Сделаем Америку снова великой! Trump - Russia megathread

[GannonFan]

You had better hope SCOTUS takes a "liberal" approach to the Emoluments Clause the way the left does with the 2nd Amendment-

My guess is that SCOTUS won't want to make a ruling that essentially prohibits people who actually make and sell things from running for office.

Trump doesn't "make things" but the principle is the same - if you are a private sector type you're going to have these conflicts. We don't want to prohibit a Bruce Oreck or a Bill Gates from holding the office.

There is a danger in going too far and creating a circumstance where only persons from the "political" class will be able to hold office. That's some of the push against Trump now - the career political caste who is horrified that someone not from their group can be elected to that high of office. Just a minor part of the push against Trump, obviously, as he does enough to entice opposition just by being him.

[Skjellyfetti]

I don't think it would make a ruling that would prohibit people who make and sell things from running for office.

He (and Ivanka) could step away from their businesses (as they promised) and put them in a blind trust or other as prior Presidents have.

[Skjellyfetti]

Now if they can get Nunes to relinquish subpoena power for the investigation and it might be fully back on track.

The House panel investigating Russia’s election meddling is getting more funding and two new senior staffers for the minority as part of a larger staff shakeup.

The House Intelligence Committee’s minority staff is adding Maher Bitar as general counsel and Shannon Green as senior counsel for investigations, the panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff of California, said in a statement Tuesday.

The majority staff is also getting a funding boost, according to a source. A spokeswoman for Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas, who’s leading the Russia probe for the Republicans, did not immediately respond to questions about whether Conaway would also be using the new funding to hire additional majority staffers.

The intelligence panel had requested a funding boost for its Russia probe, which is now entering a new phase as it begins scheduling witness interviews. The House Russia investigation, which has been beset by partisan spats, is also examining the possibility of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

The minority staff’s new hires follow the departure of the panel’s Democratic staff director, Michael Bahar, at the end of last month. Timothy Bergreen, formerly the deputy staff director, is being promoted to succeed Bahar, who is now leading the cybersecurity and data-protection practice at the law firm Eversheds Sutherland.

In an interview, Bahar said his departure from the committee was long planned. “It was absolutely tempting to stay. It’s historic. It’s up there with Watergate, Iran-Contra,” Bahar said. “I was caught between two phenomenal opportunities.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/1 ... aff-239487

[GannonFan]

I don't think it would make a ruling that would prohibit people who make and sell things from running for office.

He (and Ivanka) could step away from their businesses (as they promised) and put them in a blind trust or other as prior Presidents have.

Even a blind trust wouldn't have been acceptable in Trump's case and that was made clear - he was being asked to sell it off entirely, and even then there were complaints that because family members would still be involved in the business that that wouldn't be enough. The business holdings of prior Presidents were very modest and mostly consisted of stock holdings, not actually running multiple corporations, compared to what Trump had/has so it does beg the question of how does one run for President with that kind of a background and avoid the complaints from ethics watchdogs. Trump's a special case because he is so unlikeable and brazen - but if you take him out and put a more respected person into the same business case, how could a person truly avoid ethics complaints without fully divesting (i.e. selling off) their entire business holdings? Given that's very difficult and often very unprofitable to do (fire sales don't bring back full value) then you're saying that type of person is de facto not acceptable to run for President.

[CID1990]

I don't think it would make a ruling that would prohibit people who make and sell things from running for office.

He (and Ivanka) could step away from their businesses (as they promised) and put them in a blind trust or other as prior Presidents have.

That's a pretty populist way of thinking there, SK

Other Presidents come nowhere close to having the type of huge network of companies and foreign financial interests as Trump does

Much easier said than done- even in a blind trust, the companies still benefit the owner... and if we're talking about pay-to-play, a blind trust doesn't stop foreign or domestic interests from investing in your businesses

A SCOTUS decision on this is likely going to tread very lightly - because a hard decision against Trump will be a de facto bar to people with significant interests outside of the political arena from holding the office

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool


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[Ibanez]

I don't think it would make a ruling that would prohibit people who make and sell things from running for office.

He (and Ivanka) could step away from their businesses (as they promised) and put them in a blind trust or other as prior Presidents have.

