I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
I'm mixed on it. I think the factors that played into the original intention to have it don't exist to the same degree. It tends to contribute to a sense of voter apathy. I have a clean voting record. I've always voted D.
Fair enough.
But always voting D does not give you a clean voting record.
The clean voting record was sort of a joke on your question. Now you've left me hanging as to why you asked.
James Clapper and others stated that there is no evidence Potus colluded with Russia. This story is FAKE NEWS and everyone knows it! The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost! The real story that Congress, the FBI and all others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now! !
I wouldn't count on impeachment. That would hinge on Republicans being willing to throw out their own sitting president. I can't imagine the piece of smoking gun evidence that would be required for them to bite that bullet. It would literally have to be a sex tape with Trump and Putin, and even then Republicans would be like, "As you can see, the President is the pitcher in the relationship."
everybody wants the most they can possibly get
for the least they could possibly do
But I thought there would not be any more headlines or investigations of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia because, well, because of the brilliance of Trump, the man, the candidate and president and of those he surrounded himself with?
and his numerous successes in the business world, too like Trump Casinos and Trump University. so good at business.
C'mon fess up, who here has had a Trump steak?
I actually looked into buying a case when it aired on QVC and having it shipped. I wanted to keep the box after and see how good these steaks actually were. It didn't work out the shipping cost was ridiculous.
Just heard Fake News CNN is doing polls again despite the fact that their election polls were a WAY OFF disaster. Much higher ratings at Fox. What about all of the contact with the Clinton campaign and the Russians? Also, is it true that the DNC would not let the FBI in to look?
I wouldn't count on impeachment. That would hinge on Republicans being willing to throw out their own sitting president. I can't imagine the piece of smoking gun evidence that would be required for them to bite that bullet. It would literally have to be a sex tape with Trump and Putin, and even then Republicans would be like, "As you can see, the President is the pitcher in the relationship."
37% approval rating. As the investigation continues and the layers of the rotting onion get peeled back, the financial ties and arrangements, as well as the collusion and, "what did Trump know and when did he know it" becomes evident, the republicans will abandon him and turn on him as their own seats become untenable supporting a president who regularly lies and went so far and above any type of previous scandal. Read the Vox article on what the investigation should be focusing on, financial dealings. There's still a reason Trump refuses to release his tax returns. He's the most compromised president ever. Remember, Clinton's impeachment started with the investigation of a land deal in Arkansas.
Just heard Fake News CNN is doing polls again despite the fact that their election polls were a WAY OFF disaster. Much higher ratings at Fox. What about all of the contact with the Clinton campaign and the Russians? Also, is it true that the DNC would not let the FBI in to look?
lol he's loosing it guess what bafoon no one believes you you are a pathetic liar !
James Clapper and others stated that there is no evidence Potus colluded with Russia. This story is FAKE NEWS and everyone knows it! The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost! The real story that Congress, the FBI and all others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now! !
If this were true, why didn't Obama tap Trump Tower? Here, I'll link the declassified report again:
Hillary won by 2.1%, so the predicted general election win by five points was within the 3.5% margin of error in the poll. Suprise surprise, trump reveals his stupidity again.
Awesome.. Trump is tweeting while watching the hearings.. Doesn't he have anything better to do than watch TV on a Monday afternoon? He is the president.. I would think there was SOMETHING else he could do to be more productive.
Comey responds to questions regarding Trump tweets sent during the hearing!! He's getting called out in real time now!!
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
Awesome.. Trump is tweeting while watching the hearings.. Doesn't he have anything better to do than watch TV on a Monday afternoon? He is the president.. I would think there was SOMETHING else he could do to be more productive.
Comey responds to questions regarding Trump tweets sent during the hearing!! He's getting called out in real time now!!
But I thought there would not be any more headlines or investigations of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia because, well, because of the brilliance of Trump, the man, the candidate and president and of those he surrounded himself with?
and his numerous successes in the business world, too like Trump Casinos and Trump University. so good at business.
C'mon fess up, who here has had a Trump steak?
I do own 1 Donald J Trump tie and one Donald J Trump dress shirt My favorite thing about the tie is the Made in China tag the shirt is a piece of shit that if you breathe on it too hard it instantly wrinkles beyond the point of wear-ablity and has a Made in Vietnam tag.
