Trump instructed Ambassador to get British Open shifted to his golf course

stevil said:

I certainly think she is fair,

But I've been doing some internet searches and I'm struggling to find where she criticises Obama or Democrats.

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I've watched some TV news from the US recently, trying to figure out where all the 'fake news' accusations come from. Generally it does seem more partisan than TV news is in Europe, not so much in terms of content but rather all the emotion that goes with it, the presenters on both sides are a lot more personally engaged in reporting from their own point of view than I would assume is typical in the developed world. It reminds me of all those American movies where everyone is divided up into 'jocks' and 'nerds' etc, all in their own group - the TV news seems like an extension of that, with people sticking to their own view of the world and seeing anyone with a different view as either stupid or deceitful. The written press has some much better examples of reporting, I think, than the TV stuff.

Tom 1 said:

Here's the original report, everything that's followed appears to confirm the facts and I haven't come across an official attempt to deny any of it. Trump’s Request of an Ambassador: Get the British Open for Me

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What would you call this "Mr. Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”
Your article goes on and on trying to find something other than innuendo but the facts are that the report has no basis in fact and has been denied by the two individuals who would be the only people who know the facts. Sounds very much like you have a former employee who first lost his prized position and then was cast out early and now has an axe to grind.

stevil said:

I certainly think she is fair,

But I've been doing some internet searches and I'm struggling to find where she criticises Obama or Democrats.

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Are you shocked?

disciple Clint said:

What would you call this "Mr. Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.”
Your article goes on and on trying to find something other than innuendo but the facts are that the report has no basis in fact and has been denied by the two individuals who would be the only people who know the facts. Sounds very much like you have a former employee who first lost his prized position and then was cast out early and now has an axe to grind.

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The UK govt is hardly going to 'out' Trump in public. Perhaps read it through again with an open mind. It seems par for the course (pun intended) as far as Trump's mo goes, give jobs to wealthy supporters with no relevant experience and push out anyone who raises concerns.

stevil said:

Pretty disgusting how corrupt this administration is.

Trump’s Request of an Ambassador: Get the British Open for Me
The American ambassador to Britain, Robert Wood Johnson IV, told multiple colleagues in February 2018 that President Trump had asked him to see if the British government could help steer the world-famous and lucrative British Open golf tournament to the Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland, according to three people with knowledge of the episode.

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Do you read the article, you have no case here, even if Trump discussed this as a possibility nothing was done. "Mr. Johnson and referred to a British government statement that said Mr. Johnson “made no request of Mr. Mundell regarding the British Open or any other sporting event.” Trump’s Request of an Ambassador: Get the British Open for Me

Tom 1 said:

The UK govt is hardly going to 'out' Trump in public. Perhaps read it through again with an open mind. It seems par for the course (pun intended) as far as Trump's mo goes, give jobs to wealthy supporters with no relevant experience and push out anyone who raises concerns.

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So the evidence proves that it is not true but you want to believe it.

stevil said:

Not shocked, but I find it interesting.

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I also found that she often failed to verify the source and validity of information that she passes on as fact and she invents some of her coverage of issues by saying "I wounder if..." or "what if...." watch and you will see what I am saying.

stevil said:

The American ambassador to Britain, Robert Wood Johnson IV, told multiple colleagues in February 2018 that President Trump had asked him to see if the British government could help steer the world-famous and lucrative British Open golf tournament to the Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland


Unless these multiple colleagues are lying or unless Johnson IV is lying, it seems Trump asked his ambassador to ask the British government to move the British Open to Trump's golf course.

It would be wholly inappropriate for Trump (as the USA president) to ask that of his own ambassador, regardless of whether that ambassador went on ask this of the British government or not.
Seems authorities ought to ask this ambassador whether this is the case.

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Point in fact Trump may very well have asked him to look into this but there is nothing illegal immoral or fattening about that. That is a long ways from the title of the article. there is also the possibility that Johnson was trying to score points with Trump by putting out the word which he knew would get back to Trump that he was trying to do Trump a favor. Who knows in the game of politics. The important thing is that nothing illegal happened so I think you got alarmed over nothing.

disciple Clint said:

So the evidence proves that it is not true but you want to believe it.

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An official 'this didn't happen' statement is not evidence, it's diplomacy (from the UK side). The trail of emails and the number of people raising it as a concern, along with the lack of a denial from the WH, is evidence enough to take it seriously. As much as some people might imagine it does happen, the idea that career diplomats and others in government spend months creating false scenarios they can later point to as highlighting causes for concern is a bit ridiculous.

disciple Clint said:

Point in fact Trump may very well have asked him to look into this but there is nothing illegal immoral or fattening about that. That is a long ways from the title of the article. there is also the possibility that Johnson was trying to score points with Trump by putting out the word which he knew would get back to Trump that he was trying to do Trump a favor. Who knows in the game of politics. The important thing is that nothing illegal happened so I think you got alarmed over nothing.

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Actually it is illegal for a US president to use that position for personal profit. The whole emoluments thing.

Tom 1 said:

An official 'this didn't happen' statement is not evidence, it's diplomacy (from the UK side). The trail of emails and the number of people raising it as a concern, along with the lack of a denial from the WH, is evidence enough to take it seriously. As much as some people might imagine it does happen, the idea that career diplomats and others in government spend months creating false scenarios they can later point to as highlighting causes for concern is a bit ridiculous.

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Bottom line, if you cannot produce evidence, then it didn't happen.

Tom 1 said:

Actually it is illegal for a US president to use that position for personal profit. The whole emoluments thing.

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Where did he make a profit on something that did not happen. This story is wishful fiction with no proof of any, again I say any, illegal activity.

Tom 1 said:

To save the Trumpers some time, I don’t mind spending a minute to provide the stock answers -

1) It’s fake news, never happened
2) Ok it happened but not like they said
3) Ok it is like they said but there must be an alternative explanation (btw anything anyone else from the other party ever did ever is far worse)
4) It turns out this is part of Trump’s plan to ‘drain the swamp’. By appearing to be utterly without scruple he is actually waging war against the forces of darkness.
5) MAGA

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6) But Hillary.

disciple Clint said:

Where did he make a profit on something that did not happen. This story is wishful fiction with no proof of any, again I say any, illegal activity.

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Although the plan never came to fruition, he attempted to use the diplomatic service to advance a personal agenda to make money and gain prestige.

stevil said:

It is unethical and possibly illegal for Trump to use his position as President of USA to try to get a foreign country to use his golf course for the British Open.

Trump's job is to manage USA's interests, not his properties. It is corruption at the highest levels, it is THE SWAMP.

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Calm down, it is not like Trump needs more money. We do not even know for certain if Trump had anything to do with this and nothing happened so what is the excitement all about?

JackRT said:

Although the plan never came to fruition, he attempted to use the diplomatic service to advance a personal agenda to make money and gain prestige.

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We do not have any proof of that. We do not know if this was Trumps idea or Johnson's or some other actor.

disciple Clint said:

Bottom line, if you cannot produce evidence, then it didn't happen.

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There's plenty of evidence right there in the article to merit concern, particularly given that it fits the pattern of the current WH - people willing to scratch backs and do favours get ahead, people with integrity get shown the door. Over and over again. If the allegations are false, then the NYT can/could be made to retract in, as on the few occasions when something that actually is false is printed and there is an instant hullabaloo that lasts for weeks, however minor the issue is. Anything that is actually true gets nothing more than flat denials without any attempt to counter what is said.