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

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#239001: Apr 16th 2018 at 11:24:15 AM

Washington Post says Trump is walking back from new Russia sanctions that Haley announced at the UN yesterday.

edited 16th Apr '18 11:24:24 AM by Parable

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#239002: Apr 16th 2018 at 11:26:07 AM

Of course he is. Can't piss off Sugar Daddy Putin. Maybe Trump thinks this'll square things over the "bombing Syria" faux pas?

[down] Is there any precedent for a high-profile defendant being unable to secure qualified counsel because nobody would represent them?

edited 16th Apr '18 11:27:20 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#239003: Apr 16th 2018 at 11:26:22 AM

"Conflicts", seems to be the catch all for "I don't want to take him as a client because he doesn't listen and is known for not paying people.
"Sorry, Mr. Trump, but I can't take your case due to a conflict on interest." "What conflict?" "I don't want to go to jail."
Personally, I'm waiting for him to fire all of his lawyers, and try to represent himself, because he's obviously the best at it.
I don't, if only because that then leaves it open to an appeal that he didn't have qualified legal counsel.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239004: Apr 16th 2018 at 11:56:26 AM

Something that seems minor, but is interesting.

"Fox News host Sean Hannity is revealed as Michael Cohen's third client after a judge orders his name released" - Get updates at Reuters.com

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#239005: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:18:24 PM

Ordered because Cohen had been trying to keep it a secret that he'd been working for Hannity.

TheRoguePenguin Since: Jul, 2009
#239006: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:19:45 PM

That's one of eight Cohen refused to name. Let's see if he's forced to spill all of them.

BlueNinja0 The Mod with the Migraine from Taking a left at Albuquerque Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
The Mod with the Migraine
#239007: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:23:47 PM

[up] A slate article clearly written before that broke, said that "Somewhere out there, at this exact moment, a guy is thinking very, very hard about the best way to break some delicate news to his wife. " Could we be lucky enough to see this end the Hannity show on Faux News?

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239008: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:28:29 PM

Relevant bit from a live tweet of the hearing:

Mc Kay noted that Cohen refused to disclose the third client's name under seal.

"If he can't disclose the client name, even to the court under seal..." Mc Kay asks how the government can contest an overbroad claim of privilege.

"There's nothing improper about the way the search warrants were executed in this case," Mc Kay says, slamming Cohen's Fourth Amendment claim as "frivolous."

Quoting this line from Cohen's letter about "attacks on the impartiality of the Justice Department and the USAO," Mc Kay notes the irony that I pointed out early.

Cohen and Trump both made "inflammatory" attacks on that search, Mc Kay said.

Cohen's other attorney Steve Ryan says the third client is a "publicly prominent individual," and he didn't want the name to be released from the public. "We are protecting that persons identity, but not from the court," he claims, if there will be a sealed in camera review.

Jargon explanation: In camera = for the judge's eyes alone. Judge Wood wants to know the "legal grounds" for withholding the client's name.

After commenting on Cohen's responsibilities, Ryan says: "I'm simply trying to protect the privacy of that individual."

An attorney for the press objects, notes that the public also has a right. That attorney's name is Robert Balin, who reads a citation indicating that a client's fear of guilt by association is not enough to prevent disclosure.

The reason this is so, Balin says, is, "So that We the People, and the press, can monitor our institutions."

Judge Wood rules that the name "must be disclosed publicly now."

Dramatic buildup here.

As noted, Judge Wood made her ruling on disclosure, but no name yet. They're arguing about a privilege log.

Todd Harrison is up now.

Judge Wood: "I understand that he doesn't want his name out there, but that's not enough under the law."

"The client's name is Sean Hannity"

edited 16th Apr '18 12:30:21 PM by megaeliz

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239009: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:30:06 PM

https://whatthefuckjusthappenedtoday.com/2018/04/16/day-452/

Day 452: Morally unfit.

1/ James Comey called Trump "morally unfit to be president" and likened "the loyalty oaths" to a mob boss at "the dominant center of everything" who is doing "tremendous damage" to institutional and cultural norms. In his Sunday interview with George Stephanopoulos, Comey said that it is "possible, but I don't know" if Russia has compromising information on Trump. (ABC News / Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-comey-book/fired-fbi-director-comey-says-trump-morally-unfit-abc-news-interview-idUSKBN1HM0O5

Annotated excerpts from James Comey's "20/20" interview. (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/15/us/politics/comey-abc-interview-excerpts.html

2/ Trump tweeted that Comey is a "not smart," "self serving" liar, who deserves jail for being the "WORST FBI Director in history, by far." Th tweets came hours before Comey's interview aired. Trump also insisted that Comey's memos are "FAKE!" while doubling down on calling the former FBI director a "Slimeball!" Trump also charged that the only reason Comey reopened the Clinton email investigation in the final days of the 2016 election was because he wanted a job in her administration. Trump added: "I never asked Comey for Personal Loyalty." (Washington Post)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-assails-comey-in-tweetstorm-calls-for-ex-fbi-director-to-be-imprisoned/2018/04/15/af00c178-40af-11e8-ad8f-27a8c409298b_story.html?utm_term=.339b68a029df