What made you buy his products? And when was this?
They were given to me as a gift a few years ago. The tie is OK I guess, but I wear it properly at belt buckle level. the shirt is awful.
Awesome.. Trump is tweeting while watching the hearings.. Doesn't he have anything better to do than watch TV on a Monday afternoon? He is the president.. I would think there was SOMETHING else he could do to be more productive.
Comey responds to questions regarding Trump tweets sent during the hearing!! He's getting called out in real time now!!
But I thought there would not be any more headlines or investigations of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia because, well, because of the brilliance of Trump, the man, the candidate and president and of those he surrounded himself with?
and his numerous successes in the business world, too like Trump Casinos and Trump University. so good at business.
C'mon fess up, who here has had a Trump steak?
I do own 1 Donald J Trump tie and one Donald J Trump dress shirt My favorite thing about the tie is the Made in China tag the shirt is a piece of shit that if you breathe on it too hard it instantly wrinkles beyond the point of wear-ablity and has a Made in Vietnam tag.
What made you buy his products? And when was this?
They were given to me as a gift a few years ago. The tie is OK I guess, but I wear it properly at belt buckle level. the shirt is awful.
But I thought there would not be any more headlines or investigations of the Trump campaign's ties to Russia because, well, because of the brilliance of Trump, the man, the candidate and president and of those he surrounded himself with?
and his numerous successes in the business world, too like Trump Casinos and Trump University. so good at business.
C'mon fess up, who here has had a Trump steak?
I do own 1 Donald J Trump tie and one Donald J Trump dress shirt My favorite thing about the tie is the Made in China tag the shirt is a piece of shit that if you breathe on it too hard it instantly wrinkles beyond the point of wear-ablity and has a Made in Vietnam tag.
What made you buy his products? And when was this?
They were given to me as a gift a few years ago. The tie is OK I guess, but I wear it properly at belt buckle level. the shirt is awful.
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
I can't speak for the others, but I wear the sticker as an advertisement that it's Election Day in hopes that it reminds some people to vote. I don't wear it to talk politics. I think you're grossly missing the point.
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
I can't speak for the others, but I wear the sticker as an advertisement that it's Election Day in hopes that it reminds some people to vote. I don't wear it to talk politics. I think you're grossly missing the point.
I used the sticker as a quick example. Your reasoning is fair enough. I didn't mean everyone who wears the sticker is like that.
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
I can't speak for the others, but I wear the sticker as an advertisement that it's Election Day in hopes that it reminds some people to vote. I don't wear it to talk politics. I think you're grossly missing the point.
Also if you need to remind someone that it's election day. They probably shouldn't be voting in the first place.
I don't see it that way at all. Millions of people don't eat, sleep, and breathe politics- it doesn't equate to being uninformed and they still are allowed an equal vote as anyone else.
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
I can't speak for the others, but I wear the sticker as an advertisement that it's Election Day in hopes that it reminds some people to vote. I don't wear it to talk politics. I think you're grossly missing the point.
Also if you need to remind someone that it's election day. They probably shouldn't be voting in the first place.
Okay, I'll play your game. I voted for Clinton in 96, Gore, Kerry, Obama. I'm a Democrat. I'm economically moderate and socially liberal. I vote social polices more than I vote my wallet. I would call myself a Rob Dreher kind of guy, generally when it comes to international affairs. I believe Kennedy and his Best and the Brightest fucked us up for more than a generation. Anything else about my moral center you'd like to know, and I'd be happy to tell you.
Now, please explain how this assists you in describing the key metric, indicator, stat, whatever that shows that the general population (read: majority) are so much worse off today than they were 20-50 years ago that would necessitate burning down the house. Please. Explain the comment.
I'm just trying to figure out what we're supposed to burn to the ground? Our faith in democracy?
Sure.
Lets see, Electoral college, Yes or no?
Not sure questioning the Electoral College is exactly burning things to the ground.
Are you for it or not? Also, what's your voting record ?
That's his business and not yours to ask about. There's a reason why partition walls and curtains exist in the voting booths.
He's not a random person I bumped into and started asking about how he votes . We are trying to have a discussion and these questions are pertinent.
