Althouse: Power Line: "For now, all we can say is that the emails confirm Donald Trump, Jr.’s account..."

July 11, 2017

Power Line: "For now, all we can say is that the emails confirm Donald Trump, Jr.’s account..."

"... and support the conclusion that once again, the New York Times and the Washington Post have made fools of themselves by trying to fashion an anti-Trump news story out of entirely innocent materials."

368 comments:

1 – 200 of 368 Newer› Newest»

Nonapod said...: Well, and that Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government I assume (He was claiming something like that, wasn't he?). As I said elsewhere, no crime here, but it makes Don Jr look foolish and a liar.; 7/11/17, 1:44 PM
traditionalguy said...: But Treason means you know a Russian... Unless you are a Clinton/obama supporter in which it means means you are entitled to be hired by Mueller .; 7/11/17, 1:49 PM
Jim at said...: I'm telling ya, this whole thing could've been resolved with one, nice, shiny Reset Button and some more flexibility after the election.; 7/11/17, 1:50 PM
Fernandinande said...: Jared Yates Sexton‏, the guy who said "I...worked on this story for a year...and...he just...he tweeted it out" [his dots], also says
"This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. There's not even a close second."; 7/11/17, 1:52 PM
eric said...: Blogger Nonapod said...
Well, and that Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government I assume (He was claiming something like that, wasn't he?). As I said elsewhere, no crime here, but it makes Don Jr look foolish and a liar.

This is an excellent question.

What did Don Jr. say and what happened? Seems like the woman he met with wasn't much connected with the Russian government.; 7/11/17, 1:53 PM
Nyamujal said...: I hope the next post Althouse links to is from a blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy. Hope she links to an internet sleuth who has incontrovertible "proof" that Hillary is a secret assassin who killed Seth Rich.; 7/11/17, 1:54 PM
harrogate said...: The Seth Rich blogger comment

😂😂😂; 7/11/17, 1:56 PM
tcrosse said...: With a sigh, Hillary puts the bible back in the nightstand.; 7/11/17, 1:56 PM
Fernandinande said...: Nonapod said...
Well, and that Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government ...

He might have thought that he was going to do so, but he never did, did he?; 7/11/17, 1:57 PM
david7134 said...: So, it is ok that Hillary gave away 20% of UR to the Russians but the Trumps can't talk to a Russian lawyer. That makes sense in Yankee world.; 7/11/17, 1:57 PM
Nonapod said...: "This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. "

I just wish someone would explain to me what (biggest) crime it is. Lawyers around here are being way too circumspect.; 7/11/17, 1:57 PM
Nyamujal said...: Don Junior does Crossfit and brags about a world class Murph time. That in my opinion is even more disgusting than any allegations of collusion.
Crossshit - forging elite mediocrity since the early aughts.; 7/11/17, 1:59 PM
eric said...: Blogger Nonapod said...
"This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. "

I just wish someone would explain to me what (biggest) crime it is. Lawyers around here are being way too circumspect.

7/11/17, 1:57 PM

I think they are referring to Don Jr's transparency in releasing his Emails, instead of, you know, doing the right thing and destroying them with bleach, or like, with a cloth or something.; 7/11/17, 2:00 PM
Mike Sylwester said...: Nyamujal at 1:54 PM

a blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy

I have read Powerline every day for many years.; 7/11/17, 2:01 PM
dreams said...: I just came from Powerline but Althouse had already been there.; 7/11/17, 2:01 PM
Drago said...: "Don Junior does Crossfit and brags about a world class Murph time."

Ah yes. In the aftermath of yet another lefty/"lifelong republican"can fever dream crash, the locals return to form.

Unexpectedly.

Perhaps a few hours with your p****hat will get you over the hump.; 7/11/17, 2:05 PM
Nyamujal said...: @Drago

Do you even lift brah?

"Perhaps a few hours with your p****hat will get you over the hump."

I prefer good Scotch to pussy hats. Good Scotch whiskey always gets me over humps.; 7/11/17, 2:08 PM
hombre said...: Blogger Nonapod said...
"Well, and that Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government I assume (He was claiming something like that, wasn't he?). As I said elsewhere, no crime here, but it makes Don Jr look foolish and a liar."

Except that the lawyer herself claims no connection to the Russian gov't and the gov't denies any connection and no connection can be proven. But who cares, right?; 7/11/17, 2:08 PM
Original Mike said...: Blogger Nyamujal said..."I hope the next post Althouse links to is from a blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy."

Don't get around much, do you?; 7/11/17, 2:09 PM
Drago said...: Nyamujal: "A blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy"

Nyamujal is still angry at Powerlineblog and Little Green Footballs for exposing the last big Democrat/lefty/"lifelong republican" hoax leading to Rathergate.; 7/11/17, 2:10 PM
Michael K said...: Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government

Which of those Russians was part of the government ?

I saw no evidence any was.; 7/11/17, 2:10 PM
Craig said...: "Cruel neutrality" (sic). Someone's in the vortex today.; 7/11/17, 2:11 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: Shh. I have very important secret. Boris and Natasha are coming to give terrible evidence about Hillary. Keep secret!; 7/11/17, 2:11 PM
Drago said...: Nyamujal: "Do you even lift brah?"

Nyamujal appropriates Native Hawaiian cultural lingo.

Tsk tsk.

I expected better of a once again embittered lefty due to massive narrative collapse.

Oh well, in crisis your true self always emerges.; 7/11/17, 2:12 PM
Drago said...: Perhaps a nice bowl of borscht would brighten the spirit of our lefties and "lifelong republicans"?; 7/11/17, 2:13 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: I liked where they were gong with the defense that they were set up, but I see they are getting away from that. In politics it is better to be thought guilty than to be thought of as the guy who was set up.; 7/11/17, 2:14 PM
eric said...: So far the worst thing I see out of all of this is the claim that it's "Troubling" Don Jr was willing to meet with an agent of the Russian government in order to obtain evidence Hillary was committing crimes.

Seriously.; 7/11/17, 2:14 PM
hombre said...: Blogger Fernandinande said...
'Jared Yates Sexton‏, the guy who said "I...worked on this story for a year...and...he just...he tweeted it out" [his dots], also says
"This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. There's not even a close second."'

It's even more egregious because no statutes have been violated, there is no victim and there is no evidence!; 7/11/17, 2:15 PM
Drago said...: Left bank: "In politics it is better to be thought guilty than to be thought of as the guy who was set up."

Good thing it turned out to be neither.

Your batting avg of .000 remains intact keeping you in a tie with certain other commentators WMNBN.; 7/11/17, 2:16 PM
n.n said...: Nonapod:

Foolish, maybe. That depends on how successful the opposition is to frame the narrative.

What has he lied about?

There was no contact with the Russian government. There is no evidence that any information received influenced anything or anyone, other than a DNC/NYT opposition fueled by lies and innuendo that is in its third trimester.

There was contact with a Russian national, but with unreconciled expectations only incidentally related to the election. Perhaps something was lost in translation then or since.; 7/11/17, 2:16 PM
Drago said...: "It's even more egregious because no statutes have been violated, there is no victim and there is no evidence!"

"BUT TRUMP!!!!!!" Screamed every lefty/"lifelong republican" everywhere.; 7/11/17, 2:17 PM
Nonapod said...: Except that the lawyer herself claims no connection to the Russian gov't and the gov't denies any connection and no connection can be proven. But who cares, right?

Well, it's right there in the E-mails:

The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father.

This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump - helped along by Aras and Emin.

This is muddled by the fact that there's no such thing as a "Crown prosecutor" in Russia, I imagine this is referring to something analogous to an Attorney general? I don't know.

