We’re going to need one hell of a tub of popcorn today.
From Cohen’s prepared opening statement -
Mr. Trump tasked me to handle the negative press surrounding his medical deferment from the
Vietnam draft.
Mr. Trump claimed it was because of a bone spur, but when I asked for
medical records, he gave me none and said there was no surgery. He told
me not to answer the specific questions by reporters but rather offer simply
the fact that he received a medical deferment.
He finished the conversation with the following comment. “You think I’m
stupid, I wasn’t going to Vietnam.”
Today’s morning tweet -
I know that it’s a futile mind exercise for me, but I’m still so dumbfounded that anyone can believe anything good about Trump.
Copies of [Donald Trump’s] financial statements for 2011 – 2013 that he gave to such institutions as Deutsche Bank;
Unless these were filed in the commission of a crime, can Cohen legally turn them over to the committee?
Ready to start impeachment now, Speaker Pelosi?
He said that Trump considered Trump Jr. to have the “worst judgement of anyone in the world”
Well blow me down and furl my jib: trump is almost right about something! (But daddy dumbfuk still takes the “Worst judgement of all time” prize.)
Wow that’s an exceptionally stupid tweet. I’m sure the Vietnamese leaders were SUPER eager to talk about the war, and most specifically, how one of this idiot’s domestic political foes got egg on his face in the American conservative media apparatus a few years ago. Yeah, that must have been right at the top of the agenda.
He added that Trump made out the checks to reimburse Cohen for Stormy Daniels’ hush money payment from his personal bank account, and paid in installments over months during his presidency.
This. right. here.
In my dreams, Cohen’s testimony is in concert with Mueller’s results. That is, this is an icebreaker (as it were) for the American public to comprehend—and the media to broadcast—the complete criminality of Trump.
The main problem is that his supporters have a different definition of “good”.
Too bad the tweety bird is not around to hear the coverage in real time. But, maybe he’ll be hiding in his room in Viet Nam trying to follow all of it, forgoing meeting with the dictators he so admires.
His supporters have a different definition for nearly every word in the English language, and if they speak a foreign language those, too.
Trump will deny it all. The results of Cohen’s testimony will hinge on whatever proof he can bring to the table. Tapes would be nice. Things in writing, such as the aforementioned financial statements Trump signed off on. Contemporaneous notes of what was said, who else was present, etc. can help. Or, perhaps Cohen can name chapter and verse that the House can then pick up on during its investigations, subpoenaing records, requiring testimony under oath by others. This will have to be step-wise, not just full bore into articles of impeachment. Unless Cohen brings tapes or other incontrovertible evidence.
Much like Charles Manson’s “family.” Sociopaths to the last one.
What strikes me about the 20 page statement is how badly it is written… hopefully he can do better live…
The testimony is imho most important as it shows a willingness to accept Wikileaks (and Russian) help. American laws prohibit soliciting foreigners for something of value, and trump was part of a conspiracy to do so…
And let’s take stone at his word. Stone claims he was just guessing, no contact with Wikileaks. Yet this testimony shows that trump believed stone’s communications with Wikileaks were real. As such trump is still guilty of a conspiracy, even if the underlying acts are not real.
To give an example, let’s assume mike Pense proposes to Scott Pruitt that they steal Malania’s panties. Pruitt aggrees and drives mini Pense over to the White House for the crime. But Pense, ever the coward gets cold feet, so he brings along some of mothers granny panties, and when he and Pruitt drive away from the White House, he give some to Pruitt, secretly getting his jollies off… Pruitt is ecstatic to get used trump stuff for free.
Well Pruitt is guilty of conspiracy to commit theft, just not theft at this point. Old grifter trump is similarly guilty if he conspired with stone, and stone is only grifting him.
Conspiracy punishes the act of conspiring to do things that can cause harm, not the acts themselves.
Actually, I think the one thing in his statement that might make a dent is his description of working with Russia during the campaign on behalf of Trump, then getting the message to lie about that.
People knew Spanky was a philanderer and worse before the election. I can’t see hush money about that moving the needle. His supporters adore this about him and are enthusiastic in part because he gets away with doing things that would land others in hot water.
But Russia helping him win the election while dangling a bribe in front of him, which they then yank away after he grabs for it – that both shows that he didn’t win the presidency (Russia did that for him) and it shows him as weak (puppet of Russia). That might leave a mark.
NBC News is reporting that the updated version of the opening remarks states that Cohen is also going to provide checks signed by Donnie jr… Happy Humpday!
Beat me to it. Cadet Bone Spurs, finally in Vietnam, attacks Vietnam-era veterans.
You can’t make this shit up.
I was going to say the same thing .
It will go something like this
He’s a liar
Well… maybe he’s not a liar
and if he’s not, so what no crime was committed
We didn’t steal the stuff Wikileaks did
They’ll bring out the heavy spin artillery
Quick General Kelly Ann get out there and bamboozle
His supporters aren’t going to believe anything about Cohen’s testimony, neither Russian interference not hush money. The needle is glued in place for them. I was really referring to anyone else who might be on the fence about Rump (although I think there are fewer of them by the day).