Isn't Trump doing the same thing here? One cardinal law of journalism is that nothing is truly a viable report, when it is second hand knowledge, unless there are two accounts of the same event.
The statements by Former Secretary Tillerson alone has no standing because it is just him stating his experience. But, when linked to other crimes committed by people surrounding Trump the statement by Secretary Tillerson takes on the reporting of a "character flaw" of Donald Trump. Trump engages in illegal behavior, but, at the expense of "the other guy."
In the case of Former Secretary Tillerson, there was refusal to commit a criminal act. In the case of Michael Cohen, he pushed past the law and committed the criminal act. The common denominator is Donald Trump. Just because Secretary Tillerson is an honorable man with his character firmly anchored in a lawful life doesn't mean Trump is an innocent party. Trump is not. Trump GAINS from the criminal acts of others that he is fully aware is occurring. Trump is not simply an innocent bystander, he is paying others. In the case of Secretary Tillerson, there is payment by the people of the USA in service to the President. Donald Trump is directly involved in the criminal implications of his payments.
December 7, 2018
By Timothy L. O'Brien
...It also offered (click here) a detailed description of Cohen's orchestration of hush-money payments to two alleged Trump paramours -- Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal -- to prevent them from publicly revealing details about their past encounters with Trump during the 2016 campaign. Prosecutors noted that Cohen "acted in coordination and at the direction of" a person they don't identify to arrange the payments, but that individual is clearly Trump (whom Cohen has recorded discussing the payments).
In addition to noting Cohen's willingness to sacrifice his accountant to save himself, the Manhattan prosecutors also take issue with the idea that Cohen's cooperation emerged from some a newfound sense of duty, "personal resolve" or a "selfless" and "unprompted about-face." They plainly state that Cohen cooperated to save his hide and avoid a harsher penalty. To that end, they asked that he get a "significant" prison sentence....
One other thing.
The extreme right wing of the Republican Party have demanded for decades through laws and decisions by the courts to have THEIR HANDS CLEAN of any malicious use of USA dollars for payment of abortions or contraception. The Hyde Amendment has existed for decades now. How then do these same people continue to impose their theocratic political dogma on the American people when in fact they stand with Donald Trump in all his dealings. I remind, these same people that want pure souls for their heaven as they look the other way to Trump's womanizing and illegal dealings.
How can the Hyde Amendment, other laws and court decisions stand when they are contrived, through manipulation of science, law and language, out of political convenience to expedite an agenda of the extreme right wing Republicans? The anti-voting agenda, the Voter ID agenda, the anti-LGBTQ agenda, the White Supremacist agenda, any non-national security war that cause deaths and hardship of peoples of other countries, as well as the anti-woman agenda are backed within a political party that encourages strong Pro-Trump rallies and wrongful moral content.
These measures are anti-American no matter how anyone looks at them and the only reason Trump has a right to carry out any of these ideas is because the so called moral right wing is more than willing to allow a criminal in the White House to enact their priorities. When examined for moral content these priorities have no place in the moral social contract of the American people.
December 7, 2018
By Sharon LeFraniere, Benjamine Weiser and Maggie Haberman
Federal prosecutors (click here) said on Friday that President Trump directed illegal payments to ward off a potential sex scandal that threatened his chances of winning the White House in 2016, putting the weight of the Justice Department behind accusations previously made by his former lawyer.
The lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, had said that as the election neared, Mr. Trump directed payments to two women who claimed they had affairs with Mr. Trump. But in a new memo arguing for a prison term for Mr. Cohen, prosecutors in Manhattan said he “acted in coordination and at the direction of” an unnamed individual, clearly referring to Mr. Trump.
In another filing, prosecutors for the special counsel investigating Russia’s 2016 election interference said an unnamed Russian offered Mr. Cohen “government level” synergy between Russia and Mr. Trump’s campaign in November 2015. That was months earlier than other approaches detailed in indictments secured by prosecutors....
Donald Trump broke the law to enter the White House. That is completely illegal and highly immoral. Either the USA Congress acts upon laws to uphold them as well as pass them and carries out impeachment or they are not strong enough to be called Americans.
Federal prosecutors and a Special Prosecutor in Former Director Mueller have placed a high priority in finding the truth in these cases. This is the American tax dollar at work. NO CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BETTER LOOK THE OTHER WAY!
