Shutdowns, military pullouts, and resignations: it’s Christmas and Trump thread 89

[TheClaws]

It’s chaos in Trump’s world, more so than usual, with #TrumpResign trending in Twitter after a number of key debacles: the pull-out of US troops from Syria, the resignation of General Jim Mattis, and the shutdown of the government over Christmas due to bipartisan disagreement over wall funding. (Those are just 3 issues.) The next few weeks will be rocky.

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3442038-But-When-the-president-does-it-that-means-it-is-not-illegal-Trump-thread-LXXXVIII

Brussels OK for US citizens AFAIK.

www.rawstory.com/2019/01/law-firm-linked-manafort-pay-us-4-6-million-caught-mueller-probe/#.XED-aQpXVos.twitter

'The Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom Llp law firm has settled with the U.S. Justice Department over violating the country’s foreign agents law when it worked on behalf of Ukraine on a public relations campaign in 2012, agreeing to pay more than $4.6 million, the department said on Thursday.

The Justice Department said Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice hired Skadden with assistance from President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, to write a report on the trial of its country’s former prime minister. After meeting with Ukraine’s public relations firm and Manafort in 2012, a lead partner at the firm began contacting a journalist to promote the report, the department said.'

You know what? I've discovered that even seeing his fucking signature now gives me a rage!!!

His face=rage
His voice=rage
His signature =rage

I'm now limited to memes, closed captioning, and Randy Rainbow

President Trump Directed His Attorney Michael Cohen To Lie To Congress About The Moscow Tower Project

Trump received 10 personal updates from Michael Cohen and encouraged a planned meeting with Vladimir Putin.

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/trump-russia-cohen-moscow-tower-mueller-investigation

Agree on signature rate. WTAF is it.... ridiculous. What's weird is... Melania has an almost identical signature

A chilling summary by Jake Tapper of Trump's links to Russia...

ca.news.yahoo.com/cnn-jake-tapper-details-astounding-024557504.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw

Well he is hampered with those tiny hands

The President directing someone to lie to Congress is a huge deal surely? If true and there's no action taken, that would be the biggest failure of checks and balances yet wouldn't it?

I just had a thought about the peach references, when he was talking about the wall he said call it whatever you want we can call it peaches, and then he said everything is peachy Dory

Peach is in impeachment, maybe it's spilling out of his unconscious mind and blurting out of his mouth, his fears about impeachment,

An interesting and perfectly possible thesis, Wordthe.

We do know he just spills things that are on his mind.

He could've been thinking about his upcoming spray tan session

Ka-boom... breaking news I believe... not looking good for ole trumpy...which is why he's tweeting about Cohen in unpleasant terms. Ivanka has tried to distance herself too, as has Don Jr. I think the net is closing...

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/trump-russia-cohen-moscow-tower-mueller-investigation?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

The President directing someone to lie to Congress is a huge deal surely?

It took an hour for someone on MSNBC this morning to conclude it wasn't such a big deal. Plus ça change....

How did they reach that conclusion?

At least some people are taking it seriously

Kyle Griffin
‏**@kylegriffin1**
Adam Schiff says he will "do what is necessary" to confirm the BuzzFeed report.

Schiff says the allegation that Trump asked Cohen to lie "to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date."

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Schiff: "These allegations may prove unfounded, but, if true, they would constitute both the subornation of perjury as well as obstruction of justice. Our committee is already working to secure additional witness testimony and documents related to the Trump Tower Moscow deal."
Schiff: "As a counterintelligence concern of the greatest magnitude, and given that these alleged efforts were intended to interfere with our investigation, our Committee is determined to get to the bottom of this and follow the evidence wherever it may lead."

Ted Lieu
‏Verified account @tedlieu
4m4 minutes ago

Ted Lieu Retweeted Raw Story

As a former prosecutor, I can tell you that how a target responds to allegations is something we watch closely.

Does @realDonaldTrump deny the Buzzfeed story alleging he told Cohen to lie to Congress (a felony)? No.

Instead, he threatens Cohen (which could also be a felony).

Ted Lieu added,
Raw Story
Verified account @RawStory
‘This is witness intimidation’: Internet gasps after Trump threatens Michael Cohen’s father-in-law in angry tweet www.rawstor.com/2019/01/witness-intimidation-internet-gasps-trump-threatens-michael-cohens-father-law-angry-tweet/ …
7 replies 31 retweets 68 likes

Why Democrats Have Suddenly Started Talking About Impeachment
A BuzzFeed report says President Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress, prompting the talk of impeachment even before the special counsel finishes his probe.

www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/democrats-cite-buzzfeed-report-cause-impeachment/580777/

The comments mark a noticeable shift in what had been the standard party line on the possibility of impeachment—that Democrats should wait to act until after Mueller issues his final report. But Attorney General nominee Bill Barr’s refusal to commit to providing Mueller’s findings to Congress and to the public, combined with BuzzFeed’s implication that the president committed a felony while in office, has given Democrats a new sense of urgency—and they won’t necessarily wait to hold Trump accountable, I’m told, if they conclude that he knowingly obstructed justice to hide his involvement in business negotiations with the Kremlin during the election.

I missed that Pain! I read so much in different places I'm all discombobulated trump wise

Discombobulated is one of my favourite words.

Across.

Adam Schiff
‏
Verified account

@RepAdamSchiff

'The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date. We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true.'

This latest Cohen revelation appears to have caused ripples:

www.buzzfeednews.com/article/jasonleopold/trump-russia-cohen-moscow-tower-mueller-investigation?bftwnews&utm_term=4ldqpgc#4ldqpgc

www.lawfareblog.com/latest-revelation-buzzfeed-news-trump-reportedly-directed-cohen-lie-congress

Sheldon Whitehouse
‏
Verified account

@SenWhitehouse

'If this is true, this is plain, slam-dunk, criminal obstruction of justice (18 U.S.C. 1505, 1512), subornation of perjury (18 U.S.C. 1622), conspiracy (18 U.S.C. 371) and likely aiding and abetting perjury (18 U.S.C. 2).'

Fox News being persistent. There seems to be a new reluctance at Fox to buy what the WH is wanting to sell

W.H. spokesman Hogan Gidley is asked by Fox News three times whether Trump told Michael Cohen to lie to Congress.

He does not answer all three times. Via Fox. https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1086309787116191746/video/1

Pain They ran through the things Trump had so far been accused of

1. Obstruction by sacking Comey. The President has the authority to dismiss the FBI Director and there was prima facie cause.
2. Campaign violations - the old 'this is just a technicality' argument.
3. Suborning false testimony. No one has ever been convicted of this. It probably happens a lot.

I think I've become jaundiced that anyone will ever do anything about Trump now. It's just mind blowing what he has got away with so far. And now they're working on a new shiny summit in a few weeks to distract us more.

Still loving Nancy. 'I don't this the President would be that petty, do you?' she says - her voice dripping with sarcasm.

www.msnbc.com/craig-melvin/watch/pelosi-on-trump-retaliation-claims-i-don-t-think-the-president-would-be-that-petty-do-you-1428321347952

NEW: In a shift, Dems will not necessarily wait for Mueller's findings to launch impeachment proceedings, I'm told. Barr's refusal to commit to publicizing Mueller's findings combined w/Trump potentially suborning perjury has created new sense of urgency. www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/01/democrats-cite-buzzfeed-report-cause-impeachment/580777/

twitter.com/NatashaBertrand/status/1086305105870274560

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/18/donald-trump-two-years-five-key-policy-areas