use that same catchphrase with the NDAS. Which isn't a crime.
Trying to criminalize acts from political foes you don't like because they won an election.
As Turtle alluded to, there are Prosecutors and Judges that may have an anti Trump bias. One would only have to look at some certain judges rulings on immigration and the travel ban as examples that they will contort the law to give an unfavorable ruling against Trump. It looks like they're doing it with this as well in Preet Baharas former office.
Trying to criminalize acts from political foes you don't like because they won an election.
As Turtle alluded to, there are Prosecutors and Judges that may have an anti Trump bias. One would only have to look at some certain judges rulings on immigration and the travel ban as examples that they will contort the law to give an unfavorable ruling against Trump. It looks like they're doing it with this as well in Preet Baharas former office.
The prosecution of the campaign finance violations in question has reached a pause point for the moment. Despite his earlier denials, there is no question that Trump had the extramarital affairs in question, that he sought to keep them quiet, that he was directly involved in the now well-documented efforts to keep them quiet; and that these activities are felonies because they were done for the purpose of influencing a federal election. The evidence (witness statements, paper trail, money trail, time line, etc.) is now publicly known. A court has found this activity to be criminal. Prosecutors and the Court have implicated Trump in these two felony crimes.
The Court's finding and the counter-arguement made by former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith in his piece "Michael Cohen Plead Guilty to Something That's Not a Crime" nicely frame the present situation.
With the evidence now out in the open and the "crime" question being discussed at a high level, I'm content to sit back and watch for the next developments. I'm not a judge or a former FEC chairman. I have nothing to say that would better inform the debate. Both sides of the "is it a crime?" question are well represented by the judge who has spoken and the former chairman who is now speaking.
To truly settle the question of the criminality of Trump's deeds, Trump must be indicted and/or impeached so the matter can be argued by both sides in a proper legal arena and a proper finding can be made. Expecting that to happen, I'm done discussing the issue for now. It's being well discussed by others and I have nothing more to add.
It's expensive for me to put time into this forum because this activity -- enjoyable as it is -- does nothing to build our gym business. I popped up a few days ago to explain how two "hard fact" developments (midterm election results and Trump being implicated in two felonies) support my impeachment prediction. I'll return to do the same when the next "hard fact" developments occur.
As important as the question of Trump's criminality or non-criminality under campaign finance law seems at the moment, I expect this question to be a tiny footnote in the larger debate that is to come. Investigations into Trump and Trump World are being done by several entities and are proceeding on several fronts. I expect evidence to surface and findings to be made that are hugely consequential for the country. These will overshadow the campaign finance questions that are now in the headlines.
The investigations are are not going away. Prosecutor progress has strengthened prosecutor hands and weakened Trump's. Trump is in deep, deep trouble from which he cannot tweet his way out.
Calling it a witch hunt has not worked. Insulting the witnesses and prosecutors has not worked. Highlighting Hillary's shortcomings has not worked. Firing Comey and Jeff Sessions has not worked. Swapping out people on Trump's legal team has not worked. Delaying tactics have worked in that delays have been produced but those are delays only. Nothing has been halted any prosecutor or made any investigation go away. No "pardon your way out" strategy, or any other effective strategy, seems to be in play at the White House or Trump Tower.
Trump is on the defensive and the walls are closing in. While Trump supporters latch on to one point or another and speak loudly about it, the investigators and prosecutors from several entities continue their work.
The Court's finding and the counter-arguement made by former FEC Chairman Bradley Smith in his piece "Michael Cohen Plead Guilty to Something That's Not a Crime" nicely frame the present situation.
With the evidence now out in the open and the "crime" question being discussed at a high level, I'm content to sit back and watch for the next developments. I'm not a judge or a former FEC chairman. I have nothing to say that would better inform the debate. Both sides of the "is it a crime?" question are well represented by the judge who has spoken and the former chairman who is now speaking.
To truly settle the question of the criminality of Trump's deeds, Trump must be indicted and/or impeached so the matter can be argued by both sides in a proper legal arena and a proper finding can be made. Expecting that to happen, I'm done discussing the issue for now. It's being well discussed by others and I have nothing more to add.
