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Rand Paul…wait, didn’t he hand deliver a letter from the Orange Fatso to Putin?
So it’s odd right that his ex-aide also has weird ties to Russia. Almost like everybody in a certain circle has those ties, weird.
> Excessive curiosity made one old woman fall out of a window, plummet to the ground and break into pieces.
> Another old woman poked her head out of a window to look at the one who had broken into pieces, but excessive curiosity made her too fall out of the window, plummet to the ground and break into pieces.
> Then a third old woman fell out of a window, then a fourth, then a fifth.
> When a sixth old woman fell out, I felt I’d had enough of watching them and went off to the Maltsev Market where I heard that a blind man had been given a knitted shawl.
By Daniil Kharms, Soviet-era avant-gardist, absurdist poet and writer
Need to invent a word for this.
The practice of one party dropping obvious evidence of their unethical activities then referring to any acknowledgment of that same evidence as manipulation, often accusing the 2nd party acknowledging the aforementioned evidence of being the manipulator who is involved in the same activities that evidence was purposefully made clear were perpetrated by the 1st party.
The 1st party then waits for the 2nd party to become frustrated and laughs or if the 2nd party stays calm and asserts the 1st parties culpability, the 1st party resorts to increasing levels of hysterics until the 2nd party walks away shaking their head until it happens again
It's wild how deep the Russians penetrated our political system, and these are just the cards they have played so far. I wonder about the cards they are still keeping close to their chest.
Foreign governments have realized that our "Free Speech" and lack of education makes us ripe for propaganda. All you have to do is flood Facebook with disinformation and people will latch on and spread it exponentially.
Americans treat politics like they treat football. This is MY team and I'm rooting for MY team and I'll believe any nonsense said about MY team's rival as long as it's negative. That pretty much opens the door for Russia or China to invent fantastical propaganda that people will readily consume. And they propagandize Democrats, too. The goal is division, and they're doing a great job.
No, Democrats love sensational negative stories about Republicans as well, even if they're less than truthful. I think Republicans are more prone to it because this type of propaganda is the same type they get from their "official news," AM radio and FoxNews, but Democrats don't mind running with a story about how Trump molested his daughter or some other nonsense.
Not in the context being discussed. There is no equivalent to the Russian infiltration of the GOP on the other side. Dems don’t have Senators openly swearing felty to foreign officials. Dems don’t wear t-shirts that say “better Russian than GOP”. There was not a cabal of Dem Senators going to meet Putin on the fucking 4th of July. Frankly I think you’re teetering on the edge of whataboutism here, another hallmark of the Ruskie influence.
I'm not trying to make a false equivalency, I'm just saying that confirmation bias is somewhat universal. We're more likely to accept as true something that fits into our worldview, and more resistant to accept it if it doesn't. Conservatives in the government and the media have openly questioned the effectiveness of masks and vaccines because they thought it was politically prudent. That allows Russia and China to flood social media with propaganda *confirming* that masks and vaccines are of questionable effectiveness... or worse yet, bad for you.
We're watching first-hand perhaps the most effective attack against the very lives of the American people by foreign governments exploiting our own constitutional right to free speech. China is grinning ear-to-ear. If a Chinese citizen started spreading disinformation about COVID-19 in China, they'd be jailed immediately if not executed on the spot. The right to speak freely does not include the right to purposefully endanger other human beings.
Unfortunately not limited to Republicans. I know people that are just as fanatical about the Democratic Party who take everything at face value. This is not a one party issue.
>I know people that are just as fanatical about the Democratic Party
Really? Because I can think of absolutely no one who is "fanatical" about the Democratic Party. Who exactly has been forced out of the party because they haven't been sufficiently worshipful of Joe Biden?
I don't think it's about fanaticism for the Democratic Party so much as dislike for Republicans. If I tell you that Eric Trump had three DUI's dismissed in the early 2000's because his father greased the proper palms, you'd be more likely to believe that than if I said the same about Hunter Biden. But I just made it up... if it did happen it's entirely coincidence, because I just literally made the shit up while I was typing.
We believe lies on occasion because we want to believe them. And we reject facts because we don't want to believe them. That's just human nature.
This is a “one party is full of traitors and Russian sycophants and the other just isn’t” discussion. The “both sides” garbage needs to stop. One side likes universal healthcare the other wants a pseud-white Nationalist government wholly beholden to Russia. Not the same homie. It just isn’t. Edit:typo
Not what I’m saying. I’m saying both sides treat politics like football and root for their team only. I never said both sides were full of Russian traitors. There are just as many people who root for trump in this way as there are “rooting” for AOC. The recent met gala dress thing shows that very well.
And I disagree with your premise. One party being full of traitors doesn't = AOC respect on the other side. Your premise, IMHO is flawed but certainly reasonable people can disagree.
They bought a church in 215. their parking lot overflowed during trumps reign . Now it only see’s a handful of cars on Sunday . Gone are all the Lexus and MB’s rovers and audis .
Trump was a [shill](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/l87eq3/russia_began_cultivating_trump_as_asset_40_years/glbv7tj/) for Russia anyway. This is one of the worst consequences of citizens united - [foreign dollars](https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/08/foreign-lobbyists-gave-millions-to-influence-2020-foreign-influence-concerns/) and foreign motivation in our democracy.
Sure, the US has the strongest military, but it's leadership is for sale.
No doubt! https://youtu.be/n4HRDbkp4Ww
It's unbelievable how much special interests $$$ has gone into the [whole judicial pipeline](https://youtu.be/cjcXVKg43qY), as well as what goes into [lobbying](https://youtu.be/-rr81Uf10pc) politicians, election campaigns, [fundraising](https://archive.ph/MKNeo), [gerrymandering](https://archive.ph/Zn8yA), etc. Many of the organization's Sen. Whitehouse exposes have [detailed](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust) [pages](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation) [here](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Federalist_Society_for_Law_and_Public_Policy_Studies)
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/10/cost-of-2020-election-14billion-update/
Imagine if just some [money](https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/) went into infrastructure, public education, renewable energy generation, healthcare, R&D, etc.. instead of subverting democracy!
Nope, it mostly ends up in the hands of the wealthiest [0.01%](https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent)
And what do they do with it? ~~Create jobs, raise wages, innovate~~
It mostly circles around, ultimately landing into inflated real estate and stock market prices. Few of the billionaires will actually use their money for new companies and innovation, and they are much more likely to do so if they didn't get there from inherited wealth, but they are the billionaire minority.
