***Official Political Discussion Thread***

[Kinfolk]

are people not aware of the ignore feature?

It doesn't work because I still see all of your content.

 

[wavycrocket]

It sure seems like the GOP is trying to cover something up.

They compromised. Between taking Russian money through NRA, soliciting stolen emails from crucifer (un-named GOP congressional candidate in the indictment), and the RNC being hacked as well.....they are covering their and trumps ***.

They know meueller is inching closer and closer. Shook ones. Majority of the party will be exposed one day for the traitors they are.

 

[Belgium]

Rosenstein briefed Trump on the indictments earlier this week and said that Trump was "fully aware" of the actions taken by the DOJ today. Yet his immediate response today was to bring up the 'rigged witch hunt' again, next to Theresa May, and praise Putin.

Excerpt:
“I think that we're being hurt very badly by the — I would call it the witch hunt,” Trump said Friday in a news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump then referred to FBI agent Peter Strzok's hearing Thursday: “I would call it the rigged witch hunt, after watching some of the little clips. … I think that really hurts our country, and it really hurts our relationship with Russia."
Trump added: “I think I'd have a very good relationship with President Putin if we spend time together.”

Excerpt of Trump remarks from Thursday:
“Somebody was saying, is he an enemy? He’s not my enemy. Is he a friend? No, I don’t know him well enough,” Trump said. “But the couple of times I’ve gotten to meet him, we get along very well.
“I hope we get along well. I think we get along well. But ultimately, he’s a competitor. He’s representing Russia. I’m representing the United States. So, in a sense, we’re competitors. Not a question of friend or enemy. He’s not my enemy. And, hopefully, someday, maybe he’ll be a friend. But I just don’t know him very well.”

Trump has also been leaving open the possibility of perhaps recognizing Crimea as Russian territory. In those same remarks he also pinned the blame solely on Obama for Russia's invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea. No criticism was directed at Russia or Putin for the annexation and in those same remarks (see above) he was also taking favorably about Putin.
Excerpt:
Trump even seemed to leave open the possibility of giving Putin some kind of concession when it comes to the recognition of Crimea, which was seized from Ukraine earlier this decade, as Russian territory. Administration officials including John Bolton have hinted at the possibility, even though the U.S. government regards the action as illegal.
“What will happen with Crimea from this point on? That I can't tell you,” Trump said. “But I'm not happy about Crimea. But again, that was on Barack Obama's watch, not Trump's watch.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-friend/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.76197b7bcdac
Trump knew 12 Russians were being indicted. He still talked about a ‘witch hunt’ and being Putin’s friend.

While summarizing the indictments of 12 Russian intelligence officials Friday, Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein made one particularly notable disclosure: He had previewed the announcement with President Trump.

“I briefed President Trump about these allegations earlier this week,” Rosenstein said. “The president is fully aware of the department's actions today.”

That may seem like a perfunctory bit of news about the internal workings of a bureaucracy. Until you consider this: Trump has spent much of this week knowing that 12 Russians were about to be indicted, and yet he still talked about forging a positive relationship with Russia. He even still called Robert S. Mueller III's investigation, which has brought the number of Russians charged to 26, a “witch hunt” as recently as earlier Friday.

“I think that we're being hurt very badly by the — I would call it the witch hunt,” Trump said Friday in a news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Trump then referred to FBI agent Peter Strzok's hearing Thursday: “I would call it the rigged witch hunt, after watching some of the little clips. … I think that really hurts our country, and it really hurts our relationship with Russia."

Trump added: “I think I'd have a very good relationship with President Putin if we spend time together.” And at another point, he again played down the idea that pressing Putin about Russia's 2016 election interference was a good use of anyone's time.

“I know you'll ask, 'Will we be talking about meddling?' And I will absolutely bring that up,” he said, adding: “There won't be a Perry Mason here, I don't think, but you never know what happens, right? But I will absolutely, firmly ask the question.”

A day earlier, Trump held another news conference, this time at the end of a NATO summit in Brussels. As Philip Bump noted, he seemed to go out of his way to talk about his personal relationship with Putin, rather than the diplomatic strains between the two countries. In addition to the electoral hacking, the U.S. government joined its Western allies a few months ago in blaming Russia for the poisoning of a former Russian agent on British soil.

But Trump on Thursday, as he has before, expressed little desire to rock the boat or play hardball with Putin.

“Somebody was saying, is he an enemy? He’s not my enemy. Is he a friend? No, I don’t know him well enough,” Trump said. “But the couple of times I’ve gotten to meet him, we get along very well.