I've read through the thread. I know the pretense. Regardless, aside from pure ignorance it is an invasion of privacy to ask how someone votes. If that person offers up their voter history without being asked, that's up to them to decide. I just don't take kindly to people asking others how they voted because it's none of their damn business.
You don't take kindly to it? Well I don't really care.
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
I can't speak for the others, but I wear the sticker as an advertisement that it's Election Day in hopes that it reminds some people to vote. I don't wear it to talk politics. I think you're grossly missing the point.
Also if you need to remind someone that it's election day. They probably shouldn't be voting in the first place.
Okay, I'll play your game. I voted for Clinton in 96, Gore, Kerry, Obama. I'm a Democrat. I'm economically moderate and socially liberal. I vote social polices more than I vote my wallet. I would call myself a Rob Dreher kind of guy, generally when it comes to international affairs. I believe Kennedy and his Best and the Brightest fucked us up for more than a generation. Anything else about my moral center you'd like to know, and I'd be happy to tell you.
Now, please explain how this assists you in describing the key metric, indicator, stat, whatever that shows that the general population (read: majority) are so much worse off today than they were 20-50 years ago that would necessitate burning down the house. Please. Explain the comment.
The Trump-Russia Story Has Only Just Begun (To Explode)
Not since Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal has an investigative hearing made it so clear that a presidency was in serious legal peril.
By Howard Fineman
WASHINGTON ― Let’s step back for a minute and consider again what we saw Monday in a hearing room of the U.S. House.
The director of the FBI, with the director of the National Security Agency agreeing at his side, in effect called the president of the United States a liar ― and, oh, by the way, the president’s 2016 campaign indeed is under investigation for allegedly having secretly teamed up with Russia to win the election.
After two months of Donald J. Trump’s presidency and more than a year of his campaign, our political senses are so dulled by tumult that we can barely recognize history when we see it. Make no mistake. Monday’s hearing was all but unprecedented.
Not since a White House aide named Alexander Butterfield told the Watergate committee in 1973 that President Richard Nixon had bugged his own Oval Office has an investigative hearing made it so clear that a presidency was in serious legal jeopardy.
Now we know for sure that, while no one “tapped” Trump’s phones, his campaign circle is in the gunsights of the FBI. The issue is whether Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose interference in the 2016 election is now an accepted fact, tried to rig the outcome with the knowledge or collusion of Team Trump.
Foreign countries have meddled in U.S. politics from the founding of the republic. At the dawn of the 19th century, France and Britain fought what amounted to a proxy war between U.S. allies of the two countries. France and Britain aided opposite sites in the Civil War. German interests spread propaganda here to try to keep America from fighting in World War I and World War II. And of course, the Soviet Union infested the State Department and other portions of the U.S. government during the Cold War.
But it is highly unlikely that a foreign government ever has been under investigation for direct ties to and direct ― and successful ― efforts to aid a presidential candidate, especially one now serving as president, and who has expressed such interest in better relations with the government under investigation.
While Democrats probed FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Michael Rogers for evidence of links between Trump and Russia, Republicans sought to change the conversation by asking about leaks pertaining to Trump and Russia. Comey insisted he was concerned about the leaks, but seemed more eager to ominously deny comment on where the unauthorized disclosures were coming from.
If Team Trump is found to be complicit in any way, leading figures in the campaign and in the White House would indeed become targets of law enforcement. The White House and its minions will howl about “FAKE NEWS” ― the president did so via Twitter Monday morning ― but even Fox was covering the House hearing.
Which, in turn, means this story is just beginning. Here’s why:
•“The Community.” That’s the reverent term of art that Rogers and Comey used Monday to describe the alphabet soup of agencies that handle national security and investigations of breaches. As Rogers and Comey described it, the entire “community” regards Russia as perhaps the leading global “adversary” of the U.S. What the two men did not say ― but clearly believe ― is that the allegations about the campaign could lead to deeper questions about Trump’s global game plan ― and whether that plan, presuming he has one, is itself a threat to national security. “The Community” is not going to give in or give up.
•Wikileaks. The Community seethes at the mention of WikiLeaks, which Rogers and Comey said Russian hackers had used as a conduit for making compromising Democratic emails public. The Community wants to nail WikiLeaks, or a least make an example of forces who use it in this fashion.
