The Indictment Thread (Trump Admin Meltdown Thread Part II)

Post by **brian** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 1:20 pm

Brontoburglar wrote:this is insane

Agreed. Though as far as this piece goes, this is also good advice:

https://twitter.com/sarahkendzior/statu ... 7770381312

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:12 pm

Maybe my brain is completely broken as well, but this feels more like a diversion than some actual Bannon vs Trump brawl.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:13 pm

Or, guys, maybe this is what sinks him.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:56 pm

mister d wrote:Maybe my brain is completely broken as well, but this feels more like a diversion than some actual Bannon vs Trump brawl.

Yeah, Bannon's pulling strings here. The only question is whether DJT is on board or getting played.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 2:56 pm

mister d wrote:Or, guys, maybe this is what sinks him.

Ha!

Just fun to watch this narcissistic buffoon get embarrassed. Because it is obvious that this stuff makes him insane!

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:06 pm

P.D.X. wrote:
mister d wrote:Maybe my brain is completely broken as well, but this feels more like a diversion than some actual Bannon vs Trump brawl.

Yeah, Bannon's pulling strings here. The only question is whether DJT is on board or getting played.

Right. Bannon doing this solo because he knows Trump's reaction and how it gets to the intended end wouldn't be a big shocker.

Avram · Post by **Avram** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:08 pm

Even if only 25% of this stuff is true, it is far worse than I thought it was going to be when I went ot bed Nov 8, 2016. And I thought it was going to be bad then.

Brontoburglar · Post by **Brontoburglar** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:11 pm

mister d wrote:
P.D.X. wrote:
mister d wrote:Maybe my brain is completely broken as well, but this feels more like a diversion than some actual Bannon vs Trump brawl.

Yeah, Bannon's pulling strings here. The only question is whether DJT is on board or getting played.

Right. Bannon doing this solo because he knows Trump's reaction and how it gets to the intended end wouldn't be a big shocker.

yup. I totally think this war of words is all wink, wink nudge nudge.

and like Avram, I think the truth is somewhere between "these are all lies" and "these are all true as written" in that excerpt. which is still insanity.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:39 pm

Avram wrote:Even if only 25% of this stuff is true, it is far worse than I thought it was going to be when I went ot bed Nov 8, 2016. And I thought it was going to be bad then.

Its actually been better than I expected, if I'm being honest. Not good, of course, but not to my level of expectation. Which is possibly bad in and of itself.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:48 pm

This Hilary story has to be a case of where there's smoke...

Post by **brian** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:53 pm

Does it strike anyone as a little weird that it was phrased as "Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton".

I mean, that wording/ordering is pretty crazy.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:57 pm

brian wrote:Does it strike anyone as a little weird that it was phrased as "Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton".

I mean, that wording/ordering is pretty crazy.

Like a Star Is Born scenario? Her star has eclipsed his?

Not that weird really. But 1/100 odds against there already being a conspiracy theory out there in Trumpville.

A_B · Post by **A_B** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:59 pm

Pruitt wrote:
brian wrote:Does it strike anyone as a little weird that it was phrased as "Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton".

I mean, that wording/ordering is pretty crazy.

Like a Star Is Born scenario? Her star has eclipsed his?

Not that weird really. But 1/100 odds against there already being a conspiracy theory out there in Trumpville.

It was obviously a private e-mail server that erupted because Bill Clinton's um...used...cigar was lit and caught it on fire when he dropped BENGHAZI.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:02 pm

No way would anything else ever spark in that bedroom heyoo...

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:21 pm

Manafort just sued everybody.

This coupled with the Bannon/Trump cat fight seems like they are getting ahead of something they want you to not pay attention to.

(Sidenote: Oh, and today I'm doing CBTs for becoming a resource advisor because I'll have to use government money to buy things when deployed.

And then I got an email from my Command Chief reminding us to be "World Class Professionals" because we're military members and that's what's expected of us.

I live in the fucking Twilight Zone.)

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 5:28 pm

Johnnie wrote:Manafort just sued everybody.

This coupled with the Bannon/Trump cat fight seems like they are getting ahead of something they want you to not pay attention to.

That was my initial thought and then I realized that they weren't even capable of that level of coordination when they actually worked together. We shall see. (The maga-trolls think it's DACA amnesty.)

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 8:07 pm

P.D.X. wrote:
Johnnie wrote:Manafort just sued everybody.

