The Big Fat Compendium Of Russiagate Debunkery

**aj3647** · July-05-17, 01:23 PM

Back on topic, Trump's former Campaign Manger Paul Manafort retroactively registers as an agent of a foreign government with the Justice Department.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/polit...d13_story.html

So in case you were wondering what "retroactive" means, that means he was an UNREGISTERED agent of a foreign government while he was running Trump's campaign.

Also an unregistered foreign agent? Michael Flynn, who retroactively registered as a foreign agent with the Justice Department in March 2017 for work he did in 2016:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michae...#Foreign_agent

That's right, while Michael Flynn was Trump's National Security Adviser with a top secret security clearance, he was also an unregistered agent of a foreign power.

None of this is opinion or speculation. These men are officially registered as Foreign Agents with the Justice Department of their own volition. So when I say that these men were agents of foreign governments when they worked at the highest levels for Trump's campaign or administration, it's just an indisputable fact now.

**GMan** · July-05-17, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by aj3647

Back on topic, Trump's former Campaign Manger Paul Manafort retroactively registers as an agent of a foreign government with the Justice Department.
.....

Nothing new, only the filing retroactively.
I like the paragraph that states registration is due within 10 days of working with a foreign entity.

"Deliberately failing to file as a foreign agent may result in a felony criminal charge accompanied by steep monetary civil penalties. In practice, however, the Department of Justice generally encourages voluntary compliance and prosecutions under the act are “quite rare,” said Joseph Sandler, an attorney who specializes in political law, including FARA. The Justice Department generally allows people to register retroactively if questions arise about their past activities and the law requires no late fees or other penalties."

What's the point of having a statute that allows retroactive registration?
Oh dang, got caught making some money overseas 2 years ago.. Hey I better register as a foreign lobbyist.

**aj3647** · July-05-17, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by GMan

Nothing new, only the filing retroactively.
I like the paragraph that states registration is due within 10 days of working with a foreign entity.

What's more troubling than the fact [[and yes, it's now an established fact) that Manafort was paid millions of dollars by the pro-Russian and Putin-backed former dictator of Ukraine [[who fled to Russia after he was deposed), is what he did with much of the money he was paid "off the books." There's lots of news article discussing in great detail how Manafort used shell companies in Central America to launder millions of dollars of Russian money.

Basically: Russian money -> Shell company in Belize -> Shell company buys seven-figure New York real estate properties for cash [[no mortgage) -> shell company transfers ownership of these properties to Paul Manafort [[for free, Manafort doesn't pay a dime) -> Manafort than takes out massive mortgages on all of these properties [[mortgages worth far more than the properties are actually worth) -> Manafort takes the money [[now washed clean) and pockets it, to the tune of millions of dollars.

Keep in mind, these real estate transactions are all documented. Everything I just said above is provable. And surprisingly, at least part of it [[the real estate transactions) are perfectly legal. It's actually an extremely common way to launder money because it takes advantage of loopholes in real estate laws.

Given that Bob Mueller recently hired several lawyers whose expertise is in "following the money" to join his special investigative counsel, you can bet that Manafort's shady financial transactions to hide his Russian money are going to be at the top of the list of things to investigate, along with Mike Flynn "forgetting" to report his Russian income [[$45,000 from a Russian state broadcaster) as he was required to by law.

**313WX** · July-05-17, 05:32 PM

There was a funny article I read in USA Today earlier.

The biggest take away for me was that while Russia tops the list of questions from the Washington journalists [[CNN, MSNBC, NY Times, Washington Post, etc.), the top 5 questions from local journalists across the country are policy related [[Taxes, Infrastructure, etc.). Russia didn't even make the list.

Talk about being fucking out of touch!

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ons/431673001/

**313WX** · July-05-17, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

Did you watch those videos I posted earlier from the Democratic convention last summer? Hillary lost because of her record, her scandals and her cheating in the primary. For example- Hillary was pro-fracking. Why shouldn't someone concerned about that vote for the Green party instead? Russia didn't have anything to do with Hillary's abysmal record on the issues, her sleazy "charitable" foundation and on and on.

Trump was against the TPP, Hillary was for it. He got votes in the Midwest because of that. People burned by Bill Clinton's Nafta didn't want to vote for Hillary.

The Democrats screwed up big time by blocking Sanders. Polls showed he could beat Trump and Hillary could not. The party should have gotten behind him, but they would rather lose than upset the corporate donors.

