President 'The Donald' Trump and Surprising Consequences - Mod warning in OP

Professor Moriarty

Water John wrote: »

Might try rewriting that. It makes no sense to me.

A non partisan investigation. WH really peeved off.[/QUOTE

Why would an independent investigation irritate the WH? Sure Trump has nothing to hide. As he is completely innocent, he'll be delighted. I'd say reports of a WH being really peeved is just fake news. As The Donald himself said tonight, no president in history has been treated worse.

Itssoeasy

rossie1977 wrote: »

Rosenstein appointed him. The guy who just last week said there was nothing to investigate.

Yeah he did but Jeff sessions recused himself from any Russian investigations so it was going to have to be Rosenstein. Also the AG is head of the justice department so by saying the justice department appointed him is correct.

Hank Scorpio

He just issued a statement.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia-probe-will-confirm-what-we-already-know/article/2623433

Jimoslimos

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

He just issued a statement.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia-probe-will-confirm-what-we-already-know/article/2623433

Hmmm....no tweeting but an official statement. Must be serious.
First rule in politics: Never believe anything until it's officially denied.

mcmoustache

Stheno wrote: »

Sorry for being ignorant, this is the depute AG who allegedly wrote the memo justifying sacking Comey?

If I remember correctly, he was asked to find reasons that could justify the sacking of Comey. These technicalities were then used in the initial justification but Trump couldn't help himself and spilled the beans with Lester Holt. Around that time, Rosenstein and Boente had an impromptu meeting with the heads of the Senate Intel committee and who knows what went on there.

This is happening so fast that I'm having a hard time keeping up.

mcmoustache

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

He just issued a statement.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia-probe-will-confirm-what-we-already-know/article/2623433

Tell me, hank. Do you think the current whitehouse press office is trustworthy these days?

Think before you answer because in the age of the internet, everything that they have come out with has been recorded and is available online for free. I can simply demonstrate with their own words that they have been less than honest and you won't be able to go around yelling "Fake News".

So, do you believe them?

mcmoustache

WaPo has a transcript here.

Some interesting bits:

McCarthy: There’s…there’s two people, I think, Putin pays: Rohrabacher and
Trump…[laughter]…swear to God.

Ryan: This is an off the record…[laughter]…NO LEAKS…[laughter]…alright?!

[Laughter]

Ryan: This is how we know we’re a real family here.

Scalise: That’s how you know that we’re tight.

[Laughter]

Ryan: What’s said in the family stays in the family.

and earlier...

Ryan: So we should not have Ukraine fatigue, we should have Russian fatigue.

Rodgers: Yes! The propaganda…my big takeaway from that trip was just how sophisticated the
propaganda…

Ryan: It’s very sophisticated.

Rodgers:…coming out of Russia and Putin.

Ryan: Very sophisticated.

[Crosstalk]

Rodgers: Not just in Ukraine. They were once funding the NGOs in Europe. They attacked
fracking.

Ryan: Correct.

Rodgers: Russia TV. I was not…you know…I hadn’t tuned into Russia TV until that trip. It’s,
it’s frightening.

Ryan: So he’s saying they’re doing this throughout Europe. So, uh…

[Unintelligible]

Ryan: This is, this isn’t just about Ukraine.

Rodgers: So, yeah, it is a, um…[unintelligible]…a way...it’s really a messaging…you
know…they are…it’s a propaganda war.

How reliable is WaPo? Seriously, I'm curious. They seem pretty legit so far.

dfx-

rossie1977 wrote: »

I don't see this appointment meaning much. Why would a guy appointed by the white house be allowed go out of his way to implement Trump in any way.

Does it lead to a video deposition? Trump would want to be very careful there given how he messed up the Holt interview and his general temperament if he was being pushed or pressured by questions.

Hank Scorpio

mcmoustache wrote: »

Tell me, hank. Do you think the current whitehouse press office is trustworthy these days?

Think before you answer because in the age of the internet, everything that they have come out with has been recorded and is available online for free. I can simply demonstrate with their own words that they have been less than honest and you won't be able to go around yelling "Fake News".

So, do you believe them?

I wrote a fairly damning post on Trump earlier, not sure if you seen it. Do I believe everything they say? I don't trust or believe my local constituents, let alone people in Washington. The problem with Trump's administration is he is so brash and unpredictable between Twitter and his interviews etc it's impossible for a single narrative to be put out so things Spicer and so on say ends up being contradicted giving the press a field day. That is Trump's fault solely. Do they lie to cover themselves, yes absolutely. Are the media rabid and all in, yes absolutely, and Trump keeps feeding them in an idiotic way.

