posted by SportsAndLady

Another trump guy arrested (Roger Stone). You gotta wonder when eventually that will be Trump..

Aside from guilt by association, I haven't seen anything that makes me think they have anything on Trump.  All these guys are being arrested for lying, or for unrelated matters.

If this is actually a witch hunt, sweeping up people for lying or "obstruction" of what is perhaps a questionable legal anal probe just isn't right.  The Manafort arrest - they knew about all that and had him on the radar years before and for some reason move on.  It was only the Trump deal they decided to arrest and prosecute him.  I really can't understand how Manafort wasn't arrested years earlier.

I think the biggest, and really only, threat to Trump is Cohen in NY (not federal).  If you start digging into Trump's business history, I will practically guarantee he's broken the law.  You just don't do real estate in NY, and globally, without the occasional kickback or bribe.  I'm guessing that's what Cohen's role was.  But Cohen might be keeping his mouth shut because he's got non-Trump clients that are a much bigger threat to him.  Assuming Cohen was doing some laundering for Russian and Chinese nationals, among others, then he's going to keep his mouth shut and serve his 3 years.

posted by SportsAndLady

Another trump guy arrested (Roger Stone). You gotta wonder when eventually that will be Trump..

My question is why did they feel the need to roll in with the FBI, guns drawn, and CNN, for a dude who bonded himself out hours later? lol like isn't that a bit of overkill?

posted by iclfan2

My question is why did they feel the need to roll in with the FBI, guns drawn, and CNN, for a dude who bonded himself out hours later? lol like isn't that a bit of overkill?

Does it matter how they arrest him?

posted by iclfan2

My question is why did they feel the need to roll in with the FBI, guns drawn, and CNN, for a dude who bonded himself out hours later? lol like isn't that a bit of overkill?

To send a message.

posted by majorspark

To send a message.

Well, that’s a bit too much toxic masculinity don’t you think?

posted by SportsAndLady

Another trump guy arrested (Roger Stone). You gotta wonder when eventually that will be Trump..

More likely a case is being made for impeachment imo.

posted by majorspark

To send a message.

I really have no idea what will come out.

But I tend to think drama and theatrics don't align with a good case against the ultimate target.  You don't stage photo ops when you have strong evidence.

posted by iclfan2

My question is why did they feel the need to roll in with the FBI, guns drawn, and CNN, for a dude who bonded himself out hours later? lol like isn't that a bit of overkill?

That is how it always goes down if it's believed the target could possibly destroy evidence or have firearms. 

posted by BoatShoes

That is how it always goes down if it's believed the target could possibly destroy evidence or have firearms. 

Neither of which applied in this case.

posted by gut

Aside from guilt by association, I haven't seen anything that makes me think they have anything on Trump.  All these guys are being arrested for lying, or for unrelated matters.

If this is actually a witch hunt, sweeping up people for lying or "obstruction" of what is perhaps a questionable legal anal probe just isn't right.  The Manafort arrest - they knew about all that and had him on the radar years before and for some reason move on.  It was only the Trump deal they decided to arrest and prosecute him.  I really can't understand how Manafort wasn't arrested years earlier.

I think the biggest, and really only, threat to Trump is Cohen in NY (not federal).  If you start digging into Trump's business history, I will practically guarantee he's broken the law.  You just don't do real estate in NY, and globally, without the occasional kickback or bribe.  I'm guessing that's what Cohen's role was.  But Cohen might be keeping his mouth shut because he's got non-Trump clients that are a much bigger threat to him.  Assuming Cohen was doing some laundering for Russian and Chinese nationals, among others, then he's going to keep his mouth shut and serve his 3 years.

Got to see all of the indictments together. We've got that the hackers were the Russian Gov't. That Cohen paid a company that is likely a front for the hackers at the direction of Trump and that the hackers provided the data to WikiLeaks and now we have a Trump campaign official who "was directed" to tell Roger Stone to get WikiLeaks to release the hacked emails on the same day as the Pussy tape. Building the larger narrative with smaller cases one by one as with John Gotti. 

And today Trump caved on the stupid wall after all of that - and I wanted the Dems to just give it to him. And I love the Trump water-carrying by Gut who suddenly says nothing about the $trillion dollar deficits when that is all I heard constantly during Obummer. 

posted by BoatShoes

Got to see all of the indictments together. We've got that the hackers were the Russian Gov't. That Cohen paid a company that is likely a front for the hackers at the direction of Trump and that the hackers provided the data to WikiLeaks and now we have a Trump campaign official who "was directed" to tell Roger Stone to get WikiLeaks to release the hacked emails on the same day as the Pussy tape. Building the larger narrative with smaller cases one by one as with John Gotti.

I'll wait and see what actual evidence comes out.  If you haven't learned by now not to trust what you read/hear about this case, I can't help you.  But, you know, cats will chase the laser pointer.  Every time.  Forever.

All I know, looking at the indictments, is basically none of it has anything to do with collusion or Trump.  Manafort and Gates indicted on unrelated charges.  Flynn and Stone for lying to investigators.  Papadopoulus got like 2 weeks in jail.

posted by BoatShoes

Got to see all of the indictments together. We've got that the hackers were the Russian Gov't. That Cohen paid a company that is likely a front for the hackers at the direction of Trump and that the hackers provided the data to WikiLeaks and now we have a Trump campaign official who "was directed" to tell Roger Stone to get WikiLeaks to release the hacked emails on the same day as the Pussy tape. Building the larger narrative with smaller cases one by one as with John Gotti. 

And today Trump caved on the stupid wall after all of that - and I wanted the Dems to just give it to him. And I love the Trump water-carrying by Gut who suddenly says nothing about the $trillion dollar deficits when that is all I heard constantly during Obummer. 

