Michael Cohen Investigation

[burntorangebongos 10752]

14 minutes ago, Tuco said:

My guess is that it is more related to the McCain "he's dying anyway" leak.  If midlevel staff in the WH knows about the shit Avenatti is posting about, Trump would already be cooked.

For what it's worth, the McCain "he's dying anyone" thing is a non-story to me.  Yeah, he is dying.  It's not something you say in public, and they didn't.  Not seeing why that gets press while other shit is ignored. (Other than the press are lazy, money-grubbing whores who focus on the drama more than facts.)

Well Michael  fired off his tweet mentioning an article about Trump saying he needs new TV lawyers at 1:41 and Trump's bitching tweet was posted at 1:46. Haha

[Brisketexan 105329]

21 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

We get it.  You've said it.  And nobody gives a shit about your faux apocalyptic viewpoint.

And nobody has offered a counter-argument other than (baseless) hope that the GOP will see the light.  In fact, all evidence thus far is to the contrary.  And the data -- the percentage support of Trump among GOP voters -- makes a GOP shift impossible, it would be electoral suicide.

I mean, even one of the "rebuttals" opens with the necessary admission:

Quote

Could be a pipe dream, but if there's a raft of sealed indictments targeting GOP/ members in Congress for accepting laundered rubles (there was a quadruple rate in sealed indictments in the DC court for a week or so right after Manafort/Gates indictments), it might sufficiently jar the establishment that those untouched in Congress act.  Similarly, a Shock and Awe legal event could produce enough arrests in relation to Russia conspiracy that Trump attempting mass pardons, including of those closest to him, would simply not be a viable option.  Uncharted waters.

I really don't understand how looking at a chess board with the pieces in checkmate like this, and noting "yep, you're fucked" is "faux apocalyptic."  The pieces are on the board the way they are, I'm just calling it like we all see it (even if that's not what we want to see).  That's not Debbie Downer.  It's just math.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Brisketexan

[jimmyjazz 46130]

You have maybe 10% of the information you need to make a reasonable prediction about what might happen.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

I’m pretty much where Brisket is...crack open the scotch and enjoy the plunge into the abyss.

However, I have a long term positive outlook for the Republic. Whatever doesn’t kill us can only make us stronger down the road.

No matter what happens with Trump, even if he’s  miraculously removed from office or drops dead, the next 2.5 years are going to be unpleasant for America.

The Trump Cult isn’t going away and they will be a strong political force for the foreseeable future. Pence has already signed on to Trumpism, he’s just more polished.

There are zero scenarios I can reasonably come up with that would be considered “winning” for the United States.  Even if the dems take the House and impeach/remove Trump, it will be a painful process and America will suffer.

 I’ll go ahead and be Debbie Downer, fuck the math.

[Brisketexan 105329]

1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said:

You have maybe 10% of the information you need to make a reasonable prediction about what might happen.

I'd go with 30-40%, because a good portion of that data is watching what the GOP has done and is doing thus far.  But absolutely, I have incomplete data -- we're making predictions here.

But data still matters.  I get a lotta Wheel of Fortune puzzles correct even though they're missing a lot of letters.  I can tell that jigsaw puzzle is going to be some awful unicorn scene even when only 20% of the pieces are assembled.  And watching peoples' behavior is pretty predictive as well.

[jimmyjazz 46130]

6 minutes ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

I’m pretty much where Brisket is...

However, I have a long term positive outlook for the Republic.

Those are contradictory statements.  Brisket has been sermonizing about the dead Republic for months if not a year.

[Brisketexan 105329]

1 minute ago, jimmyjazz said:

Those are contradictory statements.  Brisket has been sermonizing about the dead Republic for months if not a year.

Correct.  And I'm with Hugo on the entire remainder of his post.

I just see the wounds as fatal.  He sees them as scars that will make us stronger.  And on THAT part of my prediction, I freely admit that it's a tossup at this point.  It's kinda like taking megadoses of chemo drugs.  They either kill the cancer, or they kill you.  We'll know after the treatment cycle is done what the outcome is.

[jimmyjazz 46130]

Well, that's kinda the point of disagreeing with you.  Your overarching take has been "the Republic is dead".  Now you're walking it back and saying it's 50/50?

Whatever, you don't need to keep telling us "I'VE BEEN SAYING IT".  We all read it.  Over.  And over.  And over.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

I will also admit Brisket could be right.  There could be no coming back from this.

