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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Department of Justice Calls Donald Trump a Felon
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/12/trump-felony-michael-cohen-paul-manafort-collusion-payment.html?gtm=top&fbclid=IwAR1oufI6XwiznLxhqslZq3JVuiqXp1S-90hO7XvS3aCEM93eoUP4hut0h1gthe national interest 6:39 P.M.
The Department of Justice Calls Donald Trump a Felon
By Jonathan Chait
@jonathanchait
President Trump. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Federal prosecutors released sentencing recommendations for two alleged criminals who worked closely with Donald Trump: his lawyer Michael Cohen, and campaign manager Paul Manafort. They are filled with damning details. But the most important passage by far is this, about Trumps fixer: Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1.
The payments in question, as the document explains, concern a payoff to two women who claimed to have affairs with Trump. The payments, according to prosecutors, were intended to influence the campaign, and thereby constituted violations of campaign finance law. They have not formally charged Trump with this crime it is a sentencing report for Cohen, not Trump but this is the U.S. Department of Justice calling Trump a criminal.
There is more. Under normal circumstances, the long list of charges federal prosecutors cited against Michael Cohen would be a political catastrophe for President Trump. One of the presidents closest associates turns out to have allegedly committed a long string of crimes, from tax evasion to making false statements to a financial institution, that would besmirch the good name of the man who worked at his side for years.
Of course Trump has no good name. But the fact that he is being called a felon by the United States government is a historic step. And it is likely the first of more to come.
Just as a recent sentencing report indicated that Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn is cooperating substantially, prosecutors wrote today that Cohen is providing helpful information on other crimes. Cohen reportedly gave the special counsel useful information concerning certain discrete Russia-related matters core to its investigation that he obtained by virtue of his regular contact with Company executives during them. And this contact continued into 2018. Cohen was not locked out and probably has access to some secrets.
The sentencing recommendation for Paul Manafort, Trumps former campaign manager, contains very little detail that isnt redacted. It describes Manafort as having lied repeatedly about his interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, his business partner and Russian intelligence asset, and with the Trump administration. Trump has dismissed Manafort as a distant underling who worked for him only briefly, but the filing states Manaforts contact with the administration continued into 2018. This does not prove anything, but it suggests Manaforts guilt implicated people other than Manafort himself.
The special counsel sentencing recommendation for Cohen also reveals that Russian contact with the Trump campaign began as early as 2015, not the following spring. And Russians promised political synergy which is essentially a synonym for campaign collusion and synergy on a government level. That means a quid pro quo in which Russia would help Trump win the election and Trump, if elected, would give Russia favorable policy. This is the heart of Muellers very much ongoing investigation.
In the meantime, Trumps own government has described him as a crook.
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The Department of Justice Calls Donald Trump a Felon (Original Post)
babylonsister
Dec 2018
OP
TomSlick
(11,092 posts)1. The legal term of art is "unindicted co-conspirator."
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,271 posts)2. what's this "allegedly"? he confessed!
malaise
(268,726 posts)3. Yep
Preet and Toobin agree
bluestarone
(16,872 posts)4. someone help me here
An unindicted-co-conspirator is unable to pardon?? Is this true? TY
SayItLoud
(1,701 posts)5. Today added more confirmation for what so many believe but...
to tRUMP's 40% base they couldn't care less. This crook, TRAITOR is going to get away with it. Almost every talking head lawyer on CNN & MSNBC says; not going to be indicted, not going to be indicted or prosecuted. And, with the cowards in the Senate still supporting this traitor the Senate will not do anything. Cohen gets 3-4 years, ManaFART gets a pardon, Stone, and the tRUMP spores... All pardoned. Seems like crime pays.
Sad tonight.
dalton99a
(81,406 posts)6. Kick