So did Don Jr not understand that the source of this supposed information was the Russian government?; 7/11/17, 2:20 PM
n.n said...: The DNC/establishment is on a perpetual baby hunt in a speculative bid to raise the profits of Planned Parenthood (i.e. abortion and abortion-abortion industry). Unfortunately, so far they have exposed no babies, only witches (and warlocks), which are a profit and vote-losing proposition for their fiscal and political ambitions.; 7/11/17, 2:23 PM
hombre said...: Corrupt leftmedia provide fictitious confirmation bias for consumption by ignorant Democrats. Fake news.

("Fictitious" and "confirmation bias?" Do those work together? Anybody?); 7/11/17, 2:23 PM
eric said...: Blogger Nonapod said...
Except that the lawyer herself claims no connection to the Russian gov't and the gov't denies any connection and no connection can be proven. But who cares, right?

Well, it's right there in the E-mails:

Are you talking past each other?

1) Don Jr was told in Email that he would be meeting with a Russian agent.
2) The woman Don Jr met with wasn't a Russian agent.; 7/11/17, 2:23 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "So did Don Jr not understand that the source of this supposed information was the Russian government?"

-- It seems like the point of the meeting was to determine what of what they were told was true.; 7/11/17, 2:24 PM
MountainMan said...: There is no such thing in Russia as a "Crown Prosecutor". And the woman lawyer he met with has no connection to the Russian government.; 7/11/17, 2:25 PM
n.n said...: Drago:

Not even a motive, since Clinton lost the election because she was out of touch literally and on the issues with American citizens.; 7/11/17, 2:26 PM
dreams said...: It's stuff like this that keeps me from getting tired of winning.; 7/11/17, 2:26 PM
Birkel said...: Nonapod starts with a bang!

Step 1: Assume all people with any Russian heritage are Russian operatives.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Hillary is president.; 7/11/17, 2:27 PM
MadisonMan said...: My reaction.; 7/11/17, 2:27 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: "It's even more egregious because no statutes have been violated, there is no victim and there is no evidence!"

Clearly because of a cover-up!! That's the only possible explanation.; 7/11/17, 2:28 PM
Drago said...: "Not even a motive, since Clinton lost the election because she was out of touch literally and on the issues with American citizens."

Most importantly no one on Clintons campaign knew the Midwest existed because it wasn't clearly shown on the The New Yorkers view from Manhatten map.; 7/11/17, 2:28 PM
Balfegor said...: I don't find their response to "is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump–helped along by Aras and Emin" wholly persuasive. It's certainly possible that Trump Jr. wrongly understood it was part of the Russian government's support for Trump, and in any event it sounds like they didn't get any useful new dirt about Clinton's Russian ties.

But still. It is there in the email. "Its government's support" -- someone in the chain thought Russia's government was supporting Trump. Still not collusion, but it's the first piece of evidence that has come out that actually makes the Russia story seem like something other than delusional media nonsense.; 7/11/17, 2:29 PM
exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...: Fernandinande said...
Jared Yates Sexton‏, the guy who said "I...worked on this story for a year...and...he just...he tweeted it out" [his dots], also says
"This is the dumbest and biggest crime in the history of American politics. There's not even a close second."

7/11/17, 1:52 PM

Well, Sexton is an assistant professor of Creative Writing.; 7/11/17, 2:29 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: Has anyone been indicted yet?

In Watergate, I recall there being a crime (burglary) and several indictments.

When do we get to see evidence of a crime? I hear a lot about "meddling" and "collusion".........; 7/11/17, 2:29 PM
Drago said...: Indeed, the lack of any evidence along with continuous logic fails speaks to galactic sized conspiracy and it's effectiveness.; 7/11/17, 2:30 PM
Balfegor said...: Also, who are Emin and Aras?; 7/11/17, 2:30 PM
Dave from Minnesota said...: Veronika Bessonov told Trump to hold large campaign rallies in Wisconsin, Michigan and Florida. Then told Hillary to concentrate in New York and ignore the above states.

She also told the Democrats to make a big deal about bathrooms in North Carolina but ignore jobs in Michigan. And to really finish it off, she sent Ted Danson to Michigan to lecture the bumpkins there about global warming.

There's your proof that the Ruskies threw the election.; 7/11/17, 2:31 PM
robother said...: Crickets are chirping again in the Lifelong Republic.; 7/11/17, 2:32 PM
chickelit said...: What's clearly lacking is a nexus between DJT Jr and the hacked emails. The hacked emails did help Hillary lose.; 7/11/17, 2:32 PM
exhelodrvr1 said...: Seems a pretty reasonable defense would be "It was obvious they weren't part of the Russian government, but we were interested in the information they said that they had."; 7/11/17, 2:32 PM
Nonapod said...: Are you talking past each other?

Yeah.

I'm just attempting to be devils advocate here.

Obviously just because the Russian government and she herself claims she wasn't an agent doesn't mean she wasn't an agent. I mean, the Russian government has been known to lie from time to time. And an "agent" is a little vague anyway, someone who is acting as a civilian intermediary could be considered an agent. It's all open to interpretation. Did Don Jr. believe she was an agent?; 7/11/17, 2:32 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: "Also, who are Emin and Aras?"

Shh. Those are secret cover names for Boris and Natasha. Don't tell anyone!; 7/11/17, 2:33 PM
Dave from Minnesota said...: Drago Indeed, the lack of any evidence along with continuous logic fails speaks to galactic sized conspiracy and it's effectiveness.

That is Ollie Stone's proof of a conspiracy. If there is no evidence of said conspiracy, that just shows how large it is.; 7/11/17, 2:33 PM
hombre said...: Blogger Nonapod said... (quoting me):
"'Except that the lawyer herself claims no connection to the Russian gov't and the gov't denies any connection and no connection can be proven. But who cares, right?'

Well, it's right there in the E-mails:..."

Oh, shit! Say it isn't so! Better yet, post your email address and I'll send you an email saying it isn't so. LOL.

PS. The email isn't evidence of anything except what some guy thought was happening. It has been thoroughly contradicted.; 7/11/17, 2:33 PM
Nonapod said...: Nonapod starts with a bang!

Step 1: Assume all people with any Russian heritage are Russian operatives.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Hillary is president.

What? When have I ever expressed that?; 7/11/17, 2:35 PM
Quaestor said...: Nonapod wrote: Well, and that Don Jr lied about never knowingly meeting with anyone associated with the Russian government I assume (He was claiming something like that, wasn't he?)

If you're going to call someone a liar you must do better than "something like that", else you are the liar and the fool.

Find the relevant quote — she said he said won't do — and then we'll discuss the subject like gentlemen.; 7/11/17, 2:35 PM
Birkel said...: It's the internet, bro. Calm down.

You assumed a lie by Trump, Jr. and I ran with it.; 7/11/17, 2:36 PM
dreams said...: "It's even more egregious because no statutes have been violated, there is no victim and there is no evidence!"

"Clearly because of a cover-up!! That's the only possible explanation."

I see. Yeah, the lack of any evidence is evidence that there has been a cover-up; 7/11/17, 2:36 PM
Trumpit said...: What part of "dirty tricks" do you Republicans not understand?

The master of dirty tricks was Richard Milhous Nixon. He was forced to resign.

Is history going to repeat itself?; 7/11/17, 2:36 PM
eric said...: Blogger Trumpit said...
What part of "dirty tricks" do you Republicans not understand?

The master of dirty tricks was Richard Milhous Nixon. He was forced to resign.

Is history going to repeat itself?