That’s why this moment in time is so fascinating.

The uncertainty is remarkable.

Edited May 14, 2018 by Hugo Stiglitz

[Degenerate Gardner 4085]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

And nobody has offered a counter-argument other than (baseless) hope that the GOP will see the light.  In fact, all evidence thus far is to the contrary.  And the data -- the percentage support of Trump among GOP voters -- makes a GOP shift impossible, it would be electoral suicide.

I mean, even one of the "rebuttals" opens with the necessary admission:

I really don't understand how looking at a chess board with the pieces in checkmate like this, and noting "yep, you're fucked" is "faux apocalyptic."  The pieces are on the board the way they are, I'm just calling it like we all see it (even if that's not what we want to see).  That's not Debbie Downer.  It's just math.

When people march en masse, shit happens.  

If you were to despair after a long and valiant defense of the republic, that would be a sad story.  

If you despair when you could still do something in the republic's defense but won't, that feels self indulgent.   You are choosing hopelessness over action.  That would be an even sadder story.  

Edited May 14, 2018 by Degenerate Gardner

[Brisketexan 105329]

12 minutes ago, Degenerate Gardner said:

When people march en masse, shit happens.  

If you were to despair after a long and valiant defense of the republic, that would be a sad story.  

If you despair when you could still do something in the republic's defense but won't, that feels self indulgent.   You are choosing hopelessness over action.  That would be an even sadder story.  

Hell, I ain't quitting -- never have, won't start now.  I've already given time and money, and will do much more of that in the coming months.  Shit, I'm working on figuring out how to be part of driving people to the polls on election day and for early voting.

But I've fought plenty of losing fights -- sometimes, I fight those even harder.  I'm just aware enough to know that I'm running into a brick wall, over and over again.  And I'll do it again, because fuck you, brick wall.

All I'm saying here is what experience and data tell me the likely outcome is.  Doesn't mean you don't fight and try -- sometimes the 96 Longhorns beat Nebraska.  I'm just looking around, though....and I don't see any James Brown to help us.  

Edited May 14, 2018 by Brisketexan

[Mdhorn 5987]

4 hours ago, Longhorn94 said:

the only way to change this shitshow is to have a bloodbath in November. if Dems gain control of House and Senate or if almost every one of Trump's candidates are soundly rejected, the remaining Repubs will get the picture and move forward with getting rid of this clown. 

depends on who's in on the take.  

Edited May 15, 2018 by Mdhorn

[Mdhorn 5987]

3 hours ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

I’m pretty much where Brisket is...crack open the scotch and enjoy the plunge into the abyss.

However, I have a long term positive outlook for the Republic. Whatever doesn’t kill us can only make us stronger down the road.

No matter what happens with Trump, even if he’s  miraculously removed from office or drops dead, the next 2.5 years are going to be unpleasant for America.

The Trump Cult isn’t going away and they will be a strong political force for the foreseeable future. Pence has already signed on to Trumpism, he’s just more polished.

There are zero scenarios I can reasonably come up with that would be considered “winning” for the United States.  Even if the dems take the House and impeach/remove Trump, it will be a painful process and America will suffer.

 I’ll go ahead and be Debbie Downer, fuck the math.

that's the same feeling as Drew Carey by the way.  

 

[burntorangebongos 10752]

Avenatti tweeted to read Jeremy Stahl's slate article, michael cohen's meeting with michael flynn and Qatari diplomat might be the key to unlocking the Steele dossier. 

I think he has proof of the deposit of the brokerage amount for the Rosneft deal since he seems to have the transaction information or the SARs information for the account cohen used to pay stormy. If so, then that is what crimes? Foreign bribery? Conspiracy?  I'm not sure why he is slow playing this unless it is to get more visability and to build the tension.

*all popcorn gifs known to man

Edited May 15, 2018 by burntorangebongos

[jimmyjazz 46130]

The broker fee might not be a crime in and of itself.  The tit for tat in exchange for easing sanctions?  Well . . .

[Captainant 27764]

12 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

The broker fee might not be a crime in and of itself.  The tit for tat in exchange for easing sanctions?  Well . . .

We have Trump's own children saying that they were "discussing adoption policy" with Putin and his henchmen. Adoption policy is a reference to sanctions. There's payment and intent to act on behalf of a foreign power's interests. I'm not sure how to spin that as anything other than quid pro quo.

