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Is it possible tfg or vlad are blackmailing some of these repuqs? (Original Post) grumpyduck Jan 2022 OP
Does a bear shit in the woods? KPN Jan 2022 #1
Of course it is possible. Bev54 Jan 2022 #2
Like Graham? No way, he's a transparent as the day is long. dem4decades Jan 2022 #3
One way or another, cilla4progress Jan 2022 #4
They have been bribed or threatened into compliance. Irish_Dem Jan 2022 #5
No. brooklynite Jan 2022 #6
+1 onenote Jan 2022 #17
For starters, what else do you call threats of violence against their families? The Blue Flower Jan 2022 #7
Oh, I think this is highly likely. OhZone Jan 2022 #8
Some by choice, some by purse strings, some by Kompromat bucolic_frolic Jan 2022 #9
more likely extortion, but yeah, blackmail is possible too unblock Jan 2022 #10
Very likely. zuul Jan 2022 #11
Nah ibegurpard Jan 2022 #12
Possible??!! IrishAfricanAmerican Jan 2022 #13
I've been saying this forever. bamagal62 Jan 2022 #14
and maybe even some of the dems. None with the courage to speak up. lindysalsagal Jan 2022 #15
Lindsey went from outspoken arch-enemy to vibrant sycophant. keithbvadu2 Jan 2022 #16

brooklynite

(94,363 posts)
6. No.
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:02 PM
Jan 2022

You can compel obedience. You cannot compel enthusiasm.

Add to which, if Trump or Putin have found a scandal, someone else would (and would reveal it) as well.

The Blue Flower

(5,434 posts)
7. For starters, what else do you call threats of violence against their families?
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:02 PM
Jan 2022

The criminal root of it all is putin. Some have been openly bought off.

OhZone

(3,212 posts)
8. Oh, I think this is highly likely.
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:05 PM
Jan 2022

Remember when Lindsey Graham looked so worried in a hearing when he heard that the intelligence community might have heard what he said in a conversation with a Russian official?

"
June 27, 2017 | Clip Of FISA Reauthorization
This clip, title, and description were not created by C-SPAN.
User Clip: Lindsey Compromised
"

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4838250/user-clip-lindsey-compromised

bucolic_frolic

(43,062 posts)
9. Some by choice, some by purse strings, some by Kompromat
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:18 PM
Jan 2022

On another plain, it's been said real criminals don't fear the police or authorities, they fear private intelligence.

Take your pick.

unblock

(52,126 posts)
10. more likely extortion, but yeah, blackmail is possible too
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:18 PM
Jan 2022

generally, blackmail takes more effort and is specific to individuals. at this point, they've got the entire party and then some giving them pretty much 100% obedience. that doesn't happen with individual blackmail over and over again.

extortion is more scalable. blackmail one person, and others may think they're immune because they haven't done anything wrong or won't give in even if it's fabricated information. but threaten on person, or their family, and everybody quickly gets the message that they're in danger unless they comply.

this is the undertext of donnie's encouragement of violence. he has his enforcers, just as all fascists do. donnie's may be a phone call away or they may be scattered over the internet, but all republicans know that donnie can effectively sic his dogs on them. i mean, donnie got a mob to try to hang his own chosen running mate, ffs.


besides, republicans can survive financial and sex scandals these days because the media only cares about that if you're a democrat. they don't need putin's spies and information.


on the other hand, it's not like most republicans display much in the way of objecting to going along. they'll be happy to be part of the party that owns the government even if they're lapdogs in it.

zuul

(14,624 posts)
11. Very likely.
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 05:23 PM
Jan 2022

When the DNC server was hacked, the RNC server was hacked at the same time. Emails of some Democrats were released but none from the pubes.

Putin has all kinds of blackmail material and I think he gave TFG some of that info. Lindsey Graham was anti-TFG until his first golf outing with him. He abruptly changed his tone right after that golf outing. TFG told Lindsey about the blackmail material that day.

keithbvadu2

(36,669 posts)
16. Lindsey went from outspoken arch-enemy to vibrant sycophant.
Thu Jan 6, 2022, 06:19 PM
Jan 2022

Lindsey went from outspoken arch-enemy to vibrant sycophant.

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