I didn't imagine that my opinion of Trump could sink any lower, but once more ...
Theres no limit on how low Trump and Republicans will go.
Merrick Garland was a Republican coup. And Mitch McConnell allowing Russian hacking and refusing to warn America and even to this day the Republican party refuses to do anything about ongoing hacking is flat out treasonous.
This week in Texas Republican operatives have mailed out a notice that people displaying Beto O'Rourke signs are subject to a $500 fine.
But surely they wouldn't go so low as to destroy Democracy would they? Don't be so sure about that all the signs are already there. And this Bart Kavanaugh fiasco has been rigged. He will be Trump's get outta jail free card. Flakey Lindsay Graham and 99.9% of the Republicans have proven to be complicit in this plot.
Trump was also removed as executor by his father who was suspicious when he told him to "sign immediately!".
So far AFAIK the IRS is not doing anything it's NY state that is investigating. Wonder what the state laws are and statutes of limitations. You know they took down another famous crook with tax evasion as well.
And as always there's a Trump tweet to throw back in his face.
And he was convicted and took a plea deal lol. Totally 'WRONG' as he would say.
Again, I literally just took a training course on this yesterday. What Trump did with his father and his estate is elder abuse. That term rarely refers to physical harm, it's almost always financial.
The reason why Trump didn't release his tax returns is now crystal clear. He was never a talented businessman, he simply doesn't have any conscience whatsoever. That isn't a "talent". His entire "empire" is built on mountains of bullshit, and his "brand" as that prototypical 1980s "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous/Greed is Good" mogul is also all a mirage. His business is built on tax fraud, government handouts, stiffing contractors, and bankruptcy laws. God knows what else there is to uncover.
A quick question about NYTimes report of the 500 million tax fraud:
Didnt Donald Trump say that investigating his financial history was a "red line" with Mueller? Also, didnt we hear stories about how Mueller had subpoena'd (or perhaps talked willingly) with some people at Deutsche Bank (Trump's banker)?
Also, wasnt there a story out some time ago about how the CFO for Trump's business had signed an immunity deal relating to Michael Cohen and his business dealings with Trump?
I guess what I'm getting at - do we think there's a reasonable chance that Mueller has been investigating Trump's tax situation for a while now? Obviously Mueller feels he has the leeway for that since he investigated Manafort for Tax evasion.
A NYTimes article isnt going to be enough to really put a dent in Trump's presidency at this point. However, if either the State of New York or Mueller's investigation release findings for tax fraud... I mean, I feel like that's inescapable.
@BallpointMan This wasn't Mueller, this was the New York times. But your point is well taken. However, if New York State investigates Trump for this, it might be because of the NYT article, and have nothing to do with Mueller. Donald Trump might blame Mueller anyway, but so far all he has done is say the NYT is wrong, full stop.
Theoretically, the New York Times might have gathered some of the confidential documents as a result of the Mueller investigation. Someone might have handed the documents over. But I very much doubt it--the Mueller investigation thus far has never shared that kind of information unless the person in question was actually in the process of being charged or tried.
Theoretically, the New York Times might have gathered some of the confidential documents as a result of the Mueller investigation. Someone might have handed the documents over. But I very much doubt it--the Mueller investigation thus far has never shared that kind of information unless the person in question was actually in the process of being charged or tried.
In comparison to the Ken Starr investigation, they have basically been a safe deposit box.
Theoretically, the New York Times might have gathered some of the confidential documents as a result of the Mueller investigation. Someone might have handed the documents over. But I very much doubt it--the Mueller investigation thus far has never shared that kind of information unless the person in question was actually in the process of being charged or tried.
I'm not very keen on conspiracy theories, but since Rosenstein was "reportedly" going to be fired a week and a half ago, I wonder if Mueller wouldnt have handed over documents in that event - thinking the investigation could be muzzled in a day or two.
Irrespective - My thought process is that we know Mueller is looking into financials (including Trump's, presumably). If there's 500 million in tax fraud, do we really think he'd miss that?
I guess it might be a bit of a moot point, if the NYT is reporting it - you can believe Mueller would follow up on it given its significance if true (I guess, unless he's fine with New York doing the investigation).
As a side thought, how does something like this even happen? I literally received a letter from the IRS not 3 weeks ago letting me know I still owed around 100 dollars for my 2016 taxes. I had to send a check to them... and yet the Trump family manages to avoid paying taxes on 500 million and no one notices?
