The Russian Connection 2

[GeoBQn]

Not sure where to put this, but a Facebook friend went for Halloween as "Butter E-mails."  Yellow long-sleeve shirt and pants, Land-O-Lakes T-shirt, and he taped to it printouts of Clinton's e-mails.

[Bethella]

Here's an interesting article about the possibility of Mueller naming Trump as an "unindicted co-conspirator." I know that it will never sway the serious branch trumpvidians but it might help with the rest of the country.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2017/10/robert_mueller_has_the_authority_to_name_donald_trump_an_unindicted_co_conspirator.html

[Rachel333]

It's Manafort! https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/30/us/politics/paul-manafort-indicted.html

Quote

Paul Manafort and his former business associate Rick Gates were told to surrender to federal authorities Monday morning, the first charges in a special counsel investigation, according to a person involved in the case.

 

[formergothardite]

Trump will be starting a major distraction right about now. Someone keep him from starting a war!

[GreyhoundFan]

CNN is reading the charges live. There are 12 counts, mostly financial crimes.

Here is the text, from CNN's live update:

Quote

The Special Counsel announced that Paul Manafort and Richard Gates have been indicted by a federal grand jury. The 12-count indictment is on "conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading FARA statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts."

Release from Special Counsel:

Paul J. Manafort, Jr., 68, of Alexandria, Va., and Richard W. Gates III, 45, of Richmond, Va., have been indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 27, 2017, in the District of Columbia. The indictment contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading FARA statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

The case was unsealed today after the defendants were permitted to surrender themselves to the custody of the FBI. The indictment may be found at justice.gov/sco.

"...conspiracy against the United States..." wow.

[onekidanddone]

1 hour ago, GreyhoundFan said:

CNN is reading the charges live. There are 12 counts, mostly financial crimes.

Here is the text, from CNN's live update:

"...conspiracy against the United States..." wow.

Orange jump suites? Frog marched? Mug shots? Gen pop? Flight risk? Bail?  Those are some of my immediate thoughts.  They are flight risks for sure and can make bail in a snap no matter how much. Will the RNC, Trump or Bannon support them? Put up their bail? I'd love to see them with held on no bail and stuck in a standard holding facility and not some posh 'club fed'.

Don't have time now as need to switch back to my work laptop.  I'd much rather hang out here wit you guys...sigh.

See you all later.  Don't forget to don your fireproof asbestos garments to protect yourselves from the tweet apocalypse.

[VelociRapture]

My husband and I just texted each other at the same time about this. We rock. 

So what are our thoughts about this? Surprised? Not surprised? Will they attempt to work out a deal in hopes of catching much bigger fish (I think so)?

[JenniferJuniper]

Manafort is a key player.  The Trump campaign wanted him specifically for his skill in dirty dealings.  I think this is just the tip of the tip of the iceberg.   

 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

7 minutes ago, VelociRapture said:

So what are our thoughts about this? Surprised? Not surprised? Will they attempt to work out a deal in hopes of catching much bigger fish (I think so)?

I'm not surprised. I assumed Manafort would be the first domino knocked over. I'm sure plenty will follow. I was truly hoping for Jared, but I think he'll be further down the road. I'm sure there's lots of dealing going on and the biggest fish will soon be singed by the hot oil of the indictment fryer.

[Botkinetti]

At different times over the weekend I wondered how stressed some people were.

To feel the noose tightening but not know when an indictment is coming for you. To be trying to judge when they should be offering testimony to save themselves or to just try to bluff it out. I think the last weekend must have been hellish for many and if it was I have no sympathy.

[Botkinetti]

I realize how harsh the above sounds and while I truly don't have any sympathy for the wrong doers I have immense sympathy for innocent family members caught up in this. 

[Zola]

1 minute ago, Botkinetti said:

I realize how harsh the above sounds and while I truly don't have any sympathy for the wrong doers I have immense sympathy for innocent family members caught up in this. 

I feel the same. A friend of mine and I speculated over the weekend and we assumed it would start low and work up, thinking Manafort before Flynn.  We both felt bad for any human damage in this entire investigation, right up to Barron Trump and the children of Trump's kids. 

But conspiracy against the United States. I didn't see that charge coming out this low. That sounds bad. My husband said, "He's fucked" when we heard that this morning. He also called for Trump himself to be taken out back of the WH and either hanged or shot, should he be found guilty of the same charge. What can I say...I agree.

[VelociRapture]

6 minutes ago, Botkinetti said:

I realize how harsh the above sounds and while I truly don't have any sympathy for the wrong doers I have immense sympathy for innocent family members caught up in this. 

It’s not harsh at all. The people involved in this Administration who have committed crimes deserve to be charged and tried according to the law - and after all the shit they’ve pulled I have exactly zero sympathy for them. 

Kids are another matter. Like @Zolajust said, I have sympathy for all the minor children impacted by this (or any situation where a crime occurred and a family member is effected somehow.) Same with family members, including spouses, who are innocent and truly had no clue what was going on. But the people responsible? No. Let them feel as scared and worried as the rest of the country has felt since the election.

[fraurosena]

Holy cow! 

This is huge, very huge... George Papadopoulos is that very young dude who went to Russia during the campaign, who was trying to set up meetings between the TT and Putin (representatives), and who was mysteriously placed on the campaigns security council (or advisory board or whatever it's called) without having any credentials. 

