Michael Cohen Sentenced to Three Years

A lawyer on Twitter, Robert Barnes I think, commented that if Cohen had important testimony about Trump, he wouldn't have been sentenced to jail. He would have gotten immunity.

There's a lot of hopeful chatter by leftists and their kissing cousins the NeverTrumpers that Cohen has "tapes" of Trump stating, in the sort of way that no one ever directly says, "These payments are for the purpose of influencing a federal election."

Now, if those tapes exist, they have to be authenticated. You can't just introduce a document or tape or picture into court. You need to present a living witness who can authenticate the exhibit and say, "This picture accurately reflects Wilson Street on the day Johnny The Shark was murdered" or whatever. They never do this on tv shows-- the prosecutor just gives the thing to the judge and he accepts it -- but in real court, such documentary evidence need a living witness to testify about how the document was made, why it was made, etc., and most importantly of all, state that the document accurately reflects what was said or what was seen.

You need to lay a foundation that demonstrates that the evidence is what you claim it to be.

Otherwise, a rando could just hand a photoshopped picture to a judge.

My point here is: If there are tapes, the prosecutor still needs Michael Cohen to say, "These tapes fairly and accurately record the conversations I had Trump in [X time frame] and have not been edited or altered."

It's not as if having the tapes means you don't need Cohen.

So if there are tapes -- why is Cohen going to jail?

Do they intend to call their key witness out of prison to have him testify? Will Cohen be willing to testify? (He could invoke the Fifth, remember.) Won't it complicate things to have a key witness authenticating a key audio recording -- the lynchpin of the case, actually -- who's just come from prison for lying and self-dealing?

This just all seems very strange to me, if Cohen has "the goods" on Trump, if he has "the tapes" that will prove Trump's perfidity.

Squeeze Play? A friend comments that it's possible, or even likely, that the prosecutors are hoping the sentence causes Michael Cohen to re-remember things in a way more helpful to their cause, and that he'll admit more, or make up more.

But even if that's true -- that makes the existence of tapes that prove Donald Trump violated a (usually minor) section of the election finance law very doubtful. If tapes of the type the Loonies exist, then Michael Cohen is an absolutely essentially authenticating witness. A star witness.

Yet they say he hasn't provided enough and are still trying to squeeze him with jail time?

Posted by: Ace of Spades at 01:02 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Lol

Posted by: Someguy at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (h5Df3)

2 Whatever.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (BXMxN)

3 Supposedly, Cohen blamed his problems on his blind loyalty to Trump and his willingness to cover up his dirt no matter what.

That doesn't sound much like a guy who is willing to go to jail rather than give up the goods on Trump.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (/tuJf)

4 Most every mofo in DC deserves some time.

Posted by: BignJames at December 12, 2018 01:05 PM (cxHbL)

5 I don't know, but I have been wondering what the point of having a Lawyer is now.

Posted by: bah at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (fE+0o)

6 Enough is enough, Get this interim AG to end this nonsense. Two years, and they have nothing. Everything is process crimes. End it. Now.

Posted by: Wyatt Earp at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (kFnmp)

7 tapes of a lawyer discussing stuff with his client. sounds legit. Cohen belongs in jail for that alone.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (7J5t2)

8 There is another possibility.

They could be hoping a little jail-time will loosen Cohen's tongue. To lie if need be.

The Tell will be where Cohen is shipped off to do his time.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (BBhgz)

9 Somehow I never realized taping conversations with clients and turning them over to prosecutors was something lawyers did. What good is a lawyer, then?

Posted by: spongeworthy at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (35Slc)

10 As a witness,his credibility will be shit.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (BXMxN)

11 is Manafort still hanging out in jail?

Posted by: bah at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (fE+0o)

12 Afternoon, Rons & Ronettes.

Mueller has nothing.

Posted by: ALH at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (uLuPn)

13 That doesn't sound much like a guy who is willing to go to jail rather than give up the goods on Trump.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (/tuJf)

He's no ah...whats his name...one of Nixon's guys.

Posted by: BignJames at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (cxHbL)

14 Three year sentence? You'll be out in eight months. It's nothing, it's a hockey season!

Posted by: Tom Cruise at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (DuAZ5)

15 I wonder if many of the Trump people who have gotten unfair treatment from the DOJ will be rewarded after Trump is no longer in office. Or pardons the day before Trump leaves office.

Posted by: nurse ratched at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (d7Ww2)

16 The Tell will be where Cohen is shipped off to do his time.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (BBhgz)

It'll be country club prison. Probably Butner. Probably where Madoff is.

Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (4ErVI)

17 The Walls are closing in on Trump.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (WXewq)

18 Damn - posted my theory between Ace's Squeeze Play addition.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (BBhgz)

19 My faith in Government is restored.

AS IF!

Posted by: nip at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (DfGpI)

20 Squeeze Play? A friend comments that it's possible, or even likely, that the prosecutors are hoping the sentence causes Michael Cohen to re-remember things in a way more helpful to their cause, and that he'll admit more, or make up more.

Was this a federal trial or a state trial?

If federal, pardon him.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (ftdxp)

21 Yeah, Cohen will get his wig split as the Feds attempt to get blood out of a rock and Cohen will get both his wig split and cheeks took for caving to the Feds.

Posted by: Drider at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (6uV+4)

22 I remember now! It was the one with the orange hair! He done it!

Posted by: Michael Cohan at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (37IEG)

23 All the people who could possibly have the goods on Trump all are convicted felons now, maybe Mueller is Trumper.

Posted by: Dr Spank at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (pb5C2)

24 >>>Or pardons the day before Trump leaves office.

Definitely, and it'll be legitimate, because this entire investigation was a setup from day one.

Posted by: Wyatt Earp at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (kFnmp)

25 *rolls over*
*farts*

Posted by: weft cut-loop at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (ZejZP)

26 ...because paying off "pornstars" is Russian collusion? At this point, doesn't Stormy have to pay Trump, like twice what he paid her?

Posted by: pahound at December 12, 2018 01:08 PM (tqEEy)

27 It'll be country club prison. Probably Butner. Probably where Madoff is.
Posted by: Dack Thrombosis at December 12, 2018 01:07 PM (4ErVI)

If it's not - then we'll know.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (BBhgz)

28 tapes of a lawyer discussing stuff with his client. sounds legit. Cohen belongs in jail for that alone.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (7J5t2)

Maybe there ARE tapes but everyone knows they would be inadmissible in court?

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (NFEMn)

29 Eh, even if they have tapes of trump authorizing the pay off, I think it'd be tough to prove that he filed campaign finance laws, as the pay off would only be tangentially related to the campaign.

I'm not an expert on this stuff though. I also think the action would have to go through the normal administrative process, no? FEC would have to have an adjudication and all of that?

Plus, while NY may be a one-party consent state, I believe FL is a 2-party consent state. So if any of these conversations were recorded while Trump was in Florida, that could be problematic as well.

Also -- not. fucking. collusion.

This has nothing to do with what Trump was alleged to have done (coordinate with Putin to schlong Hillary)

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (GBteo)

30 What is Cohen going to jail for?

If he's going to jail for crimes unrelated to President Trump, then Cohen is collateral damage in the quest to get rid of President Trump.

Posted by: Blake - tis the season for grinching at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (qC1Sy)

31 look, the obvious play...if you're a demonical attorney trying to do anything to get trump ... is to go after his attorney to get him to flip and to disregard attorney client privilege.

what's going on here is a smear campaign. It's a smear campaign because Cohen couldn't give any goods on trump.

The campaign finance thing is a loser. We know it's not against the law. But they get Cohen to plead to various facts that are irrelevant to his tax stuff to smear trump.

Sure, Trump told Cohen to do something legal in a novelly illegal way (if they had a crystal ball that said acts would be illegal in the future if an aggro biased DA wanted to get them on anything at all possible) instead of doing it in a legal way just for the sake of doing it illegally (if they could predict the future).

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (7J5t2)

32 Just because you don't believe in the Deep State doesn't mean it's not out to kill you ...

Posted by: Adriane the Paranoid Critic ... at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (LPnfS)

33 This reminds me of John Doe and TomDelay, you know?

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (7J5t2)

34 Wasn't the Cohen deal just so that Mueller could get a campaign finance "conviction" without every having to prove a campaign finance violation occurred?

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (WXewq)

35 No president has ever broken campaign finance laws EVAR!

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (BXMxN)

36 Do I hit F5 refresh to see more comments or to see Ace's updates to his original post?

Posted by: Hands at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (786Ro)

37 yes, May sold out Brexit to Brussels, AND it seems she was involved in
the plot to elect Hillary and frame Trump ... in cahoots with our
DeepState seditionists. Maybe Trump could get May to testify? Can I have a witness?

Globalists of a feather should be tarred and feathered together. Let's have military tribunals for Rosie/Mueller/Strzok .. sedition, treason ... high crimes for sho'

Posted by: illiniwek at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (Cus5s)

38 They're going to impeach Trump for something.

If he died of a heart attack tomorrow (God forbid), they'd prop his body up and try his corpse.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (KUaJL)

39 The take away I get from the MSM is, "SEE! We told you Trump colluded! We're just too smart for you to understand!, you trailer park trash!"

Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (3sjI6)

40 Sesame Street introduces homeless crackwhore muppet.

Posted by: Boss Moss at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (/OryO)

41 From Russia fixing the election to paying off Ho's with campaign funds.Heck of a job Mueller!

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (BXMxN)

42 That doesn't sound much like a guy who is willing to go to jail rather than give up the goods on Trump.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (/tuJf)

He's no ah...whats his name...one of Nixon's guys.

Liddy....had to look it up.

Posted by: BignJames at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (cxHbL)

43 man trump had the bad judgement to work with people who, with years of digging, could be found to have broken the law...this is why we needed hillary. no bad associates there.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (7J5t2)

44 tapes of a lawyer discussing stuff with his client. sounds legit. Cohen belongs in jail for that alone.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (7J5t2)

Maybe there ARE tapes but everyone knows they would be inadmissible in court?
Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:09 PM (NFEMn)

That's another possible issue. Cohen definitely violated the ethical rules by breaching confidentiality like that. I'm not sure how the rules of evidence would play here, but usually both the lawyer and client need to waive confidentiality for a lawyer to be able to testify about anything he learned in the course of representing a client.

Yeah, it's a mess.

And at the end of the day, isn't the normal remedy for campaign finance violations a fine (that the campaign pays), anyways?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (GBteo)

45 And all of this speculation assumes that there is a crime that Trump committed that would (a) be worthy of an indictment, and/or (b) would suffice to get both an impeachment and a conviction.

I think that this is all a dry well, but I have been wrong before.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Ho Ho Ho! Red Faced Rants are In at The Outrage Outlet! at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (hLRSq)

46 I would have been first, but I am busy running around free in Germany after shooting some Frenchies and fleeing across the OPEN BORDER between the two countries.

Posted by: Mohammed Mohammed Mohammed Mohammed at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (37IEG)

47 This was also done to put Fear into everyone who supports the President.

They even went so far as to break Attorney Client Privilege on a LARGE scale.

And 2 weeks ago raided the Office of ANOTHER Attorney (Chicago) who had done work for Trump in the past.

They are trying to show that supporting the President puts a big LEGAL target on your back, and that somehow they have the Power to go after everyone.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (NgKpN)

48 But impeachment is not a legal process it a political one. If there was tape they could care less if it was verifiable.

Posted by: Dude at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (x3lmV)

49 >>It'll be country club prison. Probably Butner. Probably where Madoff is.

He's going to Otisville.

The prison, not the new city in California.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (/tuJf)

50 They're going to impeach Trump for something.

If he died of a heart attack tomorrow (God forbid), they'd prop his body up and try his corpse.
Posted by: joe, living dangerously at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (KUaJL)

Google " The Cadaver Synod."

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (NFEMn)

51 The ruskies spent $4000 on the election.

Posted by: Boss Moss at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (/OryO)

52 Lol
This is beyond stupid

Posted by: Balrog of Morgoth at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (D7HXY)

53 Google " The Cadaver Synod."
Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:11 PM (NFEMn)

Where do you think I got the idea?

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (KUaJL)

54 But impeachment is not a legal process it a political one. If there was tape they could care less if it was verifiable.

-----------

To help the political cause, you likely need actual crimes.

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (sX1BW)

55 And the Trumpalos fall back to the next defensive position! Lol

Posted by: Tariff Pikachu at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (bFOlv)

56 In their feverish dreams, I imagine the lefties think the conversation went something like:

COHEN: Yo, Don, we need to make that ho go away!

THE DONALD: Well jeez Cohen, why are you telling me? Just dip into the coffers of my campaign for money, in direct violation of campaign finance law, and pay the skank to shut up!

COHEN: You got it boss! Say, want to kick some hobos later?

THE DONALD: Sure! I love that shit!

Posted by: joncelli, providing the traditional responses at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (RD7QR)

57 34 Wasn't the Cohen deal just so that Mueller could get a campaign finance "conviction" without every having to prove a campaign finance violation occurred?

===
that's the thing, Cohen could plea that he kidnapped the rosenberg baby and sold nuke secrets to the russians.

it's irrelevant in an actual trial.

in an actual trial, he'd still need to testify and cross examined. And since mueller has said he's a liar, his credibility is doodoo.

So, this is just a smear piece. It has some PR value to the insane left but it proves nothing.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (7J5t2)

58 52
Lol

This is beyond stupid

Posted by: Balrog of Morgoth at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (D7HXY)
Exactly what I said when I heard Gandalf's plan!

Posted by: Sam GamGee at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (37IEG)

59 My comment froim the last thread... I just don't get it..

................
So.. I am really friggin confused about this Cohen stuff..

How can he cop a guilty plea to campaign finance fraud when what he did can arguably be called a legal payment?

Would a trial by jury ever have convicted him of that part of his crimes????

or.. was this just done to pass on guilt to Trump?

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (so+oy)

60 In their feverish dreams, I imagine the lefties think the conversation went something like:

-----------

You have now put this on the Internet - so probably true.

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (sX1BW)

61 That doesn't sound much like a guy who is willing to go to jail rather than give up the goods on Trump.
Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:04 PM (/tuJf)

The "crimes" they had on Cohen were tax evasion and lying, for his own benefit. There appears to have been no reason to lie about Russian business dealings. He also plead to campaign finance violations, which Mueller can't prove or even indict Trump on, aside from the facts not fitting the crime.

So his "crimes" had nothing to do with loyalty to Trump, whereas the real reason Mueller targeted Cohen had nothing to do with Cohen's stated reason of going too far for Trump. It was just standard lawyer work for a famous client,which perfectly fell within the legal confines of campaign finance laws.

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (t6MX/)

62 We're just too smart for you to understand!, you trailer park trash!"
Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:10 PM (3sjI6)

The irony of that kills me. These fuckers would never survive the Trailer Park.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (BBhgz)

63 Pretty sure this is not 'punishment fitting the crime'.

This is lawfare.

I hope Trump hits back.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (xJa6I)

64 Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring?

Posted by: Boss Moss at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (/OryO)

65

*cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle,,, cough-Cough-COUgh-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH,,

cough*

And I'm free as a little birdie...

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (a6fvI)

66 and as for tapes, we already know there's a tape of Stormy payments. Trump said "no, use a check" as far as I can recall. If there was a mcdoogle tape, we'd have the leak of it by now.

I think Cohen, as a regular course of business, paid off extortionate whores. Trump may have stiffed him on McDougle which is why Cohen recorded him on Stormy.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (7J5t2)

67 If he was going to testify against Trump wouldn't his sentencing be after that?

Posted by: Brian in New Orleans at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (CQ3Qb)

68 >>So his "crimes" had nothing to do with loyalty to Trump, whereas the real reason Mueller targeted Cohen had nothing to do with Cohen's stated reason of going too far for Trump. It was just standard lawyer work for a famous client,which perfectly fell within the legal confines of campaign finance laws.

I'm just repeating what Cohen said to the judge today.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:15 PM (/tuJf)

69 After all, if it weren't for campaign contributions Trump wouldn't have been able to cone up with the scratch to pay the hos off to keep quiet.