This coupled with the Bannon/Trump cat fight seems like they are getting ahead of something they want you to not pay attention to.

That was my initial thought and then I realized that they weren't even capable of that level of coordination when they actually worked together. We shall see. (The maga-trolls think it's DACA amnesty.)

From the Guardian:

Legal experts noted the unusual nature of Manafort’s counter-assault. The most common tactic by a defendant seeking to block criminal proceedings is to try to persuade a court to dismiss the case on technical grounds – rather than to sue the DoJ for having brought the charges.

A lot of lawyers are going to be buying beach houses thanks to these assholes.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Wed Jan 03, 2018 9:32 pm

https://twitter.com/maddow/status/94869 ... 49763?s=17

DaveInSeattle · Post by **DaveInSeattle** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 1:37 am

From SI.com:

President Donald Trump plans to attend the College Football National Championship Game between Georgia and Alabama on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, according to Greg Bluestein of the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

According to Bluestein, he will be hosted by Nick Ayers, who is Vice President Mike Pence's Chief Of Staff. First Lady Melania Trump is also expected to be in attendance.

Trump won the states of Alabama and Georgia in the 2016 Presidential Election.

On Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders congratulated the schools as “two great football teams in the greatest conference in the country" during a press briefing.

From ESPN.com

Kendrick Lamar headlining the College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show

So...that should be interesting, right?

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:52 am

I want kneeling by the players. Doubt it would happen though.

As for Kendrick Lamar, I don't think he'd do anything. If Run The Jewels were performing though (Killer Mike is an ATL native), it would be appointment tv.

Oh, and the security went from minorly inconvenient to batshit bananas, btw. But it's SEC fans, so whatever.

Square Rob · Post by **Square Rob** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:47 am

Johnnie wrote:https://twitter.com/maddow/status/948697699464949763?s=17

Nunes wants to cut DoJ funding. Best way to stop investigations, right? Besides, Nunes led house commission has found nothing, so clearly no need for Mueller. Rosenstein went to Ryan to point out that this is insane.

Rex · Post by **Rex** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 8:57 am

Kendrick Lamar is playing an outdoor show down the street from the stadium, not inside. I guess maybe they will show it at halftime. I just assumed the halftime show would be both bands playing Hail to the Chief for their boy.

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:33 am

Trump lawyer seeks to block insider book on White House

Didn't know Trump was such a Streisand fan.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:35 am

Square Rob wrote:
Johnnie wrote:https://twitter.com/maddow/status/948697699464949763?s=17

Nunes wants to cut DoJ funding. Best way to stop investigations, right?

Tough on crime!

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:39 am

Johnnie wrote:Trump lawyer seeks to block insider book on White House

Didn't know Trump was such a Streisand fan.

Need lawyer's input on this, but to get an injunction, wouldn't he have to prove that the information was false?

And wouldn't that mean sworn testimony from the people mentioned in the book? For example, would Ivanka be forced to testify that she never mentioned her father's insane hair regimen?

Post by **brian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:40 am

Sessions is going to rescind the Cole memo, which means the feds can technically go after marijuana in states where it is legal.

I'm sure that's not going to be a shit show.

P.D.X. · Post by **P.D.X.** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:45 am

Sounds like jobs-stifling regulations to me.

Post by **brian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 11:48 am

P.D.X. wrote:Sounds like jobs-stifling regulations to me.

Yeah, it was already obviously bullshit, but I never want to hear another Republican claim to be against blowing up the deficit or for states rights again after the last month.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:15 pm

Pruitt wrote:
Johnnie wrote:Trump lawyer seeks to block insider book on White House

Didn't know Trump was such a Streisand fan.

Need lawyer's input on this, but to get an injunction, wouldn't he have to prove that the information was false?

And wouldn't that mean sworn testimony from the people mentioned in the book? For example, would Ivanka be forced to testify that she never mentioned her father's insane hair regimen?

Without reading the article, I'm guessing there are two ways Trump could seek an injunction of the book. He could argue irreparable damage due to intentional false representations in the book. If the claim is that the quoted individuals didn't make the statements quoted, the author claims to have recordings of the interviews, so that would come out as evidence. If Trump claims the quoted individuals lied, he would have to sue those individuals for slander. I don't know if it's possible to get an injunction on a book if slanderous statements are quoted in the book. That seems a very harsh ruling, unless the author knew the quotes were slanderous, which is probably impossible to prove, since they are largely opinions.