“I hope we get along well. I think we get along well. But ultimately, he’s a competitor. He’s representing Russia. I’m representing the United States. So, in a sense, we’re competitors. Not a question of friend or enemy. He’s not my enemy. And, hopefully, someday, maybe he’ll be a friend. But I just don’t know him very well.”

Trump even seemed to leave open the possibility of giving Putin some kind of concession when it comes to the recognition of Crimea, which was seized from Ukraine earlier this decade, as Russian territory. Administration officials including John Bolton have hinted at the possibility, even though the U.S. government regards the action as illegal.

“What will happen with Crimea from this point on? That I can't tell you,” Trump said. “But I'm not happy about Crimea. But again, that was on Barack Obama's watch, not Trump's watch.”

All of this was pretty boilerplate from Trump, but it has been pretty shocking even at times when Russians weren't being indicted. Trump's comments about allies have often been tougher than his comments about Russia. His administration has taken a series of tough actions with regard to Russia, yes, but rarely with Trump's full-throated support. And indeed, Trump even resisted signing sanctions against Russia that Congress overwhelmingly passed last year.

But now we know Trump said all of these things over the last two days knowing his Justice Department had nailed down a plot to hack the Democrats during the 2016 election. He called it a “witch hunt” even knowing yet more witches would soon be named. He talked about making nice with Putin even as Putin's plot to meddle in 2016 was about to be laid bare.

That takes some chutzpah.

 

[RIP sleazyy]

Random immigrants he doesn't know are criminals, rapists, murderers.

Putin might be a friend once he gets to know him.

Oh.

 

[Armada]

God I hope Paul Ryan will be indicated in this at some point

 

[Belgium]

Looks like Kim Jong Un certainly knows what he's doing in communicating with Trump.
While Trump has claimed since June 13 that there was no longer a NK nuclear threat and that he has "solved North Korea", those claims since been contradicted many times over by members of his own administration, including a WH report. Mattis recently said he saw no evidence of NK taking significant steps towards denuclearization. US intelligence and satellite imagery also showed that North Korea has been continuing to expand their nuclear facilities since the summit. This week NK was a no-show at a scheduled meeting about repatriating US soldier remains.

Note the tone Kim is using to speak to Trump.
He referred to Trump as "Your Excellency" 5 times in just this short letter, including repeating "Your Excellency Mr. President" 3 times. Kim also made sure to use plenty of adjectives. In a way it almost reads like a Trump letter but far more polished and coherent.
Whatever tactics Kim is employing, it must have been working well because Kim left Singapore with a victory in hand. Not only did he continue expanding NK's nuclear program after the summit, he managed to get a major concession out of Trump that he had been pushing for. That concession being the cancelling of joint military drills with South Korea.

 

[wavycrocket]

 

[IATT]

 

[cubanref]

Had a trump supporter tell me that the protest in London was fake news Dude told me that it was all smoke and mirrors and that people out there were just commuters on their way home.

The Kool-aid is a hell of a drug.

 

[MalcolmNewton]

Had a trump supporter tell me that the protest in London was fake news Dude told me that it was all smoke and mirrors and that people out there were just commuters on their way home.

The Kool-aid is a hell of a drug.

They must have made all of their signs at work then.

 

[blastercombo]

Had a trump supporter tell me that the protest in London was fake news Dude told me that it was all smoke and mirrors and that people out there were just commuters on their way home.

The Kool-aid is a hell of a drug.

Meh, another failsafe is “paid actors”. Trump supporters, ALL OF THEM, are idiots

 

[Belgium]

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/13/house-republicans-rod-rosenstein-impeachment-719816
House conservatives prep push to impeach Rosenstein
House conservatives are preparing a new push to oust Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, according to three conservative Capitol Hill sources — putting the finishing touches on an impeachment filing even as Rosenstein announced the indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers for interfering in the 2016 election.
House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows, in fact, had the impeachment document on the floor of the House at the very moment that Rosenstein spoke to reporters and TV cameras Friday.

Conservative GOP lawmakers have been plotting to remove Rosenstein for weeks, accusing him of slow-walking their probe of FBI agents they’ve accused of bias against President Donald Trump.

Democrats contend Republicans’ fixation on Rosenstein is really an effort to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller, who reports to Rosenstein and has been making inroads in his investigation of the Russian election interference plot. Mueller’s probe has entangled members of Trump’s inner circle and Trump has increasingly assailed it as a politically motivated “witch hunt” as it’s presented greater danger to him and his allies.

