The Trump Investigation(s) Thread

[Holman]

Trump was seen arriving in New York a couple of nights ago. He was described as looking tired and downcast.

There was no event and no fanfare, so presumably he was in town to talk to lawyers and/or prosecutors.

[Jaymann]

Low energy. Sad.

[malchior]

Vance is dumping the case on a successor. Not a good sign but what should we expect? Justice? It might be impossible in this deeply unserious nation.

[Paingod]

When you've got a radioactive headache the size of Rhode Island sitting on your desk, it's probably tempting to skip work just about every day of the week.

[Holman]

Vance has a reputation for going soft on high-profile, politically connected defendants. He might not be the one for this job.

[malchior]

Vance has a reputation for going soft on high-profile, politically connected defendants.

Including Javanka years back for Trump Org shenanigans. But nothing to see. After all, in a major show of ethical behavior he returned a donation from their lawyer when the New Yorker poked around in the events.

Expanding on the quote, that reputation would fit pretty much any prosecutor in a major city in the United States. They make headlines by dunking on the poor and powerless since it is a low risk enterprise.

[Paingod]

I sincerely hope he gets burned so badly that anyone in his family that doesn't get dragged down with him opts to never go near politics again. The intense scrutiny it invites is contradictory to running scams and skimming money from your own charities.

[Carpet_pissr]

I sure hope something sticks, but that smells a lot like liberal bait. And of course if I'm not careful, I will eat that shit up without blinking.

[gilraen]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

[Hyena]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

Damn, that escalated quickly.

I can't stand the man (or anything HE stands for), but I don't think I've ever wished for anyone's death before. Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level, but not death.

[malchior]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

Damn, that escalated quickly.

I can't stand the man (or anything HE stands for), but I don't think I've ever wished for anyone's death before. Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level, but not death.

I'm with him. In my opinion, the man murdered hundreds of thousands of our countrymen because he is a broken, angry pitiful sack of shit. Very few people deserve death but he almost certainly does. Bigger picture his death would relieve pressure on this system. Both as an immediate threat but because of the deficiencies in our system of justice. If he is alive in 5 years and unindicted -- as I expect no less -- then the truth that this country is unserious and morally and ethically bankrupt will be proven.

[Blackhawk]

I don't want him dead. I want him to receive justice. I want him to face such consequences that his family changes their names back to Drumpf out of shame and future Trump-likes are afraid to follow his example.

But if it's him keeling over or causing thousands more deaths in four years, or tearing down the nation, or ruining millions of lives of people who don't happen to be like him? Buh-bye.

[Jaymann]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

Damn, that escalated quickly.

I can't stand the man (or anything HE stands for), but I don't think I've ever wished for anyone's death before. Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level, but not death.

I suppose wishing for a debilitating stroke is right out.

[pr0ner]

I sure hope something sticks, but that smells a lot like liberal bait. And of course if I'm not careful, I will eat that shit up without blinking.

It's on MSNBC. Of course it is. Remember Maddow's show where she claimed she had some of Trump's tax returns? Oy.

[Octavious]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

Damn, that escalated quickly.

I can't stand the man (or anything HE stands for), but I don't think I've ever wished for anyone's death before. Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level, but not death.

I suppose wishing for a debilitating stroke is right out.

With all the people he's gotten killed wishing him death is really not out of line IMHO. He can't go away soon enough.

[TheMix]

I don't want him dead. I want him to receive justice. I want him to face such consequences that his family changes their names back to Drumpf out of shame and future Trump-likes are afraid to follow his example.

But if it's him keeling over or causing thousands more deaths in four years, or tearing down the nation, or ruining millions of lives of people who don't happen to be like him? Buh-bye.

I would love justice. I would revel in "Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level". Unfortunately, I don't think those are actually viable options. Sadly.

I think it's more likely that we get the second part of Blackhawk's statement. So, in light of that, I'm willing to make an exception here. Though, to be fair, I might be willing to accept "debilitating stroke" as a valid option. But I'd have to see it play out. Honestly, I just don't know if that would stop him (or stop those who, in that situation, would likely be controlling him/using him.... "I just spoke with TheOrangeMonkey. He's doing great and says that everyone should ...").

[Remus West]

You all assume he won't be practically (or even actually) deified after death by his followers. I want him to experience ruin and live to endure it. If he dies I want it to be the same way Hitler went with his own gun an utter failure burning around him.

All that said, he is still just a symptom of our broken system and McConnell needs to go with him in the same way. And Cruz. And every other one of the bastards turning our government into a grift meant to damage the citizens.

[Jaymann]

You all assume he won't be practically (or even actually) deified after death by his followers. I want him to experience ruin and live to endure it.

A Commander Pike status would work.

[Paingod]

In my opinion, the man murdered hundreds of thousands of our countrymen because he is a broken, angry pitiful sack of shit.

