Steven Seagal’s Loyalty to Putin 'Ready To Die for Russia'

[webfact]

Top Democrats say Trump may face impeachment, jail over hush money

By Doina Chiacu

 

Dec 8, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; President Donald Trump participates in a coin toss ceremony before the 119th Army-Navy game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump could face impeachment and jail time if hush money payments reported by his former lawyer are proven to be campaign finance violations, Democratic lawmakers said on Sunday.

 

Court filings on Friday in cases that stemmed from a federal probe into Russian activities during the 2016 presidential election pointed to potential problem areas for Trump, including whether he instructed six-figure payments to two women during the campaign to keep quiet about affairs.

 

Federal prosecutors sought prison time for longtime Trump "fixer" Michael Cohen for paying off an adult film star and a former Playboy model at Trump's behest, evading taxes and lying to Congress about a proposed Trump Organization building in Moscow.

 

If the payments are proven to be felony campaign finance violations, Democratic U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler told CNN those would be grounds for impeachment.

 

"Well, they would be impeachable offences. Whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question," said Nadler, who will lead the Judiciary Committee when Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in January.

 

Under U.S. law, campaign contributions, defined as things of value given to a campaign to influence an election, must be disclosed. Such payments are also limited to $2,700 per person.

 

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment. Press secretary Sarah Sanders said on Friday that Cohen has lied repeatedly and that the filing was insignificant.

 

Friday's court filings also revealed new information about contacts between people working for Trump and Russians in the cases of Cohen, Trump's former longtime personal lawyer, and Paul Manafort, Trump's short-lived campaign chairman who was convicted in August on tax and bank fraud charges.

 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller said Manafort lied to investigators about his interactions with a Russian tied to Russian intelligence services. Mueller's office said the lying prompted prosecutors last week to retract a plea agreement with Manafort on two separate conspiracy charges.

 

"I think what these indictments and filings show is that the president was at the centre of a massive fraud - several massive frauds - against the American people," Nadler told CNN.

 

Mueller is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether Trump's campaign colluded with Moscow to sway the election. Russia denies interfering in the 2016 election and Trump has denied any collusion occurred.

 

The investigation has cast a shadow over Trump's presidency, with its implication Moscow may have had a hand in his White House victory. The Republican president repeatedly has expressed his impatience with the probe that Mueller took over in March 2017, saying it was politically motivated.

 

PROSPECT OF JAIL TIME

Trump said the filings did not prove any collusion with Russia and called for an end to the investigation.

 

"Time for the Witch Hunt to END!" Trump said in a Twitter post on Saturday.

 

However, the end of the Mueller probe could be the beginning of bigger problems for Trump.

 

"There's a very real prospect that on the day Donald Trump leaves office the Justice Department may indict him, that he may be the first president in quite some time to face the real prospect of jail time," Representative Adam Schiff, the Democrat who will lead the House Intelligence Committee next year, told CBS' "Face the Nation."

 

Legal experts are divided over whether a sitting president can be charged with a crime, as well as on whether a violation of campaign finance law would be an impeachable offence.

 

Republican Senator Rand Paul warned against over-criminalising campaign finance violations, telling NBC's "Meet the Press" that errors in disclosures should be punished with fines, not jail.

 

Republican Senator Marco Rubio told CNN he was waiting for the results of the Russia investigation and related federal probes. However, he cautioned that "no one should be above the law."

 

Rubio said it would be a "terrible mistake" if Trump pardoned Manafort, saying that "could trigger a debate about whether the pardon powers should be amended."

 

Trump has not ruled out a pardon for Manafort, praising him as a good man. In contrast, he has said Cohen, who has cooperated with federal prosecutors, should go to jail.

 

Schiff said Trump may end up needing to seek a pardon for himself from the next U.S. president. House Democrats have promised an array of investigations into Trump's activities.

 

"What is clear also is that the Republican Congress absolutely tried to shield the president," Nadler said. "The new Congress will not try to shield the president."

 

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Mary Milliken and Bill Berkrot)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-10

[Samui Bodoh]

"...Top Democrats say Trump may face impeachment, jail over hush money..."

 

There is nothing that I would like better than to see the back of Trump; he has ALREADY done incalculable damage to his own country and to the world. However, it is a political impossibility that he be impeached without the strong support of a large number of Republicans; it simply will not and can not occur.

 

Either sign up a reasonably large number of Republicans to (publicly) join the impeachment process, or vote him out at the next election. I would prefer to see him voted out as I would prefer to see a public repudiation of... that thing.