[burntorangebongos 10752]

Click on the tweet that pods just posted. Jud shugerman has a google docs time line for Russia/Qatar/Trump Timeline. Post that here, please.

 

[Captainant 27764]

Bongos are you related to armybrat in some way? It's impressive to see the level of "fuck it" you exhibit towards doing basic message board stuff lol

[Tuco 5077]

Considering Brat's age, we might all be related to him in some way.

[burntorangebongos 10752]

I'm on my cell and it is a POS with a broken clipboard. Sorry. Also could be that i don't know how too though.

[chainsaw 9873]

Cohen is screwed.

[Tuco 5077]

58 minutes ago, burntorangebongos said:

I'm on my cell and it is a POS with a broken clipboard. Sorry. Also could be that i don't know how too though.

Ok, but I'm only doing this because I assume you are the woman in your avatar.

 

google doc

I can't seem to paste the content, though.

 

[jimmyjazz 46130]

LOL . . . "here, let me do it for you.  Shit, it doesn't work."

 

(Just giving you a hard time, Tuco.)

[Tuco 5077]

5 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

LOL . . . "here, let me do it for you.  Shit, it doesn't work."

 

(Just giving you a hard time, Tuco.)

Hey, I'm at least pointing folks in the right direction.  It's a pretty compelling summary. 

One thing out of the Slate article folks haven't talked about is that Rick Perry was in the second meeting.  Rick doesn't get mentioned much, if at all, in relation to the Russia investigation.  He seems more the useful idiot than a member of the inner circle, which is mostly comprised of harmful idiots. It's possible he was brought in because of the oil aspect of it, but my guess is that it has more to do with Flynn's plan to build nuke plants with the Russians across the Mideast.  You'd certainly need the DOE involved on that. 

[Jiggy-Z 3435]

2 hours ago, Purgatory County said:

We need some breaking Cohen news today.

This.

I know we can't have actual Mueller official stuff everyday, but  a few more speculative tweets or some amateur muckraking would be appreciated to keep things moving.

There is only so much low brow everyday garden variety Trump shit one can look at before you become desensitized.

[texas08 1599]

How many armed body guards and food tasters does Avenatti have? He has to roll in a bullet proof vehicle as well right?

He’s basically saying, I’ve got all the Mueller info and I’m gonna be releasing shit little by little to expose you (might have a source that works for Mueller).

[Tuco 5077]

1 minute ago, texas08 said:

How many armed body guards and food tasters does Avenatti have? He has to roll in a bullet proof vehicle as well right?

He’s basically saying, I’ve got all the Mueller info and I’m gonna be releasing shit little by little to expose you (might have a source that works for Mueller).

I get the impression he is crowd sourcing.  The video tape clips come from CSPAN.  The ID of the Qatari former diplomat came from someone who recognized him from the video clip.

But a crowd sourced investigation can be really, really shitty, as evidenced by PizzaGate and other idiotic endeavors.  But if Avenatti is acting as a filter, quality check, and eventually as an amplifier, it could be effective.  

[plimon 190]

 

I put the timeline in the spoiler below.

 

Spoiler

 

Timeline Summary: Possible Qatar Quid Pro Quo

Russia’s sale of Rosneft Gas is the key event in the Steele Dossier’s quid pro quo allegation (see p. 9 and 30 of Dossier). On June 2016, Russians allegedly offer Trumper associates a massive payout derived from the commissions on its sale of 19% of state energy giant Rosneft ($11 billion), in return for lifting sanctions. A month after the election, Russia sells a 19.5% stake in Rosneft in a concealed deal, eventually revealed to be with Qatar. A Qatari diplomat evidently (from video recording) met with Cohen and Flynn at Trump Tower immediately after the deal.

January 2017: Payments from Russian oligarch to Michael Cohen begin. But the Dossier is published. Kushner sought money directly from Qatar, because it is possible that Qatar was backing off, wary of its exposure. In April 2017, Kushner reportedly escalated a Gulf state crisis between Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar with a risk of regional war. A few months later, the Qatar-backed Apollo Group delivers $184 million to Kushner, who has been in financial crisis over a disastrous purchase of 666 5th Ave.

Here is my original June 2, 2017 blogpost on this potential Qatar connection as soon as I read that Qatar was the Rosneft buyer.

Russian contacts are in red.

Qatar links are highlighted pink.

Obstruction of justice events are highlighed yellow.

