Сделаем Америку снова великой! Trump - Russia megathread

[houndawg]

My suggestion is that they keep it classified, continue pushing the memo’s “findings”, but insist they’re too sensitive for the public.

...they're keeping it safe with the tapes of the meeting that Comey better hope Trump doesn't have.

[CID1990]

Something in the IG report was bad enough that the director wanted to get out in front of it.

McCabe probably harassed a wimin or something


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Skjellyfetti]

Sanctions passed the House 419-3 and Senate 98-2.

The Trump administration, under fire from lawmakers for not punishing Moscow over election meddling, said Monday it will not implement Russia-related sanctions mandated by Congress last year because the threat itself is acting as a “deterrent.”

The decision was made public after nightfall on deadline day for implementing sanctions against those who do business with Russian defense and intelligence firms, as required under a 2017 law.

Since the law took effect six months ago, said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, “We estimate that foreign governments have abandoned planned or announced purchases of several billion dollars in Russian defense acquisitions.”

The decision was less concrete than some lawmakers envisioned when the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act passed last summer. Though also mentioning Iran and North Korea, the law was billed as a U.S. response to Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.

A list of potential targets was drawn up last month in anticipation of Monday’s deadline for implementing secondary sanctions. Instead, a State Department official said there is no need for them to be put into place now “because the legislation is, in fact, serving as a deterrent.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/na ... a5763cd949

[93henfan]

Does this mean I will be able to get cheap surplus for my AK-74 again? If so, I support it.

[CAA Flagship]

Does this mean I will be able to get cheap surplus for my AK-74 again? If so, I support it.

....and as a bonus, cheap Russian brides.

[Skjellyfetti]

In the weeks before special counsel Robert Mueller’s team interviewed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the Justice Department turned over a cache of internal correspondence, including documents related to the proposed resignation of Sessions last year and emails with the White House about fired national security adviser Michael Flynn, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Details of what the Justice Department has now provided to Mueller’s team, which sources say has been investigating whether President Donald Trump sought to obstruct a federal inquiry into possible connections between his presidential campaign and Russian operatives, reflect how widely investigators are casting their net.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, ABC News reported in November that Mueller’s office was interested in obtaining internal emails related to the firing of FBI Director James Comey and the earlier decision of Sessions to recuse himself from the entire matter, but at the time it was unclear what other type of information Mueller's office might have been seeking.

Comey was fired in May of last of year, and days later Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel.

In an Oval Office meeting after Mueller's appointment, Trump told Sessions he should resign, prompting the attorney general to submit a letter of resignation, according to The New York Times. But Trump ultimately rejected the resignation after advisers warned against it in the wake of Comey’s firing.

A month after that episode, Trump wanted to have White House aides fire Mueller but backed off after White House counsel Don McGahn and others made clear they were opposed to such a move, a source familiar with the deliberations told ABC News.

Emails and other documents produced within the Justice Department during that time, including emails with White House officials, have now been sent to Mueller’s office, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.

Sessions and Rosenstein both played key roles in Comey's high-profile removal. To publicly bolster the controversial move at the time, the White House released two memos written separately by Sessions and Rosenstein, with both faulting Comey for his handling of the FBI's probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state. During a House hearing last year, Rosenstein refused to say whether he consulted with the White House before Comey's firing or whether anyone asked him to write his memo, insisting such questions "may well be within the scope of the special counsel's investigation."

http://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-special-co ... d=52721241

[kalm]

Interesting.

Dutch spies alerted their American counterparts as early as 2014 about Russian hacking into State Department and White House computers and subsequent Russian hacking of the Democratic Party in the 2016 election, according to a series of reports in Dutch media.

The joint investigation by de Volkskrant newspaper and Nieuwsuur ("News Hour"), a current-affairs television program, describe how Dutch intelligence experts accessed the Russian hackers' computers and cameras in hallways at a university in Moscow. The Dutch spies watched a team of Russian hackers infiltrate the State Department, the White House and the Democratic Party to pilfer emails and electronic documents, including 2016 campaign emails later published by Wikileaks.

The disclosures add new details to Russian hacking of the 2016 presidential election, which, according to the Dutch reports, was part of a larger pattern of Russian meddling in Western elections. The reports also raise questions about why the Democratic Party did not sufficiently respond when alerted to the hacking, which shadowed the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.altern ... ouse%3famp

[Skjellyfetti]

Now ask yourself why people on the Right (including the President who has access to all of the intelligence) have argued that we don't know who hacked the DNC. Why? What's the benefit?

Last year they were pushing that it was an internal leak by Seth Rich and he was killed over it. That has thankfully died off.

