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Thread: Life in the Trump Era, Part 2

  1. #541
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  2. #542
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Whatever you do, don’t listen to Ma’ake or concerned. They are tragically misguided and will only lead you astray.
    I'm really starting to appreciate your wicked sense of humor. lol.

    FWIW, I've never tried to pretend I'm not biased. My opinion and insights are based on a worldview that is not shared by all. (As it should be).

    I agree with you that the indictments are clear, fact-based revelations, based on professional investigations, devoid of political speculation, opinions and posturing.

    Way back when this was coming up as an issue in fall of 2016, I had some hunches about where things might go with all this, but at this point, I don't give a damn about my own ability or failure to be "right" about this issue. This are much, much bigger issues than "winning" some debate on a message board for fans of a college athletics program.

    I could opine about where this may go from here, but it would go against what I think is now much more important - finding common ground, finding the unity we really need to search for.

    James Clapper this morning was talking about how the Russians(/Soviets) have been doing this kind of thing since the 1960s, but in this past election the sophistication and extent of their activities was far beyond anything seen before. "They sensed an opportunity they had not seen before, and they moved on it".

    The other main event this week - another school shooting and the unsolvable gun issue - is a prime example of how we've become so divided & vulnerable to external manipulation.

    To paraphrase Tyler Huntley after a humiliating home loss, "We did that. We have to accept it". It wasn't the Russians who divided us, we did it to ourselves.

    To that end, I'm going to (try) to avoid writing about what I see in the tea leaves on what Mueller may reveal next. It just doesn't help anything. Mueller and his team are as good as we have as a nation. We all need to just let him do his job, and avoid divisive reactions as the truth comes out.

  3. #543
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Here is the entire indictment. It hope it’s not behind a pay wall for non-subscribers.

    http://online.wsj.com/public/resourc...02-16-2018.pdf

    You have to get to page 12 before the document starts describing the way the Russians went about their business.

    I have heard so far on news reports that these efforts to organize rallies were not very successful. But who knows whether or not we are looking at the tip of the iceberg?

    Unreal. 2014. Obama had no understanding of Moscow's importance or capabilities. Totally inept toward Russia, and now he's left this cluster for someone who does little more than create chaos himself.

    Makes one wonder where we might be as a country if we had had a capable and competent president in the white house the last five years.
    “Children and dogs are as necessary to the welfare of the country as Wall Street and the railroads.” -- Harry S. Truman

    "You never soar so high as when you stoop down to help a child or an animal." -- Jewish Proverb

    "Three-time Pro Bowler Eric Weddle the most versatile, and maybe most intelligent, safety in the game." -- SI, 9/7/15, p. 107.

  4. #544
    Quote Originally Posted by mUUser View Post
    Unreal. 2014. Obama had no understanding of Moscow's importance or capabilities. Totally inept toward Russia, and now he's left this cluster for someone who does little more than create chaos himself.

    Makes one wonder where we might be as a country if we had had a capable and competent president in the white house the last five years.
    James Clapper today said the Russians / Soviets have been doing this kind of thing since the 1960s, but the big difference is for the 2016 election, the scope and sophistication went way, way up.

    An article from the Netherlands in the past few weeks disclosed that Dutch Intel found the physical location where the Russian hackers were, and passed along the Intel they gathered to the US. Based on a treasure trove of FBI texts, later in 2016 the chatter in the Bureau was "Obama wants to know everything we're doing".

    I think Obama faced a tough dilemma in 2016: Intervene, and look like you're trying to sway the election to Hillary, or have faith that the meddling won't have the desired impact. After the election, Obama seized the spy compound in Maryland and implemented sanctions on several Russian oligarchs, part of the sanctions which the Russians have been trying like crazy to get removed.

    In retrospect, based on what we know, I agree it looks like Obama should have been far, far more aggressive, possibly taking military action, against Russia. Just as folks associated with the Trump campaign were caught up in surveillance against Russian operatives here - eg, Carter Page - it may come out that Trump campaign insiders were coordinating with the Russians on some of the activity the indictments were about. (This is supposition on my part, admittedly.)

    So - hypothetically - if Obama brings the hammer down on Trump campaign officials during the campaign, how does that look?

