Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Levelfive]

Side note: Parnas and Fruman's (temporary) attorneys are Manafort's old attorneys. I'm gonna need a conspiracy chart to keep track of all this interconnectedness up in here.

[Somewhatconcerned]

Corruption to the core.

[Edge-]

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/...tests-66177542

North Korea threatened again Thursday to resume nuclear and long-range missile tests, accusing the U.S. of having instigated some members of the U.N. Security Council to condemn its recent weapons tests.

The warning by Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry followed the weekend breakdown of North Korea-U.S. nuclear negotiations in Sweden, the first such talks between the countries in more than seven months. North Korea said the talks collapsed because the U.S. didn't have any new proposals, and whether it maintains a self-imposed moratorium on major weapons tests was up to Washington.

Some observers say North Korea's threat may be a tactic to pressure the U.S. into making concessions as a restart of nuclear and long-range missile tests would likely derail negotiations, deepen its international isolation and further dim prospects for rebuilding its moribund economy.

NK trolling as always, but I legitimately believe the bolded by and that the Trump administration had nothing to come to the planned talks with.

But I'm legit not convinced that Trump won't give them the farm just to claim a victory because he "made a deal". Especially with reports that Trump tried to sell Turkey F-35's if they'd stop their Syrian incursion against the Kurds. And that we're back for the dozenth or so "restart" of the trade negotiations with China.

[Levelfive]

Huh. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/10/polit...all/index.html

"Washington (CNN) Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was pranked by two Russians pretending to be Turkey's minister of defense in an August phone call, his office said on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Graham confirmed to CNN that the South Carolina Republican spoke with Russian pranksters Alexey Stolyarov and Vladimir Kuznetsov in a conversation he thought was with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar.

...

According to audio of the call provided to Politico, Graham calls the Kurds a "threat" to Turkey -- a label that appears to contradict his public statements in recent days regarding President Donald Trump's decision to pull American troops out of the way of a Turkish invasion of Syria. The attack has been widely condemned by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for putting American allies, such as the Kurds, in harm's way.

"Your YPG Kurdish problem is a big problem," Graham told the pranksters in reference to the Kurdish People's Protection Units. Politico reports the pranksters have suspected ties to Russian intelligence.

"I told President Trump that Obama made a huge mistake in relying on the YPG Kurds," Graham continued. "Everything I worried about has come true, and now we have to make sure Turkey is protected from this threat in Syria. I'm sympathetic to the YPG problem, and so is the President, quite frankly."

The comments appear at odds with the senator's previous rhetoric on the conflict, including a tweet Wednesday in which he directed followers to "pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration.""

ETA: Double huh--fuller article at politico: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/1...ax-call-043991 that includes this:

"Graham also mentions Trump’s personal interest in a “Turkish bank case” in the call that appears to refer to a U.S. case involving Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish gold trader and client of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Trump had asked then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in 2017 to help persuade the Justice Department to drop the Zarrab case."

More details in the link.

[Wyrt]

I'm sympathetic to the YPG problem, and so is the President, quite frankly."[/B]

This is like telling 1940s Germany that "I'm sympathetic to the Jewish problem"

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4...ation-agencies

More subpoenas, this time for the heads of ICE and the USCIS

[Breccia]

Okay, now that multiple people have mentioned the Graham prank call thing and now that I'm done banging his wife in the shower, the question is raised:

Who was Graham lying to?

Normally I would say "Graham was lying to the murderous dictator" and that he was stringing "Erdogan's people" along, hoping to get some leverage or promises. Which I can get behind.

But then

Graham also mentions Trump’s personal interest in a “Turkish bank case” in the call that appears to refer to a U.S. case involving Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish gold trader and client of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani

I mean, was Graham trying to trick "Erdogan" into helping Trump by virtue of helping Giuliani? Or was Graham making a power play, hoping to get info on Giuliani for when he really needed it?

I don't have a ton of respect for Graham, but I think both of those seem more likely than "Graham is lying when he says he'll push a bill to sanction Turkey, when it sounds like he's crossing Trump to do it".

- - - Updated - - -

More subpoenas, this time for the heads of ICE and the USCIS

Throughout the Committee’s investigation, the Administration has refused to produce requested documents, and agency officials have refused to answer questions regarding why the Administration sought to deport these children, who was responsible for this decision, and how requests for deferred action will be handled going forward.