It's fucking odd. Especially for Trump, who has had access to this info for at least a year.

[CAA Flagship]

Now ask yourself why people on the Right (including the President who has access to all of the intelligence) have argued that we don't know who hacked the DNC. Why? What's the benefit?

Last year they were pushing that it was an internal leak by Seth Rich and he was killed over it. That has thankfully died off.

It's fucking odd. Especially for Trump, who has had access to this info for at least a year.

One good thing that has come out of all of this Russia stuff is that China and North Korea are no longer attempting to hack into our government systems.

[Ibanez]

Now ask yourself why people on the Right (including the President who has access to all of the intelligence) have argued that we don't know who hacked the DNC. Why? What's the benefit?

Last year they were pushing that it was an internal leak by Seth Rich and he was killed over it. That has thankfully died off.

It's fucking odd. Especially for Trump, who has had access to this info for at least a year.

One good thing that has come out of all of this Russia stuff is that China and North Korea are no longer attempting to hack into our government systems.

Why do they need to? Russia is doing it for them.

[CID1990]

I see everybody is throwing their hopes on obstruction now.

Man the disappointment is going to be yuge.

[Skjellyfetti]

I see everybody is throwing their hopes on obstruction now.

Man the disappointment is going to be yuge.

I don't see why you think Mueller and 17 prosecutors can only focus on one charge at a time.

I mean, Mueller just recently brought on Ryan K. Dickey - a specialist in cyber crime. Maybe it's somehow part of his laser focus on obstruction.... but... I doubt it.


For Trump himself, I think he's most clearly exposed to obstruction charges. And, that's making the news because they're trying to negotiate the terms on his interview. But, that doesn't mean that's the only shoe left to drop.

[CID1990]

I see everybody is throwing their hopes on obstruction now.

Man the disappointment is going to be yuge.

I don't see why you think Mueller can only focus on one charge at a time.

I mean, Mueller just recently brought on Ryan K. Dickey - a specialist in cyber crime. Maybe it's part of his laser focus on obstruction.... but.... I doubt it.

You sure are following this to the most minute detail

They aren’t going after collusion, Junior. They’re going after financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials. Full stop. There’s nothing else to focus on. I told you it’s a show -

But I wasn’t talking about Mueller anyway - I was talking about you and the rest of the legion of collusion hopefuls. Some of them have seen reality, but have yet to grasp that there won’t be an obstruction indictment against Trump, either.

Mueller will publish a public report which will be splashed around and that will be it, except for people like Manafort who hid their shady financial dealings. And Trump might even pardon them

[Skjellyfetti]

And, I've been saying since last spring that the financials will be the most fruitful part of the investigation.

Here's one of our conversations from almost a year ago:

All the pieces of the puzzle are out there for anyone who cares to look at them logically-

A few guys- Flynn for sure- are going to be in trouble for non-declaration, and there isn't going to be anything after that.

It is going to be very disappointing for some folks in a few months

You're confident the FinCEN part of this isn't going to come up with anything?

I mean, I sure as hell don't know. We haven't heard much at all about it. But, there's a reason they're involved...
and there's a reason the Senate Intelligence Committee (who has access far more than any of us or the press) is eager to see their evidence.

But, you seem pretty confident that there's nothing there. Why?

http://www.championshipsubdivision.com/ ... n#p1123890

But, there's also an EXTREMELY thin line between "financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials" and coordination. If Russia had kompromat on Trump or anyone at a high level in the campaign - you surely can't think they would just sit back and not take advantage of that situation, right? Whether there's outright proof that coordination occured is too be determined. But, there is certainly evidence for it.

I agree that Mueller will probably not indict Trump for obstruction or anything else. I think it's constitutionally murky and not likely. But, there are a number of routes that can be taken - naming him an unindicted co-conspirator ala Nixon, recommending charges to Congress, etc. Impeachment is a wholly political process. So, if Republicans are still in control of the House when Mueller publishes his findings - it will probably just be met with "Meh. Deep State witch hunt... moving on."

[kalm]

I don't see why you think Mueller can only focus on one charge at a time.

I mean, Mueller just recently brought on Ryan K. Dickey - a specialist in cyber crime. Maybe it's part of his laser focus on obstruction.... but.... I doubt it.

You sure are following this to the most minute detail

They aren’t going after collusion, Junior. They’re going after financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials. Full stop. There’s nothing else to focus on. I told you it’s a show -

But I wasn’t talking about Mueller anyway - I was talking about you and the rest of the legion of collusion hopefuls. Some of them have seen reality, but have yet to grasp that there won’t be an obstruction indictment against Trump, either.

