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© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Tempests buffeting White House now threaten to engulf Trump
By Jonathan Lemire, Catherine Lucey and Zeke Miller WASHINGTON©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
71 Comments
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plasticmonkey
Trump never envisioned that being president would entail more scrutiny and accountability than being a dirty real estate and casino mogul or an obnoxious reality TV star. Someday soon Trump will have to face justice for a lifetime of fraud, justice he has thus far escaped, justice he will face in the nation's highest office and in front of the world. Bet he never saw that coming. Sweet irony.
Tommy Jones
There is a difference between not taking a slight lying down and being mature enough to allow events to run their courses.
bass4funk
Gosh, it feel like 1998 all over again. Everyone buckle up, we will be experiencing some turbulence.
stocktrader
No Russia collusion evidence, or something would've happened by now. This story is boring and clearly going nowhere except for man-child's without girlfriends, drooling over Trump negativity with a hunched neck, dribbling on a smartphone.
I could honestly care less if he paid a porn actress. All the more power to her. The pay day looked amazing. What a generous guy.
Now, it seems that Trump is going to get into WW3. He must have received orders from Israel. The only proof anyone has about the villains in the chemical attack are the White Helmets, which are open ISIS supporting rebels. It is highly unlikely that Assad did this. He had 90% targets defeated. This is the real story, but that requires journalism and not cut and paste stories from journalist.
gelendestrasse
Yeah, it was bound to happen.
Blacklabel
Wow one article managed to include nearly every single anti Trump narrative while telling us nothing more about them or with any proof. Good job, I guess?
SuperLib
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/04/10/president-trump-has-never-been-in-more-trouble-than-right-now/?utm_term=.5e29442b1eb5
“Trump ran scams like Trump University to con struggling people out of their money. He lent his name to pyramid schemes. He bankrupted casinos and still somehow made millions while others were left holding the bag. He refused to pay vendors. He exploited foreign workers. He used illegal labor. He discriminated against African American renters. He violated Federal Trade Commission rules on stock purchases. He did business with the mob and with Eastern European kleptocrats. His properties became the go-to vehicle for Russian oligarchs and mobsters to launder their money.
So it was no accident that when he ran for president, the people who joined him in his quest were also a collection of grifters, liars, and crooks — people such as Paul Manafort. Those were the kind of operators Trump has attracted all his life. Honest, upright people with a deep respect for the law don’t go to work for Donald Trump.”
browny1
plastic money nailed it.
The mystery in all of this is, that Trump apparently never imagined he as the "Leader of the Free World" would be not just under the microscope - he would be dissected and analyzed to the nth degree.
What he got away with as a private citizen all stopped when he decided to run for office.
How could he believe that the same "soft" scrutiny he came under as a business person would just continue? The favors, the back rubbing, the bossiness etc etc would somehow never attract a hungry medias attention?
It shows more than ever he is way off the pulse - way, way off.
Tommy Jones
No evidence of Russian collusion beyond Trump campaign staff interacting with Russians to an oddly excessive degree. Yeah, nothing there at all.
MrBum
I honestly couldn't care either. But Trump cared. That's why he lied about it and paid her off, possibly through illegal means. A sexual affair is relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of his disastrous presidency, but if this is what it takes to bring him down, I'm fine with it.
I doubt the sources you get your "news" from have ever stepped foot in a war zone. They're probably not even journalists in any remote sense of the word and likely trolls akin to the hunched neck, dribbling man-children you mentioned.
smithinjapan
Trump has hidden himself in his bedroom and now spends most of his day just watching TV and eating, the coward. And as he goes mad with hate-watching, people on here and in the WH and general Trumpers are imploding left and right trying to defend the guy.
He's done. And it's all of his own making, not just since he became president, but since loooooong before.
Texas A&M Aggie
President Trump will not fire anyone. To do that only means someone else will be assigned and that new person will want to start the investigations all over again and this continuing saga goes on.
