By Matt Naham
Kenneth “Ken” Starr, (click here) who all alive at the time will recall was the independent counsel during the Whitewater investigation and looked into a certain Bill Clinton–Monica Lewinsky scandal, said in an appearance on the Yahoo News podcast “Skullduggery” on Friday that the alleged Stormy Daniels $130,000 payment in exchange for silence about a sexual relationship with President Donald Trump raises “serious” issues...
The collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia is already evident. Paul Manafort was a campaign chairman and has a strong relationship with Russia. He was a poor choice from the beginning. Then to have Russia send hacked information from the DNC closes the loop. I think Russia was managing the campaign, especially with Mr. Manafort as chairperson. He was a very odd choice given his well known reputation with Yanukovych.
Putin would campaign in Ukraine. Ukraine was a political icon for President Vladimir Putin. His presence in Ukraine, primarily Crimea, was a dog whistle to the electorate in Russia. The invasion of Russia into Ukraine when the Euromaidan in Keiv violence broke out was based strongly in Putin politics. He promised Crimea would remain Russia for all the "Russian people" living there. Everyone else outside of Russia knows Crimea was a strategic and had nothing to do with the people. Crimea is within the Black Sea. Putin wasn't going to give Crimea to anyone for strategic reasons.
There is no great leap of faith to realize the relationship of Manafort and Russia. Paul Manafort was not a well known election chairperson in the USA before Trump. But, the degree Paul Manafort had links to Russia is well known. Then put the 13 Russians (click here) and the use of social media by Russia into the picture and it all comes alive.
I think the Mueller investigation would have made that connection regardless of it's start date. What is startling is the degree Russia had influence in the 2016 elections. The Mueller investigation is necessary and to his benefit President Trump ordered it.
As far as the wrongdoing by the Trump Campaign and Ms. Clifford, it is another obvious violation. The Attorney General is more interested in chasing pot heads rather than protecting the sovereign USA. So, the idea he has time for
Ms. Clifford's story and its implications OF A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN AG Sessions worked for is next to none. I am confident AG Sessions measures his own involvement with all these issues. There is a strong conflict of interest with the campaign and AG Sessions.
As far as Mexico? I think President Trump is correct, the USA should be working with Mexico to end the cartels and return sovereign authority of the Mexican government, but, it has little to do with a wall of bricks; so much a wall of the USA national guard on the USA side of the border and the US military on Mexican side of the border. But, the USA has to go further than the border. A sovereign authority needs to return to Mexico all the way to it's southern border. It may be necessary to push into Central America if the veracity of the cartels proves to be a problem. The issues with the cartels is extensive and needs its own strategy. The USA needs to establish a strategy with Mexico and begin talks with leaders of Central America. I doubt the USA will be turned away from any of the countries adversely effected by the cartels.