 

I have said it before and (sadly) need to say it again;

 

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

 

[impulse]

23 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

There is nothing that I would like better than to see the back of Trump; he has ALREADY done incalculable damage to his own country and to the world. However, it is a political impossibility that he be impeached without the strong support of a large number of Republicans; it simply will not and can not occur.

 

More likely, it won't happen because none of our so called leaders want to start the parade to prison for campaign violations. 

 

DC would be like a ghost town.

 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Democratic U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler told CNN those would be grounds for impeachment.

 

Ah yes, the main source and basis for this entire article is a New York Democrat. 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

Individual-1may be impeached in the House for this but it would never pass the Senate.

 

Right now Individual-1’s problems are growing:

 

The investigation revealed that through and after the election campaign Individual-1 was indeed negotiating for a large development in Moscow that would have brought hundreds of millions of dollars into his businesses.

 

Individual-1’s statements during and after the election denying this fact were all bare faced lies.

 

More problematic, Cohen has confessed that his statements to The Senate regarding this business deal where also lies.

 

Even more problematic the Senate have stated Cohen’s testimony was aligned with that of other Individual connected witnesses they called.

 

So Individual-1 lied through his teeth and there is evidence of conspiracy to provide perjured statements under oath to help cover up Individual-1’s lies.

 

Illiberals get your denial glasses on the truth will (despite Individual-1’s lies) out!

[Chomper Higgot]

10 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Ah yes, the main source and basis for this entire article is a New York Democrat. 

 

You clearly do not understand the fact that starting the process of Impeachment is always political.

 

 

[UncleTouchyFingers]

20 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

You clearly do not understand the fact that starting the process of Impeachment is always political.

 

Glad you understand that this is just a political stunt pushed by Dems & written just for you and this guy:

 

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Donald Trump is an ever-expanding cloud of toxic waste that defiles everything it touches.

 

God help us all.

 

24 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Illiberals get your denial glasses on the truth will (despite Individual-1’s lies) out!

And what Truth would that be? 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Glad you understand that this is just a political stunt pushed by Dems & written just for you and this guy:

 

 

And what Truth would that be? 

Well we already have the truth that Individual-1 conspired with his legal thug Cohen to pay off two women in direct breach of election law.

 

Stay tuned, more to come.

[UncleTouchyFingers]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Well we already have the truth that Individual-1 conspired with his legal thug Cohen to pay off two women in direct breach of election law.

 

Weird. Thats not what it says in the OP:

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

If the payments are proven to be felony campaign finance violations, Democratic U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler told CNN those would be grounds for impeachment.

 

[Emster23]

Restrain yourself Demos. Much larger crimes will soon be available with sticking power. You don't pick the first girl to come into a bar. You wait for the place to fill, before choosing a hot one.

[Tug]

I agree with emster23 I think we are looking at the tip of the iceberg much much worse to come 

[Guest Jerry787]

if true at least one criminal behind bars !
but as usual just propaganda and no one will detain such criminal !

[helpisgood]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Individual-1may be impeached in the House for this but it would never pass the Senate.

 

I agree with you on that and sympathize with your position on this matter.

 

Just one thing to add, and maybe this is part of your point, my guess is that a number of Senate Republicans do not want to have to vote on whether to convict if the House does impeach Trump.  There may even be a lot of House Republicans who would prefer that an impeachment vote never comes up.  

 

It's one thing for a politician to release statements that hedge issues so they can pander to as many of their constituency as is possible.  It's another thing to be on record - whether yea or nay - regarding a clear issue that many voters will take seriously. 

 

I am not sure how that will play out.  There's still a lot of factors coming down the pike.  However, I am pretty sure that politicians' next election prospects will come into play.  As I recall, it was a few influential Congressional Republicans that convinced Nixon to resign rather than go through the ignominy of a final floor vote for impeachment and a Senate trial.  Of course, in Nixon's case, they had the "smoking gun" tape.

 

Then again, would Trump - if it comes to that - resign for the sake of his party and his country?  I think for him it will be more of a business decision.

Edited December 10, 2018 by helpisgood
typo

[OneMoreFarang]

That reminds me of a sign in a demonstration when George W Bush invaded Iraq: "Someone should give him a BJ so that we can impeach him".

 

Trump is such a disaster and lying bastard on so many levels. Who really cares who he had sex with and who not? And who cares how much he paid for that sex in advance or after it, or long after it? I think that is about the smallest issue about Trump.

