Wait a second… So it wasn’t about adoption policy?

Remember that suspicious June 9, 2016 meeting that took place at Trump Tower between senior members of the Trump campaign, including Donald Trump Jr., and a delegation of Russians with ties to the Kremlin? And remember how, when asked for a comment by the New York Times on July 8, 2017, just before the story broke, Trump Jr. responded with a written statement, saying that the participants “primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children”? And remember how White House spokesperson Sean Spicer said, “There’s nothing we know of that’d lead anyone to believe Trump Jr.’s meeting wasn’t about adoption policy“? Well, guess what? It looks as though that meeting really wasn’t about adoption policy after all. In a tweet sent out this morning, President Donald Trump confirmed what many of us knew to be the case for some time now… that his son and other senior campaign officials had met with these Russian operatives to discuss the possibility of acquiring assistance from the Kremlin in their campaign against Hillary Clinton.

Again, we knew this already, just like we knew that Jay Sekulow had lied when he said “the President was not involved in the drafting of (his son’s July 8 letter to the New York Times, in which he claimed that the meeting was about adoption policy),” and Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied when she told the press that “(Trump) certainly didn’t dictate” the letter. We knew Trump was the one to author the ridiculous explanation, not because the “fake news” told us, but because the President’s own legal team admitted as much. And we knew, long before today, that the “adoption” explanation was bullshit, because we saw the email exchange between Donald Trump Jr. and the intermediary who set up the meeting, during which the candidate’s son had been informed that these Russians would be coming to discuss the transfer of “dirt” on Hillary Clinton, to which the brilliant Don Jr. replied, “I love it.”

So, just to recap… Donald Trump today acknowledged that his son, son-in-law, and campaign chairman knowingly met with Russian operatives to discuss the handing over of Russian state intelligence considered to be harmful to Hillary Clinton. They did not contact the FBI. [In contrast, look at how the Gore campaign responded in 2000 when they were offered debate prep materials stolen from the Bush-Cheney team.] And, what’s more, they not only lied about the meeting when it was discovered, but the President himself authored the lie, and then lied repeatedly about having done so.

And, curiously, Donald Trump decided to make this admission today, just a few days after his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, went on a number of cable news programs to argue “collusion isn’t a crime,” when, up to that point, the Trump team had been adamant that “no collusion” had taken place.

And, of course, all of this is happening shortly after it was reported that Donald Trump’s former fixer, Michael Cohen, is now willing to go on the record with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team, stating under oath that Trump not only knew about the offer of assistance from the Russians, but encouraged his son, son-in-law, and campaign manager to take the meeting.

So, I think it’s safe to say that something significant is afoot.

Oh, and guess who was spotted climbing up the steps to Air Force One yesterday in Ohio? Former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, who, from what we hear, had been with Trump when he concocted the “adoption” cover story. Could this be witness tampering? A lot of people seem to think so.

But, really, at this point, I doubt it matters at all to the Trumpists who now form the Republican base. They couldn’t care less is the President of the United States conspired with enemies of our nation to keep Hillary Clinton from office. If fact, some of them actually revel in it.

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25 Comments

  1. Meta
    Posted August 5, 2018 at 10:16 pm | Permalink

    The Washington Post: “Trump tweeted what?!?”

    That’s worse than acknowledging to NBC’s Lester Holt that he was thinking about the Russia investigation when he fired then-FBI Director James B. Comey. It’s worse than his nonstop attempts to obstruct the prosecutors — who are investigating an obstruction-of-justice case. (You cannot make this stuff up.)

    The tweet was awful for Trump and a gift to prosecutors in several respects. Most important, Trump confirmed that the meeting with Russians was designed to obtain something valuable — previously undisclosed dirt on Hillary Clinton. That arguably would violate federal law prohibiting a candidate from asking for or receiving something of value from a foreign national. Put it this way: The most powerful evidence that Donald Trump Jr. violated campaign law comes from Donald Trump Jr.’s own email (“I love it” in anticipation of the Trump Tower dirt-finding meeting) and his own father’s tweet. Like father, like son.