Conservative sources say they could file the impeachment document as soon as Monday, as Meadows and Freedom Caucus founder Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) look to build Republican support in the House. One source cautioned, however, that the timing was still fluid.

“It has not been filed today,” was all Meadows spokesman Ben Williamson would say. Williamson declined to rule out whether Meadows intended to file the document next week.

Republicans could also try to hold Rosenstein in contempt of Congress, if they want to go a step before impeachment.

It is unclear how much support conservatives will have in their effort. Rosenstein has become a punching bag for Trump and his allies as they vent frustration over the Russia investigation. Since Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself, Rosenstein has overseen the Mueller probe, which is also examining potential obstruction of justice charges against the president.

But House GOP leaders like Speaker Paul Ryan have clearly been uncomfortable with the notion of going after Rosenstein. It’s unlikely that will change anytime soon, especially so soon after the latest indictments. Ryan’s office was not immediately available for comment.

Rosenstein has clashed with House Republicans for months, with Rosenstein insisting that he’s working to comply with the GOP’s intensive demands for documents — some directly relevant to Mueller’s ongoing probe.

But Ryan and other top GOP lawmakers have accused him of stonewalling and flouting Congress’ oversight authority. Trump, too, has frequently sided with lawmakers to pressure Rosenstein to turn over more documents, an effort Democrats say is really meant to arm Trump with more insight into the Russia probe.

The House, with Ryan’s blessing, adopted a measure last month accusing Rosenstein and other DOJ officials of bucking Congress and demanding access to thousands of sensitive FBI documents by July 6. It’s unclear whether Republican leaders are satisfied with DOJ's efforts since then or if they're preparing a renewed push for the materials.

The New York Times reported on Thursday that the White House overruled the FBI and ordered broader access for some GOP lawmakers to documents related to an informant connected to the ongoing Russia probe.

In his remarks Friday, Rosenstein urged the public to be wary of leaks surrounding the Mueller probe.

“We do not try cases on television or in congressional hearings. Most anonymous leaks are not from the government officials who are actually conducting these investigations,” he said.

“We follow the rule of law, which means that we follow procedures, and we reserve judgment,” he added. “We complete our investigations, and we evaluate all of the relevant evidence before we reach any conclusion. That is how the American people expect their Department of Justice to operate, and that is how our department is going to operate.”

But House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) has made clear that he doesn't consider Rosenstein out of the woods yet.

After a daylong grilling Thursday of FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok — whom Republicans have accused of bias in the Russia probe — Goodlatte said he blamed Rosenstein for limiting Strzok’s ability to reveal details of his work.

“Rosenstein, who has oversight over the FBI and of the Mueller investigation is where the buck stops,” he said. “Congress has been blocked today from conducting its constitutional oversight duty.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/12/us/politics/white-house-fbi-informant.html
White House Orders Broader Access to Files About F.B.I. Informant
The White House has rebuffed concerns among American intelligence and law enforcement officials and ordered that more lawmakers be given access to classified information about an informant the F.B.I. used in 2016 to investigate possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to two American officials with knowledge of the decision.
Both the director of national intelligence and the director of the F.B.I. tried to keep the classified documents tightly restricted, fearing that a broader dissemination of operational reports and other sensitive material could lead to more leaks of detailed information about the role of the confidential F.B.I. informant.

Some American officials believe, in fact, the reason the White House made the decision was to provide political ammunition to President Trump’s Republican allies who have argued — without any evidence — that the F.B.I. investigation was opened in July 2016 as an effort to keep Mr. Trump from becoming president.

The White House declined to comment.

The F.B.I. files about the informant will now be available to all members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, instead of to just a group of congressional leaders known as the Gang of Eight. It is unclear whether Mr. Trump or a lower-level White House official authorized the move.

The controversy over the F.B.I. informant is one skirmish in a searing political battle that was renewed on Thursday during a contentious hearing convened by the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees that heard testimony from Peter Strzok, an F.B.I. agent who once ran the bureau’s investigation into the Trump campaign.

During the summer of 2016, the F.B.I. sent an informant to meet with two Trump campaign advisers after the bureau had received information that the two men had suspicious contacts linked to Russia. The informant, Stefan Halper, an American academic who teaches at Cambridge University in England, had meetings with both Carter Page and George Papadopoulos to gain a better understanding of their contacts with Russians.

The New York Times did not originally name Mr. Halper because of a general practice not to name confidential F.B.I. informants to preserve their safety. Mr. Halper’s name has now been widely reported.

A veteran of several Republican administrations, Mr. Halper has been a source of information to the C.I.A. and other American security agencies for several years, according to people familiar with his work for the government.

