[News] Trump, Russia, and the 2016 Election

All news related to Donald Trump's alleged ties to Russia and to the Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. New details should be cited to reputable sources.

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/18342067_2038413682912991_7647958658801165426_n.jpg)

Reaper81 wrote:

"They tricked us"

Bahahahahaha! What f*cking amateurs!

"Hey baby, don't worry, there's no film in the camera, it's just for pretend. Even if there was film, I'd never show the pictures to anyone else, promise!"

pyxistyx wrote:

IMAGE(https://smackfolio.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/18342067_2038413682912991_7647958658801165426_n.jpg)

This is one of my favorite things ever.

Reaper81 wrote:

"They tricked us"

Bahahahahaha! What f*cking amateurs!

Who are these dumb ass "officials" that keep getting quoted about "standard practices"??

karmajay wrote:
Reaper81 wrote:

"They tricked us"

Bahahahahaha! What f*cking amateurs!

Who are these dumb ass "officials" that keep getting quoted about "standard practices"??

That's what kills me. Everyone who isn't them is an "enemy". So they completely throw out hundreds of years of accumulated knowledge and protocol.

"What are we supposed to do?" the official asked. "Not meet with the Russians?"

I uh.

I mean.

Maybe not the best way to phrase your incredulity, given the current issues surrounding people in Trump's campaign?

IMAGE(https://media.giphy.com/media/fKk2I5iiWGN0I/giphy.gif)

Reaper81 wrote:

"They tricked us"

Bahahahahaha! What f*cking amateurs!

Consider the alternative too: the White House knew the pics would be posted but made up this story about being tricked because then they get to throw out this line about "Russians always lie" ... desperately hoping that this will convince people there's no Russian connection. See at this point I wouldn't put anything past them.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Reaper81 wrote:

"They tricked us"

Bahahahahaha! What f*cking amateurs!

Consider the alternative too: the White House knew the pics would be posted but made up this story about being tricked because then they get to throw out this line about "Russians always lie" ... desperately hoping that this will convince people there's no Russian connection. See at this point I wouldn't put anything past them.

When Trump was elected in my worst nightmares (early early days) I imagined a scenario where Russia could threaten the US with a nuclear strike and the US would compliantly stand down, allowing the first strike to happen. Or allowing the US to be held hostage by the threat of that.

Now this is a crazy thing to think, because how badly would a politician have to be compromised to go that far without telling *someone* what was actually happening? It didn't make sense so I was able to banish that extreme from my mind.

Most days since then I default to believing this is a group of incompetent people who had members of the team who were compromised Russian assets.

In other words my best case scenario is that only parts of the administration are compromised by Russia. The rest are just completely incompetent. I go back and forth on what percentage of the administration falls into each bucket, but there is no "really competent and not compromised" bucket.

DSGamer wrote:

In other words my best case scenario is that only parts of the administration are compromised by Russia. The rest are just completely incompetent. I go back and forth on what percentage of the administration falls into each bucket, but there is no "really competent and not compromised" bucket.

Someone should do a XY chart with scales for Competence and Compromised and arrange dots on the chart for people with their best estimates. I put 45 himself around the 50/50 line of whether he is actually compromised, but near -100% for competence.

You are correct that no person would be in the competent and not compromised quadrant.

Given the Rosneft stuff, don't you think it's more than 50-50?

The taxes are the big tell with Trump. There was a point where I thought it was possible he (or Bannon/Manafort) were playing 12 dimensional chess. Now I mostly think Trump has laundered Russian money in his taxes.

I generally believe every stupid thing Trump does, happens because he really is a incompetent moron and/or have dementia.
If he actually had some evil masterplan to collude with Russia, or really anything significant to hide at all, at least I might get some respect for him.
But it seems doubtful. Sure, Flynn probably went way too far in his endeavors, maybe other Trump staff did so too, but even then, it feels like people trying to take advantage of Trump, rather than Trump himself being part of it.

Just like BSG, nothing has indicated here that there ever was a plan.

Robear wrote:

Given the Rosneft stuff, don't you think it's more than 50-50?

Well, there's a difference between collusion and actually compromised by a foreign country. I think it's nearly 100% that he has made illegal arrangements with Russians in his financial dealings, and is making deals with them. Sure.

But, is he an actual pay-for-play asset of the Russian intel service? Is he handing over our intelligence to his handlers? Or was he actively aware that people in his campaign were? Hard to put a number on those chances.