What I don't believe is there was collusion during the election with Russia, because there's no evidence and if there was, it would have been leaked a long time ago. They have everyone's emails, phone calls and so on since July of last year.

mcmoustache

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

What I don't believe is there was collusion during the election with Russia, because there's no evidence and if there was, it would have been leaked a long time ago. They have everyone's emails, phone calls and so on since July of last year.

Look up.

EDIT, i mean back a page.

Hank Scorpio

mcmoustache wrote: »

Look up.

EDIT, i mean back a page.

The transcript? That's from last year I think.

Some might find it concerning but it's not proof of anything, it's hearsay. I want to see some tangible evidence.

mcmoustache

Actually, hank, I'm not too fussed about your supposed redemption when you see the sinking ship.

You've been more than willing to post things that you knew not to be true.

You've been happy to repeatedly post the feinstein/blitzer video to support your claims when the video did not. You've posted Seth Rich conspiracy theories, concocted by FOX, in this thread for some reason.

I get the feeling that you liked Trump for some reason and logiced your way backwards.

mcmoustache

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

The transcript? That's from last year I think.

Some might find it concerning but it's not proof of anything, it's hearsay. I want to see some tangible evidence.

Like transcripts from Mar a Lago from Trump personally saying "Hey Putin, I want to collude with you"?

Yeah, that's not how this works. You were willing to spread Seth Rich conspiracies here so you've either got a low threshold when it comes to believing stuff or you were being dishonest.

Hank Scorpio

mcmoustache wrote: »

I get the feeling that you liked Trump for some reason and logiced your way backwards.

Wanting to see evidence is some sort of unquestionable act is it?

It's not some unfathomable defence of Trump to want to see that.

If you want to talk about things being untrue, there's as much evidence Seth Rich handed over the DNC emails as there is Trump colluded with Russia.

That doesn't mean I believe for certain either story, because without evidence, you can't.

Rjd2

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/865013427500183553

So bad.

Literally everyone warned him not to go near Flynn when once elected and nope Trump ignored them. Even if somehow Trump comes out of this intact, can we all agree, even the Trump supporters that hiring Flynn was a monumental **** up?

Christy42

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

He just issued a statement.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/donald-trump-robert-mueller-russia-probe-will-confirm-what-we-already-know/article/2623433

I am curious who wrote it. I mean this looks official and is a well written statement so it wasn't Trump. At least they realise the seriousness of the situation if they have the handlers doing all the writing

Peregrinus

Christy42 wrote: »

I am curious who wrote it. I mean this looks official and is a well written statement so it wasn't Trump. At least they realise the seriousness of the situation if they have the handlers doing all the writing

It's from the Office of the Press Secretary, who normally produce fairly sober, routine stuff. It's very much in their style. The head of that office is Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary, but there's typically anywhere between 12 and 20 staff in the Office, so quite a few people could have written it.

It would certainly have been authorised by the President, though.

As for the handlers doing all the writing, "all the writing" at this stage isn't very much. Everyone will be holding their breath to see if Trump tweets on this topic in the next 24 hours or so and, if so, if his tweet sh1ts all over this press release, as seems to be a common behaviour pattern.

listermint

Visions of the daily briefing actually being pulled now

Igotadose

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

He just issued a statement.

Translating for the fogeys like me: "I AM NOT A CROOK"

Had to get that out.

ThisRegard

Saw the video yesterday but the US authorities have since acknowledged it happened as it did. Friend of Trump, Erdogan's bodyguards shoved their way past the police to go beat the **** out of some protestors against him. Pretty violent **** bags, even continuing to knock the crap out of a woman already on the ground.

Turkish News agencies are actually claming that they had to intervene as US police had insufficient measures against an illegal protest. And Trump was right on the phone to congratulate this man.

Leroy42

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Wanting to see evidence is some sort of unquestionable act is it?

It's not some unfathomable defence of Trump to want to see that.

If you want to talk about things being untrue, there's as much evidence Seth Rich handed over the DNC emails as there is Trump colluded with Russia.

That doesn't mean I believe for certain either story, because without evidence, you can't.

