Murrica: fuck yeah

[senate]

[mayoradamwest]

These are not smart people.

[TittiesNBeer]

These are not smart people.

They are the best people

[Dog]

The campain finance thing is a minor issue (slap on the wrist sanction). I think they are making the calculation that trying to assert attorney-client privilege on the seized Cohen files outweighs the campaign finance thing. This seems smart.

[senate]

The campain finance thing is a minor issue (slap on the wrist sanction). I think they are making the calculation that trying to assert attorney-client privilege on the seized Cohen files outweighs the campaign finance thing. This seems smart.

Campaign finance violations would trigger the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege and could therefore (possibly) open all Cohen-Trump communications related to the election.

[AD]

But an act, by an attorney with a 3rd party isn't privileged. So everything Cohen did is already discoverable (and discovered).

Like what would they want to protect by privilege? The conversation that they previously say didn't occur between Cohen and Trump?

[Dog]

The campain finance thing is a minor issue (slap on the wrist sanction). I think they are making the calculation that trying to assert attorney-client privilege on the seized Cohen files outweighs the campaign finance thing. This seems smart.

Campaign finance violations would trigger the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege and could therefore (possibly) open all Cohen-Trump communications related to the election.

And I’d think he may have already waived it with his prior comments. It’s not a slam dunk, but I think they are trying to walk back from the prior position to now present Cohen as acting for Trump and try to use that to restrict access to some seized docs (of course, I don’t know the content of those docs -presumably there is some Trump-Cohen exchanges on this in there). I think they are in a bad position and this signals that they now intend to argue client-attorney privilege more forecefully.

Why else would he be doing this?

[senate]

Why else would he be doing this?

I don't think there is a coherent strategy. I think Trump views this as a media fight, not a legal battle. He hears a allegation on TV and then wants his lawyers to go on TV to counterattack that specific allegation with no consideration given on how doing so could undermine his legal case as a whole.

Add to that: Trump's legal team are all either incompetent, practicing outside their area of expertise, or a 73 year old failed politician/pundit who hasn't practiced law in over 20 years.

[senate]

We are in for a fun twitter meltdown this afternoon.

[Dog]

Wow.

[Dog]

No way were these warrants issued in an investigation of a minor campaign finance infraction.

[Dog]

Just pure speculation, but if they come out with evidence of, say, money laundering in the Trump businesses, perhaps for his prior Russian lenders, you’d think that even a republican controlled congress would have to impeach.

[Dog]

Seriously, I’m floored. Wtf is going on that they managed to get a warrant to wiretap calls between Cohen and the WH? Wow.

[jester]

Seriously, I’m floored. Wtf is going on that they managed to get a warrant to wiretap calls between Cohen and the WH? Wow.

Not the way it works. The tap was simply on Cohen, and Trump was dumb enough to call him. Cohen is a huge fish. He has so many skeletons in his files, and the Trump's know it. All the shady business deals might burst into daylight.

In related news, we need a much bigger fan to catch all the shit.

[senate]

I don't think there is a coherent strategy.

To wit:

[jester]

This ends in a constitutional crisis. The real question is whether the GOP (or some percentage of its members) breaks with Trump. Even if he is innocent of wrong doing (increasingly unlikely), his unwillingness to cooperate is a huge test of respect for rule of law.

One important question will get how much Mueller's investigative conclusions play in the midterm. If he (or the DOJ) forces the issue this summer, it will be interesting how that plays in November.

[Dog]

Seriously, I’m floored. Wtf is going on that they managed to get a warrant to wiretap calls between Cohen and the WH? Wow.

Not the way it works. The tap was simply on Cohen, and Trump was dumb enough to call him. Cohen is a huge fish. He has so many skeletons in his files, and the Trump's know it. All the shady business deals might burst into daylight.

In related news, we need a much bigger fan to catch all the shit.

The probability of capturing calls between Trump and Cohen was extremely high when they authorized the tap. Neither of them knew of it. That Trump and Cohen would speak on the phone was extremely likely.

[Dog]

This ends in a constitutional crisis. The real question is whether the GOP (or some percentage of its members) breaks with Trump. Even if he is innocent of wrong doing (increasingly unlikely), his unwillingness to cooperate is a huge test of respect for rule of law.

One important question will get how much Mueller's investigative conclusions play in the midterm. If he (or the DOJ) forces the issue this summer, it will be interesting how that plays in November.

Really depends on what Mueller’s got and can make public, I would think.

[Dog]

What does “constitutional crisis” mean anywho? Political shitstorm?

[senate]

What does “constitutional crisis” mean anywho? Political shitstorm?

Its either a political shitstorm that a constitution has no rule or mechanism to solve or when the government refuses to apply or outright ignores the constitution to solve a political shitstorm.

[jester]

Seriously, I’m floored. Wtf is going on that they managed to get a warrant to wiretap calls between Cohen and the WH? Wow.

Not the way it works. The tap was simply on Cohen, and Trump was dumb enough to call him. Cohen is a huge fish. He has so many skeletons in his files, and the Trump's know it. All the shady business deals might burst into daylight.

In related news, we need a much bigger fan to catch all the shit.

The probability of capturing calls between Trump and Cohen was extremely high when they authorized the tap. Neither of them knew of it. That Trump and Cohen would speak on the phone was extremely likely.

Not really relevant to the warrant for the tap. Wiretapping catches innocent, unintended conversations all the time. This was the basis of the unmasking controversy 5 million years ago. If they had good reason to tap Cohen (they got to raid his office!), then here we are.