    If Obama has Paul Manafort arrested right after the Republican Convention, how would that play?

  5. #545
    Anything Obama would have done in the open would have led to a constitutional crisis. By the time the FBI knew about everything it was already too far into the election cycle to do anything. Any action would justifiably be seen as interference in the election.

    The time to act was a year or more before they had the evidence. This was a perfectly executed attack on our elections.

  6. #546
    Quote Originally Posted by NorthwestUteFan View Post
    Anything Obama would have done in the open would have led to a constitutional crisis. By the time the FBI knew about everything it was already too far into the election cycle to do anything. Any action would justifiably be seen as interference in the election.

    The time to act was a year or more before they had the evidence. This was a perfectly executed attack on our elections.

    Obama proposed that the Repubs and Dems issue a joint statement condemning Russian interference (in sept., I believe, but maybe Oct.). McConnell refused, saying it would tip the election to Hillary. I suspect that Obama assumed Hillary would win, and did not want to do anything that would discredit her victory, or, as you say, cause a constitutional crisis.

    After the election, Obama imposed sanctions, including expelling personnel in new York. Flynn told the Russians not to worry about the sanctions, they would be reversed.
    Last edited by concerned; 02-19-2018 at 03:34 PM.

  7. #547
    I don’t buy the narrative that Obama did nothing because he feared appearing to tip the campaign to Clinton. Had he recognized it as that opportunity he absolutely would have done it. Particularly if it countered Comey reopening the email investigation.

    The more plausible explanation is that Obama’s foreign policy was pretty much to sit on his hands and I think that happened here.

    Ironically, Trump criticizes Obama for doing nothing about Russia while do absolutely nothing himself.


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  8. #548
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    Ironically, Trump criticizes Obama for doing nothing about Russia while doIng nothing himself.
    Trump can’t seem to bring himself to say anything negative about Putin or Russia. It’s a weird and dumb attitude.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  9. #549
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    I don’t buy the narrative that Obama did nothing because he feared appearing to tip the campaign to Clinton. Had he recognized it as that opportunity he absolutely would have done it. Particularly if it countered Comey reopening the email investigation.

    The more plausible explanation is that Obama’s foreign policy was pretty much to sit on his hands and I think that happened here.

    Ironically, Trump criticizes Obama for doing nothing about Russia while do absolutely nothing himself.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    So you think that a week before the election, in response to Comey, Obama should have unilaterally disclosed the Russian activity after McConnell (and every other Republican) refused to jointly disclose it and claimed it that would be electioneering? How do you think the Republicans would have viewed that? Fox? How do you think you would have viewed it? Trying to save Hillary's neck and nothing more? You don't think that would have caused a crisis (and from the Dems positon at that time, an unneccessary one)? There are many contemporary statements that Obama did not want to use this issue to put his finger on the scale. (If he don't recognize it as an opportunity, as you suggest, he would have to be the dumbest politician ever. He did recognize it, and decided not to take it.)

    His sanctions were pretty stiff. If he was just sitting on his hand he could have done that till January.

    A better question is why didn't McConnell agree to a joint statement? (although we know the answer).

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...=.bf43e88934df
    Last edited by concerned; 02-20-2018 at 09:23 AM.

  10. #550
    Quote Originally Posted by Rocker Ute View Post
    I don’t buy the narrative that Obama did nothing because he feared appearing to tip the campaign to Clinton. Had he recognized it as that opportunity he absolutely would have done it. Particularly if it countered Comey reopening the email investigation.

    The more plausible explanation is that Obama’s foreign policy was pretty much to sit on his hands and I think that happened here.

    Ironically, Trump criticizes Obama for doing nothing about Russia while do absolutely nothing himself.
    Adam Schiff already criticized Obama for not doing enough. Pressure seems to be mounting for Trump to actually do something. I'm fascinated to see what the response will be, maybe even by Trump.

    While the Russian indictments create a large cloud of smoke, the main punch is related to the Manafort filings, Rick Gates flipping, etc. J

    Just this morning Mueller announced charges against a man who communicated with Gates for making false statements. https://twitter.com/ZoeTillman/statu...51888935018497

    Crude sports metaphor: Mueller is getting in some solid body shots, while Trump is working the crowd, blaming the FBI, blaming Obama, etc.