7/11/17, 2:36 PM

I'm just a dumb hillbilly.

What was the dirty trick? Please speak slowly and without snark so I can understand.; 7/11/17, 2:39 PM
Birkel said...: eric,

Snark is a different troll. This public service message brought to you by "Know Your Troll and Other Helpful Internet Memes".; 7/11/17, 2:40 PM
Dave from Minnesota said...: I (unlike many here) realize Trumpit is a parady of a lefty, but that post above......hits pretty spot on.

Irony is RMN was one of the most progressive Presidents we've had.
-Amtrak
-EPA
-Endangered species act
-Affirmative Action
-Desegregated schools
-Saved Israel (1973, before the left decided to hate the Jewish state); 7/11/17, 2:42 PM
Ron Winkleheimer said...: I hope the next post Althouse links to is from a blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy.

Alexa rank in US, 5843.; 7/11/17, 2:46 PM
Brookzene said...: I think they are referring to Don Jr's transparency in releasing his Emails, instead of, you know, doing the right thing and destroying them with bleach, or like, with a cloth or something.

Heh. First the NYTimes tweeted they had the actual emails, THEN Don Jr. released them on Twitter.

That's the Trump admins idea of "transparency" for sure.; 7/11/17, 2:47 PM
Seeing Red said...: Nixon was an amateur compared to Obama.

I still don't understand this fascination with T stepping down. The former rapist didn't. Precedent has been set.; 7/11/17, 2:48 PM
Seeing Red said...: The emails are out for all to read, instead of the gatekeepers spinning. What's the issue? NYT could have released them at any time if they were concerned with transparency.; 7/11/17, 2:50 PM
Infinite Monkeys said...: Nyamujal said...
I hope the next post Althouse links to is from a blogger who is even more obscure than this Powerline guy. Hope she links to an internet sleuth who has incontrovertible "proof" that Hillary is a secret assassin who killed Seth Rich.

7/11/17, 1:54 PM

More obscure than Poweline? That would be over 99% of the blogs out there.; 7/11/17, 2:50 PM
Birkel said...: And as we all know, based on the logic of Brookzene, it is legal for the NYT to have those E-mails but not Trump, Jr. who is a mere U.S. citizen and does not enjoy the full rights of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

#LeftyLogic; 7/11/17, 2:51 PM
hombre said...: The Democrats and the leftmedia argue: "But Trump, Jr, knew, or thought, that the lawyer was a Russian agent..."

If this purports to be evidence that one can be a partisan nincompoop and a mindreader at the same time, I'm not buying it.; 7/11/17, 2:52 PM
tcrosse said...: Irony is RMN was one of the most progressive Presidents we've had

-Wage and Price controls
-Opening to Red China; 7/11/17, 2:55 PM
Brookzene said...: Has anyone been indicted yet?

In Watergate, I recall there being a crime (burglary) and several indictments.

When do we get to see evidence of a crime? I hear a lot about "meddling" and "collusion".........

Let's see, the break-in was June 1972. I believe the first indictments were the summer of 1974.; 7/11/17, 2:56 PM
Matt Sablan said...: So, someone claiming to maybe have information is illegal foreign collusion.

Clinton's campaign literally teaming with the Ukraine government to dig up dirt on Trump is... an amusing footnote, I guess, in all this. Trump may have done something bad, but since Clinton lost, who really cares what she did.; 7/11/17, 2:56 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene The Ever Hopeful: "First the NYTimes tweeted they had the actual emails, THEN Don Jr. released them on Twitter. "

How do you know the NYT had them?

And why would the NYT NOT publish them if they had them?

Oh yeah, there isn't anything to them.

Again, quite "unexpectedly".; 7/11/17, 2:56 PM
Chuck said...: Jonah Goldberg at NRO:

...I’ve found the whole feeding frenzy unappealing. The Democrats are clearly in full partisan mode, framing every inconvenient, benign, or even potentially exculpatory detail as a smoking gun. The whole “hacked the election” formulation, used both by the Democrats and by allegedly objective reporters, is a misleading bit of hyperbole. Is “meddled with” or “interfered in” too big a concession to reality?

Meanwhile, there’s no shortage of hyperbole among those most eager to defend Trump on the Russia story. I’ve lost count of how many adjectives Sean Hannity uses to describe the media these days. I think it’s the “Alt-Left, Globalist Mainstream, Deep State, Destroy Trump, Get a Two-Liter Bottle of Pepsi When You Order a MAGA Pizza Media” now. More seriously, the rush to say there’s nothing to the collusion story is a mirror of the rush to insist the story is everything. There’s just not much room to say, “Maybe there’s something here. Let’s wait and see.”

And I think that’s the real reason I don’t write about the story much: I just don’t know. There’s an investigation going on. It will produce its findings. Until then, my attitude is purely wait-and-see.
...
And this is why I marvel at the ability of some people to defend the White House every single day on this story. If there is one thing we’ve learned from this president, it’s that going too far out on a limb brings out the saw. Poor Steve Mnuchin. He went out on Sunday and heaped praise on this joint US-Russia Cyber Fox Force Five idea that the president blurted out on Twitter. Within a few hours, Trump left Mnuchin out to dry. It happens again and again.

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/449366/donald-trump-jr-russia-why-not-just-wait-and-see; 7/11/17, 2:59 PM
Drago said...: "Let's see, the break-in was June 1972. I believe the first indictments were the summer of 1974."

Let's see now.

1) recollect that there was a burglary in 1972
2) ??????
3) Trump impeached!
4) ??????
5) Democrat profits!!; 7/11/17, 2:59 PM
eric said...: I think Don Jr probably gave them the middle finger.

Someone probably threatened him, called him up and said, "Give us a X or we will release the Emails." or some nonsense like that and Don laughed and hit the ENTER key, "Too late, suckers!"; 7/11/17, 2:59 PM
Birkel said...: Brookzene,

The arrests of the people who broke into the Watergate happened the night they were caught.

Do you not yet realize that the people with whom you are exchanging comments are not as pig ignorant as you had hoped?; 7/11/17, 2:59 PM
Brookzene said...: And as we all know, based on the logic of Brookzene, it is legal for the NYT to have those E-mails but not Trump, Jr. who is a mere U.S. citizen and does not enjoy the full rights of the First Amendment of the Constitution.

WTF? Of course it's legal for Trump Jr to have his own emails.; 7/11/17, 2:59 PM
Jay Vogt said...: Didn't some to-date unknown democrat donor/activist on the heels of some to-date unknown republican donor/activist pay good money to have a dossier of oppo research on Trump compiled by the Brit, Christopher Steele relying on field work of Russians Igor Sechin and Oleg Erovinkin?

Now we learn that some other Brit was brokering to Trump as of yet undiscovered (and probably non-existent) oppo research on Clinton from a Russian woman who claimed to be a government lawyer, but was not.

Seems like at least when it comes to getting value for non-existent or false dirt on a political opponent from people who are probably liars, Trump at least got the better of the deal.; 7/11/17, 3:00 PM
hombre said...: Brookzene wrote: "That's the Trump admins idea of "transparency" for sure."

More money was spent on lawsuits to compel the Obama Administration to comply with the FOIA than any administration in history.

A. There is no evidence of any crime in the emails. B. Are Democrat fascists even concerned with the NYT's acquisition of a private citizen's emails?; 7/11/17, 3:00 PM
Fernandinande said...: Balfegor said...
Also, who are Emin and Aras?

A Russian musician (called a "crown prosecutor" in Russia and New York) and a real estate tycoon.; 7/11/17, 3:01 PM
David said...: Of course those who detest Trump are not going to be deterred by Powerline's analysis, but it's the proper analysis. When I was practicing law, I had several "one and done" meetings with charlatans who were promising access to valuable information that would be useful to my clients. It's part of the game, and you have to make inquiry.