A very noble, and correct stanch to take. We should not endlessly posit claims without direct evidence. Even massive circumstantial evidence along with continuous lying and falsehoods being out does not, of itself, prove anything.

Yet you didn't apply the same standards to HC? How very odd

Call me Al

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

Wanting to see evidence is some sort of unquestionable act is it?

It's not some unfathomable defence of Trump to want to see that.

If you want to talk about things being untrue, there's as much evidence Seth Rich handed over the DNC emails as there is Trump colluded with Russia.

That doesn't mean I believe for certain either story, because without evidence, you can't.

Well I just wish you'd enlighten the FBI as to your insight.
They obviously aren't aware since they have been investigating with almost a year now.
In fact allegedly looking for more resources .. But that must be because they can't find anything... or maybe, just maybe, it's because there's so much there, even if you've not heard about it, that it is actually taking that long to disentangle this whole mess American politics has found itself in.
The very fact that this investigation is taking the length of time it is taking, is actually potentially worse in my eyes.

WinnyThePoo

Mmm hank claiming to be some voice of reason .

How's the birth conspiracy going hank?.

B0jangles

How about more revelations about the unusual level of contact between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to start off the day, and from Reuters too!

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-contacts-idUSKCN18E106

Michael Flynn and other advisers to Donald Trump’s campaign were in contact with Russian officials and others with Kremlin ties in at least 18 calls and emails during the last seven months of the 2016 presidential race, current and former U.S. officials familiar with the exchanges told Reuters.

The previously undisclosed interactions form part of the record now being reviewed by FBI and congressional investigators probing Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election and contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia.

Six of the previously undisclosed contacts described to Reuters were phone calls between Sergei Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States, and Trump advisers, including Flynn, Trump’s first national security adviser, three current and former officials said.

Conversations between Flynn and Kislyak accelerated after the Nov. 8 vote as the two discussed establishing a back channel for communication between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin that could bypass the U.S. national security bureaucracy, which both sides considered hostile to improved relations, four current U.S. officials said.

In January, the Trump White House initially denied any contacts with Russian officials during the 2016 campaign. The White House and advisers to the campaign have since confirmed four meetings between Kislyak and Trump advisers during that time.

The people who described the contacts to Reuters said they had seen no evidence of wrongdoing or collusion between the campaign and Russia in the communications reviewed so far. But the disclosure could increase the pressure on Trump and his aides to provide the FBI and Congress with a full account of interactions with Russian officials and others with links to the Kremlin during and immediately after the 2016 election...


...Veterans of previous election campaigns said some contact with foreign officials during a campaign was not unusual, but the number of interactions between Trump aides and Russian officials and others with links to Putin was exceptional.

“It’s rare to have that many phone calls to foreign officials, especially to a country we consider an adversary or a hostile power,” Richard Armitage, a Republican and former deputy secretary of state, told Reuters....

So even though what has been reviewed from these contacts so far has shown no overt evidence of wrongdoing or collusion, the Trump administration lied repeatedly about their continuous contact with the Russian government.

Why?

demfad

Hank Scorpio wrote: »

What I don't believe is there was collusion during the election with Russia, because there's no evidence and if there was, it would have been leaked a long time ago

I'm getting sick of this!

• Please note evidence does not equal proof.
• Also note all investigations still ongoing.
• Also note sources for media are ALWAYS anonymous. That is because often the act of leaking can get a whistleblower in trouble. The pertinent question is are the leaks DENIED.

There has been more than substantial evidence shown here to YOU specifically every time you make this claim. When it is presented to you you make little or no attempt to refute it, just returning again later to repeat the same baseless claim. So here we go, last time a non exhaustive list:

Trump associates who lied about meetings/contacts with Ambassador Kislyak:

Attorney General-Jeff Sessions
Mike Flynn-Fired NSA
Trump Campaign Manager: Paul Manafort
Carter Page
Jared Kushner
JD Gordon
Roger Stone
Michael Cohen

People who lied about these meetings:
Donald Trump and anyone in the Trump admin who commented on it.

Other meetings with Russians:
Flynn met Putin and the Russian secret service at a dinner in 2015
Flynn contacts with a younger female Russian spy in Cambridge in 2014. She called him 'General Misha'.
Manafort campaigned for Putin Puppet Yanukovitz, got 12 million in back money from there, worked with pro Russian billionaire Firtash, and his partner was in Russian SS.
Worked for Depriska for 10 million a year from 2006 to further Russian interests internationally.