    Lost in the smoke & noise, Rosenstein announced the indictments, and Sessions said it was right for him to recuse himself. Are Trump insiders starting to stand up for themselves?

  11. #551
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Ma’ake, When prosecutors nail people for lying during an FBI interview, they do that because they don’t have an underlying crime. See Scooter Libby, the biggest victim of the biggest nothingburger prosecution ever. So IMO caution is advisable I’m evaluating those types of indictments and guilty pleas.
    Last edited by LA Ute; 02-20-2018 at 10:02 AM.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  12. #552
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    So you think that a week before the election, in response to Comey, Obama should have unilaterally disclosed the Russian activity after McConnell (and every other Republican) refused to jointly disclose it and claimed it that would be electioneering? How do you think the Republicans would have viewed that? Fox? How do you think you would have viewed it? Trying to save Hillary's neck and nothing more? You don't think that would have caused a crisis (and from the Dems positon at that time, an unneccessary one)? There are many contemporary statements that Obama did not want to use this issue to put his finger on the scale. (If he don't recognize it as an opportunity, as you suggest, he would have to be the dumbest politician ever. He did recognize it, and decided not to take it.)

    His sanctions were pretty stiff. If he was just sitting on his hand he could have done then till January
    Honest question: How rock-solid is the information that McConnell refused to go along with Obama for that specific reason? Does McConnell concede that fact himself, or is that just based on news reports? I honestly don’t know.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  13. #553
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Honest question: How rock-solid is the information that McConnell refused to go along with Obama for that specific reason? Does McConnell concede that fact himself, or is that just based on news reports? I honestly don’t know.


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    Honest answer: I dont know. But I have never seen or heard a denial.

  14. #554

    Life in the Trump Era, Part 2

    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Honest question: How rock-solid is the information that McConnell refused to go along with Obama for that specific reason? Does McConnell concede that fact himself, or is that just based on news reports? I honestly don’t know.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    I know, right?! Because it just doesn’t sound like MCConnell at all to not work with President Obama towards a mutual goal.


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  15. #555
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dwight Schr-Ute View Post
    I know, right?! Because it just doesn’t sound like MCConnell at all to not work with President Obama towards a mutual goal.
    Yes, that was the problem. Obama, always high-minded, with the country's best interests at heart and nary a political thought in his mind. Meanwhile, those awful Republicans stopped him at every turn.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  16. #556
    Administrator U-Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Yes, that was the problem. Obama, always high-minded, with the country's best interests at heart and nary a political thought in his mind. Meanwhile, those awful Republicans stopped him at every turn.
    Now you're beginning to understand.

  17. #557
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Yes, that was the problem. Obama, always high-minded, with the country's best interests at heart and nary a political thought in his mind. Meanwhile, those awful Republicans stopped him at every turn.

    So if he wasn't high-minded at this turn, why didn't he create partisan advantage? He was campaigning for Hillary all over the place; why not use it? Especially the guy who brought Chicago style politics to the WH. Again, I do not think it is disputed that the Repubs refused to go along.

  18. #558
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    So if he wasn't high-minded at this turn, why didn't he create partisan advantage? He was campaigning for Hillary all over the place; why not use it? Especially the guy who brought Chicago style politics to the WH. Again, I do not think it is disputed that the Repubs refused to go along.
    From what I know (based solely on what you've told me) it looks like he was high-minded on this occasion. There, you have a concession from me. I can see an argument that taking such a step so close to a presidential election would be unwise. Comey's announcement this time is an example, as well as Lawrence Walsh's indictment or Weinberger 5 days prior to the 1992 election.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  19. #559
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Ma’ake, When prosecutors nail people for lying during an FBI interview, they do that because they don’t have an underlying crime. See Scooter Libby, the biggest victim of the biggest nothingburger prosecution ever. So IMO caution is advisable I’m evaluating those types of indictments and guilty pleas.
    I'm spit-balling this, but maybe this signals for those who may be contemplating fibbing - or to those who have fibbed - that they best be careful. Basically laying the groundwork for more folks to flip. It seems like it would be bad strategy to telegraph your moves to the Kushner & Trump, Jr. level, but to those under them... "We take lying to the FBI seriously, and if you've got something valuable, and you've lied, we may come looking for a deal".

