With Game of Thrones over with for a couple of years or so, we’re forced to pay attention to real-life intrigue again. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve discussed the Trump-Russia stuff, mostly because I think the whole thing is wank but also because there hasn’t been much to report of substance.
But there have been some ongoing developments in that and some of the other scandals of yesteryear. So let’s talk about them.
Bob Mueller has brought in the IRS Criminal Investigations Unit to assist in whatever it is he’s investigating, according to “sources familiar with shit”. Supposedly, going after Trump’s taxes would be a “red line” for Trump and it was suggested that he would try to pull the plug if Mueller went after his tax returns. Well, there hasn’t been a peep as far as I know. Assuming it’s true that Mueller is working with the IRS, I think it unlikely that Trump is the target.
Mueller is also looking at a letter Trump wrote about how much he wanted to fire former FBI Director Comey for refusing to–truthfully–publicly acknowledge that Trump himself was not under investigation regarding collusion with Russia. Somehow, this supports the investigation of “obstruction” against Trump. I’m not sure how.
Yes, we know that Trump didn’t tell the truth about the original reasons that he fired Comey. He screwed up royally by not firing Comey on Day One. Failing at that, he made it worse by not just firing Comey and then shutting up about it. Instead, he had to keep taunting him publicly and changing the official story. The whole state of affairs is ultimately Trump’s fault. But did he obstruct justice? No.
Oh, speaking of Comey and obstruction of justice; evidence has emerged that he apparently intended to squash the Clinton email investigation much sooner than when he said he had made the determination only after reviewing the facts. This would also be perjury, if true. Honestly, I don’t know why Trump is just sitting around tweeting about this instead of going in for the kill. Considering how Comey released his old memos specifically to bring about the Special Counsel, it seems like it would be a case of “turnabout is fair play”.
As I’ve said before, it looks like the whole investigation which has been forever supposedly descending on Trump is destined to land on Manafort. Flynn too, to an extent, but his biggest headaches are somewhat separate from the whole Trump-Russia collusion fiasco.
All of this may not remove Trump from office, but it may be aligning him with the goals of “Deep State” by forcing him to maintain a harder line with Russia than he would otherwise want to. You know my attitude on this. I hate it.
Speaking of Deep State, Dianne Feinstein made the shocking observation that there is an expectation that a duly elected president should be expected to finish his term of office. Worth pointing out that if the NSA had gathered any evidence positively linking Trump to Russian espionage, she would be in a position to have seen it.
In any event, a White House lawyer expects the matter to be closed by Thanksgiving. There should be a rapid closure to this, honestly. If Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia, sufficient time and resources have already been invested in learning about it since last year.
Sure, Mueller could keep digging and maybe find something to damage Trump over. Unfortunately, he has filled his investigative team with so many partisan Democrats that it’s impossible to see how half the country would see his efforts as anything other than an attempt to undermine the outcome of the 2016 election. I don’t think Mueller would want to destroy his reputation over it, but who knows these days?
The evidence is either there if it isn’t. If it isn’t, Mueller needs to admit it so Trump haters can move on to the next very serious matter for which Trump should be destroyed. I’m sure they’ll find something.
Where does everyone stand on Trump-Russia, out of curiousity? Have any of you changed your position since we last discussed it? Do you see it as something worthy of pursuing or have you started to doubt there’s anything there? I’m just curious.
It’s all meaningless, of course. Even more insane events are happening. I guess this really is like Game of Thrones. While we watch people we love to hate jockey for power, a greater threat is emerging from the “north”. It’s led by an inhuman maniac and nobody knows what the hell he wants nor can he be bargained with.
Maybe it’s just me, but I always get nervous in the run up to 9/11 anniversaries. Do you get the feeling that we’re not going to be talking about Trump-Russia a few months from now…and we’re all going to miss that being the big topic?
The Norks, damm looks like they did set off a Fission Fusion bomb? joy joy.. As for Trump-Russia. I dont think there is anything there Everything so far has come up as bogus or simple false reporting, take the dossier, complete Hokum, the media knew thins and when it got public they went full tilt with it. The meeting with low level or simply no know connection Russians.. …pfft seriously if The Russians were running a op supporting trump or assisting him, we would not get wind of it via these stupid claims. the Russian intel spooks are too damm… Read more »
The FBI, needs a good house cleaning, it seem that the policy and bureaucratic Wonks threw in with Obama early on, and are still there. With the refsual to release the Clintion e-mails because of “lack of Public interest” and Comeys seemly planned not to prosecute The Clinton scandal at all, even before hearing evidence in the case…..the leaks….ect ect. oh hey question notice that in the last 8-10 years the Whole White power, KKK, Aryan nation groups were so so quiet, and now they seem to be in the spot light being active. Back in the 90s the FBIs… Read more »
Anybody see the “hey, maybe it’s time to knock off the identity politics stuff” article in Salon? It’s excellent.
http://www.salon.com/2017/09/02/time-to-give-up-on-identity-politics-its-dragging-the-progressive-agenda-down/
It’s a brave piece to publish in Salon. But that’s exactly the audience who needs to start exploring the reasons why Trump won without simply falling back on “Russia” or “racist white people” or “misogyny”. It also sort of answers Grendel’s question about the seemingly sudden resurgence of white supremacist groups.
