The New York Times committed an act of journalism and has published a must-read investigative report on Donald Trump’s taxes. In brief, tax experts say “Whatever loophole existed was not ‘exploited’ here, but stretched beyond any recognition.†It’s worth reading the whole article.
Meanwhile, David Corn writes at Mother Jones about what the FBI might be investigating regarding Trump’s dealings with Russia. A former intelligence officer shared with Corn what he had told the FBI:
Mother Jones has reviewed that report and other memos this former spy wrote. The first memo, based on the former intelligence officer’s conversations with Russian sources, noted, “Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting and assisting TRUMP for at least 5 years. Aim, endorsed by PUTIN, has been to encourage splits and divisions in western alliance.” It maintained that Trump “and his inner circle have accepted a regular flow of intelligence from the Kremlin, including on his Democratic and other political rivals.” It claimed that Russian intelligence had “compromised” Trump during his visits to Moscow and could “blackmail him.” It also reported that Russian intelligence had compiled a dossier on Hillary Clinton based on “bugged conversations she had on various visits to Russia and intercepted phone calls.”
The former intelligence officer says the response from the FBI was “shock and horror.” The FBI, after receiving the first memo, did not immediately request additional material, according to the former intelligence officer and his American associates. Yet in August, they say, the FBI asked him for all information in his possession and for him to explain how the material had been gathered and to identify his sources. The former spy forwarded to the bureau several memos—some of which referred to members of Trump’s inner circle. After that point, he continued to share information with the FBI. “It’s quite clear there was or is a pretty substantial inquiry going on,” he says.
“This is something of huge significance, way above party politics,” the former intelligence officer comments. “I think [Trump’s] own party should be aware of this stuff as well.”
And Franklin Foer writes at Slate that some computer scientists investigated whether Russian hackers might be hacking the Trump campaign, as they had Clinton’s. What they found was weird. There was regular pinging going on between a bank in Moscow and a Trump server in New York.
The researchers quickly dismissed their initial fear that the logs represented a malware attack. The communication wasn’t the work of bots. The irregular pattern of server lookups actually resembled the pattern of human conversation—conversations that began during office hours in New York and continued during office hours in Moscow. It dawned on the researchers that this wasn’t an attack, but a sustained relationship between a server registered to the Trump Organization and two servers registered to an entity called Alfa Bank. …
…Earlier this month, the group of computer scientists passed the logs to Paul Vixie. In the world of DNS experts, there’s no higher authority. Vixie wrote central strands of the DNS code that makes the internet work. After studying the logs, he concluded, “The parties were communicating in a secretive fashion. The operative word is secretive. This is more akin to what criminal syndicates do if they are putting together a project.†Put differently, the logs suggested that Trump and Alfa had configured something like a digital hotline connecting the two entities, shutting out the rest of the world, and designed to obscure its own existence.
There is some weird-ass stuff going on, people.
Combined with the outright racist nastiness that’s been unleashed, it’s truly scary. And that’s why I have such a hard time listening to folks on the left holler and spin conspiracies about Clinton leading the oligarchy, stealing elections, running the media, etc. Combine that with a willingness to say Trump is somehow going to be better on trade, is more honest, not in debt to foreign interests, you name the nonsense. The man literally embodies the opposite of progressive instincts. I guess when what’s really frightening is what’s in front of your face, its easier to feel comfortable telling yourself comforting stories.
Seems like the FBI needs to release to Congress the status of the Trump investigation. But a ton of speculation may work as well.
To the MSM:
Look!
Hillary!
E-MAILS!
33,000 of them missing!
And they rush-off like hounds after a fox!!!
Dubaya & Dick “Of Death” have missing e-mails.
22+ million of them.
Ho-hum…
LOOK!
The Clinton Foundation!
Some of that money came from despots”
Maybe Hillary and Bill pocketed some of it!
And the MSM rushes-off like like hounds after a fox!
The t-RUMP “Foundation:”
He paid to have artists paint his image, and paid for the paintings from his “foundation.”