That's a pretty populist way of thinking there, SK

Other Presidents come nowhere close to having the type of huge network of companies and foreign financial interests as Trump does

Much easier said than done- even in a blind trust, the companies still benefit the owner... and if we're talking about pay-to-play, a blind trust doesn't stop foreign or domestic interests from investing in your businesses

A SCOTUS decision on this is likely going to tread very lightly - because a hard decision against Trump will be a de facto bar to people with significant interests outside of the political arena from holding the office

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Skjellyfetti]

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool

And maybe Conks on here would give a shit about something he does instead of wearing out the free pass ink.

[Skjellyfetti]

Michael Cohen subpoenaed for September hearing

President Donald Trump’s longtime personal lawyer said he’s been summoned to appear before the House Intelligence Committee in September, as multiple investigations into possible Russian contacts by the president’s associates accelerate in Congress.

Michael Cohen said he’s been asked to testify Sept. 5 in front of the House panel, which got sidetracked in its Russia investigation after Chairman Devin Nunes, a California Republican, was forced to recuse himself because of a controversy over his handling of classified material related to the probe.

Representative Michael Conaway of Texas, the Republican who took over the Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, wouldn’t comment on when Cohen is scheduled to appear before the panel.

“I don’t talk about details” of the committee’s work, he said.

Representative Tom Rooney of Florida, a former prosecutor who is one of two Republicans on the committee assigned to conduct witness interviews, also wouldn’t confirm Cohen’s scheduled appearance.

Cohen was subpoenaed by the committee late last month along with former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. At that time, Conaway and the committee’s top Democrat, Adam Schiff of California, said additional subpoenas were approved by the committee for documents possessed by the Flynn Intel Group LLC and Michael D. Cohen & Associates PC.

A person with knowledge of the committee’s work says Flynn has provided some requested documents to the committee, as he has to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Cohen was one of Trump’s associates who was mentioned in an unsubstantiated dossier about alleged contacts with Russian officials that was compiled by a former British intelligence operative. Cohen has denied having any contacts with Russian operatives.

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/arti ... -september

[GannonFan]

Michael Cohen subpoenaed for September hearing

President Donald Trump’s longtime personal lawyer said he’s been summoned to appear before the House Intelligence Committee in September, as multiple investigations into possible Russian contacts by the president’s associates accelerate in Congress.

Michael Cohen said he’s been asked to testify Sept. 5 in front of the House panel, which got sidetracked in its Russia investigation after Chairman Devin Nunes, a California Republican, was forced to recuse himself because of a controversy over his handling of classified material related to the probe.

Representative Michael Conaway of Texas, the Republican who took over the Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, wouldn’t comment on when Cohen is scheduled to appear before the panel.

“I don’t talk about details” of the committee’s work, he said.

Representative Tom Rooney of Florida, a former prosecutor who is one of two Republicans on the committee assigned to conduct witness interviews, also wouldn’t confirm Cohen’s scheduled appearance.

Cohen was subpoenaed by the committee late last month along with former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. At that time, Conaway and the committee’s top Democrat, Adam Schiff of California, said additional subpoenas were approved by the committee for documents possessed by the Flynn Intel Group LLC and Michael D. Cohen & Associates PC.

A person with knowledge of the committee’s work says Flynn has provided some requested documents to the committee, as he has to the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Cohen was one of Trump’s associates who was mentioned in an unsubstantiated dossier about alleged contacts with Russian officials that was compiled by a former British intelligence operative. Cohen has denied having any contacts with Russian operatives.

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/arti ... -september

Really speeding through this thing - gotta love Congress, it's still early June and we're talking about picking up speed in the investigation some three months out.

[Ibanez]

Prediction of Session's Testimony -

I dinna do nuffin. Trump is great. Praise Trump.

[CID1990]

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool

And maybe Conks on here would give a **** about something he does instead of wearing out the free pass ink.

Well if you were ruled by logic instead of emotion you'd be spilling a lot less of the resistance ink

What I said about SCOTUS makes sense - just because you're blinded by your hope that Trump goes down doesn't make it less logical

[Skjellyfetti]

Really speeding through this thing - gotta love Congress, it's still early June and we're talking about picking up speed in the investigation some three months out.

Yeah, Nunes really shit the bed on the House investigation. Still somehow has the subpoena power for the Russia investigation, though.

And, I told you these things take awhile. You were complaining back in March or April that it should be wrapped up. Ain't even close.

[Skjellyfetti]

Well if you were ruled by logic instead of emotion you'd be spilling a lot less of the resistance ink

What I said about SCOTUS makes sense - just because you're blinded by your hope that Trump goes down doesn't make it less logical

I'm not saying your logic is wrong at all. SCOTUS has never ruled on the emoluments clause - so, until they do it's all speculation. I do think they should have a ruling that spells it out to help in future instances. I'm not saying Trump is definitely violating the emoluments clause because I don't think anyone can say definitively how it can be interpreted. Any interpretation is speculative, imo.