[jester]

What does “constitutional crisis” mean anywho? Political shitstorm?

We are and have been in a political shitstorm. Trump looks like he's ramping up to refuse Mueller's requested interview, which may very well result in a subpoena ... which Trump also sounds like he intends to refuse to comply with.

At root, this would represent a claim that Trump, as president, is entirely immune from the justice system. That he is, in fact, above the law. Based on everything I have read, his legal standing here is very weak (thankfully). But, at the same time, if he fefuses to cooperate, the ONLY body that can force the issue is the legislative branch.

That is a constitutional crisis.

[Dog]

Not really relevant to the warrant for the tap. Wiretapping catches innocent, unintended conversations all the time. This was the basis of the unmasking controversy 5 million years ago. If they had good reason to tap Cohen (they got to raid his office!), then here we are.

We don’t know what the evidence that backs the warramt relates to. It could be unrelated to Trump or it could be related. I’m saying that the fact that it would very likely capture calls between Cohen and Trump was very likely a key consideration for the judge authorizing it. The fact that that was allowed and that this originated in Mueller’s investigation points to some heavy duty stuff going on and likely related to the Mueller investigation. Possible, but I would think improbable, that they are investigating Cohen for crimes unrelated to Trump.

But, that’s just a guess. Cohen could have been into some heavy stuff that’s unrelated to Trump, his businesses or the campaign and the warrant was granted on that basis. I doubt it, though.

[senate]

Booo. Big fuck up by NBC.

[Dog]

FAKE NEWS BY THE DISHONEST MSM STIKES AGAIN!

[Dr_Chimera]

[Shawnathan Horcoff]

"...all the pieces matter."

[Dog]

https://twitter.com/LPDonovan/status/992156444760989697

China people vs West Virginia people.

Ditch cocaine mitch for the sake of the kids.

Love it!

[Dog]

Oh, that’s the ex-coal ceo that just got out of jail for killing 29 miners. Wow.

[chicpea]

I love that sudden frame when the twins abruptly arrive and one of them is already pulling a sultry mouth-eye combo gaze. That is learned behaviour.

[mooseOAK]

10 years from now,

[chicpea]

[chicpea]

But back to the China People. What's their move if the US partially pulls troops from Korea? US won't pull all. Say, maybe 10,000 of the 30,000 [?] (non-documented) there at the moment. Kim has some leverage perhaps. But there is no way US is pulling out all their troops. This entire thing is a mirage.

[senate]

[chicpea]

Learn before you speak.

[Dog]

https://twitter.com/TIME/status/992438704319877120

I keep giving these people too much credit.

[TittiesNBeer]

https://twitter.com/TIME/status/992438704319877120

I keep giving these people too much credit.

the survival of democracy depends not on the courage of those who swear to protect it, but on the continued idiocy of those who would seek to destroy it.

[jester]

But back to the China People. What's their move if the US partially pulls troops from Korea? US won't pull all. Say, maybe 10,000 of the 30,000 [?] (non-documented) there at the moment. Kim has some leverage perhaps. But there is no way US is pulling out all their troops. This entire thing is a mirage.

The under discussed aspect of this is that change is occurring in part due to NK achieving a nuclear threshold they long aspired too, and South Korea doesn't trust the US as an ally. I mean, the Trumpistas are all thrilled that tough rhetoric won the say, but 1) I suspect the deal NK will actually agree to falls far short of what Trump has promised; and 2) is the current outcome trajectory actually towards a more stable and long term sustainable peace in the region?

Lot of analysis way out over its skis right now.

[chicpea]

Rumours I'm hearing is Kim will offer to throw away his (sketchy) ICBM tech but keep the rest. Gives Donald a win at home but fucks South and Japan. I have no link or sources for my rumours.

[PredsFan77]

[Slick Nick]

FAKE NEWS BY THE DISHONEST MSM STIKES AGAIN!

I wish you took some time to reflect on that... sincèrement..

[Slick Nick]

Mais moi, je lis l'économist, pi aussi le New Yorker, Pi aussi le Washington Post...pi la Presse pi toute...genre tout le monde pas payé par Poutin pour me dire quoi penser..Super informé

[PredsFan77]

[TittiesNBeer]

https://twitter.com/nycsouthpaw/status/992740905328234496

George got her phone

[Dog]

Mais moi, je lis l'économist, pi aussi le New Yorker, Pi aussi le Washington Post...pi la Presse pi toute...genre tout le monde pas payé par Poutin pour me dire quoi penser..Super informé

I don’t like the economist.

[Craig]

Really? It seems right up your alley.

[senate]

Dog is rabid about The Economist's announcement last week that they will now allow their writers to use split infinitives.

[Dog]

Really? It seems right up your alley.

Too neolib orthodoxist for my tastes, greg.

I’m somewhere left of the economist and somewhat right of the newyorker. Right of guardian, somewhat left of the atlantic. Generally speaking, on average.

I think media like cnn/msnbc has definitely moved toward the foxnews style of partisanship. Not as bad, but going towards similar style.

To nick’s point, I recognize that there is bias built in to all media. It’s really a question of degree, with some far worse than others. And, yes, my most trusted sources remain relatively centrist media (nyt, wapo, bbc)....because I’m relatively centrist and don’t like overly populist tones. Their biases fit best with me.

[AD]

You're left of The Atlantic? You.. i.... I always knew you were fucking commie scum.

[AD]

I'm left of the Economist and right of The Guardian.

But the rest of em I find pretty spot on.