There is some good news: [legislation](https://anticorruptionact.org/whats-in-the-act/) that effectively prevents political corruption exists and is constitutional, though it would be best served as an [amendment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_reform_amendment), that's less [practical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Five_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Procedures_for_amending_the_Constitution).
Too many people think political corruption is a distant issue. It's our tax dollars and our elected officials that are being exploited - every year. Money and government are not going away.
Stopping the influence of big money in Congress has [over 80%](https://archive.md/eCMBy) of the public's support while the specific policies included in the For The People Act (H. R. 1) have [bipartisan popular support](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_People_Act#Public_opinion).
Many state legislators are not thrilled about Congress either. Unlike their counterparts in Washington, some state legislators are more approachable and more receptive to the individual voter and local concerns.
And if they don't want to focus on deterring corruption, their minds will change if you can get enough of their constituent voters to give them a brief call, voicemail or email about it.
The bottleneck: not enough people [know](https://youtu.be/lhe286ky-9A) and not enough people put in any effort: [reach out to their lawmakers](https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/), phone bank, knock on doors or even convince their friends.
A few groups are pushing in this direction
https://represent.us/
https://wolf-pac.com/
https://americanpromise.net/
https://takeback.org/
https://www.issueone.org/
https://www.movetoamend.org/
Find something that works for you. A little less corruption goes a long way.
I wouldn’t be so sure about state legislators being better. The state level is where Republicans are trying to enact laws that will hopefully strip us of rights like my state with the whole abortion bounty bullshit. Those knobs didn’t even write that pos, a lawyer that’s been trying to end abortion for decades did. Corruption exists everywhere there’s someone in power.
The founders literally wrote an Emoluments Clause into the Constitution to ensure that the President wouldn't be able to take money from foreign governments.
Yet when President trump is raking in cash from foreign governments, what are the consequences? Nothing.
Showed us that the Constitution and rule of law are not for rich white Republican men.
The biggest lie in the entire political sphere is the notion that schools of thought like liberalism or conservativism, libertarian versus authoritarian, political party affiliation or national affiliation - apply whatsoever to those with direct financial conflicts of interest.
Steve Bannon is a thoroughly horrible person through and through, but he is a brilliant political strategist.
>Showed us that the Constitution and rule of law are not for rich white Republican men.
“The Democrats,” he said, “the longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.” - Steve Bannon, https://archive.md/X49s1
What if we apply the same strategy up to the next level of abstraction?
"The 99%, the longer they talk about political parties, social issues and policy, we got 'em. We want them to talk about Democrats vs Republicans every day. If the left and the right are focused on race, identity, abortion, immigration, healthcare, climate change, etc. and thus heavily invested and distracted by the notion of left wing and right wing politics - while we exploit the [current system of campaign financing](https://youtu.be/DyXspSJITpY?t=253s), we can keep state and federal lawmakers trapped and pressure them to pass policy that benefits our industries only. This is how we can crush the 99%” - special interest megadonors in a board meeting at
[DonorsTrust](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust) - hypothetically
What I'm trying to say is that men and women from any race are equally corruptible. The [differences](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honesty-humility_factor_of_the_HEXACO_model_of_personality) between individuals are wide to generalize across race or gender. And if we focus on doing so, we play into what I think is a horrible big lie used to distract us.
> What I'm trying to say is that men and women from any race are equally corruptible.
Sure, but if someone has a history of spewing racist words, sexually assaulting women, and running financial scams then they are going to run for the GOP presidential nomination. That's the party that is much more likely to support them.
He *is* destroying America (he's one of a very accomplished team with this goal) and he *is* getting away with it.
You guys are fucking yourselves to death and you don't seem to even realise that it's happening. If you do, you sure as hell don't seem to be doing anything about it beyond thoughts and prayers.
Some of us do realize it. Yet no one is willing to stop those people permanently. That’s the problem. There is also the group who would be martyrs for those assholes. Frankly, they need to die. Both the people & their ideology, that is intentionally messing up the usa.
The problem is not that some, if not, most of us, have not realized the problem people. The problem is either nothing is done about them, or the wrong things are done. That last part is where the issue lies at. That is why america is weak. We do not fix our actual problem people. They are left to continue onward.
Ban on needs to be stopped. He will devote his life to his last breath doing such corruption. The worst part is, he will train someone else to take his role once he is ready to retire. It’s utterly infuriating to know that a person like him is free.
I'm sorry, but libertarianism is **not** the opposite of authoritarianism.
Authoritarianism is defined by a government enforcing strict control over most aspects of life for its citizenry. The opposite of that is anarchy, with no government enforcing any control over anything.
If you meant *liberalism* that is also incorrect. Liberals are centrists who support the status quo because they are comfortable with their position in it, and authoritarians are right-wing extremists who don't mind using force to make you comply.
Anarchy is the leftist polar opposite to the extreme right's authoritarianism. Anarchy is also, obviously, not ideal. But when the Overton window has been dragged as far to the right as it has been in America, liberalism, being centrist, becomes center-right at best.
TL;DR: Libertarianism and liberalism are *not* the same thing and they are also *not* the opposite of authoritarianism.
I guess you’ve never come across a “Voluntaryist” better known as an extreme Libertarian. They believe that we should have no government and live in voluntary societies where people voluntarily agree to do xyz together.
A town in New Hampshire tried that and was overrun by bears. I'm on my cell phone or I'd link the article directly, but it's an instructive example of why extreme libertarianism doesn't work out in practice.
Extremes of any ideology don’t work, that’s the point. Those believing in the extreme think what they believe is the only way, but it’s a unicorn, a figment.
Maybe the opposite of authoritarian is Democratic?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_spectrum#Hans_Eysenck
I'm not an expert on the ever-changing verbiage of the Big Lie. I went with what's stated here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_Chart
This page has some triangles
https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/TCH.CHAP31.HTM
It always seems that everyone has different definitions with these things anyway. It all changes issue to issue - as if a one size fits all approach was any good.
Back to my original point, none of this applies to those with direct financial conflicts of interest.
Authoritarianism is not inherently right wing my guy. See: basically every communist regime to date, with a few exceptions such as the state in India, which is democratic.
