quote:

Originally posted by mbinky:
Ah huh. A blind man can see that their are two tiers of justice in this country.

For some there is a justice system. For others there is a "just-us" system.

Two systems of justice.How can you feel this way?

Just because Al Sharpton owes millions of dollars in back taxes and was never prosecuted. And Hillary Clinton was exonerated before she was interviewed by the FBI. I mean come on 2 systems of justice.

I wonder what type of criminal investigation the Reverend was subjected to?

and lets not forget about Loretta Lynch, Lois Lerner who weaponized the IRS....

the list goes on

quote:

The bill for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. election has totaled about $16.7 million over the course of its first year, according to a count by the Justice Department.

From October 2017 through March 2018, the probe rang up nearly $10 million in expenses, according to a tally released by the Department of Justice on Thursday. That’s in addition to the $6.7 million spent in the first five months, starting in May 2017

So by now it's over 20 million. and the result is charges most state prosecutors would decline to even bother filing.

Meanwhile sharpton still skates with his owed taxes...

So how much does he owe in taxes.
Sure as hell better be more than $16 million

quote:

Originally posted by rscalzo:

quote:

The bill for special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. election has totaled about $16.7 million over the course of its first year, according to a count by the Justice Department.

From October 2017 through March 2018, the probe rang up nearly $10 million in expenses, according to a tally released by the Department of Justice on Thursday. That’s in addition to the $6.7 million spent in the first five months, starting in May 2017

So by now it's over 20 million. and the result is charges most state prosecutors would decline to even bother filing.

Meanwhile sharpton still skates with his owed taxes...

Let's see how much of the national treasure will be squandered to bring a trial for this skinny assed "reverend" on what he owes us...but wait, this "reverend" didn't support our President. I'm 100% against any tax evasion...but this is not what it is about!

John Hinderaker over at Powerline Blog has the best analysis:

It is not illegal to pay someone to remain silent. The theory here is that the money paid to Clifford was an illegal campaign contribution. Since Cohen says he made the payment to Clifford at Trump’s direction, Mueller is trying to ensnare Trump in that “crime.” To my knowledge, there is no legal authority on whether paying a woman to keep her mouth shut constitutes a campaign contribution. It strikes me as a foolish interpretation of the law, and forcing Cohen to plead guilty to the “crime” of paying off Ms. Clifford doesn’t transform it into a crime.

...None of this would be happening, of course, but for Bob Mueller's effort to drive President Trump from office on behalf of his de facto client, the Democratic Party...

...As we and others have said many times, what is going on in the courts is mostly theater - unless, of course, you are Paul Manafort or Michael Cohen. President Trump can't be indicted, so legal niceties are not very material. The Mueller Switch Project has three objectives: 1) furnish House Democrats (assuming they take the majority in November) with ammunition to impeach the President; 2) help the Democrats to win the midterm elections; and 3) make President Trump's re-election less likely in 2020.

Today's legal developments unquestionably represent a step forward for the Democrats on all three fronts. But in principle, there is no reason why they should change the landscape. Manafort's conviction has nothing to do with Trump. And no matter how Mueller may try to dress it up with talk about campaign finance - which voters don't care about, anyway - the Cohen plea simply confirms what we already knew - that Trump tried to keep Stephanie Clifford quiet. That may be a big deal to Melania, I can't speak for her. But I doubt that it is a big deal to a significant number of voters, and I doubt that tomorrow's headlines will move the needle on the midterm election..."

http://ace.mu.nu/

This would not be the first time Andrew Weissman has manufactured a crime out of a novel and imaginative reading of a statute.

Weissman has the distinction of having all the Enron convictions, other than the 3 top guys, reversed by the Supreme Court. Several Enron and Merrill Lynch employees spent time in prison for nothing.

I agree with the Mark Levin analysis I heard last night. Assuming I am representing it correctly:
It is not illegal and has nothing to do with a "campaign contribution" to enter into a nondisclosure and payoff of a woman (or any person) to keep quiet about personally embarrassing info. Yes it "may" have influenced the election, but EVERYTHING influences the election. It was an agreement about occurrences from long before the campaign. No campaign funds were used, and even if Cohen really had "donated" his own money, it is still in no way a "campaign contribution". None of it was used in any "campaign".

My own question:
Does the money used in Comey's investigation and subsequent absolving of Hillary count as a "campaign contribution" ? It "influenced the election". The whole thing is ridiculous.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:
This would not be the first time Andrew Weissman has manufactured a crime out of a novel and imaginative reading of a statute.

Weissman has the distinction of having all the Enron convictions, other than the 3 top guys, reversed by the Supreme Court. Several Enron and Merrill Lynch employees spent time in prison for nothing.

Also destroyed Arthur Andersen. Although the conviction was overturned, it was too late. Sort of like winning your appeal post execution.

A Manafort juror gives an interview

She says one juror kept the jury from convicting on all 18 charges

http://www.foxnews.com/politic...g-on-all-counts.html

Duncan described herself as an avid supporter of President Trump, but said she was moved by four full boxes of exhibits provided by Mueller’s team – though she was skeptical about prosecutors' motives in the financial crimes case.