I mean, he's like Beto, and the Clintons, and Obama, practically broke!

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:15 PM (37IEG)

70 But wait horde.....Tom Arnold and CPL have the tapes and it will come out any day!!

Snooze.

Posted by: Cheri at December 12, 2018 01:15 PM (G+Wff)

71 This comment, and all of my past and future comments are for the purpose of influencing a federal election.

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:15 PM (LL1Be)

72 Whatever happened to that douche judge in Utah who was "investigating" the Hillary scandal? Never hear a peep from that drone.

Posted by: Wyatt Earp at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (kFnmp)

73 I watch very little cable news, but I happened to be flipping through the channels when I caught a guy on Fox News making a point I hadn't though of:

People are screaming "FELONY!" because Trump used personal funds to pay off some blackmailing whores and not reporting it as a campaign contribution.

You can be sure if, on the other hand, Trump had used campaign funds to pay them, the very same people would be screaming "FELONY!" for using campaign funds to pay a personal expense.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (Q7MNX)

74 So.. I am really friggin confused about this Cohen stuff..

How can he cop a guilty plea to campaign finance fraud when what he did can arguably be called a legal payment?

Would a trial by jury ever have convicted him of that part of his crimes????

or.. was this just done to pass on guilt to Trump?
Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM

It's possible they did that to try and stick something to Trump. Like, hey OK if you plea to a campaign finance violation we'll knock 3 years off the tax or lying charge.

Posted by: Minnfidel at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (nAeGR)

75 #47. They raided the office of Alderman Ed Burke. He's as corrupt as the day is long. The MFM played up the Trump connection but it's a very weak connection since Eddie is a big time Dem power player in Chicago

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (OLCnA)

76 He's no ah...whats his name...one of Nixon's guys.

Liddy....had to look it up.
Posted by: BignJames

John Dean sang like a canary, and made up a lot of stuff in court when they were tried by John Sirica.
John Dean belonged in prison for a lot of stuff, but still is a bit of a media darling when the cables want to bash the Republicans for something stupid.
Liddy contended that Sirica was dumb but honest.

Liddy went to jail for 4-5 years (and it wasn't some country club - he was doing hard time and they moved him around to shake his tongue loose) and did not squeal on whatever he might have known about Nixon.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative....menace to society at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (vcOmj)

77 Though I would LOL my head off if Trump just pardons him tomorrow.

So many heads, so much 'sploding. I'd be like Michael Ironside in 'Scanners'.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (xJa6I)

78 I'm just repeating what Cohen said to the judge today.

He should have pledged to live the rest of his life as a gay man.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (WXewq)

79 Impeachment Porn, Scene 1

For the MSM, this story is just foreplay, the c*ck-sucking scene before the real action begins.

Posted by: Hands at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (786Ro)

80 58 52
Lol

This is beyond stupid

Posted by: Balrog of Morgoth at December 12, 2018 01:12 PM (D7HXY)
Exactly what I said when I heard Gandalf's plan!
Posted by: Sam GamGee at December 12, 2018 01:13 PM (37IEG)

Yeah, am I the only one who remembers that damn Eagles of the Misty Mountains that saved the dwarves in the Battle of 5 Armies?

Posted by: Frodo at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (NgKpN)

81 So.. I am really friggin confused about this Cohen stuff..

===

Mueller is not afraid to make up new crimes, even if these crimes fly in the face of existing statutes.

understand that and now you're almost home.

IF you were to rewrite CFL to say paing off whores to be quiet is a campaign contribution that needs to be reported, then you have a CFL violation.

if you rewrite CFL rules that say that no reporting a payment to a whore is worse than murder, then you have a major crime.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (7J5t2)

82 I think Cohen, as a regular course of business, paid off extortionate whores.

--------------

Ironically, this is the revenue generation business policy for the grievance left.

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (sX1BW)

83 Rush talking congressional slush fund

Posted by: DanMan at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (XTiHL)

84 Posted by: Bozo Conservative....menace to society at December 12, 2018 01:16 PM (vcOmj)

G. Gordon Liddy was a hard man.

One of my role models, for better or for worse.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (xJa6I)

85 >>He should have pledged to live the rest of his life as a gay man.

Well for the next 3 years, he will.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (/tuJf)

86 Also, is Cohen an "Attorney" again, or is it still "fixer"?

I thought the fixer designation was how they skirted privileged comms during the Ubergruppenfuehrer's search warrant?

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (LL1Be)

87 I think Cohen, as a regular course of business, paid off extortionate whores. Trump may have stiffed him on McDougle which is why Cohen recorded him on Stormy.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (7J5t2)

So Cohen was in charge of "Bimbo Eruptions?"

No problem then.

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (NFEMn)

88 >>>Eh, even if they have tapes of trump authorizing the pay off, I think it'd be tough to prove that he filed campaign finance laws, as the pay off would only be tangentially related to the campaign.

well they've already released tapes with Trump talking about the pay-off.

The thing they have to prove is that this was done for the purposes of influencing an election, rather than the many other reasons someone would pay off what is essentially a blackmailer -- to spare a repuation, to avoid divorce and hurting the wife, etc.

Posted by: ace at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (PbpT7)

89 >>>Rush talking congressional slush fund

He's gotta steer the conversation away from his buddies at Apple, who despise him, but want him to buy their products.

Posted by: Wyatt Earp at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (kFnmp)

90 He's no ah...whats his name...one of Nixon's guys.

Liddy....had to look it up.
Posted by: BignJames

G. Gordon

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (ftdxp)

91 Man, that guy went from the Prez lawyer to jail in a hurry.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (r+sAi)

92 Rush talking congressional slush fund

----------

By far a bigger issue than any payments Trump or his cohorts have made.

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (sX1BW)

93 64
Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring?

Posted by: Boss Moss at December 12, 2018 01:14 PM (/OryO)
I know! I suggested we capture Gollum, stuff him in a sack, put the ring on his finger, and try hitting the exhaust port on Mount Doom!

It can't be any harder than bullseyeing Womprats with your T16 back in the Shire!

Posted by: Sam GamGee at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (37IEG)

94 I heard on the radio Trump saying something to the effect that, no, he's not worried. He did nothing wrong. Cohen was his lawyer and he trusted him to know what the law was.

Ballsy defense, if he sticks to it.

Posted by: JPS at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (DhU8f)

95
A friend comments that it's possible, or even likely, that the prosecutors are hoping the sentence causes Michael Cohen to re-remember things in a way more helpful to their cause, and that he'll admit more, or make up more.

Meh. Most convicts will tell you a three year sentence is a piece of cake that they can do standing on their heads. Cohen needs to think about his life after prison and make sure he doesn't piss off the wrong people.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (TAmPV)

96 One vastly irritating thing about the core leftist line is the list of Trump associates eirher on trial or in jail.

It's an accurate list, yes, but it's like saying "Look how many Jews Germany put in concentration camps! Wow, they must have done something, am I right?!"

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (qqEFK)

97 G. Gordon Liddy is still alive.

Posted by: Boss Moss at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (/OryO)

98 G. Gordon Liddy was a hard man.

One of my role models, for better or for worse.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (xJa6I)

Not "was", is.
He's still alive.

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (NFEMn)

99 Donald needs to learn to keep it in his pants.

Orange Man is Bad.

Posted by: ALH at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (uLuPn)

100 The thing they have to prove is that this was done for the purposes of influencing an election,

-----------

Are payments made to influence an election illegal?

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (sX1BW)

101 so all mueller has to do is ignore the law and here's his report. the donks will play along saying "CFL is invoilable and trump is bad man." and then trump will say "this is political bullshit and I have each of you over the barrel since I know you've done the exact same thing"

and then the media ignores it and pretends orangemanbad will go to jail.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (7J5t2)

102
G. Gordon

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (ftdxp)
The guy who got over his fear of rats by eating them.

Posted by: Sam GamGee at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (37IEG)

103 8 They could be hoping a little jail-time will loosen Cohen's tongue. To lie if need be.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (BBhgz)

I hope that would be illegal. But IANAL.

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (+ZMGe)

104 legal note: calling a lawyer a fixer does not make him some sort of sublawyer who doesn't have attorney client privilege.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (7J5t2)

105 Off Hobbit Sock!

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (37IEG)

106 BUY GOLD!

Posted by: G. Gordon Liddy at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (WXewq)

107 Cohen needs to think of his life *in* prison.

Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (E0pGJ)

108 If he was going to testify against Trump wouldn't his sentencing be after that?
Posted by: Brian
.........

A law expert said exactly this on Fox this morning.

You would never go through sentencing if a witness still had some value to you as a witness.. meaning: they got jack shit on Trump.

Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (so+oy)

109 It reminds me of the airplane that crashed into the middle of an Albanian cemetery, and the Albanian Minister of Aviation held a press conference at the cemetery and said, "There will be a full investigation of what caused this crash at this site and all these deaths. We already have uncovered more than 2,000 bodies here at the accident site, and we are finding more every hour."

Posted by: SMOD at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (QkjLD)

110 Rosenstein made Gregory Berman recuse in order to get the raid in the first place. Too bad Whitaker doesn't make the left hate him for actually doing something and advise Berman his recusal was unnecessary.

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (1Zh0U)

111 Nigel Farrage is apparently not a Tommy Robinson fan.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (xJa6I)

112 "Yet they say he hasn't provided enough and are still trying to squeeze him with jail time?"

The degree with which the left goes after their enemies is world class. If Cohen doesn't have anything of value, he could be Hillaried in jail. Then they would declare Trump orchestrated it and use that as an impeachable offense. Of course, Cohen could declare his new addiction to anal sex makes him gay, which is a protected species. He could even apply for transitional surgery. Hey, nothing's too good for perverts.

Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (3sjI6)

113 Huh. Dwight Chapin (of Nixon fame) is still kicking around.

Posted by: Zod at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (Bdeb0)

114 Meh. Most convicts will tell you a three year sentence is a piece of cake that they can do standing on their heads. Cohen needs to think about his life after prison and make sure he doesn't piss off the wrong people.

====

this is what got me about Flynn.

If the FBI's charges were such bullshit and if Mueller was so hardup to squish him, instead of spending a million on pre-trial bullshit just man up and say let's go to trial, Papapapapdoilos did 14 days. Flynn would never see a jail cell, even if a jury did buy it.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (7J5t2)

115 I also find it interesting that the Sentence is almost totally dependent on what level of cooperation he is giving the Prosecutors.

How does THAT have anything to do with Justice for the crime he supposedly committed?

How can that be a MAJOR determiner of his sentence?

Isn't the implicit threat of more time for not saying stuff, a de facto abrogation of your RIGHT to not self incriminate? Isn't it BLACKMAIL?

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (NgKpN)

116 G. Gordon Liddy was a hard man.

One of my role models, for better or for worse.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (xJa6I)

--------------

I was able to see him speak when he gave a talk at my College. Very intelligent and articulate guy.

Posted by: Calm Mentor at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (ffYR/)

117 Cohen's comments at sentencing, that he thought it was his duty to cover Trumps "Dirty Deeds", is interesting.

Why "Dirty Deeds" and not "Illegal acts" or "Illegality"?

I don't think they have anything of substance on Trump. Of course that won't stop Mueller from charging him for something...anything.

Posted by: WisRich at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (G0vdT)

118 112 He could even apply for transitional surgery. Hey, nothing's too good for perverts.
Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:20 PM (3sjI6)

Hey, it worked for Bradley MANning.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (UnA8+)

119 A law expert said exactly this on Fox this morning.

You would never go through sentencing if a witness still had some value to you as a witness.. meaning: they got jack shit on Trump

===

right, you don't destroy a witnesses' credibility.

Which means they're protecting podesta...which is probably why lanny davis was his attorney.

minds splodes.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (7J5t2)

120 HEY MICHAEL!!!

Watch out for yer cornhole, bud.

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (SOgjZ)

121
Whatever happened to that douche judge in Utah who was "investigating" the Hillary scandal?
___________

What difference, at this point, does it make?/1/!?!?1!?!1?

*cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle-cackle,,, cough-Cough-COUgh-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH,,

cough*

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (a6fvI)

122 One vastly irritating thing about the core leftist line is the list of Trump associates eirher on trial or in jail.

It's an accurate list.....
Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (qqEFK)

Yes. It's as accurate as listing all the people that the Clinton's dealt with who winded up suspiciously dead.

Thee are people who had some tenuous connection to Trump --however fleeting---who went to jail for crimes THEY committed --or were set up for.

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (NFEMn)

123 Isn't the implicit threat of more time for not
saying stuff, a de facto abrogation of your RIGHT to not self
incriminate? Isn't it BLACKMAIL?

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (NgKpN)
Oh, you're one of those crazy speedy trial by jury Constitutionalist guys right?

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (37IEG)

124 Right...trump's dirty deeds...fucking playmates and pr0n stars.

it was probably a condition of his sentencing to say that.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (7J5t2)

125 So, they still have nothing on Trump?

Posted by: Nick in Tallahassee at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (wGbBR)

126 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

if Ben Roethlisberger did it, he'd accidentally pass it to a Nazgul flying below him.

Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)

127 now, not sure this is true, since I have never been a convict in federal slammer and have not even been one on tv, however, my guess is that if a tough guy like cohen, who cried like a little girl had something that would make it unnecessary for him to go through the warm club med like welcoming ceremony at the slammer for new residents he would do so.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (MTjB1)

128 off dead guy sock

Posted by: Boulder terlit hobo at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)

129 this is what got me about Flynn.

If the FBI's charges were such bullshit and if Mueller was so hardup to squish him, instead of spending a million on pre-trial bullshit just man up and say let's go to trial, Papapapapdoilos did 14 days. Flynn would never see a jail cell, even if a jury did buy it.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (7J5t2)
--------------------

DA's use the cost of the process all the time in order to extract a plea.

Posted by: Blake - tis the season for grinching at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (qC1Sy)

130 Trump's Dirty Deeds

Were they done dirty cheap?

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (OLCnA)

131
Which means they're protecting podesta...which is probably why lanny davis was his attorney.

minds splodes.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (7J5t2)

Great point.

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (NFEMn)

132 98 G. Gordon Liddy was a hard man.

One of my role models, for better or for worse.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (xJa6I)

Not "was", is.
He's still alive.
Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (NFEMn)

Not dead, that's true, just not sure how hard he is at this age.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (xJa6I)

133 126
"Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

if Ben Roethlisberger did it, he'd accidentally pass it to a Nazgul flying below him.

Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)
Kaepernick would be kneeling at the landing field back in Minas-Troney.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (37IEG)

134 Little orange man bad.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (BXMxN)

135 Donald needs to learn to keep it in his pants.

Posted by: ALH at December 12, 2018 01:19 PM (uLuPn)

Or, at least in Melania's pants.

Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (3sjI6)

136 you know cohen is chanting "don't drop the soap" like some sort of meditation mantra over and over as he rides the bus.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (MTjB1)

137 Not dead, that's true, just not sure how hard he is at this age.

-----------

He's no Bob Dole.

Posted by: SH at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (sX1BW)

138 With the Cohen sentencing, they're down to nothing but Louise Mensch level conspiracy theories.

My favorite: When Louise claimed that her "sources" (i.e., the voices inside her head) told her that Steve Bannon was going to get the death penalty for treason. And #TeamPatriot on Twitter all nodded solemnly. Not that I endorse mocking the mentally ill but in this case I heartily endorse mocking the living shit out of Louise Mensch and anyone like Rick Wilson or superspy Captain Dick Pic who encouraged her.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (oNFAg)

139 123 Isn't the implicit threat of more time for not
saying stuff, a de facto abrogation of your RIGHT to not self
incriminate? Isn't it BLACKMAIL?

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (NgKpN)
Oh, you're one of those crazy speedy trial by jury Constitutionalist guys right?
Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (37IEG)

Yes, Proudly.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (NgKpN)

140 Obviously, no prosecutor intending on using a man as a witness in the future, would have him plead guilty to perjury, assuring he would have zero credibility as a witness

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (Q7MNX)

141 Dirt cheap. Fark auto correct on this shit phone

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (OLCnA)

142 Mikey-boy's about to add a couple of phrases to his vocabulary :

"Perforated Colon" and "Distended Anus".

