Donald Trump and the Fellowship of the Alternative Facts (Part 14)

[Destiny]

Continued from here:

 

[GreyhoundFan]

"‘Never Trump’ Republicans join call for select committee to investigate Russia and Trump"

Quote

Democrats in Congress have long argued that the ongoing intelligence committee investigations into Russia’s interference in the presidential election and the Trump campaign’s ties to the Kremlin are unlikely to get to the bottom of the issue. Now a group of “Never Trump” Republicans are planning to pressure GOP leaders to establish a bipartisan select committee to take over the inquiries and settle the matter once and for all.

Stand Up Republic, a nonprofit organization led by former independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin and his running mate, Mindy Finn, is launching a public campaign aimed at building support among Republicans for consolidating the various congressional Russia-related investigations into one empowered and fully funded select committee. The organization’s ad, which goes live Tuesday with a six-figure television ad buy, makes the case that the Russia issue is too important not to investigate fully.

...

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Intelligence Committee are investigating Russia’s hacking of political organizations, the Trump team’s interactions with Russian officials and now also President Trump’s accusation that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump and his associates at Trump Tower.

There are questions about the integrity of the congressional investigations, following revelations that the White House worked with Senate committee chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and House committee chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), asking them to contact reporters to speak on background to knock down news reports about the investigation.

Separately, the Senate Armed Services Committee is planning a series of hearings related to Russia’s mischief both in the United States and around the world. Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) has been calling for a select committee for months but has said that without the support of Republican congressional leadership, it probably won’t happen.

...

Sadly, with the scummy McConnell and Ryan in charge of Congress, it will be hard to get real answers.

[RoseWilder]

I wish there were more Republicans like Evan McMullin. I don't agree with all of his positions, but I think he has integrity and genuinely cares about people. 

[GreyhoundFan]

Aww, poor Ivanka, whatever will she live on? : "Ivanka Trump brand will shut down jewelry line"

Quote

While the rest of her products appear to be having an early-spring resurgence, Ivanka Trump's fine jewelry line has hit the skids.

Abigail Klem, president of the first daughter's brand of companies, confirmed to The New York Times Monday that Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry is being discontinued. Instead, the company will focus its efforts on costume jewelry, with a more accessible price point.

The fine jewelry line, whose website featured black and white portraits of Trump modeling her pieces, encompassed rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings and necklaces. On the high-end is a woven diamond necklace for $19,500, and the lower side, a simple rose gold ring with a price tag of $940.

Ivanka herself often wears the $2,900 "Patras" studs, but who can forget the $10,800 bracelet debacle from November?

After Trump wore her fine jewelry line's gold and diamond arm candy during a "60 Minutes" interview on CBS, her company sent out a "Style Alert" press release, touting the item. At the time, Klem blamed the move on a "well-intentioned marketing employee," but the debate over using her father's political position to hawk Ivanka Trump wares was just firing up.

...

The demise of the fine jewelry line shouldn't necessarily be viewed as a failure -- in retail, it's much more difficult to sustain a select number of expensive "special occasion" pieces than it is to mass market more affordable fake gems.

Most Ivanka Trump-branded items, which include apparel, shoes and bags, are priced to be more cost-sensitive to average Americans anyway. For example, a dress from her spring collection is $138 at Lord & Taylor, and a pair of faux pearl earrings just $38.

Klem told The New York Times in a statement that the brand is now committed to "offering solution-oriented products at accessible price points."

In January, Ivanka Trump announced she has stepped away from leadership of her corporate roles, both at her brand and her job in the Trump Organization. Though she still has a financial stake in her brand of companies, she said she's turned her focus to building a new life for her family in Washington and serving as informal adviser to her father.

So they will focus on "costume jewelry", no more $10K pieces of jewelry for sale. Maybe she'll also start selling Scotch Tape so Branch Trumpvidians can wear their ties like daddy dearest.

[Cartmann99]

32 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Maybe she'll also start selling Scotch Tape so Branch Trumpvidians can wear their ties like daddy dearest.

Trump Tape™!  

You know it's gotta be named after them! 

I'm now envisioning a series of ads starring Big Daddy Orange grinning like fool, and showing the back of his tie to the camera. They should also come out with a version that has gold leaf embedded in the tape for formal occasions.

[fraurosena]

Ok then folks, time for the latest corruption/collusion update:

Kushners, Trump In-Laws, Near $400 Million Deal with Chinese Firm

Quote

A New York real estate company owned by the family of President Donald J. Trump’s son-in-law is negotiating to sell a $400 million stake in its Fifth Avenue flagship skyscraper to a Chinese insurance company with ties to leading families of the Communist Party.

The Chinese company, Anbang Insurance Group, would pay to get a high-profile piece of Manhattan real estate, and would commit to spending billions more to completely transform the 60-year-old tower into a chic condominium and retail citadel.

If signed, the deal would mark the financial marriage of two politically powerful families in the world’s two biggest economies, but it also presents the possibility of glaring conflicts of interest. The Kushner family, owners of the tower, would reap a large financial windfall courtesy of a Chinese company, even as Jared Kushner, a senior adviser to Mr. Trump as well as his son-in-law, helps oversee American foreign policy.

