If allegations by the attorney representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels are true...I would then suggest - based on legal and law enforcement sources - that Trump could be connected...as an accessory after the fact...or...as a co-conspirator with his longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen... in a crime that would add a new wrinkle in to the federal investigation of both Cohen and Trump.
Cornell Law School and the Legal Information Institute define "Accessory After The Fact" as "someone who assists another 1) who has committed a felony, 2) after the person has committed the felony, 3) with knowledge that the person committed the felony, and 4) with the intent to help the person avoid arrest or punishment. An accessory after the fact may be held liable for, inter alia, obstruction of justice."
On Tuesday, May 8th, 2018, accusations against Michael Cohen were made by Stormy Daniels' lawyer, Michael Avenatti, who alleges that Cohen received five-hundred-thousand dollars from a Russian oligarch between January and August 2017 and that such money was part of a slush fund that was allegedly used, in part, as hush money to pay off women who allegedly participated in Trump's extra-marital romps between the sheets. In other words...when Trump would allegedly go bed-hopping...Cohen had the bucks to pay women for their silence. Of course, we are certain - by his own admission - that Cohen paid one-hundred-thirty-thousand dollars to Daniels in order to zip her lip. Avenatti alleges that those bucks were part of the half-million dollars that allegedly came from Columbus Nova, a U.S.-based company which allegedly has ties to Russian oligarch, Viktor Vekselberg. So...if Cohen accepted Russian money...does Vladimir Putin have keys to The Oval Office? Is there an open door between The Kremlin and The White House?
Columbus Nova argues that it has no link to Vekselberg, who is one of the wealthiest men in Russia. An attorney for Columbus Nova says that no money paid to Cohen came from Vekselberg and that Avenatti's claim "is patently untrue."
In addition, Avenatti alleges there were suspicious financial transactions including deposits from three other major corporations...including the worldwide pharmaceutical and healthcare giant, Novartis...AT&T...and state-run Korea Aerospace Industries. Avenatti alleges that these businesses paid Cohen's company as a way to get close to the Trump Administration. He says Cohen was "selling access to the president of the United States."
On Wednesday, May 9th, a senior official at Novartis confirmed to NBC News that Michael Cohen did contact the drug company after the 2016 election, "promising access" to the Trump Administration. NBC News also reports that the Novartis official says special counsel Robert Mueller later requested information from the healthcare heavyweight about the Cohen offer...and that Novartis signed a one-year, 1.2-million-dollar contract with him.
Meanwhile, AT&T has disclosed that Mueller also wanted information about a consulting deal that the telecommunications titan made with Cohen after Trump was sworn in as president. The arrangement with Cohen was for six-hundred-thousand dollars. And The New York Times reported that the arrangement was to have Cohen "focus on specific long-term planning initiatives as well as the immediate issue of corporate tax reform and the acquisition of Time Warner." But on Thursday, May 10th, The Washington Post reported that AT&T internal documents reveal that Cohen agreed to devote half his time "on legislative policy development" and the other fifty percent of his time on 'regulatory policy development." AT&T had earlier stated that their payment to Cohen would bring them "insights in to understanding" the Trump Administration.
Attorney Avenatti claims that an amount totaling about 4.4-million dollars was deposited in to the account of Michael Cohen's shell company, Essential Consultants. It is that account which Avenatti says was used to pay his client, Stormy Daniels, that one-hundred-thirty-thousand dollars to keep her quiet about her alleged 2006, one-night sexual encounter with Donald Trump.
As for Korea Aerospace Industries, they - according to Avenatti - wrote a check to Cohen's company in November 2017 for one-hundred-fifty-thousand dollars.
Avenatti has not revealed the source of his information.
But while boarding a taxi in New York City...Cohen - on May 9th - emphatically told reporters that Avenatti's allegations are "inaccurate." Avenatti, however, alleges a pay to play scheme by Cohen, who - in the past - admittedly labeled himself, Donald Trump's "fixer."
On MSNBC's Morning Joe, Avenatti asked..."Where did the money go? Did all of it go to Michael Cohen? Did some of it go back to The Trump Organization? Did some of it ultimately find its way back to the president?"
In the meantime...former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani - who is now part of Trump's legal team - told NBC News that "the president is not involved in any way (with Cohen's business dealings) either before or after he was president."
Cohen had originally stated that the money to pay Stormy Daniels had come from his own bank account and that he was not reimbursed by Donald Trump, the Trump campaign or The Trump Organization. But in a Wednesday, May 2nd interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Giuliani let the cat out of the bag and said Trump was indeed reimbursed by Cohen because the money he laid out was merely a loan. The chairman of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, Norm Eisen, tweeted on May 2nd that Trump may have "broke(n) the law by failing to disclose the loan from Cohen on his federal presidential financial disclosures."
All of the above being said...on April 5th, Trump lied to reporters aboard Air Force One when he claimed he knew absolutely nothing about Michael Cohen making any payment to Stormy Daniels, which Cohen had initially said he did without Trump's knowledge. But Mayor Giuliani informed Sean Hannity - not to mention the rest of the world - that Trump not only gave back the bucks to Cohen, but he did so as separate installments on several occasions. Trump then tweeted the following day - Thursday, May 3rd - that Cohen "received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign."