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (UnA8+)

143 From a 1995 piece on the G Man: "Pull back the curtain on the great and powerful G. Gordon Liddy, and you find Gordon, a short, bald old man who took a modest reality and parlayed it into a larger-than-life image that made him wealthy, famous, and sadly enough, somewhat influential. Indeed, in one of the ironies of our style-over-substance, media-saturated age, the poseur Liddy is every bit as wealthy, famous, and influential as another conservative talk host who has actually experienced the things that Liddy simply yammers about, including combat and running a major international intelligence operation. A host by the name of Oliver North"

Posted by: Tariff Pikachu at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (bFOlv)

144 126 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

if Ben Roethlisberger did it, he'd accidentally pass it to a Nazgul flying below him.
Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)

Jah, Nazgul was part of it, the Eye of Sauron was another. No way to avoid detecting flying there.

And, of course the real reason, the story wouldn't have been as interesting. Might as well ask why the Valar didn't just come back and kick Sauron's ass or why God didn't just 'fix' everything.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (xJa6I)

145 If the FBI's charges were such bullshit and if Mueller was so hardup to squish him, instead of spending a million on pre-trial bullshit just man up and say let's go to trial, Papapapapdoilos did 14 days. Flynn would never see a jail cell, even if a jury did buy it.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (7J5t2)
--------------------

DA's use the cost of the process all the time in order to extract a plea.
Posted by: Blake - tis the season for grinching at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (qC1Sy)

---------------

Yeah, this was a classic process as punishment case. It was also a warning to the World not to screw with Mewler, or you could be next.

Posted by: Calm Mentor at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (ffYR/)

146 136 you know cohen is chanting "don't drop the soap" like some sort of meditation mantra over and over as he rides the bus.
Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:24 PM (MTjB1)

The Rape is the True Punishment.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (UnA8+)

147 Michael Cohen Sentenced to Three Years

NOW will you Deplorables finally start listening to us???

Posted by: NeverTrumpers at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (786Ro)

148 Trump paid Stormy $130,000. Stormy has to pay Trump $294,000 for legal fees. Her marriage blew up, lost custody of her daughter, maybe Trump should replace Cohen for Avenatti? The man's like a "rabbit-foot".

Posted by: pahound at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (tqEEy)

149 Cohen is going to jail. Fine.

Not McCabe, Strozk, or Page, etc. etc.
But there is no deep state?
There certainly isn't equal justice.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (r+sAi)

150 G. Gordon Liddy was a hard man.

One of my role models, for better or for worse.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:17 PM (xJa6I)

Not "was", is.
He's still alive.
Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (NFEMn)

Not dead, that's true, just not sure how hard he is at this age.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (xJa6I)

One word: Viagra.--G. Gordon Liddy

Posted by: Anonymous White Male at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (3sjI6)

151 OT, but I'm listening to the BBC live feed waiting for the May vote. Playing sound bits from Parliament.

One of the few things I do envy the Brits of is the jeering that is allowed in Parliament. Our GOPe and Dem losers deserve a good jeer. Especially if Pelousy gets anointed speaker again.

OMG they just used the term "sticky wicket" on air. I didn't know that was a phrase still used!

Protestors waving EU flags in the background, because Of Course.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (hvf9s)

152 *SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAART*

Too much curry...

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (vg8iE)

153 If he was really rating and had the goods on Trump, he wouldn't be going to jail.

Posted by: Archer at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (gmo/4)

154 Yeah, am I the only one who remembers that damn Eagles of the Misty Mountains that saved the dwarves in the Battle of 5 Armies?

How many times did the Great Eagles save someone's bacon at the last minute in LotR? They saved Gandalf at least twice, helped in a couple of battles, helped defeat some Nazgul, and got Frodo and Sam out of Mount Doom.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (9qZ3S)

155 Do people who say "If it's a witch hunt, they've found an awful lot of witches hardee har har" not realize that in every witch hunt they found and burned witches for witchcraft? That the first women accused of witchcraft would in turn accuse others of witchcraft and give false evidence against them in a play for clemency?

Posted by: Alec Leamas at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (XAE+X)

156 Why not fly to Mount Doom . . .

Because then we couldn't have 9+ hours of Frodo and Sam gazing into one snother's eyes with homoerotic longing.

Posted by: Peter Jackson at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (Wj6hd)

157 Huber will come.

Posted by: #TwoWeeks at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (786Ro)

158
this is what got me about Flynn.

If the FBI's charges were such bullshit and if Mueller was so hardup to squish him, instead of spending a million on pre-trial bullshit just man up and say let's go to trial, Papapapapdoilos did 14 days. Flynn would never see a jail cell, even if a jury did buy it.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (7J5t2)

I think in Flynn's case they had something on his son and mueller was going after him if Flynn didn't plead guilty.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (TAmPV)

159 126 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

if Ben Roethlisberger did it, he'd accidentally pass it to a Nazgul flying below him.
Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)

Yeah, but if the Nazgul were the Raider Secondary?

Would still be a SCORE!

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (NgKpN)

160 Bloomberg News: Advisor: Cohen Will Tell All About Trump

Aka, When fake news has nothing.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (ftdxp)

161 paying off a whore with your own cash sounds almost as bad as paying off congressional sexual harassment victims with taxpayer funds if you leave out the sexual harassment and the stealing taxpayer funds parts.

Posted by: x at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (nFwvY)

162 when you look at it stormy daniels paid Trump $164,000 to fuck her!

he gets paid by adult film actresses to fuck them! This guy is so the man.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (MTjB1)

163 G. Gordon Liddy's autobiography "Will" is one of the most entertaining books I've ever read.

He wanted to sabotage the air conditioners at the 1972 Democrat convention in Miami. That would have been priceless.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (Q7MNX)

164 Bloomberg TV - Cohen will tell all about Trump. When CNBC isn't commie enough for you there's Bloomberg TV

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (OLCnA)

165 Somehow I never realized taping conversations with clients and turning them over to prosecutors was something lawyers did. What good is a lawyer, then?
Posted by: spongeworthy at December 12, 2018 01:06 PM (35Slc)

Lawyer on David Webb's show the other day said he can't believe there isn't more outrage over the blas� from the legal profession over the loss of client atty privilege in this case which is one of the hallmarks of the US' legal system.

He also said what is the point now of going to a lawyer if 1. you know anything you say to them might be used against you if it was written down or recorded, even when it is an innocent question because, duh, you aren't a lawyer.
2. the lawyer blames the client for his own violations, another unethical thing.

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 01:28 PM (L/94n)

166 Still Virile Vigorous and Potent!!
GOLD!!!

Posted by: George Gordon Liddy at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (dKm4U)

167 Another great Chinese term, Wu Mao.

Wu Mao are paid to troll social media and websites attacking the critics of the communist party and China while also praising party policies. Some American dude in china made a video about them because he is a frequent target, funny video btw.

Without a doubt Democrats employ their own wu mao

Posted by: Wodun at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (NDlpU)

168 Cohen will come.

Posted by: Bloomberg at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (786Ro)

169 >>How many times did the Great Eagles save someone's bacon at the last minute in LotR? They saved Gandalf at least twice, helped in a couple of battles, helped defeat some Nazgul, and got Frodo and Sam out of Mount Doom.

Deus ex Machina is Latin for Big Fucking Eagles.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (/tuJf)

170 Yes. It's as accurate as listing all the people that the Clinton's dealt with who winded up suspiciously dead.�

Thee are people who had some tenuous connection to Trump --however fleeting---who went to jail for crimes THEY committed --or were set up for.

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (NFEMn)

Ah yes, the Clinton connection, thank you, almost forgot.

I think the Deep State will be willing to throw the Clintons over the side, as the walls close in like on Frank Underwood. But I also think President Trump has no interest in that deal, and is ready to take as many heads as necessary. Merely sentencing Cohen to 3 years in jail despite demands for a stiff sentence might result in the Trump DOJ grabbing quite a few people to serve similar time in Guantanamo.

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (qqEFK)

171 Oh, you're one of those crazy speedy trial by jury Constitutionalist guys right?

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:22 PM (37IEG)

Yes, Proudly.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:25 PM (NgKpN)
Oh, the new system where they charge with Felony Dog Walking, Felony Possession of Blue Jeans, Misdemeanor exhalation of CO2 and failure to yield the right of way on the stairs at the office, in addition to any crime you actually might have committed so they make sure you do time no matter what, but will agree to lenient sentencing if you'll plead guilty now and avoid the effort of a trail....is Sooooooooooo much better!

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (37IEG)

172 114 his is what got me about Flynn.

If the FBI's charges were such bullshit and if Mueller was so hardup to squish him, instead of spending a million on pre-trial bullshit just man up and say let's go to trial, Papapapapdoilos did 14 days. Flynn would never see a jail cell, even if a jury did buy it.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:21 PM (7J5t2)

I think it is bc Mueller makes sure the court where the trial would take place is absolutely toxic for a R, even a General R, like Flynn. Mueller files this crap in DC to get his preferred audience/jury.

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (1Zh0U)

173 >>> "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? " if Ben Roethlisberger did it, he'd accidentally pass it to a Nazgul flying below him.
Posted by: Whitey Bulger at December 12, 2018 01:23 PM (E0pGJ)

Kaepernik would just kneel to the Orcs straightaway and get beheaded. So this argument is moot.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (hvf9s)

174 I really don't care about any of this stuff. I know some people have to. I don't.

So my takeaway is... does ANYBODY think we're ever going to see a President elected again, in the near future, who will NOT be subjected to this type of monkey show? Of one sort or another?

This is our modern world. Presidential elections result in criminal prosecutions, and eventually, people are going to stop participating in Presidential elections. Or they're going to get better at hiding things from prosecutors. Or it'll get violent.

Because the only alternative is we have squeaky clean people running for office, and squeaky clean people all up and down their operations involved in the running for office, and hell, we know that's absolutely not possible.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (9chmE)

175 I think the Kops must believe Cohen is a Keystone to their case against Trump.

Posted by: Roy at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (9rXxD)

176 Cohen better watch is ass in the joint! I hear tell Hannity has some deep, dark associations in the penal system.

Posted by: Fritz at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (Z9C5C)

177 How many times did the Great Eagles save someone's bacon at the last minute in LotR? They saved Gandalf at least twice, helped in a couple of battles, helped defeat some Nazgul, and got Frodo and Sam out of Mount Doom.
Posted by: bonhomme at D

guess when a writer has the "oh fuck moment" where her realizes he has painted himself into a corner he really has no choice but the giant magic eagle.

for what it is worth, tolkien originally went with the giant ostrich but his editor nixed it.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (MTjB1)

178 I think pretty much everyone with 2 brain cells to rub together is aware Cohen is the sort who absolutely would totally make up anything to avoid jail time, 100%. So if this is a "squeeze play" it means that there's probably nothing of substance that Cohen has left to give. Cohen would certainly be willing to make something up. But of course Mueller would need something more than some clearly fabricated story about Trump from a shiftless character like Cohen. He'd need some kind of evidence and corroboration. But if there's none to give, there's none to give. One can't get blood from a stone.

Posted by: Nonapod at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (CLP9I)

179 Cohen's motivation to give anything largely disappears past-sentencing. He/they have, generally, a year following sentencing to return to court and seek a reduced sentence based on new info.cooperation. (Rule 35, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure)

This is rarely done. They wait to squeeze the lemon completely dry before sentencing, it's easier.

Posted by: Bones at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (qV2j6)

180 Her marriage blew up, lost custody of her daughter, maybe Trump should replace Cohen for Avenatti? The man's like a "rabbit-foot".
Posted by: pahound at December 12, 2018 01:26 PM (tqEEy)

By the way, Avenetti was in the courtroom for Cohen's sentencing. What's the prior history regarding these two? Avenetti said from when he first appeared on the scene that Cohen was a shyster and would be spending time in jail.

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (L/94n)

181 The left is convinced there is a vast treasure house of deep,dark dirt on Trump.There ain't.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (BXMxN)

182 Lawyer on David Webb's show the other day said he can't believe there
isn't more outrage over the blase from the legal profession over the
loss of client atty privilege in this case which is one of the hallmarks
of the US' legal system.

This is what I keep yapping about. Did I miss a memo or something?

Do we not do "taint teams" anymore?

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (LL1Be)

183 169
>>How many times did the Great Eagles save someone's bacon at the
last minute in LotR? They saved Gandalf at least twice, helped in a
couple of battles, helped defeat some Nazgul, and got Frodo and Sam out
of Mount Doom.

Deus ex Machina is Latin for Big Fucking Eagles.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (/tuJf)
Tolkien himself acknowledged this point. Which is why someone (everyone points at the Hobbits) had to walk the damn thing into Mount Doom.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (37IEG)

184 Miss me yet?

Posted by: Jeb! at December 12, 2018 01:32 PM (786Ro)

185 181 The left is convinced there is a vast treasure house of deep,dark dirt on Trump.There ain't.
Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (BXMxN)

It's the same location where all the money is stored to pay for Medicare for All.

Posted by: Roy at December 12, 2018 01:32 PM (9rXxD)

186 Bloomberg News: Advisor: Cohen Will Tell All About Trump
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, what's he waiting for?

Posted by: JoeF. at December 12, 2018 01:32 PM (NFEMn)

187 I thought Cohen and Tom Arnold were going to team up and take down Trump.

Posted by: TheQuietMan at December 12, 2018 01:32 PM (OLCnA)

188 170 I think the Deep State will be willing to throw the Clintons over the side, as the walls close in like on Frank Underwood. But I also think President Trump has no interest in that deal, and is ready to take as many heads as necessary. Merely sentencing Cohen to 3 years in jail despite demands for a stiff sentence might result in the Trump DOJ grabbing quite a few people to serve similar time in Guantanamo.
Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:29 PM (qqEFK)

I'd let Bill and Baba Yaga walk on EVERYTHING if they'd deliver King Barry and ValJar to the gallows.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (UnA8+)

189 One vastly irritating thing about the core leftist line is the list of Trump associates eirher on trial or in jail.

It's an accurate list, yes, but it's like saying "Look how many Jews Germany put in concentration camps! Wow, they must have done something, am I right?!"
Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:18 PM (qqEFK)

Or if you really want to piss them off: "So I guess you're
saying that means all those blacks in prison are where they belong, right?"

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (SOgjZ)

190 Well, what's he waiting for?
Posted by: JoeF. at D

wants to know if the surprise anal rumors about prison are true. if they are he is never going to talk to mueller.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (MTjB1)

191 Mueller proves nothing. He extorts guilty pleas with threats of further harassment.

NONE of his charges have seen a jury.

In essence, he has *deemed* these to be campaign finance violations by coercing Cohen to say they are.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (oVJmc)

192 It really would be interesting for someone with knowledge of the facts and the law to explain how attorney-client privilege was overcome so completely in the case of Cohen's records and tapes. It seems now that the court was relying entirely on the Mueller/SDNY novel interpretation of campaign finance law that has no foundation in case law or statute. It appears at first glance that the court accepted the Mueller/SDNY assertion that what's on the tapes constitutes criminal activity because we said so. Of course it must have helped that the judge was Bill Clinton's failed nominee for attorney general.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (oNFAg)

193 Yeah, this was a classic process as punishment case. It was also a warning to the World not to screw with Mewler, or you could be next.

===

you saw what happened with Concordia ... mueller actually said "whoa...no speedy trial, we never expected to go to trial"

flynn was either playing 9th dimensional chess or made some really bad decisions.

Day one of trial "Mr. FBI agent, did you read him miranda" no "did you tell him it was an official interview" no. "what evidence do you have" a 302 form "I see, and when did you sign it" 8 months after the inteview.

defense is done with this witness.

you talk about DC juries but you think a homeboy is going to be pro-FBI?

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (7J5t2)

194 159
126 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

What if the golden snitch distracted them in the middle of the dive bombing run?

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (37IEG)

195 Editor:"But wont it be really hard for Frodo and Sam to escape the lava?"
Tolkien:"Super easy,barely an inconvenience..."

