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Ex-Trump aide pleads guilty, will cooperate in Russia probe

66 Comments
By CHAD DAY, TOM LoBIANCO and ERIC TUCKER

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Hee hee. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ー he's me rep, and will probably go done in a very red area. Follow the money, as I've said.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Trump's entire circle of associates seem like one big corrupt mob crime syndicate.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

So how will the trump machine spin the one?

lets see , he is no longer a part of the team.

His role was limited, he was not very much involved or he acted on his own.

And I am sure they will say we should not judge trump by the company he keeps.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

just draining Trump's swamp.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Manafort's probably been told: tell them nothing.  If convicted DT will pardon you.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Just goes to show how the Mueller thing has fizzled and their just grabbing at straws now.

Yeah. It's so far fizzled that one of their stars has flipped to the investigation. Maybe Gates is just stupid and decided he'd made a foolish decision pleading innocent. Maybe he's in the meantime calculated likely jail time. I dunno which is more likely.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

The Ukraine links to Putin. Not as far removed as some would have us believe.

The investigation moves ever closer. Expect a massive diversion from the Trump mafia soon.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Burning BushToday  07:12 am JST

The charges to which Gates is pleading guilty don't involve any conduct connected to the Trump campaign.

Read that sentence again.

Wow, you really have to wonder how some of these people manage to tie their shoes in the morning.

No one thinks that Gates's plea directly proves anything about Trump. But his plea bargain to work with Mueller in exchange for better treatment after pleading guilty means the investigation has more information about Trump than it did before. This is how these investigations work - you start low and you flip people which lets you flip people higher on the pyramid until you've finally got enough information to nail the person at the top.

Mueller and his team are experts at this. Trump's regime is thoroughly incompetent. It's only a matter of time...

8 ( +9 / -1 )

The plot thickens. Move over The French Connection here comes The Russian Connection.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

A really filthy house this one. The fumigation will take quite a while.

10 ( +10 / -0 )

Indicting people for business scams they did in Ukraine way back before Trump even ran for president.

Investigating collusion involves investigating any possible incentives to collude that members of Trump's campaign and transition teams had. That involves looking into what these people did before the campaign and what happened to bring them together under Trump. Because there sure were a lot of shady figures (including Trump) with connections to Russian oligarchs leading up to the election. Manafort, Kushner, Flynn, Page, etc.

BTW, why did Trump not sign on to those sanctions imposed by his GOP congress? And why has Trump never released his tax returns? And why did Trump tell the NY Times that investigating his loans from Deutsche Bank (Russian money-laundering conduit) would cross a "red line"?

If Trump and his worshippers think Mueller is almost finished, they've got another thing coming.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

This guy is so far removed from either Trump or Russia it's comical.

The guy is was the "former senior adviser to President Donald Trump's election campaign", and just pleaded guilty to charges relating to Russia and Ukraine. Seems you haven't been reading the articles.

Just goes to show how the Mueller thing has fizzled and their just grabbing at straws now.

Oh, you don't understand how investigations work. Understanding that makes it easier to understand your confusion, and why you don't know what you're talking about. Let me know if you'd like an explanation, and I'll be happy to explain how investigations work to you.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

No it’s Ukraine. Not “Ukraine and Russia”.

gates and manafort finances and taxes got nothing to do with Trump.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Manafort's probably been told: tell them nothing. If convicted DT will pardon you.

I thought that’s a perk ALL modern presidents enjoy and use.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

AnonymousToday  12:25 pm JST

Manafort's probably been told: tell them nothing. If convicted DT will pardon you.

I thought that’s a perk ALL modern presidents enjoy and use.

No one has used it to pardon a treason charge against an underling who sold out the Republic to a hostile foreign power before though. That would be new.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

He sure looks happy in the first photo.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No it’s Ukraine. Not “Ukraine and Russia”.

gates and manafort finances and taxes got nothing to do with Trump.

True. Trump never had anything to do with Ukraine.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yep that’s Hillary.

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/national-party-news/348596-hillary-clintons-ukrainian-connection-a-question-worth

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

She’s only relevant if the investigation comes across a reason to investigate her. And if they did find something, they should investigate her.

But there has been nothing to suggest that the investigation involves her whatsoever. So in that case bringing her up is simply an attempt to deflect from the noose that just keeps on growing tighter.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Tick.....tock....

Heh.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I find it hard to believe that I'm cheering on the FBI, when it comes to the whole investigation.

I have to pinch myself just to make sure I'm not dreaming.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I find it hard to believe that I'm cheering on the FBI, when it comes to the whole investigation.

It is funny how a few short years ago, the left were so suspicious, skeptical of the FBI, the total distain they had for the agency, but now they love them. ROFL

I have to pinch myself just to make sure I'm not dreaming.