Kushner:
Met with Sanctioned head of sanctioned VEB bank in secret. This man was in Russian SS. VEB bank bankrolled TRump partner who Financed Trump tower Toronto.
Page: Met sanctioned head (Sechin) of Rosneft in Moscow.

Trump:

Many Russian contacts through his business including Felix Sater conencted to Russian boss of boss Mogilevich.
Bailed out by Russian banks in 2000's according to ex MI6 chief
Sater and Bayrock being prosecuted for money laundering in several Trump tower projects.
Trump Taj Mahal charged with 10 million in money laundering offenses largest ever.
Many, many more contacts

Lets just go recent, last week:


Trump/Pence let compromised Flynn be NSA for 18 days.
Trump fires Comey because of Russian probe (said so himself)
Trump gives coded classified information to Russia in the Oval Office.
Speaker of the House revealed as agreeing Trump was being paid by Putin.
Comey reveals that Trump tried to obstruct Flynn investigation.
Revealed Flynn and Manafort under criminal investigation for 6 months. Trump/Pence knew and went with him anyway..

Not to mention that many parts of Steele dossier, Russian on Russian conversations and more have been verified.
Leaked extensive and continuous contacts between team Trump and Russian Intel.
British media leaked that more than 1 salubrious recording existed.
Also leaked more than circumstantial evidence and strong evidence of collusion.
Schiff also said that he had seen this.

This is just a selection of evidence

Please address it. If you dont and come back with the 'no evidence' mallarkey again later I will have to report you quoting this post.

Enough is enough.

thedevils

Meh

PopePalpatine

ThisRegard wrote: »

Saw the video yesterday but the US authorities have since acknowledged it happened as it did. Friend of Trump, Erdogan's bodyguards shoved their way past the police to go beat the **** out of some protestors against him. Pretty violent **** bags, even continuing to knock the crap out of a woman already on the ground.

Turkish News agencies are actually claming that they had to intervene as US police had insufficient measures against an illegal protest. And Trump was right on the phone to congratulate this man.

What do you expect from a guy who said he'd cover the legal fees of his supporters if they assaulted protesters?

storker

Igotadose wrote: »

Translating for the fogeys like me: "I AM NOT A CROOK"

Had to get that out.

"Read my lips..."

jobbridge4life

The beast has awoken

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/865169927644340224

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/865173176854204416

Like honestly... can he not use spell check...

I just have this image of him being running around the whitehouse while Kushner and Spicer chase him begging him to hand over the tweet machine...

Leroy42

And just to add to Demfad's post, the fact that the DOJ has now appointed a Special Counsel to oversee the investigation, and left the terms of that investigation open is a very strong signal that there is something very serious to look into. They don't appoint SC based on rumours and MSM bias. Recall as well that Comey had moved from a weekly debrief on the case to a daily debrief, hardly a point to nothing being uncovered.

The Democrats have been looking for an independent investigation from the off. Chavez, Ryan and especially Nunes have done everything they can to try to avoid that. Even with that they couldn't stop it.

You need to ask yourself why the DOJ would go this route. It has already been looking into this for some time and if there was nothing there why would they be going this route? It makes no sense. The only sensible conclusion is that they feel that this investigation needs specific resources and non-partisan work with no threat of involvement from the WH.

Trump has lost control over this, his AG is not able to be involved, his Ex NSA is at the very centre of it and he seems very concerned about a man he hardly knew even 18 months ago Given Trumps clear disdain for anyone he believes offers him nothing (Guiliani, Christie) etc) there is a clear contradiction of why is he going to bat for Flynn in a such a way. What does he care? The damage to the WH has already been done, let Flynn deal with his own problems, away from the WH. It would have been much easier to simply let him off and claim that they hired him on the best of intentions but it didn't work out and allow the legal system to take its course blah blah. It goes against every piece of common sense to think that it is out of any loyalty or care for Flynn, so the only conclusion one can make is that Flynn has something that Trump feels could damage Trump.

Why did Trump ask everyone else to leave the room when he allegedly asked Comey to let it go? Why not say it in front of others if there was nothing untoward?
Why has the WH not given its version of the meeting yet? All they seem to have said is that Comey is wrong. Given Trumps recent claim that with so much going on his press corp can be expected to know everything, why are we supposed to believe they know the truth about this? Has Trump given them the full version, and if so why not present it to cut this off?