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

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#238501: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:48:34 PM

Yep, which sends a message to Assad and Putin that they can do as they please (in Syria, and possibly beyond if the latter is careful) without fear of retaliation.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
archonspeaks Since: Jun, 2013
#238502: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:49:32 PM

It’s a little bit of conjecture, but I can give a link to the livestream of the hearing. Military movements earlier this week around the Med seemed to indicate an impending strike, but as of today suddenly no strike has been planned, or was ever planned. Given that the only thing that’s changed it Trump tweeting about it and showing our hand, and given that Trump himself has rapidly changed his tone, it seems like whatever they had planned was called off.

They should have sent a poet.
Lightysnake Since: May, 2010
#238503: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:50:40 PM

The big problem with Evangelicals? They've always been hypocritical, but they've also been closely married to policies of racial supremacy. The religious right really got a huge kickstart in opposing desegregation.

American evangelism is closely linked with white supremacy and these people are terrified of being 'replaced'

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238504: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:50:43 PM

Trump, Mueller teams prepare to move forward without presidential interview. [1]

WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office and President Donald Trump’s legal team are now proceeding with strategies that presume a presidential interview will likely not take place as part of the Russia investigation, after months of talks between the two sides collapsed earlier this week, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.

On Monday Trump’s lawyers were discussing a possible interview with Mueller's team and had begun to hash out the final sticking points, including the timing, scope and length, according to people familiar with the discussions. One person familiar with the strategy said the president’s lawyers had sought over the weekend to expand his legal team to include individuals who would prepare him for an interview. Another person familiar with the matter, however, said preparations had not yet gone that far.

But the prospects for a presidential interview drastically dimmed once the FBI raided the home, office and hotel room of Trump’s long-time personal lawyer, Michael Cohen on Monday, these people said. The president criticized the raid as out of bounds in Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible collusion with Trump aides. note 

The president’s lawyers wanted any interview to last only a few hours, according to one person familiar with the matter. They also wanted Mueller to agree to write a report within at least three or four months after completing the interview, this person said.

Prior to Monday’s raid, Mueller’s team had been aiming to finalize a report on its findings on whether the president has tried to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation in the coming months, as early as May or as late as July, three sources said. That timeline hinged in part on reaching a decision on a presidential interview, these people said. One person familiar with the investigation described a decision on an interview as one of the last steps Mueller was seeking to take before closing his investigation into obstruction.

Now, according to two sources, Mueller’s team may be able to close the obstruction probe more quickly as they will not need to prepare for the interview or follow up on what the president says.

And:

Three sources familiar with the investigation said the findings Mueller has collected on Trump’s attempts to obstruct justice include: His intent to fire former FBI Director James Comey; his role in the crafting of a misleading public statement on the nature of a June 2016 Trump Tower meeting between his son and Russians; Trump’s dangling of pardons before grand jury witnesses who might testify against him; and pressuring Attorney General Jeff Sessions not to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.

Mueller would then likely send a confidential report to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who is overseeing the Russia investigation. Rosenstein could decide whether to make the report public and send its findings to Congress. From there, Congress would then decide whether to begin impeachment proceedings against the president, said two of the sources.

edited 12th Apr '18 1:52:19 PM by megaeliz

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#238505: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:53:19 PM

I honestly cannot imagine just leaving a gun somewhere. Speaking as someone who occasionally carries a gun that’s legitimately inconceivable, it’s like leaving your pants somewhere or something. Anyone who is able to forget about the gun they’re carrying under any circumstances should not be trusted with one, period.

I think the "occasionally" is the sticking point here. If you don't carry a gun very often, then it's hard to forget the emotional weight of it when it's on your person.

But if you take it everywhere with you like it's a fashion accessory, then it becomes more like forgetting your wallet than forgetting your pants. It's normal. You don't think about it because you're just so used to it being there. Normalizing guns to the point that people take their presence for granted is how this stuff happens.

edited 12th Apr '18 1:53:33 PM by TobiasDrake

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
#238506: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:58:48 PM

RE: Democrat scandals not sinking them:

It's honestly kind of down to the old saying "It's better to be known as a liar than a hypocrite." It's one thing to engage in dishonest behavior, but another entirely when you've decried the exact same dishonest behavior.

That said, I still think Charlie Rangel should've gotten the boot from Congress over his tax evasion back around 2010.