Mueller will publish a public report which will be splashed around and that will be it, except for people like Manafort who hid their shady financial dealings. And Trump might even pardon them

I trust your judgement on this stuff but isn't more a matter of things being tough to prosecute vs. in reality what amounts to suspicious if not corrupt behavior?

You have numerous players in Trumps campaign and administration with obvious ties to Russia including one who specialized in Russian Oil deals and was under investigation as an alleged Russian Agent and another who ran the Bank of Cyprus where Russian Oligarch's allegedly laundered money. Meanwhile, Trump allegedly had run out of Western financing options and his sons were bragging about their friendship with the Russians and how they loved golf.

It reminds me of Wall Street prosecutions surrounding the financial crisis. 'But....they didn't do anything illegal!"

[GannonFan]

You sure are following this to the most minute detail

They aren’t going after collusion, Junior. They’re going after financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials. Full stop. There’s nothing else to focus on. I told you it’s a show -

But I wasn’t talking about Mueller anyway - I was talking about you and the rest of the legion of collusion hopefuls. Some of them have seen reality, but have yet to grasp that there won’t be an obstruction indictment against Trump, either.

Mueller will publish a public report which will be splashed around and that will be it, except for people like Manafort who hid their shady financial dealings. And Trump might even pardon them

I trust your judgement on this stuff but isn't more a matter of things being tough to prosecute vs. in reality what amounts to suspicious if not corrupt behavior?

You have numerous players in Trumps campaign and administration with obvious ties to Russia including one who specialized in Russian Oil deals and was under investigation as an alleged Russian Agent and another who ran the Bank of Cyprus where Russian Oligarch's allegedly laundered money. Meanwhile, Trump allegedly had run out of Western financing options and his sons were bragging about their friendship with the Russians and how they loved golf.

It reminds me of Wall Street prosecutions surrounding the financial crisis. 'But....they didn't do anything illegal!"

So, in the absence of any laws being broken, we're going to move to the kalm idea of "I just don't like it so they should be guilty" standard. I can't see that ever going wrong.

[kalm]

I trust your judgement on this stuff but isn't more a matter of things being tough to prosecute vs. in reality what amounts to suspicious if not corrupt behavior?

You have numerous players in Trumps campaign and administration with obvious ties to Russia including one who specialized in Russian Oil deals and was under investigation as an alleged Russian Agent and another who ran the Bank of Cyprus where Russian Oligarch's allegedly laundered money. Meanwhile, Trump allegedly had run out of Western financing options and his sons were bragging about their friendship with the Russians and how they loved golf.

It reminds me of Wall Street prosecutions surrounding the financial crisis. 'But....they didn't do anything illegal!"

So, in the absence of any laws being broken, we're going to move to the kalm idea of "I just don't like it so they should be guilty" standard. I can't see that ever going wrong.

The laws and government are always right.

Goooodboy!

[Skjellyfetti]

Trump needs to find a new FBI director. Trey Gowdy will be available soon. He'd probably show some loyalty.

FBI challenges accuracy of GOP’s surveillance memo

The FBI spoke out forcefully Wednesday against a GOP memo criticizing the bureau’s use of surveillance authorities, challenging the classified document’s accuracy as the White House and congressional Republicans are expected to make its contents public.

“As expressed during our initial review, we have grave concerns about the material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy,’’ the FBI said in a statement.

FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein went to the White House on Monday, meeting with Chief of Staff John F. Kelly with hopes of preventing the memo’s release.

That private lobbying effort now has morphed into a public fight — a rare and remarkable standoff between the White House and the FBI over surveillance powers and politics.

In its statement, the bureau also said it carefully follows the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which provides a legal framework for national security investigations.

“The FBI takes seriously its obligations to the FISA Court and its compliance with procedures overseen by career professionals in the Department of Justice and the FBI. We are committed to working with the appropriate oversight entities to ensure the continuing integrity of the FISA process,’’ the statement said.

The public statement underscores the concerns among federal law enforcement and intelligence officials who say the memo, written by House committee staff, is an inaccurate attack on the FBI, and that its release will set a dangerous precedent for future releases of classified information that touch on political issues.

Current and former law enforcement officials said a major concern inside the FBI is that the rules governing classified information will leave them handcuffed in trying to respond to the memo’s accusations. Senior FBI officials believe the allegations of abuse are inaccurate and unfair, but they also believe the FBI will not be able to effectively counter those claims because many of the details of any counter-argument would be classified, according to current and former officials.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpos ... 051e732c0f

[GannonFan]

So, in the absence of any laws being broken, we're going to move to the kalm idea of "I just don't like it so they should be guilty" standard. I can't see that ever going wrong.

