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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2018 - 03:02pm PT
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Trump and his associates are being investigated for conspiracy to defraud the United States - colluding with Russians to pervert the 2016 election. Trump is also being investigated for the separate crime of obstruction of justice - attempting to steer, derail, cancel, or otherwise pervert an investigation into the conspiracy charges.
So, Trump could be indicted for crimes committed both before, and after, he took office. An indictment on the obstruction charges would be, as in the case of Nixon, less clear-cut because a clever lieyer might argue that Trump's primary official duty, as president, is to remain in office, even if he had to obstruct justice to do that.
Like Al Capone being convicted for tax evasion, and not racketeering or murder, an effective prosecutor will take the low-hanging fruit. In Trump's case, that would probably mean crimes committed before he was president, such as for election fraud.
In the course of his investigations, Mueller has found evidence of associated crimes, such as Paul Manafort's money laundering and tax evasion prior to the election. Michael Cohen's home, hotel and office were raided by the FBI after Mueller's team forwarded evidence to the Southern District Court of New York. Mueller's mandate specifically includes pursuing other crimes that are uncovered while investigating the conspiracy and obstruction charges.
Trump's biggest legal exposure will likely be white-collar crimes committed before he announced his candidacy, and before he was elected. If Mueller is following a money trail that leads from the Stormy Daniels payment, to Michael Cohen, to a meeting in Prague with Russian oligarchs, to a Trump project in Ukraine, to money laundering, Mueller would have legal standing to bring forth charges.
Paul Manfort's lawyers are appealing a Federal judge's ruling that Mueller's mandate is not restricted to just the conspiracy and obstruction charges, but extends to associated crimes he uncovers. Manafort will likely lose the appeal, which would mean that Trump's finances prior to the election are fair game.
Notice that Trump declared that his personal finances constituted a "red line" that he warned Mueller not to cross. Trump has something to hide, and Mueller will, or has, discovered what it is.
Mueller doesn't recognize any imaginary Trump "red line", any more than Milwaukee police would have recognized a Jeffery Dahmner "red line" to not look inside his freezer.
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
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Jun 26, 2018 - 03:18pm PT
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Good luck with all that Tom.
You can’t even disagree with one of his mob or not serve them in a restaurant with out vengefulness.
While I agree he should have his own private room, the only way I see it is voting him out.
I think that will happen.
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Norton
climber
The Wastelands
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Jun 26, 2018 - 03:24pm PT
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True that Robert Mueller cannot indict, but the grand jury he presents to can.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2018 - 03:42pm PT
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You can’t even disagree with one of his mob or not serve them in a restaurant with out vengefulness.
People who do Trump's bidding should not be let off the hook for "just doing their job". Defending a tax cut for the rich is one thing, but defending and deceiving the public about a state-sponsored kidnapping and adoption ring is quite another.
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:08pm PT
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@kurteichenwald
After spinning bogus Obama birther tales, taunting a war hero and joking about him dying, insulting a Gold Star family, p*ssy grabbing, mocking the disabled, using insulting names for political leaders, & accusing Democrats of being pro-crime...
...the GOP is demanding civility
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Winemaker
Sport climber
Yakima, WA
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:25pm PT
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Well, I'm doing my bit. I just sent another email to the White House; pretty sure I'm on the watch list now. Wonder if he read it? He hasn't replied, so probably not.
Dear Mr. President, you are supposed to be the President of the United States, not the President of who voted for you. Can you just sort of shut TFU? It's getting pretty old and really, really stupid.
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JC Marin
Trad climber
CA
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:31pm PT
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Can anyone imagine the blistering vitriol from the right if Obama had personally threatened to go after Harley Davidson with additional taxes (taxed like never before) because the company decided that it was in their best business interest to move some production overseas?
(notwithstanding this was completely caused by Trump).
The silence is deafening...and f*#k these hypocrites.
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:38pm PT
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Look,they win with less votes,they make the democrats wait for their Supreme Court judge,he doesn’t have to show his taxes and gerrymandering is legal.
This is the mob.
Democrats have to grow some serious balls to overcome this clusterf*#k.
And, I never said ,leave them off the hook, If you think it is divided now ,just wait for the downturn.