[GannonFan]

Really speeding through this thing - gotta love Congress, it's still early June and we're talking about picking up speed in the investigation some three months out.

Yeah, Nunes really **** the bed on the House investigation. Still somehow has the subpoena power for the Russia investigation, though.

And, I told you these things take awhile. You were complaining back in March or April that it should be wrapped up. Ain't even close.

But the longer it goes without amounting to something worth its length just weakens whatever comes out of it. As Red Scares go, that's what history tells us (Palmer Raids, McCarthy hearings, etc). McCarthy went almost four years in his Red Scare before seeing it all come apart with the Army hearings. I'm sure they can stretch this out, but they run the risk of the same kind of backlash if there isn't something more than Flynn and others not reporting foreign income. Remember, the big charge is collusion to undermine American democracy - if that's not proven then we'll have to decide who's name gets associated with this version of a Red Scare in the history books to come.

[Ibanez]

Jeff Sessions seems to be the wimpiest guy in Trumps Administration.

[houndawg]

SCOTUS might even get a chance to rule on the Emoluments Clause for the first time. Trump is doing his best to make sure we have a comprehensive curriculum.

Citizens United trumps the EC...

[houndawg]

I don't think it would make a ruling that would prohibit people who make and sell things from running for office.

He (and Ivanka) could step away from their businesses (as they promised) and put them in a blind trust or other as prior Presidents have.

That's a pretty populist way of thinking there, SK

Other Presidents come nowhere close to having the type of huge network of companies and foreign financial interests as Trump does

Much easier said than done- even in a blind trust, the companies still benefit the owner... and if we're talking about pay-to-play, a blind trust doesn't stop foreign or domestic interests from investing in your businesses

A SCOTUS decision on this is likely going to tread very lightly - because a hard decision against Trump will be a de facto bar to people with significant interests outside of the political arena from holding the office

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe resign and go back to stiffing contractors and suing widows

[kalm]

Jeff Sessions seems to be the wimpiest guy in Trumps Administration.

Sessions is approaching Ted Cruz levels of unlikeability. He's patently wrong on so many things and annoying as hell to listen to.

Trump should be impeached just for appointing Sessions.

[Ivytalk]

That's a pretty populist way of thinking there, SK

Other Presidents come nowhere close to having the type of huge network of companies and foreign financial interests as Trump does

Much easier said than done- even in a blind trust, the companies still benefit the owner... and if we're talking about pay-to-play, a blind trust doesn't stop foreign or domestic interests from investing in your businesses

A SCOTUS decision on this is likely going to tread very lightly - because a hard decision against Trump will be a de facto bar to people with significant interests outside of the political arena from holding the office

Maybe Trump should just sell off everything and start his own global charitable organization and then it'd all be cool


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe resign and go back to stiffing contractors and suing widows

This one actually made me laugh!

Briefly.

[Ivytalk]

Jeff Sessions seems to be the wimpiest guy in Trumps Administration.

Sessions is approaching Ted Boobs levels of unlikeability. He's patently wrong on so many things and annoying as hell to listen to.

Trump should be impeached just for appointing Sessions.

Yeah. Sessions' obsession with marijuana is as annoying as JSO's obsession with Drumpf.

OCD is everywhere these days.

[Ibanez]

Jeff Sessions seems to be the wimpiest guy in Trumps Administration.

Sessions is approaching Ted Cruz levels of unlikeability. He's patently wrong on so many things and annoying as hell to listen to.

Trump should be impeached just for appointing Sessions.

He's been unlikable. This isn't a new development. His mousey-ness and obsession with pot is ridiculous.


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[Chizzang]

And maybe Conks on here would give a **** about something he does instead of wearing out the free pass ink.

Well if you were ruled by logic instead of emotion you'd be spilling a lot less of the resistance ink

What I said about SCOTUS makes sense - just because you're blinded by your hope that Trump goes down doesn't make it less logical

There seems to be a lot of blindness around here these days...

[Skjellyfetti]

Special counsel Robert Mueller met on Capitol Hill with the leaders of the Senate intelligence committee

Wednesday afternoon, a long-awaited connection as lawmakers and federal investigators plot a path forward on the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Mueller met with Senate intelligence chairman Richard Burr and Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the committee, in a secure room.