It's expensive for me to put time into this forum because this activity -- enjoyable as it is -- does nothing to build our gym business. I popped up a few days ago to explain how two "hard fact" developments (midterm election results and Trump being implicated in two felonies) support my impeachment prediction. I'll return to do the same when the next "hard fact" developments occur.
As important as the question of Trump's criminality or non-criminality under campaign finance law seems at the moment, I expect this question to be a tiny footnote in the larger debate that is to come. Investigations into Trump and Trump World are being done by several entities and are proceeding on several fronts. I expect evidence to surface and findings to be made that are hugely consequential for the country. These will overshadow the campaign finance questions that are now in the headlines.
The investigations are are not going away. Prosecutor progress has strengthened prosecutor hands and weakened Trump's. Trump is in deep, deep trouble from which he cannot tweet his way out.
Calling it a witch hunt has not worked. Insulting the witnesses and prosecutors has not worked. Highlighting Hillary's shortcomings has not worked. Firing Comey and Jeff Sessions has not worked. Swapping out people on Trump's legal team has not worked. Delaying tactics have worked in that delays have been produced but those are delays only. Nothing has been halted any prosecutor or made any investigation go away. No "pardon your way out" strategy, or any other effective strategy, seems to be in play at the White House or Trump Tower.
Trump is on the defensive and the walls are closing in. While Trump supporters latch on to one point or another and speak loudly about it, the investigators and prosecutors from several entities continue their work.
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I really don’t understand the Establishment’s play here.
They attack Trump on Stormy Daniels, and QAnon reveals about Schiff and reveals how taxpayers paid for his sexual harassment case.
That’s a dead end path for Establishment.
Being against the wall may sound good in Oregon, that’s 99.9% white, and people can afford to be snooty, but it doesn’t work well in the rust belt as GM is closing down.
The only Establishment person with a brain I have seen is Claire McCaskill. She ran on Healthcare, and talked about nothing but Healthcare, the one winning talking point for Democrats in red states. She ran a far superior campaign than Josh Hawley. She lost because of Project Veritas catching her on camera admitting to being against the 2nd Amendment.
If Establishment would focus on Healthcare instead of Witch Hunts, they could win against President Trump.
They attack Trump on Stormy Daniels, and QAnon reveals about Schiff and reveals how taxpayers paid for his sexual harassment case.
That’s a dead end path for Establishment.
Being against the wall may sound good in Oregon, that’s 99.9% white, and people can afford to be snooty, but it doesn’t work well in the rust belt as GM is closing down.
The only Establishment person with a brain I have seen is Claire McCaskill. She ran on Healthcare, and talked about nothing but Healthcare, the one winning talking point for Democrats in red states. She ran a far superior campaign than Josh Hawley. She lost because of Project Veritas catching her on camera admitting to being against the 2nd Amendment.
If Establishment would focus on Healthcare instead of Witch Hunts, they could win against President Trump.
You keep saying that over and over. Yeah, I suppose if you say it enough times it will magically become true. But that's still not the litmus test. Everything everybody does during an election is done for the purpose of influencing the election.
We're all running our own small businesses, too.
Word for word out of the Democrat's talking points memo.
I believe the paying to influence an election gimmick has run its course.
Time to arrest everyone that’s ever made a campaign ad. They were paying to influence an election.
It’s not like Trump was paying for her to vote for him. He didn’t pay her to not speak her political mind. Nothing to do with a previous campaign.
It’s a argument only the 9th circuit would consider, simply because they have Trump Derangement Syndrome.
Time to arrest everyone that’s ever made a campaign ad. They were paying to influence an election.
It’s not like Trump was paying for her to vote for him. He didn’t pay her to not speak her political mind. Nothing to do with a previous campaign.
It’s a argument only the 9th circuit would consider, simply because they have Trump Derangement Syndrome.
As I said above, I have nothing more to add to campaign finance discussion. I just want to enter this link into the discussion record for future reference.
Statement of Admitted Facts
Item 3 mentions "at least one other member of the campaign." NBC News recently confirmed that includes Donald Trump. In other words, Donald Trump was in the room as this crime was being devised.
Statement of Admitted Facts
Item 3 mentions "at least one other member of the campaign." NBC News recently confirmed that includes Donald Trump. In other words, Donald Trump was in the room as this crime was being devised.
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