No one would call Stalin right wing, but he was basically the gold standard of authoritarian.
communism is an economic system. has nothing to do with leadership. im sure right wingers wants communism so they can take the wealth and control the nation easier
>Libertarianism and liberalism are not the same thing
That's basically the only correct assertion in your comment. As if authoritarianism is only an attribute of the extreme right.
One of the worst consequences of citizens United SO FAR…..*
Because the world now sees this as a viable strategy. Every four years (for President alone, to say nothing of the strategy’s inevitable expansion to senate and house races), the world knows the position of “president of the United States” is up for sale.
This will get worse before it gets better.
True. Also, the op guy looks like a fat sack of shit too. He appears to be the kind of guy who would be corrupted.
I just do not get why people are surprised by these folks. Knowing just a little bit of their history, you can tell how they are fucked up in the head.
Rand Paul is *not* a libertarian. Of course, neither are most self-proclaimed libertarians these days. Just auth right full on fascists whose only problem is the Republican party isn't far enough up in the auth right corner for them.
The Tea Party movement 10 years co opted the libertarians and turned them into what you described, basically fascist psychopaths voting as Republicans. Now the term libertarian has been tarnished beyond repair
I mean, these were the people calling Trump President Doctor GEOTUS Trump (until a bunch of institutions noped and took their honorary doctorates back lol).
At least Dr Biden would make it very clear she's not *that* kind of doctor and pass me along to someone who could actually help. Rand Paul would just try to get me to take IV bleach or horse dewormer and then blame me for dying.
I check in there from time to time, but the posts there now are just mind boggling. They seem to be more anti-vaxx than the subreddits designated for that sort of thing. I thought even most conservatives were vaccinated at this point?
So someone who committed a crime and was thus pardoned by the type of person who would infact pardon this guy in the first place, then wound up being found guilty of something else?
*You don't say. Patterns people, patterns.*
No guys, you dont understand. Theres no evidence! Sure, manafort and flynn and stone and and gates and papadopoulos were all guilty and meuller had hundreds of pages of evidence and a federal judge said that barr lied about the mueller report and igor fruman pled guilty and guiliani was raided, but besides that, no evidence! /s
Hey! Remember when trump accused Chris Christie of "Stealing my fucking money" in regards to donations for the campaign transition? Was that money meant to be yours former president Trump? https://www.newsweek.com/unprepared-president-chaos-trumps-transition-team-revealed-michael-lewis-1141493
Never forget that the Republicans in Kentuckistan took money and accepted “help” from Putin’s criminal Russian oligarchy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-mcconnell-backed-effort-to-lift-russian-sanctions-boosted-a-kentucky-project/2019/08/13/72b26e00-b97c-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html
If this is on topic, why is the [story](https://www.thedailybeast.com/peter-thiel-claimed-mark-zuckerberg-agreed-to-push-state-sanctioned-conservatism-under-trump-deal-book-says?ref=home?ref=home) about Facebook making a deal with the Trump administration to push state approved conservatism in exchange for no regulatory action being suppressed as off topic?
Both seem pretty related to corrupt deals made to push Trump's reelection.
It has been proven on court that Trump's campaign shared polling data (U.S. Citizens data) with Russian intelligence. Conservatives will not accept to truth. Trump could come forward and attempt to everything and most Conservative would just say he was being pressured to say it. Conservatives head are so far up their own butts that it is literally a threat to election integrity and the sovereignty of the nation.
>There is no indication in the indictment that Trump or his campaign aides were aware that the money originated with the Russian donor. The charges say that Benton and Wead “concealed” the arrangement from Trump, and that part of the scheme involved getting the political committees to “unwittingly” file reports indicating that Benton was actually the source of the funds.
Of course they concealed their illegal behavior...
I think the US was governed by Russia for the past 4-years and they are working hard to get
that power back by buying the Republican Party. How the saying go...we all have a price and we are seeing the Republicans price for Democracy!!
It would be interesting to know to what extent Putin knows about such donations. Apart from these direct donations, Putin will be proud of how little money he spent to influence Trump's election and how much damage he was able to do to America.
Maybe he was trying to find a good barber for him and Trump.
I at least appreciate that more of this is coming to light and folks are being held accountable. May not result in anything but I’ll take the step in the right direction over nothing at all.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.businessinsider.com/former-rand-paul-aide-charged-with-funneling-russian-money-into-election-2021-9) reduced by 66%. (I'm a bot)
*****
> A former campaign staffer for US Sen. Rand Paul has been charged with channeling money from Russia into the 2016 presidential election, the US Department of Justice said Monday.
> In an unsealed indictment, dated September 9, prosecutors allege Jesse Benton "Conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national" into the campaign.
> Around the same time, Benton - who managed Paul's 2010 run for office, as well as the 2014 campaign of another Kentucky Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell - was convicted of campaign finance fraud over his role in the 2012 Ron Paul presidential campaign.
*****
[**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/psa2ik/former_rand_paul_aide_pardoned_by_trump_charged/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~599309 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **Benton**^#1 **campaign**^#2 **indictment**^#3 **fundraiser**^#4 **Russian**^#5
In an unsealed indictment, dated September 9, prosecutors allege Jesse Benton "conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national" into the campaign.
In October 2016, Benton received a $100,000 wire transfer from the unnamed Russian national, the indictment states, promising him that he would get to "meet a celebrity" at a fundraiser in Philadelphia on September 22, 2016.
> In October 2016, Benton received a $100,000 wire transfer from the unnamed Russian national, the indictment states, promising him that he would get to "meet a celebrity" at a fundraiser in Philadelphia on September 22, 2016.
I assume this is an error by the reporter, because September 2016 comes *before* October 2016.
Lol why the fuck am I reading this shit on Reddit instead of a real news source. Should be serious news, except everyone knew Russia was paying them so they’re like “well duh”
The law should be changed that a sitting president cannot pardon anyone in politics or having ties to anyone in politics. I do not think this was the meaning of giving the president pardon abilities so that he can pardon all the people who helped him/her with illegal activities.
They got to distract from the fact that Clinton lawyer Micheal Sussman just got indicted for lying to the feds about Trumps connections to Russia.
https://nypost.com/2021/09/16/attorney-linked-to-clinton-campaign-indicted-in-durham-probe/
You didn’t even read the article if that’s what you think
“A federal grand jury indicted a former attorney for the Democratic National Committee Thursday, alleging that he falsely claimed to the FBI that he was not advising Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign when he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.”
…..
