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  1. #141
    The Undying Breccia's Avatar
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    Mueller haunts the West Wing

    Steve Bannon provoked lots of chatter for telling Charlie Rose on "60 Minutes" that President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey may have been the worst mistake in "modern political history."

    What's intriguing is the reason he said it: the belief of some close White House allies that special counsel Bob Mueller, whose appointment was triggered by Comey's ouster, could use events surrounding the firing to make an obstruction of justice case against Trump.

    There's a good reason that Vice President Pence has hired a lawyer, Bannon freaked out about the decision, and Mueller plans to interview a slew of current and former West Wing aides: They were with Trump during those frantic days, and know what he was saying and what was on his mind.

    White House aides with legal exposure to these events have quickly reached four conclusions, according to conversations with Jonathan Swan and me:

    Mueller is burrowing in hard on the obstruction of justice angle.

    The "angry, meandering" draft White House justification for firing Comey — which was never released, but obtained by Mueller — could be used as evidence of Trump's unvarnished thinking when venting to staff.

    Legal fees, with white-collar attorneys charging $1,000 an hour, get cripplingly expensive pretty quick. Watch for outside legal defense funds to pop up quickly.

    The investigation's financial dimensions are worrisome. The focus on Michael Cohen, a Trump lawyer and confidant whose business dealings are intertwined with the president's, has been particularly troubling for those in Trump's close orbit. Cohen dealt with some colorful characters. And when plans for the Trump Tower in Moscow are fully picked apart, other questionable Russian characters may be drawn in.

    Republicans close to the White House say every sign by Mueller — from his hiring of Mafia and money-laundering experts to his aggressive pursuit of witnesses and evidence — is that he's going for the kill.

    The Wall Street Journal reports on the front page today that outside Trump lawyers "earlier this summer concluded that Jared Kushner should step down ... because of possible legal complications ... and aired concerns about him to the president." Kushner has since defended himself on Capitol Hill.

    Be smart: Trump allies fret that the White House is ill-prepared for the public showdown with Mueller that will eventually come, and should be making legal, political and constitutional arguments for the president's right to fire Comey. Statements by Trump lawyers tend to rattle, rather than reassure, White House allies.

    Trump associates tell me Trump mused about firing Mueller. But now, one associate said, the damage would be as horrendous as "firing the Pope."
    Holy shit, do I love that bolded line.

    Red text also relevant. I've mentioned several times that WH staff were upset about having to hire their own lawyers, pus we know Trump Jr.got his paid for by the 2020 campaign funds...which sounds unethical as shit, but I guess if he did it openly at least it's legal.

  2. #142
    The Insane Glorious Leader's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    I'm not a fan of DJT, but I feel like there are a lot of people here a d otherwise with a irrational hatred of trump.
    This forum has a never ending supply of not trump fans who cant wait to suck his dick.
    The hammer comes down:
    Quote Originally Posted by Osmeric View Post
    Normal should be reduced in difficulty. Heroic should be reduced in difficulty.
    And the tiny fraction for whom heroic raids are currently well tuned? Too bad,so sad! With the arterial bleed of subs the fastest it's ever been, the vanity development that gives you guys your own content is no longer supportable.

  3. #143
    Quote Originally Posted by cubby View Post
    Same here - me and my family have set our exit date predicated on Donnie Dumb Ass being on the 2020 ticket, rather than 2018, but it's the same basic principle. Curious as to which country(ies) you're looking at - we're mostly reviewing Europe, with Canada as a backup - for us that decision is loosely based on available employment rather than any other factor - Canada is great (eh!).

    I could not agree more with your summary of the situation. While I follow Skroe and other's efforts, and I fully understand the necessarily glacial path Mueller has to take before dumping Donnie Dum Dum, I fear that the worst will rise up and cast aside the remaining logic and reason, keeping the Deplorables in power and finally fully squandering perhaps the greatest (potential) nation in the history of the world. Hopefully the human race will recover.
    While Canada is a very good default choice - me and cold do not get along. >_<

    I have to dig a bit deeper into other places, but most have their ups n' downs. Australia I love cuz wildlife, nice n' hot, and laidback atmosphere - unfortunately they do seem to have their own Dumbass Donnie Dump stirring up shit in the form of Pauline Hanson. England has issues with Brexit right now - but they seem to be learning their lesson ATM. Several places in Europe sound great - especially Germany. Only issue is the language barriers...

    Shockingly, I'm finding Mexico of all places to be looking pretty good! There are thriving communities of former Americans who are enjoying themselves quite nicely down there. Bonus points for Mexico is that there's rumors of some kind of big wall being put up between them and America...

    Work-wise that's part of my plan is to become independent from requiring a specific workplace location, and am almost there! This allows me the freedom to work from home - and thus choose I can live anywhere I want to on the globe.