The other claim is that campaign employees all signed non-disclosure agreements. Trump can sue Bannon and others for violating the NDAs, and he could get an injunction if Bannon and other former employees were profiting of off sales of the book, but I don't think you could get an injunction stopping sales of a book that has quotes violating an NDA when the author didn't sign an NDA. I think it's all an empty threat, as lawsuits under any of these theories brings out embarrassing information against Trump, and likely puts Trump, his family, and closest advisors on the stand. Trump loves the bluster of threatening lawsuits and issuing cease and desist letters.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:18 pm

Makes sense - thanks!

Joe K · Post by **Joe K** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:19 pm

brian wrote:
P.D.X. wrote:Sounds like jobs-stifling regulations to me.

Yeah, it was already obviously bullshit, but I never want to hear another Republican claim to be against blowing up the deficit or for states rights again after the last month.

I don’t want to hear Democrats give any more credence to deficit concerns either. All talk of the deficit does is create a justification for transferring what should be government functions to the private sector to allow the rich to get even richer. That’s why the GOP is now eager to slash Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid so that private insurers and fund managers (who are already benefiting from the tax bill) can reap even bigger profits. While we’re at it, let’s further starve public schools so that private investors in charter schools can pick up the slack! The “bipartisan” scheme to drum up concern about the deficit is one of the biggest scams in American politics.

The Sybian · Post by **The Sybian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 12:22 pm

Pruitt wrote:Makes sense - thanks!

It's been 18 years since I took a Tort law class, and I have no experience in anything remotely related to this type of law, so take my comment with a huge grain of salt. The $400 consultation fee stands.

degenerasian · Post by **degenerasian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:07 pm

Publisher just told Trump to go fuck himself.

The publisher of Michael Wolff's new book about President Trump is rushing it onto bookshelves.
"Due to unprecedented demand, we are moving the on-sale date for all formats of 'Fire and Fury,' by Michael Wolff, to Friday, January 5, at 9 a.m. ET, from the current on-sale date of Tuesday, January 9," a Henry Holt spokeswoman told CNN Thursday afternoon.

mister d · Post by **mister d** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:13 pm

Johnnie · Post by **Johnnie** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:39 pm

Yup. Getting that book. Adding it to my Kindle library to read while deployed.

Nonlinear FC · Post by **Nonlinear FC** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 7:51 pm

Hey, cue Mr. D...

Did you guys read the blurb at the end of that adaptation? He's basically been lurking around the WH for months. Because this WH is such a shitshow, they didn't clamp down on him and he's been floating in and out of meetings the whole time.

Huckabee today saying no one cares, no one wants to read this book, and the publishers can't come close to meeting demand is just the latest in their increasingly detached from reality existence.

Going off the rails on a...

Post by **brian** » Thu Jan 04, 2018 9:19 pm

If the world is going to hell at least there’s good reading material. That’s less an indictment than it sounds. I hope 30 years from now when we’re all hanging around on the beach in wealth and prosperity we can look back on these years and revel in the books and movies and art about what a fucking disaster this was but it’s hard now.

Some day, probably 15 years from now some historian is going to write a book and it’s going to win every prize imaginable.

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:39 am

brian wrote:If the world is going to hell at least there’s good reading material. That’s less an indictment than it sounds. I hope 30 years from now when we’re all hanging around on the beach in wealth and prosperity we can look back on these years and revel in the books and movies and art about what a fucking disaster this was but it’s hard now.

Some day, probably 15 years from now some historian is going to write a book and it’s going to win every prize imaginable.

We could probably coin a cliche - something to the effect that each politician gets the books that they deserve.

I'm thinking of the more magisterial histories of many presidencies and of men like Churchill - multi-volume, thoroughly researched, years and decades in the writing.

And Trump gets a trashy, innuendo-filled instabook. So fitting.

rass · Post by **rass** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:44 am

At the top of the hour, CNN had a list of overnight news from Trumpland and one of the them was "Trump debuts Steve Bannon's nickname" (which I had seen referenced earlier). I quite literally grimly chuckled to myself.

[+] spoiler: Sloppy Steve

Pruitt · Post by **Pruitt** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:05 am

rass wrote:At the top of the hour, CNN had a list of overnight news from Trumpland and one of the them was "Trump debuts Steve Bannon's nickname" (which I had seen referenced earlier). I quite literally grimly chuckled to myself.

[+] spoiler
Sloppy Steve

I just get the feeling that this is Trump's signature accomplishment of the week.