You can bet that "news" of a similar dead end meeting by one of Obama's close advisors would never have been published at all, let alone the banner scoop treatment that NYT and WAPO gave this.; 7/11/17, 3:01 PM
Brookzene said...: The arrests of the people who broke into the Watergate happened the night they were caught.

Do you not yet realize that the people with whom you are exchanging comments are not as pig ignorant as you had hoped?

Birkel, what's your problem. Dude asked "has anyone been indicted yet?" We're not talking about the low-level plumbers.; 7/11/17, 3:02 PM
Infinite Monkeys said...: The big trifecta: Watergate, Teapot Dome, and DTJ chatting with some Russian woman.; 7/11/17, 3:02 PM
eric said...: Why not just wait and see, asks #Nevertrump.

How long do we need to wait and see? Another week? Another month? Another year?

This is why you idiots were #nevertrump. You just don't get it. There's no end to the wait and see. It doesn't stop. Ever. You'd understand this and remember this if it were Bush or Romney or McCain.

But you've got your blinders on.; 7/11/17, 3:02 PM
Birkel said...: Jonah Goldberg, paraphrased:

The people demanding indictment and impeachment have yet to develop any evidence to support their wild-assed theories.

The people who defend Trump from those wild-assed theories demand proof and will not accept the word of the crazies on the side.

I don't know which side is correct.

But they are equally guilty of something because I hate Trump.; 7/11/17, 3:03 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: The "Get Trump" crowd has devolved into a clueless amalgamation of Boris and Natasha, Wiley Coyote and Inspector Clouseau.; 7/11/17, 3:03 PM
Birkel said...: Private citizens don't have the same rights as corporations that call themselves "the press" so Brookzene has argued.

Therefore, the NYT may have Trump, Jr. E-mails but Trump, Jr. may not.

QED; 7/11/17, 3:04 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "B. Are Democrat fascists even concerned with the NYT's acquisition of a private citizen's emails?"

-- No. Because he's a Republican. They cared very much about private citizens' emails being in cyber space when it happened to Podesta; to Trump, less so. It's actually not that surprising.

Now, here's the question. Trump Jr. didn't give them the email. Goldstone clearly didn't since he lied about what was in there.

Who else had the emails to give to the NYT?; 7/11/17, 3:05 PM
Brookzene said...: A. There is no evidence of any crime in the emails.

Mmmm...Imma let the special counsel decide on that. Unless Trump fires him first. That will be interesting.; 7/11/17, 3:05 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene: "WTF? Of course it's legal for Trump Jr to have his own emails."

LOL

Finally!

A concession from the lefty/"lifelong republican" swamp!

Baby steps. Baby steps.; 7/11/17, 3:05 PM
Birkel said...: Brookzene,

If you want to argue that anyone does not equal anyone, it would not detract from the opinion people have in these comments about your skills as a IANAL legal analyst.; 7/11/17, 3:07 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "You'd understand this and remember this if it were Bush or Romney or McCain."

-- I remember arguing about the hair cut heard round the world, the McCain-Iseman affair.

It was the same thing then. Innuendo after innuendo. It's why, despite not liking Trump, I'm not too surprised.; 7/11/17, 3:09 PM
Sebastian said...: The collusion witch hunt just shows the Russians how easy it is to turn the American elite against their own, utterly devoted as they are to the pursuit of domestic power at any cost. The Russians are learning that they don't have to "collude" with the left that does their bidding for them in trying to undermine American power and damage their domestic opponents. Of course, it won't keep Putin from filling the prog trough just enough to spur them to keep it up. But as the Year without Evidence has shown, prog officials and MSM need no tidbits, they will fabricate anything for the sake of the narrative.; 7/11/17, 3:10 PM
Nonapod said...: Who else had the emails to give to the NYT?

The NSA?

But there I go assuming again. I should stop that.; 7/11/17, 3:12 PM
Drago said...: Sebastian: "But as the Year without Evidence has shown, prog officials and MSM need no tidbits, they will fabricate anything for the sake of the narrative."

The Russians have been pleasantly surprised to learn lots of new tactics from their teachers and long time allies, the western lefty's/"lifelong republicans".; 7/11/17, 3:13 PM
n.n said...: Who else had the emails to give to the NYT?

An IT admin, perhaps a DNC-affiliated foreign intelligence asset. Or, and this is wicked, a collusion between the DNC/NYT and Russians (or Ukrainian nationals) hostile to Putin and who share a sincere interest to sabotage an uncooperative American administration.; 7/11/17, 3:13 PM
Hari said...: If someone sent Donald Trump Jr an email saying, "I have all of Hillary Clinton's emails on a thumb drive, given to me by Putin himself. You can have them in exchange for an an autograph," would Donald Jr be committing a crime if he made the deal?; 7/11/17, 3:14 PM
Matt Sablan said...: "Who else had the emails to give to the NYT?

The NSA?"

-- Well, I assume Manafort and Kushner were on the email chain at some point too. Possibly a secretary or aid for Trump Jr.

There's a very small universe of people who could have legitimate access to the emails.; 7/11/17, 3:14 PM
hombre said...: @Chuck: Having read "Liberal Fascism" twice, I have been a fan of Goldberg. Trouble is, like you, he is off the rails about Trump.

Anyone who is not deeply troubled by the leftmedia's perpetuation of the bogus Russia meme, the hopelessly conflicted Mueller undertaking the investigation without PC, assisted by partisan Democrat henchmen and the GOPe and Democrat Congressmen's tolerance of illegal intelligence leaks to the media for politics and profit has simply lost his way - particularly any lawyer.; 7/11/17, 3:16 PM
Drago said...: Hari: "If someone sent Donald Trump Jr an email saying, "I have all of Hillary Clinton's emails on a thumb drive, given to me by Putin himself. You can have them in exchange for an an autograph," would Donald Jr be committing a crime if he made the deal?"

Easy:

1) Does the information harm a democrat/liberal/"lifelong republican"?
If yes, "crime".

2) Does the action involve in any way whatsoever someone opposed to the democrat/lefty/"lifelong republican" agenda?

If yes, "crime".

3) Was an actual crime committed?

Not Applicable.; 7/11/17, 3:16 PM
Brookzene said...: 1) Does the information harm a democrat/liberal/"lifelong republican"?
If yes, "crime".

2) Does the action involve in any way whatsoever someone opposed to the democrat/lefty/"lifelong republican" agenda?

If yes, "crime".

3) Was an actual crime committed?

Not Applicable.

Low-level snark can be ignored. Actual arguments move to the front of the line.; 7/11/17, 3:19 PM
Balfegor said...: Re: hombre:

Anyone who is not deeply troubled by the leftmedia's perpetuation of the bogus Russia meme, the hopelessly conflicted Mueller undertaking the investigation without PC, assisted by partisan Democrat henchmen and the GOPe and Democrat Congressmen's tolerance of illegal intelligence leaks to the media for politics and profit has simply lost his way - particularly any lawyer.

The piece that Mueller is conflicted over isn't the Russia piece -- it's the firing of his good friend and protege Comey. That's the only piece where the criticism is fair. The rest of it -- he's no more conflicted than any other experienced government prosecutor would be. Which is to say, a little bit, but that's an artifact of Trump's insurgent campaign against the ruling elites of both parties, nothing personal to Mueller.; 7/11/17, 3:20 PM
n.n said...: The NSA?