What President Trump ought/needs to do is grant pardons to any and all people who have been (Gen. Flynn, Manafort, etc.) or will be charged (Cohen, etc.) He has the authority to do so under our Constitution and he has historical precedent to support that decision. That move would result in game, set and match against the Deep State and its enablers. . . .
Tommy Jones
Yeah, Trump should grant pardons to criminals. Why are conservatives so soft on crime committed by white people?
bass4funk
How do you know this? TMZ?
I think it’s funny actually.
He’s done? How? In 1998 we all thought and I mean, “we all thought” Clinton was on life support and look what happened.
Bintaro
Actually, it could be good, as those he would pardon could no longer use the 5th amendment and could be compelled to testify.
plasticmonkey
Good one. People like Manafort and Cohen, who have spent their careers as "fixers" in shady business deals with and lobbying for foreign dictators, oligarchs, and other shady characters in some of the most corrupt nations on earth, are hailed by Trumpsters as heroic warriors against a mythical "deep state". Seriously?
stocktrader
Exhibit A--
Mythical Deep State, -Plastic Monkey
"deep state" is used within political science to describe influential decision making bodies within government that are relatively permanent and whose policies and long-term plans are unaffected by changing administrations
I want to recommend a company that will provide the key products for your future family bloodline
Synthea Amatus
stocktrader
Ok, here is some simple math:
Trump calls for pulling out of Syria. The very next week a chemical attack occurs, no investigation, Assad and Russia automatically blamed, WW3 back on!
Tokyo-Engr
or...Trump and the allies (UK and France) initiate a strike on Syria and the same day he fires Mueller and all during the distraction (stranger things have happened). Who knows? It is certainly going to be interesting.
I do not like Trump (but not to the extent of some other posters here) and I am not a proponent of either political party but this is going to be fascinating to watch.
I think the Republican Party also wants Trump out and would prefer Pence. There are around 1,100 days left in Trump's presidency and my bet is he will not serve out the term. Too much turmoil. For Trump supporters; it is not that I wish this as I think this would be not necessarily be great for the country (even though I do not think he is fit for duty) but it just seems unlikely this presidency can survive.
Blacklabel
So Trump has supposedly done all of these things in the article and listed by commentators here. Seems it would have taken a week to prove even one of them and start impeachment. Its so obvious he is "dirty" and a fraud and a liar and a tratitor and a money launderer, and and and.....right?
Yet.....nothing after almost 2 years.
Blacklabel
Its so obvious that firing Comey was "obstruction of justice", right? So why has it taken one year to not prove it?
That can be proven over a weekend if it really is obstruction. Dont even need a team of 20 Democratic lawyers and a special counsel for that.
Tommy Jones
Trump hasn't been in office "almost 2 years."
Regarding proving obstruction, that's done in court. Investigators don't charge relatively minor crimes one by one on the top guy, they bring them all to bear at once.
Tokyo-Engr
Additionally I think this article speaks volumes
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/382615-senators-to-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-protect-mueller
Senators introducing a bipartisan bill to protect Mueller.
Really wild stuff!!
SuperLib
Oh I think that issue is pretty far down on the list of things Trump could be charged for by now. But, as I've said before, he will probably walk. Either there will be no evidence of wrongdoing or his people will fall on their swords if there is.
We are in agreement. It would be needless drama and it would make things worse between the two sides. And the investigation would continue anyway.
There is no justice in letting a guy walk after laundering $75,000,000. The "deep state" didn't force him to break the law, and if it's proven he did, letting him off would be damaging to our country.
Also, Trump can only pardon for federal crimes, not others. A lot of the investigation is overlapping with state investigators, like what's happening with Cohen. They will all share the results of the warrant. Trump can't stop that.
Personally, I love the fact that Mueller is going after Trump's lawyer. I hope that scumbag squirms. I also think that if Mueller says there is no wrongdoing or there isn't enough evidence to prosecute, then I'll believe him. I trust that he will find the truth, even if I don't like it.
