Steve Bannon faces fraud charges in New York over the We Build the Wall charity

[Scott]

  

 

 

Former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon is preparing to face New York state charges that he defrauded donors to the nonprofit group We Build the Wall to construct a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border.

 

The case is expected to be similar to a previous federal case in which Bannon was indicted but never tried because Trump pardoned Bannon before that could happen.

Bannon and others are accused of skimming money from the donors for personal use on things like travel and and credit card debt.

 

In the original federal case, there were three co-defendants.

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/07/1121447226/steve-bannon-fraud-charges

[candide]

The famous saying "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time"  obviously does not apply to MAGA fans! ????

 

You can fool all MAGA folks all the time! ????

[Mac Mickmanus]

28 minutes ago, candide said:

The famous saying "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time"  obviously does not apply to MAGA fans! ????

 

You can fool all MAGA folks all the time! ????

Isnt there another famous saying ?

Something about "Innocent until proven guilty" or something ?

[candide]

17 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Isnt there another famous saying ?

Something about "Innocent until proven guilty" or something ?

His two accomplices have already made a guilty plead and admitted it was a scam! ????

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/22/two-plead-guilty-fraud-we-build-the-wall-project-trump-bannon 

Edited September 7, 2022 by candide

[bendejo]

I am anticipating at least one excuse that is both ridiculous and hilarious. 

Newt Gingrich is firmly in the Top Ten of this category: during a recess of a Congressional session was caught getting oral servicing in a car from his then girlfriend; when confronted he said something to the effect of "I was doing it out of service to the country."

 

He's an easy squeeze: a few days in jail and his alcoholism will drive him up the wall.

 

 

[Credo]

 

In Arizona, the governor decided to close a section of the wall with shipping containers.  Here's a picture of the wall after the containers started tipping over.   It should also be noted that it's not state land and, in fact, is Tribal/Federal law.   

 

[placeholder]

4 hours ago, candide said:

His two accomplices have already made a guilty plead and admitted it was a scam! ????

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/apr/22/two-plead-guilty-fraud-we-build-the-wall-project-trump-bannon 

And the remaining alleged accomplice pleaded not guilty and the case resulted in  a mistrial because 1  juror out of the 12 refused to vote to convict.

[pomchop]

21 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Isnt there another famous saying ?

Something about "Innocent until proven guilty" or something ?

How about "where there is smoke there is fire"...sure is a lot of smoke billowing around the coup crew and the con men.  

By all means let's put them in front of a jury and if indeed convicted no more pardons, no more excuses, no more witch hunt, no more BS..."Do the crime, do the time"...."do not pass goal, go straight to jail."

[Chomper Higgot]

5 hours ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Isnt there another famous saying ?

Something about "Innocent until proven guilty" or something ?

I’ll remind you.

 

Bannon was indicted and getting his day in court.

 

But Trump denied him his right to a trial before a jury by handing him a pardon.

 

Fortunately for Bannon, he’s not being denied his day in court and the chance to prove his innocence before a jury of his peers.

 

Though it is a mute question whether or not Bannon has any peers.

 

Let the prosecution present its evidence, let the defendant challenge the prosecution, let the jury decide.

 

I’m well pleased for Bannon.

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I’ll remind you.

 

Bannon was indicted and getting his day in court.

 

But Trump denied him his right to a trial before a jury by handing him a pardon.

 

Fortunately for Bannon, he’s not being denied his day in court and the chance to prove his innocence before a jury of his peers.

 

Though it is a mute question whether or not Bannon has any peers.

 

Let the prosecution present its evidence, let the defendant challenge the prosecution, let the jury decide.

 

I’m well pleased for Bannon.

 

almost looks like double jeopardy, getting charged and having a trial twice for the same alleged crime.

Good luck to Steve with this matter. I'm guessing any jury will not be a friendly one made up of Trump staff and donors like the Sussman trial had. Oh no, couldn't have that, Bannon is on the wrong team.

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, SunnyinBangrak said:

almost looks like double jeopardy, getting charged and having a trial twice for the same alleged crime.

Good luck to Steve with this matter. I'm guessing any jury will not be a friendly one made up of Trump staff and donors like the Sussman trial had. Oh no, couldn't have that, Bannon is on the wrong team.

It’s not double jeopardy.

I’m for letting the jury decide, I see you are already prejudging the jury.

 

How very odd.

 

[placeholder]

12 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

almost looks like double jeopardy, getting charged and having a trial twice for the same alleged crime.

Good luck to Steve with this matter. I'm guessing any jury will not be a friendly one made up of Trump staff and donors like the Sussman trial had. Oh no, couldn't have that, Bannon is on the wrong team.

