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In my column of Friday, December 7th, 2018, titled SMOKE...FIRE...AND THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY IS JUST ABOUT READY TO BECOME AN INFERNO...I echoed a post I wrote for Facebook on Thursday, November 29th that "If I was Donald Trump, I'd be a nervous wreck, shaking in my boots, peeing in my pants, and scared to death." By now...I wouldn't be surprised if Trump is soiling himself non-stop.
Trump is trying hard to claim he is not frightened out of his wits, but his irrational behavior proves quite the contrary. And although thick black smoke is billowing throughout Trumpworld and a blaze of fire is burning down the Trump presidency... Trump wrote the following in an early morning tweet on Monday, December 10th.
"Democrats can't find a Smocking Gun (yes Trump misspelled smoking) tying the Trump campaign to Russia after James Comey's testimony. No Smocking Gun (yes he misspelled it a second time)...No Collusion. That's because there was NO COLLUSION. So now the Dems go to a simple private transaction, wrongly call it a campaign contribution...which it was not (but even if it was, it is only a CIVIL CASE, like Obama's - but it was done correctly by a lawyer and there would not even be a fine. Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me). Cohen just trying to get his sentence reduced. WITCH HUNT!"
But federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York have basically indicated - in filings that were released on December 7th - that Donald Trump is in big trouble...politically and legally...as the feds have implicated Trump in two felonies. Prosecutors say Trump "directed" his former attorney and so-called "fixer," Michael Cohen to pay sums of illegal hush money - $130,000 - to porn star Stormy Daniels - whose real name is Stephanie Clifford - and $150,000 to former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal so that the women would keep their lips zipped about alleged sexual flings with "The Donald." The feds filing spells it out clearly. "With respect to both payments, he (Cohen) acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1." Individual-1 is Donald Trump. Prosecutors say the payments were illegal corporate donations to Trump's presidential campaign. But Trump denies it all and claims he did not direct Cohen to commit any violations of law. In fact, Trump tweeted the following after learning of prosecutors filing. "Totally clears the President. Thank you!" Trump is beyond delusional and is in tremendous denial because soon he will undoubtedly become an official target in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as an unindicted co-conspirator. As I wrote in my column of Monday, December 3rd titled IS DONALD TRUMP A MORON? OR IS HE SMART ENOUGH TO RESIGN BEFORE HE GETS IN TO MORE TROUBLE?...Richard Nixon once uttered, "I am not a crook." But he was. And Mueller - plus prosecutors for the Southern District of New York - are proving more and more that Donald Trump is a crook too. Meanwhile, Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced by a federal judge on Wednesday, December 12th.
Switching to the Russia probe, Trump has repeatedly denied that he had any dealings with Vladimir Putin and Russia. But in another filing on December 7th, prosecutors for Mueller's investigation in to Russia's interference in our 2016 presidential election...say Michael Cohen - in November 2015 - discussed with a self-identified "trusted" Russian with close ties to Putin's inner circle and who pledged "political synergy" and "synergy on a government level" to the Trump campaign. Furthermore, prosecutors confirm in their filing that Cohen lied about "the timeline... of the Moscow (Trump Tower) project" and that Cohen admitted to sharing information with White House officials and Trump's lawyers. Cohen committed perjury in October 2017 when he falsely stated in sworn testimony that the proposed Trump Tower project in Russia had come to an end in January 2016, prior to the Republican caucus in Iowa. But apparently Trump was engaged in a business relationship with the Russians throughout the 2016 campaign - well in to the summer of that year - when Trump insisted he was in no way linked to anybody in Putin's government or the country as a whole. Trump lied over and over again at a time when The Kremlin was interfering in American democracy by meddling in our election.
And in a separate filing on December 7th, Mueller pointed the finger at Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort for lying about his contacts with Russia and about his discussions with Trump administration officials after he, Manafort, made a deal that he would not speak to Trump or anyone connected to him after he, Manafort, had been indicted. It is obvious to me that Trump has promised to pardon Manafort for all his criminal charges and that the two are still very much in bed with each other...metaphorically speaking.