So if this investigation turns out to be a dud which it seems to turn out to be, you going to pinch yourself again in disbelief?

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

It is funny how a few short years ago, the left were so suspicious, skeptical of the FBI, the total distain they had for the agency, but now they love them. ROFL

It is funny how you can completely fail to understand the meaning behind the statement I made.

Let me spell it out; I don't "love" the FBI. But I am impressed at their thoroughness.

So if this investigation turns out to be a dud which it seems to turn out to be, you going to pinch yourself again in disbelief?

I shall weep for the USA if that happens. So far it's not looking to be a dud. In fact, it's shaping up very nicely.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

bass4funkToday  04:24 pm JST

It is funny how a few short years ago, the left were so suspicious, skeptical of the FBI, the total distain they had for the agency, but now they love them. ROFL

Is it funny? I don't think it's funny at all.

It may seem confusing to a member of the far-right, which seats the entire concept of morality in people's and group's identities, but people on the left tend to seat morality in actions, procedures, and systems. So for people on the left, to oppose the FBI when FBI members take immoral actions and support the FBI when FBI members take moral actions is perfectly natural and not at all funny.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

So if this investigation turns out to be a dud which it seems to turn out to be, you going to pinch yourself again in disbelief?

The investigation has already been a success, even if nothing more comes out of it.

The bigger question is if the investigation comes up with something on Trump, how will you deal with it?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It is funny how a few short years ago, the left were so suspicious, skeptical of the FBI, the total distain they had for the agency, but now they love them. ROFL

Come on, Bass. Let’s have a bit of proportion here.

I can remember the days when many on the right despised Russia, thought the TPP was a good idea along with an interventionist foreign policy, and that Trump was the leader of a lunatic fringe.

I could hear the screeching of tyres and smell the burning rubber from here.

Perhaps their view of the FBI ‘evolved’, although I do remember Mueller being heralded from both sides as a decent man.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

No it’s Ukraine. Not “Ukraine and Russia”.

I know a couple of decades erodes memory, but the internet is always there to help. Google "Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych."

gates and manafort finances and taxes got nothing to do with Trump.

Or - does it? All Trump has to do is release his tax returns to dispel speculation, yet he refuses to do so. What could be in those returns so horrible that he allows this to fester so? Maybe nothing, in which case he's incompetent. Then there's the second possibility. Which door do you choose?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Mueller will have Trump's tax returns....

When BB has stayed up all night to be first to post on damming news on sleazy Donald, well - you know the net is tightening....

4 ( +5 / -1 )

The door that says his taxes are none of MSNBC and CNNs business, there is no law that he has to and people elected him without them.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Why won’t Trump release his tax returns? Why did he go back on his statement that he would?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The door that says his taxes are none of MSNBC and CNNs business, there is no law that he has to and people elected him without them.

And yet, every president has done it for decades. There is also no law that says we can’t question what he is hiding, and neither is there a law that says we can’t point out how partularly suspicious this is considering his seemingly anti-American actions in regards to Russia. Finally, there is no law saying we can’t speculate that there might be a connection between those two issues, and that it’s possible he has financial interests preventing him from acting in an unbiased manner towards Russia.

There’s also no law saying he can’t reliease his tax returns to disprove those speculations if they are wrong.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Blacklabel: his taxes are none of MSNBC and CNNs business

Is that the war cry Trump supporters are using? Keep me in the dark as long as CNN doesn't get the info, too? Trump will happily keep you in the dark. You're his base.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I don’t need to know about his taxes any more than he needs to know about mine.

you guys kill me with this “have to wait until investigation is over” when I say something hasn’t been proven. yet you spend every single day making up speculation. “Seemingly anti American action”? Like WHAT? And Trump himself did this?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

It’s obvious you just want the investigation to continue just to have an excuse to speculate about anything you want without having to prove it.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

It’s obvious you just want the investigation to continue just to have an excuse to speculate about anything you want without having to prove it.

Personally, I want the investigation to do its job and get to the bottom of this murky affair.

They got Al Capone on taxes, so there's always hope.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It’s strange no Dems propose actual laws for anything that they want to change, make legal or make illegal. Almost like they just want to keep it the way it is to have an excuse or complaint.

Wheres the bill to get rid of electoral college? To make candidates show their taxes? Dem tax plan? Dem immigration plan? Dem budget proposal? Gun control bill? Anything?

Nope just sitting there and expecting trump to solve everything and complaining every time he does.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I don’t need to know about his taxes any more than he needs to know about mine.

Trump apparently saw the need for transparency by stating he’d release his tax returns.