Rachel Maddow also spoke about this matter in this video. It's actually about the firing of Preet Bharara, but near the end, the above transaction weaves its way into the story:

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/attorney-with-trump-investigations-in-purview-part-of-mass-firing-897203779865

 

[fraurosena]

Stand up Republic has posted an ad which will run on major news outlets  Fox News, CNN,  and MSNBC in Washington D.C. and digitally nationwide. It's called Sunlight:

 

[fraurosena]

He needs no introduction. Keith Olbermann.

Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Russia. Turkey. Russia. Russia. Russia!

 

[Cartmann99]

14 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

A New York real estate company owned by the family of President Donald J. Trump’s son-in-law is negotiating to sell a $400 million stake in its Fifth Avenue flagship skyscraper to a Chinese insurance company with ties to leading families of the Communist Party.

You know, if Chelsea Clinton's in-laws were involved in a real estate deal with Communists, and the address of the building was 666 Fifth Avenue, the coverage on this deal in right wing media would be just a wee bit on the apocalyptic side.

The RWNJs, would be on every media outlet humping the American flag and clutching their Bibles while frothing about Communists!11! and the address being proof of Hillary Clinton being the Antichrist!!11!!!. 

Since it's the Kushners and the Trumps, it's totally fine though. 

 

[singsingsing]

43 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Stand up Republic has posted an ad which will run on major news outlets  Fox News, CNN,  and MSNBC in Washington D.C. and digitally nationwide. It's called Sunlight:

 

Nice ad. I've been happy to see Evan McMullin sticking to his word and still fighting for what he believes in post-election. I don't agree with all of his positions and I'm under no illusion that he's purely disinterested, but I was very impressed by his candour and backbone during the election. He seems to have more integrity in his baby toe than Trump and his entire administration combined.

[Cartmann99]

1 hour ago, fraurosena said:

Stand up Republic has posted an ad which will run on major news outlets  Fox News, CNN,  and MSNBC in Washington D.C. and digitally nationwide. It's called Sunlight:

 

Since Evan McMullin is behind Stand Up Republic, how long until Trump fans start calling for people to pray Psalm 109 against Evan McMullin, like some Republicans did with President Obama?

For those that need a refresher on Psalm 109, it's about wanting someone to die, and for his family to be hungry, penniless, and shunned by everybody after his death.

[Destiny]

Can someone take one for the team and watch this and report the news:

I'm stuck in a meeting and can't. 

[Scribber]

Can someone take one for the team and watch this and report the news:
I'm stuck in a meeting and can't. 

I am rushing to finish work so I can make it home!

[Destiny]

And this meeting shows no signs of ending. 

[RoseWilder]

Trump appears to be quite nervous about whatever is in those tax returns: 

http://www.rawstory.com/2017/03/white-house-accuses-msnbc-of-violating-the-law-over-maddow-trump-tax-reveal/

Quote

The White House on Tuesday accused MSNBC of “violating the law” in a “desperate” ratings push after host Rachel Maddow tweeted that her nightly program has acquired a portion of Donald Trump’s tax returns.

“You know you’re desperate for ratings when you are wiling to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago,” a White House statement read ahead of Maddow’s bombshell report.

The hypocrisy happening here is nauseating. The Trump administration has violated the law in multiple different ways in the last few weeks/months and yet they have the gall to accuse someone else of breaking the law. 

[47of74]

4 hours ago, Cartmann99 said:

Trump Tape™!  

You know it's gotta be named after them! 

I'm now envisioning a series of ads starring Big Daddy Orange grinning like fool, and showing the back of his tie to the camera. They should also come out with a version that has gold leaf embedded in the tape for formal occasions.

Along with trump brand gold plating that one can use to plate ones bowel movements like Agent Orange does.

[GreyhoundFan]

I was tied up on something else, but just tuned into Rachel Maddow's show. The 2005 Tax Return in question is only two pages. She correctly pointed out that someone with his business situation would have hundreds of pages. She's now interviewing the journalist who received the documents (David Cay Johnston).

David Cay Johnston is going into detail about the Alternative Minimum Tax, which is quite confusing. Basically, it boils down to: Agent Orange paid WAY less than most in taxes (big surprise). Also, the two pages don't give any info on the sources of income. Obviously, that's something that is of interest, with the whole Russia connection.

He's now talking about how Agent Orange has to have something to hide (like Russia) and how Drumpf is so desperate to not have the full information released.

Rachel announced that the info is going to be published at maddowblog.com and dcreport.org. Both must be getting hammered, the pages won't load.

[GreyhoundFan]

Here's what the WaPo has reported on the info on Rachel's show.

Quote

President Trump paid $38 million in federal income tax in 2005 on more than $150 million, for an effective rate of 25 percent, and reported a $105 million write-down, according to a copy of his federal tax return revealed on MSNBC Tuesday night.

Two pages of the tax document were obtained by David Cay Johnston, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, and he first reported about it Tuesday evening on MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show."

