I don't know what was going through Donald Trump Jr.'s mind when he took the meeting with Russian operatives. I also wonder why one of the Russian operatives, Natalia Veselnitskaya,was sitting in on a Congressional hearing, right in the front row, last year, listening to the testimony of the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul. But there she was:
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| Moose and Squirrel |
This hearing took place on June 14, 2016. At this point in the proceedings, the Trumps controlled precisely zero levers of power in the American government. At this point, Trump wasn't even officially the Republican nominee for president. It's not difficult to imagine that Russian operatives would be interested in trying to scope out people who might one day control the levers of power. But it's curious, to say the least, that Veselnitskaya had a catbird seat at a Congressional hearing only days after meeting with Trump Jr. and company.
From what I can tell, this isn't Watergate and is likely not to be Watergate, for one important reason -- unlike 1973, there are a lot of people who support Le Grand Orange who will be digging for dirt on the other side, and they now have the means of disseminating that information. It's going to be a hell of a show.
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Hmmmm, the conclusion seems rather obvious. She did not get what she was seeking from Trump, Jr., and was looking for another way to do it. Basically a lobbyist with no official ties to the government, making a false claim to get access to someone with influence.
The civil war is being livestreamed. Afix bayonets,... It's on!
I'm still trying to figure out why the Russians telling the truth about Hilliary rises to a scandal that ought to condemn Republicans. At the very least, you'd hope for a little bit of soul-searching by the left about the question about why nobody in the Democratic Party in 2016 seemed to have a guilty conscience about rigging the rules for her in many ways.
And if there turns out to be such evidence against Trump, sure, the right needs to do the same soul-searching. That noted, the degree to which the left seems to be able to circle the wagons around a horrific offense is just amazing to me.
I'm still trying to figure out why the Russians telling the truth about Hilliary rises to a scandal that ought to condemn Republicans.
The issue stems from *how* the Russians obtained dirt on "shrill Hil." If it was obtained illegally (i.e. hacking DNC emails) and the Trump campaign accepted it, then Trump, Jr. et al are in the proverbial sticky wicket.
All that said, there's nothing which indicates anything of substance came out of that meeting. So, again, there's no legal peril for Trump, Jr. However, that will change if indeed it's proven that the campaign utilized information which was obtained illegally.
Just like the illegally obtained leaks are being used to hurt Trump while the reporters go free?
If trump repirted any dirt given to him on Hillary by any illegal source, he would be engaging in journalism, just like CNN. Don jr was engaging in journalism as well: the search for facts.
How can information be illegal? Facts are facts. The assumption, of course, is that the information "offered" (which apparently never existed) was obtained by Russians hacking the DNC servers. So why would "dirt" on Hillary be on the DNC servers? Would the hacking be illegal? How about if they tricked somebody at the DNC into opening an email? How about if it was copied by a DNC staffer? Seems to me like what we have here is a big bubble-gun firing into a stiff wind.
Brad, understood, but keep in mind that the whole shebang was predicated on "confidential government records provided to the New York Times." What the left is saying, apparently, is "you fight by the Queensbury rules, I'll keep my brass knuckles and shiv. Oh, and that belt you're wearing means nothing to us."
Why must the right always think they can pass an agenda by playing clean?
It's a war. Don jr was practicing journalism. That is a fact.
My suspicion: the left has overplayed its hand now. It’s worth remembering the Trump has the power to release and declassify just about anything and there’s a whole lot of government files that his team controls. W and HW were Marquess of Queensberry guys all the way — they cared deeply about the dignity of the office, even though they got their noses rubbed in it for years. Noblesse oblige is a big deal for Kennebunkport Nation. Le Grand Orange? Couldn’t care less about it, especially now that the left has gone after his flesh and blood.
Hope you're right, gracious host, and that any number of Dimmycrats will go to jail as a result....
I hope you are right, too.
Here you go, Schumer — have some Götterdämmerung.
This whole thing reminds me of October. The feeling in the air was Trump's certain demise. And for another Republican it would be just that. But not for a Democrat and not for Trump.
And then there's National Review. Ugh. Bridges are burnt.
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