He uses his “foundation” as a slush-fund for “mad-money” – and used for people to pay him, so that he didn’t have to pay taxes. He’s “smart!”
Ho-hum…
IOKIYAR.
There has never been a clearer case.
And if Comey is sitting on info tying t-RUMP to Russia, then he, like t-RUMP, is a treasonous, traitorous, seditious MFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The FBI and MSM need to wake the fuck up, and start covering that which is REAL NEWS, and not just gossip about the Clinton’s.
File this comment under “Treasonous, traitorous, seditious” assholes and MFERS!!!!
Oh, and add, “And their MSM enablers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
I just read the headlines, but the National Enquirer has fingered Hillary on fixing the FBI and quashing the investigation into the E-mails. I noticed a headline claiming she was on drugs also. They must have been out of the loop on the new e-mail information and no one gave them a heads up to pull the story. It gets bad when the Kremlin cannot get it’s act together. Do you think the Enquirer is going to have to print a retraction to maintain credibility with it’s “discerning” readership?Â
It’s too late for any retraction.
All copies of that rag have now been pooped-on by birds in their cages, used to line cat-litter boxes, and used to pick-up dog crap.
THere are some days when I feel the NY Times and WaPo deserve that same fate.
If someone had told me twenty or even ten years ago that the GOP could be hijacked and possibly lose control to Soviet interests or remnants of the KKK or both I would have suggested a mental health check-up. Now if you cannot reasonably support that such is a real possibility you probably need more mental health services than you can afford.Â
At about age 12, I found a copy of a John Birch Society book. I read it, and having no background knowledge or anyone knowledgeable to discuss it with, I just took it for what it said. I think Trump has plenty of uninformed minds in his sway. They want to know, and they are willing to believe because his pile of claims has elements that line up with the view that they are innocent victims.
If, by some chance, someone got into Hillary’s purse, and a singe Ruble coin or bill were found, there’d be calls to burn that witch at the stake.
But any evident ties between t-RUMP and Putin’s Russia, gets a “Ho-hum…” from our MSM.
One week, and 10 hours from now (EST), this election will be done!
Thank goodness!!!
And all that will be left, is the rage and fear, hatred, and bigotry, of t-RUMP’s supporters to be dealt with!
Armed supporters…………………………………..
ZOINKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OT – I had a thought about the significance of the Standing Rock Civil Disobedience v the Malheur Standoff. Forget the verdict and look at the objectives – because strategically they are similar. Both demonstrations started small, with the aspirational hope of inspiring thousands. While Standing Rock has become HUGE, the Malheur Standoff never inspired the Buba Army to show up with guns. There are thousands of protesters in ND – Malheur attracted what? 2 dozen?
Other thought – the Standing Rock Action, almost entirely non-violent, has provoked a 4-state militarized response, while the armed takeover at Malheur produced a covert response to take down the leadership when they traveled. Unarmed mass protests are met with militarized brutality – armed insurrection is met with a quarantine strategy.
And in the final examination – Standing Rock is becoming a historic event (win or lose) and the fight at the Bird Farm Corral won’t get a footnote in history.
Doug,
Excellent analysis!
‘Bury my heart at wounded knee,’ “trump’s” ‘bury my anal sex-toys’ at the bird sancruary!!!
Gulag – I just signed up w/ AVAAZ in a GOTV via computer program – If you want I will give you contact info. It’s decent pay for a few days work.
[email protected]
When you sell securities to the public, you have a fiduciary duty to those people. When Trump sold junk to the public, then raided the cookie jar, he became a de facto criminal. Romney only got away with what he did because his were all private transactions (the public banks he dealt/deals with were/are the criminals for not protecting their investors’ monies).
Thanks, Doug, but I’ll be busy calling from home.
the Standing Rock Action, almost entirely non-violent, has provoked a 4-state militarized response, while the armed takeover at Malheur produced a covert response to take down the leadership when they traveled.
Gee, it’s almost as if “law enforcement” like to bully the easy targets instead of dealing with the most serious threats.