Neither will recover soon

[struggle4progress]

By Jennifer Rubin
July 14

... We are now down to arguing about whether the president’s son was independently attempting to collude in secret with Russians or whether his father was in on the scam as well. We know not from leaks but from Donald Trump Jr.’s statements and emails that Rob Goldstone, a manager for pop star Emin Agalarov, arranged for a meeting with Kremlin-linked lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, specifically telling the candidate’s son that help from Russia for his father’s candidacy was available. In the best-case scenario, the campaign — contrary to repeated representations — had multiple meetings with Russians, including one to provide campaign opposition material to assist a foreign power’s foreign policy objectives, the purpose of which the Trump clan initially lied about. That’s the most innocuous explanation ...

There is little doubt that if Democrats controlled the House, we would be down the road to impeachment. Nor is there much dispute that the existence of an underlying “crime” — collusion with a foreign power (an effort to obtain something of value from a foreign power) — would make the possible charge of obstruction of justice (oh, that!) even more potent. And it is this unmistakable and irremovable scandal — a web of collusion, lies and coverup — that suggests there is no way to move beyond this, no remedy or resolution that provides the Trump White House with a clean bill of legal and political health.

Republicans’ willingness to accept even national betrayal — that’s what Trump Jr. was willing to undertake, after all — will disgrace the party and its leaders for years, if not permanently. It is a party no longer capable of defending our national interests and Constitution from foreign enemies ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/07/14/neither-trump-nor-the-gop-will-recover-anytime-soon/?utm_term=.5665ab1e4bfc

[oxbow]

1. We do know that Dad helped Jr. cover it up

And that his lawyers knew about it all weeks before everything became public. Is the cover-up as bad as the crime?

[Lithos]

3. The crime is worse

And if you have to ask, you've not done the calculus

[Botany]

2. "Republicans willingness to accept even national betrayal "

For the love of dog Putin and Russian mob now run the White House and the
Republicans are willing to live with that in order to keep power.

[xxqqqzme]

4. Turns your stomach.

Their greed for power/money is insatiable.

[Stonepounder]

5. Of course they are willing!

They LOVE the Russian form of government and desire to emulate it. A small percentage of really, really rich folks at the top of are literally above the law, and the rest of the population existing only to work to make the few at the top richer.

Of course they don't have a clue that this type of behavior and the type of government they are trying to establish is the way that so many bloody revolutions have started. They would do well to reflect on what happened on Bastille Day in France, What happened to Czar Nicholas II in 1917, or King George III in 1775. Just to name a few.

[WinkyDink]

8. It is becoming clearer daily: Republicans are TAKING LESSONS from the Russians. LITERALLY.

[Blue_true]

6. I never thought things would come to this.

I disagree soundly with all republicans on policy issues. But, before now, I took it for granted that they love the country as much as I do and were willing to protect our best traditions. I was wrong in my estimation of their love for country.

[Botany]

10. Some gop spokesperson on MSNBC about 10 minutes ago

(before I could turn it off)

"President Trump is the legally elected President and the democrats just want
to rehash history w/this "Russian Stuff" because they are upset over their
losses."

They are OK w/the Russian mob running our government. Jeff Sessions just settled a case
against a Russian company that was laundering money mob money through NYC real estate
for pennies on the $.


https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/7/11/1679688/-Natalia-Veselnitskaya-was-no-stranger-she-was-important-to-Trump-s-business?detail=emaildkre

How did Prevezon Holding supposedly move mob money into the United States? By snapping up expensive condos and other real estate.

snip

The connection between Bharara’s cases and Trump–Russia wasn’t immediately obvious. But Bharara hinted heavily that he had been ousted to close down a investigation of corruption related to Trump.

Until now, the case didn’t seem to be a peek into corruption inside the Trump regime. But with the spotlight now falling on Natalia Veselnitskaya, the actions of Prevezon Holdings Ltd are coming squarely to the center. Prevezon appears to be yet another holding company created expressly for the purpose of turning Russian mob money into American real estate in deals that allow oligarchs to clean their stolen funds and US real estate moguls to pocket fat profits. Deals exactly like those Trump is known to have used to escape bankruptcy.

When Donald Trump Jr. says that Veselnitskaya came to his office to discuss “adoption,” what he means is that she wanted to discuss the Magnitsky Act. And that discussion not only reflects on the US sanctions and blacklisting of Russian officials that resulted from the act, it directly plays into the Russian use of US real estate for money-laundering. Which was something Trump Jr. knew very, very well.

[YCHDT]

9. IKR !?!!?

[Hekate]

7. Excellent read at the link

[dalton99a]

11. "The world's greatest democracy is in a tailspin led by a malicious crackpot"

Good article

[Demsrule86]

12. Again...impeachement which Trump certainly deserves...but what is the point

of impeachment if you can't convict in the Senate? It is politically toxic and the guy is still there. The Republicans lost the Senate after Clinton. You need a conviction in the Senate or a resignation...or don't bother.