Discussing politics and religion

[highup]

Okee.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/03/07/cohens-pardon-testimony-skirted-truth/
The Washington Post has confirmed that Cohen instructed his then-lawyer, Stephen Ryan, to ask Trump lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani about the issue of a pardon back when Cohen was still allied with Trump. The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, addressed the issue of pardons briefly in his testimony on Feb. 27. But he played down the idea that it was something he sought. He said, “I have never asked for it, nor would I accept a pardon from President Trump.”

The comment came in his opening statement, which suggests a careful and planned parsing. Cohen didn’t quite say there were never any discussions about a pardon; he instead said he never asked for one. His comment about whether he would accept one is also notably in the present tense and doesn’t specifically address whether it’s something he would have accepted before he flipped on Trump.

 

[zannej]

To be clear, Cohen's statement was that he personally had not asked Trump about pardons. Lawyers like to be sneaky like that. Technically, he didn't ask but he had his lawyer ask. It's all in the verbiage used. It's deliberate dishonesty but does not count as perjury bc it is technically true. Cohen is a dirtbag, no doubt. He'd be out doing dirtbag things right now if he hadn't been caught. He's not entirely trustworthy, but he has recordings and documents to corroborate things. I don't buy Cohen's spiel that he's really a good person & felt bad about the crimes he committed. He only cares bc he got caught. I think he enjoyed being a bully & that is part of why he matched with Trump so well-- they are kindred spirits who enjoy exerting their power over others. He's a creep who worked for creeps.

I think Ernesto was asking for stats on the jobs, not about the pardons.

 

[Floorist]

So today. Trump blasts a bill that is against hate speech. Come on, spin that.

 

[zannej]

Was that the antisemitism bill sparked by people being mad at the Palestinian congresswoman for criticizing Israel?

 

[Ernesto]

To be clear, Cohen's statement was that he personally had not asked Trump about pardons. Lawyers like to be sneaky like that. Technically, he didn't ask but he had his lawyer ask. It's all in the verbiage used. It's deliberate dishonesty but does not count as perjury bc it is technically true. Cohen is a dirtbag, no doubt. He'd be out doing dirtbag things right now if he hadn't been caught. He's not entirely trustworthy, but he has recordings and documents to corroborate things. I don't buy Cohen's spiel that he's really a good person & felt bad about the crimes he committed. He only cares bc he got caught. I think he enjoyed being a bully & that is part of why he matched with Trump so well-- they are kindred spirits who enjoy exerting their power over others. He's a creep who worked for creeps.

I think Ernesto was asking for stats on the jobs, not about the pardons.

Correct on the jobs thing. But for the asking of pardons, who cares. He's a crook like Trump,Manafort and all the other Trump campaign officals. And Trump calling Cohen a crook and liar??? LOL
THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK
Manafort got of with a slap on the wrist. People have gotten several years for stealing 100 bucks or in the case of one black woman , voter fraud. And the later was a joke. Goes to show you how tainted the court system is regarding white collar crime. And they get to stay at home plus get delivered to the court in Limo's. Disgusting.

 

[Floorist]

Was that the antisemitism bill sparked by people being mad at the Palestinian congresswoman for criticizing Israel?

Yep, she's a Democrat and they wrote the bill.

 

[Floorist]

 

[highup]

Wowza, that's funny. They'll never look that way again.

 

[zannej]

It was a bit clear from the start that Ellis was biased against the prosecution. Some people thought he was just trying to make sure that no one could say he didn't give Manafort a fair shake, but people who knew him and had worked with him in the past said it was oddly unprofessional. He made comments & misled the jury in some cases about the evidence (although he did once clarify & apologize). Apparently he used to be very tough on white collar crimes. In something like 2006 he handed down a very long sentence (something upwards of 13 years) for lesser white collar crimes than what Manafort was convicted of. But, in 2009 he suddenly had a change of heart and changed his sentencing recommendation to reduce it way down & after that point he consistently gave lower sentences to wealthy white males for white collar crimes. Not sure what caused that. But this sentencing was low even for his standards. Manafort is known to be mobbed up & Ellis was reportedly threatened though. The sentence was light even for a first-time offender (which is what he used as one of the excuses). The really odd thing is his characterization of Manafort as having led an "otherwise blameless life". This does not jive with the actual evidence. Manafort is known as the "dictator maker". He went in to other countries & sabotaged their attempts at Democracy via propaganda efforts & helped bring brutal dictators to power. People were murdered because of him (and his daughters even talked about it in their texts). The judge saying Manafort was a good man and good friend also does not jive. Especially considering he lied, cheated, and stole & (according to his daughters) forced his wife to participate in gang bangs. He doesn't get to be labeled a bastion of morality with his behavior. It's not like he wasn't being a criminal for decades, he just didn't get caught/prosecuted.