But the debate is ongoing whether Trump violated campaign finance laws. Individuals are only permitted by law to contribute up to twenty-seven-hundred dollars to a federal political candidate's campaign for the general election. With the one-hundred-thirty-thousand dollars that Cohen paid to Stormy Daniels, many legal experts believe - since the money was paid to Daniels in order to benefit Trump - it can, without question, be considered a campaign contribution...and thus...it would be illegal. But Giuliani's explanation to Sean Hannity was..."That money was not campaign money. Sorry, I'm giving you a fact that you don't know. It's not campaign money. No campaign finance violation." Other lawyers disagree.
Cohen has never denied paying the hush money to the porn star - whose real name is Stephanie Clifford - and that he prepared a non-disclosure agreement for her to sign - less than two weeks before the 2016 election - in order to guarantee her silence about the alleged Trump tryst. Such a fling - less than four months after Melania Trump gave birth to the Trumps' son, Barron - has been denied by Donald Trump. But Daniels insists the affair did happen, even though Trump never signed the NDA. Michael Avenatti says because Trump's signature does not appear on the non-disclosure agreement, then such a document is not valid. A lawsuit is before a court in California.
If the above allegations - or certain elements of them - are proved to be true, Michael Cohen could someday be escorted by armed guards to prison...and Donald Trump could eventually be evicted from The White House.
It's been nearly forty-six years since the June 1972 Watergate break-in, but when investigating that political scandal, The Washington Post's Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein wrote in their best-selling book, All The President's Men, that Woodward was advised by "Deep Throat" to "follow the money." I would bet that is exactly what special counsel Mueller is doing in investigating Michael Cohen...and what he is also doing in investigating Donald Trump. As for another tidbit of Watergate history...it wasn't until 2005 that "Deep Throat" was identified as Mark Felt, who was - at the time of Watergate - the associate director of the FBI.
Fast forward to Donald Trump...who has all along insisted that neither he...nor his campaign...were involved in colluding with the Russians. Trump has repeatedly echoed his own words..."no collusion"...so many times...that I think...that he thinks...if he says it enough...that it must be true.
And apparently, Trump's lapdog is following his leader. Mike Pence - in an interview with NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell - added his two cents about the Russia probe on May 10th. "In the interest of the country, I think it's time to wrap it up." Mike, my hunch is that you really mean..."In the interest of Donald Trump, I think it's time to wrap it up." As we all know, Trump continues to call the Russia investigation a "witch hunt." In writing other editorials over the last year or so, I have questioned, on multiple occasions, how much Pence knows about Russia's interference in our election and if his boss consulted with him before Trump fired James Comey as FBI director. Who knows? Maybe it was Pence's idea to dismiss Comey? Maybe it was Pence who suggested to Trump...get rid of Comey and you get rid of this "witch hunt" of an investigation. Maybe Pence is not only a willing participant in a cover-up, but the guy who has been instrumental in guiding it. Oh Mike...can you say...a wolf in sheep's clothing? Why else would Pence want to put a stop to Mueller's investigation? Is Pence scared that Mueller will take him down too when he topples Trump? But if Pence does not somehow sink with the Trump ship, Republicans should be reminded, in the future, of the magnetic monologue that veteran Republican strategist Steve Schmidt delivered with eloquent articulation on the May 10th edition of MSNBC's Deadline: White House with Nicolle Wallace. Mike Pence "is a titanic fraud." "I wonder if they (the GOP) have any concept of the weakness that oozes out of this guy." "He's the vice president of the United States...and he acts like he's the house butler at Mar-a-Lago."
Meanwhile, the evidence is indeed mounting, day after day, which appears to indicate that Trump and members of his inner circle have - in some way - participated in a conspiracy to collude with Russia...and probably for more illegal reasons than to interfere in America's 2016 election. I can only wonder if the money that Michael Cohen allegedly received from the aforementioned Russian oligarch... found it's way into the pockets of Donald Trump.
My words - from the past - are on the record that I believe NOTHING... nothing goes on in "Trumpworld" without Donald Trump's personal approval. I noted from day one that Trump had to be aware of his son and son-in-law's meeting with Russians at Trump Tower in June 2016. There is no way that Donald Trump, Jr. and Jared Kushner took such a meeting, but didn't tell "Daddy Donald." Let me remind you that such a conference was with people who stated up front that they had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton and that Trump, Jr., in an e-mail, replied..."I love it." Of course there was no dirt on the Democratic nominee, but that doesn't minimize the intent by Trump, Jr....by Kushner...and probably by Donald Trump himself...to collude and conspire with the Russians.
I have also written in earlier columns that it is not at all plausible for Michael Cohen to not fully inform Trump about the explicit terms of the financial arrangement with Stormy Daniels...despite the fact that Rudy Giuliani seems to think such a practice is not at all uncommon. That comment did not please the law firm he was associated with...and on May 10th, his ties with that company were severed.