As a side thought, how does something like this even happen? I literally received a letter from the IRS not 3 weeks ago letting me know I still owed around 100 dollars for my 2016 taxes. I had to send a check to them... and yet the Trump family manages to avoid paying taxes on 500 million and no one notices?
In a word? The reason you paid your taxes in full is because you didn't commit tax evasion. You're not a criminal.
I thought we'd be getting a more thorough look at the matter, but it seems like the FBI is indeed being constrained for strictly partisan reasons. What possible justification could there be for restricting the FBI from talking to the two main witnesses? The GOP wants the FBI to collect as little information as possible simply because they know that Kavanaugh looks worse under scrutiny.
Why else would you limit the investigation to seven days when no one in the Senate is going to be replaced until January even if they do lose reelection, and there are still weeks before the midterms? Why else would you try to limit the scope of the investigation when a Supreme Court seat--one of the absolute most important decisions in American politics--is at stake?
It's the same reason Trump has been so opposed to the Mueller probe: the GOP doesn't want anyone to uncover new information. They view scrutiny as a bad thing.
Whats the routine again? - Thoughts and prayers. - If only there was a good guy with a gun... - We need to loosen gun laws! - Arm the teachers //
But seriously - what's it going to take to get any reasonable gun control? Six cops shot? 50 cops shot?
Republicans don't care about gun violence. Hundreds of people shot in Vegas and nothing. Sandy Hook, Columbine, and thousands of dead school children being shot. What's it going to take? They don't care as long as the Russians keep funding the NRA which donates to Republicans to enable these murders.
As a side thought, how does something like this even happen? I literally received a letter from the IRS not 3 weeks ago letting me know I still owed around 100 dollars for my 2016 taxes. I had to send a check to them... and yet the Trump family manages to avoid paying taxes on 500 million and no one notices?
You are not a "high wealth individual", therefore all the laws apply to you. You also don't have highly creative CPAs and tax attorneys who are able to use all the loopholes in the law which allow you not to be completely in compliance just as long as you are "sufficiently compliant".
The FBI report should be delivered to the Senate soon. I have seen complaints that neither Ford nor Kavanaugh were directly interviewed by the FBI but, truthfully, didn't they already answer enough questions when in front of the Judiciary Committee? Anyway, as of right now the report is not set to be released to the public; however, if it contains information of a negative nature about Kavanaugh I suspect some Democratic Senator will leak it but if it does not then I suspect some Republican Senator will leak it.
The assault on Dr. Ford is only one thing the FBI needs to address. Kavanaugh lied under oath in the hearing as we've discussed before; the FBI can investigate the accuracy of many other claims that Kavanaugh made under oath. All of this would be highly relevant information. The hearing answered a lot of questions, yes, but it also raised more.
The FBI only interviewed a tiny fraction of the people who could shed light on Kavanaugh's conduct as a young man. There's a long list of people that the FBI could still interview to get more information.
If the FBI chooses to interview those people then it will. If it chooses not to do so then I doubt anyone can force investigators do so except for the Attorney General or the Director.
Meanwhile, Jackson Cosko, who has been a member of the Staff for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA, formerly), has been arrested and charged for doxxing Republican Members of the Judiciary Committee, as well as for witness tampering, threats in interstate communication, unauthorized access of a government computer, identity theft, second-degree burglary, and unlawful entry.
If the FBI chooses to interview those people then it will. If it chooses not to do so then I doubt anyone can force investigators do so except for the Attorney General or the Director.
Meanwhile, Jackson Cosko, who has been a member of the Staff for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA, formerly), has been arrested and charged for doxxing Republican Members of the Judiciary Committee, as well as for witness tampering, threats in interstate communication, unauthorized access of a government computer, identity theft, second-degree burglary, and unlawful entry.
Trump will pardon him after all he was just fighting back. Oh wait only Republicans can break the law and leak to the media sorry.
And no the FBI was not able to choose to investigate x,y, or z. They were told by Don McGahn, Trump's lawyer, strictly who they could talk to and who they couldn't. It's a sham. A joke.
Why is the report being kept from the public? So Republicans can lie about the contents if it's damning or magnanimously release it for transparency if it says what they want. They are totally disgusting.
And no the FBI was not able to choose to investigate x,y, or z. They were told by Don McGahn, Trump's lawyer, strictly who they could talk to and who they couldn't. It's a sham. A joke.
Why is the report being kept from the public?
