RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN 2016 US ELECTION & SPIN-OFF INVESTIGATIONS

[HairOfTheDog]

The Stolen DNC/Clinton-related Emails were No Secret and Considered a Gift by the Trump Campaign

That's what Rick Gates told the jury in the Roger Stone obstruction of justice and perjury case today.

Gates recounted how Roger Stone first told one of Donald Trump’s top aides in April 2016 that WikiLeaks had plans to dump information in the heat of the presidential race, kickstarting a scramble inside the campaign to take advantage of the expected releases. 

And that plotting included at least one summertime call involving Trump himself.

The revelation means the Trump campaign was aware of WikiLeaks' election-year plans much earlier than previously admitted. And it also shows that the president was involved in conversations about the issue, something he has previously denied.

“Mr. Stone indicated that WikiLeaks would be submitting or dropping information, but no information on dates or anything of that nature,” Gates said in federal district court, where the trial against Stone entered its second week.

[HairOfTheDog]

(continued)

Gates testified that Stone requested contact information from him in June for Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and a senior member of the 2016 campaign. 

Also that month, Gates said the Trump campaign became elated as it learned more information from Stone about the WikiLeaks founder’s plans to publish damaging information about Clinton and her campaign.

Stone is also facing charges that he tampered with a witness as Congress investigated Russia’s 2016 election interference.

Federal prosecutors rested their case against Stone before lunch today (after damaging witness testimony by Randy Credico, Steve Bannon and Rick Gates).

Stone's lawyers indicated they might rest their case as soon as this afternoon.  That sets the case up for closing arguments on Wednesday and jury deliberations shortly thereafter.

Full story:  https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/12...aks-069831

[Duchess]

Thanks for posting all that info, HotD. I wouldn't have been able to post it so concisely. I would have ended every sentence with HaHaFuckinHa.  

[HairOfTheDog]

Thanks for posting all that info, HotD. I wouldn't have been able to post it so concisely. I would have ended every sentence with HaHaFuckinHa.  

I'm not laughing yet............but I will will be shaking my head in agreement and smiling if Stone ends up being found 'guilty' of some or all of the charges and has to serve time behind bars.  He very much deserves it, in my opinion.  

He (and his ex-partner Paul Manafort) have been two of the ugliest and shadiest 'swamp' creatures in American politics for a very long time. 

Anyway, Stone is charged with 1 count of obstructing justice, 5 counts of making false statements, and 1 count of witness tampering.  The maximum sentence he faces if convicted on all counts is 20 years.

I think the Prosecution proved beyond any doubt that Stone tampered with a witness (Credico).  I also believe they proved beyond reasonable doubt that Stone (knowingly) made multiple false statements under oath to Congress, thereby obstructing justice.

I don't expect Stone to get anywhere near the max even if he's found guilty of all the charges.  However, I hope he gets more than just a slap on the wrist.

[Rootilda]

Roger Stone should be in prison just for looking like this.

[Maggot]

He has money they will hit him in the wallet. It's not like he tried to get his kids into a good college by bribing anyone.

[HairOfTheDog]

He has money they will hit him in the wallet. It's not like he tried to get his kids into a good college by bribing anyone.

Roger Stone is self-reportedly broke Mags; he used GoFundMe to solicit donations for his defense.

And, I'm not sure why you're comparing the college admittance scandal to the Stone WikiLeaks scandal, unless it's yet another partisan prejudice comment because you think it was just Democrat parents who broke the law to get their kids into good colleges (which it most definitely was not).

Actually, upon relfection, I guess there's some merit to your comparison.......if one views then-candidate Trump as unqualified and unable to get into the White House on his own (like the children in the college scandal were), thus needing Stone and others to cheat and pull off dirty tricks on his behalf to get him in (like the parents in the college scandal did).

In any case, I'm all for the lying law-breaking parents serving time in that totally unrelated case, same as I am all for Roger Stone finally paying his dues behind bars if he's found guilty.

[Duchess]

Roger Stone has been found guilty of all counts against him. All counts! GuiltGuiltyGuilty!  

[HairOfTheDog]

Roger Stone has been found guilty of all counts against him. All counts! GuiltGuiltyGuilty!  

I'm so glad Stone's lies and disregard for the law finally caught up to him.  