Big, if true.

posted by BoatShoes

And I love the Trump water-carrying by Gut who suddenly says nothing about the $trillion dollar deficits when that is all I heard constantly during Obummer. 

You don't have to be carrying water for Trump in order to be skeptical or critical of the whole thing. 

I personally don't think the wall is a national emergency and I wish all of this attention was paid to more important things that our country is dealing with. But alas, I also don't believe that Gary Johnson would have been any better, much less find Texas/Arizona on a map lol!

posted by BoatShoe

And I love the Trump water-carrying by Gut who suddenly says nothing about the $trillion dollar deficits when that is all I heard constantly during Obummer. 

Then you obviously aren't paying attention.  But what else is new?  I don't carry anyone's water. I state facts, but that's not the world you, a lawyer, deals in is it?

Enjoy chasing the shiny laser pointer with your TDS.

posted by like_that

More likely a case is being made for impeachment imo.

glad its only your opinion.  So far nothing that has been done in any of this is illegal.. THese guys all lied about doing shit that wasnt illegal.  Stupid

As for Trump, after falling on his face about the shutdown......Trump will not be running for President in 2020,...pubs will primary him

posted by BoatShoes

Kind of crazy to me how easy it is for people who consider themselves patriots who love their country and support law enforcement will turn on law enforcement if it has its crosshairs on the President they voted for. 

Why gee, might I even say that Quaker sounds like a Black Lives Matter activist attacking the people who work to keep us safe everyday! 

In spite of some dismay at agreeing with you, I do. :)

That said, would the Dems not be better served concentrating on coming up with a candidate that a very good argument can't be made that their person isn't as horrible a human (or worse) than Orange Man? They failed in that regard in 2016 and I've yet to hear a better one so far?

LOL....just saw a commercial that some Trump Admin guy no one ever heard of (Chris Sims) is going to be on Good Morning America tomorrow to, what else, throw shade on the Administration.

Of course, he has a book.  What former Trump aide doesn't get a book deal?  TDS is so unbelievably strong that basically anyone who sat in even one meeting with Trump gets appearance fees, book deals, etc.  This has to be some combination of buying a lottery ticket and just being, essentially, an anti-Trump SuperPac.

I wonder, I really do - if Trump actually does run for a second term, do these people in media/entertainment truly want him to lose?  He's great for business, more or less the Yankees of politics.  In the era of people with a deep psychological need to be outraged, Trump is a juggernaut.  The Tea Party was like a starter drug, and it was good but now they've gotten a taste of Trump....and there's going to be a lot of depression and withdrawl once someone else becomes POTUS.

It's brilliant when you think about it.  The over-the-top negative coverage of Trump gets eaten up by libs and never-Trumpers, while simultaneously firing up Trump's base and everyone else disgusted by the mainstream media.  In other words, you bash Trump and your ratings increase PLUS improve his re-election chances (so you can keep getting those ratings!!!!)

@gut

I've actually had remarkably similar thoughts and it's kinda worrisome when you think about it. The good news about this idea is that there may be a sharp downward trend. Many e-media types are going bankrupt and/or having massive layoffs so that part of the equation is getting somewhat smaller. The bad news is that the legacy media is still the big dog in the yard and receiving the full benefits of the Trump Bump. But they just might inadvertently help contribute to his success again, because, I don't think they've learned their lesson. 

I always thought that the media coverage of trump got him elected.

This Roger Stone is an incredible clown.  What's the old saying - judge people by the quality of the company they keep?

You've been indicted.  Not only are you pretty dumb for running around shooting your mouth off all over tv, but you flash the Nixon sign?  Apparently too stupid to even grasp the gravity of what he's up against.

posted by gut

This Roger Stone is an incredible clown.  What's the old saying - judge people by the quality of the company they keep?

You've been indicted.  Not only are you pretty dumb for running around shooting your mouth off all over tv, but you flash the Nixon sign?  Apparently too stupid to even grasp the gravity of what he's up against.

My initial thought was that he believes, right or wrong, that some part of the system is in the bag for him.  I'd hope Trump wouldn't hire someone that stupid and cavalier, but then I remember that he hired Anthony Scaramucci.

posted by O-Trap

My initial thought was that he believes, right or wrong, that some part of the system is in the bag for him.  I'd hope Trump wouldn't hire someone that stupid and cavalier, but then I remember that he hired Anthony Scaramucci.

Stone has been a friend of Trump's for, I believe, 30+ years.  So he probably does have a pardon in the bag (and depending on the evidence against him, that may not be unjustified).

Still, don't be an asshat.  It's pretty funny seeing a guy who's head LOOKS like a penis acting dickish.

posted by gut

This Roger Stone is an incredible clown.  What's the old saying - judge people by the quality of the company they keep?

You've been indicted.  Not only are you pretty dumb for running around shooting your mouth off all over tv, but you flash the Nixon sign?  Apparently too stupid to even grasp the gravity of what he's up against.

I think Karma has come around on him.  Of the things I read about him that really stood out - besides assuring that Barbara Bush descended into hell on the day she died - is the fact that he has a tattoo of Nixon on his back.  Wow.

I'm sure Trump will try and distance himself from this guy.  But after all the others, you can see who it is he likes to surround himself with - those who can keep him in the spotlight.  That's been the case his entire career.  

Trump declaring a national emergency for the border wall is a bad idea. Gonna set a really bad precedent for the green freaks (I know he’s not the first one to declare an emergency) 

posted by iclfan2

Trump declaring a national emergency for the border wall is a bad idea. Gonna set a really bad precedent for the green freaks (I know he’s not the first one to declare an emergency) 

Normally, Rs have gone along with whatever Trump ultimately decides. This will be a fascinating case study to see how the Rs respond, given the issue and precedent it does set.