“Certainly Mr. Manafort got caught breaking the law, but he wouldn’t have gotten caught if they weren’t after President Trump,” Duncan said of the special counsel’s case, which she separately described as a “witch hunt to try to find Russian collusion,” borrowing a phrase Trump has used in tweets more than 100 times.

“Something that went through my mind is, this should have been a tax audit,” Duncan said, sympathizing with the foundation of the Manafort defense team’s argument.

What's with the Mueller team giving immunity to Roger Stone's aide (Andrew Miller)?

(saw a CNN headline just now)

Immunity deals are generally indicative of something super juicy, no?

That's two immunity deals in one week (Miller, and the CFO/Accountant...), both after the Manafort trial that just ended. Is this about the remaining 10 charges against Manafort that are still hanging around, or what?

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
What's with the Mueller team giving immunity to Roger Stone's aide (Andrew Miller)?

(saw a CNN headline just now)

Immunity deals are generally indicative of something super juicy, no?

That's two immunity deals in one week (Miller, and the CFO/Accountant...), both after the Manafort trial that just ended. Is this about the remaining 10 charges against Manafort that are still hanging around, or what?

This story was as of about half an hour ago.

Link

Miller refused to answer questions at the Grand Jury, setting up a contempt conviction to appeal. That could be interrupted by a grant of immunity, I suppose.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politic...es/story?id=57809113

Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has tentatively agreed to a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller that will head off his upcoming trial, sources familiar with the negotiations tell ABC News.

The deal is expected to be announced in court Friday, but it remains unclear whether Manafort has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors or is simply conceding to a guilty plea, which would allow him to avoid the stress and expense of trial, according to three sources with knowledge of the discussions.

Manafort and his most senior defense attorneys spent more than four hours Thursday in discussions with a team of special prosecutors who are involved in the ongoing investigation into whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

ABC News spotted the team arriving in a dark SUV Thursday morning, pulling into a secret entrance out of public view at the building where Special Counsel Robert Mueller is based.

Word of the agreement comes as Manafort's second trial was slated to begin later this month in federal court in Washington, D.C.

I am still not convinced that any of this is not a way for Mueller is still trying t find a way to get to Trump and Manafort was guilty of being on his campaign staff

he's not interested in tax fraud, he's only interested in trying to tear down Trump by any means necessary

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/...ial-counsel-n2518962

"The court has scheduled an arraignment and plea agreement hearing today for U.S. v. Paul J. Manafort, Jr., 69, of Alexandria, Va., at 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson at the D.C. federal courthouse on 3rd and Constitution."

The plea agreement comes ten days before Manafort's second Special Counsel trial was set to start. The details of the agreement haven't been released.

as the charges were read to Manafort today, this one caught my attention:

"Prosecutor: Manafort orchestrated campaign to leak law firm report on Ukraine to a major unnamed newspaper and then used the article to lobby on behalf of Ukraine."

Sounds just like what Glenn Simpson did with the Steele dossier. And the FBI used leaks like that to support a FISA warrant.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/0...=cur&smid=tw-nytimes

Paul Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, agreed on Friday to cooperate with the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, as part of a deal in which he pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

Appearing in United States District Court in Washington, Mr. Manafort entered guilty pleas on two charges. Andrew Weissmann, the lead prosecutor, told Judge Amy Berman Jackson that there was a cooperation agreement with Mr. Manafort.

It was not immediately clear what information he might be providing to prosecutors or how the plea agreement might affect Mr. Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and related questions about possible collusion by the Trump campaign and obstruction of justice by Mr. Trump.

“Once again an investigation has concluded with a plea having nothing to do with President Trump or the Trump campaign,” he said in a statement. “The reason: the president did nothing wrong and Paul Manafort will tell the truth.”

As part of the deal, the government will seize four of Mr. Manafort’s homes as well as the money in a number of bank accounts, the documents say.

In documents filed with the United States District Court in Washington, prosecutors from Mr. Mueller’s office charged Mr. Manafort with one count of conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. Mr. Manafort pleaded guilty to those charges.

The prosecutors dropped five other charges encompassing money laundering and violations of a lobbying disclosure law.

Judge Amy Berman Jackson is a Obama appointee but she also is the judge that sentenced Jesse Jackson Jr. to 30 months and his wife 12 months for misuse of campaign contributions.

OHHHHHHH, they got old Donald THIS TIME!

Oh wait, this once again has nothing to do with Trump and the 2016 election, whoops.

quote:

ormer Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort agrees to cooperate with special counsel Robert Mueller, pleads guilty to conspiracy charges

-Paul Manafort, who once headed President Donald Trump's campaign, pleads guilty to conspiracy charges lodged by special counsel Robert Mueller.
-The crimes that Manafort pleads guilty to relate to money earned from consulting work on behalf of pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine, predating his tenure on the Trump campaign.
-Manafort admits guilt to just two counts of conspiracy.
-The plea will resolve the two criminal cases against him in Washington and in Virginia federal courts.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/1...spiracy-charges.html

how can Manafort trust Meuller to keep his word

he's demonstrated himself to be less than honorable, and at best an outright liar and a partisan vindictive bastard