Enough people demanded an FBI investigation so one was ordered. It may not be all-encompassing--I suspect many would have preferred it to drag on for a month or more--but it was better than nothing...although not by much. Without it there would already be 9 Justices sitting on the SCOTUS right now (their yearly calendar began on Monday). Given that these events were going to transpire they way they were already going to, one has agree with Kosh that there is no point in the pebbles voting once the avalanche has already begun.
Well, according to what I have seen, Jeff Flake says he has doubts about Kavanaugh being such a liar as regards to his past (e.g. drinking). Other Republican Senators, including Amy Klobuchar and Dianne Feinstein, are also uncertain about Kavanaugh. If they consider his lying a deal breaker as much as Jeff Flake says he does, Kavanaugh might not have enough votes to get the job. I hear there are five Senators on the Fence whose votes matter.
And no the FBI was not able to choose to investigate x,y, or z. They were told by Don McGahn, Trump's lawyer, strictly who they could talk to and who they couldn't. It's a sham. A joke.
Why is the report being kept from the public?
Enough people demanded an FBI investigation so one was ordered. It may not be all-encompassing--I suspect many would have preferred it to drag on for a month or more--but it was better than nothing...although not by much. Without it there would already be 9 Justices sitting on the SCOTUS right now (their yearly calendar began on Monday). Given that these events were going to transpire they way they were already going to, one has agree with Kosh that there is no point in the pebbles voting once the avalanche has already begun.
I think the sentiment is not that they want the proceedings to drag and he be confirmed. Just he's awful. His judgement? Awful. His judicial temperament? Awful. They just want a thorough investigation because they will show that he's lied. His lies about his past would fall apart. It's not the length of the investigation that is somehow a factor. It would be nice if the investigation wasn't a crock of poop handicapped by Trump and Republicans intent on pushing this guy at all costs. The main cost being the truth of his character.
Once Dems regain power they need to push a bill that allows impeachment based on how many votes it took to get there. Kavanaugh has no business being a judge at all much less on the Supreme Court.
I also think they need to return to 60 votes needing to confirm, not 50. You used to need 60 votes to confirm a justice. It makes it harder to ram people through if the two parties have to work together to get their nominee through.
I also think they need to return to 60 votes needing to confirm, not 50. You used to need 60 votes to confirm a justice. It makes it harder to ram people through if the two parties have to work together to get their nominee through.
Yeah if they can impeach at 50 then they might be smart and go back to 60.
I also think they need to return to 60 votes needing to confirm, not 50. You used to need 60 votes to confirm a justice. It makes it harder to ram people through if the two parties have to work together to get their nominee through.
It's too late for that. Pandora's Box can't be closed. Which apparently isn't stopping Chuck Schumer from floating the idea anyway if/when the Democrats take back the Senate. And this is why Democrats get curb-stomped on a regular basis. Even after the theft of a Supreme Court seat they still think playing by Marquess of Queensberry rules will win them brownie points with a.) Republicans b.) conservative voters and c.) independents. Maybe one day they'll learn doing so actually accomplishes NONE of these things and only serves to make them look weak and ineffectual. How at this late date they still don't understand what they are dealing with on the other side boggles my mind. Just once I wish they would show the same balls in fighting for their decent policies as the Republicans do for their horrible ones.
Which Republican is going to jail for leaking Dr. Ford's identity to the media? Will Grassley go to jail for giving unverified salacious slander of Sweenik from a guy who claimed to have dated her for like two weeks?
Comments
A letter in Kavanaugh's hand from 83 warning that he and his buddies were alcoholics who liked your vomit was signed Bart.
---- Theres no limit on how low Trump and Republicans will go.
Merrick Garland was a Republican coup. And Mitch McConnell allowing Russian hacking and refusing to warn America and even to this day the Republican party refuses to do anything about ongoing hacking is flat out treasonous.
This week in Texas Republican operatives have mailed out a notice that people displaying Beto O'Rourke signs are subject to a $500 fine.
https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/fake-letter-threatens-fines-for-beto-signs/285-600206436
But surely they wouldn't go so low as to destroy Democracy would they? Don't be so sure about that all the signs are already there. And this Bart Kavanaugh fiasco has been rigged. He will be Trump's get outta jail free card. Flakey Lindsay Graham and 99.9% of the Republicans have proven to be complicit in this plot.
Didnt Donald Trump say that investigating his financial history was a "red line" with Mueller? Also, didnt we hear stories about how Mueller had subpoena'd (or perhaps talked willingly) with some people at Deutsche Bank (Trump's banker)?
Also, wasnt there a story out some time ago about how the CFO for Trump's business had signed an immunity deal relating to Michael Cohen and his business dealings with Trump?