    Rosenstein seems to have gotten some protection in presiding over the Russian indictments, and even Sessions was emboldened to defend himself in his recusal.

    I don't think the Fat Lady has even started warming up, though...

  20. #560
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Ma’ake, When prosecutors nail people for lying during an FBI interview, they do that because they don’t have an underlying crime. See Scooter Libby, the biggest victim of the biggest nothingburger prosecution ever. So IMO caution is advisable I’m evaluating those types of indictments and guilty pleas.
    That is not necessarily so. Often times you have several possible crimes, and you indict the least serious as a way to get the defendant to cooperate, if you are going after bigger fish. You threaten but do not indict the more serious crimes because that would create a disincentive to cooperate.

    or you want to scare somebody else you are trying to get to cooperate. I would doubt they would waste time on this guy unless he was leading them somewhere else.
    Last edited by concerned; 02-20-2018 at 01:52 PM.

  21. #561
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Life in the Trump Era, Part 2

    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    That is not necessarily so. Often times you have several possible crimes, and you indict the least serious as a way to get the defendant to cooperate, if you are going after bigger fish. You threaten but do not indict the more serious crimes because that would create a disincentive to cooperate.

    or you want to scare somebody else you are trying to get to cooperate. I would doubt they would waste time on this guy unless he was leading them somewhere else.
    Fair enough. We’ll know someday if Kelly or the other guys who plead to lying had bombshell information about illegal behavior by the Trumpistas. I think it’s very likely that the Trump campaign was so slapdash and incompetent that they were incapable of any kind of sophisticated conspiracy with the Russians. (OK, I stole that idea from the editor of Politico.)

    *****

    Confessions of a Russiagate Skeptic
    Why I have my doubts about whether Trump colluded with Moscow.
    By BLAKE HOUNSHELL 02/18/2018 07:48 PM EST

    https://www.politico.com/magazine/st...skeptic-217024

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  22. #562
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Fair enough. We’ll know someday if Kelly or the other guys who plead to lying had bombshell information about illegal behavior by the Trumpistas. I think it’s very likely that the Trump campaign was so slapdash and incompetent that they were incapable of any kind of sophisticated conspiracy with the Russians. (OK, I stole that idea from the editor of Politico.)

    *****

    Confessions of a Russiagate Skeptic
    Why I have my doubts about whether Trump colluded with Moscow.
    By BLAKE HOUNSHELL 02/18/2018 07:48 PM EST

    https://www.politico.com/magazine/st...skeptic-217024
    could be related to Mantafort or other money laundering. Might have nothing to do with collusion.

  23. #563
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    could be related to Mantafort or other money laundering. Might have nothing to do with collusion.
    That is one thing that has always bothered me about special counsel appointments. It even bothered me about Ken Starr. Mueller is supposed to be investigating collusion, not searching for random crimes that he can convict someone of. Ken Starr did that, and I don’t think the country was well served.

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  24. #564
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    So if he wasn't high-minded at this turn, why didn't he create partisan advantage? He was campaigning for Hillary all over the place; why not use it? Especially the guy who brought Chicago style politics to the WH. Again, I do not think it is disputed that the Repubs refused to go along.
    The very fact that Merrick Garland never even got voted out of committee, let alone a floor debate and vote, is pretty solid evidence in the case against McConnell.

  25. #565
    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    Fair enough. We’ll know someday if Kelly or the other guys who plead to lying had bombshell information about illegal behavior by the Trumpistas. I think it’s very likely that the Trump campaign was so slapdash and incompetent that they were incapable of any kind of sophisticated conspiracy with the Russians. (OK, I stole that idea from the editor of Politico.)

    *****

    Confessions of a Russiagate Skeptic
    Why I have my doubts about whether Trump colluded with Moscow.
    By BLAKE HOUNSHELL 02/18/2018 07:48 PM EST

    https://www.politico.com/magazine/st...skeptic-217024
    I see the Trumpistas as bumbling idiots who benefitted from a deeper and more complex scheme. There has to be a Kingmaker.