  4. #144
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    Quote Originally Posted by mvallas View Post
    While Canada is a very good default choice - me and cold do not get along. >_<

    I have to dig a bit deeper into other places, but most have their ups n' downs. Australia I love cuz wildlife, nice n' hot, and laidback atmosphere - unfortunately they do seem to have their own Dumbass Donnie Dump stirring up shit in the form of Pauline Hanson. England has issues with Brexit right now - but they seem to be learning their lesson ATM. Several places in Europe sound great - especially Germany. Only issue is the language barriers...

    Shockingly, I'm finding Mexico of all places to be looking pretty good! There are thriving communities of former Americans who are enjoying themselves quite nicely down there. Bonus points for Mexico is that there's rumors of some kind of big wall being put up between them and America...

    Work-wise that's part of my plan is to become independent from requiring a specific workplace location, and am almost there! This allows me the freedom to work from home - and thus choose I can live anywhere I want to on the globe.
    I'm ok with cold so Canada would work - but for Europe calls. Most of the European countries would be good choices - my wife loves the German language to Germany would be nice - god knows what I would do, though.

    Very interesting that Mexico is a valid option. I don't pay too much attention so my knowledge based is mostly cartels/death - but I know I'm wrong, I just don't know by how much I'm wrong - if that makes sense.

    I love that you are almost location independent - I think that is key. My job could be from home so that's a plus, but my wife not-so-much. Three kids in tow also adds to the overall calculus. Although the schools in Europe are fantastic, so that is a big plus.

  5. #145
    Quote Originally Posted by cubby View Post
    I'm ok with cold so Canada would work - but for Europe calls. Most of the European countries would be good choices - my wife loves the German language to Germany would be nice - god knows what I would do, though.

    Very interesting that Mexico is a valid option. I don't pay too much attention so my knowledge based is mostly cartels/death - but I know I'm wrong, I just don't know by how much I'm wrong - if that makes sense.

    I love that you are almost location independent - I think that is key. My job could be from home so that's a plus, but my wife not-so-much. Three kids in tow also adds to the overall calculus. Although the schools in Europe are fantastic, so that is a big plus.
    Yeah, I'm still single/childless - so I'm able to freely roam where I please. ^_^

    That being said, I had a good friend who lived most of his life in Japan move to Canada purely because he liked the school system for children there better and wanted his children to be put through that system instead. So, I guess that's something to consider for your kids as well.

  6. #146
    Quote Originally Posted by Felya View Post
    No, not mothers. It seems like Trump's incompetence is making people feel like he is punching the country. It's not like Trump's support disagree, at least those worshiping the lord of Kek.

    That's kinda the problem, from my perspective, a large portion of Trump's support is deranged. You can point at the people's reaction to Trump doing or saying thing they disagree with as deranged... but, I see Trump as the lord of kek, as a far more deranged opinion.

    - - - Updated - - -



    Did you believe that Hillary and Trump were the worst two candidates in history? If you did, like seemingly the majority, why is it now irrational to air a negative opinion about the worst candidate to ever win an election?
    After the election, I told myself the same thing i told myself after Obama got elected, I might not be a fan of the man, but I would judge them by their policies.

    For the most part, I haven't agree with the way he wants to enact policies, or many of the things he does as president. With that being said, I don't run around acting like the guy kicked my birthday cake.

    The level of personal outrage that people have expressed makes me think many people might have a form of mental illness. Hell we see it on this forum.

  7. #147
    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    For the most part, I haven't agree with the way he wants to enact policies, or many of the things he does as president. With that being said, I don't run around acting like the guy kicked my birthday cake.

    The level of personal outrage that people have expressed makes me think many people might have a form of mental illness. Hell we see it on this forum.
    Some people have more at stake in this than others.
    I've nearly lost my health insurance, and he and his cronies are taking pot shots at my civil rights, too.

    If Trump largely means the difference between whether or not you get a tax cut, of course you're largely indifferent.
    Help control the population. Have your blood elf spayed or neutered.

  8. #148
    Quote Originally Posted by BrerBear View Post
    Some people have more at stake in this than others.
    I've nearly lost my health insurance, and he and his cronies are taking pot shots at my civil rights, too.

    If Trump largely means the difference between whether or not you get a tax cut, of course you're largely indifferent.
    Why did you lose your health insurance?

    Which of your civil rights are at risk?

  9. #149
    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    Which of your civil rights are at risk?
    If Arpaio can violate peoples Fourth Amendment rights and receive a pardon from the president for doing so, then it stands to reason that anyone can be pardoned for any violation of peoples Constitutional rights.

    That's something that anyone who claims to love and respect the Constitution should be losing their shit over right now.

  10. #150
    Quote Originally Posted by Edge- View Post
    If Arpaio can violate peoples Fourth Amendment rights and receive a pardon from the president for doing so, then it stands to reason that anyone can be pardoned for any violation of peoples Constitutional rights.

