Alleged payment to porn star was illegal donation to Trump campaign, watchdog says

[enhanced_deficit]

Is this Comey/Mueller supporters covertly pushing this or this is just some media watchdog's investigative journalism work?
As if Trump-Kushner team needed another hushmoney gate scandal on the heels of growing list of Israel-Flynn gate (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?517312-Breaking-Flynn-says-Trump-directed-him-to-make-contact-with-Russians&), Bannon claimed Kushner money laundering gate (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?518162-The-Kushner-s***-is-greasy-Bannon-predicts-Mueller-will-roll-up-president-s-son-in-law&), Peggy Peterson-Michael Cohen (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?518567-Never-Trumpers-doing-excessive-Stormy-Daniels-porn-searches&p=6576479&viewfull=1#post6576479) gate scandals etc.



Alleged payment to porn star was illegal donation to Trump campaign, watchdog says

The call from Common Cause for criminal prosecution echoes charges against John Edwards.

By JOSH GERSTEIN
01/22/2018

A watchdog group filed a pair of complaints on Monday alleging that a $130,000 payment reportedly made to a pornographic film actress who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump violated campaign finance laws.
In submissions (http://www.commoncause.org/policy-and-litigation/litigation/fec-complaint-trump-january-22-2018.pdf) to the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission, Common Cause said the alleged payment to Stephanie Clifford — who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels — amounted to an in-kind donation to Trump's presidential campaign that should have been publicly disclosed in its official reports.

An attorney for Common Cause, Paul Ryan, said the payment appeared to be hush money. He compared the situation to the series of events that resulted in the prosecution of former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) over nearly $1 million in payments allegedly made to cover up an affair he had with videographer Rielle Hunter during his 2008 presidential bid.
“The purpose is the heart of all this,” Ryan said. “It’s pretty obvious this payment to Ms. Clifford was intended to keep her quiet just weeks before the election so she would not damage the candidate’s effort to win the election.”

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/22/stormy-daniels-trump-payment-illegal-donation-357250




Related


https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2224/2217110805_7b0a415618.jpghttps://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/201801/n_vr_PainterStormyDaniels_180119_1920x1080.video_5 12x342.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DT3PCIgU8AEVCdc.jpg


Trump Lawyer Used Private Company, Pseudonyms to Pay Porn Star 'Stormy Daniels' (https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyer-used-private-company-pseudonyms-to-pay-porn-star-stormy-daniels-1516315731)
Highly Cited Wall Street Journal 2h ago

President Donald Trump’s lawyer used a private Delaware company to pay a former adult-film star $130,000 in return for her agreeing to not publicly discuss an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump, according to corporate records and people familiar with the matter. The lawyer, Michael Cohen, established Essential Consultants LLC, on Oct. 17, 2016, just before the 2016 presidential election, corporate documents show. Mr. Cohen, who is based in New York, then used a bank account linked to the entity to send the payment to...

[enhanced_deficit]

had to lookup CC:

Common Cause



https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/30/Common_Cause_logo.png/250px-Common_Cause_logo.png (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Cause_logo.png)


Founded
1970; 48 years ago


Founder
John W. Gardner


Location


Washington, D.C., U.S.




Area served
United States


Method
Advocacy


Key people
Karen Hobert Flynn


Website
www.commoncause.org (http://www.commoncause.org)



Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican, who was the former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President Lyndon Johnson as well as chair of the National Urban Coalition, an advocacy group for minorities and the working poor in urban areas.[1] As initially founded, Common Cause was prominently known for its efforts to bring about an end to the Vietnam War and lower the voting age from 21 to 18.[2]


Issue areas

The organization’s stated issue areas are "money in politics," "voting and elections," "ethics," "a fair economy," and "media and democracy."[13] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cause#cite_note-13)

Money in politics

In 1972, Common Cause sued President Richard Nixon's re-election campaign, the Committee for the Re-Election of the President, under the Federal Corrupt Practices Act in an attempt to force Nixon's campaign to report early campaign contributions.[14] The lawsuit forced the disclosure of the names of several Nixon donors.[15] In 1974, Common Cause supported passage of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), encompassing public financing of presidential campaigns and oversight of campaign ethics through the Federal Election Commission.[16]


Voting machines

Common Cause advocates for a voter-verified paper audit trail for election machines in all states. The organization has documented complaints about electronic voting machines.[25]

National popular vote

Common Cause is in favor of establishing a national popular vote for presidential elections to replace the current electoral college system.[26] Following the November 2016 U.S. presidential election, Common Cause called for the National Popular Vote Compact to counteract what it called the "anti-democratic" outcome in that election.[27]

Ethics

Common Cause lobbied Congress to pass the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, requiring government officials to disclose their finances and restricting the "revolving door" between government and business. In 1989, they lobbied for passage of a new Ethics in Government Act, which ended special-interest honoraria for members of Congress and closed a loophole that allowed members to convert campaign funds to personal use.[28] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cause#cite_note-28)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Cause





If these allegations are confirmed by non-fakenews widely respected media outlets, it would be another case of tabloid media impacting mainstream politics.


The call from Common Cause for criminal prosecution echoes charges against John Edwards.

By JOSH GERSTEIN
01/22/2018

http://images.gawker.com/18k3yw0f1bq0ujpg/original.jpg

https://compote.slate.com/images/a9669c0a-c393-43d7-9e1d-c778d7126110.jpeg?width=780&height=520&rect=1560x1040&offset=0x0

[dannno]

Seems like kind of a reach.

[enhanced_deficit]

Seems like kind of a reach.

Yea could be. Real impact if any most likely would in the political realm, though that could change if Dems make major gains in midterms.

CC seems to have some good track record of victories though:

VICTORY: Court rules against NC partisan gerrymandering (http://commoncausenc.org/articles/2018/1_9_18_rucho_ruling.php)
Common Cause NC Jan 9, 2018

[Swordsmyth]

Yea could be. Real impact if any most likely would in the political realm, though that could change if Dems make major gains in midterms.

CC seems to have some good track record of victories though:

VICTORY: Court rules against NC partisan gerrymandering (http://commoncausenc.org/articles/2018/1_9_18_rucho_ruling.php)
Common Cause NC Jan 9, 2018

SCOTUS put a halt on that and will likely overturn it completely.

Communist Cause can go jump in the lake of fire and brimstone.

[enhanced_deficit]

SCOTUS put a halt on that and will likely overturn it completely.

Communist Cause can go jump in the lake of fire and brimstone.

Yea, the court battles could go for a while still.

[Anti Globalist]

As soon as this story hit, a bunch of Trump supporters looked up videos of Stormy Daniels.

[Swordsmyth]

As soon as this story hit, a bunch of Trump supporters looked up videos of Stormy Daniels.
Don't forget the DJTvsg opponents:

Never-Trumpers doing excessive Stormy Daniels porn searches? (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?518567-Never-Trumpers-doing-excessive-Stormy-Daniels-porn-searches&highlight=perfect+woman)

[enhanced_deficit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WceMTkjrXJE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WceMTkjrXJE

[Raginfridus]

Did he give her the D?

[enhanced_deficit]

No, what is alleged in news reports is that current leader of Christian Values Party offered her a part in reality TV show Apprentice.

[kpitcher]

Heard a joke.. she's the first porn star paid to keep her mouth shut

[eleganz]

At best its nothing, at worst its a slap on the wrist and a fine.

[dean.engelhardt]

Now that he is president, he can reimburse the Delaware corporation with tax dollars and be perfectly legal right?

Is seriousness, this story is just making the media look stupid.

[enhanced_deficit]

Is seriousness, this story is just making the media look stupid.

Trump lawyer has addressed media concerns in latest update today:

Trump’s Longtime Lawyer Says He Paid Stormy Daniels Out of His Own Pocket

By MAGGIE HABERMANFEB. 13, 2018

Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, said on Tuesday that he had paid $130,000 out of his own pocket to a pornographic-film actress who had once claimed to have had an affair with Mr. Trump.
In the most detailed explanation of the 2016 payment made to the actress (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/12/us/trump-stephanie-clifford-stormy-daniels.html), Stephanie Clifford, Mr. Cohen, who worked as a counsel to the Trump Organization for more than a decade, said he was not reimbursed for the payment.

