Donald Trump presidency discussion thread V

Franz Von Peppercorn

Ok so he didn’t need them for the primary.

This guy is a cult leader and he has his own virtual megaphone. twitter and those rallies.

Unless twitter block him he’ll keep his base but I doubt that will win the presidency this time.

He may not run of course. I get the impression that’s he’s not really enjoying it.

mcmoustache

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Did fox support him in 2016 in any major fashion?

Not until the nomination but FOX was always going to get behind the Republican nominee, regardless of who it was.

Pelvis

Franz Von Peppercorn wrote: »

Ok so he didn’t need them for the primary.

This guy is a cult leader and he has his own virtual megaphone. twitter and those rallies.

Unless twitter block him he’ll keep his base but I doubt that will win the presidency this time.

He may not run of course. I get the impression that’s he’s notvreakky enjoying it.

Being President is the only thing keeping him out of prison. He will definitely run.

FreudianSlippers

30 minutes until the sentencing. It's like waiting for Christmas as a child!

everlast75

To quote Mr. Wittes...... boom!



https://twitter.com/NewYorkStateAG/status/1075057547072233473?s=19

FreudianSlippers

That's potentially huge in terms of the case against the foundation, but particularly in terms of the lawsuit against Trump, Don Jr, Ivanka and Eric which claims they had engaged in "extensive unlawful political conduct" and that Donald Trump had been using the foundation "as his personal checkbook," to, among other things, settle his personal legal debts and support his presidential campaign.

This is also a huge blow to the Trump family in terms of the IRS self-dealing investigation.

FreudianSlippers

Trump has now backed down on the government shutdown, saying that the border wall is now not a requirement in the upcoming budget.


EDIT - Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-signals-its-backing-down-in-shutdown-dispute-will-find-other-ways-to-fund-border-wall/2018/12/18/159994dc-02d9-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html??noredirect=on

spacecoyote

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Trump has now backed down on the government shutdown, saying that the border wall is now not a requirement in the upcoming budget.


EDIT - Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/white-house-signals-its-backing-down-in-shutdown-dispute-will-find-other-ways-to-fund-border-wall/2018/12/18/159994dc-02d9-11e9-9122-82e98f91ee6f_story.html??noredirect=on

So they've got to come up with another 5bn in payments to support the farmers who took a hit on Trumps tariff war (bringing the total to close to 12bn), and now they're going to make another 5bn appear from somewhere else to cover the wall.

That makes 17bn USD wasted by the federal government to deal with the fall-out of Trump's agenda. What was it that he said about how easy it would be to balance the books, because he's such an amazing super successful business man?

But of course, its the Federal Reserves fault that the economy is looking jittery, not Trumps fault

mcmoustache

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

That's potentially huge in terms of the case against the foundation, but particularly in terms of the lawsuit against Trump, Don Jr, Ivanka and Eric which claims they had engaged in "extensive unlawful political conduct" and that Donald Trump had been using the foundation "as his personal checkbook," to, among other things, settle his personal legal debts and support his presidential campaign.

This is also a huge blow to the Trump family in terms of the IRS self-dealing investigation.

I was reading up on this about 6 months ago. There's loads of evidence there.

For example:

4) Trump used the foundation to pay for his lawsuits and other expenses
The lawsuit also alleges multiple instances where Trump used the foundation to pay off lawsuits or promote his businesses that were unrelated to his charity.

Trump used his foundation to settle a 2006 lawsuit with the town of Palm Beach against Mar-a-Lago. He agreed to pay $100,000 to the Fisher House Foundation and personally instructed his staff to make the payment through his foundation. Here’s the note, which Trump himself signed:

The article I linked is worth a look just to see how sloppy, careless and incompetent these people are.

FreudianSlippers

Reported that Flynn admitted he was aware that lying to FBI was a crime in his sentencing. That has serious implications to his entrapment statement.

mcmoustache

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

30 minutes until the sentencing. It's like waiting for Christmas as a child!

I never imagined myself ever knowing what a 302 form was or what speaking indictments meant. It's been a strange two years.

Anyway, back to Emmet Sullivan. He just asked Flynn's lawyers:

"How is raising those contentions about the circumstances under which Mr Flynn lied consistent with the acceptance of responsibility?"

"Is it your contention that Mr Flynn was entrapped by the FBI?"

