Russia puts the squeeze on Don Jr : Talking Points Memo

[Stuart G]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/russia-puts-the-squeeze-on-don-jr

Of special importance is the last long paragraph...
from the above article:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
That notorious Russian lawyer who met with Don Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort in Trump Tower in June 2016 is talking again. Natalia Veselnitskaya gave a two and a half hour interview yesterday in Moscow in which she claimed that Don Jr. had told her that key sanctions against Russia might be lifted in what seems to have been a tacit exchange for help in the election.

"Here’s the key passage from the write-up in Bloomberg News "…

Veselnitskaya said she went to the New York meeting to show Trump campaign officials that major Democratic donors had evaded U.S. taxes and to lobby against the so-called Magnitsky law that punishes Russian officials for the murder of a Russian tax accountant who accused the Kremlin of corruption.

“Looking ahead, if we come to power, we can return to this issue and think what to do about it,’’ Trump Jr. said of the 2012 law, she recalled. “I understand our side may have messed up, but it’ll take a long time to get to the bottom of it,” he added, according to her.

Veselnitskaya also said Trump Jr. requested financial documents showing that money that allegedly evaded U.S. taxes had gone to Clinton’s campaign. She didn’t have any and described the 20-minute meeting as a failure.
There are several overlapping points to consider in this account. The first and most important is that we should not take anything Veselnitskaya says at face value. Our best understanding is that she is part of a Russian intelligence influence operation. The point of these efforts is not just to make deals or help friends. It is to get control. That means compromising people. It is hard to see this statement on her part as anything but an implicit threat. If what she is saying is true, Veselnitskaya is describing the clearest example to date of a proposed quid pro quo between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. A plain reading of her claim is that he was suggesting that if they could produce real evidence against Clinton, a future Trump administration could help with sanctions relief.

That is a huge, huge detail – if it’s true.
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Later on Josh Marshall discusses the question of "would she lie" about this. But what is important is this is: this is breaking the law, cutting a deal with Russia for information to hurt Clinton. Don Jr. is in deep trouble if indeed this is what the law says. Her testimony is proof of that. Is it illegal to collude with another country to influence our election?..We will find out. I do hope it is, and Donald Jr. gets some real time in the slammer.

[Girard442]

1. You know, Putin, et al. aren't big fans of due process.

You have to believe that the Trumpkins think about that a lot.

[Stuart G]

4. Yes, you are correct.."due process" is not what the Trumpkins want.

They want whatever they want and they want it .. "now" and "their way". Working through the law, as slow as it is, is not what that crowd wants. Trump himself likes to "grab " the law any way he wants to.

But this time, now the Trumpkins are up against the policeman who can persecute the "grabber" And, this policeman knows the law and knows how to enforce the law if someone breaks the law. He also knows how to interpret the law to see if someone has broken it. He, Muller, has hired other experts on breaking the different parts of "the law" and "due process"

I wonder if the "Trumpkins" realize what they are really up against? Does Don Jr. realize that he is really facing jail time? What do you think? Arrogance does not think about "jail time" Perhaps some reading on two people would help the Trumpkins see what the future might be: Haldeman and Ehrlichman ( both served 18 months in jail for their efforts in Watergate, added that to save some time)

[vlyons]

10. It's hard to know what sort of stupid thinking goes thru a Trumpster's mind

I really don't want to know. Truly. But I know enough to know that Trumpsters live in a dark dark delusional world of greed, entitlement, arrogance, and envy. They would rather be right, than happy. Especially Papa Trumpster. They are not happy people. They probably think that they can buy their way out of this. But it's too too late. The American people do not forget, at least the vast majority of us don't forget the corruption, damage, and treason, and embarrassment that the Trumpsters have inflicted on our country. They have tarnished our honor and made millions of people fearful and depressed.

So Mueller cannot be bought. He can be fired, but not silenced. And his team of prosecutors might be dismissed, but they won't forget what they know about Trumpster corruption. Honorable journalists will not lose their ambition for a Pulitzer or Peabody prize. Republicans will not hold the House and Senate forever, and when Dems finally take them back, their pent-up desire for justice will be on the agenda. Near the top I imagine.