But wait... there's more:

 

[JenniferJuniper]

Spoiler

Trump Advisor George Padadopoulos has plead guilty to one count of lying to the FBI.

He's the flipper.

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4163402/Papadopoulos-Statement-Offense.pdf

Edited to add popcorn.

[fraurosena]

Awww.. poor widdle snowflake... trying so desperately to deflect.

Hey, no need to shout. We're not going to believe you anyway.

[JenniferJuniper]

Gotta love the smell of orange desperation in the morning.

 

 

[clueliss]

oooh (sorry bean counter who does a lot of weird research due to fiction writing here) - RICO Charges! (money laundering).  

[fraurosena]

20 minutes ago, JenniferJuniper said:

Trump Advisor George Padadopoulos has plead guilty to one count of lying to the FBI.

He's the flipper.

https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4163402/Papadopoulos-Statement-Offense.pdf

Having read the whole admission of guilt, I want to know...

• who is the 'Professor'?
• who is the Female Russian National?
• who is the Russian MFA Connection?
• who is the Campaign Senior Policy Advisor?
• who is the Campaign Supervisior?
• who is the High Ranking Campaign Official?
• who is the other High Ranking Campaign Official?

This means that at least FOUR high ranking officials in the Campaign were involved. (Here's a link to a list of all the campaign officials so you can speculate)

The implications of Papadopoulos' statement are enormous. He states he:

...attended a 'national security meeting' in Washington D.C., with then-candidate Trump and other foreign policy advisors for the Campaign. When [he] introduced himself to the group, he stated, in sum and substance, that he had connections that could help arrange a meeting between then-candidate Trump and president Putin.

This means that the TT knew. He knew! (Yes, I know we already thought he knew, but this is proof he knew.)

If this is what they are willing to release to the public, well... you can bet they have much, much more that they're not telling as yet. It's only a matter of time now. Tick-tock.

 

 

[AmericanRose]

I really feel this isn't something the POTUS should be Tweeting about.  It seems so... desperate and unPresidential. Not that that's stopped him before!

Is interfering with an investigation a charge? Because I think Trump should be hit with that one as well as whatever else they dig up on him -- he's clearly aiming to sway public opinion.

[VelociRapture]

3 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Having read the whole admission of guilt, I want to know...

• who is the 'Professor'?
• who is the Female Russian National?
• who is the Russian MFA Connection?
• who is the Campaign Senior Policy Advisor?
• who is the Campaign Supervisior?
• who is the High Ranking Campaign Official?
• who is the other High Ranking Campaign Official?

This means that at least FOUR high ranking officials in the Campaign were involved. (Here's a link to a list of all the campaign officials so you can speculate)

The implications of Papadopoulos' statement are enormous. He states he:

...attended a 'national security meeting' in Washington D.C., with then-candidate Trump and other foreign policy advisors for the Campaign. When [he] introduced himself to the group, he stated, in sum and substance, that he had connections that could help arrange a meeting between then-candidate Trump and president Putin.

This means that the TT knew. He knew! (Yes, I know we already thought he knew, but this is proof he knew.)

If this is what they are willing to release to the public, well... you can bet they have much, much more that they're not telling as yet. It's only a matter of time now. Tick-tock.

 

 

I feel pretty safe in guessing Manafort may be one of the campaign Officials mentioned. Papadopoulos was arrested in the same month that Manafort’s house was raided and he pled guilty to charges just three weeks ago. It seems like too much of a coincidence to me. 

5 minutes ago, AmericanRose said:

I really feel this isn't something the POTUS should be Tweeting about.  It seems so... desperate and unPresidential. Not that that's stopped him before!

Is interfering with an investigation a charge? Because I think Trump should be hit with that one as well as whatever else they dig up on him -- he's clearly aiming to sway public opinion.

Yes. Impeding an investigation is a crime. I believe it’s one of the things Papadopoulos was charged with when he was arrested.

[fraurosena]

Just now, VelociRapture said:

I feel pretty safe in guessing Manafort may be one of the campaign Officials mentioned. Papadopoulos was arrested in the same month that Manafort’s house was raided and he pled guilty to charges just three weeks ago. It seems like too much of a coincidence to me. 

I agree, Manafort could well be one of them. But he only joined the campaign in June, and things with Papadopoulos started in March already. So if Manafort is one of the four, I think he's the 'other High Ranking Campaign Official', as that person was contacted later on.

[SilverBeach]

On 9/25/2017 at 4:35 PM, onekidanddone said:

Russian operatives used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over black political activism and Muslims

So glad I quit Facebook. 

 

Me too.

[onekidanddone]

2 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Awww.. poor widdle snowflake... trying so desperately to deflect.

Hey, no need to shout. We're not going to believe you anyway.

I don't believe there is a statute of limitations for treason so his argument makes him look guilty as  hell. Sort of say.."He murdered all those people YEARS ago, so what does it matter that I hired him at this day care center.

When I saw his second SHOUTING tweet a variation of a Bangles song when through my head. Since I'm a kind and giving person I thought I'd share this ear worm...

It's just another panic Monday
I wish it was Sunday
'Cause that's my Covfefe day
My I don't have to run day
It's just another Panic Monday

[iweartanktops]

Ohhhhh, I'm absolutely giddy at the idea that Papadopoulos may have worn a wire! 

Happy Indictment Monday, friends!