"Why would I inflict myself on somebody else?"
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#238507: Apr 12th 2018 at 1:59:53 PM

My thought at the time was more how Al Franken's scandals have ultimately been a speed bump, at most.

Medinoc from France (Before Recorded History)
#238508: Apr 12th 2018 at 2:22:24 PM

Not quite coincidentally, Franken promptly admitted to the facts the moment they surfaced, instead of calling them fake news and threatening the victom...

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#238509: Apr 12th 2018 at 2:28:37 PM

And his party treated him as a pariah within days/weeks of there being multiple/credible allegations against him, rather than defending his actions as typical "locker room stuff".

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#238510: Apr 12th 2018 at 3:07:31 PM

Yeah, like onion said "Moore can be a dick, he can be a pedo but damn it he is a republican and that is what it matters".

The dems so far, havent put party over country.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238511: Apr 12th 2018 at 3:23:03 PM

[up] thank god they haven't.

Although obvious to anyone with eyes, the having confirmation of the fact that Mueller has enough evidence for Obstruction to proceed without an interview is crazy.

1. My peeps, we're at act 1 of SUBPOENA FEST. Trump is NOT going to sit with Mueller, and let me tell you, no way Mueller didn't expect this when he handed over the Cohen case to SDNY.

2. This means it is GRAND JURY show time. There is NO choice here for Trump. If he so much as thinks of ignoring the subpoena, Marshals will be sent over to take him in front of the Grand Jury.

2. This means it is GRAND JURY show time. There is NO choice here for Trump. If he so much as thinks of ignoring the subpoena, Marshals will be sent over to take him in front of the Grand Jury.

4. Trump has ZERO chance now, bc he can't even litigate it successfully, due to the Clinton precedent. Even better, Clinton's full testimony was recorded and broadcast on closed-circuit TV AND a month later it broadcast by ALL networks, for the American people to see.

5. No matter which strategy the amateurs around Trump try, it's going to fail. Yet again, there is precedent with Clinton, so them giving air to their mouth by saying "Oh a president can't be indicted (UNTRUE) so he can't be subpoenaed?" is just that. Words to the wind.

6. They will now desperately try the above approach, bc they're grasping at straws, and it's not going to work. So, Trump WILL be made to sit in front of a Grand Jury and that's gonna be WAY worse than sitting in front of Mueller. GJ can ask him ANYTHING they want.

7. On top of that, Trump CANNOT have lawyer next to him inside the room while he is answering questions, he can only consult with the lawyer during breaks outside the room. Which, for a liar like Trump, GREATLY complicates things.

8. Also, pleading the fifth is an UNTENABLE position for President, so if he tries that, he is done. President has a duty to respond for what he does to the American people, he's not a private citizen. And yes, even THIS Congress is likely to act in such a situation.

9. The summary is, in essence: Trump is cornered, and choosing NOT to do an interview GREATLY WORSENS his position in the investigation. Also, it speeds up the process for Mueller as he can now just subpoena him OR he can go straight ahead to obstruction report to Congress.

10. Obstruction is but ONE of the charges, so no it certainly does NOT end there, and the Russia part of the investigation of course proceeds. I expect a subpoena for the RUSSIA part of the investigation at the very least. Still, things are going to move way faster now.

11. Considering what @Michael Avenatti tweeted earlier, about expecting Trump to plead the fifth, either he knows he's going to win in his request for a deposition, or, as he's been cooperating with FBI re: the raid, he expected a GJ subpoena to happen. Great timing, Avvocato.

12. No matter what, the outcome of this is very bad for Trump and this news is big bc it means the timeline now changes and things will move more quickly. People expect "a flurry of action" in the next six weeks on Mueller's part. #Mueller IS Coming /END

edited 12th Apr '18 3:23:42 PM by megaeliz

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#238512: Apr 12th 2018 at 3:45:42 PM

A few new things from the WTF Twitter not covered in the initial dump:

