Paul Manafort and Rick Gates surrender to FBI

Let's hear Trump-ites try to spin this now.

Targaryen said:

Let's hear Trump-ites try to spin this now.

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My guess: Manafort is not Trump, Ukraine is not Russia. MUELLER CLEARS TRUMP. Also BENGHAZI EMAILS URANIUM.

EDIT: Already seen a version of the first part here.

What's interesting, underneath the Manafort and Gates hurly-burly, is that a former Trump campaign aide (George Papadopolous) has pled guilty to lying to the FBI. Apparently, he was arrested on the QT early this month and has been cooperatign with the FBI since they nailed him. The guilty plea is probably part of the deal for his testimony.

So it *looks* like they've already flipped a campaign aide. And considering his info is still under wraps, I'm betting the next round of indictments and subpeonas is being put into place already.

majj27 said:

My guess: Manafort is not Trump, Ukraine is not Russia. MUELLER CLEARS TRUMP. Also BENGHAZI EMAILS URANIUM.

EDIT: Already seen a version of the first part here.

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I'm not sure whether this being so true makes it more funny or sad.

ThatRobGuy said:

Paul Manafort and Rick Gates surrender to FBI: Live updates - CNNPolitics

Paul Manafort, Rick Gates charged with conspiracy against US - CNNPolitics


Things are heating up folks..

The indictment against the Manafort and Gates contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

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Could be bad news for Trump and family if money laundering is going to be prosecuted with any vigor...Speaking of which, has President Trump nominated a replacement yet for Preet Bharara, fired U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York?

majj27 said:

What's interesting, underneath the Manafort and Gates hurly-burly, is that a former Trump campaign aide (George Papadopolous) has pled guilty to lying to the FBI.

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Specifically, lying to the FBI about contact with Russians who claimed to have thousands of Hilary's emails. Nothing to do with Trump or Russians, though.

ThatRobGuy said:

The indictment against the Manafort and Gates contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

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Historically speaking, I wonder what's the correlation between calling yourself a "law and order" politician and being in a criminal gang

ThatRobGuy said:

Paul Manafort and Rick Gates surrender to FBI: Live updates - CNNPolitics

Paul Manafort, Rick Gates charged with conspiracy against US - CNNPolitics


Things are heating up folks..

The indictment against the Manafort and Gates contains 12 counts: conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) statements, false statements, and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts.

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It has to do with business dealings and not the campaign.

The charges against Mr Manafort and Mr Gates do not relate to Mr Trump's campaign but to the alleged concealment of payments from the pair's Ukrainian business dealings up to 2016.

Ex-Trump aide charged with US tax fraud

Christmas came early this year! I've been hearing that Pappadopoulis*, who plead guilty, worked with/for Sessions during the campaign. There might be (probably will be) more fun stuff to come.


*Wrong guy; sorry. Hope I spelled this guy's name correctly

Ringo

ThatRobGuy said:

Either they'll come up with some really creative web of logic to try to explain it, or they'll just go with the path of least resistance and claim "Fake News!!"

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Or they'll actually read the part where it isn't related to the campaign.
Those darn Trumpers, reading things before posting them!

Rion said:

Or they'll actually read the part where it isn't related to the campaign.

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This is indeed not directly related to the campaign. All it shows is that (if guilty) Trump's campaign manager was deeply tied to pro-Russian forces, was being paid a lot of money by them, lied about it, and broke the law to hide the money. That doesn't reflect well on Trump and sure as heck doesn't do anything to undercut the idea that Trump and his campaign were colluding with Russians, but it doesn't prove anything.

It may give Mueller a lot of leverage over an important figure in Trump's campaign, though.

Is this how news stories are going to be presented from now on? "I wonder how Trump-ites will try to spin this" and then discussing that instead of the story? Is this your attempt to try and stop us? Nice try though. None of this proves Trump colluded with Russia.

ThatRobGuy said:

That's been the defense for all of the speculation
"it was before the campaign"
"Trump didn't know anything about it"
etc...

The fact is, if they can prove that Trump had any knowledge of this, or that it goes a little deeper than what's already on the surface, the president could be in some trouble.

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sfs said:

This is indeed not directly related to the campaign. All it shows is that (if guilty) Trump's campaign manager was deeply tied to pro-Russian forces, was being paid a lot of money by them, lied about it, and broke the law to hide the money. That doesn't reflect well on Trump and sure as heck doesn't do anything to undercut the idea that Trump and his campaign were colluding with Russians, but it doesn't prove anything.

It may give Mueller a lot of leverage over an important figure in Trump's campaign, though.

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I think you're both going to be bitterly disappointed when he turns out to be another Scooter Libby.

Such a show trial. Mueller should turn himself in.

HereIStand said:

Such a show trial. Mueller should turn himself in.

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Nah, Manafort almost certainly did illegal stuff over in the Ukraine. Every time one of these special prosecutors get released, they have to justify their existence somehow, so they keep digging until they find something.

ThatRobGuy said:

That's been the defense for all of the speculation
"it was before the campaign"
"Trump didn't know anything about it"
etc...

The fact is, if they can prove that Trump had any knowledge of this, or that it goes a little deeper than what's already on the surface, the president could be in some trouble.

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Part of these early indictments is because there is a statute of limitations on some of the charges, and you use them as leverage to prosecute other crimes. People cheering because the charges are about activities before the campaign (i.e, "there's no case for collusion") are woefully naive.

SummerMadness said:

Part of these early indictments is because there is a statute of limitations on some of the charges, and you use them as leverage to prosecute other crimes. People cheering because the charges are about activities before the campaign (i.e, "there's no case for collusion") are woefully naive.

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As are those who are rubbing their hands together in glee as if this will lead to Trump's impeachment. A lot of what REALLY is going on has been hidden under the many layers of bias, speculation, and wishful thinking of the left and anti-Trumpers. Both sides need to gird their loins and prepare for impact, because there's shadiness and corruption going on in all levels of the government, on all sides.