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (BXMxN)

196
I don't think Cohen will have a tough of time in prison as most people think. If he doesn't rat out to the feds and SDNY and does his time he'll have some respect behind bars

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (TAmPV)

197 185 The money pit on Oak Island.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (BXMxN)

198 Editor:"But wont it be really hard for Frodo and Sam to escape the lava?"
Tolkien:"Super easy,barely an inconvenience..."
Posted by: steevy at D

tolkien: they have huge feet duh.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (MTjB1)

199 181 The left is convinced there is a vast treasure house of deep,dark dirt on Trump.There ain't.
Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (BXMxN)

the left in Washington understands that even being investigated makes you look bad.

They won't get Trump legally for anything, this is all a Political operation, using Federal Government resources and paid for by our Tax dollars.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (NgKpN)

200 The left is convinced there is a vast treasure house of deep,dark dirt on Trump.There ain't. Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:31 PM (BXMxN)

They are licking their chops about Trump's impeachment on lefty media. Assume it's going to happen because Muh Campaign Shenanigans!!! Why they gleefully keep setting themselves up for crushing, SJW crying meme style disappointment, where Trump once agains Triumphs over them, I don't know.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (hvf9s)

201 174 So my takeaway is... does ANYBODY think we're ever going to see a President elected again, in the near future, who will NOT be subjected to this type of monkey show? Of one sort or another?

No Democrat president will have to go through this. When you realize that all this would have been avoided if that idiot Sessions hadn't got snookered into recusing himself, then you understand why Trump is absolutely justified to be enraged at him.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (Q7MNX)

202 One eagle would be intercepted and killed by the Nazgul,since Sauron can sense it.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (BXMxN)

203 195
Editor:"But wont it be really hard for Frodo and Sam to escape the lava?"

Tolkien:"Super easy,barely an inconvenience..."

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (BXMxN)
Hey, you can't have brisket without a Hobbit or two.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (37IEG)

204 >>Mueller proves nothing. He extorts guilty pleas with threats of further harassment.

>>NONE of his charges have seen a jury.

Manafort might disagree.

Posted by: JackStraw at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (/tuJf)

205 as far as trump's alleged campaign finance law violation go, Andrew Mcarthy makes a good point, you'd have to prove intent.

That's why they squeezed cohen. I guess.

But then you'd have to belieeve that Cohen understood CFL well enough to explain it to trump and trump said "no, break the law just for the sake of breaking the law, you know me...I've spent my entire life being lawyered up so as to never break the law because I know my enemies want to get me but this one time, I want to do it"

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (7J5t2)

206 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "

African Eagles? or European?

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (LL1Be)

207 191 Mueller proves nothing. He extorts guilty pleas with threats of further harassment.

NONE of his charges have seen a jury.

In essence, he has *deemed* these to be campaign finance violations by coercing Cohen to say they are.
Posted by: Mr. Peebles at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (oVJmc)
----------

Manafort did. Got convicted on about half the charges. Oddly enough, none of them having to do with Trump.

Posted by: WisRich at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (G0vdT)

208 and since cohen obviously doesn't understand the law and there's actually no underlying crime, the conversation didn't take place.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (7J5t2)

209 Squeaky -clean? Like Brett Kavanaugh, the "drunken rapist? "Forget it Jake..."

Posted by: pahound at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (tqEEy)

210 202
One eagle would be intercepted and killed by the Nazgul,since Sauron can sense it.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (BXMxN)
Easy peasy - P51 fighter escort with drop tanks out of a forward base in Rohan.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (37IEG)

211 151 OT, but I'm listening to the BBC live feed waiting for the May vote. Playing sound bits from Parliament.

One of the few things I do envy the Brits of is the jeering that is allowed in Parliament. Our GOPe and Dem losers deserve a good jeer. Especially if Pelousy gets anointed speaker again.

OMG they just used the term "sticky wicket" on air. I didn't know that was a phrase still used!

Protestors waving EU flags in the background, because Of Course.
Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:27 PM (hvf9s)

Link?

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (+ZMGe)

212 ❑ Vote against Trump prison reform and keep blacks in jail

❑ Vote for Trump prison reform and let nonviolent offenders Manafort and Cohen out of jail

*wipes sweat from brow*

Posted by: Democrats at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (DuAZ5)

213 Revealing the congressional slush fund would nuke the Democrat and many in the GOP.Doomsday weapon.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (BXMxN)

214 You know I can't get past the idea that the Feds executed a search warrant for all Cohen's files, clearly targeting his client, on a jurisdictional mandate that had nothing to do with Cohen.

Show me a remote historical precedent for this sort of end-run around attorney client privilege and interference with a legal defense, and I'll show you a country led by someone called "Papa Doc."

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (koNhm)

215 In a shocker, CSKA Moscow is up 2-0 on Real Madrid.

Putin, you magnificent bastard, what have you done now?

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (Q7MNX)

216 >>> 126 "Why not fly to Mount Doom on giant eagle back and toss in the ring? "
What if the golden snitch distracted them in the middle of the dive bombing run? Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:34 PM (37IEG)

Use the Force, Harry!! --Gandalf

Posted by: LizLem, quoting old memes at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (hvf9s)

217 We should just put the eagles in charge. They seem to have their shit together.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (BBhgz)

218 I am less disgusted by the Mueller team's actions (bad as they are) as by the complete lack of critical voices from the Democrats and in the Pravda media.

I am continually saying that this isn't new; that at my age I've seen it all before, deployed against every Republican, and especially against every one who in some way was a real threat to them. Thus Ford and Bush I got off a little easier than Barry, Dick, Ronnie, or even Bush II. And of course this applies to non-Presidents and non-Presidential candidates, who got off more lightly only in that they were less prominent.

But - I may be wrong - I don't recall quite the unanimity of hatred, and quite the complete willingness to go along with anything, however absurd, to attack. Maybe Goldwater. But post-1964 there was at least an attempt to cover it with a veil of "objectivity." I will grant that there was a change in 1996. That year the press became far more open in attacking Dole than I'd seen before. In fact, I, who had no intention of voting for Dole, was goaded into doing so.

I suppose it's just the breakup of the prevailing order. But I'd prefer to live in a more boring time.

Posted by: Eeyore, fomerly George LeS at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (VaN/j)

219 Donald Trump is squeaky clean and they just can't stand it.

"But he's white! And rich! And Republican! There must be something! Out out damned spot!"

The bigots that they are. They're so stupid.

Posted by: phone of kari at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (j0NG6)

220 manafort is interesting, his defense made some good points to my mind:

1. never audited
2. he told the FBI about his $ stuff in 2013
3. the FBI asked him about $ because they wanted to learn about foreigners and there was no crime contemplated.

so, it seems to me, if I was on that jury, I'd need to hear some damning stuff to get over that.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (7J5t2)

221 se the Force, Harry!! --Gandalf
Posted by: LizLem, quoting old memes at D

about quotes

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (MTjB1)

222 How in the fuck has the "criminal" accusations against the president not leaked out?

Answer: They got nothing. If there were any solid charges we would know by now. Time to wrap it up or bring charges. Impeach him; lets get this on. Lets fucking go.

Posted by: USNtakim profoundly deplorable. at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (0OmEj)

223 African Eagles? or European?
Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (LL1Be)

+1

Posted by: LizLem, quoting old memes at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (hvf9s)

224 214
You know I can't get past the idea that the Feds executed a search
warrant for all Cohen's files, clearly targeting his client, on a
jurisdictional mandate that had nothing to do with Cohen.

Show me a remote historical precedent for this sort of end-run
around attorney client privilege and interference with a legal defense,
and I'll show you a country led by someone called "Papa Doc."

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (koNhm)
And the warrant specifying where the search is to occur and what is to be searched for must have said "The entire building, and it's contents"

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (37IEG)

225 Revealing the congressional slush fund would nuke the Democrat and many in the GOP.Doomsday weapon.
Posted by: steevy

===

which is what trump said he'd do.

and also, I hope he swat raids perkins coie partners.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (7J5t2)

226 @205 as far as trump's alleged campaign finance law violation go, Andrew Mcarthy makes a good point, you'd have to prove intent.

McCarthy, surprisingly, leaves a great deal out of his latest analysis. It had been fun watching him morph from having faith in the institutions to realizing like HOLY SHIT look at these FISA warrant shenanigans. But in this instance he somehow fails to consider what was or wasn't personal use rather than campaign expenditures, especially since there is no evidence that campaign funds were used. Maybe he will figure that part out shortly. Either way, he and Victor Davis Hanson are the only ones worth reading at NRO.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (oNFAg)

227 Now, if those tapes exist, they have to be authenticated. You can't just introduce a document or tape or picture into court.

____________________

YOU can't...THEY can.

Posted by: Orson at December 12, 2018 01:38 PM (zNz/a)

228
Donald Trump is squeaky clean and they just can't stand it.

He's the most vetted president we'll ever have.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 01:39 PM (TAmPV)

229 meh. more than ten miles from me. zero fucks given.

Posted by: chavez the hugo at December 12, 2018 01:39 PM (KP5rU)

230 Kaepernik would just kneel to the Orcs straightaway and get beheaded. So this argument is moot.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:30 PM (hvf9s)

Those elves are full of white privilege.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Ho Ho Ho! Red Faced Rants are In at The Outrage Outlet! at December 12, 2018 01:39 PM (hLRSq)

231 Didn't G Gordon size up a specimen to marry as a 'breeder'? I think I read his book many moons ago and recall he wanted someone who could spawn linebackers or something.

Posted by: DanMan at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (XTiHL)

232 M, here's the live stream BBC link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-46533245

Thanks to the person in the last thread for link!

I can't remember what time the vote is being held. Just have it playing in background while I'm working.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (hvf9s)

233 Brewdog ... I left that out. Yeah, Andrew's analysis is kind of stupid. But, on this one point, I thought it's as if he said, "fine, assuming this was in some way illegal through an arcane reading of the law, here"

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (7J5t2)

234 You know I can't get past the idea that the Feds executed a search
warrant for all Cohen's files, clearly targeting his client, on a
jurisdictional mandate that had nothing to do with Cohen.

Show me a remote historical precedent for this sort of end-run
around attorney client privilege and interference with a legal defense,
and I'll show you a country led by someone called "Papa Doc."

And, as Jen noted, the deafening silence from the "legal community"

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (LL1Be)

235 210 202
One eagle would be intercepted and killed by the Nazgul,since Sauron can sense it.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (BXMxN)
Easy peasy - P51 fighter escort with drop tanks out of a forward base in Rohan.
Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (37IEG)

Nazgul were on horses, outside of Bree.

Would have seen the Eagle fly by and said 'Oh, shit'.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (NgKpN)

236 218 I am less disgusted by the Mueller team's actions (bad as they are) as by the complete lack of critical voices from the Democrats and in the Pravda media.

And where are the Republicans in regard to this clear violation of law? And how come those principled neverTrumpers seem to have no principles when it comes to this garbage?

Posted by: Northernlurker, but call me Teem at December 12, 2018 01:41 PM (MkcN1)

237 Liddy had a great radio show, way back when.

Posted by: Mr. Peebles at December 12, 2018 01:41 PM (oVJmc)

238 217
We should just put the eagles in charge. They seem to have their shit together.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (BBhgz)

Shoot, they could have attached those screamer air brakes on the Eagles to scare the crap out of the orcs during the dives like they had on the Ju 87s!

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (37IEG)

239 202 One eagle would be intercepted and killed by the Nazgul,since Sauron can sense it.
Posted by: steevy

what if the eagle wore the ring while doing a vulcan mind meld with frodo?

Posted by: x at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (nFwvY)

240 Since the Great Eagles aren't really eagles but rather Maia in eagle form, Sauron, being a Maia himself, would have felt them in his airspace.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (WXewq)

241 it's one thing for the MSM, the DNC, and cucks to pretend trump did something wrong.

fine, granted.

But if you expect the uncucked GOP to play along, well, that'd be our failing. And I don't think we're going to play along.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (7J5t2)

242 I'm ashamed to say that up until 2 weeks ago I'd never watched a single LoTR movie. Then illness took me on a sunday and 9 hours later, I can't say that anymore.
Frankly the Eagles don't deserve any credit. Sure, swooping in at the last minute is kinda heroic, but their otherwise not being involved was sort of... well.. French.

Posted by: IP at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (dM3St)

243 Funny how the leftards aren't excoriating him for not paying his taxes.

Posted by: torabora at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (cjJ09)

244 Damn book was so racist against Orcs and Trolls. Should be banned.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (37IEG)

245 >>Sauron, being a Maia himself, would have felt them in his airspace.

Not if he bought his Air Defense System from Russia.

Posted by: Syria at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (uGgbX)

246 you guys are all wet, an Eagle has never been defeated in air to air combat. Of course, if frodo gave the ring to an F-35, then we'd all be speaking balrog by now.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (7J5t2)

247 >>237 Liddy had a great radio show, way back when. Posted by: Mr. Peebles at December 12, 2018 01:41 PM (oVJmc)

From that show:

"...but Mr. Liddy, you talk about guns all the time, and yet you're a felon. You're not allowed to own firearms!"
Liddy: "And I don't. Don't own a one. But Mrs. Liddy owns a house full of them."

Posted by: Zod at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (Bdeb0)

248 I also want to see a list of anyone prosecuted for anything like they're accusing Trump of.

Let me get this straight, they are implying a prosecutable crime for Trump failing to report that he used his own money for a purpose that might, also, help him get elected?

By that standard, anything that could improve your image, using your own money, has to be reported?

What about haircuts? What about Hillarys ginormous staff of toadys and lackeys (paid for by the taxpayer) and everyone on payroll of "The Clinton Foundation" that essentially worked for years to try to get her elected?

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (koNhm)

249 BTW, I love Baizuo and Shegmu (sp?) from the previous thread.

I confess I have a bit of a Sinophilic streak, at least for the Imperial days. I trace this to my teens, arguing with the commies who just LOVED them some Mao. Naturally I defended their enemies, and being the instinctive reactionary I am, looked to the earlier incarnations.

Beside, as pagans go, Confucianism is more appealing than most, like Stoicism. At least to my WASP instincts. (An old joke about Charleston said they were just like the Chinese. They ate rice and worshiped their ancestors.)

Posted by: Eeyore, fomerly George LeS at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (VaN/j)

250 I had cocktails with some girlfriends while visiting NYC 5 years ago. We were at Trump International Tower and Hotel.

I guess that means that I better lawyer up and wait for Mueller to come after me.

Posted by: Cheri at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (G+Wff)

251 But I will ride to the rescue!

Posted by: Snoreregard and his 5 billion sealed indictments at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (U7k5w)

252 235 210 202
One eagle would be intercepted and killed by the Nazgul,since Sauron can sense it.

Posted by: steevy at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (BXMxN)
Easy peasy - P51 fighter escort with drop tanks out of a forward base in Rohan.
Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:36 PM (37IEG)

Nazgul were on horses, outside of Bree.

Would have seen the Eagle fly by and said 'Oh, shit'.
Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (NgKpN)

The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (xJa6I)

253
so, it seems to me, if I was on that jury, I'd need to hear some damning stuff to get over that.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:37 PM (7J5t2)

In lieu of damming stuff how does doxxing and a few death threats grab you?

Posted by: The Washington Post. at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (TAmPV)

254 35 No president has ever broken campaign finance laws EVAR!
________________

Damn straight!

I told my peeps to do whatever got us the most money -- accept illegal donations from overseas, ditch the credit card verification, let minors and people using aliases like Mickey Mouse donate, whatever. Only rule was this: keep my name out of it!

Posted by: Barky Obama at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (fqUgw)

255 246 you guys are all wet, an Eagle has never been defeated in air to air combat. Of course, if frodo gave the ring to an F-35, then we'd all be speaking balrog by now.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:43 PM (7J5t2)

Coffee.... Keyboard!

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (NgKpN)

256 Why not fly to Mount Doom?

This is not directed at you, personally, but this fucking questions is so fucking stupid.

You can't fucking fly to Mount Doom when mother-fucking Sauron is still at full strength and all the the fucking Nazgul are flying around.