[guest879]

no president has ever been impeached from office and I doubt Trump will be the first. democrats need something more than just hating trump and opening the boarders. Find a decent leader (god only knows where they can find someone better than Maxine waters and Pocahontas) and start running a decent pre election campaign. 

[asiamaster]

51 minutes ago, Tug said:

I agree with emster23 I think we are looking at the tip of the iceberg much much worse to come 

Indeed. Just wait till they dig further into the Clinton Foundation and the FISA documents are declassified. 

Enjoy the show!

[bristolboy]

34 minutes ago, guest879 said:

no president has ever been impeached from office and I doubt Trump will be the first. democrats need something more than just hating trump and opening the boarders. Find a decent leader (god only knows where they can find someone better than Maxine waters and Pocahontas) and start running a decent pre election campaign. 

Willfully blind much? The impeachment would be based on a violation of campaign laws. Now, maybe you don't think that's a serious enough issue for impeachment. But living in denial that it exists is a foolish way to address the issue.

[pedro01]

Just now, bristolboy said:

Willfully blind much? The impeachment would be based on a violation of campaign laws. Now, maybe you don't think that's a serious enough issue for impeachment. But living in denial that it exists is a foolish way to address the issue.

 

It's been explained hundreds of times here why it wasn't a campaign finance violation.

 

Stormy is one of many women that have been paid off. Most of them before the campaign. Trump can show a clear pattern of paying off tarts and so it's a regular expenditure to him. Hence, it's just his normal pattern of spending and not something done especially for the campaign.

 

He can also argue the case that he did it to protect his family.

 

I'm amazed this is even a topic of conversation any more. 

[bristolboy]

13 minutes ago, pedro01 said:

 

It's been explained hundreds of times here why it wasn't a campaign finance violation.

 

Stormy is one of many women that have been paid off. Most of them before the campaign. Trump can show a clear pattern of paying off tarts and so it's a regular expenditure to him. Hence, it's just his normal pattern of spending and not something done especially for the campaign.

 

He can also argue the case that he did it to protect his family.

 

I'm amazed this is even a topic of conversation any more. 

And in all those other cases was the expense illegally recorded as a payment to Michael Cohen for services rendered? And in those other cases did Trump publicly deny that he had made such payments?

[Stargeezr]

What? Wasn't Nixon sent packing after Watergate?

Geezer

[bristolboy]

4 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

What? Wasn't Nixon sent packing after Watergate?

Geezer

Well, in that case it looked like the Senate was going to convict him. Almost no such chance this time.

[billd766]

6 hours ago, impulse said:

 

More likely, it won't happen because none of our so called leaders want to start the parade to prison for campaign violations. 

 

DC would be like a ghost town.

 

It would certainly drain the swamp though.

 

5 hours ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

Glad you understand that this is just a political stunt pushed by Dems & written just for you and this guy:

 

 

And what Truth would that be? 

Ask Trump's lawyer Rudy.

 

 

[Thaidream]

31 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Well, in that case it looked like the Senate was going to convict him. Almost no such chance this time.

After January when the Dems control the House-  Trump will be impeached but  they are going to need much more than the fact Trump paid off a couple of women.  The key to getting Trump convicted and ousted from the Presidency is that a certain number of Republicans must vote yes as a conviction on impeachment needs 67  Senate votes.

 

There are  other situations much more serious than  paying off women and lying about it and that is his involvement with the Russians and whether there was any collusion with them that could have swayed the election and then there is the emoluments clause of the Constitution which prohibits a President from enriching himself while  in office.

 

A.  It is a know fact the Trump has used bankruptcy several times while conducting business and therefore was unable to get any bank loans. However, it is also known that Trump has sold many properties to wealthy Russians who overpaid the market value.  This was done most likely to  generate extra income for his company and it also helped Russians launder their money.  Why hasn't Trump shown his tax returns- simply because his tax returns will show the link to the Russians.

 

B.   The so called dossier is true and shows Trump in Russia- cavorting with Russian prostitutes and of course filmed by the Russians who have the  tapes which compromises their relationship with Trump.  Normally,  it would be no issue-except the man is now President.

 

C.  Russian interference in the election process- they obviously were able to hack the Democratic Committee but didn't hack the Republicans.  There were meetings between Russian 'agents' and members of the Trump Team to include Trump's son and son in law.  Trump himself made a statement advocating Juilan Assange and his release of information through Wiki Leaks.  It has also been  stated that Paul Manafort- already convicted- and the one time Trump campaign manager may have met with Assange.  Were the Russians able to hack the voting machines?  We already know they were able to use social media to spread false information about the Dems in the hope Trump would be elected.