The revelation provides the most recent glimpse at Trump's income. Last fall, the New York Times reported that Trump reported a massive $916 million loss in 1995, which enabled him to avoid paying income taxes for decades.

Trump repeatedly has refused to release his income tax returns, breaking with decades of tradition for presidential nominees, claiming that he has been under audit.

The Washington Post could not independently verify the 2005 return, but a statement from the White House indicated that it is authentic. The statement, issued to reporters anonymously to be attributed to a White House spokesperson, accused MSNBC of unlawfully releasing Trump's tax returns.

"You know you are desperate for ratings when you are willing to violate the law to push a story about two pages of tax returns from over a decade ago," the statement said. It added that Trump, as "one of the most successful businessmen in the world," paid "no more tax than legally required."

The statement went on to say: "Mr. Trump paid $38 million dollars even after taking into account large scale depreciation for construction, on an income of more than $150 million dollars, as well as paying tens of millions of dollars in other taxes such as sales and excise taxes and employment taxes and this illegally published return proves just that. Despite this substantial income figure and tax paid, it is totally illegal to steal and publish tax returns. The dishonest media can continue to make this part of their agenda, while the President will focus on his, which includes tax reform that will benefit all Americans."

 

Back to Rachel: Now they are going into details about deductions for losses and getting quite technical about the taxes. However, they continue talking about how not having info on income sources. Also, the fact that the AMT caused him to have to pay more than he would otherwise and cancellation of the AMT is part of his tax plan.

They are discussing how the info could be leaked. It could be from a mortgage or loan application or a casino application or something like that. David said that there is no way it came from the IRS, as returns under audit are kept in such a way that they would be almost impossible to leak. It appears someone somewhere had access and felt even this little bit was important to release.

Oh, they pointed out that the "they're under audit" BS doesn't apply for 2016 taxes as Agent Orange's taxes can't yet be under audit for that year.

[GreyhoundFan]

Michael Beschloss, a presidential historian has joined. He talked about how Nixon releasing his taxes was because of questions about his finances. Drumpf said things should go back to pre-Nixon, since it hasn't been that long. He pointed out that, aside from Harding, not many questions were asked about presidential finances.

Chris Hayes is saying that the timing is interesting with the pending investigations by House committees about the Russia connection. It's not just "is the president a crook?" but also, "does the president have divided loyalties?"

They just indicated that David Johnson's and Maddow blog's websites have crashed.

So, I guess there's just "no interest", just like the tangerine toddler keeps saying.

So, in summary, the 2005 1040 is just the basic 1040, none of the schedules or attachments that would be required to provide documentation for the numbers on each line. However, it does provide some info.

David Johnson said something during the talking that made me nauseous. With the income listed, it meant that Agent Orange and Melania made $440K a day that year. That is just disgusting.

[GreyhoundFan]

Rachel is wrapping up. She points out that there is much more out there. Hopefully that source or others will provide that info. The White House has said it's illegal to publish the returns, she pointed out it is not.

Rachel is going to go across the hall and join Lawrence O'Donnell's show in a few minutes.

The 1040 in question just showed up in the mail at David Johnson's mailbox. The White House confirmed it is real.

[quiversR4hunting]

Watch the first part of the show before the first commercial because Rachel connects some dots with some Russians and China and it makes me sick to my stomach. Then they go into the taxes and what he could be hiding, and everything that @GreyhoundFan awesomely summarized. 

(Is "awesomely" a word? I guess it is tonight )

[GreyhoundFan]

Lawrence O'Donnell is pointing out that if you are being audited, it starts with a letter from the IRS. He has requested that from the TT. Of course, nothing was provided. Even if he did, it wouldn't mean that he was STILL under audit.

1 minute ago, quiversR4hunting said:

Watch the first part of the show before the first commercial because Rachel connects some dots with some Russians and China and it makes me sick to my stomach. Then they go into the taxes and what he could be hiding, and everything that @GreyhoundFan awesomely summarized. 

(Is "awesomely" a word? I guess it is tonight )

Aw, thank you. I got a little lost with the numbers. I'm not good with accounting.

[quiversR4hunting]

They are continuing on "The Last Word" with Lawrence O'Donnell. 

[GreyhoundFan]

Oooh, now Lawrence O'Donnell is playing some of the tapes of the TT saying he pays "hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes" and that this return doesn't show anything near that level.

Lawrence is saying that it is true that the IRS or an accountant who filed the taxes could not legally release the taxes, but that it is not illegal to publish information that has not been solicited. It was actually sent to David's home.

Rachel is pointing out that they are always on the lookout for forged documents, so when it came to her, she sent it to the White House, who confirmed it, and then insulted her ('the dishonest media' crap).

[quiversR4hunting]

15 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

With the income listed, it meant that Agent Orange and Melania made $440K a day that year. That is just disgusting

Agreed!

The journalist said him and his wife make about $400k/year. I can't imagine even that per year, let alone $400,000/day. Based on what the journalist is saying, I think my husband and I paid a bigger percentage than agent orange. Grrr