3/ Trump continued his Twitter attacks on Comey, accusing the former FBI director of lying to Congress and having "committed many crimes!" Trump did not specify what crimes he believed Comey and others have committed. (New York Times)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/us/politics/trump-comey-clinton.html

4/ Trump asked a federal judge to block the Justice Department from viewing evidence seized during raids on Michael Cohen's office, home, and hotel. Trump's attorneys argued that some of the evidence seized from Cohen should first be reviewed by Trump, not federal prosecutors in New York who are investigating Cohen, because some of the materials may involve attorney-client privilege. (Bloomberg / Washington Post)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-16/trump-seeks-to-delay-his-own-justice-department-in-cohen-probe

5/ Trump wants the power to hire and fire all "officers of the United States" who "exercise significant authority" under the law. Trump's Solicitor General Noel Francisco intervened in a minor SEC case to urge the Supreme Court to clarify the president's constitutional "power to oversee executive officers through removal." The move comes as Trump has repeatedly claimed that he has the power to fire special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Francisco could also be in line to oversee the Mueller probe if Rod Rosenstein is fired. (Los Angeles Times)

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-court-trump-fire-20180415-story.html

6/ Paul Ryan: "I don't think it's necessary" to pass a bill to protect Robert Mueller from being fired by Trump. "I don't think he's going to fire Mueller." Hundreds of former Justice Department employees, meanwhile, are urging Congress to "swiftly and forcefully respond" should Trump fire Mueller. (NBC News / Washington Post)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/paul-ryan-not-necessary-bring-bill-protect-mueller-n866086

7/ Michael Cohen used the same Delaware LLC to handle the payoffs to Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model who alleged Elliott Broidy impregnated her. Federal prosecutors are examining money flowing in and out of Essential Consultants as part of a broad investigation into Cohen's activities to silence women with allegations against Trump or those near him. Separately, Cohen also killed a 2013 story where Us Weekly was going to report a story about Donald Trump Jr. having an affair with one of the singers in the group "Dumblonde." (Wall Street Journal)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-used-the-same-delaware-company-for-payment-deals-to-two-women-1523835216

8/ Trump's 2020 reelection campaign has spent about 22% of its fundraising on legal fees related to the ongoing special counsel investigation and a legal challenge by Stormy Daniels. The campaign also spent about $125,000 at Trump businesses, including Trump International Hotel, Trump restaurants, and Trump Tower. (Washington Post / Buzz Feed News)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-reelection-committee-has-spent-more-than-1-out-of-every-5-on-legal-fees-this-year/2018/04/15/2a9248e8-40f1-11e8-8569-26fda6b404c7_story.html

poll/ 56% of Americans disapprove of Trump's job performance, versus 40% who approve. Those who strongly disapprove outnumber those who strongly approve by nearly 2-1. (ABC News)

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/economy-helps-trump-approval-personality-women-poll/story?id=54445035

poll/ 47% of voters want a Democratic-controlled Congress, compared to 40% who prefer a GOP-controlled Congress – down from the Democrats' 10-point edge in March. (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/first-read/poll-shows-democrats-have-midterm-intensity-advantage-no-knockout-yet-n865916

Notables.

Trump tried to block Pence's national security adviser appointment. After Trump learned that Pence was bringing on Nikki Haley's deputy, Jon Lerner, Trump told Kelly to get rid of Lerner. (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/trump-pence-block-national-security-lerner-haley-1256a68a-718e-42e2-a4d5-e52b7d86b402.html

Jon Lerner stepped down two days after being named Pence's new national security aide. Trump was told – in error – that Lerner was a "Never Trumper," which caused him to boil over. Lerner offered to withdraw "to minimize the amount of conflict and internal drama." (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-pence/after-trump-drama-new-pence-national-security-aide-steps-down-idUSKBN1HN0CF

The Pentagon said there has been a "2,000% increase in Russian trolls in the last 24 hours," following the airstrikes against Syria on Friday night. (Axios)

https://www.axios.com/russian-bots-increase-2195bf68-567c-4466-a705-17e69d4b6cad.html

The Trump administration walked back Nikki Haley's announcement that the U.S. Treasury plans to issue additional sanctions on Russia following the chemical weapons attack in Syria last week. "We are considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future," Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. (The Hill)

http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/383354-white-house-walks-back-haley-announcement-on-russian-sanctions-for

Scott Pruitt's $43,000 secure "privacy booth" violated spending laws, the Government Accountability Office said. Pruitt told a congressional committee he needed the booth to make secure calls to the White House and discuss classified information, but he was unable to tell the lawmakers how often he would use it. (ABC News / Bloomberg / Washington Post)

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/epa-broke-spending-law-pruitt-phone-booth-government/story?id=54501480

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#239010: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:36:11 PM

I'm genuinely curious as to what kind of information the EPA chief could discuss that would be classified.

