nobody has ever loved crimes more https://t.co/LwR2xyBucs
— Zeddy (@Zeddary) February 5, 2019
Remember all those stories about the immense sums that somehow leaked away during the preparations for Trump’s extremely underwhelming inauguration? How “The bill from the Trump International Hotel was more than $1.5 million. And there was a documentary, overseen by a close friend of Melania Trump’s, that was ultimately abandoned…. “?
Well, it may not technically be illegal to throw money at one’s cronies — or at least it might be hard to document — but the rules about who gets to donate those funds are strict. Per the Washington Post:
… Only U.S. citizens and legal residents can legally donate to a committee established to finance presidential inaugural festivities…
The subpoena also specifically seeks all communications with one donor, Los Angeles venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi, as well as the firm with which he is affiliated, Avenue Ventures. The company donated $900,000 to the inaugural committee, records show…
Trump’s inaugural committee raised a record $107 million to fund events and parties surrounding his assumption of office in January 2017, more than twice the amount raised to fund President Barack Obama’s inaugural in 2009.
Contributions were made by a wide array of corporate interests and wealthy Trump supporters, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission…The request for documents, which was first reported by ABC News, is a sign of another widening legal headache for Trump, whose business, personal charitable foundation and campaign are all under investigation by state and federal authorities.
The document indicates that prosecutors are investigating crimes related to conspiracy to defraud the United States, mail fraud, false statements, wire fraud, and money laundering.
The subpoena seeks information related to broad topics, including information about benefits provided to top donors, training documents for fundraisers, and information related to any payments made directly by donors to vendors.
Fitting that he’s been investigated for shady dealings on behalf of Sri Lanka under the previous president, bc Trump’s mix of ethno-nationalism, corruption, & nepotism is similar to that of Rajapaksa and his family. https://t.co/U1k7h7rCFx
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) February 5, 2019
Also worth noting that China’s influence over Sri Lanka has been increasing significantly over the last few years.
— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) February 5, 2019
I’m intrigued by the decision by the inaugural committee (and whoever is representing it) to share the details of this subpoena with so many reporters. https://t.co/aZAauvWzJI
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) February 5, 2019
2/ This suggests that the investigation is still at a very early stage. The subpoena appears to be wide ranging, and it could take months for the inaugural committee to comply. I expect prosecutors to issue additional subpoenas to come, and to interview witnesses thereafter.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 5, 2019
4/ That last piece is important. While it is always illegal for foreigners to contribute to federal campaigns and for Americans to accept those contributions, it is only a *crime* if it is done with the knowledge that the foreign contributions were illegal.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 5, 2019
5/ This indicates that there is some evidence of foreign contributions to the Trump inauguration and that federal prosecutors are working to build potential criminal charges against individuals who knowingly accepted those contributions.
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) February 5, 2019
Notable that this subpoena is coming out of the same district that prosecuted Michael Cohen rather than out of Mueller's office.
Reminder: Cohen was the RNC Finance Co-chair and is still cooperating in the hopes of further reducing his sentence… He has dirt on the money trail. https://t.co/GwUwAQKfhR
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) February 5, 2019
What does it say when a President can’t even get through his Inauguration Day without a whiff of corruption?
— Schooley (@Rschooley) February 5, 2019
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Inauguration Day hell, I think it was literally the day after the election they doubled the membership fees at Mar-A-Lago, and wasn’t it some time in December the Fredos tried to set up a “charity” that more or less advertised selling access to the POTUS?
NotMax
“Contributions.”
More like bribes and extortion payments.
?BillinGlendaleCA
He’s a crook.
Mary G
I don’t think the president has gotten through a day in his life without doing something corrupt.
Yutsano
@?BillinGlendaleCA: So…the Nixon tattoo on Roger Sone’s back needs to make room?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
some good news to end the day:
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Yutsano: Don’t think the prison tat guys are that good.
Jay
https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2018/12/saudi-arabia-recruited-darfur-children-fight-yemen-nyt-181229111259452.html
So child soldiers from Darfur, not just al-Quida are Sawdi ground forces in Yemen.
Jay
“Blackwater founder’s Hong Kong firm signs Xinjiang training camp deal
Erik Prince ‘unaware’ of deal in region where up to a million Uighurs are reportedly held in detention camps”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/01/blackwater-founder-erik-prince-to-build-training-camp-in-chinas-xinjiang
burnspbesq
Time to brush up on the so-called “Klein conspiracy” doctrine.
https://www.lawfareblog.com/about-russia-indictment-robert-muellers-legal-theory-and-where-it-takes-him-next
Amir Khalid
Q:
A: The lack of surprise only shows that everyone already knew the fucker was corrupt to the bone.
Aleta
Here’s a good thread, about the wall, in answer to an insincere, condescending (uninformed) Congressman, Dan Crenshaw.
https://twitter.com/juliettekayyem/status/1092526180920709120
(He failed when he tried to be smarter than AOC too.)
I wonder if someone on his staff is feeding him this stuff or if he’s thinking it up on his own.
Villago Delenda Est
@Jay: Bullshit.
Aleta
@Jay: Saudis, Al Qaeda, Yemen
Jay
@Villago Delenda Est:
Bullshit that The Evil Prince is unaware,
Or Bullshit that The Evil Prince is working for China,
Or Bullshit as an expression of invectment of living in the era of Needy Amin?
Jay
@Aleta:
Iranian support for the Ansruallah alliance is mostly moral and political.
There’s a 24/7 naval blocaide against Yemen that prevents even food and medicine getting in,
I doubt that US Military Technology is getting out.
But the US MSM has to “both sides”,
Do they breed for that trait?
Jay
@Aleta:
BTdub’s, the BBC revealed two years ago that the Sawdi’s/UAE were arming, paying and training AQAP to act as infantry in Yemen.
Villago Delenda Est
@Jay: The “unaware” part.
The entire DeVos clan needs to be early in the tumbrel parade.
Jay
@Villago Delenda Est:
Buttload of autoworkers gonna need gainfull employment soon.
Can they make tumbrels?
sukabi
@Jay: guillotines could be the interim project.
rikyrah
The only two media outlets who have been consistently on the Inauguration Slush Fund have been USA Today and Maddow. The rest of them ignored the $50 million + slush fund aspect. They couldn’t be bothered.??
trnc
Frankly, nothing we didn’t know already.
SFAW
That the Traitor-in-Chief doesn’t like change?
jonas
Funny how right out of the gate everyone just assumed Trump’s new administration was a total racket and started ponying up for the inaugural committee.
Skepticat
@Yutsano:
This one will be positioned considerably lower.
Raoul
The $25M Three Doors Down concert is looking really suspect.
Obama’s concert cost 1/5th that amount! And he had actual talent at his.
Boris, Rasputin's Evil Twin
@Raoul: Obama also had actual talent in his administration as well. I detect a pattern
J R in WV
@Raoul:
Oh, come on now!!! Surely you aren't suggesting that overpaying for an act for your biggest party ever is a criminal act???
/s