I'd previously read that the max sentence if found guilty on all counts was 20 years.  It's actually 50 years based on the latest reports.

He won't get the max, but hopefully he'll get at least a couple of years. Judge Jackson is set to decide the appropriate sentence on February 6^th.

Immediately after he was found guilty, his buddy (and conspiracy theorist nutbag) Alex Jones of InfoWars publicly asked President Trump to pardon him.  FOX News' Tucker Carlson is reportedly doing the same.

If Trump pardons his long-time friend and cohort Stone, it will reflect very poorly on the President and the presidency, in my opinion.   There was a shitload of evidence (emails, witness testimony, congressional testimony transcripts, etc) presented to support the charges against Stone, and a jury of his peers deliberated for 7 hours before rendering their verdict. 

Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

[Duchess]

There has been so much talk about the Ukraine and election interference lately. I've seen a number of the GOP pushing that false narrative day in & day out so to learn that they all were recently briefed by our security & intelligence officials as to that being a Russian misinformation campaign and they are doing it anyway is stunning. They are carrying Putin's water for him to the detriment of our country and then there's that fuckin' Pompeo and his bullshit but I guess that's for another thread. Jesus Christ.

[HairOfTheDog]

Rick Gates Sentencing



Gates, who held senior posts on the president’s campaign team and inauguration committee, was one of several former Trump aides and advisers to be charged in Mueller’s investigation that documented Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. 

He initially pleaded not guilty, but reversed himself in February 2018 and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors.

He testified against his former business partner and mentor Paul Manafort, who was convicted in Virginia of financial fraud in August 2018 and is now serving a 7-1/2 year prison sentence. Manafort served as Trump’s campaign chairman. 

Gates also testified against Roger Stone, Trump’s longtime adviser who was convicted by a jury last month in Washington of lying to Congress, obstruction and witness tampering. Stone's sentencing, also by Jackson, is set for February.

Gates testified against Greg Craig as well.  Craig served as White House counsel under Democratic former President Barack Obama and was acquitted in Washington in September of lying to authorities about work he performed for Ukraine.

(continued)

[HairOfTheDog]

At his sentencing hearing today, Judge Jackson could sentence Gates to probation, or she could decide to send him to prison for up to 4 ³⁄₄ years.  

Gates' defense team is asking for probation rather than prison time due to the extensive cooperation he has provided to the government.  Government prosecutors are not objecting to that request.

“Under exceedingly difficult circumstances and under intense public scrutiny, Gates has worked earnestly to provide the government with everything it has asked of him and has fulfilled all obligations under his plea agreement,” prosecutors wrote.


More:  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-t...SKBN1YL16K

[HairOfTheDog]

Judge Jackson sentenced Rick Gates to 45 days (which can be served on weekends), three years of probation, and a $20,000 fine.

She acknowledged the valuable cooperation Gates provided to prosecutors and investigators and noted that she believed he is truly remorseful.

However, she added that she was not inclined to overlook his crimes and sentence him to probation only. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/17/788490826...ys-in-jail

---------------------------------------------------------------

Next up for sentencing, former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn.  His sentencing hearing is set for Jan. 28.

Flynn appears to be claiming deep-state victimhood and hoping for a pardon from Trump now, despite admitting guilt under oath and despite the recommendations from the judge at his last sentencing hearing.  https://theweek.com/speedreads/884642/ju...ncing-date

[Maggot]

Avenatti did the frog walk this morning, EOM

[Rootilda]

That was quite a fall from grace, he was actually eyeing a presidential run not too long ago.

[BigMark]

He stupid.

[Duchess]

The Russians are at it again. Losers have to cheat to win.

[Maggot]

The Russians are at it again. Losers have to cheat to win.

Did the DNC hire them again to create a "dossier"?

[Duchess]

I'm unsure about that. I haven't seen anything to suggest so. Why do you always neglect to mention the role republicans played in that? Is it because you are one? Anyway, I'll stick with my original statement about losers having to cheat to win and your guys are pretty consistent in that. It's already been established that they know they can't win without cheating. If that weren't so they wouldn't continue to try to stack the odds.

[Duchess]

Federal prosecutors have asked the judge to sentence Roger Stone to serve between 7 and 9 years. Wooooo.