The Deep State full of loyal or blackmailed opposition from past administrations on a phobic, ideological, or self-preservation adventure to sabotage the current administration. Someone other than Deep Plunger, who was - RIP - likely a disenfranchised DNC insider, or Thick Ice who exposed the CAGW conspiracy.; 7/11/17, 3:23 PM
Chuck said...: Chuck: Having read "Liberal Fascism" twice, I have been a fan of Goldberg. Trouble is, like you, he is off the rails about Trump.

Jonah Goldberg's saying essentially, "I just want to wait and see what a very serious investigation produces. Away and apart from the media, the pundits and the partisans," does not sound like anything that is off the rails. Jonah Goldberg sounds like the one sane man left in the United States.

If that is "off the rails" to you, I strongly suggest you look for the brakeman.; 7/11/17, 3:23 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene: "Low-level snark can be ignored. Actual arguments move to the front of the line."

Says the guy with thousands of words of non-arguments, non-facts and no evidence.

Lefties/"lifelong republicans" get very upset when called on their lies.; 7/11/17, 3:24 PM
Unknown said...: http://electionlawblog.org/?p=93740

"Donald Trump Jr. Emails Paint Serious Case of Campaign Finance Violations
Posted on July 11, 2017 8:28 am by Rick Hasen
Just to recap where we are:

It is illegal for a person to solicit a contribution to a campaign from a foreign individual or entity. To solicit:
means to ask, request, or recommend, explicitly or implicitly, that another person make a contribution, donation, transfer of funds, or otherwise provide anything of value. A solicitation is an oral or written communication that, construed as reasonably understood in the context in which it is made, contains a clear message asking, requesting, or recommending that another person make a contribution, donation, transfer of funds, or otherwise provide anything of value. A solicitation may be made directly or indirectly. The context includes the conduct of persons involved in the communication. A solicitation does not include mere statements of political support or mere guidance as to the applicability of a particular law or regulation.

(This is from another FEC regulation, incorporated by reference into the foreign contribution ban.)

In˚ two tweets, Donald Trump Jr. released an email chain that explains the meeting he had with the Russian lawyer to get “dirt” on Hillary Cinton that has been the subject of the investigation. (He released them just as the NYT posted a story on them.)"; 7/11/17, 3:25 PM
Drago said...: The "lifelong republicans" are quite insistent that democrat/lefty lies and innuendo not be responded to.

Quite insistent indeed.

Almost as if....nah.; 7/11/17, 3:25 PM
Nonapod said...: If someone sent Donald Trump Jr an email saying, "I have all of Hillary Clinton's emails on a thumb drive, given to me by Putin himself. You can have them in exchange for an an autograph," would Donald Jr be committing a crime if he made the deal?

Apparently if a signature could be considered compensation weirdly it might violate campaign finance laws.; 7/11/17, 3:26 PM
Birkel said...: Rick Hasen and Unknown51 believe the FEC has repealed the First Amendment.; 7/11/17, 3:27 PM
Seeing Red said...: Since brookzene wants transparency, maybe Brookzene should highlight what's important or the gotcha in the emails. Then later on, we can see how correct it was not not.; 7/11/17, 3:27 PM
Birkel said...: Jonah Goldberg is saying, essentially, that since one side is making wild, speculative claims and the other side is demanding evidence, that they are equally guilty of making Jonah Goldberg sad that Donald Trump is president.; 7/11/17, 3:28 PM
Seeing Red said...: Ahh, that's how Varry got around taking the caps off his credit card fundraising!

Mehhh, bhuddist monks.; 7/11/17, 3:29 PM
Unknown said...: "Looking at the emails, it seems pretty serious. Trump Jr. got an email from his friend stating: “Emin just called and asked me to contact you with something very interesting. The Crown prosecutor of Russia met with his father Aras this morning and in their meeting offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father. This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.”

Trump Jr. replied almost immediately: “If it’s what you say I love it especially later in the summer.”

Hard to see how there is not a serious case here of solicitation. Trump Jr. appears to have knowledge of the foreign source and is asking to see it. As I explained earlier, such information can be considered a “thing of value” for purposes of the campaign finance law.

It is also possible other laws were broken, such as the laws against coordinating with a foreign entity on an expenditure. There could also be related obstruction, racketeering, or conspiracy charges, but these are really outside my area of specialization and I cannot say.

But there’s a lot for prosecutors to sink their teeth into. Pretty close to the smoking gun people were looking for."; 7/11/17, 3:30 PM
Matt Sablan said...: If you think Trump asking for information is illegal foreign contribution, then remember when I asked about Obama going abroad and asking for foreigners to give him good press/let him speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate? That would be a foreign contribution too, and illegal.

Is that *really* the level of illegality we want? This is before we get the whole Clinton-Ukraine-Golden Dossier contributions that were ALSO illegal under the Trump Jr. standard.; 7/11/17, 3:31 PM
Drago said...: "Mehhh, bhuddist monks"

Actually buddhist nuns and sweet, sweet Chinese General money flowing to the Clintons AFTER Clinton and Clinton's pal Bernie Schwartz of Loral Corporation "accidently" allowed MIRV (multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle) tech to "slip" into the Chicoms hands.

You would recognize ol Bernie Schwartz. He sat next to Hillary at one of the state of the unions speeches.

Sweet, sweet, commie Chinese cash.

Not to worry, Janet Reno found no need for an independent counsel or special prosecutor.

Not a smidgeon of corruption.; 7/11/17, 3:33 PM
Birkel said...: It is possible laws were broken, not least the laws of physics, supply, demand and thermodynamics. There could also be RICO charges for conspiracy to break wind.; 7/11/17, 3:33 PM
hombre said...: Chuck paraphrasing Goldberg: "I just want to wait and see what a very serious investigation produces."

The only "serious" things about the Mueller investigation are: His obvious conflicts; the lack of probable cause to undertake it; his employing partisan Democrat lawyers to assist him.

But you know all that. It's why you chose to beg the question.; 7/11/17, 3:33 PM
Drago said...: I see "unknown" has wised up and ceased providing the links to insane Mother Jones type articles.

LOL

There is less to point and laugh at that way.; 7/11/17, 3:34 PM
Anonymous said...: @Nonapod 3:26 Thanks. Rational analysis brought to bear.; 7/11/17, 3:35 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: What kind of person takes dirt on their political opponents from the Russians? Not the kind I want in charge. The whole reason I didn't vote for the Clintons was crap like this. Pointing out the Clintons did the same or worse doesn't change anything.; 7/11/17, 3:36 PM
Hari said...: Unknown,

"Section 30121 of Title 52 does not apply to voluntary activity or services. The thing “of value” must be actual money, or its transferable equivalent, not a volunteer of services or information. Otherwise, if volunteering information in coordination with a campaign constituted donations, everyone from John Harwood to Chuck Todd (and maybe all of CNN) made millions in donations to the Hillary campaign, as WikiLeaks emails disclosed."; 7/11/17, 3:36 PM
Birkel said...: COMMENTS ARE MODERATED some but not all of the time. This is for the purpose of excluding/removing a small handful of commenters who, I believe, intend to ruin this forum. They already know who they are. For everyone else, try to be responsive to the post, don't make personal attacks on other commenters, bring some substance or humor to the conversation, and don't do that thing of putting in a lot of extra line breaks.

I object to rational analysis because LLR feelings are at stake.; 7/11/17, 3:39 PM
Birkel said...: John Lynch,

I too support using the precedent of Korematsu to intern everybody with Russian heritage. All -ovs and -ovas should report to the FEMA camps.
/sarc

Or, alternatively, quit being a willing dupe who accepts that anybody with Russian heritage is a Russian government asset.; 7/11/17, 3:41 PM
Chuck said...: hombre said...
...
The only "serious" things about the Mueller investigation are: His obvious conflicts; the lack of probable cause to undertake it; his employing partisan Democrat lawyers to assist him.