 

D.  Then we have the Obstruction of Justice- Trump lying; manipulating ; suborning perjury and doing everything possible to discredit  the investigation.

 

ONce the Mueller report become final and public- all the connections will be made and it will be so convincing and devastating that  Trump's Republican support in the Senate will start  to unravel.  The unthinkable will be thinkable because the Repubs will not be able to support a 'criminal' Presidency. The 67 votes needed to convict him will be there and visible.

 

A Republican team will be assembled and visit Trump and tell him bluntly -resign or be the first President in American history to be impeached and convicted and removed from office. At the same time Mike Pence- the Vice President will have been informed to pardon Trump of all crimes as he will be President. Should Trump try and resist- Pence will tell him- that he has already got the votes to  remove him under the 25th Amendment but there will be no pardon for Trump if he refuses to resign.

 

Trump-cornered for the first time in his life- will resign the Presidency and  head back to New York City and his penthouse and  America and the World will breathe again.

 

Truth is on the march and nothing can stop it!!

 

 

 

[Srinivas]

This is how the Russia colusion farce morphs and winds down. 

 

 

[Thingamabob]

Rubbish article. Time to grow up.

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

After January when the Dems control the House-  Trump will be impeached but  they are going to need much more than the fact Trump paid off a couple of women.  The key to getting Trump convicted and ousted from the Presidency is that a certain number of Republicans must vote yes as a conviction on impeachment needs 67  Senate votes.

 

There are  other situations much more serious than  paying off women and lying about it and that is his involvement with the Russians and whether there was any collusion with them that could have swayed the election and then there is the emoluments clause of the Constitution which prohibits a President from enriching himself while  in office.

 

A.  It is a know fact the Trump has used bankruptcy several times while conducting business and therefore was unable to get any bank loans. However, it is also known that Trump has sold many properties to wealthy Russians who overpaid the market value.  This was done most likely to  generate extra income for his company and it also helped Russians launder their money.  Why hasn't Trump shown his tax returns- simply because his tax returns will show the link to the Russians.

 

B.   The so called dossier is true and shows Trump in Russia- cavorting with Russian prostitutes and of course filmed by the Russians who have the  tapes which compromises their relationship with Trump.  Normally,  it would be no issue-except the man is now President.

 

C.  Russian interference in the election process- they obviously were able to hack the Democratic Committee but didn't hack the Republicans.  There were meetings between Russian 'agents' and members of the Trump Team to include Trump's son and son in law.  Trump himself made a statement advocating Juilan Assange and his release of information through Wiki Leaks.  It has also been  stated that Paul Manafort- already convicted- and the one time Trump campaign manager may have met with Assange.  Were the Russians able to hack the voting machines?  We already know they were able to use social media to spread false information about the Dems in the hope Trump would be elected.

 

D.  Then we have the Obstruction of Justice- Trump lying; manipulating ; suborning perjury and doing everything possible to discredit  the investigation.

 

ONce the Mueller report become final and public- all the connections will be made and it will be so convincing and devastating that  Trump's Republican support in the Senate will start  to unravel.  The unthinkable will be thinkable because the Repubs will not be able to support a 'criminal' Presidency. The 67 votes needed to convict him will be there and visible.

 

A Republican team will be assembled and visit Trump and tell him bluntly -resign or be the first President in American history to be impeached and convicted and removed from office. At the same time Mike Pence- the Vice President will have been informed to pardon Trump of all crimes as he will be President. Should Trump try and resist- Pence will tell him- that he has already got the votes to  remove him under the 25th Amendment but there will be no pardon for Trump if he refuses to resign.

 

Trump-cornered for the first time in his life- will resign the Presidency and  head back to New York City and his penthouse and  America and the World will breathe again.

 

Truth is on the march and nothing can stop it!!

 

 

 

Pathetic.

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Rubbish article. Time to grow up.

Thank you for your detailed and reasoned criticism.

[quadperfect]

We should be so lucky. This idiot has ruled the news far too long.

[Ulic]

I am no Trump fan but this is ridiculous, payoffs/confidentiality agreements are standard in many agreements. Move along and focus on something substantial. 

[pedro01]

6 hours ago, bristolboy said:

And in all those other cases was the expense illegally recorded as a payment to Michael Cohen for services rendered? And in those other cases did Trump publicly deny that he had made such payments?

He paid a tart to keep her mouth shut - and you expect him to declare it as "paying tart to keep mouth shut"?