He then didn’t see the need for transparency by refusing to release his tax returns.

Something stinks here and it’s git nothing to do with CNN.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Yep, he lied, he's not showing his taxes, and his dim-witted base considers that a win for themselves. Because that's what obedient followers do.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

yeah It’s called changing your mind once you find out the media is much more biased than you could have ever imagined.

Change the law if it’s that important.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

yeah It’s called changing your mind once you find out the media is much more biased than you could have ever imagined.

He only found out that CNN was against him after he stated he’d release his tax returns?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It is funny how you can completely fail to understand the meaning behind the statement I made.

I really did understand.

Let me spell it out; I don't "love" the FBI. But I am impressed at their thoroughness.

I see, so in 1998 you were as equally pleased with their thoroughness as well, am I right?

I shall weep for the USA if that happens. So far it's not looking to be a dud. In fact, it's shaping up very nicely.

I wept for many years, now I can hold my head up again. But seriously, it’s looking more and more to be a dud, even law professors: Turley, Dershowitz and Napolitano said the same thing, so I’ll go by their 40-50 years of legal and judicial knowledge over any libal leftist on this site or other sites.

It may seem confusing to a member of the far-right, which seats the entire concept of morality in people's and group's identities,

Huh? The left are the party of identity politics.

but people on the left tend to seat morality in actions, procedures, and systems.

You are joking right. I could write a book on the so called morality that the left claim to have. Please don’t open up that Pandora’s box, skeletons will be flying left and right at you guys. Lol

So for people on the left, to oppose the FBI when FBI members take immoral actions and support the FBI when FBI members take moral actions is perfectly natural and not at all funny.

Yes, first the left hated Comey and then they liked him all of a sudden...huh, what changed?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Yes, first the left hated Comey and then they liked him all of a sudden...huh, what changed?

They ‘evolved’.

You know the feeling.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

They ‘evolved’.

More like, looking for a political takedown.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

CNN and other MSM was too busy laughing at him and claiming no way he could win. They werebt actively attacking him, just protecting Hillary. That’s why they were so shocked and news anchors crying on TV.

So once they needed ideas about how to accuse him of something to impeach him all the libs and media thought about his taxes as one way to do that.

So I don’t blame him for not releasing them. No one who voted for him cares about them and people who didn’t wont suddenly vote for him if he does so what’s the point?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

They ‘evolved’.

More like, looking for a political takedown.

Come on, Bass. You know about well-timed evolutions.

You flipped on the things like the TPP and Trump being a leader of a lunatic fringe the moment it became likely Trump was going to win the nomination.

I wouldn’t say for a second it was opportunism. Extend the same courtesy here.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Come on, Bass. You know about well-timed evolutions. 

You flipped on the things like the TPP and Trump being a leader of a lunatic fringe the moment it became likely Trump was going to win the nomination. 

Difference is, I was happy to see a President trying to bring dignity and honor back to the WH and to remember the Blue collar working class, determined to seal our borders and lower the tax code. So yeah, I evolved.

I wouldn’t say for a second it was opportunism. Extend the same courtesy here.

Not when it’s a political witch hunt....tisk, tisk, tisk, Sorry,

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Not when it’s a political witch hunt....tisk, tisk, tisk, Sorry,

You said there was a chance they could get Trump for obstruction only yesterday.

Not really a witch hunt if there is a chance they could uncover a very serious offence, is it?

If you think there is a chance there had been any wrongdoing, you should applaud this investigation.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

... a President trying to bring dignity and honor back to the WH...

That's actually funny. Well done.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Not really a witch hunt if there is a chance they could uncover a very serious offence, is it? 

If if you’re trying to snag someone because YOU personally believe that person doesn’t have the right to hold office and you have the means and tools to possible accomplish that to undo what was done by the voters and the EC, then you are in fact engaging in a witch hunt.

Nope. A witch hunt is when people are being harassed simply for holding views seen as unpopular or dangerous, not because they are actually guilty of anything.

You stated there is a possibility Trump could be guilty of obstruction. This is not a witch hunt as by your own admission, Trump could be guilty of an extremely serious offence.

Why you don’t support an investigation when the person involved could be guilty of an extremely serious offence is very confusing.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

With his cooperation, Gates gives Mueller a witness willing to provide information on Manafort's finances and political consulting work in Ukraine — and someone who had access at the highest levels of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Gates is just yet another stepping stone towards Manafort - Gates is not Mueller's end game. Mueller is trying to build a case that Manafort is indebted to pro-Russian interests out of Ukraine - and since he's indebted to them, he's become a stooge for their agenda when Manafort eventually worked for Trump

If the charges are true, that means Manafort and Gates were a huge financial beneficiary of pro-Russian interests of Ukraine politics. Financial records indicated that Manafort was in debt to pro-Russian interests by up to $17 million prior to joining Trump’s campaign.