The eagles were able to fly into Mt Doom AFTER Sauron fell and several Nazgul were taken out of action.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (9qZ3S)

257 240
Since the Great Eagles aren't really eagles but rather Maia in eagle
form, Sauron, being a Maia himself, would have felt them in his
airspace.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (WXewq)
And since Gandalf was a Maia, and he RODE the Eagles... Just Wow. I guess the laws against that kind of stuff were less strict in Middle Earth.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (37IEG)

258 what if the eagle wore the ring while doing a vulcan mind meld with frodo?
Posted by: x at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (nFwvY)

I think he'd still have to use The Force.

Posted by: Eeyore, fomerly George LeS at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (VaN/j)

259 Why not fly near Mt. Doom then? Drop em off outside of Mordor.

Posted by: Someguy at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (h5Df3)

260 The "justice" system sure is a crock of shit.

Posted by: Chris M at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (eAZVt)

261 flynn was either playing 9th dimensional chess or made some really bad decisions.

>>>>>>>

Because he forgot Rule 1: NEVER talk to the cops.

They don't have your best interests at heart, and as we're seeing right now, they will completely destroy your life and tear apart your family, and for what?

Not even for a cheap-ass political stunt. For a minor piece of a cheap-ass political stunt.

I wouldn't answer a damn thing. You want to prosecute me? Go ahead - let's see what you've got.

Belief in the system is the rope they sell honest citizens with which to hang themselves.

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (SOgjZ)

262 232 M, here's the live stream BBC link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/uk-politics-46533245

Thanks to the person in the last thread for link!

I can't remember what time the vote is being held. Just have it playing in background while I'm working.
Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (hvf9s)

Thanks. I'm at that link. I'm not seeing a video feed, just short written updates. I'll keep looking!

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (+ZMGe)

263 Nazgul were on horses, outside of Bree.

Would have seen the Eagle fly by and said 'Oh, shit'.
Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (NgKpN)

The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (xJa6I)

Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time... otherwise why not fly over Hobbiton and find Frodo? Instead of looking all over for them?

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (NgKpN)

264 201
174 So my takeaway is... does ANYBODY think we're ever going to see a
President elected again, in the near future, who will NOT be subjected
to this type of monkey show? Of one sort or another?

--------------------------------------------------------------
No Democrat president will have to go through this. When you realize
that all this would have been avoided if that idiot Sessions hadn't got
snookered into recusing himself, then you understand why Trump is
absolutely justified to be enraged at him.

Posted by: I Work for Dick Jones at December 12, 2018 01:35 PM (Q7MNX)

You really believe that? You don't think there are Republican operatives, RIGHT NOW, looking into every nook and cranny of Kamala's past? Liawatha's? Slo Joe's? And that dickbag Beeno, or whatever his name is?

You don't think they're salivating at the chance to dig into their campaigns, AS SOON AS they get whatever opportunity they will get? And they will, get the opportunity.

Sleepy Sessions was just the conduit. THIS time. There will be a next time, and they will make it happen. For one thing, we now know that cherry picked federal judges can overrule Presidents.

Wait'll the next Dem President tries to exec order something. Watch the fun happen then.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (9chmE)

265 what if the eagle wore the ring while doing a vulcan mind meld with frodo?
Posted by: x at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (nFwvY)

The eagles couldn't do that because they were Cylons. You'd have known that if you'd have paid attention during the scene where they went through the stargate at Hogwarts.

Posted by: joe, living dangerously at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (KUaJL)

266 It was kind of a dick move for Tom Sawyer to not tell Frodo that he was already freed and could have just mailed in the ring.

Posted by: Bander, proctoring a test at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (WZG6Y)

267 I always had the feeling that Faramir gave Frodo the Bad Touches.

Posted by: garrett at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (uGgbX)

268 One Eagle = NERDS! - Ogre, AB

Posted by: Archer at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (gmo/4)

269 Turley was saying on Fox that it's well known that Cohen was a huckster and would lean hard on people to get what his client wanted. According to Turley, Cohen did not have a great reputation in the legal community and Turley had written an article right after PDT was elected urging him to sever ties with Cohen immediately. He said instead, Trump had Cohen over for dinner,etc.

He went on to recite the deals Cohen was trying to make regarding selling access to PDT after the election, etc. Then the deals trying to get financial support for his legal troubles.

He also said that Cohen would make a horrendously poor witness in any case against Trump because of his admitted lying to congress and additional lying during his interviews with Mueller, etc. He said the only way the gov. would try to use Cohen in the future would be if he had actual documented evidence as his word is worthless.

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (L/94n)

270 261 Because he forgot Rule 1: NEVER talk to the cops.

They don't have your best interests at heart, and as we're seeing right now, they will completely destroy your life and tear apart your family, and for what?

Not even for a cheap-ass political stunt. For a minor piece of a cheap-ass political stunt.

I wouldn't answer a damn thing. You want to prosecute me? Go ahead - let's see what you've got.

Belief in the system is the rope they sell honest citizens with which to hang themselves.
Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (SOgjZ)

And that's when they shoot you and plant bags of cocaine on your corpse.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (UnA8+)

271
Belief in the system is the rope they sell honest citizens with which to hang themselves.

-

Well said.

Posted by: Moron Robbie - Thoughts and prayers, RBG at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (aTcbm)

272 Michael Cohen is a functional retard.

Good luck building your case against Trump with him as your prime, Mueller.

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (H7LIz)

273 @248 By that standard, anything that could improve your image, using your own money, has to be reported?

Campaign finance law has an exemption for spending on things that someone who is a candidate would otherwise so, whether or not they were a candidate. That's what McCarthy, amazingly, missed. That's what all the chattering "experts" saying that "ZOMG Trump is implicated in felonies!!!1!" are conveniently ignoring. I mean, it's right there in the statute. There is case law explaining it. And then there's the whole John "Silky Pony" Edwards case.

Nadler and the Dems are going to harp on it but in the real world this campaign finance avenue has been closed with Cohen's sentencing.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (oNFAg)

274 257 240
Since the Great Eagles aren't really eagles but rather Maia in eagle
form, Sauron, being a Maia himself, would have felt them in his
airspace.

Posted by: Grump928(C) at December 12, 2018 01:42 PM (WXewq)
And since Gandalf was a Maia, and he RODE the Eagles... Just Wow. I guess the laws against that kind of stuff were less strict in Middle Earth.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (37IEG)

Gandalf and the Eagles were Democrats???

Never made that connection before!

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (NgKpN)

275 I never understood why they went right in the front door of Mt Doom when they could have just shot the ring into the Exhaust port.

Posted by: garrett at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (uGgbX)

276 Thanks. I'm at that link. I'm not seeing a video feed, just short written updates. I'll keep looking!
Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:46 PM (+ZMGe)

Got it! The video button was blocked by an ad.

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:49 PM (+ZMGe)

277 All the liberals are doing a happy dance in the office today.

My question to then is this: What crime did Trump commit?

Crickets.

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at December 12, 2018 01:49 PM (H7LIz)

278 I admit, I am biased and have judged the success of our party before. So maybe trump will get trampled under by a deep state that somehow rewrote the law and revoked attorney client priv and is able to selectively generate Section 1001 crimes at will. See also Tom Delay, John Doe, and Ted Stevens.

which would suck but I am not a DC player. If I were a GOP pol, I'd be fighting this bullshit hard.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:49 PM (7J5t2)

279 >>> Why not fly to Mount Doom?

Because Sauron has strong border control? Complete with a standing Orc army and Nazgul.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:49 PM (hvf9s)

280 Federal elections = crime scenes.

From this day forth, it shall always be thus, and will not change, just because the Party in power does.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 12, 2018 01:50 PM (9chmE)

281 I've completely lost faith in the DOJ and the Federal Govt. in general.

Isn't that what these clowns always use as their justification?

Posted by: sniffybigtoe at December 12, 2018 01:50 PM (xfb67)

282 Nadler and the Dems are going to harp on it but in the real world this campaign finance avenue has been closed with Cohen's sentencing.
Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (oNFAg)

Like I said above... this is not a Legal issue.

The Dems and Deep State are using Government Assets for Political reasons.

To make Trump look bad, AND to scare anyone away from supporting him.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:50 PM (NgKpN)

283 "Let's say that she DOES lose," says the bbc reporter.
Yes, let's say that!

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:50 PM (+ZMGe)

284 Two related items.

Slate has found a "loveable Twitter rascal": I'madinnerjacket.

https://bit.ly/2UD2dmq

And the NYT didn't get the memo:

The New York Times
@nytimes
It remains unclear what motivated the gunman who opened fire at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, officials said, as the police continue an intensive search for the attacker

-
Yeah, it's a head scratcher, alright.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at December 12, 2018 01:50 PM (+y/Ru)

285 Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time... otherwise why not fly over Hobbiton and find Frodo? Instead of looking all over for them?

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (NgKpN)

I suggested that but the boss said "No, you got to be all sneaky-like." Sneaky? Us? We set off watchdogs, geese, curdle milk, and spread general heebie-jeebies within a three mile radius. We couldn't be sneaky if we had a degree in sneakiness from the Artful Dodger College signed by Cat Woman. Sneaky!

Posted by: Nazgul #4 at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (hLRSq)

286 yeah, obviously CFL's are not meant to account for advertising budgets and money spent on conventions, get out the vote, and travel expenses but on personal expenses.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (7J5t2)

287
I'd let Bill and Baba Yaga walk on EVERYTHING if they'd deliver King Barry and ValJar to the gallows.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (UnA8+)

Wouldn't that be nice. I would reject it: the Clintons have killed far too many people, and I haven't seen a similarly sized Obamacide. Being able to expose rampant, murderous criminality would do far more to EASILY destroy the Democratic Parry than hanging Obama for debatable treason and corruption of most American institutions.

But it isn't relevant. The SKREE from the left indicates that yes, President Trump plans to destroy all of it. Which is the smarter play, but these people are burning all of their legal and judicial assets for a reason: They can't afford any half measures, not any more.

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (qqEFK)

288 256
Why not fly to Mount Doom?

This is not directed at you, personally, but this fucking questions is so fucking stupid.

You can't fucking fly to Mount Doom when mother-fucking Sauron is
still at full strength and all the the fucking Nazgul are flying around.

The eagles were able to fly into Mt Doom AFTER Sauron fell and several Nazgul were taken out of action.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 01:45 PM (9qZ3S)
Says the G2 officer. Let me be clear old boy. There ARE NO NAZGUL in the operational area, they don't have the resources and their two front war against the bugbears to the east has them tied up. This will be a walk in the park, and we'll be across the Ered Lithui in a full blooded thrust to Orodruin by October, and home for Christmas!

Posted by: General Sir Bernard Law Denethor at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (37IEG)

289 The ENTIRE POINT of having a Hobbit hand-carry the ring into Mt Doom was that Hobbits were beneath Sauron's notice. Even still, Sauron NOTICED THEM. He thought they were too small to matter. Sam and Frodo were a couple of dust mites to him, but Sauron still noticed them.

The Great Eagles are certainly NOT beneath Sauron's notice, and they, having received his full attention, would have been destroyed and failed.

Sauron is, at the time of the Hobbits' journey, the biggest bad on the planet. Maybe Tom Bombadil is his equal, but Bombadil is so far up his own ass, he just doesn't care enough to help.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (9qZ3S)

290 All the liberals are doing a happy dance in the office today.

===

being a liberal means never having to read the retractions.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:52 PM (7J5t2)

291 I've completely lost faith in the DOJ and the Federal Govt. in general.

This is the theme that Trump needs to hammer home in 2020.

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at December 12, 2018 01:52 PM (H7LIz)

292 What really gets me is the fact that the FBI is allowed to get away with "written summarizing" of an interview (via 302's) with potential suspects and securing convictions with these summaries.

I'm wondering what percent of law enforcement agencies in the US are able to convince their local DA to bring charges in a case based on only the officers written summary (not even a full transcription) of his recollection of how the interview with a suspect went.

Guaranteed a local DA is gonna say "bring me the f***ing tape recording of the interview not Officer Smith's written recollections of his interview, you moron."
The FBI's use (and the courts allowing them) to use 302's vs video recorded interviewing is outside of the mainstream practice for law enforcement investigation of suspects -- even rural police departments conduct video recorded interviews!

Posted by: Nevyan at December 12, 2018 01:52 PM (a7HML)

293 291:

Did I NOT restore your faith in the DOJ?

Posted by: Snoreregard and his 5 billion sealed indictments at December 12, 2018 01:53 PM (U7k5w)

294
Gandalf and the Eagles were Democrats???

Never made that connection before!

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:48 PM (NgKpN)
let's not even get started on their personal pronoun preferences.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:53 PM (37IEG)

295 >>Maybe Tom Bombadil is his equal, but Bombadil is so far up his own ass, he just doesn't care enough to help.

Someones gotta juice Godberry.

Posted by: garrett at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (uGgbX)

296 I suspect the reason that the FBI and its accomplices in the DOJ is fighting so hard against Trump is that they have been dirty for years including the Mueller years--doing things like changing form 302's (interrogation reports), suborning perjury from witnesses via threats of incarceration, using warrantless counterintel intercepts to bootstrap search warrants, engaging in spying on politicians, setting up perjury traps, and even so far as engaging directly in criminal actions via their CI's like Whitey Bulger and various CI's used in counter terrorism functions.

They have become essentially an organization that countenances criminal activity by its agents and hierarcy in the pursuit of organizational goals.

Split the functions up--investigating financial crimes goes to the SEC, taxes goes to the IRS, hand off counter intel to the military, investigating federal politicians and campaign crimes goes to the FEC, and so forth.

It is okay to have a rump FBI but remove their arrest authority and make them go through the federal marshals or local/state law enforcement to actually arrest and detain folk via arrest warrants.

Let the FBI do background checks and process NCIC information.

FDR found the easiest way to get around the bureaucracy is to create new agencies that usurp the jurisdiction of old ones and let the older ones compete for favor. Politicians are more willing entertain this sort of reorganization because more spending and bacon brought back home.

Posted by: whig at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (ROzyM)

297 Question: since rosenstein signed off on the raid of cohen's office, would there be any kind of legal procedure/charge made against rosenstein that would then taint any evidence from the raid? Or, since cohen pled guilty to various charges, does that make the raid acceptable?

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (1Zh0U)

298 so the hobbits are the x-wing fighters of lotr?

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (MTjB1)

299 Wait'll the next Dem President tries to exec order something. Watch the fun happen then.�

Posted by: BurtTC at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (9chmE)

This requires insane optimism. If the GOP hasn't delivered against the Clintons or Obamas, what on earth do you think Fauxcahontas could have done to merit harsher treatment by Congress?!

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (qqEFK)

300 Posted by: Nevyan at December 12, 2018 01:52 PM (a7HML)

Yup, my recollection is that his recollection is incorrect, and therefore he should go to jail.

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:54 PM (NgKpN)

301 Serious Question ...

... How sure are we that Federal Prosecutors don't tamper with the jury ?

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (BBhgz)

302 Speaking of campaign finance law, back when there was much made of the Trump Tower meeting, the other side floated the idea that Don Jr. violated campaign finance law for "soliciting" a "thing of value," i.e., the "dirt on Hillary" that never materialized, as an in-kind contribution. But information is specifically exempt. The FEC doesn't expect someone to put a dollar value on information. Well, at least they didn't when there was at least a gloss on the idea that the law should apply equally to Democrats and Republicans.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (oNFAg)

303 297: Everything my Roddy does is not only acceptable, but crackles with integrity, son!

Posted by: Snoreregard and his 5 billion sealed indictments at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (U7k5w)

304
All the liberals are doing a happy dance in the office today.

I guess none of them have loved ones that they're afraid might run afoul of over zealous law enforcement one day.

Posted by: The Washington Post. at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (TAmPV)

305 Or if you really want to piss them off: "So I guess you're�
saying that means all those blacks in prison are where they belong, right?"

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:33 PM (SOgjZ)

Great point. Tailor the comeback for the audience.

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (qqEFK)

306 And Sports Illustrated has found a new sports expert: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

https://bit.ly/2Eg3t9u

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (+y/Ru)

307

The ships are closing in on Trump.

And Netanyahoo.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (/OSN/)

308 301 Serious Question ...