SuperLib
Which ones do you think are not correct, and can you give us verified evidence to support your argument?
Tommy Jones
When has Trump done something to avoid needless drama?
Tommy Jones
Trump not being able to pardon state convictions is exactly why the some states are running parallel investigations.
viking68
And, we have Comey's book coming out next Tuesday to look forward to.
Comey is doing an interview on Sunday for the book.
Sunday's forecast calls for a Trumph tweet storm with precipitous Fake Medias, Deep States, Crooked Hillarys, Sessions, Rosenstein, Mueller, Liberal Elites,....
Laguna
The president is able to pardon violators of federal law but is not able to do so for convictions brought by any state. Even if Mueller were dismissed tomorrow and the perpetrators pardoned, most of the cases would continue on the state level. Game, set, match: Mueller has got Cohen and his ilk in an inescapable trap. Best to roll over and bargain for reduced time.
SuperLib
Top Stories on FoxNews.com:
FBI Opens Up: Rosenstein lets Nunes, Gowdy review FBI memo that kick-started Russia probe.
Trump haters Strzok, Page still have top-secret security clearance, FBI tells Rand Paul.
How Rod Rosenstein is connected to Trump, Russia investigation
FBI, Dem establishment among McCabe legal fund's donors.mukashiyokatta
There will be no US missile attack on Syria. Why? Because Putin has told Trump not to do so. Trump will obey Putin, as always. Putin has Trump by the goolies.
Blacklabel
Would you prefer he missile attack Syria just to prove your point wrong? Liberals don’t want him to do things but then have the nerve to complain when he doesn’t and even make up nonsense reasons why not.
Botton line the when and the how of this is his choice as president and he will do or don’t do as he sees fits.
plasticmonkey
Perhaps because "liberals" and "the left" are not monolithic entities, but are made up of individuals with diverse opinions on foreign policy. Trump, on the other hand, is a single entity who doesn't know what he's doing and should not be president, regardless of his party affiliation.
Blacklabel
The raid on trumps lawyer was to find information about the Access Hollywood tape? Give me a break, none of this about Russia or the election or anything found while looking into it.
we already knew about this tape, all heard it and voted according to how it bothered them or not.
Tommy Jones
The raid in the lawyer was partially about the Access Hollywood tape. Details are important.
nishikat
It doesn't work that way. Look at the wall failure, the Mulslim ban failure. The failure to arrest Presidents Hillary or Obama (illegal wiretapping) for their crimes. If so he would have to be dictator.
Blacklabel
Wall is being built as we speak and the so called “Muslim ban” (actually extreme vetting) is working very well.
nishikat
Just checked and I don't see a wall being built. Care to show any real pictures of wall that is 50 ft. tall (I don't mean samples)? I could not find any. And even so Home Depot has a special on ladders
That is not a Muslim ban and other Trump broken promise.
"a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on.”
(DJT) FAIL!!
And where is the President Hillary arrest. He said he was going to arrest President Hillary. Also, when is Obama going to be arrested?
He failed to declare China a currency manipulator. He is also failing on his TPP promise because he talking about returning to it.
He failed.
Blacklabel
https://www.abqjournal.com/1156553/work-begins-on-new-border-wall-in-southern-new-mexico.html
wall being built by military.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/yassmin-abdelmagied-gets-deported-from-us/news-story/0b0f9d91132a70db4f0c92f37e364399
It wasn’t for all Muslims just people like this who happen to be Muslim. Denied entry.
MrBum
http://www.kob.com/new-mexico-news/border-wall-santa-teresa/4858006/
Looks more like a fence or half-assed display to appease gullible wall believers.
How could it be "working very well" when all of his proposals were struck down and not implemented?
Blacklabel
Extreme vetting:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-set-request-years-social-media-history-visa/story?id=54106598
i didn’t say you had to like the wall, just showing it’s being built.