In addition to the previous Alex van der Zwaan, the wealthy Russian lawyer charged with making false statements to the FBI during Mueller's investigation and who pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon. Van der Zwaan's guilty plea will likely help Mueller build his case against Manafort. And now Gates have pleaded guilty too.

(Manafort was responsible for commissioning a report that Van der Zwaan worked on which was designed to justify the trial of former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko to the US. At the time, Manafort was also consulting for Tymoshenko's rival, Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.)

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Financial records indicated that Manafort was in debt to pro-Russian interests by up to $17 million prior to joining Trump’s campaign.

I don't get this. If he was hired by them, why/how could he fall into debt with them? Any specifics?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Nope. A witch hunt is when people are being harassed simply for holding views seen as unpopular or dangerous, not because they are actually guilty of anything.

No, a witch hunt is when you are actively trying to find something that’s not there in order to frame someone for whatever benevolent reason.

You stated there is a possibility Trump could be guilty of obstruction.

Yes, we could also get hit by a huge asteroid like the one that killed the dinosaurs.

This is not a witch hunt as by your own admission,

No, that’s not what I said, you know it.

Trump could be guilty of an extremely serious offence.

Trump could be more than likely found innocent of any wrongdoing.

Why you don’t support an investigation when the person involved could be guilty of an extremely serious offence is very confusing.

I’ve been doing this for years and while I respect the FBI to a great extent, I’m also critical of them and found throughout my years dealing with them and interviewing them, the badge doesn’t hide the fact that they are human and many of the top echelons have gotten themselves wrapped up in this quagmire Washington swamp and subject to all its inner trappings.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

bass: I’ve been doing this for years and while I respect the FBI to a great extent, I’m also critical of them and found throughout my years dealing with them and interviewing them, the badge doesn’t hide the fact that they are human and many of the top echelons have gotten themselves wrapped up in this quagmire Washington swamp and subject to all its inner trappings.

Yeah, but that was before your coma.

When the FBI was investigating Hillary you were gushing praise about the FBI, saying they were incorruptible and they will find the truth in the end. This was during the time when your media outlets and politicians said a Hillary conviction was forthcoming. You were extremely confident, and I believe you even said you had family working with the FBI.

You immediately changed your tune when Clinton walked, and your first post was about Obama ordering Lynch to drop the charges. It was easier to believe that there's a vast criminal conspiracy than believing your media and politicians sold you a bunch of BS. By the way, what ever happened to your nutball theory? Not hearing much about it today. And your family member in the FBI has never been referenced again.

Now after yet another coma, you're remembering that you have extensive experience working with the FBI, and it's a swamp with inner trappings and all those nifty catchphrases. Which is the exact opposite from your words just a short time before.

We will revisit this after your next coma to see what changes you have in store. But for now, sure, we'll go ahead and take you at your word.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Any guesses as to which US Bank has been involved here ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

More like, looking for a political takedown. of corrupt officials, there fixed it for you.

seemd like Mueller has done a pretty good so far.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I don't get this. If he was hired by them, why/how could he fall into debt with them? Any specifics? maybe he borrowed money from them while working for them or he was hired by them to help pay off his debt in services rendered. not hard to understand really

1 ( +2 / -1 )

dignity and honor back to the WH... man whos screwed more people in his business doing than you could count and a known draft dodger, nothing dignified or honorable about this cretin

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I’ve been doing this for years and while I respect the FBI to a great extent, I’m also critical of them and found throughout my years dealing with them and interviewing them, 

wow now your FBI internal affairs!?

the badge doesn’t hide the fact that they are human and many of the top echelons have gotten themselves wrapped up in this quagmire Washington swamp and subject to all its inner trappings.

change Washington to Business and youve stated Trump perfectly

2 ( +3 / -1 )

*More like, looking for a political takedown.  **of corrupt officials, there fixed it for you.*

seemd like Mueller has done a pretty good so far.

Hardly, more like just fishing for anything that can take the President down.

man whos screwed more people in his business doing than you could count and a known draft dodger, nothing dignified or honorable about this cretin

Of you think like that then you need to go back to 1998 then you really must have deep resentments as do I.

wow now your FBI internal affairs!?

No, just a Journalist.

change Washington to Business and youve stated Trump perfectly.

Yes, because before it was a deep State Cabal.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Bass: I was happy to see a President trying to bring dignity and honor back to the White House

Sure, right after handing out high 5s when you learned that he slept with a porn star while his infant baby was at home....because she was hot!

Dignity and honor and all that.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

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