    That's something that anyone who claims to love and respect the Constitution should be losing their shit over right now.
    I've already said I've disagreed with the pardon. Do the crime, do the time.

    What I think is disingenuous is that some people are pretending that pardons haven't been misused for a long time. Commuting sentences is also misused.

  11. #151
    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    What I think is disingenuous is that some people are pretending that pardons haven't been misused for a long time. Commuting sentences is also misused.
    Who is pretending that?

    Because the specific issue here with Arpaio isn't that he was pardoned of a crime, even though it was done very irregularly. It was the crime he was pardoned for, which was his refusal to stop violating peoples Constitutional rights.

    If the president has the authority to pardon people for flagrantly violating peoples Constitutional rights, and failing to cease that behavior for extended periods of time despite a federal court order to do so, then are these even really rights? Doesn't that give the president the authority to functionally suspend peoples Constitutional rights by giving them the power to pardon those that violate those rights which should be inviolable? Isn't that the president functionally superseding the authority of the Constitution that they swear to uphold and protect?

    It's a very, very different issue than what you bring up.

  12. #152
    Quote Originally Posted by Edge- View Post
    Who is pretending that?

    Because the specific issue here with Arpaio isn't that he was pardoned of a crime, even though it was done very irregularly. It was the crime he was pardoned for, which was his refusal to stop violating peoples Constitutional rights.

    If the president has the authority to pardon people for flagrantly violating peoples Constitutional rights, and failing to cease that behavior for extended periods of time despite a federal court order to do so, then are these even really rights? Doesn't that give the president the authority to functionally suspend peoples Constitutional rights by giving them the power to pardon those that violate those rights which should be inviolable? Isn't that the president functionally superseding the authority of the Constitution that they swear to uphold and protect?

    It's a very, very different issue than what you bring up.
    I've already said I disagree with the pardon,not sure what else you would like me to say. Pardons are misused all the time, personally, id like to see that part of the constitution abridged.

  13. #153
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    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    After the election, I told myself the same thing i told myself after Obama got elected, I might not be a fan of the man, but I would judge them by their policies.

    For the most part, I haven't agree with the way he wants to enact policies, or many of the things he does as president. With that being said, I don't run around acting like the guy kicked my birthday cake.

    The level of personal outrage that people have expressed makes me think many people might have a form of mental illness. Hell we see it on this forum.
    No, not only are you not running around like someone kicked your birthday cake, you have yet to even reach your level of bitching about Obama. The fact that you even compare the two shows absurdity. If Trump and Hillary were the two worst candidates, as I am sure you agreed with at least, it doesn't quite leave much room for Obama. Yet, here we are... you claiming that people's extraordinary reaction to an extraordinary bad president, is somehow wrong or inappropriate?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    What I think is disingenuous is that some people are pretending that pardons haven't been misused for a long time. Commuting sentences is also misused.
    Want to check the ol' 'Obama plans to pardon Hillary' thread to see hypocrisy at work?

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by supertony51 View Post
    I've already said I disagree with the pardon,not sure what else you would like me to say. Pardons are misused all the time, personally, id like to see that part of the constitution abridged.
    Yet, your level of bitching is selective.
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  14. #154
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    Quote Originally Posted by mvallas View Post
    While Canada is a very good default choice - me and cold do not get along. >_<
    Y'know, just going to throw this in there, but not all of Canada is especially cold. Vancouver averages around 70 F in the summer to around 35 F in the winter.

  15. #155
    The Insane Glorious Leader's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lynarii View Post
    Y'know, just going to throw this in there, but not all of Canada is especially cold. Vancouver averages around 70 F in the summer to around 35 F in the winter.
    Im in toronto mid september this whole week is like 27+. Winter will.be cold but its only a couple months
    The hammer comes down:
    Quote Originally Posted by Osmeric View Post
    Normal should be reduced in difficulty. Heroic should be reduced in difficulty.
    And the tiny fraction for whom heroic raids are currently well tuned? Too bad,so sad! With the arterial bleed of subs the fastest it's ever been, the vanity development that gives you guys your own content is no longer supportable.

  16. #156
    Quote Originally Posted by Felya View Post
    No, not only are you not running around like someone kicked your birthday cake, you have yet to even reach your level of bitching about Obama. The fact that you even compare the two shows absurdity. If Trump and Hillary were the two worst candidates, as I am sure you agreed with at least, it doesn't quite leave much room for Obama. Yet, here we are... you claiming that people's extraordinary reaction to an extraordinary bad president, is somehow wrong or inappropriate?

    - - - Updated - - -



    Want to check the ol' 'Obama plans to pardon Hillary' thread to see hypocrisy at work?

