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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

chartoc Since: Apr, 2010
#141251: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:30:01 PM

Well here some on the tax returns story http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/trump-claims-the-new-york-times-illegally-published-his-taxes-we-investigate-if-thats-true/ 1. If a government employee, former accountants or tax attorneys release them they would be in legal trouble 2. As long as they didn’t participate in anything illegal to obtain the information the Times are in the clear.

Also Wikileaks cancelled their surprise announcement due to security concerns: https://twitter.com/JesseRodriguez/status/781899043026853888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#141252: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:33:00 PM

Due to security concerns at the Ecuadorian Embassy, Julian Assange's balcony announcement on Tues has been cancelled, per @wikileaks

How long before people assume "security concerns" to be "Hillary's gonna try to off him"

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141253: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:43:32 PM

I wouldn't completely rule out American intelligence agencies threatening him if he actually does have something legitimate. I imagine the alphabet agencies would rather not have to answer to a president President Trump. If only because there's a nonzero chance he'd cause the sort of shitstorm that would result in him getting removed by force.

edited 2nd Oct '16 4:44:46 PM by CaptainCapsase

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#141254: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:44:09 PM

[up][up][up]The Times claims they received their copy by anonymous mail (suposedly with the return address listed as Trump Tower), IIRC. Whether that clears the bar for plausible deniability, *shrug*.

edited 2nd Oct '16 4:44:33 PM by Elle

Lennik (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#141255: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:44:26 PM

[up][up][up]You say that like they're not already saying it.

I heard he had decided to release the information by webcam. Already his fans are saying "Hillary is done on Wednesday." They're really confident. Which isn't saying much, but I wouldn't be surprised if Assange has nothing after all, in which case I'm sure they'll have an excuse prepared.

Twitter is already having a field day with image macros of the creep that say "Tick tock, bitch." It's a reminder that sexism is still a huge ugly motivator for Trump fans.

edited 2nd Oct '16 4:48:39 PM by Lennik

That's right, boys. Mondo cool.
Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#141256: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:48:22 PM

I would think Assange is paranoid enough that he'd have a plan B for releasing the information if he were physically incapacitated.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141257: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:50:38 PM

[up][up] Don't be sure he has nothing. It might very well be he's trying to jockey for maximum media coverage for optimal effect, which is in my eyes every bit as plausible.

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#141258: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:52:50 PM

Well yeah, he's been promising an October Surprise since the DNC mail leak. Of course it's calculated. But nothing so far has been as damning to Clinton directly as he claims.

edited 2nd Oct '16 4:54:01 PM by Elle

Lennik (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#141259: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:53:46 PM

Between Trump and this douchebag, it's really annoying me that almost none of this general election has been about policy at all, but about how much each candidate can publicly (or not so publicly) fuck up.

That's right, boys. Mondo cool.
CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141260: Oct 2nd 2016 at 4:58:55 PM

[up][up] Certainly not as damning as he's claiming (at worst it could be something on par with the email scandal), but if it puts media attention back on Clinton during the final stretch, that could be fatal; in general, whichever candidate receives greater scrutiny from the media during a particular news cycle suffers in the polls.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:06:47 PM by CaptainCapsase

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#141261: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:07:05 PM

Nonetheless, what he promised was something that would guarantee Clinton would be arrested.

I also wouldn't rule out Trump's propensity to make an ass of himself. There's two debates left.

chartoc Since: Apr, 2010
#141262: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:07:27 PM

Well if Trump wants to win he would the hidden white vote that teh GOP cliams will get to the WH. But it seems that is just not showing up http://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/trump-friendly-voters-remain-missing-registrations-n658171

Also it appears that Clinton is running the better ground in battleground states. She has offices in NC in the double digits. Trump's offices ? 0 in NC back in August. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/trump-campaign-has-ground-game-problem/

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#141263: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:09:08 PM

If it puts Clinton in jail then why does it matter when he releases it? He should just release it now and take her down immediately. Then Trump can ride things out unopposed.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141264: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:10:08 PM

[up][up] Whether or not Trump's lack of a conventional ground game will actually matter will have to be seen. It's one of many pieces of conventional campaign wisdom that's being put to the test this cycle.

[up] Obama would pardon her if it came to that, so he wouldn't be running unopposed. Though that would more or less prove the point of people insisting high officials in the US are above the law, and probably do a lot of damage in the polls.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:12:12 PM by CaptainCapsase

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#141265: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:12:54 PM

If it's really that bad then she probably won't win the election even if she's pardoned. Why wait? There's zero incentive for doing so. Evey day he waits is another day when he could get assassinated or keel over dead. That's why I think these threats are just hot air.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141266: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:14:49 PM

[up] I seriously doubt it's going to be something that would land her in jail for the reasons you've mentioned, but it could be something that hangs her in the court of public opinion for like a month or so, long enough for her to lose the election. That's the nightmare scenario for democrats.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:15:14 PM by CaptainCapsase

Gilphon (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#141267: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:16:42 PM

I mean, if the idea was to hit her in the home stretch so the polls don't have a chance to recover, he's moving too early. There are still five weeks and two debates before the election.

The only reason I can see to move now is if one takes the phrase 'October Surprise' too literally and seriously.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:16:58 PM by Gilphon

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#141268: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:16:52 PM

That's theoretically possible but it still doesn't explain why he doesn't just tell people. If it's such a big story then it will spread regardless of whether or not he gets a lot of immediate media attention.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141269: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:17:37 PM

[up][up] Supposedly, there's going to be several batches of data leading up to the election.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:17:44 PM by CaptainCapsase

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#141270: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:19:13 PM

Again, why? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Something as bad as he says won't just blow over in a few weeks.

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141271: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:20:11 PM

[up] Well it's obvious not as bad as he says it is. At most, something on par with the email scandal is what I could see happening. Beyond that, Assange is paranoid, and might seriously be worried that the CIA is going to try and assassinate him. Not that moving his announcement to a livestream would help if that were the case.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:21:14 PM by CaptainCapsase

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#141272: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:20:52 PM

Does he have a problem Clinton, specifically, or this a sort of "I hate the U.S. and want Trump to win because he'd be terrible for it" sort of deal?

Elle Since: Jan, 2001
#141273: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:21:22 PM

There's also the possibility that something gets fabricated, i.e. by the Russians. That's not something I'd put past them right now.

[up]Most of us here think he's either a: gone off the deep end of the crazy pool or b: is collaborating with the Russians either directly or implicitly. He's not even pretending to be neutral about it anymore.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:24:03 PM by Elle

CaptainCapsase from Orbiting Sagittarius A* Since: Jan, 2015
#141274: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:21:25 PM

[up][up] A bit of both as far as we know. Beyond that, I also suspect he's beginning to get a bit desperate for a change of scenery. His chances of getting out of that embassy alive without his hands bound are far higher under a President Trump who he propelled to office than under Clinton.

edited 2nd Oct '16 5:24:21 PM by CaptainCapsase

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#141275: Oct 2nd 2016 at 5:24:03 PM

Assange also has an inflated view of his own importance, there is no way the US would violate the Vienna Convention just to get him. As much as that fascist enabling prick needs to answer for his crimes, assassination isn't moral or practical.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.

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