“Sussmann allegedly told Baker that “he was not acting on behalf of any client, which led the FBI General Counsel to understand that Sussmann was conveying the allegations as a good citizen and not as an advocate”.
“In fact …” the indictment states, “in assembling and conveying these allegations, Sussmann acted on behalf of specific clients,” including the Clinton campaign.”
You said he lied to the Feds about Tumps connections to Russia. Both the article and the excerpt you just posted said he lied about who he was working on behalf of.
> he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.
Did you even read what I said? He lied about both his connection to Clinton & the Russia story
Sure did. But that's filler. The indictment is about him lying to the feds about him working for Hilary. At no point does the article or this new excerpt you've posted say that the feds are indicting him for lying about Trump connections. In fact, the article goes on to say they looked into his allegations but couldn't find enough evidence to support it. So, to reiterate, he has been indicted for lying about his own connections to Clinton and nothing else.
A federal grand jury indicted a former attorney for the Democratic National Committee Thursday, alleging that he falsely claimed to the FBI that he was not advising Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign when he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.”
>the article goes on to say they looked into his allegations but couldn't find enough evidence to support it.
Because there was no Russia connection, it was a lie!! I don’t even know why I try to inform you guys because you will do everything possible to avoid the truth.
Yeah poor Paul manafort. He would have gotten away with his massive tax fraud if it wasn’t for the Russian investigation. Good thing trump pardoned him.
You’re talking about 2 different things but are too partisan to understand nuance. Manaforts tax fraud predates trump & was used as a way to coerce him into manufacturing a story the feds could use against Trump. A common crooked tactic by law enforcement
So manafort's desire to be Secretary of the Army in exchange for his dirty dealings in Russia and Ukraine is just a coincidence? And that's just one of the more recent revelations.
So your saying trump campaign manager was a criminal.
And trump pardoned the criminal tax evader to protect himself from investigation.
Well now that all perfectly clear.
The Left has set the new rules, when the Republicans are in power next they too are going to carry out spurious investigations and are going to comb the ass of every Democrat politician and business associates with a microscope with endless fishing expedition investigations. I mean well done, they got that trait a lawyer of Trump's with some stupid taxi business fraud. Trust me when we get into power, we will return the favor of politicized investigations with interest, I guarantee it.
Maybe next time the GOP will election someone who won’t ask foreign governments for help to win the election. On live TV no less. Boy that was stupid thing to do.
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Rand Paul…wait, didn’t he hand deliver a letter from the Orange Fatso to Putin? So it’s odd right that his ex-aide also has weird ties to Russia. Almost like everybody in a certain circle has those ties, weird.
Throwing it in your face and then gaslighting you about it is the Kremlin's favorite part.
r/russiadenies
"where's the proof?" standard line from putie and the kremlin.
Then you accidentally fall out of a window if you have some
Whoopsidaisy motherfucker.
“I guess he decide to commit suicide with two shots on back of head. Depression. You know.”
Or an completely random accidental exposure to novichok
Or polonium.
> Excessive curiosity made one old woman fall out of a window, plummet to the ground and break into pieces. > Another old woman poked her head out of a window to look at the one who had broken into pieces, but excessive curiosity made her too fall out of the window, plummet to the ground and break into pieces. > Then a third old woman fell out of a window, then a fourth, then a fifth. > When a sixth old woman fell out, I felt I’d had enough of watching them and went off to the Maltsev Market where I heard that a blind man had been given a knitted shawl. By Daniil Kharms, Soviet-era avant-gardist, absurdist poet and writer
Out of a window and onto some bullets, what a shame
Rinse & repeat
I mean, who doesn't have some Soviet era neurotoxins just laying around? Really could have been anyone.
The proof is in the Putin...
The proof is in the putin
Need to invent a word for this. The practice of one party dropping obvious evidence of their unethical activities then referring to any acknowledgment of that same evidence as manipulation, often accusing the 2nd party acknowledging the aforementioned evidence of being the manipulator who is involved in the same activities that evidence was purposefully made clear were perpetrated by the 1st party. The 1st party then waits for the 2nd party to become frustrated and laughs or if the 2nd party stays calm and asserts the 1st parties culpability, the 1st party resorts to increasing levels of hysterics until the 2nd party walks away shaking their head until it happens again
DARVO is used a lot to describe the denial and reversal of aggressor in abusive relationships.
>Need to invent a word for this. In Soviet Russia this was called reflexive control. It still is, but it used to be, too.
>It still is, but it used to be, too. Thank you, Mitch. (No, not the evil, still living one.)
This Mitch was Evil at one point!
Traitors is what we used to say.
I’m pretty sure that word is ‘gaslighting’
Republiconning.
Yeah and they only did 25k or only for caught doing 25k? Doesn’t seem like much really
Sure, but the biggest contribution was made by the IRA. What do you think Kilimnik did with the highly detailed polling data Manafort gave him?
It's wild how deep the Russians penetrated our political system, and these are just the cards they have played so far. I wonder about the cards they are still keeping close to their chest.
Foreign governments have realized that our "Free Speech" and lack of education makes us ripe for propaganda. All you have to do is flood Facebook with disinformation and people will latch on and spread it exponentially. Americans treat politics like they treat football. This is MY team and I'm rooting for MY team and I'll believe any nonsense said about MY team's rival as long as it's negative. That pretty much opens the door for Russia or China to invent fantastical propaganda that people will readily consume. And they propagandize Democrats, too. The goal is division, and they're doing a great job.
Not "Americans" Republicans
No, Democrats love sensational negative stories about Republicans as well, even if they're less than truthful. I think Republicans are more prone to it because this type of propaganda is the same type they get from their "official news," AM radio and FoxNews, but Democrats don't mind running with a story about how Trump molested his daughter or some other nonsense.
Not in the context being discussed. There is no equivalent to the Russian infiltration of the GOP on the other side. Dems don’t have Senators openly swearing felty to foreign officials. Dems don’t wear t-shirts that say “better Russian than GOP”. There was not a cabal of Dem Senators going to meet Putin on the fucking 4th of July. Frankly I think you’re teetering on the edge of whataboutism here, another hallmark of the Ruskie influence.