Well said. The people wanted a populist and they were denied one who was left-wing, so they went with the other populist [[Trump).

To add to your points, no one forced Hillary to not step a single foot into Wisconsin or Michigan the entire general election, despite her so-called ground game begging for her support.

**313WX** · July-05-17, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

I think it is a bit of a stretch to say Sanders would have beat Trump,he does have that whole socialist aspect behind him that some do not feel comfortable with.

The people in the states he won in the primary were well aware of his "Socialist" label by corporatists and right-wing extremists.

As the results showed, it didn't phase them.

BTW, it's all about the Electoral College in the general election. There's no reason why Bernie wouldn't have won the states Hillary did. Had he also carried over Iowa, West Virginia, Michigan and Wisconsin like he did in the primary [[plus I'm sure Pennsylvania would have definitely gone blue), he would have easily surpassed 270.

**313WX** · July-05-17, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

The Jimmy Dore show:

https://youtu.be/BQQkCd2Hwxw

Love him!

We need more people like that.

**313WX** · July-05-17, 05:56 PM

I should add, I think most people who supported Sanders didn't necessarily think his proposals were realistic, nor did they necessarily agree with many of them.

Bernie's main appeal is that he's an unbought and principled politician. He doesn't speak in meaningless platitudes [[but instead clear policy objectives) and he's not beholden to any special interest groups. These characteristics have become a rarity in today's government, especially within the Democratic Party of the Clintons.

**coracle** · July-05-17, 08:06 PM

Thinking Sanders could have beaten Trump is delusional. He couldn't even beat Hillary - I know she "tricked" him; but a winner overcomes trickery. NOBODY gave Trump even an outside chance; EVERYBODY knew he would lose in a landslide; and he WON! That's a sign of LEADERSHIP, not mealy mouthing politicians like we've had for the last 28 years giving our country away to placate the UN and be popular with the rest of the world. Now we need to get on with draining the swamp of the hangers-on

**Pam** · July-06-17, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

Thinking Sanders could have beaten Trump is delusional. He couldn't even beat Hillary -

Go back to the election fraud thread I started last year. Read the reports on the all the "irregularities" in the Democratic primaries. Many people believe that Bernie did beat Hillary. He was filling stadiums with people at his rallies. She couldn't fill a high school gym at hers.

As I said before, he could have picked up a lot of the independent vote, plus most of the Dems and the people who voted none of the above in the general election to easily beat Trump.

Bernie currently has higher favorability ratings than Trump.

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

**coracle** · July-06-17, 09:49 AM

Pam, notwithstanding what "many people believe" or how great Sanders was, is, or could be, HE LOST. End of story. Doesn't matter how he lost; all that counts is that he did. So he failed in his objective.

We need someone that can win against ALL obstacles that are put in his/her way.

**coracle** · July-07-17, 07:29 PM

Now Trump has broken the ice with Vladimir at G20 and established he didn't hack our election to get hillary not elected, maybe we can get him to work his magic by not hacking the next "elections"of Ryan, McConnall, McCain, Collins and others to get them not elected so we can get somewhere. But make sure the women from California, especially Pelosi, Schumer, and members of the Black Carcass do get elected.

**313WX** · July-09-17, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Pam

Go back to the election fraud thread I started last year. Read the reports on the all the "irregularities" in the Democratic primaries. Many people believe that Bernie did beat Hillary. He was filling stadiums with people at his rallies. She couldn't fill a high school gym at hers.

As I said before, he could have picked up a lot of the independent vote, plus most of the Dems and the people who voted none of the above in the general election to easily beat Trump.

Bernie currently has higher favorability ratings than Trump.

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

The below video sums up Hillary Clinton's campaign in a nutshell...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxiCi7l7y0

**Pam** · July-09-17, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

The below video sums up Hillary Clinton's campaign in a nutshell...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxiCi7l7y0

Yeah, I remember that one. One of the half empty gyms.

**Honky Tonk** · July-10-17, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

The below video sums up Hillary Clinton's campaign in a nutshell...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxiCi7l7y0

Thanx for posting this link. I ended up watching 2 or 3 clips, and it brought back my reassurance of why I didn't support her

**noise** · July-10-17, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by coracle

NOBODY gave Trump even an outside chance; EVERYBODY knew he would lose in a landslide; and he WON! That's a sign of LEADERSHIP,

Where'd you find this gem in the leadership literature?