Robert Mueller must be licking his chops this week because if he can prove - without a shadow of a doubt - that Michael Avenatti's allegations are factual...and that Cohen did jump into the sack - metaphorically speaking - with a Russian oligarch...and others...who paid millions of dollars to allegedly gain access to Trump...that would - according to many lawyers and law enforcement professionals - constitute criminal activity...and therefore, the special counsel would be able to throw the book at Cohen and force Trump to resign...which is what I predicted about a year ago would eventually happen to Trump, as long as Mueller digs up enough dirt on him to bury his presidency.
But it's always possible - as anything is possible with Donald Trump - that his arrogance will overpower his narcissism...and therefore...it may take the House of Representatives to impeach him and the Senate to convict and remove him from office. That means it's crucial for every Democrat throughout the nation to head to the polls and vote in the mid-term elections this November, so that the Democratic Party will regain control of Congress in January 2019.
I will share with you the thoughts of two political observers - one of which I communicated with directly, but who prefers to remain anonymous. This analyst - and another individual - apparently held an in-depth discussion and they have come to the conclusion that Trump may not be mentally able to accept the failure of losing his presidency. And that his ego could not only be bruised, but blasted to smithereens...thus - according to this pair of political pundits - Trump might take his own life. I have written in the past that I wouldn't be surprised if the stress of the job gives him a heart attack or a stroke...but suicide is not the way to go...and I hope that's not the end result for Donald Trump.
Since the 2016 election, Republican readers have pointed the finger at me as a Donald Trump "hater." I have made it crystal clear that I do not in any way "hate" Donald Trump. I truly do not hate anybody. I do, however, despise Trump's policies...I loath the way he thinks about mostly everything...and I abhor how he treats women and all minorities. But I personally do NOT hate him. And that's the God's honest truth. Therefore...I certainly do not wish Trump any harm. I wish him well and hope he will someday celebrate his 100th birthday. I just don't want him anywhere near The White House. But that's not something I alone can make happen. If he's still president in November 2020, it will be up to the American voters to elect the Democratic nominee...whomever that may be. But I genuinely doubt that Trump will be sitting behind The Oval Office desk when we go to the polls to elect a new president two-and-a-half years from now. I believe special counsel Mueller will prove that Trump obstructed justice - possibly on multiple counts - and he will discover evidence of other criminal wrongdoing by him. As a result, I don't think Trump will ever complete his term, and thus, he would not be on the ballot for our next election.
Donald Trump must be stopped. He and his sidekicks continue to undermine the investigation in to his ties with Russia. Trump has hinted that he will likely pardon his advisers who have either been indicted or who probably will be...and he's threatened firing the special counsel. Yet his supporters don't care.
Trump is a reckless and dangerous president who is destroying our democracy with every moment he remains in The White House. Trump continues to lie...and his cronies do it for him. The Washington Post has proven that Trump cannot be trusted. But despite more than three-thousand fact-checked falsehoods since his inauguration...Trump's base still continues to have his back.
In the 2016 campaign, Trump accused Hillary Clinton of engaging in "pay to play" conduct with the Clinton Foundation while Mrs. Clinton was Secretary of State. It has been proven there is no truth whatsoever to any of Trump's accusations. But ironically..."pay to play"...or "pay for play"...may be what finally puts the kibosh on Trump's presidency.
Remember what Richard Nixon said? "I am not a crook." And yet he was. Now... it's looking like...so is Donald Trump.
Therefore, to save the United States of America any more embarrassment because of any other alleged illegal action...if Donald Trump really loves our country - as he says he does - then it's time, Donald, to start packing your bags...and for you to resign.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions. Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.
Now please express your personal opinions by following the instructions above. And thank you for reading The Controversy.
Photo credit: Chicago Tribune (Donald Trump)
Copyright 2018 Gary B. Duglin and TheControversy.net. All Rights Reserved.
Putting aside all the hyperbole that you write, all the opinions you give, trying to make them sound like facts DO YOU HAVE ANY PROOF that President Donald Trump committed any crime, yes or no! Not your opinion, real proof! This is an investigation in search of a crime, as a Federal Judge stated last week the Mueller team doesn’t care about Manafort they just want to use him to get the President. In my opinion as the reader Mueller is out to get the President whether he did anything illegal or not all to avenge his friend being fired.
ReplyDeleteIt is not my job to provide "any proof." That's special counsel Robert Mueller's responsibility.
DeleteAs for your disrespectful remark about a lifelong public servant, Mueller has given his life to the United States. He has served the federal government under eight...count them...eight American presidents - including three Democrats and five Republicans.
Under Democrat Lyndon Johnson and Republican Richard Nixon, Mueller was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. He received the Bronze Star (with valor), the Purple Heart Medal, two Navy Commendation Medals (with valor), a Combat Action Ribbon and the South Vietnam Gallantry Cross. He finished his service as a captain.
As a distinguished prosecutor, Mueller served under Republican Ronald Reagan as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. He served under Republican George H. W. Bush and Democrat Bill Clinton as U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division. He served under Mr. Clinton and Republican George W. Bush as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California and under Mr. Bush 43 as Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General.
Other than J. Edgar Hoover, Robert Mueller was the longest-serving FBI director, serving under Mr. Bush 43 and Democrat Barack Obama.