He declined to answer several follow-up questions, including whether Mr. Trump had been aware that Mr. Cohen made the payment, why he made the payment or whether he had made similar payments to other people over the years.
Mr. Cohen has previously said that Mr. Trump has denied an affair with Ms. Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels. She has said the affair took place soon after Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, gave birth to the couple’s son, Barron.

Mr. Cohen’s statement about what he called “a private transaction” was the first time that he had acknowledged a role in the payment, which was first reported in January by The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyer-arranged-130-000-payment-for-adult-film-stars-silence-1515787678).

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/13/us/politics/stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-trump.html

[asurfaholic]

Trump can’t keep his commitments to his own wife but still some think he will stay committed to the people of America?

No. He only cares about himself and what he wants in the moment. Grab em by the *^%#%^*

There’s some real presidential material right there. Every day I get more disgusted by our country and the person that was elected to lead it.

[enhanced_deficit]

So this news is now the most trending news of day? Made to top of google news front page.

MSNBC video report today showed fast moving dark clouds over White House when reporting this... responsible journalism or overly dramatic?

[dannno]

Trump can’t keep his commitments to his own wife but still some think he will stay committed to the people of America?

No. He only cares about himself and what he wants in the moment. Grab em by the *^%#%^*

There’s some real presidential material right there. Every day I get more disgusted by our country and the person that was elected to lead it.

Good lord turn off your tv.. Trump is nothing like that. That is what the bankster corporate media wants you to think of him.

[asurfaholic]

Good lord turn off your tv.. Trump is nothing like that. That is what the bankster corporate media wants you to think of him.

Now I’ll have you know that I arrived at that conclusion all by myself.

How many times remarried? Paid off affairs?

You think FOX news told me that he has commitment issues? I think trump needs Jesus.

[dannno]

Now I’ll have you know that I arrived at that conclusion all by myself.

The only way that is possible is if you personally knew Trump and spent a lot of time with him. Otherwise everything you hear about him is from somebody else.




How many..Paid off affairs?

I have no idea, neither do you.. we don't even know if the affair actually happened.


I think trump needs Jesus.

I'm pretty sure if there is a God that he sent Trump specifically to help save us from Hillary and the deep state.

[asurfaholic]

The only way that is possible is if you personally knew Trump and spent a lot of time with him. Otherwise everything you hear about him is from somebody else.

https://ct.fra.bz/ol/fz/sw/i50/5/7/17/frabz-Facepalm-meme-be8154.jpg




I have no idea, neither do you.. we don't even know if the affair actually happened.


https://goo.gl/images/Pzkt1e



I'm pretty sure if there is a God that he sent Trump specifically to help save us from Hillary and the deep state.

https://goo.gl/images/VpqdnZ

[enhanced_deficit]

Early leaks can be foggy, let's wait till investigations are completed all the facts come out.

[Zippyjuan]

The only way that is possible is if you personally knew Trump and spent a lot of time with him. Otherwise everything you hear about him is from somebody else.




So that is who you have been hanging around with lately. Trump dalliences are not exactly a well- kept secret. Think he would be married four times if he was faithful? He was cheating on Ivana with Marla Maples who he made his next wife.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pY5pP5AV5u0/maxresdefault.jpg

http://nationalviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/donald-trump-quotes-women.jpg

http://izquotes.com/quotes-pictures/quote-all-of-the-women-on-the-apprentice-flirted-with-me-consciously-or-unconsciously-that-s-to-be-donald-trump-187174.jpg

[goldenequity]

It's going to impact Melania. No doubt in my mind.

Knowing Trump, my guess... is that he's never admitted to anything.

If she (now) begins to 'fall off the radar'... appointments/speaking engagements/public appearances... then I'm 100% sure.

We might (then) be looking at a lame (donald) duck (single/separated) term.

If that happens, the question (for me) will be:

Will we end up with an 'angry' President? 'cucked' President? Depressed President? bi-polar President?

Ramifications could keep you awake at night.

All eyes on Melania.

[Zippyjuan]

It's going to impact Melania. No doubt in my mind.

Knowing Trump, my guess... is that he's never admitted to anything.

If she (now) begins to 'fall off the radar'... appointments/speaking engagements/public appearances... then I'm 100% sure.

We might (then) be looking at a lame (donald) duck (single/separated) term.

If that happens, the question (for me) will be:

Will we end up with an 'angry' President? 'cucked' President? Depressed President? bi-polar President?

Ramifications could keep you awake at night.

All eyes on Melania.

The Stormy Daniels saga broke just before the State of the Union. She took her own car to the event (though she did ride back with Donald).

https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims3/GLOB/crop/655x429+143+0/resize/1028x675!/format/jpg/quality/85/http%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fhss%2Fstorage%2Fmidas% 2F107ed51ab680de18c3743b366b55ccb8%2F206082316%2Fs lack-imgs-1.jpg


This week the Playmate scandal hits and again she is travelling alone.


Melania Trump arrives solo to air base amid second affair scandal as first couple heads to Florida

First lady Melania Trump eschewed the traditional South Lawn couple's walk to Marine One on Friday amid another adultery allegation scandal, opting instead to drive separately ahead of President Donald Trump.

"With her schedule it was easier to meet him on the plane," Stephanie Grisham, the first lady's communications director, said in a statement.

Melania Trump does plan to accompany her husband when he visits with victims of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, a White House official told CNN.

[goldenequity]

President Trump and First Lady Melania Visit Broward County Hospital

President Donald Trump, accompanied by First-Lady Melania Trump, traveled to Broward Health North Hospital in Pompano Beach, Florida, to visit some of the shooting victims from Marjory Stoneman High School and thank the doctors, medical staff and first responders.

President Trump delivered brief remarks to the traveling press pool while colluding with Dr. Igor Nichiporenko and discussing the hospital’s efforts.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lle1mCpOsc


==============

US Democrats not quite successful in poisoning Trump’s life - Lavrov
http://tass.com/politics/990519

https://phototass1.cdnvideo.ru/width/744_b12f2926/tass/m2/en/uploads/i/20180217/1187822.jpg

MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Democrats are going out their way to poison President Trump’s and the entire Republican Party’s life by any imaginable means
but still they are not successful to the end in their striving, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday in an interview with the Euronews channel.

"It’s quite clear that the Democrats can’t reconcile themselves to the defeat [in the 2016 presidential election - TASS] that caught them fully by surprise,
and now they are going out of their way to poison life for President Trump and the entire Republican Party," he said.
"But for Trump in the first place, of course, since he a leader from outside of the system."

"They’re failing to do it to the extent they’d want," Lavrov said.

He pointed out Trump’s persistence in conducting an identical political line in spite of the necessity for compromises with the Congress.

"Trump has confirmed more than once his genuine intention to fulfill everything he spoke about during the election race,
including the promotion of normal, respectful, mutually beneficial and advantageous relations with Russia," Lavrov said.

------------

Russia launching lawsuits against US over seizure of Russian diplomatic property
http://tass.com/politics/990517

"Of course, it is sad that over more than a year of Trump’s presidency our relations have failed to improve
from what they were under the Democrats’ administration," he said. "They have even worsened in a sense."

"Obviously, I mean the seizure of our diplomatic property, which runs counter not only to the Vienna conventions
but to all the principles underlying the US constitution and society, namely the inviolability of private property," he noted.
"This principle has been infringed upon and now we are launching lawsuits in the United States, as we warned."

On September 2, 2017, the United States’ authorities closed Russia’s consulate general in San Francisco, the trade mission in Washington and its rented office in New York.
The former two facilities are Russia’s government property and enjoy diplomatic immunity.
Moscow considers the seizure of Russian diplomatic property as an openly hostile act and calls on the United States to immediately return these facilities.

Addressing a news conference after the BRICS summit in China’s Xiamen on September 5, 2017,
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to go to court over the seizure of Russia’s diplomatic property in the United States.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

I'm no money manager, but I thought a contribution goes from a person to a candidate, not the other way around. :rolleyes:

[enhanced_deficit]

It's going to impact Melania. No doubt in my mind.