I agree with this entirely. I desperately wish there was some kind of law that covered depraved indifference from political leaders resulting in the deaths of citizens. There appears to be none and his party's response to it is to pretend it never happened and doesn't continue to happen.

[Blackhawk]

I'll give an alternative: Complete and total madness. I don't mean the general nonsense we've seen. I mean the 'getting in arguments with trees in public' type of madness. Running naked through Times Square shouting about the invisible liberals chasing him with magic wands.

I'm not a fan of mental illness, but this would take him out of the running and simultaneously discredit his positions and theories.

Although it would likely just result in a theory about how the Clintons had him poisoned.

[Remus West]

I'll give an alternative: Complete and total madness. I don't mean the general nonsense we've seen. I mean the 'getting in arguments with trees in public' type of madness. Running naked through Times Square shouting about the invisible liberals chasing him with magic wands.

I'm not a fan of mental illness, but this would take him out of the running and simultaneously discredit his positions and theories.

Although it would likely just result in a theory about how the Clintons had him poisoned.

Pffft. His followers would just see it as his having direct conversations with the holy spirit and being chased by demons/devils. All madness would do is enhance his chance at godhood postmortem.

[Hyena]

I don't want him dead. I want him to receive justice. I want him to face such consequences that his family changes their names back to Drumpf out of shame and future Trump-likes are afraid to follow his example.

But if it's him keeling over or causing thousands more deaths in four years, or tearing down the nation, or ruining millions of lives of people who don't happen to be like him? Buh-bye.

I would love justice. I would revel in "Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level". Unfortunately, I don't think those are actually viable options. Sadly.

I think it's more likely that we get the second part of Blackhawk's statement. So, in light of that, I'm willing to make an exception here. Though, to be fair, I might be willing to accept "debilitating stroke" as a valid option. But I'd have to see it play out. Honestly, I just don't know if that would stop him (or stop those who, in that situation, would likely be controlling him/using him.... "I just spoke with TheOrangeMonkey. He's doing great and says that everyone should ...").

I can agree with most of that. I just have a hard time actively wishing for someone's death, no matter who they are. Would I be bothered if, say Kim Jon Un were to keel over? No, not really, but I won't be sending that bad juju out into the world willingly.

[LawBeefaroni]

All I'm hoping for at this point is that the stress of indictments, or possible indictments, drives him to a heart attack. The wheels of justice have long slid into a ditch on this one, I just want him dead.

Damn, that escalated quickly.

I can't stand the man (or anything HE stands for), but I don't think I've ever wished for anyone's death before. Public humiliation, financial ruin, abject failure on every conceivable level, but not death.

I suppose wishing for a debilitating stroke is right out.

With all the people he's gotten killed wishing him death is really not out of line IMHO. He can't go away soon enough.

If he just goes away, I don't care if he's dead or not. Death would have benefited the nation 6 or so years ago. Less so today.

[Carpet_pissr]

he is still just a symptom of our broken system

I'll plus one that and add that he is also a symptom of a LOT of people in this country's demeanor. Trump can die, choke, run around a NASCAR track with no clothes on like Will Ferrell in Talladega Nights, but the people that adore him and people that THINK like him remain. As detestable as Trump is, I'm not sure Junior is any better (and I suspect maybe even worse in some ways). Tucker Carlson FFS? Imagine that fratty shitbird running the country with his maddening perma-squints and "I'M JUST ASKING?!?!!?" stupidity.

I think it's complicated. While a LOT of the MAGA's love Trump himself (for some unknowable to me reason), I think they love the way he talks and his selfish, me-first ideas more. Anyone should be able to take that mantle fairly easily. But I do think it requires a certain personality. You have to be a LOT of an asshole (and I mean that sincerely), you have to be rude (nobody pushes US around!), and above all you have to HATE liberals and everything they stand for. Basically if you can funnel the intense anger that the MAGATs have, you'll do great.

Point being that we detest Trump, but he is just the icon for Trumpism. The ideas that fuel Trumpism will outlast Trump's physical body unfortunately. He just added gas to a fire that's been smoldering for a loooong time.

[Jaymann]

I agree with all that except I doubt he hates just libs. He can't stand his own worshipers. He would spout liberal nonsense if it was a viable grift.

[Holman]

I think it's complicated. While a LOT of the MAGA's love Trump himself (for some unknowable to me reason), I think they love the way he talks and his selfish, me-first ideas more. Anyone should be able to take that mantle fairly easily. But I do think it requires a certain personality. You have to be a LOT of an asshole (and I mean that sincerely), you have to be rude (nobody pushes US around!), and above all you have to HATE liberals and everything they stand for. Basically if you can funnel the intense anger that the MAGATs have, you'll do great.

What worries me is that I think people don't love Trump's brash selfishness as much as they love him giving them permission to hate. (And to hate widely and strategically: libs, Muslims, blacks, gays, elites, Europeans, Jews, whoever serves the current moment as a useful target.)