•Ukraine. Putin’s invasion of Crimea, and his longtime strong-arming of Ukraine politics, is now coming with a price as what’s left of Ukrainian nationalism fights a rear-guard action ― not in Kiev so much as in Washington. It is more than possible that Putin has been too cute by half, because independent Ukrainian investigators have dug into the record of Trump associates such as former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and are feeding the results to the American media and American agencies. Can Putin shut them down altogether? The more attention this gets in the U.S., the harder that will be.
•FARA. It’s the Foreign Agent Registration Act, and judging from the opaque denials from Comey, it seems clear that the FBI is investigating violations of it by Manafort and by Michael Flynn, Trump’s former campaign adviser and, briefly, until he was ousted for lying about his Russia ties, national security adviser. Manafort worked with pro-Putin Ukrainians; Flynn took money from Russian television, effectively an arm of the Putin regime. White House spokesman Sean Spicer claimed Monday that Manafort had played a “limited” role in the campaign. That is a flat-out lie. Manafort ran the campaign from the spring of 2016 ― to the extent anyone could actually run it ― until after the GOP convention.
•The Squeeze. If and when FBI agents get Manafort or Flynn in their vise, they will climb up the chain by turning targets into witnesses. What do Manafort and Flynn know about, say, Trump and his dealings with Russia? Probably a lot. And that it where things could go next, depending on what the FBI really has.
•GOP. Republican leaders had the Russia story, and they are not eager to push the line that it is a good thing to be in bed with Putin. You haven’t ― and won’t ― see Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) getting in the way of the FBI freight train. They tend to agree that Russia is an enemy.
•Comey. In the 2016, Comey may well have helped Trump by announcing that he had revived an investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private emails. Having zigged in one direction, he is now zagging in the other, after the fact. He has more than six years left in his term, and is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon. He may be an umpire following one bad call with another, but he is not about to leave the field of play. And Comey made it clear Monday that he was speaking out with the approval of the Department of Justice – which means Attorney General Jeff Sessions. History buffs will hear the echoes of Watergate. Nixon sealed his own doom by demanding that Justice fire the man investigating him.
Comments
How someone votes says a lot. How they defend said votes, says even more.
The Democrats made up and pushed the Russian story as an excuse for running a terrible campaign. Big advantage in Electoral College & lost! The real story that Congress, the FBI and all others should be looking into is the leaking of Classified information. Must find leaker now!
!
for the least they could possibly do
It didn't work out the shipping cost was ridiculous.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf
Maybe you could tweet that back to Trump for me? Trump leaked the information about being wiretapped by Obama.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Comey responds to questions regarding Trump tweets sent during the hearing!! He's getting called out in real time now!!
www.cluthelee.com
www.cluthe.com
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
www.cluthelee.com
www.cluthe.com
Oh, how the caged bird may sing.
Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.
Brilliantati©
Wait Are you the type of person who where's the *I voted* sticker then when asked *who'd yah vote for?..Then Freaks out "OMG non of your business you ignorant bastard!"
Perhaps you are.
http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
http://www.reverbnation.com/brianzilm
Now, please explain how this assists you in describing the key metric, indicator, stat, whatever that shows that the general population (read: majority) are so much worse off today than they were 20-50 years ago that would necessitate burning down the house. Please. Explain the comment.
pass the gasoline and hand me a match
Not since Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal has an investigative hearing made it so clear that a presidency was in serious legal peril.
By Howard Fineman
WASHINGTON ― Let’s step back for a minute and consider again what we saw Monday in a hearing room of the U.S. House.
The director of the FBI, with the director of the National Security Agency agreeing at his side, in effect called the president of the United States a liar ― and, oh, by the way, the president’s 2016 campaign indeed is under investigation for allegedly having secretly teamed up with Russia to win the election.
After two months of Donald J. Trump’s presidency and more than a year of his campaign, our political senses are so dulled by tumult that we can barely recognize history when we see it. Make no mistake. Monday’s hearing was all but unprecedented.
Not since a White House aide named Alexander Butterfield told the Watergate committee in 1973 that President Richard Nixon had bugged his own Oval Office has an investigative hearing made it so clear that a presidency was in serious legal jeopardy.