But you know all that. It's why you chose to beg the question.

What question? You are sort of proving my point. You think that there should be no investigation at all, or if there is any investigation that Mueller is hopelessly conflicted and biased.

Shit, even Jeff Sessions wouldn't make such a Trump-fanatic statement. I don't think Mike Pence would, either.; 7/11/17, 3:42 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: The point isn't that they weren't with the Russian gov't. Trump thought they were.; 7/11/17, 3:43 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: Aaaand, in best Golden Shower Left fashion, the Democrats piss all over themselves again. But next time, next time for sure!; 7/11/17, 3:45 PM
FullMoon said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/11/17, 3:50 PM
Birkel said...: John Lynch,
How long have you been reading minds? Are you often called as an expert mind reader witness?

And even if what you read in the mind of a person you have not met were true, so what? Be specific.; 7/11/17, 3:51 PM
Unknown said...: ""Section 30121 of Title 52 does not apply to voluntary activity or services. The thing “of value” must be actual money, or its transferable equivalent, not a volunteer of services or information. Otherwise, if volunteering information in coordination with a campaign constituted donations, everyone from John Harwood to Chuck Todd (and maybe all of CNN) made millions in donations to the Hillary campaign, as WikiLeaks emails disclosed.""
--------------------------------

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=93752

Relevant to Donald Trump Jr., FEC in 2004 Read the Term “Thing of Value” Broadly When It Comes to Foreign Contributions
Posted on July 11, 2017 9:38 am by Rick Hasen

Following up on this post, there are remaining questions about whether providing “dirt” or files related to Hillary Clinton from Russian government sources could be considered a “thing of value” for purposes of the law barring the solicitation of contributions from foreign entities. I’ve already pointed to a 1990 advisory opinion of the FEC so suggesting, in the context of providing polling information (something intangible) free of charge.

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=93757

Anything of Value Also Read Broadly in Context of Federal Bribery Laws (Menendez Case)
Posted on July 11, 2017 11:31 am by Rick Hasen
Following up on my “thing of value” posts related to Donald Trump Jr. and possible solicitation of foreign contributions charge, here’s something analogous from the bribery context:

U.S. v. Menendez, 132 F. Supp. 3d 635 (D.N.J. 2015):; 7/11/17, 3:52 PM
hombre said...: Balfegor wrote: "The piece that Mueller is conflicted over isn't the Russia piece -- it's the firing of his good friend and protege Comey. That's the only piece where the criticism is fair."

Not so. Mueller is a former Director of the FBI. The FBI is the lead investigative agency on internal security matters. If the investigation goes into the intelligence leaks, the allegations that McCabe and the Bureau bankrolled the "golden shower" fiasco and that the FBI investigation is tainted because of the Hillary whitewash and the partisanship of McCabe and others, Mueller will be investigating his former colleagues and appointees. If he fails to investigate those matters, the compelling conclusion is obvious. He is irrevocably linked to the FBI which is an obvious target because of implications that it has been corrupted and is likely unreliable.

That is why any former prosecutor or person familiar with prosecutorial ethics is justified in believing Mueller is tainted.; 7/11/17, 3:52 PM
Drago said...: Unknown is taking a serious swing at the "inga cut and paste" championship!

LOL; 7/11/17, 3:53 PM
Unknown said...: "But next time, next time for sure!"

This is the next time. This is collusion and more.; 7/11/17, 3:54 PM
Drago said...: Unknown: "This is the next time. This is collusion and more."

LOL

Having failed to show or demonstrate collusion, it's time to move on to "more"!; 7/11/17, 3:55 PM
Drago said...: Thats okay unknown.

We understand that you are simply taking on the responsibility of keeping spirits up on the lefty/"lifelong republican" side.

Carry on!; 7/11/17, 3:56 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Unknown: Stop for a second with the Trump angle.

Do you believe Obama got something of value with a photo op at the Brandenburg Gate? If so, was that an illegal foreign collusion?

Trudeau praised Clinton during the campaign, which was used on the left to help her campaign -- that's something of value. Was that illegal foreign collusion?

Clinton used Ukrainian nationals to dig up evidence against Trump. Was that illegal foreign collusion?

Obama promised Russia more flexibility after the election, with the clear implication being to not press too hard before the election. That's something of value. Illegal foreign collusion?

How far do you *really* want to stretch this?; 7/11/17, 3:56 PM
Drago said...: Mathew Sablan, why are you even attempting to reason with these insane leftists/"lifelong republicans" who don't care a whit about evidence, facts etc.

They are about power. Period. Nothing you say will dissuade them.

They lost and by God they are going to make what is "wrong" to them "right", whatever it takes.

By Any Means Necessary.; 7/11/17, 3:58 PM
Molly said...: Powerline is not obscure--at least, not if you're interested in the law and politics. It's run/blogged for by a bunch of lawyers, three or four of whom are Dartmouth grads, and is usually interesting, insightful, and well informed.; 7/11/17, 3:58 PM
Birkel said...: Drago,

An advisory opinion of the FEC was just found to overrule the First Amendment.
By Leftists who want above all else for Hillary to be president.
Imagine my shock.; 7/11/17, 3:59 PM
Rae said...: When does the "No reasonable prosecutor" standard apply?; 7/11/17, 3:59 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: I can't read minds. I can read emails.

Trump makes a meeting after, being told this information is from the Russian gov't. Are we to believe that he knew this was a lie and scheduled a meeting anyway? Why? Curiosity? Nothing better to do that day?; 7/11/17, 4:01 PM
Unknown said...: DOJ complaint filed against Donald Trump Jr. yesterday.

FEC complaint filed against Donald Trump Jr. yesterday.; 7/11/17, 4:01 PM
Matt Sablan said...: John Lynch: Curiosity. He may have wanted to verify the information, if any, was true. It is what journalists, politicians and criminal investigators do all the time. Clinton, in fact, was probably having meetings with her Ukrainian contacts or maybe Piss Gate Dossier writers too.; 7/11/17, 4:02 PM
Unknown said...: So. Let us ask the obvious question. Brookzene and Chuck and the rest of the gang are convinced that if Trump Jr.'s meeting with this person is grounds for impeachment and criminal charges, I guess.

But 1) this Russian is not connected with Russian governmental officials and 2) Trump Jr. got nothing. Yet for the "Crime" of meeting with a foreigner to get dirt, Trump is guilty as sin. With me so far?

Now.

Back in January, Politico reported on the Hillary campaign meeting with the government of Ukraine to get dirt on Trump and Montfort. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/ukraine-sabotage-trump-backfire-233446

Clear, open collusion with a foreign government to influence the election, correct? Why aren't we putting Hillary and Podesta in jail? Or is this another one of those "Silly person--laws don't apply to Democrats!"

--Vance; 7/11/17, 4:04 PM
Birkel said...: John Lynch,

Try on the reason "because he wanted to win an election" which fits the facts.; 7/11/17, 4:04 PM
Matt Sablan said...: The FEC fined Obama's campaign for taking illegal contributions and did not much else to follow up *why* his campaign was set up in a way to allow it, so, forgive me if I think that it is shocking that the FEC would file for someone going to listen to a sales pitch while having to have been dragged kicking and screaming to actually strike out at Obama's campaign for ACTUALLY getting something of value illegally from foreign nationals.; 7/11/17, 4:04 PM
Birkel said...: Unknown

I will note that your hyperlinks are, get this, wrong. What you could accurately write is "complaints were filed with the DOJ" but instead you chose to lie.