That's something that will be easy to replicate without Trumpian narcissism getting in the way. It's the reason I think (e.g.) Tucker Carlson is a lot more dangerous than anyone in Congress.

[Carpet_pissr]

President Carlson and VP Hannity.

Nightmare fuel right there.

You’re welcome!

[Zarathud]

Trump gas been developing his “bad boy capitalist success” story since the 80s. Watch Trump’s appearances on Letterman for the pilot episode. It was finely crafted on Howard Stern. Junior may try to ride coattails but he wasn’t the one forcing himself into Home Alone 2.

Trump is going to act badly as long as he’s alive. He’ll only lose influence by dying in a compromising or undignified or otherwise scandalous manner.

Tucker Carlson is a bigger threat than Junior having pandered to FOX audiences and played the martyr to John Stewart. But Tucker has something to lose by accepting the nomination and playing for serious stakes.

[Kraken]

Trump gas

I'm sorry, I couldn't read past that.

[The Meal]

What worries me is that I think people don't love Trump's brash selfishness as much as they love him giving them permission to hate.

That's it on the nosey.

[Carpet_pissr]

“Florida's DeSantis positions himself as Trump's heir to the White House”

DeSantis>Carlson I guess.

Don’t know much about him except that he looks perpetually high, or like he just woke up from a 3 hour nap. Very squinty, like Carlson.

[Defiant]

Donald Trump was a tool in a long-running Russian campaign to weaken the United States. That’s been documented in Republican-led investigative reports, and now it has been updated with new evidence, thanks to the U.S. Intelligence Community’s assessment of the 2020 election. The report, drafted by the CIA, the FBI, and several other agencies, was released in unclassified form on Tuesday, but it was presented in classified form on Jan. 7. In other words, it was compiled, written, and edited during Trump’s administration. It destroys his lies about the election, and it exposes him as a Russian asset.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/202 ... eport.html

The report:

https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/ ... -elections

[Paingod]

Obvious is obvious ...

... wait. a .GOV domain is hosting that document?

I can't seem to copy and paste out of the PDF report, but the gist reads (to me, at least) that Florida Man was just an ideal buffoon to chase a laser dot around the room while the Kremlin made him dance. It wasn't some sort of great collusion.

It's kind of like reading one of those "Sleep makes people less tired" studies.

[Jaymann]

It's kind of like reading one of those "Sleep makes people less tired" studies.

It doesn't seem to work for Daehawk.

[Defiant]

It's kind of like reading one of those "Sleep makes people less tired" studies.

It doesn't seem to work for Daehawk.

Yeah, I would like to see the evidence that supports this supposed finding.

[malchior]

I can't seem to copy and paste out of the PDF report, but the gist reads (to me, at least) that Florida Man was just an ideal buffoon to chase a laser dot around the room while the Kremlin made him dance. It wasn't some sort of great collusion.

I disagree. What we see is that there is a high likelihood that the IC told Trump that his lawyer was directly being played by a foreign agent. He didn't take heed of that warning and instead turned around and directed his personal lawyer to use that material to attack his opponent in an election. Did Putin and Trump or cut aways meet and hash this out? Probably not but Putin gave Trump options and Trump took him up on it. That is collusion.

Edit: It also stands to reason this is Trump's mental out on collusion. These were just stories put out there and he listened to 'what people were saying'. In the end, he doesn't understand to even a cursory level how it works. He is was somewhere between useful idiot and actual conspirator. One thing is certain, it should have been unthinkable that a US President was directly warned about something like this and ignored it. And our system has sort of danced around this fact. It indicates we truly have very little protection from a corrupt, traitorous President.

[Paingod]

It indicates we truly have very little protection from a corrupt, traitorous President.

That was my big take-away from the 2016-2020 era. The never-ending disbelief of what Florida Man got away with on a daily basis after his predecessors were grilled for wearing the wrong color suit never stopped baffling me. The system, such as it is, is clearly broken and the people who need to fix it are happy it's broken.

[Pyperkub]

Change that to party, and I'll agree, though that really was evident long ago.

The check is supposed to be the voters.

[Carpet_pissr]

Change that to party, and I'll agree, though that really was evident long ago.

The check is supposed to be the voters.

Voters whose eyes are glazed over from being bombarded with Russian disinformation on FB for years.

[Smoove_B]

This should probably go here as I'm confident it was happening at the direction of his nibs:

A top adviser to former President Donald Trump pressured agency officials to reward politically connected or otherwise untested companies with hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts as part of a chaotic response to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the early findings of an inquiry led by House Democrats.

Peter Navarro, who served as Trump’s deputy assistant and trade adviser, essentially verbally awarded a $96 million deal for respirators to a company with White House connections. Later, officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency were pressured to sign the contract after the fact, according to correspondence obtained by congressional investigators.

...

In another communication, Navarro was so adamant that a potential $354 million contract be awarded to an untested pharmaceutical company that he told the top official at the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, “my head is going to explode if this contract does not get immediately approved.”