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.
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Photo credits: J. Richards-AFP/Getty Images (former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump), Chicago Tribune (Donald Trump) and Drew Angerer/Zach Gibson/Getty Images/Bloomberg (Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort)
Copyright 2018 Gary B. Duglin and TheControversy.net. All Rights Reserved.
Gary, it is amazing how this all started about Russian collusion and it has all come down to politics. For two plus years I and millions of others have said this is all about President Trump beating Hillary, you have denied it but now you just proved our point. You have claimed it has had nothing to do with Hillary yet here it is by your own hand “Trump stole The White House from Hillary Clinton,” that’s what it is all about, the left can’t get over that he beat Hillary, it was “her turn” and he took it away from her. He “stole” it. It’s time for you and the left to get over it, she lost fair and square. I don’t see how there are any campaign finance violations by the President but I am not a lawyer, the law states that if the expense “would exist irrespective of the candidate’s election campaign,” then it is not a violation to use personal money to pay it and there is no requirement to report it, since President Trump has according to the left and the media paid “hush” money to women in the past for personal reasons it is not beyond the realm to think he would have paid it to Daniels this time irrespective of his election campaign therefore NO campaign finance laws were violated by President Trump. Now if Cohen did anything illegal that’s his problem unless they can “prove” that President Trump planed it with Cohen knowing the way Cohen was doing it was a crime. Under the law as a layman you have reasonable expectation that your lawyer is doing it legally. Even if President Trump said to him “just fix it” I don’t care how, the reasonable expectation that it would be done legally is still there. I am not defending anything President Trump may or may not have done with these women, I am defending the law and the way it has been applied for years. As for his or his company talking to the Russians to build a building in Moscow, what was illegal, nothing. He had the legal right to be talking to them all the way to the election and maybe until January 20, 2017. Why he lied or misled the public is wrong but not illegal. If lying during a campaign was a crime 90% of Congress, 3 out of our last 4 Presidents, most of the 50 Governors and most of the mayors in this country would be in jail. They have proven no collusion with the Russian over the 2016 election, no obstruction of justice; they are an investigation in search of a crime when it comes to the President. It all comes back to him beating Hillary, you said it he “stole The White House from Hillary Clinton” it is all about yours and the lefts hatred for the President. If you (the Dems and the Left) think he is so bad beat him at the polls in 2020 stop trying to over through the American president.
ReplyDeleteWayne, you took the bait. And you did it just like a largemouth bass swimming in Lake Okeechobee. I knew that my Republican readers would take my editorial and make it about "me" and not about a conclusion by "federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York." I did not "prove (YOUR) point" at all, Wayne. But you proved MY point.
DeleteThe prosecutors have determined - as I wrote in my column - that "in essence" "Trump illegally deceived American voters in 2016 by paying off two women so they would keep their mouths shut about alleged extramarital affairs with him. And by taking the presidency by fraud, Trump stole The White House from Hillary Clinton." These are the facts as concluded by the prosecutors for the Southern District of New York...which is known as the "sovereign" district of New York.
I have always stated that the Mueller investigation had nothing to do with Hillary Clinton losing the Electoral vote in the 2016 election. But now...but now...yes I'll say it again...BUT NOW...prosecutors have shown us all that Trump did indeed procure the presidency through illegal means. So no Wayne...Secretary Clinton did NOT lose "fair and square." There's nothing "fair and square" about illegal hush money being paid by Trump to deceive voters and to influence the outcome of the election.
That's right, Wayne...you are "not a lawyer." And neither am I. But federal prosecutors of the Southern District of New York ARE lawyers. And THEY have made their determination. And THEY have concluded that "campaign finance laws were violated" by Donald Trump. You ARE indeed "defending" Trump. But I'm sure the prosecutors in New York are fully aware of the law and how it does apply to this case.
As for the matter with Russia and a proposed Trump Tower project in Russia...once again...prosecutors have spoken.