  26. #566
    Quote Originally Posted by concerned View Post
    So you think that a week before the election, in response to Comey, Obama should have unilaterally disclosed the Russian activity after McConnell (and every other Republican) refused to jointly disclose it and claimed it that would be electioneering? How do you think the Republicans would have viewed that? Fox? How do you think you would have viewed it? Trying to save Hillary's neck and nothing more? You don't think that would have caused a crisis (and from the Dems positon at that time, an unneccessary one)? There are many contemporary statements that Obama did not want to use this issue to put his finger on the scale. (If he don't recognize it as an opportunity, as you suggest, he would have to be the dumbest politician ever. He did recognize it, and decided not to take it.)

    His sanctions were pretty stiff. If he was just sitting on his hand he could have done that till January.

    A better question is why didn't McConnell agree to a joint statement? (although we know the answer).

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...=.bf43e88934df

    I'm not saying I thought he should disclose it, I'm saying that if Obama truly believed it would help, he would have figured out a way to announce something to implicate the Trump campaign. There are plenty of ways of getting that info out that don't involve him either (see how Jason Chaffetz was going to announce the HRC emails that forced Comey to do it in the manner you mention). Obama never shied away from dirt before, and you'll excuse me from buying statements after the fact that he didn't want to put his finger on the scale. If he didn't want to do that he wouldn't have been actively stumping for HRC. His 'stiff' sanctions against Russia were made on January 2 as he was walking out the door.

  27. #567
    All signs point to Trumpistas being bumbling idiots. I've always been doubtful of true Trump collusion claims. That doesn't preclude the Russians from trying to penetrate his campaign and cause havoc in that regard though.

    However, there is little question that on the surface of election interference getting an unqualified candidate in as president would benefit the Russians. One year in and Trump still isn't qualified to be president.

  28. #568
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Somehow this made me think of our current times.

    Attached Images Attached Images

    "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
    --Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold."
    --Yeats

    “True, we [lawyers] build no bridges. We raise no towers. We construct no engines. We paint no pictures - unless as amateurs for our own principal amusement. There is little of all that we do which the eye of man can see. But we smooth out difficulties; we relieve stress; we correct mistakes; we take up other men's burdens and by our efforts we make possible the peaceful life of men in a peaceful state.”

    --John W. Davis, founder of Davis Polk & Wardwell

  29. #569
    It looks like Van Der Zwaan is the son in law of Russian-Ukrainian oligarch German Khan (weird name, huh?), worked for a firm in DC called "Scadden". https://www.theatlantic.com/politics...-zwaan/553793/

    He helped produce a PR report in 2012 that sought to make the Russian leaning Ukrainian president Viktor Yanokovych - for whom Manafort apparently worked for a decade - look better than the negative reaction to his locking up his opposition, Yulia Tymoshenko. ("Lock Her Up" wasn't exactly a novel concept, it looks like. Manafort's boss actually did it, in the Ukraine.)

    (Yanokovych who was overthrown during the Ukrainian revolution, fled to Moscow, and Yulia Tymoshenko was released from prison by the Ukrainian legislature / parliament.)

    Very, very interestingly, Van Der Zwaan's father in law Khan is the owner of Alfa Bank, the organization that was communicating with Trump Tower at key inflection points during the campaign, according to DNS administrators interviewed for the Slate article I referenced from Oct 31, 2016. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...th_russia.html

    (Alfa Bank was also fingered by Christopher Steele in his dossier as being a conduit between the Kremlin and the Trump campaign.)

    Another source indicates Mueller nailed VDZ for lying because they recovered encrypted communications between VDZ and the person he said he hadn't spoken with, hence the indictment.

    This may amount to very little... or it may indicate Mueller is closing in.



  30. #570
    Five-O Diehard Ute's Avatar
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    I don’t mind notes. I think anyone in such a position would use notes.

    But it’s mind boggling to me that POTUS has to have “I Hear You” written down when meeting with mass shooting victims. Empathy shouldn’t require notes.

    To me that’s more evidence of possible cognitive issues than anything.


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