A Trump interview with Robert Mueller is now unlikely to take place following Monday's FBI raid on Michael Cohen's home, office, and hotel room

https://t.co/7fZRpCQ8UM

Trump asked James Comey to investigate "the golden showers thing" and "prove it was a lie"

https://t.co/om9E34lB1T

The White House is preparing talking points designed to undermine Rod Rosenstein's credibility and cast the deputy attorney general as too conflicted to fairly oversee the Russia investigation

https://t.co/atXt8KqUB7

Federal judges indicated they have a problem with Mick Mulvaney's dual role as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau because he also heads the White House Office of Management and Budget

https://t.co/Q6LTAfEJR9

Trump asked officials to look at rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the multination trade agreement he pulled the U.S. out of shortly after taking office

https://t.co/Wg1UDIGo9x

A fired EPA staffer gave congressional investigators a detailed list of what he describes as Scott Pruitt's wasteful spending and unethical behavior

https://t.co/FacAOUMn6T

Wyldchyld (Old as dirt)
#238513: Apr 12th 2018 at 4:16:50 PM

edited 15th Apr '18 5:11:45 PM by Wyldchyld

If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.
Kakuzan Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to. from Knock knock, open up the door, it's real. Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Let memes die. Kill them, if you have to.
#238514: Apr 12th 2018 at 4:32:26 PM

[up] So the Republicans pretty much have a gigantic hate boner for her?

edited 12th Apr '18 4:33:13 PM by Kakuzan

Don't catch you slippin' now.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238515: Apr 12th 2018 at 4:46:12 PM

Here's the Website the GOP is using to try to discredit Comey.

https://lyincomey.com/

Looks like they are taking lessons from their best friend Putin. It's part of the smear campaign against him I mentioned. His book is apparently incredibly damming towards the GOP, and Trump.

Apparently Comey says that Trump reminded him of the Malifia bosses he's prosecuted, and he actually said to "prove that the golden shower thing wasn't true.

edited 12th Apr '18 4:49:32 PM by megaeliz

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#238516: Apr 12th 2018 at 4:51:26 PM

If he asked about that specifically....maybe it wasn't true. I guess Trump's exonerated now guys, our deep state plot has failed.

Oh, and the doorman (Dino Sajudin) in question confirms that he was paid 30 grand to not publicize a rumor about Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.

https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2018/04/12/former-trump-doorman-confirms-leaked-story-sot-nr.cnn

edited 12th Apr '18 4:54:55 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238517: Apr 12th 2018 at 5:02:54 PM

From Wa Po's review of an advanced copy.

In private conversations with Comey, Trump repeatedly brought up the "golden showers" prostitutes allegation from Steele dossier and offered reasons why it couldn't be true, such as being "a germaphobe"

If anyone here could post the whole thing, I'd be forever greatful. link

And "Pee Tape" is trending on twitter.

edited 12th Apr '18 5:31:17 PM by megaeliz

TobiasDrake (•̀⤙•́) (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Arm chopping is not a love language!
(•̀⤙•́)
#238518: Apr 12th 2018 at 5:54:46 PM

So the Republicans pretty much have a gigantic hate boner for her?

They have for twenty years. The Republicans have never forgiven Hillary for being politically active as a First Lady rather than smiling and looking pretty beside her man. Then she stayed in Washington and continued being politically active long after he left.

My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.
M84 Oh, bother. from Our little blue planet Since: Jun, 2010 Relationship Status: Chocolate!
Oh, bother.
#238519: Apr 12th 2018 at 6:11:24 PM

To put it in perspective...the GOP has hated Hillary Clinton for longer than most of us (even me, one of the older posters here) have been alive.

Disgusted, but not surprised
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
#238520: Apr 12th 2018 at 6:13:50 PM

Hold the phone — there could be an illegitimate Trump child out there?

Do not obey in advance.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#238521: Apr 12th 2018 at 6:17:44 PM

There was a rumor about that, yes. The rumor at least was damaging enough for Trump's hatchetmen in the National Enquirer to pay 30 grand to a doorman to keep him quiet.

Now the doorman is talking, because he says that the agreement is null and void because the paper acknowledged it.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
BearyScary Since: Sep, 2010 Relationship Status: You spin me right round, baby
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#238523: Apr 12th 2018 at 6:41:10 PM

In new book, Comey blasts untruthful, ‘ego-driven’ Trump note 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former FBI Director James Comey blasts President Donald Trump as unethical and “untethered to truth” in a sharply critical new book that describes Trump as fixated in the early days of his administration on having the FBI debunk salacious rumors he insisted were untrue but could distress his wife.

In the forthcoming book, Comey compares Trump to a mafia don and calls his leadership of the country “ego driven and about personal loyalty.”