So, to you it's insignificant that 2 out of his 3 co-defendants pled guilty and in the case of the remaining defendant a jury voted to convict by 11-1?

[pegman]

43 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

almost looks like double jeopardy, getting charged and having a trial twice for the same alleged crime.

Good luck to Steve with this matter. I'm guessing any jury will not be a friendly one made up of Trump staff and donors like the Sussman trial had. Oh no, couldn't have that, Bannon is on the wrong team.

There was no first trial. 

[Bluespunk]

7 hours ago, Scott said:

The case is expected to be similar to a previous federal case in which Bannon was indicted but never tried because Trump pardoned Bannon before that could happen.

Bannon and others are accused of skimming money from the donors for personal use on things like travel and and credit card debt.

No pork barrel boss to protect you this time bannon. 

[placeholder]

6 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

No pork barrel boss to protect you this time bannon. 

An interesting and prescient quote from George Mason, one of the architects of the Constitution re the President:

“ought not to have the power of pardoning, because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself. It may happen, at some future day, that he will establish a monarchy, and destroy the republic. If he has the power of granting pardons before indictment, or conviction, may he not stop inquiry and prevent detection?

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/07/25/the-pardon-power-and-original-intent/

Edited September 8, 2022 by placeholder

[bendejo]

When someone accepts a pardon, is that a tacit admission of guilt?

If so, then there is no argument against the NY State charges, just give the c__t a sentence. 

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/07/steve-bannon-lawyer-says-trump-aide-traveling-to-new-york-to-surrender.html

Quote

“They are coming after all of us, not only President Trump and myself. I am never going to stop fighting. In fact, I have not yet begun to fight. They will have to kill me first.”

. . . he says as he heads to the courthouse to turn himself in.  Does he understand "fight" is not a synonym for "surrender" ?

Probably drunk.

 

Looks like the IRS doesn't need to hear any more:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/dark-money-group-in-alleged-bannon-scam-dinged-by-irs

 

 

Edited September 8, 2022 by bendejo

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Good luck to Steve with this matter.

It sounds like you're on Bannon's side and hoping that he gets off.  A reminder that he's on trial for "ripping off Trump donors!"  Nevermind the "his day in court" thing, are you saying it's perfectly ok to rip off Trump supporters? 

[placeholder]

Excellent point. Actually the Trumpists have also been ripping off their supporters. In various pleas for cash. they've used what is an opt-out play to milk these poor folks. When someone agrees to donate $100, they have to opt-out of it being a monthlly donation instead, as halfway decent organizations would do, make those donations monthly on an opt-in basis. That hurt a lot of senior citizens who disproportionately support Trump.

[Old Croc]

4 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Excellent point. Actually the Trumpists have also been ripping off their supporters. In various pleas for cash. they've used what is an opt-out play to milk these poor folks. When someone agrees to donate $100, they have to opt-out of it being a monthlly donation instead, as halfway decent organizations would do, make those donations monthly on an opt-in basis. That hurt a lot of senior citizens who disproportionately support Trump.

I wonder how much North Korea or Russia pay for America's top secret defense plans.

[placeholder]

5 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

I wonder how much North Korea or Russia pay for America's top secret defense plans.

Who knows who got access to Trump's bedroom? Was Stormy Daniels the last of his indiscretions? He and his wife each have their own bedroom..

[pomchop]

1 hour ago, Berkshire said:

It sounds like you're on Bannon's side and hoping that he gets off.  A reminder that he's on trial for "ripping off Trump donors!"  Nevermind the "his day in court" thing, are you saying it's perfectly ok to rip off Trump supporters? 

The sad thing is that Trumpers are so deep into the cult and the see no evil hear no evil spell that they don't know a con man when he all but announces he is a con man and always has been. 

 

Whether it's stiffing contractors, lawyers, security companies, declaring bankruptcies where even more people get stiffed is his M.O.  Now of course he has millions of suckers who will send him $$  while he is bragging to them about how very very very rich he is indeed. 

 

He makes all the tele evangelicals conmen and women look like rookies.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

[Berkshire]

5 minutes ago, pomchop said:

The sad thing is that Trumpers are so deep into the cult and the see no evil hear no evil spell that they don't know a con man when he all but announces he is a con man and always has been. 

 

Whether it's stiffing contractors, lawyers, security companies, declaring bankruptcies where even more people get stiffed is his M.O.  Now of course he has millions of suckers who will send him $$  while he is bragging to them about how very very very rich he is indeed. 