...

She had actually been critical of media after media published speculative reports about alleged Nikki Haley - Trump affair:

Melania Trump aide blasts ‘salacious’ reports amid Stormy Daniels controversy

By CRISTIANO LIMA
01/26/2018 05:46 PM EST

A spokeswoman for Melania Trump lashed out at the “laundry list of salacious & flat-out false reporting” about the first lady on Friday as allegations of a past extramarital affair by President Donald Trump have grabbed headlines.
It was unclear what specific report the first lady’s team was responding to. But several articles in recent days have linked her absence on the president’s overseas trip to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to allegations that Donald Trump had sex with a former adult film actress in 2006 shortly after Melania Trump gave birth to their son, Barron.

A CNN report (https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/25/politics/melania-trump-holocaust-museum/index.html) published Thursday noted that the first lady had endured “a difficult start to 2018” as outlets covered claims, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, that the president’s longtime personal lawyer paid Stephanie Clifford, a porn star who performs under the name Stormy Daniels, $130,000 before the 2016 election as part of a nondisclosure agreement to cover up the affair.
On Friday, the Daily Mail (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5304663/Melania-staying-hotel-Stormy-Daniels-scandal.html) tabloid further connected the dots, writing that the first lady was staying at a “posh D.C. hotel away from President Trump” in response to the allegations of an affair.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...daniels-372857 (https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/26/melania-trump-stormy-daniels-372857)


Haley addresses 'disgusting' rumor: Some people 'try and throw arrows' when you speak your mind

By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN
Fri January 26, 2018

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170918104956-02-trump-haley-un-09-18-2017-exlarge-169.jpg
Haley: Affair rumors 'absolutely not true' 02:23

Story highlights




Haley said the rumors are "disgusting" and "offensive"
A line in the book says Trump has been spending "a notable amount of private time with Haley"



Washington (CNN)US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley says a rumor sparked by "Fire and Fury" author Michael Wolff is "disgusting" and illustrates the kinds of accusations women in the workplace face.

"It is absolutely not true," Haley told Politico's podcast "Women Rule (https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/26/nikki-haley-trump-foreign-policy-370851)," which aired Thursday. She was referring to a rumor that she has carried on an affair with President Donald Trump, which has not been verified by CNN.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/26/polit...ial/index.html (https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/26/politics/nikki-haley-donald-trump-affair-denial/index.html)



But media being media is at it again, this is on front page today:


Political 4 hours ago

Omarosa asked on 'Celebrity Big Brother' if she had sex with Trump

By Kathleen Joyce | Fox News

http://a57.foxnews.com/media2.foxnews.com/BrightCove/694940094001/2018/02/11/896/504/694940094001_5730987603001_5730958249001-vs.jpg?ve=1&tl=1 Video (http://video.foxnews.com/v/5730958249001/omarosa-says-was-haunted-by-trumps-tweets)

Omarosa says she was 'haunted' by Trump's tweets (http://video.foxnews.com/v/5730958249001/omarosa-says-was-haunted-by-trumps-tweets)

'The Greg Gutfeld Show' panel reacts to the former White House aide's comments on the premiere of 'Celebrity Big Brother.'

Former aide to President Trump Omarosa Manigault Newman was asked by her “Celebrity Big Brother” co-star if she ever had a sexual relationship with the commander-in-chief.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/02/17/omarosa-asked-on-celebrity-big-brother-if-had-sex-with-trump.html


Won't be surprised if media's goal were political separation between Trump and GOP's Christian family values driven base:

http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/files/2017/05/AccessTrumpTape.png

Pence told RNC he could replace Trump on ticket after 'Access Hollywood' tape came out: report
The Atlantic reported that (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/01/gods-plan-for-mike-pence/546569/) Pence made clear to the RNC that he could assume the position of the party's nominee.
At the time, there was reportedly talk about making Pence the nominee and former secretary of State Condoleezza Rice his running mate.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...t-after-access (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/363258-pence-told-rnc-he-could-replace-trump-on-ticket-after-access)

[goldenequity]

Won't be surprised if media's goal were political separation between Trump and GOP's Christian family values driven base:


Glad you brought that up.
He's either guilty or not guilty.

Let's say he's guilty and unconfessed. (uhhmmm that would be NORMAL/not just adultry... trust me.)

His instant 'conversion' sometime around the inauguration
(by the 'Israel first'/fundamental right/Pence/neocon dominionist crowd...)
and
his OWN CONSCIENCE are now constantly conflicted by the media onslaught and Melania face-to-face/daily.

I'll cut to the bottom line rather than 'play' with nuances:

If he determines in his OWN mind/heart to 'follow' the 'real' Jesus
(the one he's only been 'professing' to 'know'.... to the adoration/applause of those who are USING him...)
a REAL conversion might take place.
Were that to happen...
It would be the best decision he ever made.... spiritually/personally.

Would he have to publicly acknowledge?
No. He wouldn't 'have' to.
Those that would say he 'must'..
don't know my Jesus.

If he chooses this path... we would see a different man, a 'forgiven' man.
The benefits would be enormous... someone who starts obeying his conscience..
instead of the 'pressures' that surround him... and I include the Pence groupies. :D


back to politics...
the 'sticky' part is that he couldn't continue to publicly 'deny' (aka lie)
so...
my suggestion:
Melania takes the lead and says
"Donald and I have a strong marriage and we solve ALL our problems as they come up.
There is nothing hidden between my husband and I." etc etc
move on.

Then again
he could go the 'King David' choice.
God confronted him... and David publicly confessed to being
1. a murderer and
2. an adulterer.

Yet...
he continued to be loved by the people... still celebrated as their greatest King..
and
Jesus named himself as a descendant of that murdering adulterer David...
and
he's the ONLY one with the biblical epitaph 'A Man After God's Own Heart' (bible a man after god's own heart)





Wat will ya do Donald?

[enhanced_deficit]

Glad you brought that up.
He's either guilty or not guilty.

Let's say he's guilty and unconfessed. (uhhmmm that would be NORMAL/not just adultry... trust me.)

His instant 'conversion' sometime around the inauguration
(by the 'Israel first'/fundamental right/Pence/neocon dominionist crowd...)
and
his OWN CONSCIENCE are now constantly conflicted by the media onslaught and Melania face-to-face/daily.

I'll cut to the bottom line rather than 'play' with nuances:
...


back to politics...
the 'sticky' part is that he couldn't continue to publicly 'deny' (aka lie)



That was pretty detailed analysis, might be bit too involved for a simpleminded man like him.

So far everything is being denied.

Trump tweets denial of woman's claim he kissed her without consent

By Dan Merica, CNN
February 20, 2018

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/171204075629-rachel-crooks-exlarge-169.jpg


Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Tuesday denied the account of a woman who alleges he kissed her on the mouth without her consent.

Rachel Crooks, who first went public in the months before the 2016 election (https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/politics/trump-women-accusers/index.html), says she greeted Trump outside an elevator in the building where they both worked in an attempt to be cordial to one of her company's business partners. But after saying hello and shaking hands, she claims Trump kissed her on her cheeks and then on the mouth.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/20/politics/rachel-crooks-donald-trump-denial/index.html







...

If he chooses this path... we would see a different man, a 'forgiven' man.
The benefits would be enormous... someone who starts obeying his conscience..
instead of the 'pressures' that surround him... and I include the Pence groupies. :D




LOL Pence does ot believe in having groupies:

Mike Pence won't dine alone with a woman who's not his wife

By Robin Abcarian
Apr 05, 2017
Last week, the Washington Post profiled second lady Karen Pence, a devout Christian and devoted wife who is, as the story put it, her husband's "prayer warrior," "gut check" and "shield."
Ashley Parker, the reporter, noted that Vice President Mike Pence once had told The Hill, a political newspaper and website, that he never dines with women alone, nor does he attend functions without his wife if alcohol is being served.
http://www.latimes.com/local/abcarian/la-me-abcarian-pence-marriage-20170405-story.html



New Yorker: Ex-Playmate alleges Trump system for covering up affairs

By Veronica Stracqualursi, CNN

February 16, 2018Washington (CNN)A former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with Donald Trump beginning in 2006 is going public with a description of Trump's alleged system for concealing affairs.

