Hush Money

[badrose]

Watching Fox News talking about Cohen's paying hush money over alleged affairs. Is such an arrangement binding? It doesn't appear to be.

[KeithKSR]

It would be a non-disclosure agreement.

[CitizenBBN]

It can be binding, but difficult to enforce b/c you can't get enough penalty in one and make it stick to overcome the money they make by talking.

Honestly I don't know why anyone cares about this particular issue. I just don't care that Trump had an affair, and I don't care that he then paid to keep it quiet. Nothing illegal in any of those acts, at least not outside of some backward states like North Carolina (where you can actually sue over affairs still).

The only legal question is if the money came from campaign funds or was expensed from Trump Corp's returns. But even then it's not a serious violation as I understand it, unless of course you want to play it up politically.

For example, De'Sousa got prison for an "illegal contribution" which was in fact just giving $30K to a friend running for office versus the $10K limit, but Rosie O'Donnell intentionally gave over the limit by setting up fictitious people and hasn't even been investigated for it. So it all depends on whether they choose to enforce the laws or not.

With Trump that's what they want to do, come down on him b/c he's Trump, but they'll have a heck of a time proving he knew where the money came from exactly or that it was expensed improperly without an audio tape of him being that specific.

And if he did know what was going on that's not good, but honestly compared to all the corruption they refuse to investigate that actually costs taxpayers billions upon billions, I just can't get worked up on it.

Same thing with Bill Clinton btw. I never supported impeachment over his lying about the affair. It's an affair, he lied, that's not good, but it's not enough to be "high crimes" either. I do support the whole family being investigated and indicted over Uranium One and the obviously irresponsible treatment of national security information, b/c that impacts THE PEOPLE. The affairs of Trump or Clinton or Kennedy etc. just don't, unless they are sleeping with a spy (some think Kennedy did).

[KeithKSR]

The claim against Cohen isn't that the money was funneled through the campaign, but that it had to do with aiding Trump's ability to be elected. Dershowitz says it is s stretch to claim it was an election violation.

[CitizenBBN]

The claim against Cohen isn't that the money was funneled through the campaign, but that it had to do with aiding Trump's ability to be elected. Dershowitz says it is s stretch to claim it was an election violation.

It's a real stretch. He got about 1 billion worth of air time from TV too, is that a campaign contribution?

Cohen won't just sing, hell compose to save himself.

Trumps biggest problem is he's surrounded himself w some real shifty people. The Clinton's people all fall on their swords.

[Catonahottinroof]

That may be because they knew they would wind up dead if they didn’t..

The Clinton's people all fall on their swords.

[CitizenBBN]

That may be because they knew they would wind up dead if they didn’t..

It's telling that Lanny Davis, a huge Clinton insider for decades and very close to the Democratic machine, is representing Cohen. They cut a deal for him, but he'll get rewarded on the back end.

There are trillions of dollars on the line for the elites in all of this, they don't play nice. Trump winning upset a lot of apple carts, like all those billions in "green energy" funding that was getting poured into people's pockets. Trump is making coal competitive again, that's costing them billions on the other side and they are huge huge donors to the Democratic machine.

The problem is our government is biased and corrupt, so these things aren't rooted out equally. What happens to the Clintons if they squeeze Huma Abedin with the threat of life in prison for mishandling top secret information? Do some Clinton people turn and testify they set all this email stuff up with Hillary's direction and understanding and she knew she was avoiding the regulations and laws? We'll never know b/c they got immunity before they were even interviewed.

The equivalent treatment would be if Manafort and Cohen both got immunity as part of the investigation. That's BS to do, but that's exactly what the FBI and DOJ did with Hillary.

The system is too corrupt to fix. I'm going to pretty much stop caring about the country b/c the cause is lost. Most refuse to see the depths of our corruption on both sides of the aisle when it hits them right in the face. I'm going to make my money, and go sit my ass in Florida drinking and minding my own business.

[KeithKSR]

The while Cohen plea was scripted by prosecutors, per Cohen.

The alleged election campaign violations are a bit odd in these pleadings as the punishments for these types of violations are civil and not criminal.

[Doc]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018...ll-counts.html

Pretty much what everybody suspected concerning Paul Manafort. I saw his cousin yesterday (Frank) who is a client. He agrees with everything this juror states.

As for Cohen, Trump has associated with some lowlife scumbags. I don't doubt that for a minute but expect that in real estate and politics. I expect every one of the Washington elite has a lawyer just as slimy as Cohen doing their dirty work. I also expect every multimillionaire real estate developer to have one too

[KeithKSR]

That may be because they knew they would wind up dead if they didn’t..

Yep, if they don’t fall on their swords, one will be thrust into them.

[KeithKSR]

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018...ll-counts.html

Pretty much what everybody suspected concerning Paul Manafort. I saw his cousin yesterday (Frank) who is a client. He agrees with everything this juror states.

As for Cohen, Trump has associated with some lowlife scumbags. I don't doubt that for a minute but expect that in real estate and politics. I expect every one of the Washington elite has a lawyer just as slimy as Cohen doing their dirty work. I also expect every multimillionaire real estate developer to have one too

If the government puts in the time they could prosecute every taxpayer with tax evasion. Tax laws are interpretive, and these interpretations vary from individual to individual accountant.

The Justice Department looked into the Manafort situation a few years ago, but declined to prosecute. Mueller resurrected the charges to pressure Manafort.

[CitizenBBN]

If the government puts in the time they could prosecute every taxpayer with tax evasion. Tax laws are interpretive, and these interpretations vary from individual to individual accountant.

The Justice Department looked into the Manafort situation a few years ago, but declined to prosecute. Mueller resurrected the charges to pressure Manafort.

This. Manafort and Cohen are probably guilty of some things. Let me have an unlimited budget and time and watch me bring down every politician in Washington.

The trick for Washington insiders is just not to get prosecuted in the first place. Trump's problem is that all of the Democrats and half of the Republicans want him brought down, so he doesn't have the political clout or chips to head this stuff off like a Clinton or Bush.

[Doc]

This. Manafort and Cohen are probably guilty of some things. Let me have an unlimited budget and time and watch me bring down every politician in Washington.

The trick for Washington insiders is just not to get prosecuted in the first place. Trump's problem is that all of the Democrats and half of the Republicans want him brought down, so he doesn't have the political clout or chips to head this stuff off like a Clinton or Bush.

But the interesting thing is I believe he does have a silent base that realizes this. I think there is a very large segment, including the middle, who sees what is going on as far as the political bias where the left is skating and all the focus is on the right. Sure, the media is focus on Trump and his cronies and ignoring Hilary and the DNC henchmen but I believe most people see this

[KeithKSR]

But the interesting thing is I believe he does have a silent base that realizes this. I think there is a very large segment, including the middle, who sees what is going on as far as the political bias where the left is skating and all the focus is on the right. Sure, the media is focus on Trump and his cronies and ignoring Hilary and the DNC henchmen but I believe most people see this

I hope most people see it.