Karma may take a while to bear fruit, but like gravity, it never stops working.

[NastyRiffraff]

2. Not sure if Veselnitskaya is to be trusted

Keeping in mind she's a Russian operative, I wonder what her agenda is here. It could be a warning to the Trumpers; it could just be the truth; it could be that she's pissed that her meeting was cut short; or, of course, it could be a lie.

It doesn't change the "I love it!" from Junior.

[marylandblue]

6. I'm wondering if Putin is sick of Trump

Trump has not delivered on his promises to Putin. You know what happens when you disappoint the Russian Mafia.

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Ah,interesting point.

Think not,look at what is going on in Saudi Arabia,Kushner the messenger was up to something. Oil goes nuts,who benefits other than the Saudi's,ding ding ding,Putin. Remember last month,Putin and the Saudi King signed a Pipe line using agreement were as,Aramco would move twenty percent of their oil and Nat Gas using Putin's Pipe.

The Russian Ruble just increased in value against the Dollar last night. This puts Putin back in the game. Donald Trump has not and will not cuts his ties to Putin. The Russian Mafia has this family by the short ones.

[NastyRiffraff]

11. I was wondering about that

WE know Trump isn't to be trusted; Putin may be thinking the same thing. Although Putin no doubt understands that sometimes a dictator wannabe needs to lie, Trump's lies are all over the place; they simply make no sense. Putin may be wondering what he'll spit out of his mouth from pure stupidity.

[Stuart G]

12. Great Point, " Putin may be wondering what he'll spit out of his mouth from pure stupidity"

And guess what?.. Putin is not the only one wondering that. I know a whole lot of people who come to Democratic Underground are thinking the exact same thing...as are tens of millions of other people...

[Blue_true]

3. If she is talking in Russia, better bet Putin want her to talk.

She would have been dead otherwise.

[PearliePoo2]

13. That's what I believe too. No one says or does ANYTHING without Pootie's blessing.

Vlad is sending a clear message to don sr.
He's letting him know his son can be sacrificed and sent to prison. Sanctions aren't lifted so now he plays hard ball.
As the saying goes: Paybacks are a bitch.

[Stuart G]

14. So, Putin gave Trump a good amount of time..and Donald Trump didn't keep his word..eh?

If that was the deal, to lift sanctions, then that is the deal. Remember "A deal is a deal"
Putin can join the crowd of people who Trump stiffed on a deal..but...........Putin is showing us that he has leverage too. With the "spy lady"...so simple...

Let the spy lady tell the truth about the deal, and some Trumpkins go down..

And that is exactly what has happened. Oh, Don Jr. is going down?? Looks like it. Poor Don Jr. He will not like the jail, very few top jobs there. So daddy will have to pardon Don Jr. perhaps, but that will not look too good for daddy. Will daddy want to .."not look good to save Junior ?"

Please stay tuned for the next chapter in ...."Trump's World" ..same time, same station. , today and every day..

[Stuart G]

7. Thank You for posting the exact law..

Obviously, Donald Jr. did not know or care about what that law states. He was doing what his dad wanted him to do. (obviously) But my guess and belief is that Donald Jr. will find out about the law that you have quoted above. I think one of the key sentences is

"A scheme involving two or more participants designed in part
to thwart the statutory duties of the Federal Election Commission to
enforce FECA’s reporting requirements and prohibitions and to
provide the public with accurate data regarding the financial activities
by federal candidates and entities supporting them can be prosecuted
as a conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 371"

What do you think ? Was Don Jr. part of a conspiracy to "thwart the statutory duties of the FEC to enforce the FECA's reporting requirements?...Simply put for us slow thinkers...Was there some sort of scheme, (cover up ) to keep the FEC from knowing about info gotten from Russia to hurt Hillary's election ? Did the so called "scheme" include payment?

What do you think? Some sort of ....."scheme"...? Looks like it to me.."a scheme"..to thwart the duties of the FEC...YES...IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WAS A "SCHEME"..

Do you think twelve jurors will think the same thing?