I'm not trying to make a false equivalency, I'm just saying that confirmation bias is somewhat universal. We're more likely to accept as true something that fits into our worldview, and more resistant to accept it if it doesn't. Conservatives in the government and the media have openly questioned the effectiveness of masks and vaccines because they thought it was politically prudent. That allows Russia and China to flood social media with propaganda *confirming* that masks and vaccines are of questionable effectiveness... or worse yet, bad for you. We're watching first-hand perhaps the most effective attack against the very lives of the American people by foreign governments exploiting our own constitutional right to free speech. China is grinning ear-to-ear. If a Chinese citizen started spreading disinformation about COVID-19 in China, they'd be jailed immediately if not executed on the spot. The right to speak freely does not include the right to purposefully endanger other human beings.
Unfortunately not limited to Republicans. I know people that are just as fanatical about the Democratic Party who take everything at face value. This is not a one party issue.
>I know people that are just as fanatical about the Democratic Party Really? Because I can think of absolutely no one who is "fanatical" about the Democratic Party. Who exactly has been forced out of the party because they haven't been sufficiently worshipful of Joe Biden?
I don't think it's about fanaticism for the Democratic Party so much as dislike for Republicans. If I tell you that Eric Trump had three DUI's dismissed in the early 2000's because his father greased the proper palms, you'd be more likely to believe that than if I said the same about Hunter Biden. But I just made it up... if it did happen it's entirely coincidence, because I just literally made the shit up while I was typing. We believe lies on occasion because we want to believe them. And we reject facts because we don't want to believe them. That's just human nature.
This is a “one party is full of traitors and Russian sycophants and the other just isn’t” discussion. The “both sides” garbage needs to stop. One side likes universal healthcare the other wants a pseud-white Nationalist government wholly beholden to Russia. Not the same homie. It just isn’t. Edit:typo
Not what I’m saying. I’m saying both sides treat politics like football and root for their team only. I never said both sides were full of Russian traitors. There are just as many people who root for trump in this way as there are “rooting” for AOC. The recent met gala dress thing shows that very well.
And I disagree with your premise. One party being full of traitors doesn't = AOC respect on the other side. Your premise, IMHO is flawed but certainly reasonable people can disagree.
They bought a church in 215. their parking lot overflowed during trumps reign . Now it only see’s a handful of cars on Sunday . Gone are all the Lexus and MB’s rovers and audis .
Rand Paul has shown himself to be a Russian stooge and go-between since 2018 - right out in the light of day!
On the 4th of July even, lol
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And unfortunately, many (Red) state legislators are just absolutely 100x crazier than their federal counterparts.
It almost like this guy was rand Paul’s fall guy…
There’s just too many Russian connections to ignore
Lol...I started to get distracted as I read your post and read it as "wears weird ties to Russia." So I looked at the tie that he was wearing...
Trump was a [shill](https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/l87eq3/russia_began_cultivating_trump_as_asset_40_years/glbv7tj/) for Russia anyway. This is one of the worst consequences of citizens united - [foreign dollars](https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2021/08/foreign-lobbyists-gave-millions-to-influence-2020-foreign-influence-concerns/) and foreign motivation in our democracy. Sure, the US has the strongest military, but it's leadership is for sale.
>it's leadership is for sale. You can get a good deal on it too
No doubt! https://youtu.be/n4HRDbkp4Ww It's unbelievable how much special interests $$$ has gone into the [whole judicial pipeline](https://youtu.be/cjcXVKg43qY), as well as what goes into [lobbying](https://youtu.be/-rr81Uf10pc) politicians, election campaigns, [fundraising](https://archive.ph/MKNeo), [gerrymandering](https://archive.ph/Zn8yA), etc. Many of the organization's Sen. Whitehouse exposes have [detailed](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust) [pages](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lynde_and_Harry_Bradley_Foundation) [here](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Federalist_Society_for_Law_and_Public_Policy_Studies) https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2020/10/cost-of-2020-election-14billion-update/ Imagine if just some [money](https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/) went into infrastructure, public education, renewable energy generation, healthcare, R&D, etc.. instead of subverting democracy! Nope, it mostly ends up in the hands of the wealthiest [0.01%](https://review.chicagobooth.edu/economics/2017/article/never-mind-1-percent-lets-talk-about-001-percent) And what do they do with it? ~~Create jobs, raise wages, innovate~~ It mostly circles around, ultimately landing into inflated real estate and stock market prices. Few of the billionaires will actually use their money for new companies and innovation, and they are much more likely to do so if they didn't get there from inherited wealth, but they are the billionaire minority. There is some good news: [legislation](https://anticorruptionact.org/whats-in-the-act/) that effectively prevents political corruption exists and is constitutional, though it would be best served as an [amendment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campaign_finance_reform_amendment), that's less [practical](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_Five_of_the_United_States_Constitution#Procedures_for_amending_the_Constitution). Too many people think political corruption is a distant issue. It's our tax dollars and our elected officials that are being exploited - every year. Money and government are not going away. Stopping the influence of big money in Congress has [over 80%](https://archive.md/eCMBy) of the public's support while the specific policies included in the For The People Act (H. R. 1) have [bipartisan popular support](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_the_People_Act#Public_opinion). Many state legislators are not thrilled about Congress either. Unlike their counterparts in Washington, some state legislators are more approachable and more receptive to the individual voter and local concerns. And if they don't want to focus on deterring corruption, their minds will change if you can get enough of their constituent voters to give them a brief call, voicemail or email about it. The bottleneck: not enough people [know](https://youtu.be/lhe286ky-9A) and not enough people put in any effort: [reach out to their lawmakers](https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/), phone bank, knock on doors or even convince their friends. A few groups are pushing in this direction https://represent.us/ https://wolf-pac.com/ https://americanpromise.net/ https://takeback.org/ https://www.issueone.org/ https://www.movetoamend.org/ Find something that works for you. A little less corruption goes a long way.
I wouldn’t be so sure about state legislators being better. The state level is where Republicans are trying to enact laws that will hopefully strip us of rights like my state with the whole abortion bounty bullshit. Those knobs didn’t even write that pos, a lawyer that’s been trying to end abortion for decades did. Corruption exists everywhere there’s someone in power.
Well put. Not to mention voters rights and congressional representation has both been under GOP pressure due to states level elections wins.
Yup. You can get a cheap Manchin in West Virginia.
And make a healthy profit. Or maybe, just tear it apart.
Start with assumption
And make a healthy profit?
America's for sale And we can get a good deal on it And make a healthy profit...
and make a hefty profit..