He also reveals new details about his interactions with Trump and his own decision-making in handling the Hillary Clinton email investigation before the 2016 election. He casts Trump as a mobster-like figure who sought to blur the line between law enforcement and politics and tried to pressure him personally regarding his investigation into Russian election interference.

The book adheres closely to Comey’s public testimony and written statements about his contacts with Trump and his growing concern about Trump’s integrity. It also includes strikingly personal jabs at Trump that appear sure to irritate the president.

The 6-foot-8 Comey describes Trump as shorter than he expected with a “too long” tie and “bright white half-moons” under his eyes that he suggests came from tanning goggles. He also says he made a conscious effort to check the president’s hand size, saying it was “smaller than mine but did not seem unusually so.”

On a more-personal level, Comey describes Trump repeatedly asking him to consider investigating an allegation involving Trump and Russian prostitutes urinating on a bed in a Moscow hotel, in order to prove it was a lie. Trump has strongly denied the allegation, and Comey says that it appeared the president wanted it investigated to reassure his wife, Melania Trump.

Trump fired Comey in May 2017, setting off a scramble at the Justice Department that led to the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation. Mueller’s probe has expanded to include whether Trump obstructed justice by firing Comey, which the president denies.

Trump has assailed Comey as a “showboat” and a “liar.”

Comey’s account lands at a particularly sensitive moment for Trump and the White House. Officials there describe the president as enraged over a recent FBI raid of his personal lawyer’s home and office, raising the prospect that he could fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, or try to shut down the probe on his own. The Republican National Committee is poised to lead the pushback effort against Comey by launching a website and supplying surrogates with talking points that question his credibility.

Comey’s book will be heavily scrutinized by the president’s legal team looking for any inconsistencies between it and his public testimony, under oath, before Congress. They will be looking to impeach Comey’s credibility as a key witness in Mueller’s obstruction investigation, which the president has cast as a political motivated witch hunt.

The former FBI director provides new details of his firing. He writes that then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly — now Trump’s chief of staff — offered to quit out of disgust at how Comey was dismissed. Kelly has been increasingly marginalized in the White House and the president has mused to confidants about firing him.

Comey also writes extensively about his first meeting with Trump after the election, a briefing in January 2017 at Trump Tower in New York City. Others in the meeting included Vice President Mike Pence, Trump’s first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, Michael Flynn, who would become national security adviser, and incoming press secretary, Sean Spicer. Comey was also joined by NSA Director Mike Rogers, CIA Director John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

After Clapper briefed the team on the intelligence community’s findings of Russian election interference, Comey said he was taken aback by what the Trump team didn’t ask.

“They were about to lead a country that had been attacked by a foreign adversary, yet they had no questions about what the future Russian threat might be,” Comey writes. Instead, they launched into a strategy session about how to “spin what we’d just told them” for the public.

Comey says he had flashbacks to his time investigating the Italian Mafia as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, thinking that Trump “was trying to make us all part of the same family.”

“For my entire career, intelligence was a thing of mine and political spin a thing of yours. Team Trump wanted to change that,” he writes.

Comey then describes talking to Trump one-on-one after the broader meeting.

He says he described the allegations about Russian prostitutes. He writes that he told Trump about the dossier because it was the FBI’s responsibility to protect the presidency from coercion related to harmful allegations, whether supported or not. Comey said he left out one detail involving an allegation that the prostitutes had urinated on a bed once used by the Obamas.

Trump raised the subject again a week later, after the dossier had been made public. He then told Comey, the director writes, that he had not stayed in the hotel and that the most salacious charge could not have been true because, Trump said, “I’m a germaphobe. There’s no way I would let people pee on each other around me. No way.”

Comey writes that Trump raised the issue again, unprompted, during their one-on-one dinner at the White House and it bothered the president that there might be even “a one percent chance” his wife might think it was true.

Comey then registers surprise, writing that he thought to himself “why his wife would think there was any chance, even a small one, that he had been with prostitutes urinating on each other in a Moscow hotel room.”

edited 12th Apr '18 6:46:46 PM by megaeliz

ironballs16 Since: Jul, 2009 Relationship Status: Owner of a lonely heart
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#238525: Apr 12th 2018 at 6:44:54 PM

Hold the phone — there could be an illegitimate Trump child out there?
That poor bastard.


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