In an eight-page, handwritten document that The New Yorker (https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/donald-trump-a-playboy-model-and-a-system-for-concealing-infidelity-national-enquirer-karen-mcdougal) obtained, Karen McDougal detailed her alleged affair with Trump for nine months from June 2006 to April 2007, when Trump was two years into his marriage with Melania Trump, the future first lady. The document was provided to The New Yorker by McDougal's friend, but she confirmed to the magazine that the handwriting in the document is hers.
The magazine's story was published on Friday.
The document describes how Trump allegedly carried out his affair with McDougal -- paying for dinner in a private bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel, offering her money after the first time they had sex and reimbursing her for travel.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/16/politics/donald-trump-karen-mcdougal-national-enquirer/index.html




Related

Tools of Trump’s Fixer: Payouts, Intimidation and the Tabloids

FEB. 18, 2018

Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s longtime lawyer, suppressed embarrassing stories about his boss’s past as they loomed over the campaign. Credit Andrew Harnik/Associated Press
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/18/us/politics/michael-cohen-trump.html

[goldenequity]

So far everything is being denied.


I know. This is the same guy. :rolleyes:

967122236850233345

It's a parallel universe of his own creation. scary really.
you can completely ignore my previous post.
It's like when you ask someone if 2+2=4 and they say 'potato'.
Wat???? :confused:

[enhanced_deficit]

This story is back in news again:





FBI raids Trump lawyer's office

By Avery Anapol - 04/09/18 04:00 PM EDT 3,243 (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/382341-fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office#bottom-story-socials)

The FBI on Monday raided the office of President Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and seized emails, tax documents and records related to his payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.
Cohen's lawyer, Stephen Ryan, said in a statement (https://www.mwe.com/en/press-room/2017/09/media-advisory) that federal prosecutors in Manhattan obtained a search warrant after receiving a referral "in part" from special counsel Robert Mueller. Ryan called the search “completely inappropriate and unnecessary.”
The New York Times reported (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/09/us/politics/fbi-raids-office-of-trumps-longtime-lawyer-michael-cohen.html?smid=pl-share) that the payment to Daniels is just one of "many topics" being looked at by the FBI.

Other seized documents include business records and communications between Cohen and Trump, but the raid does not appear to be directly connected to Mueller’s probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, according to The Times.Among the materials agents secured are those related to Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement related to her alleged 2006 affair with Trump.

The payment went through just days before the 2016 election. Cohen has admitted to paying Daniels, but denied it violated campaign finance laws. (http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/379225-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-payment-was-not-about-the-campaign)

Last week, Trump denied knowing (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/381869-trump-denies-knowledge-of-stormy-daniels-payment) about the payment. It was the first time he had addressed the issue publicly.
"You'll have to ask Michael Cohen," Trump said. "Michael is my attorney. You'll have to ask Michael."
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit last month claiming that a nondisclosure agreement she signed regarding the alleged affair is invalid because Trump never signed it. Her lawyer on Sunday filed a renewed motion to depose Trump and Cohen over the payment.


http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/382341-fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office

[AuH20]

This story is back in news again:





http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/382341-fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office

Why are they so adamant to take him down? This is flat out bizarre how transparent this is.

[enhanced_deficit]

Hard to say, but could be a long list. Recent news of dissing of FBI dir Comey, firing of deputy FBI dir day before his pension kick in, firing/rebuke of almost eveyone in his cabinet who did not get along with his son-in-law & widely respected Israel-Palestine, Syria peace policy advisor Kushner could be possible reasons as those may have resulted in grudges among career civil/military officers.
Kelly seems to be the only one who has not been fired.



Kushner vs. Kelly

“This Is Kelly’s Way of Saying, ‘It’s Me or Jared’”: Inside the West Wing, Security Clearance-gate Is Getting Uglier by the Day

vanityfair
Feb 21, 2018 - The battle over Jared and Ivanka's security clearances is exposing new fault lines in the West Wing as Kelly's allies join the debate. According to two sources, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster has told Kelly that he supports Kelly over Kushner.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/02/kelly-or-jared-inside-the-west-wing-security-clearance-gate

[Swordsmyth]

Update: Michael Cohen's lawyer says the FBI seized privileged communications between Cohen and his clients - a group that notably includes President Trump. And thus, we have what could quite possibly be an ulterior motive for the search.
While initial reports suggested the raid on Cohen's home wasn't related to the Mueller probe, CBS is reporting that it's unclear whether the raid was in relation to Stormy Daniels, the Mueller probe or something else.
The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office-1523306297) reported that Cohen's office in Rockefeller Center was searched along with his home and hotel room.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-09/fbi-raids-office-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen

[TheCount]

Update: Michael Cohen's lawyer says the FBI seized privileged communications between Cohen and his clients - a group that notably includes President Trump. And thus, we have what could quite possibly be an ulterior motive for the search.
While initial reports suggested the raid on Cohen's home wasn't related to the Mueller probe, CBS is reporting that it's unclear whether the raid was in relation to Stormy Daniels, the Mueller probe or something else.
The Wall Street Journal (https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office-1523306297) reported that Cohen's office in Rockefeller Center was searched along with his home and hotel room.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-09/fbi-raids-office-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen

Uh oh, sounds like someone forgot to delete things that he should have deleted...

[FSP-Rebel]

983455861887684608

[Swordsmyth]

Update II: As many probably suspected, Trump attorney Michael Cohen is under investigation for possible fraud and campaign finance violations, the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-seizes-records-related-to-stormy-daniels-in-raid-of-trump-attorney-michael-cohens-office/2018/04/09/e3e43cf4-3c30-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8c258875c22a) reported.
The FBI has seized documents - including emails, tax documents and other records - related to Cohen's $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Meanwhile, President Trump has stepped up to defend his longtime personal attorney, calling the raid "a whole new level of unfairness" and going as far to say it was an "attack on our country, on what we stand for before heading into a meeting with top military leaders." He also described the special counsel's team as "the most conflicted group of people I've ever met" and said the raid was "a disgraceful situation."
Trump added that the raid happened after Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein - who is supervising the Mueller probe - approved a referral that Mueller brought to the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Jeff Sessions also came under fire as the president bashed him once again for recusing himself from the Mueller probe. Trump also exclaimed that "no one is looking at the other side" referring to Clinton's 30,000 missing emails.
"I have this witch hunt constantly going on," he said.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-09/fbi-raids-office-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen

[enhanced_deficit]

POTUS says it is 'attack on our country' , probably just coincidence that Syria war escalation started a day ahead of this major development. No evidence of 'wag the dog'.




TRUMP STRIKES BACK: 'WITCH HUNT' AN 'ATTACK ON COUNTRY'... (https://www.axios.com/trump-blasts-fbi-raid-on-michael-cohen-as-disgraceful-situation-1523312632-f2fe7944-7b87-415a-b904-c6afd0cc9600.html)
VIDEO... (https://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-on-potentially-firing-mueller-well-see-what-happens-many-people-have-said-i-should/)
WASHPOST: Cohen under investigation for bank fraud, campaign finance violations... (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-seizes-records-related-to-stormy-daniels-in-raid-of-trump-attorney-michael-cohens-office/2018/04/09/e3e43cf4-3c30-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html)


MUELLER WAR WITH TRUMP (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5596263/FBI-raid-Trumps-attorneys-office-seize-Stormy-Daniels-payment-records.html)
FBI RAIDS PRESIDENT'S LAWYER (https://apnews.com/a256631aa1a242e2a7b705e2b6a5b989/Trump-furious-after-FBI-seizes-documents-from-his-lawyer)
PROBE EXPANDS (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-09/fbi-raids-office-of-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen-in-mueller-probe)


http://www.drudgereport.com/i/logo9.gif

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DaYFbJEVQAAJTlq.jpg

RAID ROCKS DC... (https://nypost.com/2018/04/09/trump-slams-fbi-raid-on-lawyers-office-calls-mueller-probe-an-attack-on-our-country)

[thoughtomator]

We are very close to a hot war here inside the US right now.