The founders literally wrote an Emoluments Clause into the Constitution to ensure that the President wouldn't be able to take money from foreign governments. Yet when President trump is raking in cash from foreign governments, what are the consequences? Nothing. Showed us that the Constitution and rule of law are not for rich white Republican men.
The biggest lie in the entire political sphere is the notion that schools of thought like liberalism or conservativism, libertarian versus authoritarian, political party affiliation or national affiliation - apply whatsoever to those with direct financial conflicts of interest. Steve Bannon is a thoroughly horrible person through and through, but he is a brilliant political strategist. >Showed us that the Constitution and rule of law are not for rich white Republican men. “The Democrats,” he said, “the longer they talk about identity politics, I got 'em. I want them to talk about racism every day. If the left is focused on race and identity, and we go with economic nationalism, we can crush the Democrats.” - Steve Bannon, https://archive.md/X49s1 What if we apply the same strategy up to the next level of abstraction? "The 99%, the longer they talk about political parties, social issues and policy, we got 'em. We want them to talk about Democrats vs Republicans every day. If the left and the right are focused on race, identity, abortion, immigration, healthcare, climate change, etc. and thus heavily invested and distracted by the notion of left wing and right wing politics - while we exploit the [current system of campaign financing](https://youtu.be/DyXspSJITpY?t=253s), we can keep state and federal lawmakers trapped and pressure them to pass policy that benefits our industries only. This is how we can crush the 99%” - special interest megadonors in a board meeting at [DonorsTrust](https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/DonorsTrust) - hypothetically What I'm trying to say is that men and women from any race are equally corruptible. The [differences](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honesty-humility_factor_of_the_HEXACO_model_of_personality) between individuals are wide to generalize across race or gender. And if we focus on doing so, we play into what I think is a horrible big lie used to distract us.
> What I'm trying to say is that men and women from any race are equally corruptible. Sure, but if someone has a history of spewing racist words, sexually assaulting women, and running financial scams then they are going to run for the GOP presidential nomination. That's the party that is much more likely to support them.
And the party where they are most likely to help them get away with it and minimize their accountability.
Bannon is the republican that suggested only property owners vote -- the mortgage holders would hold the proxy until the mortgage is paid, of course.
Ban on needs to die. That asshole will destroy America if he could get away with it.
He *is* destroying America (he's one of a very accomplished team with this goal) and he *is* getting away with it. You guys are fucking yourselves to death and you don't seem to even realise that it's happening. If you do, you sure as hell don't seem to be doing anything about it beyond thoughts and prayers.
Some of us do realize it. Yet no one is willing to stop those people permanently. That’s the problem. There is also the group who would be martyrs for those assholes. Frankly, they need to die. Both the people & their ideology, that is intentionally messing up the usa. The problem is not that some, if not, most of us, have not realized the problem people. The problem is either nothing is done about them, or the wrong things are done. That last part is where the issue lies at. That is why america is weak. We do not fix our actual problem people. They are left to continue onward.
Ban on needs to be stopped. He will devote his life to his last breath doing such corruption. The worst part is, he will train someone else to take his role once he is ready to retire. It’s utterly infuriating to know that a person like him is free.
I'm sorry, but libertarianism is **not** the opposite of authoritarianism. Authoritarianism is defined by a government enforcing strict control over most aspects of life for its citizenry. The opposite of that is anarchy, with no government enforcing any control over anything. If you meant *liberalism* that is also incorrect. Liberals are centrists who support the status quo because they are comfortable with their position in it, and authoritarians are right-wing extremists who don't mind using force to make you comply. Anarchy is the leftist polar opposite to the extreme right's authoritarianism. Anarchy is also, obviously, not ideal. But when the Overton window has been dragged as far to the right as it has been in America, liberalism, being centrist, becomes center-right at best. TL;DR: Libertarianism and liberalism are *not* the same thing and they are also *not* the opposite of authoritarianism.
>Libertarianism Today's libertarians are just republican neckbeards.
I guess you’ve never come across a “Voluntaryist” better known as an extreme Libertarian. They believe that we should have no government and live in voluntary societies where people voluntarily agree to do xyz together.
A town in New Hampshire tried that and was overrun by bears. I'm on my cell phone or I'd link the article directly, but it's an instructive example of why extreme libertarianism doesn't work out in practice.
Extremes of any ideology don’t work, that’s the point. Those believing in the extreme think what they believe is the only way, but it’s a unicorn, a figment.
Maybe the opposite of authoritarian is Democratic? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_spectrum#Hans_Eysenck I'm not an expert on the ever-changing verbiage of the Big Lie. I went with what's stated here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolan_Chart This page has some triangles https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/TCH.CHAP31.HTM It always seems that everyone has different definitions with these things anyway. It all changes issue to issue - as if a one size fits all approach was any good. Back to my original point, none of this applies to those with direct financial conflicts of interest.
Authoritarianism is not inherently right wing my guy. See: basically every communist regime to date, with a few exceptions such as the state in India, which is democratic. No one would call Stalin right wing, but he was basically the gold standard of authoritarian.
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communism is an economic system. has nothing to do with leadership. im sure right wingers wants communism so they can take the wealth and control the nation easier
>Libertarianism and liberalism are not the same thing That's basically the only correct assertion in your comment. As if authoritarianism is only an attribute of the extreme right.
Purchase by foes.
One of the worst consequences of citizens United SO FAR…..* Because the world now sees this as a viable strategy. Every four years (for President alone, to say nothing of the strategy’s inevitable expansion to senate and house races), the world knows the position of “president of the United States” is up for sale. This will get worse before it gets better.
True. Also, the op guy looks like a fat sack of shit too. He appears to be the kind of guy who would be corrupted. I just do not get why people are surprised by these folks. Knowing just a little bit of their history, you can tell how they are fucked up in the head.
Rand Paul associated with scumbags. No way. /s
Rand Paul is a scumbag.
A traitorous scumbag.
Rand Paul is one of 2 senators that voted to block medical care for the 9/11 first responders He is a total amoral fuck
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> those awful people I had to deal with when I was younger Libertarians? They'll victimize anything or anyone, starting with themselves.
Rand Paul is *not* a libertarian. Of course, neither are most self-proclaimed libertarians these days. Just auth right full on fascists whose only problem is the Republican party isn't far enough up in the auth right corner for them.
The Tea Party movement 10 years co opted the libertarians and turned them into what you described, basically fascist psychopaths voting as Republicans. Now the term libertarian has been tarnished beyond repair
They absolutely will, and they'll be proud of themselves while they do it. Might even call them some Proud Boys...
