White House dodges question about whether Trump talked to Icahn before tariff announcement

[turbinetree]

Source: Think Progress

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders dodged a question about whether President Trump spoke with billionaire investor Carl Icahn prior to announcing last week his intention to impose hefty tariffs on steel.

Trump and Icahn’s communications have been at issue after ThinkProgress reported last week that Icahn dumped more than $30 million in steel-related stock days before the announcement. A leading expert in insider trading, Duke Law professor James D. Cox, told ThinkProgress the timing of the sale was “awfully suspicious” and “unquestionably” warranted a federal investigation.

A key question in any such inquiry is whether Icahn was in touch with Trump or others in the White House and learned material inside information about potential steel tariffs.

Read more: https://thinkprogress.org/white-house-dodges-question-about-possible-insider-trading-0c13776baa21/

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Someone is clearly lying....................


November 2018 cannot get here fast enough

[bucolic_frolic]

1. They gonna have trouble hiding from this one

It's plain as day

[turbinetree]

2. Yepper, spot on

plains as day ................and I want to know how the SEC is going to deal with this...................


November 2018 cannot get here fast enough

[Cosmocat]

4. The problem will be proving it

this is one of those things that the "smoking gun" is going to be tough to get.

I am sure they can find a cell phone call logged or something, but unless they had some kind of recorded or written exchange ...

[turbinetree]

7. Some one that controls the white house logs..................

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Ask Martha Stewart

I didn't follow that case closely, but she had some "shelf" instructions?

Icahn advises Trump.

This is why public officials normally put their investments in trusts they don't control for the duration of their incumbency.

[riversedge]

16. Hope the press gives them plenty of trouble with this one!

[aeromanKC]

3. Simple answer is No

If it didn't happen.

[dflprincess]

5. I take the dodge to mean

"Yes, he did."

[duforsure]

6. Of course he did,

And was promised a cut from the profits.

[More_Cowbell]

11. Luckily, since 2016, the tip is illegal even if the tipper gets no monetary benefit

This was done in the Salman case, in the US Supreme Court. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-insidertrading/u-s-top-court-fortifies-prosecutors-in-insider-trading-cases-idUSKBN13V1YB

The lawyer who argued successfully to the Supreme Court was Michael R. Dreeben, whom Mueller chose for his investigation team.

edited to add: The Salman decision just reiterated the previous "no financial gain is necessary" approach, after a SCOTUS decision a few years earlier had caused confusion.

[marylandblue]

9. I get the sense that Sarah never talks to Trump

She always seems to be saying she is not aware of something or hasn't talked to Trump about, or the question has already been answered. And why should she talk to Trump? First, she already knows what his answer would be. And second, if she never talks to him, she won't have to perjure herself before the grand jury.

[forgotmylogin]

15. The less she talks to him, the more she can say she doesn't know. (n/t)

[Angry Dragon]

10. Don the Con told Carl...........all of them cheats

[kacekwl]

12. Yes or No question

right Sarah.

[mpcamb]

13. So after his Big Mac supper he begins calls to billionaire pals,whining about leaks...

Is there any question who's the biggest leak source in the White house?
Who can't keep is cake-hole shut for 3 minutes?
Clearly, when any state AG, any person in the SEC decides to check for insider trading, they need to get trump's phone records for those preceeding couple days.
Then put Icahn away.

[groundloop]

14. 45* has a motive for everything.... what's his motive for announcing tariffs?

He certainly could simply be trying to help some of his rich billionaire pals, but given 45*s temperament you have to wonder if there was someone who he felt he could 'punish' with this move (and gave a heads-up to Icahn to avoid collateral damage).