And now he continues his service in the federal government while Republican Donald Trump is in The White House.
Mueller is revered by Democrats and Republicans alike. Integrity and trust are words that members of both political parties have used to describe him.
The only agenda that Robert Mueller has is to get the truth...and if that means finding evidence that proves Donald Trump should be removed from office...then Mueller will have done his job. However, if that means proving that Trump is not guilty of criminal activity, then Mueller will have done this job too.
Mueller's friendship with former director James Comey has NOTHING to do with "aveng(ing) his friend (for) being fired." Mueller has taken an oath to serve the United States. He is ONLY looking for justice to be served...no matter what the results.
This is no more an "investigation in search of a crime" than what any district attorney's office would do when they have a "target"...or even just a "subject"...of an investigation.
Republicans dragged Bill Clinton through the mud for the Monica Lewinsky ordeal. Republicans raked Hillary Clinton over the coals for Benghazi and for the e-mail matter. Neither were guilty of anything illegal. However, if Robert Mueller proves anything that I discussed in my column above, then Donald Trump WOULD...be guilty of criminal activity. And yet, unless Trump resigns, it will take the House and then the Senate to do anything about impeaching him and removing him from office.
So stop thinking that Trump is squeaky clean. He is not. And it will be up to Mueller to find out how much dirt he is in.
GBD
You said “This is no more an "investigation in search of a crime" than what any district attorney's office would do when they have a "target"...or even just a "subject"...of an investigation” when a DA investigates a “crime” that is what he is doing, there has been a robbery, a murder, a crime of some sort, what is the “crime” Mueller is investigating? Though I don’t believe the President or his campaign “colluded” with the Russians, what law is there that says it is a “crime”. The only Federal statutes that refer to collusion are ones such as price fixing, insider trading and stock manipulation. There are no other Federal crimes for collusion. You can collude with anyone as long as you are not colluding to break the law which is “conspiracy”. As for President Clinton a Federal Judge ruled he lied and was found guilty of contempt, that is illegal, as for Hillary Clinton and her emails, even Comey in his July announcement said there was evidence of violation of statutes but without any legal authority he as the head of the FBI made the decision that only the prosecutor or a Grand Jury has the right to make which was not to prosecute. He came up with his own definition of the law claiming that with no intent there was no violation. The law makes it clear that no intent is needed only “gross negligence” to be a crime, even without the negligence issue, smashing federal cell phones and bleachbitting hard drives that are under subpoena is a crime. Comey made up his own rules. Mueller’s job is not to see what dirt he can find on the President, his job is to investigate Russian interference in our election, which there was, that’s all he should be doing. Nobody has shown any evidence that what anyone from the Trump Campaign or the President did with the Russians was illegal or part of the Russians meddling in our election. No I don’t think the President is “squeaky clean” but I don’t believe that anything he has done is criminal.
ReplyDeleteThis is what you and other Republicans don't seem to understand. There HAS been a crime. That crime is that the Russians meddled in our democracy by interfering with our 2016 presidential election. If you read my column carefully, you will see that I do not merely use the word "collusion." Below is just one example.
Delete"Meanwhile, the evidence is indeed mounting, day after day, which appears to indicate that Trump and members of his inner circle have - in some way - participated in a conspiracy to collude with Russia...and probably for more illegal reasons than to interfere in America's 2016 election. I can only wonder if the money that Michael Cohen allegedly received from the aforementioned Russian oligarch...found it's way into the pockets of Donald Trump."
Note the words..."conspiracy to collude."
Once again, you and other Republicans continue to throw the book at President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton when there is no book that can be thrown. The issue regarding Mr. Clinton was the impeachment...which to use Donald Trump's accusation about the Russia probe, was truly a "witch hunt." As for Mrs. Clinton, the FBI concluded that there was absolutely nothing that she did illegal that could be prosecuted. These are the facts. They cannot be disputed. Your remarks about James Comey's "decision" is not only ludicrous, but not worthy of discussion.
You say that "nobody has shown any evidence that what anyone from the Trump campaign or the president did with the Russians was illegal or part of the Russians meddling in our election." That is what an investigation does...to find out if there IS any "evidence"...or...OR...if there is NOT.
At this point, the investigation has branched out to include much more than Russia's interference in our election. It just may be that a romp between the sheets in 2006 could be what brings down Trump's presidency. The money with Stormy Daniels, everything that we are learning about Michael Cohen and THAT money including "pay to play"...and as I wrote in my column..."My words - from the past - are on the record that I believe NOTHING...nothing goes on in 'Trumpworld' without Donald Trump's personal approval." Also, as I wrote in my column and again in this response - which is worthy of repeating - "I can only wonder if the money that Michael Cohen allegedly received from the aforementioned Russian oligarch...found it's way into the pockets of Donald Trump." That is what special counsel Robert Mueller needs to find out. And if you don't think THAT is "criminal"...then you are sadly mistaken. Again...it is what Mueller needs to do. And he will...one way or the other.