Anyway all this is irrelevant. You can dislike his performance all you want or disagree with this policies. But you have no evidence to remove the duly elected president.
all these things listed were known before the election and people voted for him anyway. Find a crime that is at least since 2016 and some proof, otherwise it’s just noise.
Blacklabel
Military budget under national security allows the wall to start until full funding is granted after midterm elections.
Foreign extremist and activist trying to give a divisive speech while on a tourist visa deported. Nothing related to the religion of the person involved.
viking68
Political will (also known as a backbone) is what is necessary. Evidence alone doesn't work. for a President. Cohen is another matter.
The GoP have no backbone, but they are slowly losing political power making these crimes more problematic for the President. If only the GoP knew how to hold onto power by doing with the voters want instead of spending all their political capital to enrich themselves.
People knew about bank fraud and wire fraud? No.
Trumph voters only knew he was a creepy rich old guy who could assault women without consequences. They should have known he doesn't respect the law. AND they voted for him anyway. Thanks Russia.
Now, you are shocked that he and his cohorts may be held criminally liable for . . . . committing crimes. Wow.
MrBum
You're right about that unfortunately. For now anyway.
But just to set the record straight...
That's also still just a proposal, so it's impossible for it be "working very well" like you said.
A fence is being built to the tune of $74 million from AMERICAN taxpayers. That's after him slashing tax revenues with his massive tax cut for the rich.
Bonus - Remember the Carrier deal and Trump's promise to bring jobs back?
https://www.axios.com/carrier-moving-jobs-to-mexico-1513303175-10a713d6-1097-4c90-87ee-aadab31de68b.html
Why do you still support the guy?
Blacklabel
Because he is the President of my country and if he fails, my country fails. I have seen few to no policies that he has implemented or proposed that I disagree with. Those policies are for the safety, security and prosperity of my homeland, so why wouldnt I support? There has been nothing shown to me as to anything he has done that is a crime or that demands his removal from his elected position. So why would I spend all day distracting him with nonsense like liberals/media do while he is trying to run the country and do critical foreign relations?
Is it really a good time to raid his lawyer office and hotel looking for more evidence about a tape from 2005 and some porn star payments when he is trying to focus on a possible military response to Syria? They had no time in the months before the election or the 15 months he has been President for this critical issue?
Is now a good time to try to mock him into shooting missiles at Russia because if he doesnt, he is colluding with them and Putin owns him? Its all more than ridiculous, I am glad our President has the willpower to focus on what is best for our country while all the liberals are doing this.
viking68
No, the U.S. is no longer a country if the rule of law and constitution no longer apply. Trump is trying to do just that.
Is it really good to allow a president to be above the law?
Is it really good to have a president as thin-skinned as Trump and who is grossly susceptible to flattery and mockery?
Is it good to have a president who doesn't read?
Is it good to have a president who gets his opinions and intelligence briefings from a TV show?
MrBum
No offense, but you don't seem f to fully grasp the policies that he has implemented or proposed.
He makes a lot of grand promises, but in reality he's wasting millions on a fence when most illegal immigrants fly to the US, he's done NOTHING to improve cyber security after a proven Russian cyber attack, he gave a company millions only to have them move their jobs to Mexico, he's barely divested himself at all from the massive conflict of interests involving the businesses being run by his kids, he gives the sizable permanent tax cuts to the rich (i.e., himself), etc. None of that has actually benefited your homeland.
If that's the only way to get evidence proving he's compromised as a leader, yes. I'd like to know he's compromised before the conflict starts.
The Stormy Daniels case might be the legal excuse to get at the real dirt investigators were looking for.
No it's not. I actually agree with you here. But you're admitting the president can be "mocked into shooting missles."
viking68
What is the Cognitive Bias happening here?
In-Group Bias? Halo Effect? Positivity Effect?
