THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

[Duchess]

I'd be shocked if he got one.

I won't be.

Thanks!

[BigMark]

Would you like to wager on it?

[Jimbone]

Yeah, I think it’s a way outside chance too.

The Podesta Group did file with Congress about their activities and then reclassified the filing (with the DOJ) when the root source of the funding was revealed, as far as I can tell.

Tony Podesta just stepped down today from The Podesta Group. He's one - if not the - largest lobbyists in the country.

Remaining executives will be starting a new firm in a few days. The Podesta Group by name will no longer exist.

This is a very big deal. This may be foreshadowing an indictment with his name on it.

[Jimbone]

Another interesting note... for all the crowing the left is doing this AM about the Manafort indictment, I wonder if any of them took the time to read it? The indictment has nothing to do with the Trump campaign at all. It's not even mentioned or referenced in the indictment. It's all related to Manfort's past dealings and alleged crimes committed then. Not while he was with the campaign, or things done on behalf of the campaign. It appears to be shady shit from his consulting gigs.

It's also not connected in ay way to the Papadapoulous charge, yet I've seen some attempts today to conflate them.

I fear 180 characters has killed the ability of people to use their critical thinking skills.

[BigMark]

I am your Cheeto Overlord, OBEY!

[HairOfTheDog]

Yeah, I think it’s a way outside chance too.

The Podesta Group did file with Congress about their activities and then reclassified the filing (with the DOJ) when the root source of the funding was revealed, as far as I can tell.

Tony Podesta just stepped down today from The Podesta Group. He's one - if not the - largest lobbyists in the country.

Remaining executives will be starting a new firm in a few days. The Podesta Group by name will no longer exist.

This is a very big deal. This may be foreshadowing an indictment with his name on it.

Could be.

I haven’t heard anything indicating Podesta intentionally deceived the government, laundered money, evaded taxes, lied to Mueller’s team, conspired against the US government, or anything of that nature.

But I’m sure there is a lot we don’t know about the investigation.

[Jimbone]

Could be.

I haven’t heard anything indicating Podesta intentionally deceived the government, laundered money, evaded taxes, lied to Mueller’s team, conspired against the US government, or anything of that nature.

But I’m sure there is a lot we don’t know about the investigation.

Who knows. Maybe it has nothing to do with Mueller's investigation at all.

One thing I do know however, is that you don't step down and fold your lobbying firm suddenly and for no reason.

[Jimbone]

I haven’t heard anything indicating Podesta intentionally deceived the government, laundered money, evaded taxes, lied to Mueller’s team, conspired against the US government, or anything of that nature.

It may be this (bold is my emphasis):

"Manafort and Gates chose two companies, identified as Company A and Company B in the indictment, to lobby on behalf of the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, a European nonprofit that officials say was created as a mouthpiece for the Party of Regions. Previous news reports have indicated that the two companies are the Podesta Group and Mercury LLC.

The two companies were aware that they were lobbying on behalf of the Ukrainian government and worked with Manafort to conceal their foreign lobbying activities from the public, according to the indictment.

The two companies received payments “solely through off-shore accounts associated with the Manafort-Gates entities,” according to the indictment.

The Podesta Group retroactively filed lobbying disclosures in April admitting their previously hidden Ukrainian lobbying activities."

http://dailycaller.com/2017/10/30/podest...ndictment/

Protip: retroactively disclosing your potentially criminal behavior after you're outed doesn't excuse the behavior.

[Duchess]

Protip: retroactively disclosing your potentially criminal behavior after you're outed doesn't excuse the behavior.

That just seems like common sense to me.

What is the thought process of some of these people who think they are smarter than the Feds? Seriously. Are they delusional? Do they truly believe they can play the Feds? Well, I guess they do. Heh. Stupid question.

[Jimbone]

That just seems like common sense to me.

What is the thought process of some of these people who think they are smarter than the Feds? Seriously. Are they delusional? Do they truly believe they can play the Feds? Well, I guess they do. Heh. Stupid question.

It's hubris. People think they are above things, have connections to get out of trouble, etc.

And maybe sometimes that works. But when something big comes along, like this situation, it doesn't matter who you know or what kind of political capital you might have. Corruption in DC has always been equal opportunity for both sides. This is exposing that in a pretty glaring fashion.

Tony Podesta founded the Podesta Group with his brother John, who was Hillary's campaign chair, was Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff, and was a top advisor to Barak Obama. I'm sure given those connections, they thought they could get away with just about anything.

ETA: that goes for Manafort as well. Knowing who he was working with and connected to, he thought he'd never get caught either.

[HairOfTheDog]

Neither of the Podestas has been charged with anything.

It's not illegal to voluntarily leave your firm (and I can think of a lot of reasons to do so that aren't criminal). It's also not illegal to be the brother of someone who leaves the firm voluntarily. It's not illegal to be a campaign manager or to fund opposition research either.

Unless/until Tony or John Podesta are charged or there's some evidence of criminal activity presented............all the speculation comes across as deflection, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm not saying they didn't commit crimes, just that all I'm hearing is innuendo. If one or both of the Podestas did commit crimes against the government or financial crimes, Mueller is the type of prosecutor who will go after them (as it should be).

[Jimbone]

nevermind

[HairOfTheDog]

nevermind

") I wanna hear what you were gonna say, if you're still feeling it.

You know I don't have an issue with debating or just hearing out differences of opinion. You can sock it to me anytime.

I won't be shocked if Wasserman-Schultz and Podesta get questioned again about the Podesta Group's work and their knowledge of the dossier funding. It's hard to believe that they didn't know about those things, as they claimed.

Then again, campaign staff sometimes do things without the implicit knowledge or approval of their superiors, by design - plausible deniability.

It would be easy for me to make a strong case for collusion by Trump and several others in his circle.......based only on public statements, appearances, and the timing and speculation of events. I'm not drawing that conclusion or making that case for the same reasons I'm not concluding that the Podestas are criminals. But, I didn't mean to imply that you shouldn't do that.

I just find it weak and deflective when people point the finger at other people and scream 'look over there' when they or their associates get busted out. That's what Trump, Huckabee-Sanders, and the cable spokespeople have been doing for a week now. To me, that's just deflective and, whether they're right or wrong, it doesn't negate the alleged wrong-doing of people from the Trump campaign/administration.

Anyway, if the Podestas committed federal crimes and get busted, I won't shed a single tear. But, as of now, the only people facing charges are Manafort, Gates, and Papadopolous. So, I'm not assuming criminality by anyone else at this point.

[Jimbone]

I just restated why I think Tony Podesta is headed for legal trouble and didn't just step down because he was ready to retire. No biggie.

[Duchess]

Last night Hannity called Hillary President Clinton. Last week Corey referred to the Clinton administration. Hahahaha! Sorest winners ever.

[Donovan]

Most surreal aspect of this so far is that in a bizarre fashion Trump is doing exactly what he said, draining the swamp. Who knew the best way to do that was to hire all of them then piss off all the people responsible for digging up skeletons and all the people responsible for reporting it?

[Maggot]

Some people have snowball fights Washington elected officials have shitball fights. I hope every one of them walk on tiptoes. No matter what decision is made someone will always bitch, no matter what it is. Trump knows this but just doesn't care.

[Duchess]

I'm very disappointed in General Kelly. I had hoped he'd be an honorable man. He's not.

[BigMark]

[Jimbone]

I'm very disappointed in General Kelly. I had hoped he'd be an honorable man. He's not.

How's that?