You and Trump can shout "no collusion" and "no obstruction of justice" all day long, but Special Counsel Robert Mueller and prosecutors from the Southern District of New York are proving with mounting evidence everyday that there WAS collusion...and there WAS obstruction of justice.
You, of course - as usual - have to use the "H" word somewhere in your remarks. No...not "Hillary"...but "hate"...or in your comments today..."hatred." Liberals, progressives and Democrats in general have no "hate" for Donald Trump. We loathe his policies and we despise the way he treats people and how he has destroyed what America stands for. But we don't "hate" him as an individual. Not even as "Individual-1." Or at least I don't have any "hate" or "hatred"...as I have no hate in my bones, and therefore I am not capable of hating anyone. But the fact that federal prosecutors have now determined that what Trump did was illegal...it is THEY who are saying Trump "stole The White House from Hillary Clinton."
As for voters beating Trump in 2020, as I have written, Trump won't be on the ballot in 2020. He will have resigned the presidency long before that.
GBD
Gary, your entire argument is based on you trusting or believing the federal prosecutors, since I believe the head or “special” counsel can’t be trusted and is corrupt your argument means nothing.
ReplyDeleteWayne, I throw that right back at you. Your entire argument is based on you trusting or believing America's "liar-in-chief" - the biggest liar ever to sit behind The Oval Office desk - Donald J. Trump. Since I believe that the federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York can most definitely be trusted...and since I believe that the honorable Special Counsel Robert Mueller - who has been and is respected by Democrats and yes some, if not most, Republicans - and who has been stellar as he has served our country under presidents of both primary political parties...I implicitly trust Mr. Mueller. Therefore, your argument has no validity whatsoever. You're in denial, Wayne...but then...you're following your lying leader. Don't do it. Donald Trump is on his way to political hell and legal "Jeopardy." However, it won't be hosted by Alex Trebek, but by a federal judge or by Congress. GBD
DeleteWayne, I too think you are in denial. Gary explained it very well. Too me, I see you as totally, unfortunately unarmed in this debate with Gary. I took notice of your phrase, "the left and the media." So do you mean the left and the media are one and the same? You know, all angry leftist, snowflake liberals who along with the media and ominous "deep state" are trying to make Donald Trump look bad so they can feel better about Hillary losing "fair and square"? (sorry, but I laughed in amusement by that comment) Wayne is there "the right and the media" as well? Or is it just the right who are right? Or and is it the "left" and the entire "media" who are wrong? So, if I understand you right, the right is right? Wayne, two rights without a media, make a wrong. Or is the media "the enemy of the people"? Or are the media, the enemy of the despots, dictators, and lying want-to-be strong men of the world? May the Constitution work with it's checks and balances, and may democracy prevail! No one is above the law.
ReplyDeleteJack, you guys just don’t get it. Gary’s debate is based on a biased and corrupt special counsel, who may have been honest and fair years ago but has turn into a power hungry, revenge seeking prosecutor on a mission to avenge his friend. My brother doesn’t get it, all the people on the “right” want is a fair and honest investigation into “Russian Collusion” during the 2016 election. That isn’t believing or following President Trump, all we want is the law followed. Since when is it illegal to deceive voters? If deceiving voters is crime, almost ever elected official belongs in jail. As I told Gary “I don’t see how there are any campaign finance violations by the President but I am not a lawyer, the LAW states that if the expense “would exist irrespective of the candidate’s election campaign,” then it is not a violation to use personal money to pay it and there is no requirement to report it, since President Trump has according to the left and the media paid “hush” money to women in the past for personal reasons it is not beyond the realm to think he would have paid it to Daniels this time irrespective of his election campaign therefore NO campaign finance laws were violated by President Trump.” Once again that is the LAW, all we want is the law followed. Yes there is some of the media that is reporting “fake news as fact” yes they are an enemy of the people, those who report honestly and fair are good for America, even if it is negative about the President. Jack, I don’t know what your comment “Wayne, two rights without a media, make a wrong” means. I agree no one is above the law, in the same spirit no one is below the law, and Mueller is treating the President’s campaign and its people in many cases below the law. The FBI testified to Congress that they didn’t think that Flynn lied, once Mueller was in it became a lie, so they could pressure him, destroy his life all to get him to flip, that’s not right. Many other people have been treated the same way and many claim they are being pressured to lie for a reduced sentence, that’s treating people below the law. I have said many times that I am not a fan of many things the President has done or said but I haven’t seen any evidence that he has committed any crimes. From day one you have people like Maxine Waters who has said basically that her job is to impeach the President, she doesn’t care what the facts are just "Impeach 45".People like her, which there are many just hate that he beat Hillary!