    Trump Sr.’s insistence that he did not know about the meeting in advance might, to an outside observer, suggest he knows it would be a problem if he did. But then again, he knew about the meeting after the fact and drafted a false statement, so it’s not as though prior knowledge is essential to the prosecutors’ obstruction case. (In any event, his promise at a campaign event at the time that he’d have a speech on Clinton’s nefarious conduct suggests he certainly knew what the Russians had promised.)

    Trump fails to understand that the very meeting he is acknowledging is collusion — or conspiracy, if you will — to break campaign-finance laws. Insisting that it is legal to get dirt from a foreign national is politically and morally offensive (Trump was picked by the Kremlin) and contradicts his claim the Russians didn’t want him to win (another lie in the coverup). He knows they did — they had a meeting to help his campaign.

    The email also suggests that Trump Jr. (allegedly with drafting help from his father) tried to conceal the true purpose of the meeting with a false cover story (it was all about adoption, you see.) According to news reports, Trump Jr. may also have lied to Congress by suggesting his father was not intimately involved in drafting the false written statement.

    Trump’s insistence that the meeting was perfectly legal and perfectly normal is wrong on both counts. No presidential campaign has gone to a hostile foreign power for help in winning an election. It’s a invitation for a foreign power to help pick our elected leaders, a constitutional abomination and a repudiation of the very concept of democracy (i.e., we pick our own leaders).

    The political implications of Trump’s latest confession are quite stunning. Will the rest of the GOP go along with the position that it was perfectly fine for Russia to help Trump? That would sure be a change from “No collusion” (to “Collusion, so what?!”). I don’t know how a major political party can maintain the view that hostile powers have carte blanche to influence our elections. Every Republican in elected office or on the ballot should be asked his or her view on the matter.

    Read more:
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2018/08/05/trump-tweeted-what/

  2. Harvard Law’s Laurence Tribe
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 6:20 am | Permalink

    Trump’s statements will be admissible against his son and son-in-law at their criminal trial if he’s named as an unindicted co-conspirator. The hearsay rule doesn’t apply to co-conspirators’ statements. It’s Evidence Law 101.

  3. Anonymous
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 6:30 am | Permalink

    VIDEO FROM “THIS WEEK”:

    Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow backtracks on previous lie involving his false statement on the Trump Tower meeting: “I had bad information at that time and made a mistake in my statement… Over time facts develop.”

    https://twitter.com/girlsreallyrule/status/1026110114879557632

  4. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 7:37 am | Permalink

    It’s interesting that these ‘revelations’ are coming out practically on the eve of Primary Election Day. The timing just doesn’t seem like it could be completely chance. But then I’d still have to wonder ‘why?’ and to what end? It’s almost as if Trump and his people are deliberately trying to do as much damage as possible to their own support. It’s truly bizarre.

    I’m curious to see if there is a noticeable impact on the decisions voters make tomorrow in all these races where many candidates have made their support of Trump a centerpiece.

    Maybe some of our resident Republicans here can give us their take on all this, and help the rest of us make some sense of it.

  5. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 7:57 am | Permalink

    My only guess at the moment as to why this is happening now is this…

    Perhaps internal research has determined that the looming issues regarding the Russia meeting are creating measuravle drag on support from pro-Trunpsters and/or undecided voters. Perhaps the research has suggested that this appearance of ‘coming clean’ on the Russia meeting will potentially improve this situation for them.

    This is the only thing I can come up with at the moment. But, in making this gesture, there must be as a consequence some damage to existing support and to the effort to win undecideds.

    Could this mean that Trump core support is breaking, and drastic gambles are what’s being considered? I can’t tell. But what else would explain this?