The laws and government are always right.

Goooodboy!

There's a fix to that - make new laws. Again, your idea of "I don't like it" and stamping of your feet in disgust is not a viable method of governing.

[kalm]

The laws and government are always right.

Goooodboy!

There's a fix to that - make new laws. Again, your idea of "I don't like it" and stamping of your feet in disgust is not a viable method of governing.

Dude, I’m not a politician.

I’m just a post-partisan realistic observer of politics providing commentary for your education.

Your welcome.

[CAA Flagship]

There's a fix to that - make new laws. Again, your idea of "I don't like it" and stamping of your feet in disgust is not a viable method of governing.

Dude, I’m not a politician.

I’m just a post-partisan realistic observer of politics providing commentary for your education.

Your welcome.

*Yore

[CID1990]

You sure are following this to the most minute detail

They aren’t going after collusion, Junior. They’re going after financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials. Full stop. There’s nothing else to focus on. I told you it’s a show -

But I wasn’t talking about Mueller anyway - I was talking about you and the rest of the legion of collusion hopefuls. Some of them have seen reality, but have yet to grasp that there won’t be an obstruction indictment against Trump, either.

Mueller will publish a public report which will be splashed around and that will be it, except for people like Manafort who hid their shady financial dealings. And Trump might even pardon them

I trust your judgement on this stuff but isn't more a matter of things being tough to prosecute vs. in reality what amounts to suspicious if not corrupt behavior?

You have numerous players in Trumps campaign and administration with obvious ties to Russia including one who specialized in Russian Oil deals and was under investigation as an alleged Russian Agent and another who ran the Bank of Cyprus where Russian Oligarch's allegedly laundered money. Meanwhile, Trump allegedly had run out of Western financing options and his sons were bragging about their friendship with the Russians and how they loved golf.

It reminds me of Wall Street prosecutions surrounding the financial crisis. 'But....they didn't do anything illegal!"

Bingo!

The investigation (and the whole theme behind this Thread to Nowhere) is based on the suspicion that Trump or his campaign cronies coordinated with the Russians to throw the election

My posts here have been motivated by reality and logic - of course there is smoke there... and based on what I have seen from Mueller's moves, I have concluded that it is just that - smoke

If someone is hoping to see Trump or associates taken down with criminal charges related in any way with cooperation with Russia on the election, and that someone is willing to abandon logic to feed that hope... well then what you get is something that looks awfully like this thread

[Ivytalk]

If someone is hoping to see Trump or associates taken down with criminal charges related in any way with cooperation with Russia on the election, and that someone is willing to abandon logic to feed that hope... well then what you get is something that looks awfully like this thread

I give you... Trey Jelly, Esq.

[houndawg]

I don't see why you think Mueller can only focus on one charge at a time.

I mean, Mueller just recently brought on Ryan K. Dickey - a specialist in cyber crime. Maybe it's part of his laser focus on obstruction.... but.... I doubt it.

You sure are following this to the most minute detail

They aren’t going after collusion, Junior. They’re going after financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials. Full stop. There’s nothing else to focus on. I told you it’s a show -

But I wasn’t talking about Mueller anyway - I was talking about you and the rest of the legion of collusion hopefuls. Some of them have seen reality, but have yet to grasp that there won’t be an obstruction indictment against Trump, either.

Mueller will publish a public report which will be splashed around and that will be it, except for people like Manafort who hid their shady financial dealings. And Trump might even pardon them

Well, they got Clinton for something unrelated to what they were looking for. So, as long as they get this crooked fuck for something who cares what they get him for, right? He's filthy as he can be and if things go really well for us the Republicans and the FBI will take each other down like Gandalf and the Balrog. This is about as beautiful as it gets for those who dislike the establishment - the law and order Republicans going after the FBI for whom they would normally have nothing but public fellatio... and doing it after that loser Comey already carried their water for them and turned the election with his October surprise....

Oh the tumescence.....watching the pride of ol' J. Edgar unable to scrape tar baby Trump off of their administrative shoe...

I bet Jane Fonda is loving this shit....

[CID1990]

But, there's also an EXTREMELY thin line between "financial dealings between Russian interests and Trump campaign officials" and coordination. If Russia had kompromat on Trump or anyone at a high level in the campaign - you surely can't think they would just sit back and not take advantage of that situation, right?

Actually, no, there isn't. Enough to elicit insider info from government officials, yes. Nowhere near enough to get someone to commit the kind of treason you are talking about. And people like Manafort know that immunity is always on the table for people with business dealings to come forward to the FBI when it comes to all things Russia.

Your reasoning on this is a dry hole.