Absent the outcomes of the investigations, my guess at this point is that he's in deep debt to the Russian mob (whether or not he realizes it) and that lead to him being surrounded by actual compromised people like Flynn. My guess is that he thinks he's independent and resents it when anyone implies otherwise, while at the same time trying to cover up for anything his team did.

Soooooo, apparently warrants are being issued GOP fundraising/consulting firm in Annapolis.

Louise Mensch, not a huge fan of President Trump, reported about stuff going down as early today and it's happening.

We shall see where this goes.

I tend to discount Mensch: she's really not reliable. Take anything she says with a couple of oceans worth of salt.

Searching the fundraising firm is notable. We'll see what it means when more information comes out.

Yeah, she founded Heat Street, which is basically Kotaku for alt-right dipsh*ts.

Sure, she's a nut, but seems she hit the nail on the head at this point. Well, I'm not sure we're seeing arrests atm.

I think in this case it's more like a stopped clock, because she's being saying arrests are imminent every time I accidentally check in on her.

She appears to be a loon.

Granting attention to loons just because they appear to be working for "your team" is why shirtless wonder Alex Jones is still a thing.

The FBI has confirmed to a Baltimore paper that there's at least activity. No confirmation if it's actually a raid.

It would be interesting / scary if multiple members of the GOP were implicated. It would explain a lot. Seems unlikely that it's something that far reaching, but I suppose we'll see.

garion333 wrote:

Soooooo, apparently warrants are being issued GOP fundraising/consulting firm in Annapolis.

Louise Mensch, not a huge fan of President Trump, reported about stuff going down as early today and it's happening.

We shall see where this goes.

Her site is also claiming the Feds are going after the GOP under RICO and once all the dust settles, the next president will be...Orin Hatch. Well, that seems fitting; Donald Trump is the most corrupt president since Richard Nixon. Orin Hatch would be the blandest president since Gerald Ford.

Gremlin wrote:

I think in this case it's more like a stopped clock, because she's being saying arrests are imminent every time I accidentally check in on her.

I clicked the link and then realized it was some BS web site and no link to a reputable source. I have a former English professor that continually pushes stuff like this. She should know better, but really hates Trump. It's kind of weird, because you would think an English professor would understand the importance of trusted sources.

These stories are too big to roll with these kinds of sources. The NY Times, Washington Post, and many others are covering this story hard and updating often. If they are not saying it, it's not worth linking to. They have bosses to answer to, and won't roll with weak sources, anonymous or not.

Hell, even if MSNBC reports something I follow up with the NY Times before I would post it.

In fact, I've tried to get into the habit of posting the source with in the link, like "NY Times: Comey Fired by Trump," rather than just using the headline to link.

Bloo Driver wrote:
"What are we supposed to do?" the official asked. "Not meet with the Russians?"

I uh.

I mean.

Meanwhile LBJ is hammering at the lid of his coffin, alternating between curses and Granny Clampett-style hollering.

Jayhawker wrote:

She should no better, but really hates Trump.

A rare case of a typo being more impactful than the correct spelling.

Jonman wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

She should no better, but really hates Trump.

A rare case of a typo being more impactful than the correct spelling. :)

I deserve that for criticizing my English professor.

Christ, these f*cking people.

White House: Removing Comey will help bring Russia investigation to end

The White House said Thursday that removing FBI Director James Comey from his post may hasten the agency's investigation into Russian meddling.

"We want this to come to its conclusion, we want it to come to its conclusion with integrity," said deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders, referring to the FBI's probe into Moscow's interference in last year's election. "And we think that we've actually, by removing Director Comey, taken steps to make that happen."

Bloo Driver wrote:
"What are we supposed to do?" the official asked. "Not meet with the Russians?"

I uh.

I mean.

Refusing to meet with your boss is generally considered career limiting.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

Christ, these f*cking people.

White House: Removing Comey will help bring Russia investigation to end

The White House said Thursday that removing FBI Director James Comey from his post may hasten the agency's investigation into Russian meddling.

"We want this to come to its conclusion, we want it to come to its conclusion with integrity," said deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders, referring to the FBI's probe into Moscow's interference in last year's election. "And we think that we've actually, by removing Director Comey, taken steps to make that happen."

"What makes you think there's a fire?" Sanders, barely visible in the thick cloud of acrid smoke pouring from the West Wing, asked the White House press corps.

IMAGE(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18447136_10213253353796233_8176645452644003873_n.jpg?oh=b1abc7dd627b801c4c2aaa6963ff15d0&oe=59BA7D82)