[Superfluous Man]

Notably, there doesn't seem to be anybody saying that paying her hush money itself is illegal.

But then, how can prostitution ever be illegal? Can't all exchanges of money for sex really just be framed not as paying for the sex itself, but rather paying for the lady to go away when it's over?

[enhanced_deficit]

We are very close to a hot war here inside the US right now.

Not a fan of wag the dog, but won't it be better to have a hot war over there instead of over here?


Trump launches attack on Syria with 59 Tomahawk missiles
Apr 6, 2017 - The missiles targeted the Shayrat air base near Homs, and were in response to a Tuesday chemical weapons attack. Officially announcing the strike, President Donald Trump said the targeted airfield had launched the chemical attack on a rebel-held area, and he called on other nations to oppose Syria's ...

[enhanced_deficit]

04/09/2018 07:13 pm ET Updated 51 minutes ago

Trump Floats Possibility Of Firing Robert Mueller

“Why don’t I just fire Mueller?” Trump asked.

By Nick Visser

President Donald Trump (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/donald-trump) has once again lambasted the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and chastised Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the probe.

Trump appeared to directly float the idea of firing special counsel Robert Mueller at the start of his military leadership meeting on Monday, calling the special counsel’s investigation a “disgrace” and defending his firing of former FBI Director James Comey as the “right thing” to do.

“Why don’t I just fire Mueller?” Trump asked in response to a reporter’s question. “Well, I think it’s a disgrace what’s going on. We’ll see what happens, but I think it’s really a sad situation ... Many people have said you should fire him. Again, they found nothing, and in finding nothing, that’s a big statement.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-firing-mueller-we-will-see_us_5acbef3ce4b07a3485e78ede

[Raginfridus]

We are very close to a hot war here inside the US right now.Where at?


Can't all exchanges of money for sex really just be framed not as paying for the sex itself, but rather paying for the lady to go away when it's over?That's what I tell the cops everytime.

[TheCount]

Update II: As many probably suspected, Trump attorney Michael Cohen is under investigation for possible fraud and campaign finance violations, the Washington Post (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/fbi-seizes-records-related-to-stormy-daniels-in-raid-of-trump-attorney-michael-cohens-office/2018/04/09/e3e43cf4-3c30-11e8-974f-aacd97698cef_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.8c258875c22a) reported.
The FBI has seized documents - including emails, tax documents and other records - related to Cohen's $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Meanwhile, President Trump has stepped up to defend his longtime personal attorney, calling the raid "a whole new level of unfairness" and going as far to say it was an "attack on our country, on what we stand for before heading into a meeting with top military leaders." He also described the special counsel's team as "the most conflicted group of people I've ever met" and said the raid was "a disgraceful situation."
Trump added that the raid happened after Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein - who is supervising the Mueller probe - approved a referral that Mueller brought to the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Jeff Sessions also came under fire as the president bashed him once again for recusing himself from the Mueller probe. Trump also exclaimed that "no one is looking at the other side" referring to Clinton's 30,000 missing emails.
"I have this witch hunt constantly going on," he said.

More at: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-09/fbi-raids-office-trump-lawyer-michael-cohen

Ding ding ding, attorney client privilege doesn't protect an attorney who is committing a crime.

So, who thinks that the timing of this is related to Trump publicly claiming that he didn't know anything about the payment?

[Raginfridus]

Ding ding ding, attorney client privilege doesn't protect an attorney who is committing a crime.

So, who thinks that the timing of this is related to Trump publicly claiming that he didn't know anything about the payment?Out of sheer idiocy, Trump gave Mueller the rope to hang Cohen.

[TheCount]

Out of sheer idiocy, Trump gave Mueller the rope to hang Cohen.
Not the first nor the last time that his verbal diarrhea got him. That's why his lawyers don't want him to be interviewed by the FBI; he has absolutely no self control.

[Raginfridus]

Cohen was a Deep Dish mastermind, and Trump has thrown him to the wolves. Or Cohen and Trump planned on Mueller raiding the office, and they've outsmarted everybody.

It's just like the comic books.

[Swordsmyth]

Cohen was a Deep Dish mastermind, and Trump has thrown him to the wolves. Or Cohen and Trump planned on Mueller raiding the office, and they've outsmarted everybody.

It's just like the comic books.

We live in interesting times.

https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.idlehearts.com%2Fimages%2Fthe-phrase-may-you-live-in-interesting-times-is-the-lowest-in.jpg&f=1

[TheCount]

#MAGA: Making Attorneys Get Attorneys

[AuH20]

983484792204177408

[AuH20]

Binary thinkers are dangerous and stupid to boot. If it was that simple, we'd be living in a paradise of freedom. In contrast, Republicans are actually double agents for the super state who assist the encroaching march towards tyranny. Party ID is completely inconsequential.

983521667648376833

[enhanced_deficit]

The FBI Raids on Trump’s Attorney Are Bad News for Trump

Special Counsel Robert Mueller would not do this lightly.

By NORMAN EISEN, NOAH BOOKBINDER and CONOR SHAW
April 09, 2018

Monday’s FBI raids on Michael Cohen’s office, home and hotel room are the clearest sign yet that the president’s longtime attorney is in serious legal jeopardy. They also represent yet another threatening development facing Donald Trump after more than a year of investigations into his campaign and presidency—perhaps the most direct danger yet.

No wonder he’s lashing out wildly—calling the raids “a disgraceful situation” and, absurdly, “an attack on our country.”

The evidence sought by investigators reportedly relates to bank fraud and campaign finance violations, both of which primarily point to one thing. Cohen apparently used a home equity credit line to borrow the $130,000 he paid Stormy Daniels for her silence just weeks before the 2016 election. If Cohen lied to obtain credit from a federally insured financial institution, that is a felony (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1344) punishable by up to 30 years’ imprisonment. And because the payment was likely an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign, it could constitute a willful violation of campaign contribution limits, a separate felony punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.

That the investigation of Cohen was apparently referred by special counsel Robert Mueller to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York—a Trump appointee—is an early indication that at this point, the matter is not directly related to the Russia investigation. But that doesn’t mean Trump’s exposure is any less serious. Cohen knows where the LLCs are hidden. He’s been at the center of Trump’s financial universe for decades. If he is as exposed as he seems on the Daniels payment, one wonders what information he might be able to offer prosecutors—including Mueller—in exchange for a deal.

In addition, while the guilty pleas of Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, deputy campaign chair Rick Gates, and former national security adviser Michael Flynn were all significant, none of them directly jeopardized the president the way a Cohen deal would. If the FBI seized evidence showing that Trump directed Cohen’s payment to Daniels, Trump may also have committed a felony violation of campaign finance law. If Cohen and Trump worked together to come up with the scheme, they might also both be guilty of conspiring to commit a campaign finance violation. And if Trump (notwithstanding his recent denial) actually knew that he was the beneficiary of the nondisclosure agreement, he might be guilty of a separate offense—failing to report that asset on his personal financial disclosure form.
The president seemed to recognize the seriousness of the development immediately. He launched one of his most predictable and worrying tirades yet.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/04/09/fbi-raid-michael-cohen-donald-trump-robert-mueller-217841



Binary thinkers are dangerous and stupid to boot. If it was that simple, we'd be living in a paradise of freedom. In contrast, Republicans are actually double agents for the super state who assist the encroaching march towards tyranny. Party ID is completely inconsequential.

983521667648376833

What about Michael Cohen, democrat or Repub ? Not that partys labels matter much.

