Read the never-issued Trump order that would have seized voting machines
Source: Politico
The executive order which also would have appointed a special counsel to probe the 2020 election was never issued, and the remarks were never delivered. Together, the two documents point to the wildly divergent perspectives of White House advisers and allies during Trumps frenetic final weeks in office.
Its not clear who wrote either document. But the draft executive order is dated Dec. 16, 2020, and is consistent with proposals that lawyer Sidney Powell made to the then-president. On Dec. 18, 2020, Powell, former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, former Trump administration lawyer Emily Newman, and former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne met with Trump in the Oval Office.
Additionally, the draft order would have given the defense secretary 60 days to write an assessment of the 2020 election. That suggests it could have been a gambit to keep Trump in power until at least mid-February of 2021.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/21/read-the-never-issued-trump-order-that-would-have-seized-voting-machines-527572#
brooklynite
(94,489 posts)ificandream
(9,360 posts)It's not right-wing. It's not left-wing either, for that matter.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,458 posts)to Right wing as memory serves. Anti-Clinton hacks.
ificandream
(9,360 posts)I know people who work for Politico. They aren't. Just stop.
Kid Berwyn
(14,863 posts)True, it does a respectable job of breaking and covering political news.
Nevertheless, the ownership is a problem for Democracy.
Details from "Democracy Now:
The Pinochet File
EXCERPT...
AMY GOODMAN: And who was Joseph Allbritton? I mean
PETER KORNBLUH: Well, Joseph Allbritton was one of the big banking corporate moguls of Washington, D.C. He owned the sports team. I forget whether it was the basketball team or the Redskins. At one point he owned a bunch of newspapers and radio stations. He owned Riggs Bank. But fundamentally, he participated in a conspiracy to hide Augusto Pinochets money. And hethey evaded the assetsJuan Garcés managed to get Pinochets assets frozen, but Riggs Bank violated that court order to freeze his assets by secretly starting to funnel back to him all of his money in $50,000 cashiers checks. They had a courrier that would bring literally bundles of these checks to Pinochets house in Santiago. And the story returns to Juan Garcés, because more than $8 million of this $20-plus million stash of money was given back to Pinochet illegally by Riggs, and Juan Garcés stepped in and said, "That money belongs to the Chilean people and to the victims of Pinochet." And he recovered it.
AMY GOODMAN: Allbrittons son now runs Politico.
PETER KORNBLUH: Allbritton ownedstarted Politico, created Politico. And then, when he passed away, his son
AMY GOODMAN: Robert Allbritton.
PETER KORNBLUH: took over. So theres still a presence of the family, yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: So, you got, Juan Garcés, millions of dollars of Chiles money frozen, and then how was it distributed back to the people of Chile?
JUAN GARCÉS: Thanks to an investigation in the U.S. Senate, as Peter was explaining
PETER KORNBLUH: Which was led by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, a terrific senator.
JUAN GARCÉS: Yeah, their committee on investigations. And they accepted to cooperate with a court of justice that was prosecuting Pinochet. And thanks to this cooperation between the U.S. Senate and the Spanish court, we reached to indict the owners of Riggs Bank. That is something that is without precedent, from their own pocket
PETER KORNBLUH: Right.
JUAN GARCÉS: paid the totality of the money that went through the bank channels hiding the Pinochet money. And we distributed that to the victims of Pinochet that were considered such with the institution of the court. It is the only money that related directly to Pinochet has never been distributed to the victims.
AMY GOODMAN: But that money, the millions of dollars, how did you identify the victims, the survivors, and have it distributed?
JUAN GARCÉS: That wasthe victims were recognized as such in the court, because thousands of them have been the object of an inquiry inside Chile by an official commission, committee Riggs, that established the list of thousands of people that were murdered, also forcibly disappeared. And we in Spain, with the cooperation of Chileans inside Chile, created a new commission for victims of torture, victims that survived the torture. And we found, through this commission, identified more than 20,000 persons. And then they have their right to receive a part of the indemnities.
CONTINUED...
http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/9/10/the_pinochet_file_how_us_politicians_banks_corporations_aided_chilean_coup_dictatorship
That must be some money, to have so much on hand you can still stay rich after paying off victims of war crimes.
Farmer-Rick
(10,151 posts)I had no idea.
I'm not a fan of Politico, now I'll never vist that site again. Scum. I wonder if Allende or his family got any of Pinochet's stolen loot.
(Salvador Guillermo Allende Gossens 26 June 1908 11 September 1973 was a Chilean physician and socialist politician who served as the 28th president of Chile from 3 November 1970 until his overthrow and death.)