    - - - Updated - - -



    Yet, your level of bitching is selective.
    I guess, I mean i disgareed with a lot of Obama's politics, but I can honestly say I never...

    1. Talked shit about his kids
    2. Talked shit about his wife
    3. Said he should be assassinated
    4. insulted the man at a personal level on par with the teeth gnashing and wailing being done by the left about Trump.

  17. #157
    The Undying Breccia's Avatar
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    Flynn refuses to testify for Senate Intelligence Committee. Again.

  18. #158
    Quote Originally Posted by Breccia View Post
    Flynn refuses to testify for Senate Intelligence Committee. Again.
    Yeah, that isn't smart.

    - - - Updated - - -

    https://www.justsecurity.org/44697/s...ssier-knowing/
    @Skroe, more and more of the Christopher Steele Dossier now confirmed by highly respected former member of the CIA’s Senior Intelligence Service, John Sipher. Kind of a long read, but you will have fun with it.

  19. #159
    The Undying Breccia's Avatar
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    More info, Mueller is going after Flynn's son who worked with his father's company and also Trump's transition team. Meanwhile, the DoJ is blockin two senior FBI officials from testifying before the Senate, saying it would compromise Mueller's investigation. They were called to testify on the subject of Trump firing Comey.

    - - - Updated - - -

    And apparently Reuters thinks it's related that Flynn secretly pushed a US-Russia colab effort to build a bunch of nuclear power plants in the Middle East, a project for which Flynn's company was consulting.

    More info here.

  20. #160
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    The investigation is ongoing.

    The Justice Department just gave the clearest sign yet that Mueller is homing in on Comey's firing

    In reference to the DoJ refusing to let two FBI officials testify before Congress.

    The Department of Justice won't allow the Senate Judiciary Committee to interview two top FBI officials, Carl Ghattas and James Rybicki, about the circumstances surrounding former FBI Director James Comey's dismissal in May, according to a letter obtained by CNN.

    The DOJ cited "the appointment of Robert S. Mueller to serve" as special counsel in charge of the Russia investigation in a letter declining the committee's requests for transcribed interviews with Ghattas and Rybicki.

    "Under these circumstances and consistent with the Department's long-standing policy regarding the confidentiality and sensitivity of information relating to pending matters, the Department cannot make Mr. Ghattas nor Mr. Rybicki available for transcribed interviews at this time," the letter read.

    Ghattas is the executive assistant director of the FBI's national security branch and Rybicki is the FBI director's chief of staff and senior counselor.

    That the DOJ cited Mueller and the Russia investigation when it declined the committee's requests to interview Ghattas and Rybicki indicated to legal experts that the FBI doesn't want its own probe of the circumstances surrounding Comey's firing to be compromised by Congress."

    It means that whatever the FBI officials would tell Congress is relevant to what Mueller is investigating," said former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti. "It represents official confirmation that the firing of James Comey and the testimony of these two officials is part of the investigation."
    Also:

    Roger Stone to testify before Senate about his link with Assange.

    Russian-linked Facebook group asked Texas secession movement to be in anti-Clinton rallies

    TRUMP STAFFERS’ LOYALTY TESTED AS MUELLER CLOSES IN

    WWhile Trump’s aides and associates have varying levels of exposure to legal risk, experts suggest that Mueller will be eager to use the threat of perjury charges to extract information, forcing allies to tread a precarious—and expensive—path. Mueller and congressional investigators are already preparing to question a number of current and former high-ranking Trump aides, including Hicks, Priebus, and former press secretary Sean Spicer, among others. As I reported earlier this year, White House aides likely to face legal fees that range as high as $1,000 an hour. The Daily Beast reported last week that there is an effort underway to organize a legal defense fund for staffers.
    We've seen that that legal fund exists and can now be donated to anonymously. Most transparent government, everyone.

    Trump berated Sessions in Oval Office after Mueller appointment

    Trump is privately raging about Robert Mueller. But all of this is his own fault.

    Excerpt:

    When Trump fired Comey, he claimed he had done so on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. He had authored a memo asserting Comey’s transgression was that he had inappropriately handled the Clinton email investigation by criticizing her behavior at a presser despite recommending no charges against her. That is a diametrically different rationale than the latest one offered by Sanders.
    And my favorite:

    Dems to Mueller: Flynn failed to disclose trip to broker Saudi-Russian business deal

    President Trump reportedly "berated" Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this year after learning that a special counsel had been appointed to lead the investigation into his campaign aides' ties to Russia.

    In an Oval Office meeting following the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller in May, Trump called Sessions an "idiot" and said he should resign, The New York Times reported Thursday, citing several current and former administration officials.

    After the meeting, Sessions reportedly sent the White House a resignation letter, but Trump rejected it on the advice of aides.

    The Times said that Sessions later called the incident "the most humiliating experience in decades of public life."
    The most humiliating experience so far.

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