 

He makes all the tele evangelicals conmen and women look like rookies.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

True.  These people are not the brightest and almost don't care if they're being ripped off.  But Trump's fundraising apparatus is rather cunning and unrelenting.  Almost like a boiler room hyping penny stocks.  In a way, Trump is doing the Dems a big favor entering the mid-terms.  He's siphoning much of the money that would otherwise go to Republican candidates.  Instead of a blowout, the mid-terms will be much closer than previously thought....thanks to Trump. 

[Old Croc]

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

I wonder how much North Korea or Russia pay for America's top secret defense plans.

Former FBI assistant director says Trump could have kept hold of a foreign country's nuclear secrets because it had 'the highest price tag' for classified info (msn.com)

[Eric Loh]

11 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

Former FBI assistant director says Trump could have kept hold of a foreign country's nuclear secrets because it had 'the highest price tag' for classified info (msn.com)

The hanging gallows may be of some use. In the words of a disgraced former President " maybe he deserved it". Self prophecy perhaps. 

[candide]

2 hours ago, placeholder said:

Who knows who got access to Trump's bedroom? Was Stormy Daniels the last of his indiscretions? He and his wife each have their own bedroom..

Russian escorts? ????

[Old Croc]

4 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

almost looks like double jeopardy, getting charged and having a trial twice for the same alleged crime.

Good luck to Steve with this matter. I'm guessing any jury will not be a friendly one made up of Trump staff and donors like the Sussman trial had. Oh no, couldn't have that, Bannon is on the wrong team.

They were too clever for their own good. By being pardoned before trial and conviction they thought he would not even have a conviction on his record. (Nor be forced to testify against any silent partners in the fraud?)

 

However, double jeopardy can't apply thus allowing the state charges to proceed.

Edited September 8, 2022 by Old Croc

[Berkshire]

2 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

They were too clever for their own good. By being pardoned before trial and conviction they thought he would not even have a conviction on his record. (And wouldn't be forced to testify against any silent partners in the fraud?)

 

However, double jeopardy can't apply thus allowing the state charges to proceed.

On top of that.....

 

[Mr. Bannon would be the latest Trump pardon recipient to be prosecuted since the passage of a 2019 New York law that explicitly allows such charges. That law passed after an attempt to prosecute another Trump ally, Paul J. Manafort, was challenged on double-jeopardy grounds.]

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-bannon-case-manhattan-d-a-takes-on-another-pardoned-trump-ally/ar-AA11zYuR?ocid=wispr&cvid=9e6a6206d4304aa6b5db976c6208ced2

[Old Croc]

11 hours ago, candide said:

The famous saying "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time"  obviously does not apply to MAGA fans! ????

 

You can fool all MAGA folks all the time! ????

I'm not the first to say it, but the smartest country on earth also has millions of the stupidest people on the planet. 

[candide]

This time, Bannon may not feel like joking......????

 

"Welcome back and this is Stephen K. Bannon. We’re off the coast of Saint-Tropez in southern France, in the Mediterranean. We’re on the million-dollar yacht of Brian Kolfage. Brian Kolfage—who took all that money from ‘We Build The Wall,” Bannon joked in the video, adding, “No, we’re actually in Sunland Park, New Mexico.”

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/video-surfacess-bannon-joking-about-stealing-money-from-build-a-wall-1048305/?_gl=1*1h3y9kz*_ga*YW1wLUd5MzhFQllnc1kwNF93X1owVkNLdXVyTkhRV3g1c1NyRUJuZEVhb2lGR1paa1czMjIxai1HdWRjV1l5bFJKT2E.

 

PS For those who may not be informed about it, Kolfage is one of the two Bannon accomplices who entered a guilty plead.

Edited September 8, 2022 by candide

[placeholder]

After Bannon was arrested back in 2020 Trump claimed he never supported this idea. But...

 

Trump Reportedly Gave 'We Build The Wall' His Blessing And Tried To Steer $1B Contract To Its Builder

But Trump and McEnany’s statements belie claims by former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the general counsel of We Build The Wall, in January 2019 that Trump gave the project his “blessing,” as well as Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr.’s public praise of the project as a “pretty amazing” effort for an “important grassroots issue” at a 2018 fundraiser, according to video unearthed by CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski.

Trump also “personally and repeatedly” lobbied for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to award a $1.28 billion wall-building contract to Fisher Industries, a politically-connected firm that was also helping We Build The Wall build a private portion of the wall, according to the Washington Post...

The White House declined to comment on whether Trump knew of the connection between Fisher and We Build The Wall.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/08/20/trump-reportedly-gave-we-build-the-wall-his-blessing-and-tried-to-steer-1b-contract-to-its-builder/?sh=5f7da6af3904