Some people claim Allende committed suicide, of course that's a lie. Pinochet had to kill him off to maintain his power. Thanks to US politicians including Kissinger, Pinochet had thousands of Chileans abducted, tortured and disappeared. Many of the dead washed up on the beautiful beaches of Chile.
I can't believe these scummy bankers...
Kid Berwyn
(14,863 posts)The issues are much too important for the Chilean voters to be left to decide for themselves. l don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist because of the irresponsibility of its own people." -- Henry Kissinger on the US-backed coup d'etat in Chile.
"The Chicago Boys in Chile: Economic Freedom's Awful Toll"
Orlando Letelier
August 28, 1976
EXCERPT...
The Economic Prescription and Chile's Reality
SNIP...
These are the basic principles of the economic model offered by Friedman and his followers and adopted by the Chilean junta: that the only possible framework for economic development is one within which the private sector can freely operate; that private enterprise is the most efficient form of economic organization and that, therefore, the private sector should be the predominant factor in the economy. Prices should fluctuate freely in accordance with the laws of competition. Inflation, the worst enemy of economic progress, is the direct result of monetary expansion and can be eliminated only by a drastic reduction of government spending.
Except in present-day Chile, no government in the world gives private enterprise an absolutely free hand. That is so because every economist (except Friedman and his followers) has known for decades that, in the real life of capitalism, there is no such thing as the perfect competition described by classical liberal economists. In March 1975, in Santiago, a newsman dared suggest to Friedman that even in more advanced capitalist countries, as for example the United States, the government applies various types of controls on the economy. Mr. Friedman answered: I have always been against it, I don't approve of them. I believe we should not apply them. I am against economic intervention by the government, in my own country, as well as in Chile or anywhere else (Que Pasa, Chilean weekly, April 3, 1975).
SNIP...
A Rationale tor Power
SNIP...
Until September 11, 1973, the date of the coup, Chilean society had been characterized by the increasing participation of the working class and its political parties in economic and social decision making. Since about 1900, employing the mechanisms of representative democracy, workers had steadily gained new economic, social and political power. The election of Salvador Allende as President of Chile was the culmination of this process. For the first time in history a society attempted to build socialism by peaceful means. During Allende's time in office, there was a marked improvement in the conditions of employment, health, housing, land tenure and education of the masses. And as this occurred, the privileged domestic groups and the dominant foreign interests perceived themselves to be seriously threatened.
Despite strong financial and political pressure from abroad and efforts to manipulate the attitudes of the middle class by propaganda, popular support for the Allende government increased significantly between 1970 and 1973. In March 1973, only five months before the military coup, there were Congressional elections in Chile. The political parties of the Popular Unity increased their share of the votes by more than 7 percentage points over their totals in the Presidential election of 1970. This was the first time in Chilean history that the political parties supporting the administration in power gained votes during a midterm election. The trend convinced the national bourgeoisie and its foreign supporters that they would be unable to recoup their privileges through the democratic process. That is why they resolved to destroy the democratic system and the institutions of the state, and, through an alliance with the military, to seize power by force.
In such a context, concentration of wealth is no accident, but a rule; it is not the marginal outcome of a difficult situation -- as they would like the world to believe -- but the base for a social project; it is not an economic liability but a temporary political success. Their real failure is not their apparent inability to redistribute wealth or to generate a more even path of development (these are not their priorities) but their inability to convince the majority of Chileans that their policies are reasonable and necessary. In short, they have failed to destroy the consciousness of the Chilean people. The economic plan has had to be enforced, and in the Chilean context that could be done only by the killing of thousands, the establishment of concentration camps all over the country, the jailing of more than 100,000 persons in three years, the closing of trade unions and neighbourhood organizations, and the prohibition of all political activities and all forms of free expression.
While the Chicago boys have provided an appearance of technical respectability to the laissez-faire dreams and political greed of the old landowning oligarchy and upper bourgeoisie of monopolists and financial speculators, the military has applied the brutal force required to achieve those goals. Repression for the majorities and economic freedom for small privileged groups are in Chile two sides of the same coin.
CONTINUED...
http://www.ditext.com/letelier/chicago.html
Three weeks after this was published in The Nation (Aug. 28, 1976), Orlando Letelier was assassinated by a car bomb in Washington, D.C. Also killed was Ronni Moffit, an American. Albrittons chum, CIA Director George H. W. Bush, seems to have known in advance, yet let it happen.