GBD
Russian meddling was a crime committed by Russians, I don’t see where you can say "Meanwhile, the evidence is indeed mounting, day after day, which appears to indicate that Trump and members of his inner circle have - in some way - participated in a conspiracy to collude with Russia” what evidence is there? If you are talking about Don Jr meeting to get dirt on Hillary, nothing illegal there, don’t say FEC violation because unless they got the “dirt” on Hillary and didn’t pay for it, then you might be able to say the campaign got something of value from a foreign entity. But they did get any dirt, so no FEC violation.
ReplyDeleteAs of today there is no evidence that Cohen got any money from a Russian oligarch and the money he got from other companies, it is not illegal to sell access, only if the politician gets money for access. A private citizen can sell his services as a friend of the President to the highest bidder and promise he will talk to the President about you or your product or anything you want and it is 100% legal.
As for the Clintons I stand by the law and the facts, President Clinton was found guilty in a court of law and Hillary had Loretta Lynch and Jim Comey’s thumbs on the scales of justice, I don’t think any one that is fair minded would dispute those facts. For some reason in October Comey decided to put his hand on the scale again, maybe he thought Trump might win and wanted to get in his good graces and keep his job. Since at this point we know Comey is a major liar, none of us will ever know the truth.
The investigation should not have branched out especially to be about a whore and her whore of a lawyer. As long as President Trump didn’t take any money from what you are calling “pay to play" he is in the clear. He could have not only known about it but even encouraged it and none of it would have been a crime. The only crime that Cohen may have violated and I say again MAY HAVE is not registering as a lobbyist. Mueller should stick to Russia and close this case as soon as possible and let this President get back to doing the GREAT things he is doing for the Country with the Mueller monkey on his back. Appointing a great Justice like Neil M. Gorsuch, the 17 Federal Judges ( 70 more waiting for confirmation) , getting rid of thousands of regulations, giving the US Military the right to crush ISIS, tax reform, opening up ANWR, moving our embassy to Jerusalem, getting 3 Americans out of North Korea, making history with North Korea the list of great things goes on and on and on! America is winning again!
My response to the above reader will be in three parts.
DeletePART ONE OF THREE
Yes, "Russian meddling was a crime committed by Russians." But there is so much circumstantial evidence that Donald Trump and members of his inner circle conspired with Russia that special counsel Robert Mueller is sworn to do his duty and to determine conclusively whether Trump himself...and/or any of his aides...were involved in such a conspiracy to collude with Russia...or if - like with Richard Nixon - Trump (and perhaps Mike Pence too) have been spearheading a cover-up.
You are so sadly mistaken about the Trump Tower meeting. Legal and law enforcement scholars nationwide - not only Democrats, but some Republicans too - have categorically stated that "intent" can be grounds for indictment and for conviction. Plus...as I noted in my column above, as well as in other editorials over the last year or so..."NOTHING...nothing goes on in 'Trumpworld' without Donald Trump's personal approval. I noted from day one that Trump had to be aware of his son and son-in-law's meeting with Russians at Trump Tower in June 2016. There is no way that Donald Trump, Jr. and Jared Kushner took such a meeting, but didn't tell 'Daddy Donald'."
You're the type of person who if you were hit over the head with a baseball bat, you'd wait to see if you get a lump before you admit to being hurt. So far, there is so much evidence against Michael Cohen that special counsel Robert Mueller is probably having an orgasm over everything that has been handed to him this last week. Plus...we don't know what Mueller has in his hot little hands following the FBI's raid on April 9th of Cohen's office, home, and hotel suite. Written documents, recordings...who knows? And all Mueller needs is proof that Donald Trump was involved in the actual crime or a cover-up of "pay to play" to gain access to the president of the United States and it's game over for both Cohen AND Trump. And if any of that 4.4 million dollars that was received by Cohen is found in the pockets of Trump..."The Donald" will be lucky to leave The White House with his shirt on.
GBD
END OF PART ONE OF THREE
PART TWO OF THREE
DeletePresident Clinton was not found guilty in his impeachment case. As for being found guilty that he "lied" about a sexual encounter (not "sex")...big deal. You elected Donald Trump after he admitted that it's okay to "grab 'em by the pu--y" because he's a "star."
As for Hillary Clinton...there isn't a prosecutor in the nation - worth his or her salt - that would take such a case, and that's why James Comey made his statement. People on both sides of the aisle have noted that Comey may be a lot of things...but he is not a liar. Believe me...I don't like supporting Comey. He caused Mrs. Clinton's election loss with his letter to Congress, eleven days before the election. But I don't believe Comey lies.
You are so very wrong that the investigation should not have branched out. Investigations lead to all sorts of things...and whether the investigator is Barney Fife in Mayberry, North Carolina...or Robert Mueller...the investigator is going to follow whatever leads he has in order to make his case...or...to determine other illegal activities that are directly...or indirectly connected...to the initial crime.
GBD
END OF PART TWO OF THREE
PART THREE OF THREE
DeleteYou, Donald Trump and Mike Pence are all cut from the same mold when you say that Mueller's investigation should come to a close. The probe should NOT be stopped until Mueller himself determines that it is over.