[enhanced_deficit]

CBS News April 11, 2018, 8:12 PM
Michael Cohen search warrant documents mentioned Trump by name

The FBI search and seizure warrants executed against President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-attorney-michael-cohen-says-hes-not-worried-by-fbi-raids/) mentioned President Trump's name several times, sources familiar with the documents tell CBS News' Jeff Pegues. Sources who've seen the warrants told Pegues it appeared to them that the real target of the raids was Mr. Trump. One source called it a "search and destroy mission."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-cohen-search-warrant-included-records-related-to-access-hollywood-tape/

[enhanced_deficit]

Drudge Report, that came to prominence decades ago after publishing Monica Lewinsky scandal that MSM had refused to cover, is giving lot of coverage to this scandal.
Current headlines on Drudge:





http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Michael+Cohen+Court+Hearing+Surrounding+Searches+u Qe5EZxOdnpl.jpg

NOOSE TIGHTENS AROUND TRUMP LAWYER... (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article208870264.html)

UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION FOR MONTHS... (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-13/cohen-search-was-separate-from-mueller-s-probe-u-s-says)

FIXER IN A FIX... (https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-cohen-has-been-under-criminal-investigation-for-months-feds-reveal)

Doubles down on claim never been to Prague... (http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/383171-cohen-doubles-down-on-claim-hes-never-been-to-prague-after-mueller)

Red flag for President... (http://thehill.com/homenews/news/383112-prosecutors-cohen-raid-is-red-flag-for-trump)




Pentagon Papers whistleblower urges Mattis to protect world from Trump... (https://www.yahoo.com/news/pentagon-papers-whistleblower-urges-mattis-protect-world-trump-084332952.html) https://tse1.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.u-C-XhPdO7vFAlmdWM3nJQHaFS&w=295&h=204&c=7&o=5&pid=1.7

COMEY THROWS THE BOOK AT PRESIDENT... (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5612251/Trump-says-Comey-prosecuted-classified-leak-Comey-says-hooker-story-possible.html)

Feud takes vicious turn... (http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/383114-comey-trump-feud-takes-vicious-turn)




Prosecutors: Cohen raid is red flag for Trump By Alexander Bolton - 04/14/18 01:53 PM EDT 4,329 (http://thehill.com/homenews/news/383112-prosecutors-cohen-raid-is-red-flag-for-trump#bottom-story-socials)


Former U.S. attorneys say the FBI's raid on Michael Cohen's office is a red flag for President Trump and suggests that Robert Mueller (http://thehill.com/people/robert-mueller) has compiled significant evidence of criminal activity by the president’s longtime personal lawyer.

These legal experts say the raid was significant because of high-profile nature of the case and the likely scope of the search warrant that authorized it.
ADVERTISEMENT

The breadth of the search indicates prosecutors suspected Cohen possessed a trove of evidence pointing to illegal activity that he would not have turned over to law enforcement voluntarily.But, former prosecutors note, the raid doesn’t necessarily implicate Trump in criminal wrongdoing.
Instead, it may be an attempt to turn Cohen, a close confidant intimately familiar with the dealings of the Trump Organization, against the president as a key witness.



http://thehill.com/homenews/news/383112-prosecutors-cohen-raid-is-red-flag-for-trump

[RJB]

So the Trumps scandals all come down to one important question... Who paid the hookers?

[enhanced_deficit]

So the Trumps scandals all come down to one important question... Who paid the hookers?

Lately seems that way.. unless real story is being kept secret by Mueller and such reports are meant to keep media/public entertained.

And to be fair, premise of that question has already been forcefully denied by POTUS:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPZhBVqCOlM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPZhBVqCOlM

[enhanced_deficit]

Cohen Would Turn Against President if Charged, Counselor Warned Trump

Former prosecutor Jay Goldberg says he cautioned president that his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, could be compelled to cooperate with prosecutors

https://images.wsj.net/im-7446?width=620&aspect_ratio=1.5
Michael Cohen, longtime personal lawyer and confidante for President Donald Trump, leaving the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Monday. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Updated April 18, 2018 2137 COMMENTS (https://www.wsj.com/articles/cohen-would-turn-against-president-if-charged-counselor-warned-trump-1524093151#comments_sector)

One of President Donald Trump’s longtime legal advisers said he warned the president in a phone call Friday that Michael Cohen, Mr. Trump’s personal lawyer and close friend, would turn against the president and cooperate with federal prosecutors if faced with criminal charges.
Mr. Trump made the call seeking advice from Jay Goldberg, who represented Mr. Trump in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mr. Goldberg said he cautioned the president not to trust Mr. Cohen. On a scale of 100 to 1, where 100 is fully protecting the president, Mr. Cohen “isn’t even a 1,” he said he told Mr. Trump.

Mr. Cohen is under criminal investigation for potential bank fraud and campaign-finance violations. FBI agents raided (https://www.wsj.com/articles/fbi-raids-trump-lawyers-office-1523306297) Mr. Cohen’s home, hotel and office last week, seeking documents about, among other things, a $130,000 payment he made in October 2016 to a former adult-film actress to prevent her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump in 2006, The Wall Street Journal previously reported, citing people familiar with the matter.​Messrs. Trump and Cohen deny such an encounter occurred.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/cohen-would-turn-against-president-if-charged-counselor-warned-trump-1524093151

[enhanced_deficit]

Why this public statement at this juncture?



Did Trump just make a ‘hugely damning admission’ in the Stormy Daniels case?



April 26
President Trump made a rare public comment (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/03/26/trumps-deafening-silence-on-stormy-daniels/?utm_term=.8d3e10fac288) about the Michael Cohen-Stormy Daniels case Thursday morning, playing down the lawyer's work for him and insisting that he didn't know about Cohen's business activities.
But Trump also said something that would seem ... less than ideal. While describing Cohen's allegedly limited work for him — a “tiny fraction” of his legal work, Trump assured — Trump confirmed to “Fox and Friends” that Cohen “represented” him in the Daniels case.


“Michael would represent me, and represent me on some things,” Trump said. “He represents me — like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal, he represented me.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/04/26/did-trump-just-make-a-hugely-damning-admission-in-the-stormy-daniels-case/

[enhanced_deficit]

Breaking on Drudge:

Kellyanne's husband contradicts Trump and tweets link to Federal Election Commission rules that say ANY loan for 'the purpose of influencing any election' is campaign cash that must be reported



Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani says president reimbursed lawyer Michael Cohen for a hush-money payment to a porn star, through a legal retainer
George Conway, whose wife is Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway, tweeted a link to government rules about loans to candidates
If Trump paid Cohen back, it was legally a 'loan'; and if Cohen paid Stormy Daniels specifically to help Trump win an election, it's counted as campaign cash
That could mean Trump jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire
He could have been required to report the 'loan' on his financial disclosure forms, depending on when he started paying Cohen a retainer



Updated: 14:57 EDT, 3 May 2018



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5687515/Kellyanne-Conways-husband-contradicts-Trump-tweet-FEC-regulations.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5687515/Kellyanne-Conways-husband-contradicts-Trump-tweet-FEC-regulations.html#ixzz5ETOk6fsS)

[enhanced_deficit]

Trump can’t keep his commitments to his own wife but still some think he will stay committed to the people of America?

No. He only cares about himself and what he wants in the moment. Grab em by the *^%#%^*

There’s some real presidential material right there. Every day I get more disgusted by our country and the person that was elected to lead it.

Good lord turn off your tv.. Trump is nothing like that. That is what the bankster corporate media wants you to think of him.


BTW, whose claims you find more credible on this affair, Trump's or Stormy's?

[dannno]

BTW, whose claims you find more credible on this affair, Trump's or Stormy's?

Trump.. because if Trump is right then Stormy is a horrible person.. if Stormy is right then she is still a horrible person.

[jmdrake]

Trump can’t keep his commitments to his own wife but still some think he will stay committed to the people of America?

No. He only cares about himself and what he wants in the moment. Grab em by the *^%#%^*

There’s some real presidential material right there. Every day I get more disgusted by our country and the person that was elected to lead it.


Good lord turn off your tv.. Trump is nothing like that. That is what the bankster corporate media wants you to think of him.

Dannno, it's statements like this that make Trump supporters seem like crazed cultists. Even Trump admits he is an adulterer. To say "Trump is nothing like that" is to say Trump isn't the person he has admitted himself to be. He claimed not to have the affair with Stormy Daniels, but with the admitted facts on the table now even that denial is implausible. From what I've seen so far I don't think the payments were illegal, so the OP title is incorrect. But to pretend Trump is some fountain of virtue is just hyper-delusional. And to think, Trump got his buddies at the National Enquirer to smear Ted Cruze with fake news adultery charges.