Now we know for sure that, while no one “tapped” Trump’s phones, his campaign circle is in the gunsights of the FBI. The issue is whether Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose interference in the 2016 election is now an accepted fact, tried to rig the outcome with the knowledge or collusion of Team Trump.
Foreign countries have meddled in U.S. politics from the founding of the republic. At the dawn of the 19th century, France and Britain fought what amounted to a proxy war between U.S. allies of the two countries. France and Britain aided opposite sites in the Civil War. German interests spread propaganda here to try to keep America from fighting in World War I and World War II. And of course, the Soviet Union infested the State Department and other portions of the U.S. government during the Cold War.
But it is highly unlikely that a foreign government ever has been under investigation for direct ties to and direct ― and successful ― efforts to aid a presidential candidate, especially one now serving as president, and who has expressed such interest in better relations with the government under investigation.
While Democrats probed FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Michael Rogers for evidence of links between Trump and Russia, Republicans sought to change the conversation by asking about leaks pertaining to Trump and Russia. Comey insisted he was concerned about the leaks, but seemed more eager to ominously deny comment on where the unauthorized disclosures were coming from.
If Team Trump is found to be complicit in any way, leading figures in the campaign and in the White House would indeed become targets of law enforcement. The White House and its minions will howl about “FAKE NEWS” ― the president did so via Twitter Monday morning ― but even Fox was covering the House hearing.
Which, in turn, means this story is just beginning. Here’s why:
•“The Community.” That’s the reverent term of art that Rogers and Comey used Monday to describe the alphabet soup of agencies that handle national security and investigations of breaches. As Rogers and Comey described it, the entire “community” regards Russia as perhaps the leading global “adversary” of the U.S. What the two men did not say ― but clearly believe ― is that the allegations about the campaign could lead to deeper questions about Trump’s global game plan ― and whether that plan, presuming he has one, is itself a threat to national security. “The Community” is not going to give in or give up.
•Wikileaks. The Community seethes at the mention of WikiLeaks, which Rogers and Comey said Russian hackers had used as a conduit for making compromising Democratic emails public. The Community wants to nail WikiLeaks, or a least make an example of forces who use it in this fashion.
•Ukraine. Putin’s invasion of Crimea, and his longtime strong-arming of Ukraine politics, is now coming with a price as what’s left of Ukrainian nationalism fights a rear-guard action ― not in Kiev so much as in Washington. It is more than possible that Putin has been too cute by half, because independent Ukrainian investigators have dug into the record of Trump associates such as former campaign manager Paul Manafort, and are feeding the results to the American media and American agencies. Can Putin shut them down altogether? The more attention this gets in the U.S., the harder that will be.
•FARA. It’s the Foreign Agent Registration Act, and judging from the opaque denials from Comey, it seems clear that the FBI is investigating violations of it by Manafort and by Michael Flynn, Trump’s former campaign adviser and, briefly, until he was ousted for lying about his Russia ties, national security adviser. Manafort worked with pro-Putin Ukrainians; Flynn took money from Russian television, effectively an arm of the Putin regime. White House spokesman Sean Spicer claimed Monday that Manafort had played a “limited” role in the campaign. That is a flat-out lie. Manafort ran the campaign from the spring of 2016 ― to the extent anyone could actually run it ― until after the GOP convention.
•The Squeeze. If and when FBI agents get Manafort or Flynn in their vise, they will climb up the chain by turning targets into witnesses. What do Manafort and Flynn know about, say, Trump and his dealings with Russia? Probably a lot. And that it where things could go next, depending on what the FBI really has.
•GOP. Republican leaders had the Russia story, and they are not eager to push the line that it is a good thing to be in bed with Putin. You haven’t ― and won’t ― see Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) getting in the way of the FBI freight train. They tend to agree that Russia is an enemy.
•Comey. In the 2016, Comey may well have helped Trump by announcing that he had revived an investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private emails. Having zigged in one direction, he is now zagging in the other, after the fact. He has more than six years left in his term, and is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon. He may be an umpire following one bad call with another, but he is not about to leave the field of play. And Comey made it clear Monday that he was speaking out with the approval of the Department of Justice – which means Attorney General Jeff Sessions. History buffs will hear the echoes of Watergate. Nixon sealed his own doom by demanding that Justice fire the man investigating him.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-russia-comey_us_58d01dd6e4b0be71dcf6e972?6o6&