You're someone who is buying in to the hype of Trump and his "GREAT"ness. Of everything you mentioned above, except for one thing, there is nothing that Trump has done in the last 15 and a half months since taking office that I would say is "GREAT." True, he did bring home the three Americans from North Korea. And that, of course, was GREAT. However, Trump's impromptu press conference at 3 o'clock in the morning was a joke. As always, the narcissist that he is, Trump had to make everything about him and getting "the best ratings" for a television broadcast at 3 a.m. Plus...kissing Kim Jung-un's ass is not the way to go. Does Trump not have the brains to understand the crimes that Kim has committed? Kim is an evil dictator. There are ways to sound diplomatic without making Kim become a hero. Donald Trump is disgusting and he made me sick the other early morning watching that nauseating display of narcissism at Andrews Air Force Base.
The time is coming when even many more Republicans will walk away...or run away...from Donald Trump. But I guess your lips will be firmly pressed to his butt cheeks...as I suppose there's nothing at all Trump could do...that would convince you...that he is unfit to be president.
GBD
END OF PART THREE OF THREE
If they did anything, what did President Trump and members of his inner circle conspire with Russia to do? Get opposition research on Hillary Clinton, nothing illegal with that. Yes, in many cases intent can be grounds for an indictment, but you have to have intent to do something illegal. Getting “dirt” on a political opponent is not illegal.
ReplyDeletePresident Clinton lied and was held in contempt, Trump’s comments were wrong but he didn’t lie to a Federal Court. Your comments on Hillary are laughable I have heard over a dozen former Federal Prosecutors say that they would have or at the minimum sent it to a Grand Jury, including Trey Gowdy, Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christy, Jeff Sessions and many others. I know they are all Republican and Clinton haters.
Branching out is one thing when following leads but what Mueller is doing is looking for other things which is different.
If Mueller doesn’t have anything he should close the investigation.
As for President Trump doing some great things, I guess you don’t think going after ISIS and taking back 95% of the territory that ISIS took during the Obama years is a great thing, or getting rid of job killing regulations is great, getting NK to the table. I guess you think maybe opening up our boarders and letting in possible terrorist, drug dealers and gang members is a good thing, people that are more like Democrats, that’s not happening under this President, thank God. I am not saying all the illegals fall into those categories but if 1in a 100 or even 1 in a 1000 do then we need to stop them all. I don’t see where President Trump was “kissing Kim Jung-un's ass” but I do remember President Obama with his head up Putin’s ass telling the Russians to just wait until after the 2012 election when he would have more flexibility to give them anything they want, and he did. Talk about someone who was un-fit to be president!
Are you related to Donald Trump? You're a hater. There are no two ways about it. YOU...ARE...A...HATER!
DeleteCrimes have been committed by members of the Trump campaign and the Trump administration. That is why aides have already been indicted and/or pleaded guilty. When all is said and done, special counsel Robert Mueller is going to prove that Trump either was involved from the start in a conspiracy to collude with Russia or that he has guided the cover-up. Mueller is also going to use Trump's own words to bury him in an obstruction of justice case. Why don't you and the Republicans realize that Trump admitted on national television to NBC's Lester Holt that he fired James Comey as FBI director in order to put an end to the Russia investigation? And once Mueller gets through with Michael Cohen and proves that he AND TRUMP received money from the Russians in order for the Russians to gain access to the president of the United States, then Trump will be lucky, once home in New York, if he ever can sell a dog house because his life in real estate will be ruined. And his son and son-in-law will be cooked too.
You and other Republicans always want to return to the past and attack President Clinton and/or Secretary Clinton. My words about the Clintons are FACTS. You can laugh all day long, but the fact of the matter is that poll after poll shows that if the Constitution would allow it, Bill Clinton would be elected president again in a landslide. And if it wasn't for Comey's letter to Congress - which was against Justice Department protocol - the contents of which were totally false...then Hillary Clinton would be president today.
Investigators, prosecutors and their staffs follow leads everyday and if they suspect that their target...or even their subject...is involved in other criminal activity besides what the initial investigation was focused on...so be it. It's icing on the cake.
No, Donald Trump has done NOTHING great...except for bringing home the three Americans from North Korea. But the news conference, as I said in an earlier response, was a joke. The narcissist that Trump is made the return of the hostages all about himself and how wonderful Kim Jung-un is. Yes Trump is a Kim ass kisser.
Not only are you a Clinton and Clinton hater, but you are an Obama hater. President Barack Obama is beloved in our country. He was elected to the presidency twice and NOW...a recent Gallup polls shows that 63% of Americans in hindsight say they approve of the way Mr. Obama handled his job as president. Only two presidents in modern American history have higher approval ratings, and they are President John F. Kennedy (at number one) and President Ronald Reagan (at number two). So go take your hatred and stick it up your behind.