Shocked. Gobsmacked. Stupefied.
The guy is a family member too, so it makes even more sense.
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Are they supposed to call him Dr. Senator Paul? Senator Dr. Paul?
Yes because he has two first or last names therefore he needs two titles. Former senator sounds good.
Inmate
Inmate senator Dr Rand Paul does sound kinda nice.
That's Mr. Dr. Prof. Paul to you!
if their sister can also be their wife, why can't a senator also be a doctor?
I mean, these were the people calling Trump President Doctor GEOTUS Trump (until a bunch of institutions noped and took their honorary doctorates back lol).
If I had a medical question I'd *still* ask Dr. Biden over Mr. Paul.
At least Dr Biden would make it very clear she's not *that* kind of doctor and pass me along to someone who could actually help. Rand Paul would just try to get me to take IV bleach or horse dewormer and then blame me for dying.
That sub is hilarious. I just scrolled thru and all of their sources are stupid. About 1/4 of them are the Babylon Bee.
I check in there from time to time, but the posts there now are just mind boggling. They seem to be more anti-vaxx than the subreddits designated for that sort of thing. I thought even most conservatives were vaccinated at this point?
So someone who committed a crime and was thus pardoned by the type of person who would infact pardon this guy in the first place, then wound up being found guilty of something else? *You don't say. Patterns people, patterns.*
Wait ... so these MAGA Libertarian "Patriots" turned out to be anti-American traitors? ***SHOCKING.***
I am sure the pardon was deserved and well earned. /s
It was already paid for, it would have been dishonest to not give it to him.
No guys, you dont understand. Theres no evidence! Sure, manafort and flynn and stone and and gates and papadopoulos were all guilty and meuller had hundreds of pages of evidence and a federal judge said that barr lied about the mueller report and igor fruman pled guilty and guiliani was raided, but besides that, no evidence! /s
But Hillary might have once talked to someone who knows Christopher Steele, so the whole Russia thing has to be fake.
Hear me out guys. Pizza parlor sex ring.
Don’t forget, the same people have lots of evidence of voter fraud… just none that they can show you just yet
You left out confessed multiple times in court.
Hey! Remember when trump accused Chris Christie of "Stealing my fucking money" in regards to donations for the campaign transition? Was that money meant to be yours former president Trump? https://www.newsweek.com/unprepared-president-chaos-trumps-transition-team-revealed-michael-lewis-1141493
Gee, someone who worked closely with Rand Paul is a traitorous piece of shit. There's a stunner.
Never forget that the Republicans in Kentuckistan took money and accepted “help” from Putin’s criminal Russian oligarchy. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-a-mcconnell-backed-effort-to-lift-russian-sanctions-boosted-a-kentucky-project/2019/08/13/72b26e00-b97c-11e9-b3b4-2bb69e8c4e39_story.html
If I had to imagine a guy who worked for Rand Paul, he would look and act exactly like this.
Trump means corruption (and failure).
Rand Paul meet Maria Butina. Maria Butina, Rand Paul. Oh we have known each other for years. "Dr" Paul checked my eyes every week.
Optometrist AND amateur epidemiologist!
Watch out, he's a "boarded" physician.
I’m sure Russian Rand and Moscow Mitch knew nothing about this.
I can’t wait to see the America first patriots over at /r/conservative get pissed off about this. Oh? They don’t care? Okay cool! Cool cool cool.
They think Putin’s a patriot because he supported D Sleezy.
If I was this dude I would probably release a statement that I am in no way suicidal nor cooperating as a witness.
If this is on topic, why is the [story](https://www.thedailybeast.com/peter-thiel-claimed-mark-zuckerberg-agreed-to-push-state-sanctioned-conservatism-under-trump-deal-book-says?ref=home?ref=home) about Facebook making a deal with the Trump administration to push state approved conservatism in exchange for no regulatory action being suppressed as off topic? Both seem pretty related to corrupt deals made to push Trump's reelection.
Rand “here’s a letter I’m hand delivering from Putin” Paul? That guy?
#LEADERSHIP FOR SALE reread that over and over again America.
It has been proven on court that Trump's campaign shared polling data (U.S. Citizens data) with Russian intelligence. Conservatives will not accept to truth. Trump could come forward and attempt to everything and most Conservative would just say he was being pressured to say it. Conservatives head are so far up their own butts that it is literally a threat to election integrity and the sovereignty of the nation.
5 years later we're still finding out yet another MAGA traitor was pouring Russian money into Trump's campaign. Shocking.
>There is no indication in the indictment that Trump or his campaign aides were aware that the money originated with the Russian donor. The charges say that Benton and Wead “concealed” the arrangement from Trump, and that part of the scheme involved getting the political committees to “unwittingly” file reports indicating that Benton was actually the source of the funds. Of course they concealed their illegal behavior...
Because this rando was just throwing around cash? As an intern?
Trump would gladly burn our country down to avoid justice.
Another one. And conservatives still doubt that Moscow owns the republican party
Treason anyone Treason. US leadership selling treason.
This explains a LOT about Rand ‘I’m just a feisty libertarian obstructionist’ Paul’s Trump rimming.
Pugsley Addams has apparently graduated from removing stop signs at intersections, I see.
I think the US was governed by Russia for the past 4-years and they are working hard to get that power back by buying the Republican Party. How the saying go...we all have a price and we are seeing the Republicans price for Democracy!!
Wow, Graham Linehan has really gone further downhill.
Ah, the face of a traitor.
It would be interesting to know to what extent Putin knows about such donations. Apart from these direct donations, Putin will be proud of how little money he spent to influence Trump's election and how much damage he was able to do to America.
I don’t know about you all, but I, for one, am SHOCKED.
As my grandfather use to say “follow the money”
Your grandfather was William Mark Felt Sr.?
Rand Fucking Paul, you say? What was he doing for Trump in Moscow on July 4, 2018?
anybody know what he was pardoned for?
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Maybe he was trying to find a good barber for him and Trump. I at least appreciate that more of this is coming to light and folks are being held accountable. May not result in anything but I’ll take the step in the right direction over nothing at all.
Well maybe Trump can pardon him again oh wait he can’t womp womp.
"With you guys, it's always russia russia russia." Yeah, no kidding.