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:40pm PT
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Anyone who believes that the SCOTUS has not become politicized is well. . . . . . Cosmic
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Norton
climber
The Wastelands
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Jun 26, 2018 - 04:58pm PT
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Consider this - if Hillary had become President everything would be quiet
divided government, just like under President Obama
and come the November midterms the Republicans would remain in control
Trump's Presidency is the greatest gift to the Democrats, handed on a silver platter
the emotion, the anger, the disgust against Trump by both Dems and more importantly Independents is resulting in Republicans being defeated in special elections all over the country, including in strongly held Republican states
thanks to Donald Trump, the Dems have a good chance of taking back the House
in November, and the Senate and Presidency in 2020
If Hillary had won the Dems would still be wondering in the desert with nothing to look forward to
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2018 - 09:53pm PT
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Trump's Presidency is the greatest gift to the Democrats, handed on a silver platter
During World War II, the British Intelligence Service (MI6) prepared plans to assassinate Adolph Hitler. The military leaders flat-out rejected any such thing, because Hitler's blunders were of the greatest benefit to the allies. As Hitler entered the Querencia Phase of his dictatorship, he became more and more erratic, ignoring his generals and advisors, and making important decisions based on "touch and feel" ("It's what I do").
Go Trumpy! Go Trumpy! Go Trumpy! Go Trumpy!
The DHS and HHS separated children from their parents without any sort of coherent, logical way to identify who was whom. Even simple bar-coded plastic hospital bracelets would have sufficed.
ICE, DHS and HHS intentionally separated some children irreversibly, especially the youngest, so that the could be shipped thousands of miles away, and put up for adoption.
Ditsy Davos' Bethany Christian Services was complicit in this kidnapping and adoption scheme. At least 81 children separated from their parents at the border were immediately put up for adoption, with no intention, whatsoever, of ever reuniting them with their parents.
DHS and HHS have been surreptitiously busing children around in the middle of the night, and secretly placing them in foster care centers around the nation. There is almost no transparency about what is going on. The "lost" children are not just pawns, but a fungible commodity on the open adoption market. The shocking stories about breast-feeding infants being forcibly torn from their mothers is starting to make sense: they are the most desirable adoptees, because the won't have any memories of their former families. Babies too young to speak can't tell anyone who their real parents are.
Disgusting.
Seventeen states have sued the Trump Administration over his misguided and criminal policy of taking children from their parents, and selling them on the open adoption market.
The level of criminality in the Trump Administration is astonishing. And it is even more astonishing that a majority of the GOP in Congress are unwilling to do anything about it.
Trump is INSANE!
He screwed up Harley-Davidson with his deranged trade war, and when the company adapted to survive, he attacked the employees on Twitter, calling them "traitors".
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/business/trump-harley-davidson-tariffs.html
Trump is saying that Harley-Davidson "surrendered" in the tariff war. Harley-Davidson was not fighting a tariff war. Harley-Davidson is a civilian casualty of Trump's tariff war. Harley-Davidson did not "surrender" any more than war zone refugees fleeing for their lives are "surrendering".
Trump is threatening big import tariffs, when Harley-Davidson tries to bring foreign-made motorcycles back into the United States. As usual, Trump engaged his mouth before turning on his brain. Harley-Davidson's foreign production will be sold in foreign countries, not in the U.S.
Trump is like a spoiled child at his own birthday party who insists on cheating at every game so that he wins. If he can't win, he makes up new rules on the spot, so that he will win. If starts losing, he throws a Trumper Tantrum, and stamps his tiny little feet in rage. And, then he breaks all the pieces of the game, so that nobody else can win.
If Trump can't win, he insists on total destruction.
Trump is DELUSIONAL!
As part of his Twitter Tantrum after Harley-Davidson said it would move production overseas, Trump sent this:
Where are these other countries? The ones that are reducing and eliminating tariffs and trade barriers? Are they here on earth? China, Canada, Mexico and the European Union have all increased tariffs and trade barriers in response to Trump's U.S. tariffs on imported aluminum and steel.
Maybe the countries eliminating tariffs and trade barriers are in a galaxy far, far away, and were discovered last night by the Space Force.