GBD
No, I’m not related to PRESIDENT TRUMP. I am not a hater. I find it funny you can say anything you want about the President whether it is the truth or an outright lie and you claim you are not a hater. I write 100% facts about former President Clinton, his wife or former President Obama and you claim I’m the hater. You are the one who brought up the Clintons not me “Republicans dragged Bill Clinton through the mud for the Monica Lewinsky ordeal. Republicans raked Hillary Clinton over the coals for Benghazi and for the e-mail matter.” You sir without any doubt are the true hater, you hate the President, you hate Conservatives, you hate the GOP, you hate what has made this Country great and what is making it great again! Do you even care about America? Just to set the record straight from your insinuations, NO AIDE or member of the President’s campaign or Administration has been indicted or plead guilty to colluding or conspiring with the Russians, the claimed reason for this witch hunt. We all know the real reason for this farce is that the left can’t get over that President Trump beat Hillary. You can’t even be honest and give him credit for the great job he is doing, you are the hater’s hater!
ReplyDeleteAs for the Obama approval rating, I will be politically incorrect and tell you the truth, many people gave him high marks to avoid being called a racist. For eight years anyone who disagreed with the Obama doctrine was berated and called a racist. So out of fear many people gave him much high marks then he deserved. All because they disagreed with his unfair and in some cases un-American policies he was pushing. The democrat party is a master at berating people, stirring up hate and dividing America. We all remember, “basket of deplorables” how about “they cling to guns or religion”. The DNC tries to paint all who disagree with them as racist, homophobes, anti-Semitic, anti-women, anti-immigrant the list goes on and on, all un-true, they believe it will bring us down and they then can rise to power and complete their mission to turn America into a third world nation.
I have no hatred to stick anywhere but by the tone of what you write you must be filled with hatred for so many things, you should really seek professional help.
My response to the above reader will be in FIVE parts.
DeletePART ONE OF FIVE
You are pathological. You lie and you think, as Donald Trump does, that if you lie that makes it a fact.
You can NOT twist my words around just for your own liking. I never said that a Trump "aide" has been "indicted or has plead(ed) guilty to colluding or conspiring with the Russians." What I said above was..."there is so much circumstantial evidence that Donald Trump and members of his inner circle conspired with Russia that special counsel Robert Mueller is sworn to do his duty and to determine conclusively whether Trump himself...and/or any of his aides...were involved in such a conspiracy to collude with Russia...or if - like with Richard Nixon - Trump (and perhaps Mike Pence too) have been spearheading a cover-up."
You can NOT say that none of Trump's aides have been indicted or pleaded guilty.
1) George Papadopoulos is a former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser (not "a coffee boy") and he pleaded guilty in October 2017 to making false statements to the FBI.
2) Michael Flynn is Trump’s former national security adviser. He pleaded guilty in December 2017 to making false statements to the FBI.
3) Paul Manafort is Trump’s former campaign chairman and he was indicted in October 2017 in Washington, DC on charges of conspiracy, money laundering, false statements, and failure to disclose foreign assets...all of which that were related to his work for Ukrainian politicians before he joined the Trump campaign. He has pleaded not guilty on all charges. In February 2018, special counsel Robert Mueller filed a new case against Manafort in Virginia, with tax, financial, and bank fraud charges.
and...
4) Rick Gates is a former Trump campaign aide and Manafort’s longtime junior business partner who was indicted on similar charges as Manafort. But Gates has agreed to a plea deal with Mueller’s team by pleading guilty to only one false statements charge and one conspiracy charge.
And if you think that none of these people are not going to throw Trump under the bus then you're living in "fantasyland."
GBD
END OF PART ONE OF FIVE
PART TWO OF FIVE
DeleteAs for your comment that "You are the one who brought up the Clintons not me"...again you lie. Just re-read some of your earlier responses. You open the door every time you make false accusations about either President Clinton or Secretary Clinton.
You do NOT "write 100% facts" about Bill and Hillary Clinton. You lie. And you continue to lie. So it is YOU...who is the "hater." I have been writing my columns for nearly six years...and if you read any of my 343 editorials over that period of time, I frequently mention that I DO NOT HATE ANYBODY. I do not hate Donald Trump, I do not hate conservatives and I do not hate the GOP. But for you to make a despicable accusation that I "hate what has made this country great and what is making it great again" is YOU making a statement of hate. You are basically accusing me of being "un-American" and by you doing that...you are disgraceful. Don't write back that you did not use the word "un-American"...but your message is clear...crystal clear.
GBD
END OF PART TWO OF FIVE
PART THREE OF FIVE
DeleteOnce again you lie. You and other Republicans keep coming back to the same crap. I don't know if you do it just so you can hear yourself tell lies or what your reasons are, but the truth is...you lie. Democrats are NOT in any way supporting Robert Mueller's investigation because we "can't get over that Trump beat Hillary." That is NOT the reason. The reason is because Americans need to know conclusively whether the president of the United States is a crook. And as I wrote in my column... "Remember what Richard Nixon said? 'I am not a crook.' And yet he was."
Not only are you a liar, but you lie to defend your lies. And then you make a vicious comment that "many people gave him (President Obama) high marks to avoid being called a racist." A comment like that is so vile that you make me sick. The fact of the matter is that 63 percent of Americans are being honest - whether Democrats, Republicans or Independents - as they realize that President Obama was a damn good president...and that history will paint him a GREAT president...as I do now. But YOU don't want to recognize any of that. For you to say that people "fear" telling the truth to a poll is beyond ludicrous and, quite frankly, is a "racist" statement in and of itself. As I noted above, President Obama has the third highest approval rating of all U.S. presidents, going back more than half a century. Only President Kennedy and President Reagan are ahead of him.