DeleteJack, I will first respond to your comments above and then to Wayne.
DeleteWayne is so much in denial that he's like the man who catches his wife in bed with his best friend and can't believe what he is seeing. Wayne - and other Trumpers - cannot seem to accept the fact that Donald Trump is a criminal...and you're going to see more and more facts come out that will prove Trump has been a criminal for decades. Come January, the new attorney general for New York, Letitia James, said today that she is coming after Trump and his entire family plus anyone else in his inner circle who have been involved with possible criminal activity allegedly connected to Trump and his business affairs. The question is not whether Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and the rest of the Trumps are going to be indicted...the question is...when. Yes Jack...nobody is above the law. Not even the president of the United States. GBD
Wayne, you think by repeating yourself that you're going to convince anybody (certainly not me) to change their mind. You don't seem to get the fact that the crux of my comments are not based on opinions (mine or anybody else's), but legal conclusions that have been made by federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York. And today...a federal judge has agreed with those prosecutors when he sentenced Michael Cohen, which means he has agreed that Donald Trump "directed" Cohen to commit crimes. Donald J. Trump is Jack Nicholson's character (Colonel Nathan R. Jessep) in A Few Good Men. Trump ordered "the code red." Remember this dialogue between Nicholson and Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee? Cruise as Kaffee: "Did you order the code red?" Nicholson as Jessep: "You're G-d damn right I did." Donald Trump is just as guilty as Colonel Jessep. You can say whatever you want, Wayne, but as I wrote in an earlier response to you..."You are not a lawyer. And neither am I. But federal prosecutors of the Southern District of New York ARE lawyers. And THEY have made their determination. And THEY have concluded that "campaign finance laws were violated" by Donald Trump. Paying hush money to people is not a crime. Paying hush money to a porn star and a Playboy Playmate with the intention to keep their mouths shut about extramarital affairs with Trump because if they would have spoken out, the outcome of the election would have probably been different and Hillary Clinton would be president.
DeleteBut there is more to this today. Although there is no parole in the federal prison system, Michael Cohen will be eligible to be released after serving 30 and a half months of his 36-month sentence. That's assuming he is given credit for good behavior. After he's out of prison, Cohen will be supervised for three years. But...and here's the BUT...I believe that Cohen will actually be given an even lighter sentence. He does not have to report for his incarceration until March 6th, 2019. I think Cohen, his lawyers, and his family are talking RIGHT NOW about him spilling ALL the beans about Donald Trump and that by throwing Trump so far under the bus that the judge will reduce his sentence by a great deal. It's likely that if Cohen does do that, then he could get off with perhaps half of what his current sentence will be...and maybe only one year or less. But this all only predicated on whether Cohen TELLS ALL.
I won't even waste my time on your "enemy of the people" comments. The bottom line is that the media is NOT the "enemy of the people."
What you don't seem to grasp on to, Wayne - and I've written this in the past - is that although the Mueller investigation began as a probe in to Russia's interference in America's democracy by meddling in our election, that investigation has led Special Counsel Robert Mueller, his team, and the prosecutors of the Southern District of New York in to uncharterd waters. They have dug up criminal activity that has been performed by numerous people - including, but not limited to, Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort and others - and some of those crimes are linking Trump to them. It always amazes me, Wayne, that you would want a crook in The White House. I've written for nearly two years that Donald Trump was following the Richard Nixon playbook. And like Nixon...Trump will eventually be forced to resign.
GBD