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239011: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:44:56 PM

[up] Personally, I don't think he's completely mentally stable, honestly.

What could Sean Hannity need a "Fixer" for I wonder?

edited 16th Apr '18 12:47:42 PM by megaeliz

Parable Since: Aug, 2009
#239012: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:46:05 PM

Hannity is also one of the Fox hosts that Trump actually talks with on a regular basis, if memory serves.

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#239013: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:46:49 PM

As much as I hate Hannity (especially when he peddled that 'Clinton killed the DNC leaker' Conspiracy theory), does revealing his name as a Client of Cohen actually do anything other then make him look slightly shadier? (Really hard to do, considering he's so shady he's completely pitch black at this point.)

Will it actually tie him to a potential crime? If it could, that'd be fantastic. Otherwise, I don't know what revealing his name would actually do...

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239014: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:49:20 PM

That's why I personally regarded the story as more interesting than important.

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#239015: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:50:56 PM

[up][up][up][up][up][up] You wouldn't expect a man in his seventies to have the vocabulary of a dullwitted teenager.

edited 16th Apr '18 12:51:38 PM by Kaiseror

megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239016: Apr 16th 2018 at 12:51:43 PM

And look what Hannity tweeted:

Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.

From a friend's twitter

HAHA i'm listening to hannity live right now, and he stops to write to tell someone he is on air right now.. then says "I wish people would stop trying to call me right now"

DO YOU THINK HE KNOWS HE WAS DOXXED IN COURT

I should call into his show.. pretend to have a valid disgusting alt right question or statement. Then hit him with some hard trump cohen troll material..

ANY IDEAS?

So anyone have any ideas of Alt Right questions I can suggest?

edited 16th Apr '18 1:09:48 PM by megaeliz

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#239017: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:08:58 PM

I don't really have any material to help you troll Hannity, however noble that cause may be.

edited 16th Apr '18 1:09:11 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
Hodor2 Since: Jan, 2015
#239018: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:12:03 PM

Something about immigrants being a cancer should suffice.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#239019: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:14:47 PM

Or immigrants spreading cancer by literally being cancer

edited 16th Apr '18 1:15:06 PM by sgamer82

danime91 Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#239020: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:18:52 PM

The actual purpose to Cohen disclosing his list of clients is because he's currently under investigation for potentially illegal activities, meaning anybody else he's represented could be suspect in similar crimes/cover-ups. Despite what the stupid alt-righters say, this investigation is mainly focused on Cohen's wrongdoings, potentially tied into Trump's wrongdoings, so it can easily branch out from there to whatever Cohen did involving his other clients.

By itself, Hannity's connection to Cohen doesn't incriminate him, but it does give a potential lead to investigators if they care to look.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#239021: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:26:07 PM

[up] Yep. This investigation is independent of the Mueller investigation and focuses on Cohen's personal criminal behavior. If it sweeps up illegal behavior by others, well... them's the breaks, as they say.

The point of seizing all of Cohen's documents without letting him assert attorney-client privilege was, at least in part, to determine if those documents implicate him or his clients in criminal acts, which negates any claim of privilege. It's so beautiful. And Cohen's argument that he ought to have been able to decide which documents to hand over seems like it's being laughed out of court.

edited 16th Apr '18 1:27:03 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
megaeliz Since: Mar, 2017
#239022: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:36:40 PM

[up] I'd argue that there's two separate investigations going on. There's the one being pursued in New York, and the one relating to his alleged role into the Russia affair. Remember that Mueller reportedly has proof that Cohen was in Prague, which confirms another piece of the Dossier. Allegedly, he meant with a Russian Oligarch, and Ukrainian Hackers, so logically, the next thing to find out, is if that is also true. (Although he might already know.)

I imagine they will be turning over any documents relevant to his alleged dealings with Russia specifically, over to Mueller.

edited 16th Apr '18 1:42:22 PM by megaeliz

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#239023: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:42:43 PM

Meanwhile, because Cohen has a rep for specializing in helping his clients handle former mistresses, Mrs Hannity (ie, Jill Rhodes) must have some very pointed questions for Sean right now.

edited 16th Apr '18 1:42:54 PM by DeMarquis

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#239024: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:46:37 PM

I'm under the impression Sean Hannity being a (possible) philanderer isn't all that surprising.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#239025: Apr 16th 2018 at 1:48:34 PM

I think it's some sort of hiring requirement to work at Fox News.

Have you (a) sexually harassed a co-worker, (b) cheated on your spouse? If both questions are answered "no", reject application.

For female applicants, it's: Are you willing to put up with persistent sexual harassment without suing or going public?

edited 16th Apr '18 1:50:36 PM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

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