... How sure are we that Federal Prosecutors don't tamper with the jury ?
Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 01:55 PM (BBhgz)

They don't have to.

The media will do it for them via doxxing.

Posted by: Hikaru at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (UnA8+)

309 And that's when they shoot you and plant bags of cocaine on your corpse.

Then they lose - No room in my pockets for more bags of cocaine.

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (SOgjZ)

310 M, yeah BBC link is just talking heads at this point. But I like British accents, so I'm enjoying the chattering in the background till vote time.

Though I could switch over to the new Drift Compatible podcast, and hear the dulcet swears of Alex and Brent in the interim...choices choices.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (hvf9s)

311 So Mueller is supposed to go into court and say, "Yes, we said Cohen lied too Congress and lied to investigators but when it comes to authenticating these tapes, he is honest as the day s long. Swearsies."? Seems really stupid. But then again, he was also the guy who filed charges against those Russians and was stunned when they showed up to contest them.

Posted by: Thresherman at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (4lzVN)

312 Sauron is, at the time of the Hobbits' journey, the
biggest bad on the planet. Maybe Tom Bombadil is his equal, but
Bombadil is so far up his own ass, he just doesn't care enough to help.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 01:51 PM (9qZ3S)
Tim? Tim Benzedrine? He's okay when he's lucid.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (37IEG)

313 It is good that we have lawyers.
Just think how much worse it would be without them.

Posted by: R. An Domeski at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (hrcfq)

314 Hey, if you got to spend all your time banging Goldenberry and stomping around yelling "Tom! Bom!" you'd stay out of a war too.

Posted by: Tom Bombadil, nobody's fool at December 12, 2018 01:57 PM (RD7QR)

315 @297 Question: since rosenstein signed off on the raid of cohen's office, would there be any kind of legal procedure/charge made against rosenstein that would then taint any evidence from the raid? Or, since cohen pled guilty to various charges, does that make the raid acceptable?

Did Rosenstein do that in "supervising" Mueller, or did they have SDNY conduct the raid?

The other question about attorney-client privilege is that the privilege belongs to Trump, not Cohen. Unless they somehow overcame it by saying that Cohen was admitting to a crime in the tapes. Which, again, relies on an entirely novel interpretation of campaign finance law.

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:57 PM (oNFAg)

316 the Eagles sang backup on Fire Lake. is that near Mt. Doom?

Posted by: x at December 12, 2018 01:58 PM (nFwvY)

317 Gandalf and the Eagles were Democrats???

We fired Gandalf, with all his Middle Earth and Mordor shit. Last we heard he was working with Led Zeppelin.

Posted by: Don Henley at December 12, 2018 01:58 PM (NWiLs)

318
The ships are closing in on Trump.

Cohen turing on Trump is like feeding two birds with one scone.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 01:58 PM (TAmPV)

319 yeah, they're closing in on trump...trump is surely going to go down without a fight.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:59 PM (7J5t2)

320 310 M, yeah BBC link is just talking heads at this point. But I like British accents, so I'm enjoying the chattering in the background till vote time.

Though I could switch over to the new Drift Compatible podcast, and hear the dulcet swears of Alex and Brent in the interim...choices choices.
Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (hvf9s)

Moron dilemma!

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 01:59 PM (+ZMGe)

321 yeah, they're closing in on trump...trump is surely going to go down without a fight.
===

and I'm sure mooler and company will be as well prepared as they were against Concordia.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (7J5t2)

322 General Sir Bernard Law Denethor

Is this a Bernard Montgomery quote I don't know? Did he predict Hitler's two front war would make it easy to take Hitler on?

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (9qZ3S)

323 >>> And Sports Illustrated has found a new sports expert: Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. ttps://bit.ly/2Eg3t9u Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at December 12, 2018 01:56 PM (+y/Ru)

She's also on Time's shortlist for person of the year. Because of course. Time is too predictable.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (hvf9s)

324 I'm curious about something that maybe the legal eagles on this forum can explain:

Citizen's arrests? We have documented evidence that Hillary Clinton committed felonies relative to mis-use and distribution of confidential material. Why can't your normal laymen make a citizen's arrest? Most states don't require the actual witnessing of the felony. They only require that on misdemeanors. Sure, the DOJ refused to prosecute. But, a non-stop deluge of continuous and ongoing citizen's arrests would at least focus attention on the issue.

As it is now, we sit back and whine when the Attorney/Client privilege item is totally disregarded; we allow prosecution to be selective based on political ideology; we observe government whistleblower's abused by the very entity they are reporting; we see the press acting as an investigative arm to a special counsel; we see open disregard for Court and Committee subpoenas. We see all these things, but are "helpless" to right the wrongs.

But, in this case, where obvious felonies are observed based on released documentation providing every single citizen documentation of a committed violation to federal statutes...why can the citizen's arrest laws be applied to at least apply some sort of pressure from the rabble against the offenders?

Pipe dream? Sure. But, at least it is a positive step of action instead of sitting on the couch whining.

Posted by: Orson at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (zNz/a)

325 Two hours til the vote is reported (via bbc).

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (+ZMGe)

326
Sauron is, at the time of the Hobbits' journey, the biggest bad on the planet. Maybe Tom Bombadil is his equal, but Bombadil is so far up his own ass, he just doesn't care enough to help

Tom Bombadil is the Ron Paul of Middle Earth. Fuck that guy.

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (SOgjZ)

327 Either Levin, or Hannity have had the current FEC director on who has stated that the FEC doesn't consider the NDA's and Trump's use of personal funds as a campaign finance violation.

Imagine having him as an expert witness on the stand showing the judge/jury a copy of the statutes and saying this in not a violation.

No one has brought this up again, which I can't understand why,

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (L/94n)

328 Let me assure you, in my revised annotated version of LOtR, Faramir gives many, many hobbits the bad touches. So many lost opportunities for sex, rape, torture, and more rape in JRR's stories. It's called Middle-Earth, and yet no one ever gets their middles touched.

Posted by: George RR Martin at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (Wj6hd)

329 no Cohen should EVER trust a Muller.
EVER

Posted by: Avi at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (kSq2k)

330 yeah, they're closing in on trump...trump is surely going to go down without a fight.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 01:59 PM (7J5t2)

I'm sure they still believe that - I know Chuck and Nancy do.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Ho Ho Ho! Red Faced Rants are In at The Outrage Outlet! at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (hLRSq)

331 263 Nazgul were on horses, outside of Bree.

Would have seen the Eagle fly by and said 'Oh, shit'.
Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:40 PM (NgKpN)

The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.
Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 01:44 PM (xJa6I)

Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time... otherwise why not fly over Hobbiton and find Frodo? Instead of looking all over for them?
Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 01:47 PM (NgKpN)

All right, I'll keep playing

Sauron did not want to arouse the elves unnecessarily, also the Nazgul are following up a possibly unreliable source (the tortured Gollom) about the Ring. Sauron doesn't really, really KNOW that the Ring is in the Shire. He has plans in motion and they will be successful if he doesn't fuck up, so the Nazgul go north on horseback, disguised as men in robes.

Once the Ring was confirmed, the Nazgul are pulled back, geared up and the war plans against Gondor go into action. All Sauron needs is that ring, everything else is gravy. But he needs to know Bilbo's ring really is THE ring first.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (xJa6I)

332

The walruses are closing in on Trump.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:02 PM (/OSN/)

333 There is no justice system.
There is a legal system.

Posted by: navybrat, stays off BART trains at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (w7KSn)

334 She's also on Time's shortlist for person of the year. Because of course. Time is too predictable.

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (hvf9s)

Time's People of the Year are journalists and other associated riff-raff.

Posted by: Mikey NTH - Ho Ho Ho! Red Faced Rants are In at The Outrage Outlet! at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (hLRSq)

335 332

The walruses are closing in on Trump.
Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:02 PM (/OSN/)

Diabeetus?

Posted by: Wilfred Brimley Walrus at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (RD7QR)

336 315 Did Rosenstein do that in "supervising" Mueller, or did they have SDNY conduct the raid?

Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:57 PM (oNFAg)

Rosenstein signed off bc he forced Berman to recuse and then raid conducted by SDNY, as I understood it

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (1Zh0U)

337 No cameras allowed in the voting room, but some MPs are tweeting out reports.

the tweets are here:

#1922

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (+ZMGe)

338 Two hours til the vote is reported (via bbc).
Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (+ZMGe)

Ok, help me out on this. What does this vote supposedly do?

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (L/94n)

339 Is this a Bernard Montgomery quote I don't know? Did he predict Hitler's two front war would make it easy to take Hitler on?

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (9qZ3S)
It's a combination of his quotes, we'll never know if he saw the intel that the 2nd and 10th SS Panzer divisions were re-fitting in the area, but one of the Brit G2 guys had recon photos of tanks, which weren't supposed to be there.
and yeah, they thought the Germans were largely done in the West after the rolling retreat out of France prior to Market Garden.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (37IEG)

340 1. It's pretty clearly laid down that Sauron sees you ONLY when you are actually wearing the ring. Thus by wearing it on a chain you are below his radar.

2. The flying beasts do not show up until vol II. And when they do, it is a nasty surprise. If they'd been available after the failed pursuit of Glorfindel* there is no reason for them not to remount and pursue the entire overland portion of the trek from Rivendell south.

3. My wife has asked this all along. I have yet to see a persuasive answer. Remember, there are only 9 Nazgul, and can be no more. As CAP, they could cover only a small area; one carrier's worth.

*OK, I accept the movie version as an amendment, because it's Liv Tyler. But it's not canonical.

Posted by: Eeyore, fomerly George LeS at December 12, 2018 02:04 PM (VaN/j)

341 Johnny the Shark is dead!!??
Nooooooooooo!!!!

Posted by: dananjcon at December 12, 2018 02:04 PM (xqfqx)

342 333 There is no justice system.
There is a legal system.
Posted by: navybrat, stays off BART trains at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (w7KSn)

This, sadly

It's all war by other means

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:04 PM (xJa6I)

343 No worries, Avenatti will come to the rescue with his DVD.

Posted by: Broseidon Czar of the Brocean at December 12, 2018 02:04 PM (zt1Ym)

344
The walruses are closing in on Trump.

Paul Manatee was only the first.

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 02:05 PM (LL1Be)

345 They got nothing - in a civilized society Mueller would do the honorable thing and resign.

Posted by: rammajamma at December 12, 2018 02:05 PM (AjNMO)

346 Pretty darn difficult to sneak into Mordor on the back of a giant eagle. The Nazgul had air capabilities too, you know.

Posted by: Lily, formerly of Hot Air now of AoSHQ, Assassin in the Night, not an NPC at December 12, 2018 02:05 PM (wHb+r)

347 At this point, I'll take any victory.

No matter how small.

https://tinyurl.com/y7pey6oe

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 12, 2018 02:05 PM (cqNba)

348
The moose is tightening on Trump.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (/OSN/)

349 Gandalf (Olorin) was coeval with Sauron, both were Maiar. Bombadil was a diff creature altogether, along the line of Fangorn.

Posted by: Balrog of Morgoth at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (FTPVM)

350 >>> So many lost opportunities for sex, rape, torture, and more rape in JRR's stories. It's called Middle-Earth, and yet no one ever gets their middles touched.
Posted by: George RR Martin at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (Wj6hd)

Says you!!

Posted by: LOTR Fanfic Writers at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (hvf9s)

351 Once the Ring was confirmed, the Nazgul are pulled
back, geared up and the war plans against Gondor go into action. All
Sauron needs is that ring, everything else is gravy. But he needs to
know Bilbo's ring really is THE ring first.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (xJa6I)
It may be, but the Tom B makes it vanish. Has to make you wonder don't it?

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (37IEG)

352 Trump is a lot of things, but he's not a man that would knowingly an willfully break the law. On the other hand, Cohen is, and the charges against him prove his real vocation is scam artist.

With the additional perspective that Cohen is a sniveling, duplicitous, lying coward who would sell his mother for a get out of jail free card, any neophyte could see these charges are either fabricated or the equivalent of building up jaywalking into a felony.

This is purely political and gives the chattering class on Twatter something to talk about.

Posted by: Marcus T at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (vJTlZ)

353 Meanwhile, incoming NY Attorney General Letitia James vows to investigate anyone "associated with Trump" for unspecified"crimes."

The left has already started a hot civil war against the normals --only using the tools of government.

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (koNhm)

354 You realize, don't you. that Trump tricked Chuck and Nancy into owning the border crisis yesterday. Trump has the American electorate on his side. The liberals, gnashing of teeth notwithstanding, aren't going to be able to touch him.

Posted by: Archer at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (gmo/4)

355 297, Given that a court signed off on the warrant and the only person with standing to oppose it would be Cohen (which by pleading guilty prevents a challenge). Trump's legal team did claim lawyer-client privilege on some evidence (unspecified in public) and there were some in camera court sessions that ruled on specific pieces of evidence seized.

They pulled the same thing in Chicago with an alderman/lawyer that represented Trump in a few deals.

The problem with Turley is frankly he has never dirtied himself to be involved in the gray lands of real estate development.

All sorts of shady characters and middlemen are necessary to be dealt with by a developer seeking to build a project in a major city. For that, you hire lawyers that speak their language--campaign contributions, honest graft like buying locations where the local politicos get a taste, eminent domain, etc.

Developers hire lawyers to distance themselves from whatever is going on locally and hire them for their connections.

That is what the SDNY at the behest of Preet and Mueller is going after is my guess.

Posted by: whig at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (ROzyM)

356 Speaking of court procedures, did anyone else see the latest guy executed in Texas?

In 1993, The vermin attacked a couple married for ten days, taunted and murdered the husband, tried and failed to murder the wife, (weapon malfunction) so he raped her. He wasn't idenitified and tried until 2001.

The defense blamed her for having "an emotional outburst". She had the nerve to be heard crying in the hallway.

Is this normal? And how do defense lawyers get away with blaming the victim.

The only good news is that she is doing well, and the vermin is now dead.

Posted by: Blue Hen at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (nEOLy)

357 @342: I didn't read your post before posting. Yes it is.

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (koNhm)

358 .why can the citizen's arrest laws be applied to at least apply some sort of pressure from the rabble against the offenders?

Pipe dream? Sure. But, at least it is a positive step of action instead of sitting on the couch whining.
Posted by: Orson at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (zNz/a)

Private security and Secret Service still protect Hilary and Bill, don't they?

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (xJa6I)

359 263 The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.

------------

Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time...

easily remedied by making a quick trip to their local capsule corporation outlet.

Posted by: Bulma at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (NmR1a)

360 Faramir never got over Nacho Grande.

Posted by: Wilfred Brimley Walrus at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (RD7QR)

361
The ships are closing in on Trump.

That wall sailed a long time ago for Trump.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (TAmPV)

362 Squeeze Play? A friend comments that it's possible, or even likely, that the prosecutors are hoping the sentence causes Michael Cohen to re-remember things in a way more helpful to their cause, and that he'll admit more, or make up more.

This is what I deduced from hearing the CBS radio news at top of the hour. They know Cohen is too soft to endure any length of time in stir, and one day he'll just sign off on the paper that has his testimony with a lot of lines left blank for the persecuters to fill in.

The danger with that ploy though is: What if Trump has documentation that contradicts whatever story Cohen concocts?

Posted by: kallisto at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (kD8Fh)

363 You could use the cloud cover. No one would even notice the eagles if they flew high enough. They had to be in close proximity anyways to rescue Frodo and Sam.

Posted by: Someguy at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (h5Df3)

364 315 The other question about attorney-client privilege is that the privilege belongs to Trump, not Cohen. Unless they somehow overcame it by saying that Cohen was admitting to a crime in the tapes. Which, again, relies on an entirely novel interpretation of campaign finance law.
Posted by: Brewdog at December 12, 2018 01:57 PM (oNFAg)

Concerned about the ny ag, letitia james, who pretty much explained her vocation and avocation being to put PT's kids in prison after she steals his wealth.

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (1Zh0U)

365 349
Gandalf (Olorin) was coeval with Sauron, both were Maiar. Bombadil was a diff creature altogether, along the line of Fangorn.