To Flynn

"Were you not aware that lying to investigators was a crime?"

FreudianSlippers

https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075066039036190720

We should get sentencing now that the plea has been accepted.

mcmoustache

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075066039036190720

We should get sentencing now that the plea has been accepted.

I think he'll get no prison time now that he has clarified that he accepts responsibility.

FreudianSlippers

mcmoustache wrote: »

I think he'll get no prison time now that he has clarified that he accepts responsibility.

I'm not a criminal lawyer, but your plea in mitigation is not going well when the judge says those claims could "affect or call into question" Flynn's plea or at the least his acceptance of responsibility!

I do believe he won't get prison time, but what were they thinking with going back down that entrapment route - he either knew or didn't know that lying to the FBI was illegal.

everlast75

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Reported that Flynn admitted he was aware that lying to FBI was a crime in his sentencing. That has serious implications to his entrapment statement.

and blows up the nonsense of his supporters that the FBI tricked him or didn't caution him that it was an offence

FreudianSlippers

https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075069194788573189

mcmoustache

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

I'm not a criminal lawyer, but your plea in mitigation is not going well when the judge says those claims could "affect or call into question" Flynn's plea or at the least his acceptance of responsibility!

I do believe he won't get prison time, but what were they thinking with going back down that entrapment route - he either knew or didn't know that lying to the FBI was illegal.

Like a lot of public statements from people in Trump's orbit, I think that the sentencing memo from his lawyers was intended as a communication to Trump. Possibly fishing for a pardon. This is speculation on my part, though.

Leroy42

everlast75 wrote: »

and blows up the nonsense of his supporters that the FBI tricked him or didn't caution him that it was an offence

Well it was always a nonsense. But want it won't do is remove the feeling that he was entrapped. Trump supporters will only recall that Flynn said he was trapped by the FBI, they simply either ignore that he retracted it or don't care.

We have seen that they only focus on the bits they want to focus on, everything else is simply ignored.

So as far as they will be concerned, he was entrapped by the FBI and if you bring up the final acceptance they will retort that he did that only to save himself more jail time as it was clear it was a conspiracy against him.

That is how this works.

FreudianSlippers

https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075070877727907841


That's a very interesting statement... sounds like we haven't heard the end of Flynn related indictments!

Judge has now offered to delay sentencing - stating that Flynn could get a lower sentence if he continued to co-operate as per the above. Only reason he might say that is if he is considering jail time IMO.

FreudianSlippers

Wow.


https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075072620062752768

Leroy42

Sold his country out.

How can Trump continue to offer support for a man like that?

Quin_Dub

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

Wow.


https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075072620062752768

I have a feeling that he's going to get at least some jail time , even if it's only a Papadopolous version of a few days/weeks..

Professor Moriarty

Leroy42 wrote: »

Sold his country out.

How can Trump continue to offer support for a man like that?

There's a logical answer to that question.

FreudianSlippers

Leroy42 wrote: »

So as far as they will be concerned, he was entrapped by the FBI and if you bring up the final acceptance they will retort that he did that only to save himself more jail time as it was clear it was a conspiracy against him.

According to CNN, Flynn was asked directly whether he was entrapped by the FBI and his legal team have responded that he was not.

I don't suggest that takes away any merit from what you're saying, but still very damaging to the Flynn supporters' arguments.

Professor Moriarty

Judge now wondering about 'treason'. The electric chair would be a bit harsh.

FreudianSlippers

20 minute recess for Flynn to consider whether he wants to go ahead with sentencing today as per the earlier offer with regard to lighter sentencing for continued cooperation.

Quin_Dub

Recess until 12:30 at Flynn's request...

https://twitter.com/tjryan93/status/1075074794545184769

FreudianSlippers

There must be a lot more than just a hint of something quite good for this offer to be put on the table at this late stage.

Franz Von Peppercorn

Fairly neutral article here from Eli Lake at Bloomberg.

https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/opinion/articles/2018-12-18/michael-flynn-sentencing-washington-owes-him-an-apology

Pelvis

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

There must be a lot more than just a hint of something quite good for this offer to be put on the table at this late stage.

It's all very odd. The judge is basically saying... "Mr Flynn, are you suuuureee you don't want to co-operate a little more? *nudge nudge, wink wink*".