 

TIMELINE STARTING WITH 2015 GOP PRIMARY CAMPAIGN

Late 2015: Michael Cohen and Felix Sater work on developing Trump Tower Moscow in the middle of the campaign leading up to Republican primaries. Felix Sater emails on Nov. 3: “I will get Putin on this program and we will get Donald elected. We both know no one else knows how to pull this off without stupidity or greed getting in the way. I know how to play it and we will get this done. Buddy our boy can become President of the USA and we can engineer it. I will get all of Putins team to buy in on this, I will manage this process.”

Dec. 2015: Moscow event: Flynn and Putin are seated at the same table, with Vekselberg in the room

Early 2016: Michael Cohen and Felix Sater put together Russia-Ukraine “peace plan,” which is really a pro-Putin plan to end sanctions.

March 2016: Paul Manafort joins campaign.

June 9, 2016: Trump Tower meeting between Don Trump, Jr., Kushner, Manafort, and Russians Natalia Veselnitskaya and Rinat Akhmetshin. Trump, Jr.’s emails about the meeting are here. Trump’s hint about this meeting on June 7 and his tweet about Clinton’s emails on the day of the Trump Tower meeting are here.

Summer 2016, as Steele Dossier alleges (p. 9 and p. 30): Russians made a deal in the summer of 2016 to sell 19% of fossil fuel giant Rosneft, a multibillion dollar deal, and secretly transfer benefits to Trump officials. The dossier alleged that Carter Page was a campaign intermediary to meet personally with Russians, and that Igor Sechin—the CEO of Rosneft and a close Putin ally—and Page had held a “secret meeting” to discuss “the issues of future bilateral energy cooperation and prospects for an associated move to lift Ukraine-related western sanctions against Russia.” The dossier further alleged that Sechin offered commissions from the Rosneft sale in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russia. (Page appears to have been pushed out of Trump orbit by the fall, but others appear to have followed up on this arrangement).

Nov. 18, 2016: Rep. Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, sends a letter to Pence with concerns about Flynn’s links to Russia and Turkey, and requests more information.

Dec. 1, 2016: Flynn and Jared Kushner meet Russia’s Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at Trump Tower. According to Kushner’s own testimony, he proposed a secret communication link with the Kremlin through the Russian Embassy in an effort to find a “secure line.”

Dec. 7, 2016: Consistent with a key allegation in the Steele Dossier, Russia announces their sale of 19.5% of state energy giant Rosneft ($11 billion). The identity of the buyers are initially concealed, and are later revealed to be Qatar and Glencore. The sale is completed on Dec. 8th or 9th, and Qatar and Glencore immediately sell off these assets in smaller parts. (Odd financial twist: Russia later bought back a significant amount of the 19.5% stake, claiming that its intent had been that the sale was a temporary measure to bring in cash, like a loan. Alternatively, could the same and buy-back plan be part of a way to create a paper transaction to generate commissions that could be paid without detection or regulation to Trump associates?  A Qatar-backed firm later gave Kushner’s family company a $184 million loan). And why 19.5%? A colleague pointed out that the 19% in the Dossier’s description (p. 30) and the 19.5% in the actual Qatar on Dec. 9 deal makes sense, because there seems to be a 20% legal threshold rule for reporting financing and investors. These deals are under that 20% threshold because the dealmakers seem to be unusually focused on secrecy and evading regulators and prosecutors. Russia’s basic framework for some kind of 19.5% deal may have been initiated in 2014, even before Trump was running, because Russia intended to shield a potential deal from regulatory scrutiny, however it was eventually executed.

Dec. 12: Qatar’s Ahmed Al-Rumaihi, director of Qatar Investments, a $100 billion fund, met with Cohen and Flynn at Trump Tower (and perhaps KT MacFarland, too?). See this Slate piece by Jeremy Stahl. As Michael Avenatti alleges, “Why was Ahmed Al-Rumaihi meeting with Michael Cohen and Michael Flynn in December 2016 and why did Mr. Al-Rumaihi later brag about bribing administration officials according to a sworn declaration filed in court?” A lawsuit alleges he admitted that he had bribed Trump administration officials. The Qatar fund, QIA, which Al-Rumaihi directs, made an announcement the following day to invest in American infrastructure. Is this potentially part of a financial/quid pro quo agreement in the works?