The Administration claimed that it was withholding this information because it was in ‘active litigation’ with a private party—an argument the Supreme Court has rejected as a basis to withhold documents from Congress

I think we all saw that, Cummings.

[Orbitus]

Yes, Democrats need to explain the timing of the pair's decision to attempt to flee the country immediately.

- - - Updated - - -

Why would you give these guys bail? The article doesn't explain how they know the judge was "reluctant."

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/p...e-flight-risks

Judge OKs Bail Packages For Indicted Giuliani Pals

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — A federal magistrate judge in Virginia reluctantly approved a bond package Thursday for Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, the associates of Rudy Giuliani who were arrested Wednesday under campaign finance charges.

Parnas and Fruman will not be released to home detention, until the terms of the bail are met, the judge said.

Considering their ties to Russians, I wouldn't be surprised if they do get bail and get killed.

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...-attacks-biden

Chants of “lock him up” erupted at President Trump's campaign-style rally Thursday night in Minneapolis after the president's son Eric Trump attacked former Vice President Joe Biden, a top Democratic presidential contender.

In which a political party repeatedly supports the jailing of political opponents without a trial or due process, while simultaneously complaining about the lack of due process that's irrelevant for the current impeachment inquiry.

The Republican party is never, ever, going to be the "party of law and order" ever again.

[Wyrt]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...-attacks-biden



In which a political party repeatedly supports the jailing of political opponents without a trial or due process, while simultaneously complaining about the lack of due process that's irrelevant for the current impeachment inquiry.

The Republican party is never, ever, going to be the "party of law and order" ever again.

The Republican party is the Fascist party, this is what should be expected of them now.

[Zaydin]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...-attacks-biden



In which a political party repeatedly supports the jailing of political opponents without a trial or due process, while simultaneously complaining about the lack of due process that's irrelevant for the current impeachment inquiry.

The Republican party is never, ever, going to be the "party of law and order" ever again.

Irony is dead. These people really do not have any sense of self-awareness.

[Masark]

The Republican party is never, ever, going to be the "party of law and order" ever again.

Party of "I Am The Law!" and "Obey My Orders!"

[Paranoid Android]

The playing of "Purple Rain" at President Trump's rally at Target Center was denounced by Prince's estate, which said the campaign didn't have permission and had agreed a year ago to not use the singer's music. https://t.co/zcZKK28BBH

https://twitter.com/StarTribune/stat...741854210?s=19

Like any corrupt, criminal, Trump breaks the rules and then takes something without permission. With the attitude of facing no repercussions.

[Shalcker]

Is that Pence? And why does he somehow look like a cardboard cutout.

Looks like poor photoshop... what is that thing above Giuliani's head? It's clearly not his hair...

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm you could be right, bad image quality makes it look like a bad crop.

Haven't seen anyone wearing yarmulke that far down the head... it is a hat, it is supposed to rest on the head, not hang to the side.

[Shalcker]

Yeah, it’s typically worn exactly as he’s wearing it. The issue for him vs someone with hair is he can’t pin it in place as easily. And it’s not photoshopped.

What is the source of that image if it is not photoshopped?

Photos of Giuliani in yarmulke seem to show significantly higher-edge one, not skin-tight version.

[Orbitus]

https://twitter.com/StarTribune/stat...741854210?s=19

Like any corrupt, criminal, Trump breaks the rules and then takes something without permission. With the attitude of facing no repercussions.

How many times has he been told not to use a band or singer's music?

[Zaydin]

So what are the odds of Trump pinning everything on Ghouliani and throwing him under the bus?

[Blur4stuff]

Trump is incapable of admitting fault or accepting responsibility, so I'd say not only will he throw Rudy under the bus, but he'll eventually put his kids there too. Except for the one that apparently doesn't exist because he thinks she's ugly.

[s_bushido]

So what are the odds of Trump pinning everything on Ghouliani and throwing him under the bus?

Giuliani can perfectly imitate Trump's voice to impersonate him on phone calls?

[s_bushido]

Well that's exciting. Is his hair as perfect and amazing as Tom Cruise's under that mask?