Source: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2010/04/lete-a20.html
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)Kid Berwyn
(14,863 posts)by Ken Silverstein
The New Republic, Dec. 14, 2012
EXCERPT
Almost entirely glossed over, except for a single sentence, is the sordid narrative that led to the PNC takeover. In 2004, the U.S. Senate released a report, prompted by a story I wrote in the Los Angeles Times, saying Riggs had turned a blind eye to evidence that the bank was handling the proceeds of foreign corruption. The Treasury Department hit the bank with a $25 million penalty. The next year, Riggs paid a $16 million criminal fine over related charges that it had failed to report suspicious transactions with foreign account holders. The judge who imposed the fine described Riggs as "a greedy corporate henchman of dictators and their corrupt regimes." With its reputation in tatters, the bank was a ripe target for PNC.
The Senate reported that Riggs conducted business with clients from several countries with high risks of money laundering and foreign corruption. Among those was Chiles long-time dictator, Augusto Pinochet. According to the report, Riggs opened multiple accounts for the dictator and his family, used aliases and offshore shell corporations to disguise his ownership, and accepted millions of dollars in deposits from him with no serious inquiry into the source of his wealth.
All this was done with the knowledge and support of the Banks leadership, including Allbritton, who, along with other senior bank officials, would periodically jet down to Santiago for meetings with the dictator. As a horse enthusiast, your fine young calvary officers, their horses and the superb performance they put on was excellent, Allbritton wrote the dictator after a 1996 visit that included a reception at a military academy. We attach great importance to our relationship with you and the Chilean Military and look forward to expanding our cooperation in the future.
The letter thanked Pinochet for the superb cufflinks you presented to me and invited him to visit my wife Barby and me at our house in Middleburg, Virginia where we raise our thoroughbred race horses. (Allbrittons wife was also a longtime Riggs board member.)
Allbritton wrote again following a 1997 trip to Santiago to express his gratitude for our thriving personal friendship, which you have demonstrated through your gracious hospitality and stalwart support of Riggs. He thanked Pinochet for having rid Chile from the threat of totalitarian government Pinochet, at that point, had held power for 24 years after leading a coup against a democratically elected government and said the entire Western world owed him a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Continues
https://newrepublic.com/article/111093/joe-allbritton-what-those-glowing-obits-didnt-tell-you
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)Kid Berwyn
(14,863 posts)The bank pleaded guilty.
Riggs Pleads Guilty in Money-Laundering Case
By Eric Dash
The New York Times, Jan. 28, 2005
Riggs Bank in Washington pleaded guilty yesterday to repeatedly failing to report suspicious transactions in bank accounts held by the leaders of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea and by Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former dictator of Chile.
Riggs agreed to pay a $16 million penalty as part of a deal that would avoid prosecution of the bank and its holding company, Riggs National Corporation, on charges related to money laundering that has linked the financial and political worlds. The bank also agreed to continue to cooperate with a Justice Department investigation, including inquiries into the activities of several former executives and managers.
The settlement came after two months of negotiations between the bank and federal prosecutors and was submitted yesterday to Judge Ricardo Urbina of Federal District Court in Washington. Judge Urbina accepted the plea on a provisional basis but asked for verification that the information submitted was accurate and complete. And, in an effort to ensure that the penalty was not a slap on the wrist, he asked whether the $16 million fine was sufficient.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/28/business/riggs-pleads-guilty-in-moneylaundering-case.html
Does that court count?
Alexander Of Assyria
(7,839 posts)Kid Berwyn
(14,863 posts)Keep moving the goalposts, though.
brooklynite
(94,489 posts)Dr. Jack
(675 posts)Its not my immediate go to news source but they seem fairly neutral and accurate. Ive never seen any evidence they arent to be trusted or that they have an overt political agenda
muriel_volestrangler
(101,295 posts)eg Liz Cheney.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)Dr. Jack
(675 posts)Lots of hidden shit is going to come to light imminently
DENVERPOPS
(8,806 posts)The Republicans have already given their voters their reply to anything factual that comes out.............
Even before you finish saying anything, they start into their favorite mantra, fake news, fake news, fake news, and just keep repeating it as they walk away.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)rurallib
(62,406 posts)I wonder not only who wrote, but who stopped the crazy man from issuing it?
Had the election been really close, what would have happened?
Dr. Jack
(675 posts)Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)What would have happened if this coup had been successful?
Would Dems have huffed and puffed and vowed to fix things in the future, ala Al Gore in 2000? Would the huddled masses yearning to be free have started their own uprising?
I will say, our Number 1 priority at this point has to be to ensure that Donald J. Trump is never able to hold public office again in his lifetime. Fascism is hard enough to battle, but doing so against a narcissistic sociopath like Trump adds a layer of volatility I'm not sure this nation could overcome.
oldsoftie
(12,523 posts)Don't know too much about it yet
WhiteTara
(29,699 posts)If there had not been incredible push back, we would have lost the republic and those EOs would have been issued.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,988 posts)Walleye
(31,002 posts)Miguelito Loveless
(4,458 posts)If we lose the House and Senate, then they will stymie further investigation, and launch their own "2020 was a fraud" investigations. And when they issue subpoenas, people will go to jail if they refuse to comply.