I guess what I'm getting at - do we think there's a reasonable chance that Mueller has been investigating Trump's tax situation for a while now? Obviously Mueller feels he has the leeway for that since he investigated Manafort for Tax evasion.
A NYTimes article isnt going to be enough to really put a dent in Trump's presidency at this point. However, if either the State of New York or Mueller's investigation release findings for tax fraud... I mean, I feel like that's inescapable.
Irrespective - My thought process is that we know Mueller is looking into financials (including Trump's, presumably). If there's 500 million in tax fraud, do we really think he'd miss that?
I guess it might be a bit of a moot point, if the NYT is reporting it - you can believe Mueller would follow up on it given its significance if true (I guess, unless he's fine with New York doing the investigation).
As a side thought, how does something like this even happen? I literally received a letter from the IRS not 3 weeks ago letting me know I still owed around 100 dollars for my 2016 taxes. I had to send a check to them... and yet the Trump family manages to avoid paying taxes on 500 million and no one notices?
I mean what more is there to say at this point?? In any sane universe, this would be an Onion article.
Why else would you limit the investigation to seven days when no one in the Senate is going to be replaced until January even if they do lose reelection, and there are still weeks before the midterms? Why else would you try to limit the scope of the investigation when a Supreme Court seat--one of the absolute most important decisions in American politics--is at stake?
It's the same reason Trump has been so opposed to the Mueller probe: the GOP doesn't want anyone to uncover new information. They view scrutiny as a bad thing.
Whats the routine again?
- Thoughts and prayers.
- If only there was a good guy with a gun...
- We need to loosen gun laws!
- Arm the teachers
//
But seriously - what's it going to take to get any reasonable gun control? Six cops shot? 50 cops shot?
Republicans don't care about gun violence. Hundreds of people shot in Vegas and nothing. Sandy Hook, Columbine, and thousands of dead
school children being shot. What's it going to take? They don't care as long as the Russians keep funding the NRA which donates to Republicans to enable these murders.
The FBI report should be delivered to the Senate soon. I have seen complaints that neither Ford nor Kavanaugh were directly interviewed by the FBI but, truthfully, didn't they already answer enough questions when in front of the Judiciary Committee? Anyway, as of right now the report is not set to be released to the public; however, if it contains information of a negative nature about Kavanaugh I suspect some Democratic Senator will leak it but if it does not then I suspect some Republican Senator will leak it.
The FBI only interviewed a tiny fraction of the people who could shed light on Kavanaugh's conduct as a young man. There's a long list of people that the FBI could still interview to get more information.
Meanwhile, Jackson Cosko, who has been a member of the Staff for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), former Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA, formerly), has been arrested and charged for doxxing Republican Members of the Judiciary Committee, as well as for witness tampering, threats in interstate communication, unauthorized access of a government computer, identity theft, second-degree burglary, and unlawful entry.
And no the FBI was not able to choose to investigate x,y, or z. They were told by Don McGahn, Trump's lawyer, strictly who they could talk to and who they couldn't. It's a sham. A joke.
Why is the report being kept from the public? So Republicans can lie about the contents if it's damning or magnanimously release it for transparency if it says what they want. They are totally disgusting.
The National Council of Churches has demanded Kavanaugh withdraw. Along with the ABA and tons of other geoups.
http://fortune.com/2018/10/03/national-council-of-churches-demands-kavanaugh-withdraw/
Once Dems regain power they need to push a bill that allows impeachment based on how many votes it took to get there. Kavanaugh has no business being a judge at all much less on the Supreme Court.
So, of course, Trump had to mock Dr. Blasey Ford at one of his rallies, and this has excited comment...
https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/02/politics/trump-mocks-christine-blasey-ford-kavanaugh-supreme-court/index.html
IN RARE MOVE, ACLU TO OPPOSE KAVANAUGH FOR SUPREME COURT
https://www.aclu.org/news/rare-move-aclu-oppose-kavanaugh-supreme-court-0
More Than 500 Law Professors Condemn Kavanaugh For ‘Lack Of Judicial Temperament’
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kavanaugh-judicial-temperament-law-professors_us_5bb40200e4b028e1fe38cf9d
Brett Kavanaugh's ex-roommate says the Supreme Court wannabe 'lied under oath' about drinking and sex
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-news-kavanaugh-college-roommate-scotus-lied-drinking-sex-20181003-story.html
Conservative Women Are Angry About Kavanaugh—And They Think Other Voters Are, Too
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/10/conservative-women-kavanaugh-ford/572023/