I said above that you did not actually use the word "un-American" towards me, but you inferred it...however, you have called President Obama "un-American." And don't reply that you said the "policies he was pushing" were "un-American." That is the same thing as calling Mr. Obama, "un-American."
GBD
END OF PART THREE OF FIVE
PART FOUR OF FIVE
DeleteYou are a vicious, vicious person with so much hate in your bones. To say that "the Democrat(ic) Party is a master at berating people, stirring up hate and dividing America" is your hatred speaking.
What you and other Trumpers don't seem to understand is that when you get in to bed with someone who IS "deplorable"...then that makes YOU..."deplorable." And that is what Hillary Clinton meant by "basket of deplorables."
The following are the exact words of the segment of Mrs. Clinton's New York City speech from September 9th, 2016.
"I know there are only 60 days left to make our case -- and don't get complacent, don't see the latest outrageous, offensive, inappropriate comment and think, well, he's done this time. We are living in a volatile political environment. You know, to just be grossly generalistic, you could put half of Trump's supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Right? The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic -- you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up. He has given voice to their websites that used to only have 11,000 people -- now 11 million. He tweets and retweets their offensive hateful mean-spirited rhetoric. Now, some of those folks -- they are irredeemable, but thankfully they are not America. But the other basket -- and I know this because I see friends from all over America here -- I see friends from Florida and Georgia and South Carolina and Texas -- as well as, you know, New York and California -- but that other basket of people are people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they're just desperate for change. It doesn't really even matter where it comes from. They don't buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won't wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they're in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well."
But YOU and other Trumpers have taken Secretary Clinton's words out of context. And Politifact has confirmed that.
GBD
END OF PART FOUR OF FIVE
PART FIVE OF FIVE
DeleteOnce again you spew more and more venomous hate by saying that Democrats want to "rise to power and complete their mission to turn America in to a third world nation." No...it is YOU...who "should seek professional help." You are indeed one of those "deplorables" that Hillary Clinton was talking about. What a shame that a human being can have so much hate in his (or her) heart that you would viciously express the words that you do. I don't know how you live with yourself.
I think I am done communicating with you.
GBD
END OF PART FIVE OF FIVE
It is a shame that you must have some sort of mental illness that stops you from admitting the truth or maybe seeing the truth. Any honest person that would read your columns would see the hatred you have for all I mentioned. Anyone who doesn’t admit that the Democratic Party does everything I said is a liar, a fool or sticks their head in the sand. They are fear mongers that go against hard working Americans that want people to follow the rule of law and let people keep more of their hard earned money. Getting less of it taken by an out of control federal government with unfair give aways. Don’t tell me that’s the way America was built, because if you believe that you need to go back to school and take a US History course, until the mid-20th century the US government was not involved in playing Robin Hood from one group of people to give to another group , that is a fact! I won’t go into all your lies or misstatements you apparently don’t have a grasp on reality. The Democrats have been fear mongers, peddlers of hate and a party the feeds on dividing Americans for their political purpose. My statements about turning America into a 3rd world nation unfortunately are true, progressive, left wing, Democrat policy will bring down this nation. Honor the US Constitution, freedom of the individuals, the land of the free; it doesn’t take a village run by the federal government. Please seek professional help, they can help you purge the hate in you veins.
ReplyDeleteIt's pointless to have a discussion with someone like you who obviously has no intellectual integrity.
DeleteI have NO hatred in my body for a single living soul.
YOU are the hater as YOU make comments like "Anyone who doesn’t admit that the Democratic Party does everything I said is a liar, a fool or sticks their head in the sand. They are fear mongers that go against hard working Americans that want people to follow the rule of law and let people keep more of their hard earned money. Getting less of it taken by an out of control federal government with unfair give aways."
You're wrong, but THAT IS the way America was built...even if it was only in the last three-quarters of a century. THAT is what has made America GREAT. Not as YOU and Donald Trump want to believe that we were not great, but that America needs to be made great again. Trump's slogan is so un-American that it's disgraceful.
You're one of those Republicans who thinks that if you say "that is a fact" then it must be true. You have no clue whatsoever what America is all about.
Yet you continue with your hate when you make more heinous statements like..."The Democrats have been fear mongers, peddlers of hate and a party the feeds on dividing Americans for their political purpose. My statements about turning America into a 3rd world nation unfortunately are true, progressive, left wing, Democrat policy will bring down this nation." No...YOU...ARE...A...HATER!!!
And there you go calling the "left wing" un-American. You do it by indicating that liberals, progressives and Democrats in general don't "honor the U.S. Constitution." With all your lying and despicable rhetoric, you represent the worst that America has to offer.
I won't encourage YOU to "seek professional help" because I don't believe any psychiatrist would even want to take the time to help you. You must have no blood in YOUR veins, as YOUR HATE has overpowered every ounce of red cells in your body. I won't even suggest that you get a blood infusion because your brain cells have been so poisoned that no amount of medical treatment will help you.
Now be a good hater and go away. There is no need for you to darken my site any more today.
GBD