My other worry is that despite all of what is coming out, the press/electorate will just shrug, and claim "both-sidererism".
keithbvadu2
(36,747 posts)Those millions of republicans want an authoritarian gov't but they mistakenly think they will be the few thousand elites actually in charge.
Those millions are useful tools for those who will actually be in charge.
-----------------------
Same/same for those who want our country to be Christian run
When a theocracy takes over America, which church (Christian of course) will be in charge?
Will the others accept their rule?
Many Catholics/Protestants consider the other to be false Christians.
Would they accept Mormons as the rulers?
The new rulers will be political Christians rather than Christians of faith.
We have plenty of people who want to be the Christian Ayatollah of America.
oldsoftie
(12,523 posts)Maybe in N Ireland
But I certainly have heard it the other way around since I was a kid
Evolve Dammit
(16,723 posts)SKKY
(11,802 posts)...which begs the question, "Is there anything this guy does that doesn't turn into a shit show?"
turbinetree
(24,688 posts)Walleye
(31,002 posts)agingdem
(7,840 posts)written by a woman...probably Sidney Powell...it's intended to calm, paint Trump as rational, reasonable, and empathetic, putting his personal interests aside, concerned only with the rule of law...admonishing the rampaging mob, letting them know "I alone can fix this"... I can just imagine Trump, that depraved soulless lunatic, berating Powell, spewing a torrent of expletive riddled insults, accusing her of making him look like a wimp..which is probably why this executive order was never issued
smb
(3,471 posts)"The Demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American Democracy... I am directing the Department of Justice to ensure all lawbreakers are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
"But as for THIS election, Congress has now certified the results... The election fight is over. A new administration will be inaugurated on January 20th. My focus now turns to ensuring a smooth, orderly and seamless transition of power. This moment calls for healing and reconciliation."
"We must renew the sacred bonds of love and loyalty that bind us together as one national family"
Yeah, the Tangerine Toddler would have blown a gasket if somebody actually tried to get him to deliver those statements.
keithbvadu2
(36,747 posts)I do NOT trust voting machines.
Too easily hacked.
Proprietary software.
Cellphone modems in some of them
No printer for hard copy backup
......... Too expensive? BS on that!
-----------------
PAPER ballots all the way!
Initech
(100,060 posts)Hell I remember one time someone posted here how voting machines were more easily hackable than Vegas slot machines.
oldsoftie
(12,523 posts)As long as they aren't hooked to the internet any attempt to change anything would be caught in the act or with the count. The machines have a paper ballot that goes with it. Even if you DID change the votes inside the machine, the paper votes would still say "Biden". And the discrepancy would be caught in the count or recount. Because the paper ballots are fed into a standalone machine to be counted. And that machine is also not hooked to the internet. At least here in Ga that's how they work.
What you're suggesting is exactly what the trumpets down here say happened in 2020
DENVERPOPS
(8,806 posts)paper ballots are run through a machine to read them and have been programmed to record totals.....
It seems to me that that program can be tampered with also.......??????.............
Hand counting by a Republican and Democrat both examining each ballot would be great, but the Nation's People are so tuned into instant gratification that they put pressure on the news media to give us results that very night.............
Even if you used hand counting, it is up for grabs, as we witnessed the Florida count in 2000. The Republicans on the Supreme Court stopped the count, which authorities said later would have given Gore the win. Even though State law dictated the re-hand-count, the RWing Supreme Court intervened and stole the matter and successfully stopped the re-count, throwing the election to Bush......
The USSC had no legal standing whatsoever for their ruling, and absolutely no constitutional standing to intervene, but they got away with their scam legal opinion in order to corruptly steal the election and give Bush the win.........
orangecrush
(19,512 posts)In case you think they weren't/aren't serious.
Evolve Dammit
(16,723 posts)Really sucks because without standardized and traceable (paper) record, we are at the mercy of so many forms of manipulation, hacking, etc. After the 2000 debacle, I thought we would get it together. But the Committee to do that (John Conyers, Chair) was never funded, relegated to the basement of the House and eventually disbanded. W and his cronies made sure of that. Here we are 22 years later and it is a fucking mess.
Walleye
(31,002 posts)DENVERPOPS
(8,806 posts)Please read my comments above. Thanks for your input.....
Duppers
(28,117 posts)GOP, always laying ground for future corruption.
Evolve Dammit
(16,723 posts)peppertree
(21,621 posts)No tanks.