  6. EOS
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:08 am | Permalink

    It’s a whole lot of nothing. I can’t imagine that Trump met with anyone who had a pulse who couldn’t have provided dirt on Clinton. It’s not like he paid them to provide fabricated evidence like Clinton did with the dosier. Trump’s favorable ratings are rising. Those candidates that he has endorsed will likely win both the primary and the general elections in Michigan. I think John James will upset Stabenow. She does nothing but occupy a seat. Disappointed that Trump didn’t endorse Colbeck. That Trump was not aware of 100% of the details of every meeting that anyone associated with his campaign had with every individual is not surprising. You will never be successful in removing our President with this type of bull. A better tactic would be to provide a platform that has less resemblance to the Nazi platform – anyone see Dinesh’s latest?

  7. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:33 am | Permalink

    But my question to you, EOS, regards the timing of this admission, essentially, from the administration. Is the timing strategic? I’m assuming it must be. Does it effectively take the air out of the collusion suspicions?

    And on those other things you said, we’ll soon see how accurate your predictions are. I really have to say, I can’t imagine John James doing well at all against Stabenaw. The swing voters seem to have no problems with her.

  8. Eel
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:49 am | Permalink

    Hope Hicks is a witness in what it probably the most significant federal investigation in modern American history and she’s traveling with the main subject of that probe. Does that strike anyone else as odd? #ObstructionOfJustice

    Maybe she’s wearing a wire though.

  9. NBC's Peter Alexander
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:49 am | Permalink

    JUST IN: White House announces a travel/photo lid, which means no public appearances by Trump today as new questions swirl around that 2016 Trump Tower meeting to get dirt on Hillary Clinton.

  10. EOS
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:55 am | Permalink

    It’s strategic only in the fact that it was delayed for quite some time, letting the Democrats spin their wheels dreaming about an indictment. Talking to Russians is not a crime. Is there evidence that Trump paid them to plant dirt? That would be collusion. We have the money trail that shows the Clinton campaign did just that. Where’s the outrage? Why are no Democrats concerned that she used foreign agents to influence the election?

  11. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 10:08 am | Permalink

    Every once in a while Trump does or says something that makes me pause and wonder if he isn’t actually a plant meant to do damage to the GOP from the inside. This for me is again one of those moments. I just don’t see how this timing is anything but bad for his allies and supporters in the primary tomorrow.

    EOS, I really am interested in your ideas about whether or not this is strategic, and to what affect? Why is this happening on the eve of the primary? It just seems so bizarre to me.

  12. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 10:14 am | Permalink

    EOS, administration officials are admitting that they lied essentially. I can only imagine they would do that on the weekend before the primary for a reason relating to that primary. If they just randomly decided to fess up at this peculiar moment, it would show an incredible lack of tact. I just have such a difficult time believing there is no strategy here in terms of the timing.

  13. iRobert
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 10:20 am | Permalink

    Sorry to be so repetitive. I am really just that stunned.

    I agree with you, EOS, that there wasn’t any collusion and that Democrats are hoping for something that they’re never going to get. But it must be doing damage just to keep the question out there.

  14. Anonymous
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 1:16 pm | Permalink

    The New Yorker: “What do we do when a President has openly admitted to attempted collusion, lying, and a coverup?”

  15. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 4:21 pm | Permalink

    I’m sure it’s merely a cosmic coincidence. They had absolutely nothing to do with the meeting and had no idea about anything to do with it. It’s not any kind of a setup they could use in a pinch.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/us/politics/fusion-gps-glenn-simpson.html

    “Mr. Simpson [Fusion GPS} was in court with Ms. Veselnitskaya hours before the Trump Tower meeting and saw her again shortly after it, his lawyer, Joshua A. Levy, confirmed. But these contacts were related to Mr. Simpson’s work on the case for BakerHostetler, Mr. Levy said, and Fusion only learned about the Trump Tower meeting in news reports last year.”

  16. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 4:32 pm | Permalink

    The inability here to comprehend the scale of what the Clinton DNC and the DOJ and FBI attempted to do to Trump is shocking. How do you think it is fine to buy lies from Russia by way of the UK about a candidate and use those lies to spy during and after his successful campaign? You have nothing on Trump and you are truly fzoked.