[enhanced_deficit]

Ok, that clarifies your stance. If most voters of GOP base think like you, then GOP should not have much to worry about in midterms turnout and losing in a landslide/Dems much anticipated impechment drama. Polls show most people finding Stromy more credible of the two, but we kow how polls can be manipulated by neocons owners as carrot/stick strategy.

[Zippyjuan]

Trump: I don't know anything about any payments to Stormy Daniels.

Giuliani- Trump paid back his lawyer for the money.

Trump- Yes, I did.


In stilted and legalistic prose, he wrote: “Mr Cohen, an attorney, received a monthly retainer, not from the campaign and having nothing to do with the campaign, from which he entered into, through reimbursement, a private contract between two parties, known as a non-disclosure agreement.”

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/04/donald-trump-latest-news-stormy-daniels-rudy-guiliani

Trump- Giuliani has his facts wrong- he is new here.

[Jamesiv1]

Every day I get more disgusted by our country and the person that was elected to lead it.
You sir, are no lover of liberty.

[dannno]

Trump: I don't know anything about any payments to Stormy Daniels.

Giuliani- Trump paid back his lawyer for the money.

Trump- Yes, I did.



https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/may/04/donald-trump-latest-news-stormy-daniels-rudy-guiliani

Trump- Giuliani has his facts wrong- he is new here.

Let me ask you zippy -

Is it possible for Trump to pay back Cohen for the payment to Stormy Daniels and also be unaware of any payments Cohen made to Stormy Daniels?

Like, you can't possibly imagine a scenario where Cohen says, "hey, I need to get reimbursed for $130k" and Trump says, "For what?" an Cohen says, "You don't wanna know" or similar and Trump says, "Ok, here you go" ??? Or something, ANYTHING along those lines?

[jmdrake]

Let me ask you zippy -

Is it possible for Trump to pay back Cohen for the payment to Stormy Daniels and also be unaware of any payments Cohen made to Stormy Daniels?

Like, you can't possibly imagine a scenario where Cohen says, "hey, I need to get reimbursed for $130k" and Trump says, "For what?" an Cohen says, "You don't wanna know" or similar and Trump says, "Ok, here you go" ??? Or something, ANYTHING along those lines?

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/sport-gymnast-mental_gymnastics-scores-judges-scorecards-dcr0741_low.jpg

[dannno]

https://s3.amazonaws.com/lowres.cartoonstock.com/sport-gymnast-mental_gymnastics-scores-judges-scorecards-dcr0741_low.jpg

That's not mental gymnastics, $130,000 isn't a lot of money for Trump. If he doesn't need to know what it's for, then he doesn't need to be told.. especially when he has somebody he found really trustworthy handling things.

A week away from the election, the last thing Trump needs to talk about with his lawyer is some bullshit bimbo asking for money.

[jmdrake]

That's not mental gymnastics, $130,000 isn't a lot of money for Trump. If he doesn't need to know what it's for, then he doesn't need to be told.. especially when he has somebody he found really trustworthy handling things.

A week away from the election, the last thing Trump needs to talk about with his lawyer is some bull$#@! bimbo asking for money.

1) Billionaires don't become and stay billionaires by being spendthrifts.

2) If the Stormy Daniels allegation wasn't credible then Trump's lawyer would have been a fool to pay her off anyway and I doubt Trump would hire a fool.

3) The only way Trump's lawyer could know about the credibility of the allegation is to have talked to Trump about it.

4) It's funny how all of a sudden you are more of an expert on what happened than Trump's newly hired lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

[dannno]

1) Billionaires don't become and stay billionaires by being spendthrifts.

I know. But he trusted Cohen and that doesn't mean Cohen doesn't have agreements with Trump where he may make payments that he doesn't know what they are for until a later date for legal reasons. Maybe they have a secret code work.

Cohen: "Hey Trump, I need some $130k of Jumbo Shrimp"

Trump: "Oh.. Ok..."




2) If the Stormy Daniels allegation wasn't credible then Trump's lawyer would have been a fool to pay her off anyway and I doubt Trump would hire a fool.

Uh, like I said before this was a week before the election.. the headlines would have been awful whether the allegations were true or not, and it would have affected the election either way. The media and public wouldn't have had time to verify the story, it wouldn't matter. Trump barely won some important states. So no he was not stupid.



3) The only way Trump's lawyer could know about the credibility of the allegation is to have talked to Trump about it.

Or maybe they had conversations previously? Or maybe like I said it doesn't matter whether the allegations were true or not, because it was a week before the election..



4) It's funny how all of a sudden you are more of an expert on what happened than Trump's newly hired lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Maybe Giuliani is a deep state plant.

[dannno]

I hope you come back to defend zippy some more, because "liberty" lol....

Because you believe it is impossible for Cohen to have paid off Stormy Daniels, and for Trump to have compensated him for it and not known the specific details for what he was compensating this lawyer of his who was trusted for decades... Insanity.

[Danke]

Let me ask you zippy -

Is it possible for Trump to pay back Cohen for the payment to Stormy Daniels and also be unaware of any payments Cohen made to Stormy Daniels?

Like, you can't possibly imagine a scenario where Cohen says, "hey, I need to get reimbursed for $130k" and Trump says, "For what?" an Cohen says, "You don't wanna know" or similar and Trump says, "Ok, here you go" ??? Or something, ANYTHING along those lines?

Maybe Cohen paid her without Trump being told, then later told Trump and got the cash from Trump.

[jmdrake]

I hope you come back to defend zippy some more, because "liberty" lol....

Yes because liberty means supporting antiliberty presidents like Trump.


Because you believe it is impossible for Cohen to have paid off Stormy Daniels, and for Trump to have compensated him for it and not known the specific details for what he was compensating this lawyer of his who was trusted for decades... Insanity.

I didn't say it was impossible but not everything that is not impossible is improbable. Mental gymnastics = coming up with an improbable but at least possible explanation for something you really really want to believe. But hey, I'll keep in mind that Trump apparently has some secret arrangement with his lawyers that any bimbo who shows up a few weeks before an election with some untrue story automatically gets $130,000.00 no questions asked. That's got to come in handy someday.

[jmdrake]

Maybe Giuliani is a deep state plant.

Giuliani's statement got Trump out of legal trouble. Trump possibly put himself back into it. Maybe Trump's the deep state plant. Or maybe he's just arrogant, prideful and stupid. Or maybe Milania has him whipped.

[H_H]

Seriously, nobody cares about this junk.

[Jamesiv1]

Giuliani's statement got Trump out of legal trouble. Trump possibly put himself back into it. Maybe Trump's the deep state plant. Or maybe he's just arrogant, prideful and stupid. Or maybe Milania has him whipped.
Maybe Trump is awesome, and the best President this country has ever seen.

[Raginfridus]

Seriously, nobody cares about this junk.

Its 2018 and our president knew a porn star :O

[Anti-Neocon]

Maybe Trump is awesome, and the best President this country has ever seen.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/customavatars/avatar10908_7.gif

[Danke]

Seriously, nobody cares about this junk.

5974

[TheCount]

Seriously, nobody cares about this junk.
Except Trump?

[TheCount]

992008583117201413

[Raginfridus]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/customavatars/avatar10908_7.gif

Confirmed alt

[H_H]

Except Trump?

Yes. I mean, I guess he would care. But no one else on planet Earth does. At all.

Booooring.

[dannno]

992008583117201413

How's the Russia investigation going?

[TheCount]

How's the Russia investigation going?

Better than the wall, the swamp draining, the Obamacare replacement, and the Syria withdrawal.

[jmdrake]

How's the Russia investigation going?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CKGA9w-B6A

History has repeated itself. Ken Starr = Robert Muller. Monica Lewinsky = Stormy Daniels. Whitewater = Russia investigation.

[enhanced_deficit]

How's the Russia investigation going?

There was a merger and it seems to have turned into Hussia investigation (Or Hushia ?).
Seems similar switch like GOP basers/Moral Right had turned Monica-Clinton affair into Obstrution of Justice investigation/impeachment.


In other news, POTUS says Giuliani is a great guy but Kimmel has a different take:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA-fY2dr9jc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA-fY2dr9jc





REPORTER: Mr. President, how’s Rudy doing?

REPORTER: When did you find out?