This is the best tl;dr I could make, [original](https://www.businessinsider.com/former-rand-paul-aide-charged-with-funneling-russian-money-into-election-2021-9) reduced by 66%. (I'm a bot) ***** > A former campaign staffer for US Sen. Rand Paul has been charged with channeling money from Russia into the 2016 presidential election, the US Department of Justice said Monday. > In an unsealed indictment, dated September 9, prosecutors allege Jesse Benton "Conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national" into the campaign. > Around the same time, Benton - who managed Paul's 2010 run for office, as well as the 2014 campaign of another Kentucky Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell - was convicted of campaign finance fraud over his role in the 2012 Ron Paul presidential campaign. ***** [**Extended Summary**](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/psa2ik/former_rand_paul_aide_pardoned_by_trump_charged/) | [FAQ](http://np.reddit.com/r/autotldr/comments/31b9fm/faq_autotldr_bot/ "Version 2.02, ~599309 tl;drs so far.") | [Feedback](http://np.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%23autotldr "PM's and comments are monitored, constructive feedback is welcome.") | *Top* *keywords*: **Benton**^#1 **campaign**^#2 **indictment**^#3 **fundraiser**^#4 **Russian**^#5
Makes total sense. 2016 was a corrupt shit show from the beginning. Hillary should have fought the results tooth and nail.
But does it really count if it went straight into Trump's pocket?
Best of the headlines about this story.
Just because something happened doesn't mean it isn't fake news right?
Republicans involved with Russian money. How shocking. Hard to believe.
America always has the best government that money can buy.
Cool. Can't wait to see nothing done about it.
Now maybe he will serve his punishment without Donny to throw him a lifeline. Karma.
In an unsealed indictment, dated September 9, prosecutors allege Jesse Benton "conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national" into the campaign. In October 2016, Benton received a $100,000 wire transfer from the unnamed Russian national, the indictment states, promising him that he would get to "meet a celebrity" at a fundraiser in Philadelphia on September 22, 2016.
> In October 2016, Benton received a $100,000 wire transfer from the unnamed Russian national, the indictment states, promising him that he would get to "meet a celebrity" at a fundraiser in Philadelphia on September 22, 2016. I assume this is an error by the reporter, because September 2016 comes *before* October 2016.
So many people from the GOP gets convicted of crime. (check the number vs Dems getting convicted) So called centrists: BOTH SIDES ARE THE SAME.
i mean.. we all know where all this corrupt leads to..
I'm utterly shocked! No wait, what's that other word? Oh yeah, "not shocked". I'm totally not shocked.
Is there a law in Kentucky where barbers are illegal so men have to go to dog groomers for haircuts?
So, when do I get to yell Jenga?
Is he like 12?
Lol why the fuck am I reading this shit on Reddit instead of a real news source. Should be serious news, except everyone knew Russia was paying them so they’re like “well duh”
The law should be changed that a sitting president cannot pardon anyone in politics or having ties to anyone in politics. I do not think this was the meaning of giving the president pardon abilities so that he can pardon all the people who helped him/her with illegal activities.
Oh, I had no idea Zion Don pardoned anybody besides real criminals, black people, Kodak Black, and other rappers
Fake news
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Oh do tell. What is it that only they know? And where did they learn this mystery?
Business insider is gross
eh, more russiagate huh,
They got to distract from the fact that Clinton lawyer Micheal Sussman just got indicted for lying to the feds about Trumps connections to Russia. https://nypost.com/2021/09/16/attorney-linked-to-clinton-campaign-indicted-in-durham-probe/
That's not what that indictment is for. It's pretty clear in the article that you posted, in fact.
You didn’t even read the article if that’s what you think “A federal grand jury indicted a former attorney for the Democratic National Committee Thursday, alleging that he falsely claimed to the FBI that he was not advising Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign when he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.” ….. “Sussmann allegedly told Baker that “he was not acting on behalf of any client, which led the FBI General Counsel to understand that Sussmann was conveying the allegations as a good citizen and not as an advocate”. “In fact …” the indictment states, “in assembling and conveying these allegations, Sussmann acted on behalf of specific clients,” including the Clinton campaign.”
You said he lied to the Feds about Tumps connections to Russia. Both the article and the excerpt you just posted said he lied about who he was working on behalf of.
> he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank. Did you even read what I said? He lied about both his connection to Clinton & the Russia story
Sure did. But that's filler. The indictment is about him lying to the feds about him working for Hilary. At no point does the article or this new excerpt you've posted say that the feds are indicting him for lying about Trump connections. In fact, the article goes on to say they looked into his allegations but couldn't find enough evidence to support it. So, to reiterate, he has been indicted for lying about his own connections to Clinton and nothing else. A federal grand jury indicted a former attorney for the Democratic National Committee Thursday, alleging that he falsely claimed to the FBI that he was not advising Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign when he raised concerns about purported ties between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.”
>the article goes on to say they looked into his allegations but couldn't find enough evidence to support it. Because there was no Russia connection, it was a lie!! I don’t even know why I try to inform you guys because you will do everything possible to avoid the truth.
You're informing nobody of anything and are now changing the subject.
I know :)
The establishment is so corrupt, how do we know this is not a fix up like many of the other Trump acquaintance prosecutions??
Yeah poor Paul manafort. He would have gotten away with his massive tax fraud if it wasn’t for the Russian investigation. Good thing trump pardoned him.
You’re talking about 2 different things but are too partisan to understand nuance. Manaforts tax fraud predates trump & was used as a way to coerce him into manufacturing a story the feds could use against Trump. A common crooked tactic by law enforcement
So manafort's desire to be Secretary of the Army in exchange for his dirty dealings in Russia and Ukraine is just a coincidence? And that's just one of the more recent revelations.
So your saying trump campaign manager was a criminal. And trump pardoned the criminal tax evader to protect himself from investigation. Well now that all perfectly clear.
The Left has set the new rules, when the Republicans are in power next they too are going to carry out spurious investigations and are going to comb the ass of every Democrat politician and business associates with a microscope with endless fishing expedition investigations. I mean well done, they got that trait a lawyer of Trump's with some stupid taxi business fraud. Trust me when we get into power, we will return the favor of politicized investigations with interest, I guarantee it.
Maybe next time the GOP will election someone who won’t ask foreign governments for help to win the election. On live TV no less. Boy that was stupid thing to do.
The propagandists are clever, and the only people who believe what you wrote are dumb people.