Posted by: Balrog of Morgoth at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (FTPVM)
There is unverified speculation he's a Valar. But isn't taking action because he knows the full Song Of Iluvatar, and intervening would be contrary to the course of the song.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (37IEG)

366 You need material, probable violations of the law. The moose out front should have told you.

Posted by: Marcus T at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (vJTlZ)

367

The walls, tumbling down

tumblin' down

tumblin' down

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (/OSN/)

368 I think prosecutors are mad at Cohen because he promised to testify that he witnessed Don Jr discuss Trump Tower meeting with his father, but then backed off that later. Remember, none of his sentencing memo was redacted.

Posted by: Serious Cat at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (Xqo6t)

369 You could use the cloud cover. No one would even notice the eagles if they flew high enough. They had to be in close proximity anyways to rescue Frodo and Sam.
Posted by: Someguy at D

https://tinyurl.com/yd2pnlqd

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (MTjB1)

370 Possibly squeezing him but the time you apply that is before sentencing, not during. I agree with the assessment he has nothing to offer on Trump, or like 99% of the people Meuller talks to he would have gotten immunity. I know, the left loves to talk about his empty claim that Trump ordered him specifically to do something illegal even though he told two scoops not to but that's just his claim and its empty and ridiculous.

It may be, but the Tom B makes it vanish. Has to make you wonder don't it?

Bombadil was insanely powerful, more so than Gandalf, as I recall. Just a waste of space hippy dimwit

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (39g3+)

371 Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (37IEG)

Thanks!

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (9qZ3S)

372 Isn't the plural "walri"?

Posted by: Bander, proctoring a test at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (WZG6Y)

373 What has happened to this thread?

Posted by: Adirondack Patriot at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (H7LIz)

374 OT: Interesting story over at NY Review of Books: "Two Roads For The New French Right." Good read.

Posted by: Zod at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (Bdeb0)

375 Someone make a new thread. This thread no longer interests Zod.

Posted by: Zod at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (Bdeb0)

376 Sauron had OTH backscatter ringdar and lane sensing.

Posted by: DaveA at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (FhXTo)

377

Why didn't Harry Potter just cast a spell and wish Frodo to his destination?

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (/OSN/)

378 You want to indict a sitting president, you're gonna need a lot more than Weismann and Mueller running around sucking Cohen's dick for a story.

Posted by: Marcus T at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (vJTlZ)

379 359 263 The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.

------------

Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time...

easily remedied by making a quick trip to their local capsule corporation outlet.
Posted by: Bulma at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (NmR1a)

Easily fixed, barely an inconvenience...

Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (NgKpN)

380 Am I president yet?

*hic*

Posted by: Hillary at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (H7LIz)

381 It's the same location where all the money is stored to pay for Medicare for All.

Posted by: Roy at December 12, 2018 01:32 PM

I found the lock box!
https://tinyurl.com/MedicareForAllLockBox

Posted by: Newest Nic at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (jYje5)

382 And no the whole "eagles could have flown him in" has no validity. Its idiotic and the kind of thing people who really haven't read the books comes up with to mock the books. The eagles were powerful enough against a few goblins but were no match for the ringwraiths, let alone Sauron in his kingdom. They would have been instantly killed along with the goblins and the ring recovered. Stupid idea.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (39g3+)

383 351 Once the Ring was confirmed, the Nazgul are pulled
back, geared up and the war plans against Gondor go into action. All
Sauron needs is that ring, everything else is gravy. But he needs to
know Bilbo's ring really is THE ring first.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:01 PM (xJa6I)
It may be, but the Tom B makes it vanish. Has to make you wonder don't it?
Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (37IEG)

Yup. As much as Tom Bombadil gets bagged on, his purpose is to show that there is something and someone bigger and greater than even the war and the ring. Something good, loving and worth of trust. Something that can't be harmed by Sauron or even the fall of Middle Earth. It's a promise of the peace of the Utter West.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (xJa6I)

384 you don't get two birds of a feather without a cat in a hat

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (7J5t2)

385 With the breakup of the FBI the J Edgar Hoover building will be too big for the rump FBI.

Turn it into The National LBGTQ and whatever else Museum. Won't even have to rename it.

Posted by: torabora at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (cjJ09)

386 338 Two hours til the vote is reported (via bbc).
Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:00 PM (+ZMGe)

Ok, help me out on this. What does this vote supposedly do?
Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:03 PM (L/94n)

It's a vote of confidence by members of her own party to decide whether she should be replaced as their leader. Good explanation here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46535739

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (+ZMGe)

387 Is this normal? And how do defense lawyers get away with blaming the victim.

And lecture the rest of us.

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 02:11 PM (LL1Be)

388 354
You realize, don't you. that Trump tricked Chuck and Nancy into owning
the border crisis yesterday. Trump has the American electorate on his
side. The liberals, gnashing of teeth notwithstanding, aren't going to
be able to touch him.

Posted by: Archer at December 12, 2018 02:06 PM (gmo/4)
That was my thinking. The guy who had his own TV show, knowing how to use TV?
Versus those two farking camera pig morons who are used to playing by some bizarre set of rules with their Republican counterparts where they tacitly agree not to make each other look like they lying idiots they all are.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:11 PM (37IEG)

389 379 359 263 The Nazgul also had the flying Fell Beasts, like we see at the battle in Gondor.

------------

Yes, but most probably did not have them with them at the time...

easily remedied by making a quick trip to their local capsule corporation outlet.
Posted by: Bulma at December 12, 2018 02:07 PM (NmR1a)

Easily fixed, barely an inconvenience...
Posted by: Don Q at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (NgKpN)

Fell Beasts are TIGHT

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:11 PM (xJa6I)

390 no the whole "eagles could have flown him in" has no validity. Its idiotic and the kind of thing people who really haven't read the books comes up with to mock the books. The eagles were powerful enough against a few goblins but were no match for the ringwraiths, let alone Sauron in his kingdom. They would have been instantly killed along with the goblins and the ring recovered. Stupid idea.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at D

so the problem is that the whole book is stupid.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 02:11 PM (MTjB1)

391 witnessed Don Jr discuss Trump Tower meeting with his father, but then backed off that later

===

right, the meeting with foreign nationals that was set up by team hillary.

but that's different colluding with foreigners to jaxx our democracy

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:11 PM (7J5t2)

392 Why didn't Harry Potter just cast a spell and wish Frodo to his destination?

One does not simply wish Frodo to his destination.

Posted by: Boromir at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (H7LIz)

393 Frankly, Tom Bombadil was a pointless side trip that the books would have not missed at all. Yes, it was a way of explaining why the Shire was largely protected and yes, it saved the hobbits from the Wights, but seriously, there were other ways of handling it than a sidestep into daffy hippy land and plunking a super powerful being that simply decides to do nothing about the rising evil right in the middle of the world.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (39g3+)

394 Gandalf (Olorin) was coeval with Sauron, both were Maiar.

Not all Maiar are equally powerful. Gandalf defeated a Balrog, who was also Maiar.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (9qZ3S)

395 >>> Two hours til the vote is reported (via bbc).

Awesome! Plenty of time for the podcast then.

*runs to Drift Compatible*

Posted by: LizLem at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (hvf9s)

396 This is all horseshit! I can't believe after what happened to Scooter Libby that we're right back to this character assassination crap. Fucking Sandy Berger didn't spend a nanosecond in custody, and he destroyed primary classified information.

Posted by: Concerned People's Front, Boofing Chapter at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (NjJUT)

397 Concerned about the ny ag, letitia james, who pretty much explained her vocation and avocation being to put PT's kids in prison after she steals his wealth.
Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (1Zh0U)

This is where the DOJ needs to get involved. Fine, send her a sternly worded letter, but make it public that she is to follow the law. That targeting political figures for harassment and threatening them is illegal and she will be dealt with accordingly, including possibly being removed from office.

We cannot have a legal system where prosecutors get to target public figures because they don't like their politics.

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (L/94n)

398 unless Tom Bombadil is explained in the Simarillion or another set of JRRT's notes, who cares. Beregeron had a bigger impact on things.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (7J5t2)

399 Where could a fellow find a fell beast today? I know Bill Clinton found one but are there any others around?

Posted by: Northernlurker, but call me Teem at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (MkcN1)

400 If Tom Bombadil is a sign of hope, I'd rather work for Sauron. "Hey dol! Merry dol!" FFS.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (Wj6hd)

401

Cuck Schemer didn't want to rotate his head 45 degrees to the right and look the President in the eye yesterday because he didn't want his silly bald head to be on camera.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (/OSN/)

402 Anybody know a good lawyer?

https://tinyurl.com/y8znw7hz

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (cqNba)

403 I tell all the ladies that my cod is Maiar.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (BBhgz)

404 You could use the cloud cover. No one would even notice the eagles if they flew high enough. They had to be in close proximity anyways to rescue Frodo and Sam.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sure. Just barrel-roll and toss Frodo and Sam's hypoxic little corpses right into Mount Doom's pussy.

I'm not criticizing, mind you. I'd watch that scene over and over.

Posted by: Hooray for Boobies at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (SOgjZ)

405 Late to the thread. And appears that I am missing an interesting LOTR conversation/discussion among the Horde. Darn.

Posted by: SteveOReno , I proudly self-identify as a Moron at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (2sCft)

406 Am I . . . uhhh. . . Gerge W. Stroke. . . president. . . yet?

Posted by: Nancy Pelosi at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (H7LIz)

407 The Maiars invented soccer by kicking their defeated enemies heads around Tenochtitlan.

Posted by: mikeyG at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (LL1Be)

408 so the problem is that the whole book is stupid.

No, the problem is people ignorant of the books and hostile toward fantasy don't care to read them but feel the need to mock and deride what they don't like.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (39g3+)

409 397 Concerned about the ny ag, letitia james, who pretty much explained her vocation and avocation being to put PT's kids in prison after she steals his wealth.
Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 02:08 PM (1Zh0U)

This is where the DOJ needs to get involved. Fine, send her a sternly worded letter, but make it public that she is to follow the law. That targeting political figures for harassment and threatening them is illegal and she will be dealt with accordingly, including possibly being removed from office.

=====

well, one, this is state v federal

but, two, it seems like this chick said she's going to violate folks civil rights based on poltiical differences, which would be a 1983 (er 1981) civil rights violation which, sadly, doesn't get applied against democrats.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (7J5t2)

410 378, There will be no indictment unless Trump is impeached and removed or after he leaves office. Pretty solid OLC opinion on that and all of the current AGs have held that opinion. Precedent was that Nixon was listed as an unindicted co conspirator in the Watergate investigations as those prosecutors concluded that they lacked the ability to indict a sitting president. Starr, even under the independent counsel law, did not do so with Clinton and guess who was on his team (Kavanaugh).

Posted by: whig at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (ROzyM)

411 Dragon Magazine back in the 1980s claimed Gandalf was a 5th level character. But if that were true he'd be able to cast invisibility. Unless you think he's a Paladin instead of a Wizard.

Posted by: Broseidon Czar of the Brocean at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (zt1Ym)

412 406 Am I . . . uhhh. . . Gerge W. Stroke. . . president. . . yet?
Posted by: Nancy Pelosi

=-====

ok, THAT was funny.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (7J5t2)

413 Haters gonna hate.

I'm off to lunch and get dog food.

BBL

Don't burn anything down we might miss later. That includes Tom Bombadil.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (xJa6I)

414 Colin Kaepernik spiked the ball into my hippocampus.

Posted by: DOCTOR Chrissy BlaseyFord, SI Mag at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (786Ro)

415 Not all Maiar are equally powerful. Gandalf defeated a Balrog, who was also Maiar.

That was kind of a push, but Gandalf was brought back by the equivalent of God. They both died.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (39g3+)

416 397, that has been the NY AG's role in recent years is to target those viewed as threats to the Dem. party and to coverup any investigation of such.

Posted by: whig at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (ROzyM)

417
you don't get two birds of a feather without a cat in a hat
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all!

The pellet with the poison's in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (aKsyK)

418

Lord of the Rings is kinda stupid because they're ALL KINDZZZ of Magic in the story....except for getting the Ring to the lava pit or whatever.

They literally had to crawl to get there.

Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (/OSN/)

419 The Maiars invented soccer by kicking their defeated enemies heads around Tenochtitlan.

Posted by: mikeyG at D

which was ultimately their undoing when neighboring tribes attacked and they were unable to defend themselves because they all had broken feet from kicking heads.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (MTjB1)

420 398 unless Tom Bombadil is explained in the Simarillion or another set of JRRT's notes, who cares. Beregeron had a bigger impact on things.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (7J5t2)
===

I don't recall Tom Beregeron being in any of Tolkien's works

Posted by: Augustune at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (BDZWU)

421 @397
I just sent a sternly worded email to the NY GOP to stand the F up and take a position on this.
I'm sure they will respond by soliciting a donation.

Posted by: xnycpeasant at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (koNhm)

422 Why does Cohen get three months off before he heads to prison in March?

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (L/94n)

423 Precedent was that Nixon was listed as an unindicted co conspirator in the Watergate investigations as those prosecutors concluded that they lacked the ability to indict a sitting president.

More accurately, they realized that the process to indict a sitting president is called "impeachment" and is given a strict constitutional process.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (39g3+)

424 Copying this from bbc:

So far, 174 Tory MPs have publicly said they will vote for her, with 34 publicly against, according to BBC research. She needs to secure the votes of 159 MPs to survive.

If Mrs May wins the confidence vote she cannot be challenged as Conservative leader for at least another year.

If she does not win the vote there would then be a Conservative leadership contest in which she could not stand.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-46535739

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (+ZMGe)

425 382 And no the whole "eagles could have flown him in" has no validity. Its idiotic and the kind of thing people who really haven't read the books comes up with to mock the books. The eagles were powerful enough against a few goblins but were no match for the ringwraiths, let alone Sauron in his kingdom. They would have been instantly killed along with the goblins and the ring recovered. Stupid idea.
Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (39g3+)

If they can intercept them. That is far from certain. Again, there is no evidence they were using the flying beasts until they appear on The Two Towers.

Posted by: Eeyore, fomerly George LeS at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (VaN/j)

426
That was my thinking. The guy who had his own TV show, knowing how to use TV?

Because lefties refuse to believe that Trump is anything but a buffoon. I brought that same point up with a lefty neighbor and she insisted he was only successful on TV because great writers and producers were feeding him things to say.

Posted by: Flawless Male Logic at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (TAmPV)

427 Editing audio "tapes" these days is so easy that even children can do it quite easily.

First of all, very very very few devices use actual magnetic "tapes" anymore. Everything is now recorded digitally. (And even if it wasn't recorded digitally, it dead-simple to "play the tape" and record the sound digitally, and thus get a digital file anyway.)

Once you have that digital file, just put it into any sound-editing app (and there innumerable free ones, in addition to "pro" ones), where you can visually see the sound waves on a time-graph - -at which point you can rearrange the sound-waves to make them be in any order you want.

If you have a digital recording of someone saying, "I am not a number, I am a free man!", you could effortlessly change it to say "I am a number, not a free man!" with about two minutes of effort, or even change it to say "Free not number man I a a a number man freeeee!" or anything you want.

The only trick part is background noise, and intra-sentence intonations - -which word the speaker is emphasizing, and how much the elide words together (slurring). But with enough verbiage in the recording, you usually have a huge "database" of words and sounds said by the speaker, said in all different intonations, which you plug in wherever you need them.

Even I, with minimal computer skills, was able to edit sound recordings this way with almost no training.

Short version: Digital sound recordings basically prove nothing, because they can easily be faked and altered.

Posted by: zombie at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (c+2jX)

428 The Bombadil sidetrip did end up equipping the hobbits with those barrow blades though, which were fancy work of the Westernese (or whatever their name was), which allowed whichever hobbit it was to injure the witchking when it fought Eowyn. You could have got that to the hobbits some other way, but the one did need that blade plotwise.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (Wj6hd)

429 Lord of the Rings is kinda stupid because they're ALL KINDZZZ of Magic in the story....except for getting the Ring to the lava pit or whatever.

Again, someone who didn't read the book so commenting because "fantasy is for fags lolz"

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (39g3+)

430 Why didn't Harry Potter just cast a spell and wish Frodo to his destination?
Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (/OSN/)

Because Spock ponfarred him senseless.