Blacklabel
Actually that is all the gun control people. Trump has done nothing against the rule of law or the constitution. The courts have blocked him on anything that was even remotely close to doing this, including things that are actually within his power to do and that are not unconstitutional. Meanwhile liberals want guns taken away/regulated, free speech (of conservatives only) curtailed and legal principles such as attorney/client and innocent until proven guilty ignored. All constitutional or legal rights. Even want people illegally in the country to just be able to stay permanent
But I in fact do. That the liberal weakpoint, you simply cant grasp how people would want all these things just because you dont want them. I dont know how people can eat corn on pizza, yet people do and I can accept that.
I said liberals are trying to mock him into doing things he shouldnt. Have not been successful.
Wouldnt that be an illegal search? I thought you had to tell the judge what you are looking for, probable cause of an actual crime, not a witch hunt to look for a crime based on what you find? But I guess liberals are so desperate to find something, anything, that you dont care if you acquire it legally or not by now.
Anyway all the things listed above are valid partisan political points. But none of them magically create a crime, proof of that crime, or any reason to remove the elected President.
MrBum
You've been wrong or haven't been specific in your posts about "all these things" that Trump has actually accomplished. The objective truth is, he's hasn't followed through on any of the promises that got him elected. Are you telling me Trump voters wanted a $74-million American taxpayer-financed fence all along?
The raid was approved by people hand-picked by Trump. They thought there was probable cause. It's legality is being defended by almost every lawyer, including Republican ones. Do you somehow know better than them?
Right. But the only way to find proof is to allow the investigation to come to a natural end. But Trump is doing everything he can to prevent that, including firing the lead investigators, and that doesn't strike you as the actions of a guilty man in the slightest for some reason.
viking68
Bank Fraud
Wire Fraud
Election Law Violations
Obstruction of Justice
Collusion
The list keeps getting longer, and only one is needed to remove Trump, assuming the current gutless legislature does its job.
As for reasons, Trump is an imbecile and a fascist. That isn't being politically partisan.
We just have to wait for the investigations to finish to see how many come home to bite Trump.
SuperLib
I just think Trump is a corrupt person. And I don’t think he puts the interests of Americans above his own.
Blacklabel
81 major achievements with over 100 minor ones. And this was only up until last year Christmas time as the media won’t update the list anymore.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/year-one-list-81-major-trump-achievements-11-obama-legacy-items-repealed
Strangerland
As compared to his 2000 lies:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2018/01/10/president-trump-has-made-more-than-2000-false-or-misleading-claims-over-355-days/
extanker
I have to agree with this. So many people are frothing at the mouth in anticipation of him screwing up so badly that he will be removed. I am not a fan of how he is behaving, but I would much rather see him turn his act around and become a good leader, than watch the potential crap-show of removing a president from office and the effect it has on a country. If it becomes unavoidable, then so be it, but he still has time to right his ship.
I've used this analogy before: Rooting for the president to fail is like rooting for the pilot of the plane you are riding in to crash it.
wtfjapan
Gosh, it feel like 1998 all over again. back then it was just a BJ in the Oval office, fast forward 20yrs and it grown into a mountain of poo that is Trumps business dealings , corruption and his bankrupt morality. Karma has never been such a biatch
wtfjapan
Rooting for the president to fail is like rooting for the pilot of the plane you are riding in to crash it. except most of the passengers in that plane never wanted to board that flight in the first place, now they just want to GTFO. Hand the controls over to first office Pence or start handing out the parachutes of impeachment.
extanker
I don't care who voted for him or why. I myself did not. I wouldn't care if this was some other candidate we were talking about.
I would absolutely prefer that the President of the United States, whose skills are lacking, find the will to become an effective leader than have to remove him from office. I find it sad that anyone would prefer otherwise.
Tommy Jones
Agreed 100%.
René Pihlak
sounds bizarre how Trump supporters hail bad decisions as good decisions. Stockholm syndrome?
serendipitous1
bass
You don't honestly believe that Clinton's troubles (20 years ago!) were anywhere near Tump's level of troubles (today!), do you?