Dec. 12: Ukrainian politician Andrii Artemenko (who worked with Cohen and Sater on lifting Russian sanctions) visited Qatar. This is a pretty remarkable coincidence. It just happened to be four days after Qatar’s Rosneft purchase and the same day as Al-Rumaihi’s visit to Cohen and Flynn at Trump Tower.

Dec. 13, 2016: Kushner meets Sergey Gorkov, who chairs Russia’s government-owned Vnesheconombank and is Putin’s close confidant. Vnesheconombank is understood by analysts to be Putin’s slush fund and is under strict U.S. sanctions.

Dec. 14, 2016: Gorkov flies to Japan, where he is reported to have met with Putin.

Dec. 28, 2016: Obama orders new Russian sanctions for election hacking and interference. Kislyak contacts Flynn.

Dec. 29, 2016: According to details later revealed in Flynn’s plea agreement, he calls a “senior official of the Presidential Transition Team” who was with other “senior members of the [team]” at Mar-a-Lago. Flynn and this “senior official” agree that they do not want Russia to “escalate the situation.” Flynn calls Kislyak immediately and afterward reports back to the senior official. Reports suggest that this official was Jared Kushner.

Dec. 30, 2016: Trump tweets to Putin, calling him “very smart” for not responding to Obama’s sanctions in kind.

January 2017: Vekselberg begins sending payments to Michael Cohen’s Essential Consulting account, totaling at least $500,000 over four months.

Jan. 4, 2017: According to later reporting by the New York Times, Flynn reveals to Don McGahn, chief attorney for the transition effort, that he’s under FBI investigation. Flynn is still appointed national security adviser and receives provisional security clearance.

Jan. 11, 2017: Erik Prince (Trump supporter, founder of Blackwater), met with Kirill Dmitriev (Putin-tied Russian fund manager), in the Seychelles, allegedly to establish a back-channel.

Jan. 15, 2017: In the wake of news reports that Flynn and Kislyak spoke during the sanctions controversy, Pence states on CBS’s Face the Nation that Flynn and Kislyak “did not discuss anything having to do with the United States’ decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia.” Pence says he was told this by Flynn—who is now a cooperating witness with Mueller’s probe and the FBI—himself.

Jan. 20, 2017: On Inauguration Day. Flynn allegedly texted a former business associate that their private firm’s plan to build nuclear reactors in the Mideast was "good to go" because U.S. sanctions on Russia -- which had been blocking these plans -- would soon be "ripped up.” This plan would have delivered massive profits to Flynn and others.

Jan. 24, 2017: In an interview with FBI agents, Flynn denies that he spoke about sanctions with Russian officials.

Jan. 26, 2017: Acting Attorney General Sally Yates tells McGahn, now the White House counsel, that Pence, among others, was not correct about Flynn’s Russian contacts. Did McGahn really not tell Pence?

Early February 2017: Michael Cohen reportedly delivers a Ukrainian peace proposal to Flynn that would involve ousting the anti-Putin leader and lifting sanctions against Russia. Whom did Flynn and Cohen share this with?

Feb. 9, 2017: According to Pence’s press secretary’s later account, this is when Pence learned about Yates’ warning. The Washington Post also reports on this day that Flynn had discussed sanctions with Kislyak. But Flynn continues in office.

Feb. 13, 2017: Flynn resigns.

Feb. 14, 2017: Trump meets privately with FBI Director Jim Comey and allegedly asks him to “let go” of the Flynn “thing.” (Comey testified to this under oath before a Senate panel, but Trump has denied it is true in public statements.)

April 2017: Kushner reportedly escalated tensions between Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar into a Gulf state crisis:

The real estate firm tied to the family of presidential son-in-law and top White House adviser Jared Kushner made a direct pitch to Qatar’s minister of finance in April 2017 in an attempt to secure investment in a critically distressed asset in the company’s portfolio, according to two sources. At the previously unreported meeting, Jared Kushner’s father Charles, who runs Kushner Companies, and Qatari Finance Minister Ali Sharif Al Emadi discussed financing for the Kushners’ signature 666 Fifth Avenue property in New York City. …

The failure to broker the deal would be followed only a month later by a Middle Eastern diplomatic row in which Jared Kushner provided critical support to Qatar’s neighbors. Led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, a group of Middle Eastern countries, with Kushner’s backing, led a diplomatic assault that culminated in a blockade of Qatar. Kushner, according to reports at the time, subsequently undermined efforts by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to bring an end to the standoff.