Posted by: flounder, rebel, vulgarian, deplorable, winner at December 12, 2018 02:16 PM (t6MX/)

431 408
so the problem is that the whole book is stupid.

No, the problem is people ignorant of the books and hostile toward
fantasy don't care to read them but feel the need to mock and deride
what they don't like.

Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (39g3+)
Dude, you sound like me, you were probably a Tolkien groupie before it was cool to be a Tolkien groupy.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:17 PM (37IEG)

432 Flying Eagle tastes like chicken. The trick is to not dry it out.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 02:17 PM (BBhgz)

433
Late to the thread. And appears that I am missing an interesting LOTR conversation/discussion among the Horde. Darn.

Posted by: SteveOReno , I proudly self-identify as a Moron at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM

♫ Lay down your sweet and weary head. The night is falling you have come to journey's end. ♫

Posted by: Newest Nic at December 12, 2018 02:18 PM (jYje5)

434 That was kind of a push, but Gandalf was brought back by the equivalent of God.

Except he didn't exactly come back. He wasn't happy fun Grey Gandalf anymore, he was really pissy White Gandalf.

Which is what is supposed to happen when you come back from the dead. It's explained by the Lazarus Pit in Batman.

Jon Snow has come back from the dead and is so far showing no signs of it. I call bullshit.

Posted by: Bander, proctoring a test at December 12, 2018 02:18 PM (WZG6Y)

435 If Tom Bombadil is a sign of hope, I'd rather work for Sauron.

Goldberry was a rape slave!

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:18 PM (9qZ3S)

436 LotR doesn't really have any high level magic at all. The super duper impressive thing that the ring does is a low level spell in most other high fantasy.

Posted by: Broseidon Czar of the Brocean at December 12, 2018 02:18 PM (zt1Ym)

437 30 Why didn't Harry Potter just cast a spell and wish Frodo to his destination?
Posted by: Soothsayer -- Fake Commenter at December 12, 2018 02:09 PM (/OSN/)

Because Spock ponfarred him senseless.

===

and sauron could have cast "axxio ring"

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:18 PM (7J5t2)

438 The hope is too would Trump politically so that he loses in 2020 or is ineffective in a second term.

That's where this begins and ends. The rest are parlor games.

Posted by: Marcus T at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (vJTlZ)

439 397 This is where the DOJ needs to get involved. Fine, send her a sternly worded letter, but make it public that she is to follow the law. That targeting political figures for harassment and threatening them is illegal and she will be dealt with accordingly, including possibly being removed from office.

We cannot have a legal system where prosecutors get to target public figures because they don't like their politics.
Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:12 PM (L/94n)

Too bad we can't do some "investigating" of our own. Wonder if she has any family members who would not do well w a lot of close review? I think that is one reason Gillum lost in FL. His brother and sister were both voting in multiple states (especially his brother) and on top of Gillum's own problems w illegalities, it sunk him, despite Soros and Steyer money.

Posted by: Ever at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (1Zh0U)

440 when you have to continually explain why something is not stupid you should consider that ti is stupid.

Posted by: yankeefifth at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (MTjB1)

441 Haters gonna hate.

I'm off to lunch and get dog food.

BBL

Don't get those mixed up!

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (ftdxp)

442 Because Spock ponfarred him senseless.

Baby, it's sub-inhabitable kelvin out there.

Posted by: Spock at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (H7LIz)

443 nood women's march

Posted by: m at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (+ZMGe)

444 >>No, the problem is people ignorant of the books and hostile toward fantasy don't care to read them but feel the need to mock and deride what they don't like. Posted by: Christopher R Taylor at December 12, 2018 02:13 PM (39g3+)

Your lunch money. You will give it to Zod, now.

Posted by: Zod at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (Bdeb0)

445 I'm not really a huge Tolkien fan, but I'm a huge Gygax/D&D fan, and even if he claims otherwise, he was hugely influenced by Tolkien.

Posted by: Broseidon Czar of the Brocean at December 12, 2018 02:19 PM (zt1Ym)

446 Gandalf the grey v the white.

different wizards had different colors that gave them different jobs.

he went from researcher, minor fireworks guy to a new job. not quite sure cause he didn't do nothing else.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (7J5t2)

447 The Constitution is pretty clear that standards of justice are much lower for anyone named Donald Trump. Based on testimony (CNN reports) that I've reviewed, Donald Trump is hereby ordered to resign and report for sentencing.

Posted by: Hawaiian Judge at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (YtbXK)

448
Short version: Digital sound recordings basically prove nothing, because they can easily be faked and altered.
Posted by: zombie

Here's a good example:

https://youtu.be/x9dkgOZhKQk

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (aKsyK)

449 Nood. Women's March.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (ycWCI)

450 Flying Eagle tastes like chicken. The trick is to not dry it out.
Posted by: Del Wilkes

Shove a beer can up it's butt.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (ftdxp)

451 I'm not really a huge Tolkien fan, but I'm a huge Gygax/D&D fan, and even if he claims otherwise, he was hugely influenced by Tolkien.

===

and Greta Van Fleet never heard of Led zepplin

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (7J5t2)

452 Nood Sansour the Louse

Posted by: Boots at December 12, 2018 02:20 PM (e9omi)

453 Tolkein only wrote Lord of the Rings as a way to justify having spent so many years inventing an otherwise pointless and useless elf-language. Seriously. It's just a big linguistic exercise.

Posted by: zombie at December 12, 2018 02:21 PM (c+2jX)

454 LotR doesn't really have any high level magic at all. The super duper impressive thing that the ring does is a low level spell in most other high fantasy.
Posted by: Broseidon Czar of the Brocean

it was explained that both before and during the war of the Ring that use of the rings was heightened by the ones using it. They were supposed to be things in which powers had been implanted (as well as the chance for enslavement).

Posted by: Blue Hen at December 12, 2018 02:21 PM (nEOLy)

455 but, two, it seems like this chick said she's going to violate folks civil rights based on poltiical differences, which would be a 1983 (er 1981) civil rights violation which, sadly, doesn't get applied against democrats.
Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:14 PM (7J5t2)

State AG's are sworn to uphold their state and federal laws as they also are sworn to uphold the constitution. This twit is threatening a sitting president not living in her state. And his adult children, one of whom is part of his administration and all of whom are under SS protection. The DOJ has jurisdiction to pursue charges against her which could result in her removal.

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:22 PM (L/94n)

456 Its been observed several times already that there is not in fact a good explanation why the eagles couldn't have been used over various stretches or at specific points in time, without being otherwise inconsistent(Sauron's ability to detect the ring, nazgul not using their flying mounts needing to return to Mordor to play air patrol[not to mention needing to be aware of this before the eagles hit the Mordor border while faffing about in the Shire]).

In order to block an air deployment Sauron would've needed to know it was being attempted, and he didn't even have the volcano garrisoned. Assuming Sauron could've detected the ring within a certain range implies the actual successful plan was daft in the first place and succeeded through dumb luck, but even if he could, much of the dangerous land trek was clearly unnecessary. There's no need to go all strike team until within whatever arbitrary detection radius the eagles can't pass through.

Posted by: Someguy at December 12, 2018 02:23 PM (h5Df3)

457 Tolkein only wrote Lord of the Rings as a way to justify having spent so many years inventing an otherwise pointless and useless elf-language. Seriously. It's just a big linguistic exercise.

===

he said as much. but he was probably being modest.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:23 PM (7J5t2)

458 No Chris,
The OLC opinion used the Nixon case and the special counsel's opinion as precedent. The problem constitutionally is that the President is the fount of executive power and that includes supervision of the power to prosecute. In the old ways, it was that the king can do no wrong--thus must be replaced via a political process resulting in abdication.

Impeachment was used off and on for centuries in Great Britain to remove king's officers because they could not remove the king constitutionally. The Long Parliament under Cromwell did that but that is viewed as an aberration legally speaking. Note that Edward was forced to abdicate in order to marry Ms. Simpson.

Posted by: whig at December 12, 2018 02:23 PM (ROzyM)

459 422 Why does Cohen get three months off before he heads to prison in March?

Posted by: Jen the original at December 12, 2018 02:15 PM (L/94n)
************
Well it's not like he actually did anything wrong unless you're a fan of the IRS.

Posted by: torabora at December 12, 2018 02:23 PM (cjJ09)

460 That was kind of a push, but Gandalf was brought back by the equivalent of God. They both died.

Yeah, but Galdalf still made the Balrog his bitch, and I didn't see Eru resurrect the Balrog.

Posted by: bonhomme at December 12, 2018 02:24 PM (9qZ3S)

461 Lord of the Cock Ring was much better.

Posted by: Del Wilkes at December 12, 2018 02:24 PM (BBhgz)

462 s much as Tom Bombadil gets bagged on, his purpose is to show that there is something and someone bigger and greater than even the war and the ring. Something good, loving and worth of trust.

Posted by:�Mark Andrew Edwards, buy ammo�at December 12, 2018 02:10 PM (xJa6I)

Really articulate, but I fear it's wrong. Gandalf points out that not even Bombadil can stand up to the full might of Sauron when everything else is conquered. Maybe he's wrong. But to me, Bombadil represents nature and the Old Way: something that existed long before humanity, something that will remain long after men are just fairy tales in books written by rabbits.

Posted by: trev006 at December 12, 2018 02:25 PM (qqEFK)

463 So I'm packin my bags for the women's march thread.
Off to the page where the new thread lies.

Posted by: DamnedYankee at December 12, 2018 02:25 PM (37IEG)

464 Just a reminder that every single criminal in Hillary's syndicate got immunity in return for nothing. Before comey personally gave hillary immunity too.

Posted by: MST3K at December 12, 2018 02:26 PM (9N+85)

465 Just a reminder that every single criminal in Hillary's syndicate got immunity in return for nothing. Before comey personally gave hillary immunity too.

===

right, no reasonable prosecutor would ever see a crime there. but a reasonable prosecutor would investigate the Logan Act.

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 02:28 PM (7J5t2)

466 "Tolkein only wrote Lord of the Rings as a way to justify having spent so
many years inventing an otherwise pointless and useless elf-language.
Seriously. It's just a big linguistic exercise."
Not exactly. Tolkien wrote that he started writing his history of Middle Earth to underpin the languages he was inventing/exploring, because language, he realized, is a record of the history of the people who speak it. It's more like linguistic backstory.
As for Tolklien's exercises being useless, I suppose one could say that, if one ignored the fact that Tolkien was a philologist by trade - that is, someone who studied language. And if one ignores the fact that his escape into "useless" made-languages helped keep him sane during the Battle of the Somme.

Posted by: Brown Line at December 12, 2018 02:28 PM (S6ArX)

467 Liddy went to jail for 4-5 years (and it wasn't some country club - he was doing hard time and they moved him around to shake his tongue loose) and did not squeal on whatever he might have known about Nixon.
Posted by: Bozo Conservative....

His book, Will, should be required reading for Conservatives.

Posted by: Jean at December 12, 2018 02:40 PM (dDNaq)

468 May Jeff Sessions fatally choke on a sausage link. From day 1, his mantra should have been "What would Eric Holder have done for HIS President?"

Posted by: Deep Frozen State at December 12, 2018 02:55 PM (uloIh)

469 Cohen is going on a steady peanut butter diet.

Posted by: Beyond Norman Parameters at December 12, 2018 02:57 PM (LV9xd)

470 LOL, if there were tapes - they would have been leaked already.

They ain't slow playing this.....

Posted by: reality man at December 12, 2018 03:04 PM (xOBRH)

471 In a conspiracy case, you need more than the co-conspirator to validate something like a tape. Cohen has already admitted to lying under oath (to Congress), so he cannot be presented in court as a truth-teller.

They would need a third party to authenticate the tapes.

Trump's lawyers could cross-examine Cohen for weeks along the lines of "Did you lie then or are you lying now?"

Posted by: Molly at December 12, 2018 03:08 PM (YhXpT)

472 So when is Google going to be charged for their corporate Latino get-out-the-vote efforts in key states Democrats needed to win? This in-kind political contribution, documented by internal memos, was never reported, and worth a lot more than anything Cohen handled.

Posted by: Socratease at December 12, 2018 03:14 PM (2GbWn)

473 When Harry met Frodo. Blockbuster.

Posted by: Burger Chef at December 12, 2018 03:16 PM (RuIsu)

474 To: Ace O.S.H. Queue, esq.
Sir:
I collect straws. Kindly refrain from yr desperate grasping at my stock in trade, elst yrs truly or fellow collectors & purveyors of fine straws feel the urge to contact attorneys at law to file and persecute a totes legit claim for the greater of 350,000,000 $U.S. or one million dollars imputined damages for tortuous shenanigans of the RICO type.
Obtuse insulting attorney's letter to follow.
Yrs truly,
Ev R.Y.T.I. Finesteen, LLLP

Posted by: Ev R.Y.T.I. Finesteen at December 12, 2018 03:27 PM (x+yK4)

475 88 The thing they have to prove is that this was done for the purposes of influencing an election, rather than the many other reasons someone would pay off what is essentially a blackmailer -- to spare a repuation, to avoid divorce and hurting the wife, etc.
Posted by: ace

It would have to be exclusively for influencing an election. If he ever paid off any other blackmailing whores in the past that proves the case for him.

As well, say they used campaign funds for the payments. No amount of taped conversations saying it was exclusively to help him win the election so was a legal campaign expenditure would let him get away with it. This is a nothingburger. The court would have to rule that such payments were legal campaign uses which will never happen.

If Trump was on tape saying "We need to make these payments to save my campaign, there's no way I'm getting elected if these ladies start blabbing. Plus my wife will be disappointed in me." He's off the hook.

Plus the hook is almost always imply a fine.

Still a nothingburger.

Posted by: Dirks Strewn at December 12, 2018 03:46 PM (kfcYC)

476 ...but in real court, such documentary evidence need a living witness to testify about how the document was made, why it was made, etc., and most importantly of all, state that the document accurately reflects what was said or what was seen...
...unless it implicates some knuckle-dragger that we want to put away for a few years as a lesson to the rest of them.

The last part was somehow omitted in the original, on the assumption that it does not really need saying, does it?

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at December 12, 2018 04:01 PM (scRg8)

477 You are both right.

There are no tapes that are helpful .

They are hoping he will "remember" something after being in stir for 6 months. And by remember, that could include a scenario that he will have developed sufficient motivation to lie about whatever they want him to lie able.

Your federal law enforcement at work!!!

Its almost as if this were Russia. Is this Russia? This isn't Russia, is it?

Posted by: simplemind at December 12, 2018 04:15 PM (OYTRN)

478 And if one ignores the fact that his escape into "useless" made-languages helped keep him sane during the Battle of the Somme.
====
Also ignoring the gigundus piles of money created by said story, and the fact that said story is an enduring work of literature in the canon of western civilization. Which , if you ask me, and you didn't, is a ridiculous amount of ignoring.

Posted by: simplemind at December 12, 2018 04:19 PM (TN3ry)

479 The thing they have to prove is that this was done for the purposes of influencing an election, rather than the many other reasons someone would pay off what is essentially a blackmailer -- to spare a repuation, to avoid divorce and hurting the wife, etc.

===

I'm reading the laws and regulations right now but "influencing" language seems to be what defines an organization not an activity. A PAC is an org to influence, get it? I'm trying to figure out this expenses thing but it's things like

1. polling
2. transpo
3. ads

which is what Dan Backer's been saying.

basically, mueller's SDNY goons are misreading the law like a twitter user

Posted by: billionaires! At the bottom of it all! at December 12, 2018 04:37 PM (7J5t2)

480 99 Donald needs to learn to keep it in his pants.
Orange Man is Bad.

He should practice pronouncing the pronoun I as Aah. Problem solved... instant immunity.

Posted by: Ray Van Dune at December 12, 2018 08:14 PM (scRg8)

481 After today's courthouse footage I'm almost shocked Ace never made Cohen's daughter one of the Ace of Spades Dream Girl of the Year contenders.

Posted by: Rbastid at December 12, 2018 08:37 PM (6fodn)

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