  17. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 4:39 pm | Permalink

    Latest Q:

    Q !A6yxsPKia. No.120
    Aug 6 2018 13:49:39 (EST)
    Important to understand prior to next.
    https://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/hpsci_memo_key_points.pdf

  18. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 4:40 pm | Permalink

    https://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/fisa_title_i_summary.pdf
    Q

  19. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 4:41 pm | Permalink

    Hahahaha – what do you think “next” is?

  20. EOS
    Posted August 6, 2018 at 9:00 pm | Permalink

    Last night I rewatched the election returns on CNN, ABC, NBC, and others on YouTube. They were shell shocked. There were tears. Many kept pointing to the map of Florida and hoping that Dade county would be delivering the necessary votes. They could not comprehend that Trump had won. Talk show hosts were cursing. Fox News host Megan Kelly was crying. The following day, I expected to see flags at half mast. University presidents declared a day of mourning on their campuses. There is still widespread disbelief. Then it got ugly and we witnessed nearly half the population in support of any accusation that might stick and allow Trump to be impeached. The hysteria after the election has not died down but has continued to grow.

    I agree that there has been damage. Mainstream media’s credibility has been damaged beyond repair. The FBI has been shown to have been politicized and corrupt beyond belief. The Democratic Party is torn asunder, with large factions supporting socialism, anarchy, and criminality. The Democratic Party has been show to hate the police, to hate ICE and the rule of law, and to hate America. Sanctuary cities, run by Democrats, are overrun with homeless on the streets, human waste in the gutters, and infrastructures unable to be supported by ever higher levels of taxation. Large numbers of Americans are embracing deviancy of all kinds and many declare the ability to murder the unborn as the predominate factor in making political choices. California is on the brink of bankruptcy/receivership, soon to be followed by a number of major cities. And the only platform of the Democrats is free healthcare, free tuition, minimum income for all, higher wages for everybody who works and more handouts for those who choose not to work. Pile on the national debt, sell our souls to the International bankers, and to hell with future generations.

    These things don’t happen by accident. This has been planned and the elite internationalists are orchestrating this civil unrest. Soros is getting his moneys worth. But if anyone thinks the constant attacks on Trump are bringing voters to the Democratic Party, they are woefully mistaken. I hope and pray that the last administration is held accountable for their crimes. But if not, I’m sure things will continue to get worse until Jesus returns. I’ll continue to help those I can, to treat others as I would want to be treated, and to pray for America.

  21. John Brown
    Posted August 7, 2018 at 8:36 am | Permalink

    EOS,

    One day, if we’re lucky, the delusions you are describing will be covered under Michicare.

  22. Lynne
    Posted August 7, 2018 at 9:57 am | Permalink

    EOS, what an interesting fantasy world you live in!

  23. M
    Posted August 7, 2018 at 6:36 pm | Permalink

    Can someone please bookmark this for me?

    “But if anyone thinks the constant attacks on Trump are bringing voters to the Democratic Party, they are woefully mistaken. I hope and pray that the last administration is held accountable for their crimes. But if not, I’m sure things will continue to get worse until Jesus returns.”

  24. Jean Henry
    Posted August 7, 2018 at 8:02 pm | Permalink

    My son told me the other day that he is interested in Judaism. I asked why. He said, I like the idea of a Messiah, and Jesus sounds pretty cool, but there’s no way he was the Messiah because look how messed up we are.

  25. John Brown
    Posted August 8, 2018 at 12:11 pm | Permalink

    Jean, your son is wise. Christians who are comfortable with leaving things “in gods hands” have such ridiculously low expectations based on his previous job performance. I’ve never understood them either. They’re an Albatross around the neck of humanity. It shouldn’t come as a surprise they fall for a huckster like trump – I mean they fell for that “came back to life after being dead three days” schtick.

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