May 8, 2017: According to later reporting in the New York Times, the White House disseminates a draft letter written by Trump and Stephen Miller—described by sources as a “screed”— laying out the reasons for firing Comey, including Trump’s displeasure that Comey wouldn’t publicly say Trump wasn’t being investigated in the Russia inquiry. In the Oval Office, Pence and McGahn reportedly review the draft and McGahn reportedly asks that some sections be removed. A version of this letter is sent to Rod Rosenstein, who crafts a new memo justifying the firing and attributing it to Comey’s conduct during the Clinton investigation, with no mention of Russia.

May 9, 2017: Trump fires Comey.

May 10, 2017: Pence publicly denies that the Russia investigation factored into the decision, strongly suggesting that Trump was merely “accept[ing] the recommendation of the deputy attorney general and the attorney general” (full video here).  

May 10 in Oval Office: Trump to Ambassador Kislyak and Foreign Minister Lavrov: “I just fired the head of the F.B.I. He was crazy, a real nut job… I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.”

May 11: Trump to NBC’s Lester Holt here: “And in fact when I decided to just do it [fire Comey,] I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.’”

November 2017, as the New York Times reported, Apollo Global, backed by Qatar, makes an unusually large $184 million loan to Kushner’s family company. “One of the largest investors in Apollo’s real estate trust is the Qatari government’s investment fund, the Qatar Investment Authority… Mr. Kushner’s firm previously sought a $500 million investment from the former head of that Qatari fund for its headquarters at 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. That investment never materialized.”

Later, in 2018, Qatar also seeks to invest in Trump-linked right-wing media outlet NewsMax.

 

Dec. 2017: Trump tweets an apparent admission that he knew Flynn had lied to FBI. “I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!” If he indeed asked Comey to “let Flynn go” on Feb. 14, 2017, this tweet suggests that Trump knew at that time that Flynn had committed a felony, and thus strengthens the obstruction case.

 

April 2018: Trump delays, undercuts, and sabotages Russian sanctions.

 

May 2, 2018: Giuliani, among other things during Hannity’s interview, provides more evidence of Trump’s obstruction of justice with corrupt intent: “[Trump] fired Comey because Comey would not, among other things, say that he wasn’t a target of the investigation.” On Hannity and then Fox and Friends next morning, Giuliani also incriminates Trump for campaign finance felony.

 

May 4, 2018: Qatar’s holdings of Rosneft are updated as $9 billion after Chinese company backs out of deal. It is less clear that Russia had bought back its Rosneft shares. These financial holdings need to be clarified by journalists in this field.

 

For more on the law of obstruction of justice related to these events, see my blogposts from 2017 here, here, here, and on Pence, here.

 

I’m collecting other timelines, charts and graphics here:

 

Wendy Siegelman on the Rosneft sale here.

 

[The Royal We 3072]

I'm not sure how any reasonable person can read through that timeline and all of the links/supporting documents and come to the conclusion that there is nothing going on that is AT LEAST worthy of further investigation.  Yet there are millions of people in this country who think that all of this is a witch hunt and that the real bad actors in this situation are the DOJ and FBI.  It's mind bottling. 

[jimmyjazz 46130]

Well, come on.  The DOJ, FBI, all cops and all military are covert libtards.

[burntorangebongos 10752]

Al-Rumaihi confirms he was at Trump Tower on December 12, 2016. He says he didn't participate in any meetings with Michael Flynn. The stated reason: he wanted face time with Trump transition officials.

Come on Avenatti, have the record of the brokerage money that would have been deposited after they ironed out the deal. Or else this slow drip of info reveal is a waste.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13523]

When the Rosneft deal was first brought up last year, I dismissed it as BS because some where saying that Trump himself was promised 19% of the company in exchange for lifting the sanctions against Putin and his buddies.  That number was ridiculous.    Wouldn't 19% be in excess of $10B?  That's setting the bar high for a bribe.   However commissions or some type of brokerage fee for a sale of Rosneft to Qatar seems more reasonable for a bribe.

[SizzleChest 8284]

The Rosneft deal was the largest money laundering scheme in this whole scenario (I think).  Buying back the assets with commissions and other goodies going to Trump partners was the heart of the exchange.

[brown water 3778]

4 hours ago, The Royal We said:

I'm not sure how any reasonable person can read through that timeline and all of the links/supporting documents and come to the conclusion that there is nothing going on that is AT LEAST worthy of further investigation.  Yet there are millions of people in this country who think that all of this is a witch hunt and that the real bad actors in this situation are the DOJ and FBI.  It's mind bottling. 