F.B.I. officials concluded that they had the legal authority to open the investigation into the Trump campaign after they received information that Mr. Papadopoulos had been told that the Russians had compromising information about Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential candidate, in the form of “thousands of emails,” months before WikiLeaks released stolen messages from Democratic officials.

Mr. Trump’s congressional allies reacted angrily to the revelation of Mr. Halper’s role in the F.B.I. investigation, accusing the bureau of “spying” on the Trump campaign. The president himself has called the issue a “scandal” on Twitter.

“Reports are there was indeed at least one FBI representative implanted, for political purposes, into my campaign for president,” he wrote in May.
“If true — all time biggest political scandal!”

Congressional leaders have received two briefings about Mr. Halper’s role in the F.B.I. investigation. One of the briefings was attended by John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, and Emmet T. Flood, a White House lawyer handling issues related to the special counsel’s Russia investigation — leading to vocal criticism on Capitol Hill that it was improper for White House officials to attend a classified briefing about an investigation that involves the president.

Representative Devin Nunes of California, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and one of the president’s staunchest defenders in Congress, for weeks has demanded that the full House and Senate Intelligence Committees be given access to documents about the informant’s role in the campaign. He has accused the Justice Department of “obstruction” of a congressional investigation.

Democrats have argued that the true aim of the Republicans is to undermine the Russia investigation — which in May 2017 was taken over by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III — and that Republicans want access to F.B.I. files to gain information they can use against the inquiry.

Intelligence and law enforcement officials — including Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, and Christopher A. Wray, the F.B.I. director — were opposed to expanding the number of lawmakers who can read the classified files, according to people with knowledge of their thinking.

In a letter to Mr. Coats on Thursday, Democratic members of the Gang of Eight protested the release of the documents, saying that it “contravenes your representation to us and our colleagues that this information would not be shared outside that group.”

“We believe your decision could put sources and methods at risk,” they added.

Representatives for the F.B.I. and the director of national intelligence declined to comment.

During congressional testimony in May, Mr. Wray gave a thinly veiled warning to lawmakers about the dangers of exposing information about confidential sources.

“The day that we can’t protect human sources is the day the American people start becoming less safe,” he said.

 

[whywesteppin]

white trash hefty girl is racist? I am shocked. shocked, I tell you!

 

[IATT]

 

[IATT]

#snowflakes

 

[EddieDoyers]

#snowflakes

That’s a certain NTer’s hero though

 

[whywesteppin]

anyone who supports the president is accused of being a rotten sexual predator...

because....

it seems like everyone who supports the president is a rotten sexual predator.

 

[nomnom]

America does a great job of subverting its own democracy...

 

[DADDYFATSACKS]

What happens if The SC rules that Trump doesn’t have to sit for an interview with Mueller’s team?

 

[nomnom]

 

[jimmypiff]

live stream any minute now



[/QUOTE]


this is great, this is why America is already great. I firmly believe this is the beginning of the end. This is the foundation for why they ultimately slap some cuffs on a sitting president.

Edit: only edit was for 'already' to italics

I packed a lunch today didnt expect mueller to serve Nothing burgers

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you're a well rounded sound minded person. I hope we agree that these indictments are crucial in the legality aspect of all this. If they find a connection between trump and these "criminals" that were just indicted then the word "collusion" takes a different tone... A more illegal tone lol Would you agree?

 

[RustyShackleford]

Qbz is being facetious

 

[jimmypiff]

They compromised. Between taking Russian money through NRA, soliciting stolen emails from crucifer (un-named GOP congressional candidate in the indictment), and the RNC being hacked as well.....they are covering their and trumps ***.

They know meueller is inching closer and closer. Shook ones. Majority of the party will be exposed one day for the traitors they are.

ooo that's a good observation, blackmail and bribery is my guess

 

[jimmypiff]

Roger Stone says he’s the 'US person' mentioned in Mueller indictment

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/trump-adviser-roger-stone-says-020523203.html

Stone, who earlier Friday said that he did not believe he was the unnamed person mentioned in the indictment, said on CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time" that he now thinks he is the person in the filing released earlier Friday.

The document makes reference to an unnamed individual "who was in regular contact with senior members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump" and exchanged Twitter direct messages with Guccifer 2.0, an online persona allegedly used by the Russian officers.



PRICELESS

 

[whywesteppin]

what I like about Roger Stone, and the only thing I like about him, is he will have no qualms ratting out Donald Trump. he has no real ideology other than to take care of himself.