TRUMP: I tell you what — Rudy is a great guy, but he just started a day ago. But he really has his heart into it. He’s working hard. He’s learning the subject matter. And he’s going to be issuing a statement too. But he is a great guy. He knows it’s a witch hunt. That’s what he knows. He’s seen a lot of them. And he said he’s never seen anything so horrible.
As an example, 33,000 emails requested by Congress with a subpoena, and they get burned, they get deleted. And nobody says anything. Give me a break.

So Rudy knows it’s a witch hunt. He started yesterday. He’ll get his facts straight. He’s a great guy. But what he does is he feels it’s a very bad thing for our country, and he happens to be right.

REPORTER: When did you find out what the retainer was being spent on?
TRUMP: Well, you’re going to find out, because we’re going to give a full list. And people know. And virtually everything said has been said incorrectly, and it’s been said wrong, or it’s been covered wrong by the press — just like NBC and ABC yesterday covered the story wrong.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/04/u...y-daniels.html

Giuliani says Trump doesn't have to comply with a Mueller subpoena and could invoke the Fifth Amendment
Washington Post 2h ago



Giuliani: It is possible Michael Cohen paid off other women for Trump

by Mark Berman May 6
When asked during an interview on ABC News’s “This Week” whether Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal attorney, had made payments to other women, Giuliani said he did not know of any but acknowledged that this could have happened.

“I have no knowledge of that,” Giuliani said. “But I would think if it was necessary, yes.”



Did Michael Cohen make payments to other women on behalf of the president? Rudy Giuliani tells @GStephanopoulos: “I have no knowledge of that, but I would think if it was necessary, yes." https://t.co/LYBy2d6vA3 pic.twitter.com/ESMcGETxx4 (https://t.co/ESMcGETxx4)

— ABC News (@ABC) May 6, 2018





https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/05/06/giuliani-it-is-possible-michael-cohen-paid-off-other-women-for-trump

[Danke]

5978

[dannno]

There was a merger and it seems to have turned into Hussia investigation (Or Hushia ?).

LOL


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Y-juWEOps

[Danke]

Mueller forced to delay court case alleging Russian interference after two lawyers call his bluff (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3652949/posts)


FBI special counsel Robert Mueller is seeking to delay the first court hearing in a criminal case alleging Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election. Mueller has brought charges against three Russian companies and 13 Russians for the alleged interference.


The delay comes after two attorneys representing one of the Russian entities began challenging Mueller’s evidence in the case.


What are the details?


According to Politico, the 13 Russians and three companies — the Internet Research Agency, Concord Management and Consulting and Concord Catering — were expected to ignore the indictments since they are outside U.S. jurisdiction.


However, that’s not what happened. Last month, two lawyers representing Concord Management — Eric Dubelier and Kate Seikaly — surfaced. Mueller told the court Friday the lawyers made a series of discovery requests demanding nonpublic information about Mueller’s case. As attorneys representing one of the defendants, they are allowed to make such requests.


Politico reported that “the move appeared to be a bid to force Mueller’s team to turn over relevant evidence to the Russian firm and perhaps even to bait prosecutors into an embarrassing dismissal in order to avoid disclosing sensitive information.”


More from Politico:




Prosecutors also asked a judge to postpone the formal arraignment of Concord Management set for next week.
The prosecution team sought the delay on the grounds that it’s unclear whether Concord Management formally accepted the court summons related to the case. Mueller’s prosecutors also revealed that they tried to deliver the summonses for Concord and IRA through the Russian government, without success.


And despite the fact that Mueller’s team provided Dubelier with a copy of the summons, Dubelier told Mueller’s team this week it was “defective.”


The delay will allow the court to determine if Dubelier’s client was properly served a summons, but it will also allow Mueller’s team to provide Dubelier and Seikaly with the requested evidence.


According to Politico, Mueller’s team proposed both sides file briefs with the court to determine if Concord Management was properly summoned. Mueller’s team said they would file by May 25, while giving Concord’s attorneys until June 15.


How did the judge rule?
Federal Judge Dabney Friedrich, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in December to serve in the District of Columbia, did not immediately issue a ruling or postpone the arraignment.


She instructed Concord’s attorneys to respond to prosecutor’s request to delay by Monday.






https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/05/05/mueller-forced-to-delay-court-case-alleging-russian-interference-after-two-lawyers-call-his-bluff?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TheBlaze Daily PM 2018-05-05&utm_term=TheBlaze Daily PM% (https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/05/05/mueller-forced-to-delay-court-case-alleging-russian-interference-after-two-lawyers-call-his-bluff?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TheBlaze%20Daily%20PM%202018-05-05&utm_term=TheBlaze%20Daily%20PM%)

[Swordsmyth]

Stormy Daniels’ lawyer just made an admission that actually helps President Trump’s legal case, according to scholars.
During an interview with ABC, Stormy’s lawyer Michael Avenatti said the president “had effectively an extramarital affair slush fund that was administered by [Trump’s lawyer] Michael Cohen,” which legal experts say is actually evidence that the payment to Stormy wasn’t related to Trump’s presidential campaign.

AVENATTI: “It’s important to think about what we just heard. According to Giuliani, this was commonplace. The president had effectively an extramarital affair slush fund that was administered by Michael Cohen & then he would just take care of it… they were a regular occurrence” pic.twitter.com/Z6yHzxi90X (https://t.co/Z6yHzxi90X)
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 6, 2018 (https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/993160562862379008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

A celebrity’s slush fund set up by his lawyer to handle what he considers “nuisance payments” is fairly routine – and it would explain why President Trump would know about payments but not necessarily the details of such payments.
And remember, Trump was a celebrity before he ever considered entering the political arena, and the affair Stormy claimed she had with Trump occurred in 2006.
“Giuliani has consistently painted the picture of Cohen as a fixer, who would make such payments out of a retainer fund so as not to burden his very busy clients with such trifles,” reported (https://lawandcrime.com/opinion/if-trump-really-did-have-extramarital-affair-slush-fund-it-would-actually-help-his-legal-case/) Law & Crime.
Payments made to others would effectively downplay the significance of the payment made to Stormy, legal experts suggest, because those would reveal a pattern by Cohen to pay out what he considered “nuisances” though a slush fund – and thus the payment to Stormy wasn’t politically motivated, regardless of the timing.
Earlier this month President Trump admitted the funds used to pay Stormy came out of a retainer to Cohen, which suggests the existence of a slush fund – and if the slush fund existed before Trump announced his presidential run, that would bolster Trump’s case even more.

More at: https://www.infowars.com/stormys-lawyer-helping-trumps-case-say-legal-experts/

[enhanced_deficit]

Had not expected this story to become so big.


Trump due to file public financial disclosure amid questions of whether he will mention hush money deal for Stormy Daniels (https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/15/question-about-money-for-stormy-daniels-looms-as-trump-disclosure-due.html)



President Donald Trump and thousands of other federal executive branch workers are due to file public financial disclosure forms Tuesday.
Trump's filing last year apparently did not disclose a debt to his longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen.
Cohen had paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about an alleged affair with Trump.



Kevin Breuninger | Dan Mangan
Published 2 Hours Ago Updated 1 Hour

Thousands of federal executive branch employees are set to file public financial disclosure forms (https://oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/All+Advisories/F7351F4CD3B48E288525826B005B9BE6/$FILE/PA-18-01.pdf?open) Tuesday — among them President Donald Trump (https://www.cnbc.com/donald-trump/).

The annually filed documents, which reveal the financial interests of federal workers, provide a rare window into the finances of Trump, who otherwise has notoriously eschewed traditions of transparency established by his recent predecessors in the White House.
This year's financial disclosure filing by Trump — which is not yet publicly available — could be especially significant.
The president is scheduled to file his form on the heels of a revelation from one of his lawyers, Rudy Giuliani (https://www.cnbc.com/rudy-giuliani/), that Trump had repaid his personal attorney, Michael Cohen (https://www.cnbc.com/id/105143549) $130,000 last year.

That reimbursement was for a hush-money payment that Cohen made to porn star Stormy Daniels (https://www.cnbc.com/id/105070474) in late 2016 in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. The White House has denied any such affair.