MrBum
Does Trump strike as someone capable of turning his act around? He's 71 years old. In terms of temperament, most people have settled into who they are and ever will be by that time.
I don't root for him to fail, but he just does it on his own.
ZENJI
How do you quell a storm? Create a bigger storm to blow it away.
Bob Slefty
https://np.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/8bucc8/mueller_has_reportedly_decided_to_move_forward/dxa2e7q/
You know, there's really no evidence of Trump colluding with Russia, except for the
Flynn Thing
Manafort Thing
Tillerson Thing
Sessions Thing
Kushner Thing
Wray Thing
Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius "Russian Law Firm of the Year" Thing
Carter Page Thing
Roger Stone Thing
Felix Sater Thing
Boris Epshteyn Thing
Rosneft Thing
Gazprom Thing (see above)
Sergey Gorkov banker Thing
Azerbaijan Thing
"I Love Putin" Thing
Lavrov Thing
Sergey Kislyak Thing
Oval Office Thing
Gingrich Kislyak Phone Calls Thing
Russian Business Interest Thing
Emoluments Clause Thing
Alex Schnaider Thing
Hack of the DNC Thing
Guccifer 2.0 Thing
Mike Pence "I don't know anything" Thing
Russians Mysteriously Dying Thing
Trump's public request to Russia to hack Hillary's email Thing
Trump house sale for $100 million at the bottom of the housing bust to the Russian fertilizer king Thing
Russian fertilizer king's plane showing up in Concord, NC during Trump rally campaign Thing
Nunes sudden flight to the White House in the night Thing
Nunes personal investments in the Russian winery Thing
Cyprus bank Thing
Trump not Releasing his Tax Returns Thing
the Republican Party's rejection of an amendment to require Trump to show his taxes thing
Election Hacking Thing
GOP platform change to the Ukraine Thing
Steele Dossier Thing
Sally Yates Can't Testify Thing
Intelligence Community's Investigative Reports Thing
Trump reassurance that the Russian connection is all "fake news" Thing
Chaffetz not willing to start an Investigation Thing
Chaffetz suddenly deciding to go back to private life in the middle of an investigation Thing
Appointment of Pam Bondi who was bribed by Trump in the Trump University scandal appointed to head the investigation Thing The White House going into cover-up mode, refusing to turn over the documents related to the hiring and firing of Flynn Thing
Chaffetz and White House blaming the poor vetting of Flynn on Obama Thing
Poland and British intelligence gave information regarding the hacking back in 2015 to Paul Ryan and he didn't do anything Thing
Agent M16 following the money thing
Trump team KNEW about Flynn's involvement but hired him anyway Thing
Let's Fire Comey Thing
Election night Russian trademark gifts Things
Russian diplomatic compound electronic equipment destruction Thing
let's give back the diplomatic compounds back to the Russians Thing
Let's Back Away From Cuba Thing
Donny Jr met with Russians Thing
Donny Jr emails details "Russian Government's support for Trump" Thing
Trump's secret second meeting with his boss Putin Thing
And there’s stuff that he’s done that isn’t even on this list... he’s getting impeached. You’re delusional if you think he won’t
Edit: All you russian trolls and Trump supporters in the comments keep on trolling... You think Mueller has been just sitting on his ass this entire time?
Mueller’s team is comprised of the smartest lawyers on the planet. Trump’s lawyers office and house just got raided by the FBI and y’all still think nothing happening? Turn off Fox News and pull your head out of your ass.
While I have your attention this is Putin’s endgame: Removing the Magnitsky Act
https://youtu.be/3V4rGc7Lt_I
https://youtu.be/ieS0HoaaJ18
https://youtu.be/RzzMyhrAenY
1glenn
"The criminal investigation is getting too close to me! Let's start a war! Maybe that will change the subject."
Black Sabbath
Lost of tempests, eh? Y'know another way to say that?
Stormy.
starpunk