The Trump Card...

muttly

Veteran Expediter
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.
They can't indict a current President per DOJ policy. These so called "crimes" also occurred prior to him becoming President. Not while in office.
Yes the investigators and prosecutors continue dig like woody the rabbit. Trump fired one of their attorneys Preet Bharara so the Prosecutors are looking for revenge. That's not how it's supposed to work. You may think justice is being served, but it's actually a bastardization of justice.
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
They can't indict a current President per DOJ policy.
Just as with so many other rules Democrats want to change so they can get their way (Electoral College, Senators being proportional to population, SCOTUS term limits, to name but a few ), the Great and Powerful Adam Schiff wants that particular DOJ policy changed immediately (and then presumably changed right back as soon as a Democrat is elected president).

If that happens, we will all get to witness Joy Behar have another Trumpgasm on live TV. Even Trump would say being indicted is worth that kind of payoff.
 
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Solar

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
The fact Establishment has chosen to take on President Trump by looking for loopholes in the law, instead of beating him on issues, and being better for the American People, is what perception of this situation is.

It’s like a cop pulled over a car that was doing nothing wrong, combing the vehicle for anything to write a ticket about. Only problem is, it’s the Police Chief’s car. You can’t indict him.
 
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Acquisitions

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Just think .....these Liberal AIR heads are spending your hard earn tax money like it has no end.......just to stay in the headlines of the Liberal media......When does it all get to much for the "people"
 

coalminer

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Just think .....these Liberal AIR heads are spending your hard earn tax money like it has no end.......just to stay in the headlines of the Liberal media......When does it all get to much for the "people"

And that is any different than the conservative air heads that are spending our hard earned tax money on “defense” so that is ends up in the pockets of the defense contractors executives?




Sent from my iPhone using EO Forums
 

Acquisitions

Active Expediter
Recruiter
Just think .....these Liberal AIR heads are spending your hard earn tax money like it has no end.......just to stay in the headlines of the Liberal media......When does it all get to much for the "people"

And that is any different than the conservative air heads that are spending our hard earned tax money on “defense” so that is ends up in the pockets of the defense contractors executives?




Sent from my iPhone using EO Forums
It sounds like the government is need of a REBUILD from the ground up
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Both sides waste tax dollars.

But if you're going to complain about it, the complaint needs to come from a place other than envy (a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.), or jealousy (feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves). It's bad form.
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Both sides waste tax dollars.

But if you're going to complain about it, the complaint needs to come from a place other than envy (a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.), or jealousy (feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves). It's bad form.
TenCommandmentsSeries-9.jpg
 

Acquisitions

Active Expediter
Recruiter
Both sides waste tax dollars.

But if you're going to complain about it, the complaint needs to come from a place other than envy (a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.), or jealousy (feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves). It's bad form.
TenCommandmentsSeries-9.jpg
REALLY?? I'm off Topic?
 

Ragman

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Both sides waste tax dollars.

But if you're going to complain about it, the complaint needs to come from a place other than envy (a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions, etc.), or jealousy (feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves). It's bad form.
TenCommandmentsSeries-9.jpg
REALLY?? I'm off Topic?
Yes
 

Solar

Expert Expediter
Owner/Operator
0D82A5B9-7F01-4598-993F-034B05AA3729.jpeg

Trump and his adult children agree to dissolve the Trump Foundation charity amid a lawsuit alleging 'persistent illegal conduct'


Idk ... the thought of Trump going to jail is starting to sound more appealing as the days go on.

Do you realize that President Trump focused on improving our Economy and status in the world for the last 2 years because he had the House and Senate.

Now that Democrats have the House, and have made their #1 agenda impeachment, it’s going to be hit back time, and the Democrats that have been walking on thin ice are breaking through.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Two more hard facts emerged today out of two arenas.

One relates to the Trump Foundation which is being investigated by the New York state Attorney General. Today, the foundation and the AG agreed to dissolve the foundation under judicial supervision. The investigation and related lawsuit against Donald Trump personally and the foundation continues.

The other hard fact that emerged is that Michael Flynn is guilty of the crimes he was charged with. A judge accepted Flynn's plea in court today.

A third hard fact recently emerged. The entities suing Trump over emoluments clause violations (District of Columbia and State of Maryland) recently received court approval to subpoena Trump documents as part of the discovery process. 38 subpoenas were subsequently issued for documents from 13 Trump corporate entities and certain government agencies.

Trump is fighting this but the subpoena authority granted to the plaintiffs by the court represents yet another legal setback for him. The suit accuses Trump of illegally profiting from the presidency. An attempt made in November to stop this suit failed. A second attempt was filed today by the Justice Department.

I recently saw a report on TV that said there are 17 known investigations now underway into Trump's business, foundation, administration, etc. I found that report disgusting and really wish the "news" shows would be more respectful of what can be truly reported as fact. For example, it was reported that an investigation is now underway into the Trump inauguration committee. The problem with that is the report is based -- once again -- on unnamed sources. Beyond that "source," we have no way to know if such an investigation exists or not. But it's more than enough for the TV talking heads to pick up on as if it was true and talk about it for days and days. That's not news. It's not journalism. It's not fair and it's not right.

That said, there are enough hard facts now known to fairly say that Trump has more investigators looking into him and his entities than any president in history has ever had. Trump has been responding to the investigations but has been unsuccessful in making them go away. This situation has been two years in the making and the pace at which the Trump-adverse hard facts now emerge is accelerating.

Today is an example. Two hard facts emerged out of two unrelated investigations. This will likely continue as investigators continue their work. It will increase even more as U.S. House committees begin their work when the next session begins in January.

This increases the likelihood Trump will be impeached. The ongoing drip-drip-drip of Trump-adverse hard facts will erode the Trump base, and with it the support Trump currently has in the U.S. Senate (which, I believe, is the only thing from keeping him from impeachment now).

Even if only 10 of the 17 reported investigations are real, they require Trump to respond to them all. It's more than any legal team can bear, especially since these investigations are producing guilty pleas, convictions and settlements. The investigators are not proceeding without cause. Trump is is serious trouble.

This is happening partly because Trump entered office in a way that no previous president ever had. He kept his tax returns secret, which increased suspicion against him. He did not liquidate or put his business interests in a blind trust, which opened him to conflict of interest charges and other charges. He happens to own a large global business which complicates things all the more. And he shows little interest in upholding the rule of law and ethical norms.

Trump caught law enforcement by surprise when we won the election. With the passage of time they have been developing cases against him; cases that would not be cases had he not run for and become President of the United States. But he is the president now and with that he gets the higher standards to which presidents are held and the higher scrutiny that comes with the job.

It's only a matter of time until the Senate Republicans conclude that President Pence is the better alternative.
 
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