A San Diego Federal judge has issued a nationwide order that separated immigrant children must be reunited with their families within 30 day (14 days, for those younger than 5 years). Separating children from their families must stop immediately. And, no immigrant can be deported unless their children are with them.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/26/us/politics/family-separations-congress-states.html
We can expect a spate of lawsuits from adoptive parents seeking exemption from the judge's order. They will wail and moan that they have become attached to the stolen children now in their care. They will argue that taking the children from their adoptive care would be cruel and disruptive to the children's lives.
Foster care facilities, like Ditsy Davos' Bethany Christian Services, will be unable to comply with the judges order, because they never bothered to keep records of who the stolen children's parents were. So, we can expect a spate of lawsuits from private foster care agencies, challenging the judge's order on the basis of various legal contortions.
And, we can expect the Trump Administration itself to sue for relief from the judge's order. The incompetent bureaucrats who intentionally separated families, without so much as a name tag on the children, will be seeking to cover their own asses.
Of course, Trump will fight the judge's order, and create a senseless ruckus, because that's what Trump does when he doesn't get to win.
A wonderful bright spot, on an otherwise cloudy day.
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Jun 26, 2018 - 11:51pm PT
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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Jun 27, 2018 - 03:49am PT
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They've colorized the Forbidden Zone? Yuck!
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Norton
climber
The Wastelands
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Jun 27, 2018 - 06:13am PT
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Jun 27, 2018 - 06:22am PT
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Lock Cosmic up...with his birds...Rawk...Libtards
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Jun 27, 2018 - 08:19am PT
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Thanks for the link, xCon!
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dirtbag
climber
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Jun 27, 2018 - 09:07am PT
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I also don’t understand the call for disbanding ice. While I certainly think we need to reform quite a few of our immigration laws, as long as we have such laws, we will still need cops. The big problem is the mandates the cops are given.
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Norton
climber
The Wastelands
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Jun 27, 2018 - 09:39am PT
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I have no beef with her platform as shown on her hand-bill but would love to know a bit more about how she plans to pay for it?
exactly the problem I have with Bernie Sanders' "free college", "medicare for all"
his solution to pay for all that is the same as hers, tax the rich
naive, sophomoric - reality says the Republicans will never, ever raise taxes
it would take 60 Democrats in the Senate to overcome, even under Obama never had 60
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Norton
climber
The Wastelands
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Jun 27, 2018 - 09:59am PT
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?
well Frost, I have never heard this new one about President Obama having distain and not getting his hands dirty to clean up the Democratic party
care to educate me on his "distain" with examples, and also tell me where he personally has the responsibility and authority after leaving office to somehow reorder the DNC? thanks
by the way I did not have to "clench my teeth" to vote for Hillary
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2018 - 10:35am PT
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Republicans in Congress have called for civility and tolerance. Trump supporters protested outside the Red Hen restaurant, calling for civility and tolerance.
You can't make this stuff up.
The most uncivil and intolerant people on the political landscape today are complaining that others are, what? Stealing their schtick? Copying them without permission? Plagiarizing their playbook? Invading their region of behavior? Infecting the nation?
Fanatical Republicans and Trumplicans calling for civility and tolerance are hypocritical moral relativists. They exhibit neither civility nor tolerance.
If they want civility and tolerance, they need to lead by example, and not by preaching, "Do as I say, not as I do".
A political platform that is wildly extreme to the side, hoping to eventually skew legislation from the middle, is straight out of the Republican playbook.
The idea is that your opening offer is two bucks for a Ferrari, and you're aiming to settle on a "reasonable compromise" of $4,000.
It's a primitive and absurd negotiation tactic, straight out of The Art of the Deal. It's insulting and frustrating to the other side, which may have been the Republicans' intent when they began using it, back in the dark days of Newt Gingrich.
If a Democratic platform is presented this way, it's because they learned to do it from the Republicans.
BTW, Trump's plan to win his ill-conceived trade war was based on the idea of negotiating with a wildly unacceptable opening offer, and hoping the other side would come over to his "reasonable compromise".
The other side, in this case China, Canada, Mexico and the European Union, countered Trump's primitive and absurd bluster by simply matching his opening offer, and calling his bluff.
Trump couldn't negotiate his way out of a wet paper bag.
He's was a spoiled child, and he's now a spoiled man-child. All his life, he pouted and bullied to get what he wanted. Now that he has to deal with adults in a real-life situation, he's at a loss, and flailing around.
MAGA = Mueller: America's Great Again
Yay!!!
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