**coracle** · July-10-17, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Where'd you find this gem in the leadership literature?

Either you've got it or you ain't; and if you need to ask where to find it you don't even know what it is. TRUMP has it in abundance and you can be sure he didn't get it from reading "How to be a Leader".

**Pam** · July-10-17, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Thanx for posting this link. I ended up watching 2 or 3 clips, and it brought back my reassurance of why I didn't support her

Don't forget this classic:

https://youtu.be/mlz3-OzcExI

**JBMcB** · July-10-17, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

The below video sums up Hillary Clinton's campaign in a nutshell...

I remember a pundit on one of those talking head shows saying he was worried about Hilary's campaign after traveling around with both tours for a while. Hilary goes to some college stadium in California with fairly low turnout and an unenthusiastic crowd. Trump goes to some state fairground in the middle-of-nowhere, Minnesota and gets a massive turnout of people going nuts.

Of course the panel thought he was nuts. Of course he was right.

**Bong-Man** · July-11-17, 08:49 AM

I'm still trying to figure out what Hillary's lousy campaign effort has to do with Trump's campaign team and the Russians ? What happened to "lock her up" & the crooked Clinton Foundation that's still operating with an "A" rating from Pulitzer ? Bill Clinton meets with the Attorney General in an airport and Donny and his followers go ballistic about the 'deep state'. Trump's team meets with the Russians and it's 'nothing to see here !' Better prepare for the long-haul because Jr. just guaranteed a very long investigation.

**Honky Tonk** · July-11-17, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

I'm still trying to figure out what Hillary's lousy campaign effort has to do with Trump's campaign team and the Russians ? What happened to "lock her up" & the crooked Clinton Foundation that's still operating with an "A" rating from Pulitzer ? Bill Clinton meets with the Attorney General in an airport and Donny and his followers go ballistic about the 'deep state'. Trump's team meets with the Russians and it's 'nothing to see here !' Better prepare for the long-haul because Jr. just guaranteed a very long investigation.

Try reading a little further than the sensation headlines. [[pass the bong, man)

**oladub** · July-11-17, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Bong-Man

I'm still trying to figure out what Hillary's lousy campaign effort has to do with Trump's campaign team and the Russians ?

Hillary, Podesta, and the DNC did not have the IT competence to protect their email from Assange, Russia, China, Iran, and/or nerds sitting in bed. It made their willingness and ability to defend their country questionable.

I'm wondering how Democrats swallowed the neocon foreign policy takeover of the Democratic party. Liberals used to be supportive of ending wars and detente. Now Russia, according to the Hillary people, is our "enemy". This morning, I read that "ISIS has finally admitted that its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead" killed by a Russian bomb. It sounds more like Russia is on our side on that note than the Hillary/Obama foreign policy that [[probably) inadvertently armed and expanded ISIS and then welcomed resulting refugees from Syria after ISIS stated it would infiltrate the refugee stream. Collecting information about Hillary that no one has suggested is false seems prudent. That's why countries have intelligence sources. That's why Democrats secretly tape private Republican gatherings. The US even tapped Mrs. Merkel's phone under Obama. Somehow we are to believe that this is different.

**Bong-Man** · July-11-17, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Try reading a little further than the sensation headlines. [[pass the bong, man)

I'm sure some of those adopted children are enjoying a delicious 3 course meal on Jr. as we speak. No vanilla kush for you !

**313WX** · July-11-17, 10:19 AM

I can't speak for anyone else, but as a New Deal Democrat, my reason for bringing Hillary and how awful of a candidate she was is that the Democratic Party of today give people no reason to vote for them [[being Republican-lite), other than "We're not Trump" or "Russia." You can't beat something with nothing.

Trump is a lot of awful things, but the fact that enough Americans came out to vote for him over the "qualified" candidate, knowing they risk blowing up the system, should convince the Democrats and Hillary supporters that they're doing something wrong and need to change.

**GMan** · July-11-17, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

.................................................. ...............................................
Trump is a lot of awful things, but the fact that enough Americans came out to vote for him over the "qualified" candidate, knowing they risk blowing up the system, should convince the Democrats and Hillary supporters that they're doing something wrong and need to change.

You think it would but look at the repubs.
They haven't learned from Donald's victory. They are still telling themselves they have a mandate from the people well at the same time try to undermine Donald's policies that got him elected.