Well DJT is certainly not reasonable and barely qualifies as a person. 

But I doubt actually read anything. 

Edited May 16, 2018 by brown water

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

That Dossier is aging like 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

[lemonlime 5503]

6 hours ago, Jiggy-Z said:

This.

I know we can't have actual Mueller official stuff everyday, but  a few more speculative tweets or some amateur muckraking would be appreciated to keep things moving.

There is only so much low brow everyday garden variety Trump shit one can look at before you become desensitized.

Here ya go.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5732429/Michael-Cohen-asked-millions-dollars-pass-Trump-family-members.html

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

1 minute ago, lemonlime said:

Here ya go.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5732429/Michael-Cohen-asked-millions-dollars-pass-Trump-family-members.html

Single anonymous Kuwaiti official?

Skeptical Hippo is skeptical 

 

[burntorangebongos 10752]

coinky dink? Fuck Pai!

[burntorangebongos 10752]

1 hour ago, Hugo Stiglitz said:

Single anonymous Kuwaiti official?

Skeptical Hippo is skeptical 

 

Yeah, they jumped on his hint but didn't find much of anything. Maybe other journalists are still digging and will give us more, plus maybe Avenatti has proof of the deposit transaction(s). Right now the Qatar guy is denying it but that might change with more information.

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13587]

coinky dink? Fuck Pai!

Everything must go! Quids! Pros! Quos! We're practically giving it away! How??? VOLUME!!! Also, a distinct possibility of looming jail time! Get on this shit before it all gone at Deal Making Don's Factory Blowout!!!!

[Biff Tannen 45734]

Rosneft to me is the ultimate smoking gun.  It makes perfect sense.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

The Trump Tower meeting and the year long coverup of that meeting is the other smoking gun IMO.

[burntorangebongos 10752]

avenatti tweeted already this morning. he wants Cohen to show him the Squires law firm contract and the bank statements for the last 18 months.

what do you mean by year long cover up? Who would have told us about it? 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23367]

14 minutes ago, burntorangebongos said:

avenatti tweeted already this morning. he wants Cohen to show him the Squires law firm contract and the bank statements for the last 18 months.

what do you mean by year long cover up? Who would have told us about it? 

Actually it’s almost a two year long cover up.

We still have no idea what went down or what the Russians were offering in that meeting.

Trump is already implicated because he wrote that Don Jr statement from Air Force One.

#adoptions

[burntorangebongos 10752]

Why would Avanatti want to see that contract?  Cohen was paid 500000 per year per what SPB reported .Maybe this is a clue.

Edited May 16, 2018 by burntorangebongos

[Tuco 5077]

The top lawyer for Novartis has resigned. 

Quote

"Although the contract was legally in order, it was an error," Ehrat said in a statement. "As a co-signatory with our former CEO, I take personal responsibility to bring the public debate on this matter to an end."

I have a feeling that won't bring the public debate on this matter to an end. 

CNN link

[woohorn 1131]

I have a feeling that won't bring the public debate on this matter to an end. 


He goin' to jail with his former CEO.

[ShaggyBevo RIP 3868]

4 hours ago, burntorangebongos said:

Why would Avanatti want to see that contract?  Cohen was paid 500000 per year per what SPB reported .Maybe this is a clue.

Wasn't the original story that Cohen just kept an office in SPB's space and he wasn't working for SPB?  If SPB was paying him $500K/year that blows that story up.

[Bat Guano 359]

Trump Discloses Payment to Cohen in Financial Report

Quote

President Trump’s financial disclosure, released on Wednesday, revealed for the first time that he paid more than $100,000 to his personal attorney, Michael D. Cohen, as reimbursement for payment to a third-party.

The disclosure, released by the Office of Government Ethics, did not specify the purpose of the payment. However, Mr. Cohen has paid $130,000 to an adult film actress, Stephanie Clifford, who has claimed she had an affair with Mr. Trump.

Mr. Cohen has said he made the payment to keep the actress, who goes by the stage name Stormy Daniels, from going public before the 2016 election with her story about an affair with Mr. Trump.

Musta just slipped his mind that other time, you know, when he said he didn't know anything about it. Bless his heart, got a lot on his mind these days....

[Al Bundy's Napoleon Hand 13587]

"Oh! THAT payment..."