Democrats win the House, and he’s already fired Sessions: Trump thread 87

[TheClaws]

We start this new thread on a brighter note: the mid-terms were a win for the Democrats, securing the House of Representatives and further seats in the Senate. This means more scrutiny for POTUS and the GOP, and bargaining power.

He’s still a feckless, vain bully, oddly admired by some varieties of Christians - enjoy the cartoon by Mike Luckovich.

The Cohen indictment.

assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5331441/Cohen-False-Statements-Criminal-Information.pdf

Meanwhile it's a good time for the Economist to remind us that there needs to be political will to take action against Trump on the Mueller revelations. At the moment, there isn't.

www.economist.com/united-states/2018/11/24/donald-trump-is-attacking-the-rule-of-law-and-may-well-get-away-with-it

www.justice.gov/file/1115566/download

Cohen's plea agreement.

BREAKING: Trump calls ex-lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person' after new guilty plea, claims he's lying' to get a reduced sentence.

twitter.com/AP/status/1068165600143388674

www.emptywheel.net/2018/11/29/cohens-testimony-implicates-trump-and-his-spawn/

I don't think people appreciate yet what's happening. If Trump was secretly working a 9-figure real estate deal with a Kremlin-connected Russian oligarch AFTER he received his August 17, 2016 classified briefing telling him Russia was attacking America—Houston, we have a problem.

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1068167895115538433

There's no problem that Giuliani can't brush away

Devastating words from Michael Cohen for the President - who is individual 1.

“I made these statements to be consistent with Individual-1’s political messaging and to be loyal to Individual-1,” Cohen said in court.

twitter.com/ShimonPro/status/1068168326222962688

Didn't 45 make a statement that he didn't have, and had never had, business dealings in Russia?

Cohen's admissions show that that was a lie by 45, or maybe (depending on 45's exact wording) just highly misleading.

Either way, this demonstrates 45 misleading the American people about his dealings in Russia.

Cohen admits lying for Trump. Trump making statement now.

Basically, Cohen is lying for a reduced sentence.

Scrotus: "I didn't do it. But if I did, it wasn't wrong. But I didn't. But I could have and it wouldn't have been wrong".

So full of shit it comes out both ends.

Nixon redux. "If the president does it isn't illegal".

OK, I'm miiiiiiles behind everyone else... :-)

Apologies if this has been posted on these threads before

A Narcissist's Prayer

That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
And if it is, that's not my fault.
And if it was, I didn't mean it.
And if I did...
You deserved it.

Jim Sciutto
‏*@jimsciutto*
New: Special Counsel’s team suggests it believes Michael Cohen, saying the deal hinges on Trump’s former personal attorney continuing to “respond and provide truthful information.”

Kaitlan Collins
@kaitlancollins
A key line from President Trump's gaggle with reporters: "There was a good chance that I wouldn't have won, in which case I would have gotten back into the business, and why should I lose lots of opportunities?"

A Constitutional Lawyer Tweets:

"Neal Katyal
‏Verified account @neal_katyal
7m7 minutes ago

Folks need to remember when Michael Cohen was negotiating the deal with "Russia" for Trump, he was not negotiating like a regular business transaction. The plea agreement says he was negotiating with Kremlin OFFICIALS -- not private businesspersons. This is no ordinary biz."

PLEEEASSSE tell me we're reaching the end of this shitshow? And that Pence's hands will be dirty, too. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

(Oh, hello, I've name-changed, I used to be Bolleaux. So to speak.)

Remember Trump’s criticism of Obama for "letting" Putin take Crimea?

How about the whole of the Ukraine?

read.bi/2U2jfKG

Or... It will be a distraction from Trump's troubles.

My knowledge of the US justice system comes from Law & Order - can Cohen reveal all his dealings with the Orange one? Is the attorney-client privilege presumed void by Muller because of a criminal conspiracy?

Demitri Dawson
‏ @DemitriDawson

Mueller’s all-time chess move was having Cohen plead guilty to lying right after @realDonaldTrump submitted his written answers.
9:09 PM - 29 Nov 2018

(Am on Gulf Standard Time, to clarify after that Tweet!)

Wendy Siegelman
@WendySiegelman
Alderman office of Edward Burke raided today

Trump hired Burke's firm in 2006 to represent Trump Int'l Hotel & Tower Chicago - Burke saved Trump over $14.1 mil in taxes - Burke's firm also handles appeals on property taxes on the AT&T building now owned by Jared Kushner.

Olga Lautman
@olgaNYC1211
Something is up because Trump just canceled his meet w Putin which was all planned out by the Kremlin. Location and time set.. Trump cited Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine but he doesn’t care and that was one of the main reasons along w sanctions for Russia installing him

Interesting. Bet Trump wishes now his times weren't so interesting.
David Mack
‏Verified account @davidmackau

David Mack Retweeted Fran Spielman

Federal agents have raided the City Hall office of Chicago Alderman Ed Burke this morning. Burke's small law firm did tax work for Trump for 12 years 👀 chicago.suntimes.com/business/the-donald-and-the-alderman-break-up-burke-no-longer-doing-tax-work-for-trump/ …

www.axios.com/trump-cancels-putin-meeting-g20-summit-666bd7c1-591c-4f15-91c7-3b87317197e9.html

Sorry for the cross-post, Pain! For some reason, that looks fascinating to me - timing is everything, I suppose!

That cancelled meeting - am I imagining it (probably) or didn't Trump say it was definitely going ahead, earlier on today?