Where does everyone stand on Trump-Russia, out of curiousity? Have any of you changed your position since we last discussed it? Do you see it as something worthy of pursuing or have you started to doubt there’s anything there? I’m just curious I’m pretty much the same. I don’t expect this to be wrapped up neatly in the short term at all. There’s obviously a bunch of stuff that’s worthy of investigation, I’m not sure why anyone wouldn’t want to at least err on the side of caution. If Trump or his campaign colluded with Russia, sufficient time and resources… Read more »
That’s your assessment based on, what exactly? I said this last time – but how long is sufficient time? Iran/Contra was, what, 5 years? Whitewater was, what? Six years? It’s based on the fact that we know that communications between people close to Trump and Kislayek were picked up by intercepts. The Obama Administration clearly had been interested in communications between the Trump campaign and Russia yet the evidence that there was collusion is far from convincing. Nevermind that we don’t even know what “collusion” is or whether or not it would even be illegal. I’d support looking closer at… Read more »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bowhUWl6rxQ
That’s fair to bring up, especially considering how we’ve learned that Obama greatly under-reacted to warnings that Russia was planning to interfere in the election. But what does it mean now? To me, it’s just one of those initiatives that Obama thought he could improve just by being himself. Obama believed that if an American president showed humility and a willingness to be non-aggressive that it would change the behavior of other foreign leaders. Of course he was wrong. Nations act out of self-interest, not simply out of reaction to what we do. But what does it accomplish to bring… Read more »
Well, as we learned this week it was never really investigated to begin with. It should have been an open and shut case. Did she inappropriately store and share classified information or didn’t she? Comey had apparently made up his mind before interviewing anyone that she didn’t. If not, he should have said so as soon as possible. Are you saying that the FBI should fully complete any investigation of a politician before making up their mind about innocence? If so I’d agree with you. That being said, why doesn’t he show his tax returns? There’s something on those tax… Read more »
Commies working together:
http://dailycaller.com/2017/09/03/anti-trump-resistance-groups-spreading-north-korean-propaganda/
The DREAM is over?
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/03/trump-dreamers-immigration-daca-immigrants-242301
Meanwhile, what about Bob?
http://www.wpxi.com/news/politics/federal-bribery-corruption-trial-begins-wednesday-for-sen-robert-menendez-dnj/602688451
I think the difference between our positions is that you don’t seem to trust the Mueller investigation to a) finish, and b) be fair. If that’s the case, I can see how you don’t think options 1, 2 or 3 are ever going to happen. Yeah, you’ve nailed it. I think that the Mueller investigation is going to be prolonged and I think it’s going to exceed its scope. I think #4 is the most likely outcome and that’s a shame. It means that there will have been a full, independent investigation of this matter and that half the country… Read more »
I’m perfectly okay with a “peace” movement wrt North Korea. It’s bullshit if they’re doing it for no other reason than to oppose Trump.
Nothing would make me happier than leaving North Korea alone, but I don’t know if that’s possible. When the regime is screeching from the rooftops that it wants to use nuclear weapons against us and then developing nuclear capabilities to do it, I have to take it seriously.
Just reminding those who think Russia is such a problem now, are willfully showing bias if they supported (and even cheered for) Obama’s statement then.
If I may ask, why is it that you think the Mueller investigation isn’t fair? I just feel like sufficient time has passed that if Trump is guilty, the evidence should already have been evaluated and we should be able to move on to to the conclusion What specifically is it that makes you think that this investigation should take way less time than other similar investigations? You seem to be conflating an investigation (the gathering of evidence) with prosecution (evaluating evidence). Is it your theory that the Mueller Team have pursued all avenues of investigation open to them, have… Read more »
If I may ask, why is it that you think the Mueller investigation isn’t fair? The major factors would be that one of the prime witnesses (Comey) is a good friend and former colleague of Mueller’s and Mueller has been stacking the prosecution team with Democratic donors. Those factors are instantly going to inflame Republican opinion against any negative result for Trump or his associates. On the other hand, it could help Mueller tremendously if there’s a favorable outcome, but I still expect that SOMEBODY is going to get charged with SOMETHING. What specifically is it that makes you think… Read more »
They don’t give a shit. As far as they’re concerned Obama genuinely tried to fix relations with the Russians but they worked to undermine anyway. Then they supported Trump to spite the Democrats.
North Korea the test site for Iranian nukes?
Excellent article. The comments are a very insightful look into how the left is grappling with the white walkers they created.