Stop lying.; 7/11/17, 4:06 PM
Drago said...: OMG!!

Leftist/"lifelong republican" groups filing complaints against a republican President!!

Well, I guess that nails it down!

LOL; 7/11/17, 4:06 PM
Anonymous said...: All the King's horses and all the King's men won't make Hillary president.; 7/11/17, 4:06 PM
Drago said...: John Lynch: "I can't read minds. I can read emails."

Though everything else you write requires mindreading.

So there's that.

Why don't we stick to actual evidence?....Oh, right. Because there isn't any.

Okay, go back to mindreading.

You, Chuck and Inga seem to have that skill on lock.; 7/11/17, 4:08 PM
Birkel said...: Step 1) Prove Donald Trump, Jr. met with a person with Russian heritage.
Step 2) ???
Step 3) Hillary is President.

See, stever? It's all right there in the plan.; 7/11/17, 4:08 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: Watching people here spin this is like a rerun of the 90s. It doesn't have to be criminal to stink.; 7/11/17, 4:08 PM
Unknown said...: Idiot.

"I will note that your hyperlinks are, get this, wrong. What you could accurately write is "complaints were filed with the DOJ" but instead you chose to lie.

Stop lying."

http://electionlawblog.org/?p=93759

Common Cause Files FEC and DOJ Complaints Against Donald Trump Jr.
Posted on July 11, 2017 11:41 am by Rick Hasen
To read the DOJ complaint filed yesterday, click here.

To read the FEC complaint filed yesterday, click here.

To view the release online, click here.; 7/11/17, 4:09 PM
Drago said...: John Lynch: "Watching people here spin this is like a rerun of the 90s. It doesn't have to be criminal to stink."

LOL

lefties/"lifelong republicans": Trump is a treasonous colluder!!!

Others: well, where is the evidence?

lefties/"lifelong republicans": Spinners!!!; 7/11/17, 4:10 PM
Brookzene said...: But 1) this Russian is not connected with Russian governmental officials and 2) Trump Jr. got nothing. Yet for the "Crime" of meeting with a foreigner to get dirt, Trump is guilty as sin. With me so far?

Your email was addressed in part specifically to me. No, I'm not with you so far. I've said several times that I don't know if Trump committed a crime or not - that's for the special counsel to decide.

But I don't know if your 1) and 2) are actually true or not in any case. What makes you think they are?; 7/11/17, 4:11 PM
Drago said...: John Lynch: ""Watching people here spin this is like a rerun of the 90s"

Except Clinton really did lie under oath.

But no biggee. Those cigars weren't going to find their "natural" home without him and his supporters.; 7/11/17, 4:11 PM
hombre said...: Chuck wrote: "What question? You are sort of proving my point. You think that there should be no investigation at all, or if there is any investigation that Mueller is hopelessly conflicted and biased. Shit, even Jeff Sessions wouldn't make such a Trump-fanatic statement. I don't think Mike Pence would, either."

You have no clue what Sessions or Pence think. You are channeling Schumer again. As I explained at 3:52, Mueller is conflicted. Feel free to try to refute.

As for whether there should be an investigation: As I recall, you claim to be a lawyer. Aside from Flynn, the investigation of whom was a done deal and didn't require a cadre of Democrat lawyers, what statutes have been violated and what evidence links Trump to the violations? This is a media driven Russian meme. It's all out in the open. Answer like a lawyer, not some partisan hack.

Fish or cut bait! Or do you think like most Democrats: "Screw conflicts and lack of PC. Get Trump!"; 7/11/17, 4:12 PM
Unknown said...: "Why don't we stick to actual evidence?....Oh, right. Because there isn't any."

Delusional or merely stupid?; 7/11/17, 4:15 PM
Brookzene said...: This is a media driven Russian meme.

If it was it's not any more. Not since Junior's email.; 7/11/17, 4:17 PM
Birkel said...: Unknown,

But that's not what you wrote. You wrote the text that became a hyperlink. A private citizen filed a complaint, which every American has a right to do. This is guaranteed in the First Amendment "redress of grievances" thingy.

What you wrote was that the government agencies filed a complaint and that was a lie. It was a private complaint, filed with the DOJ. It was not a DOJ complaint.

Stop lying.; 7/11/17, 4:17 PM
Static Ping said...: Having reviewed the evidence, my conclusion is there is nothing here. Again. My confidence in the media erodes further.; 7/11/17, 4:18 PM
hombre said...: Crikey, look at Unknown's latest craziness. If a candidate or candidate's agent asks a foreign national if she has evidence that the opposing candidate received an illegal contribution, or did something else in unseemly fashion, the inquiry is soliciting a contribution.

Insanity!; 7/11/17, 4:18 PM
Unknown said...: I hope you're not an attorney Hombre. Piss poor legal skills.; 7/11/17, 4:21 PM
Birkel said...: I keep seeing people call the lawyer "a Russian" but I have not seen evidence that she is still a Russian citizen. Does that evidence exist? Has anybody found that evidence?

Or can we Korematsu her to Guantanamo like Leftists did in WWII?; 7/11/17, 4:29 PM
hombre said...: Brookzene: " 'This is a media driven Russian meme.'

If it was it's not any more. Not since Junior's email."

Seriously? Where do you people come from? Who wrote the email? What evidence is there that the person who wrote the email had first hand knowledge to contradict the lawyer's and Russian government's denial that she was a Russian agent? Who has evidence to contradict the participantts' accounts that adoption was the topic at the meeting? Who has evidence that Trump, Jr, believed she was a Russian agent? What statute is violated if a candidate's agent receives information detrimental to an opposing candidate from an agent of a foreign government?

The NYT is driving this meme and playing on the stupidity and irrationality of the Trump haters.; 7/11/17, 4:30 PM
Bob Loblaw said...: Are we ever going to get a bona fide Trump scandal, or is it going to be a constant stream of these nothingburgers?; 7/11/17, 4:30 PM
Birkel said...: John Podesta was a Russian agent, despite his alleged birth in the United States.
John Podesta advised Hillary Clinton.

Both John Podesta and Hillary Clinton will be subject to the same punishment as Trump, Jr.; 7/11/17, 4:32 PM
Drago said...: Unknown: "I hope you're not an attorney Hombre. Piss poor legal skills"

You misspelled "Piss poor cut and paste skills."

LOL; 7/11/17, 4:32 PM
Jaq said...: I would like to know the basis under which this email was intercepted. She was not an actual Russian agent, after all.

If it wasn't under the Patriot Act, it was collusion with British spy agencies and the Democrats.; 7/11/17, 4:33 PM
mesquito said...: However this all turns out I just hope it means we'll be spared, for a few years at least, the ritual moaning about Joe McCarthy and the Hollywood Ten.; 7/11/17, 4:33 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene: "If it was it's not any more. Not since Junior's email."

LOL

Uh huh.

Tell us more.

Feel free to include references to bizarre urinary/hotel occurrences as the left/"lifelong republicans" seem to really like those.; 7/11/17, 4:34 PM
hombre said...: Unknown: "I hope you're not an attorney Hombre. Piss poor legal skills."

Mea culpa, Unknown. How foolish of me to rely on years of experience enforcing election laws rather than honoring your and Common Cause's wishful thinking.; 7/11/17, 4:35 PM
Comanche Voter said...: Ah the WaPo and NYT--same old same old. In the old Royal Navy (see the Aubrey Maturin series about the Napoleonic wars at sea) you'd say "they've lost the number of their mess".