And after getting that incredibly generous sentence (more than 4x lower than the minimum recommended term), he had his lawyers ask Ellis to *order* the SDNY judge to make him serve concurrent sentences when convicted on state charges-- effectively nullifying his federal sentencing/reducing his sentence further. But Ellis doesn't have that kind of power so it's up to Judge Jackson.

Although, considering Manafort never paid back the Russian mob, there is a very good chance he'll be killed either in prison or when he gets out.

 

[Floorist]

After the 23 died from the tornados in Alabama, the Creek Indian tribe donated $184,000 to pay for the funerals.
None of the 23 mega churches helped at all.

 

[highup]

After the 23 died from the tornados in Alabama, the Creek Indian tribe donated $184,000 to pay for the funerals.
None of the 23 mega churches helped at all.

I'm gonna assume the tribe has a casino. .....then again, in a different way, so are the mega churches.

 

[highup]

That was a nice thing for them to do. I've seen the photos and I can't believe mother nature can to that kind of stuff. Looks like homes were put in a blender.

 

[Floorist]

I'm gonna assume the tribe has a casino. .....then again, in a different way, so are the mega churches.

Yes, they have a casino.

 

[Floorist]

That was a nice thing for them to do. I've seen the photos and I can't believe mother nature can to that kind of stuff. Looks like homes were put in a blender.

I have seen that kind of damage close up. Went to Joplin for a doctor appt. a couple weeks after the Joplin tornado. Could not find the office. No more landmarks, everything was gone.

 

[DarisMulkin]

When I was discharged from the Navy I was on my way back to Minnesota and went through this town in Iowa and the next morning most of it was gone. In my home town one night we heard this terrible roar not knowing what it was and a tornado touched down less than a mile away and tore up farms for 5 or 6 miles. I lived in an upstairs apt and it went right over our head.

 

[Dan]

I too saw Joplin after that monster. All I could do was pray.

Also a few years prior to Joplin's devastation, I went through a small town just east of Joplin after a massive tornado. I think it was either Sarcoxie or Pierce City. There was nothing left but the bank vault. I mean even bank building was gone.

 

[Floorist]

I too saw Joplin after that monster. All I could do was pray.

Also a few years prior to Joplin's devastation, I went through a small town just east of Joplin after a massive tornado. I think it was either Sarcoxie or Pierce City. There was nothing left but the bank vault. I mean even bank building was gone.

That was Pierce city.

 

[Ernesto]

Thank God we never get tornados or hurricanes in the southwest.

 

[highup]

When I was discharged from the Navy I was on my way back to Minnesota and went through this town in Iowa and the next morning most of it was gone. In my home town one night we heard this terrible roar not knowing what it was and a tornado touched down less than a mile away and tore up farms for 5 or 6 miles. I lived in an upstairs apt and it went right over our head.

Don't a lot of things do that to you?

 

[zannej]

Tornadoes are awful- especially since there's usually less warning & they are less predictable than hurricanes. I've been through a supertyphoon but I was in a house that was literally designed to survive bombing so I was safe.
I heard there was a plane crash in Ethiopia as well.
Nothing too much exciting in the world of politics other than McConnell refusing to allow the Senate to vote on the bill that just passed in the House (we need some reform so no one person can have that kind of power-- imagine if the GOP passed something in the house & a single Democrat barred it from vote in the Senate-- it's just not right no matter who does it).
The lady who was photographed with Trump, his sister, & multiple GOP people was the founder of the spa that was doing the sex trafficking-- and allegedly it started while under her control & she's still involved with it. She supposedly sells access to Trump to people from China (including spies). I do think that some of it is a bit of a stretch in that I don't think that just bc someone posed next to a person that it means they were buds. Just means someone asked for a pic with them & they might not have known that person from Jack.
There's a "NotMelania" conspiracy theory going around- claiming that Trump brought a stand-in for Melania on his trip to Florida. I admit, the face doesn't look right, but I'm not that great with faces to begin with & people like to photoshop. Someone put Putin's face on her for some pics.
I'm more concerned with not having our Democracy destroyed-- oh, and the rising price of insulin. People are having to pay $730+ for a month supply now. I hope my mother's insulin doesn't go up. She was pissed that she had to pay $30 co-pay (although, I think it *should* be covered under Tri-Care).
Also, AOC needs to shut up bc she's making things worse for Democrats bc people think that she speaks for the majority when she only speaks for a more fanatical fringe group.