Breaking USA law means something and that meaning does not stop at the boundary line of Washington, DC.
THIS IS NOT A WITCH HUNT!
NOW! There is absolutely no reason to wait for January!
September 7, 2018
By Betsy Klein
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (click here) weighed in on the issue of a presidential indictment and impeachment on Friday, an issue on which he has largely declined to comment.
Asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt whether he believes a president can be indicted, the Senate Majority Leader indicated that a president should be subject to a political -- rather than a judicial -- remedy.
"I'm a lawyer, but not a good one. The Justice Department, I gather, has taken the position under a president of both parties that the appropriate remedy for presidential misbehavior is impeachment," McConnell told Hewitt in a taped MSNBC interview. "I'm not an expert on this, but I hear that's the case."
During Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, the Supreme Court nominee invoked the Federalist Papers, including Federalist 69, which says a president may only be impeached.
Kavanaugh avoided answering a question on whether a president is subject to subpoena, and asked his opinion on the matter, McConnell declined to say, as well.
"Yeah, that'll be up to the courts to decide. I have no idea what, how they would rule," McConnell said....
December 8, 2018
By Ken White
Federal prosecutors (click here) filed three briefs late on Friday portending grave danger for three men: the former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, the former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, and President Donald Trump. In an age when Americans usually get mere squibs of breaking news from Twitter, Facebook, and red-faced cable shouters, many started their weekend poring over complex legal filings and peering suspiciously at blacked-out paragraphs. The documents were stunning, even for 2018....
December 7, 2018
By Sharon LeFraniere, Benjamine Weiser and Maggie Haberman
Federal prosecutors (click here) said on Friday that President Trump directed illegal payments to ward off a potential sex scandal that threatened his chances of winning the White House in 2016, putting the weight of the Justice Department behind accusations previously made by his former lawyer.
The lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, had said that as the election neared, Mr. Trump directed payments to two women who claimed they had affairs with Mr. Trump. But in a new memo arguing for a prison term for Mr. Cohen, prosecutors in Manhattan said he “acted in coordination and at the direction of” an unnamed individual, clearly referring to Mr. Trump.
In another filing, prosecutors for the special counsel investigating Russia’s 2016 election interference said an unnamed Russian offered Mr. Cohen “government level” synergy between Russia and Mr. Trump’s campaign in November 2015. That was months earlier than other approaches detailed in indictments secured by prosecutors....
Donald Trump broke the law to enter the White House. That is completely illegal and highly immoral. Either the USA Congress acts upon laws to uphold them as well as pass them and carries out impeachment or they are not strong enough to be called Americans.
Federal prosecutors and a Special Prosecutor in Former Director Mueller have placed a high priority in finding the truth in these cases. This is the American tax dollar at work. NO CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BETTER LOOK THE OTHER WAY!
Breaking USA law means something and that meaning does not stop at the boundary line of Washington, DC.
THIS IS NOT A WITCH HUNT!
NOW! There is absolutely no reason to wait for January!
September 7, 2018
By Betsy Klein
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (click here) weighed in on the issue of a presidential indictment and impeachment on Friday, an issue on which he has largely declined to comment.
Asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt whether he believes a president can be indicted, the Senate Majority Leader indicated that a president should be subject to a political -- rather than a judicial -- remedy.
"I'm a lawyer, but not a good one. The Justice Department, I gather, has taken the position under a president of both parties that the appropriate remedy for presidential misbehavior is impeachment," McConnell told Hewitt in a taped MSNBC interview. "I'm not an expert on this, but I hear that's the case."
During Judge Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing, the Supreme Court nominee invoked the Federalist Papers, including Federalist 69, which says a president may only be impeached.
Kavanaugh avoided answering a question on whether a president is subject to subpoena, and asked his opinion on the matter, McConnell declined to say, as well.
"Yeah, that'll be up to the courts to decide. I have no idea what, how they would rule," McConnell said....
December 8, 2018
By Ken White
Federal prosecutors (click here) filed three briefs late on Friday portending grave danger for three men: the former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, the former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, and President Donald Trump. In an age when Americans usually get mere squibs of breaking news from Twitter, Facebook, and red-faced cable shouters, many started their weekend poring over complex legal filings and peering suspiciously at blacked-out paragraphs. The documents were stunning, even for 2018....