In short these cracked pots are simply embarassing themselves.; 7/11/17, 4:36 PM
Richard Dillman said...: In defense of Power Line. Power line is a major political/cultural blog that is frequently cited and quoted by other media. I've read it for many years. It is very influential, and It is linked to The Center of the American Experiment.; 7/11/17, 4:37 PM
Unknown said...: I trust Rick Hasen of the Election Law blog to be far better informed on election law than you Hombre.; 7/11/17, 4:38 PM
Bob Loblaw said...: I would like to know the basis under which this email was intercepted. She was not an actual Russian agent, after all.

Trump Jr himself released the full set of emails.

As to her being a Russian agent: people keep asserting she isn't, but that's not really something we can know one way or another. Personally I think she was overselling her credentials in an effort to make connections with the (potential) Trump administration, given that she didn't seem to be able to provide any information, but it's not impossible she was taking direction from the Kremlin.; 7/11/17, 4:44 PM
victoria said...: I think those Powerline people are on drugs. Smoking too much of the ganja. Orange hair Jr. is lying, trying to stay out of jail. The Billy Carter of the Trump family is not to be believed.

vicki from Pasadena; 7/11/17, 4:47 PM
Wince said...: It truly is silly season over at Common Cause.

Donald Trump Jr. knowingly met with a foreign national, Natalia Veselnitskaya, for the purpose of soliciting a “contribution” as defined at 52 U.S.C. § 30101(8)(A)(i) (“anything of value … for the purpose of influencing any election for Federal office”) to his father’s presidential campaign committee, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. — namely damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Wow, just wow. Following Citizens United, Hillary Clinton is once again at the center of an effort to criminalize speech that is critical of her.

Moreover, is the up-shot of this specious legal theory that it would have been legal for DJT Jr. to "solicit" this same information in exchange for "fair market" value, like the Democrats with Fusion GPS?; 7/11/17, 4:50 PM
Brookzene said...: Who wrote the email? What evidence is there that the person who wrote the email had first hand knowledge to contradict the lawyer's and Russian government's denial that she was a Russian agent?

The issues are who did Trump Jr. think wrote the email, what did he think he was getting, and how did he respond.

Who has evidence to contradict the participantts' accounts that adoption was the topic at the meeting?

But this is too easy. The evidence is in the email itself, which explicitly references "Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump." You did read the email chain, didn't you?

Who has evidence that Trump, Jr, believed she was a Russian agent?

Again, from the email, Goldstone said that it would be with a "Russian government attorney." Trump Jr. jumped at the opportunity to meet with her. If he didn't believe she was a Russian government attorney then why would he meet with her, one has to wonder.

Whether or not you think it's conclusive there's a lot of evidence here and it's appropriate for Mueller to get to the bottom of it.; 7/11/17, 4:50 PM
Birkel said...: Bob Loblaw:

I have done some searching and I find nothing to substantiate any claims either way. Do you know her nationality? If she is still a Russian citizen, does she have a Green Card or temporary worker visa? Do you have any information?; 7/11/17, 4:52 PM
Drago said...: victoria: "I think those Powerline people are on drugs. Smoking too much of the ganja. Orange hair Jr. is lying, trying to stay out of jail. The Billy Carter of the Trump family is not to be believed"

Yes.

I'm afraid this is really all the lefties/"lifelong republicans" have left.

#Sad; 7/11/17, 4:54 PM
Etienne said...: So anyway, Rob Goldstone is a Soviet Agent?

Why would Trump Jr be dealing with a Soviet Agent?

His response to the first email should have been: Not interested, have a nice day.

Why did Goldstone delete his Russia T-shirt wearing picture?

Why did Trump publish an email that clearly states "this is not to be published"?

Is publishing it a privacy crime?; 7/11/17, 4:54 PM
Brookzene said...: LOL

Uh huh.

Tell us more.

Feel free to include references to bizarre urinary/hotel occurrences as the left/"lifelong republicans" seem to really like those.

Feel free to make an argument any time, "LOL Drago".; 7/11/17, 4:54 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene: "Trump Jr. jumped at the opportunity to meet with her."

LOL

Is "jumped" equivalent to simply "accepted"?

When you are this deep into mind reading there isn't any way out.; 7/11/17, 4:55 PM
Matt Sablan said...: I'd say "jumped" is a fair enough descriptor, thanks to Trump Jr.'s wording about how he'd love it, especially later in the summer when it would be a bigger oppo dump. He's not a very good negotiator to show how much he wanted that information, if it existed, though. Should've played it closer to the vest with, "May be interesting" or something less committal.; 7/11/17, 4:57 PM
eddie willers said...: So if the Fuller Brush man knocks on your door and you answer, you are guilty of solicitation?; 7/11/17, 4:57 PM
Drago said...: Brookzene: "Feel free to make an argument any time, "LOL Drago".

Ok.

There is no evidence of any crimes that has been made available.

The left has claimed to have collusion/treason evidence for over 7 months now and nothing has emerged.

The deep state obama appointees have leaked information at a greater (and more dangerous to national security) rate than at any other time in history, yet nothing incriminating has leaked out.

I don't have to prove a negative, though that is very, very, very, very much the scenario of what the lefties/"lifelong republicans" are trying to do.

#TryHarder; 7/11/17, 4:58 PM
Birkel said...: Matthew Sablan:

Agreed. Trump, Jr. would have been best served by writing "I will run this past legal and campaign officials and get back to you."; 7/11/17, 4:59 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/11/17, 5:00 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: It is treason to reply to e-mails from Russians who want to provide information about Hillary doing business with Russia!

TREASON!; 7/11/17, 5:01 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: ...and that it is illegal to talk smack about Hillary. It is illegal to do opposition research about Hillary, it is illegal for news organizations to be curious or negative towards Hillary, it is illegal to reply to a suggestion via e-mail by anyone from Russia that might pull a bait and switch with promises of information that prove Hillary might make money on secret deals with Russia..

and Citizens United!; 7/11/17, 5:02 PM
Bay Area Guy said...: The Dems have lost the House, the Senate, the majority of Governorships, the majority of State Legislatures, the Presidency, the Supreme Court and the last 4 special elections in the House.

If the quality of lefty insights on this thread are indicative of the Dem party as a whole, well, then there is no mystery as to their wildly long losing streak.

They just don't think straight.; 7/11/17, 5:02 PM
Jaq said...: Not a Russian agent, talking to a private citizen of the United States, emails intercepted. This post should have an Obama is like Nixon tag.; 7/11/17, 5:04 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: dEMOCRAT SCHIFF DEMANDS AN INVESTIGATION!; 7/11/17, 5:04 PM
Brookzene said...: Brookzene: "Trump Jr. jumped at the opportunity to meet with her."

LOL

Is "jumped" equivalent to simply "accepted"?

"If it's what you say I love it" was Trump's response. So yes, I'd say he "jumped at the opportunity". But you know, ymmv.; 7/11/17, 5:04 PM
Bob Loblaw said...: I have done some searching and I find nothing to substantiate any claims either way. Do you know her nationality? If she is still a Russian citizen, does she have a Green Card or temporary worker visa? Do you have any information?

No. The point I was making is there's no way to say, definitively, she isn't a Russian agent.; 7/11/17, 5:05 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Note though, that jumping at the opportunity isn't a crime.; 7/11/17, 5:06 PM
Big Mike said...: Megan McArdle says that Trump supporters can only whimper. She's deluded. Chuck is deluded. Brookzene is deluded. Trump is not going to be impeached. He's not even going to be inconvenienced.; 7/11/17, 5:07 PM