Burr told CNN that they are beginning talks and have open lines of communication. He would not say what they discussed.

Burr and Warner have been pressing for the meeting with Mueller since he was first appointed a month ago. The two sides have been discussing "deconfliction" -- or how the Senate investigation and the federal probe will share information and not step on each others' toes.

A major test on that front will be whether the FBI is willing to release memos from former FBI Director James Comey of his conversations with Trump, now that they have been provided to Mueller.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/14/polit ... d=38703668

[Skjellyfetti]

Pretty good profile of the investigators.

Zebley sounds like a badass.

From the list of hires, it’s clear, in fact, that Mueller is recruiting perhaps the most high-powered and experienced team of investigators ever assembled by the Justice Department. His team began with three lawyers who also quickly left WilmerHale, the law firm where Mueller has also worked since he left the FBI in 2013—Zebley, James Quarles III, and Jeannie Rhee.

The rapid recruitment of Quarles attracted immediate attention: A famed litigator who was an assistant special prosecutor for the Watergate investigation, Quarles specialized in campaign finance research for the Watergate task force, which surely will be an area of focus for Mueller’s investigation. (The FBI has been serving subpoenas regarding the finances of campaign adviser Michael Flynn and campaign chairman Paul Manafort, both of whom have retroactively registered as foreign agents, admitting that they were paid by foreign governments during the period when they were also advising Trump.) In more recent years, Quarles has risen through the law firm’s ranks to run its DC office, and is an experienced manager. In granting him the firm’s top recognition in 2007, one of his colleagues said that Quarles “represents precisely the values that should define us culturally and reputationally: He is an excellent lawyer, he is an extraordinary hard worker, he is the ultimate team player, and he treats everyone with respect and collegiality.”

More recently, Mueller has recruited Andrew Weissmann, his one-time general counsel at the FBI and a long-time adviser who once led the Justice Department’s fraud unit. In the early 2000s, Weissmann also oversaw the Enron Task Force, the storied Justice Department unit that investigated the complex machinations of the failed energy giant. (The task force’s team of prosecutors was so well-respected that they went on to dominate the Justice Department’s top ranks for the better part of a decade, including former officials like White House homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco, White House counsel Kathy Ruemmler, assistant attorney general Leslie Caldwell, and acting assistant attorney general Matthew Friedrich.)

Then Mueller added Michael Dreeben, who has worked for years in the Justice Department’s solicitor general’s office, which argues the government’s cases before the Supreme Court. “Dreeben is 1 of the top legal & appellate minds at DOJ in modern times,” tweeted Preet Bharara, the former top Manhattan federal prosecutor. Walter Dellinger, an accomplished law professor at Duke and former acting solicitor general, went one step further, telling The Washington Post, “Michael is the most brilliant and most knowledgeable federal criminal lawyer in America—period.” Writing on the Lawfare blog, Paul Rosenzweig recalled watching Deeban argue a Supreme Court case—one of more than a hundred he’s done—without a single note, and also concluded, “He is quite possibly the best criminal appellate lawyer in America (at least on the government's side). That Mueller has sought his assistance attests both to the seriousness of his effort and the depth of the intellectual bench he is building.”

Also, while the Special Counsel’s office has yet to make any formal announcements about Mueller’s team, it appears he has recruited an experienced Justice Department trial attorney, Lisa Page, a little-known figure outside the halls of Main Justice but one whose résumé boasts intriguing hints about where Mueller’s Russia investigation might lead. Page has deep experience with money laundering and organized crime cases, including investigations where she’s partnered with an FBI task force in Budapest, Hungary, that focuses on eastern European organized crime. That Budapest task force helped put together the still-unfolding money laundering case against Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash, a one-time business partner of Manafort.

But despite the other more high-profile names, it’s the career of Zebley, a dogged FBI agent turned prosecutor turned confidant, that perhaps best points to how Mueller intends to run his new investigation: With absolute tenacity and strong central leadership from Mueller himself. It’s a team that’s not just a paper office tiger but one with deep experience investigating crime around the world.

https://www.wired.com/story/robert-muel ... tion-team/

[houndawg]

Sessions is approaching Ted Boobs levels of unlikeability. He's patently wrong on so many things and annoying as hell to listen to.

Trump should be impeached just for appointing Sessions.

Yeah. Sessions' obsession with marijuana is as annoying as JSO's obsession with Drumpf.

OCD is everywhere these days.

Probably invested in private prisons. ..