SPYGATE; SMOKING GUN

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 4, 2018 10:57:34 GMT -5 Opti said:

Trump and Rudi have become delusional. They act more like residents of a locked ward dementia unit than knowledgeable public servants.

Clinton / Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos is a genius. And you're seeing it today just like you saw it in 2012 when he successfully planted the idea that Mitt Romney somehow posed a threat to women's access to contraceptives. 

And please don't misunderstand me: George IS a genius. He's one of the smartest people in politics I've ever seen (possible exceptions for James Carville and Karl Rove, though the latter two didn't have the savvy to work undercover posing as journalists.

It's a bullshit question. Rudi should have known better. 

The question was asked to plant the idea that Trump has done something, or is being accused of doing something for which he might need to "pardon himself". Of course there's nothing- but the question was brilliantly designed to plant the idea there was-- and what can I say except that yet another dopey Republican fell for the cleverly laid Democrat trap.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 4, 2018 12:15:52 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Jun 4, 2018 11:53:05 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

After all, if they did set up a sting to 'catch' Trump Jr being treasonous on June 2016, why the hell didn't they leak that tasty morsel to the press BEFORE the election? Or better yet, trot out the traitor Comey to give a press conference to discuss the Trump Jr meeting, if they're the ones who set up the meeting?

Unlike Paul, I'm not convinced the agency actors were the ones to set up the sting. Even if they were, I don't believe they were bound by any timeline except possibly Pres. Trump's inauguration.

All I know is that if the timeline is accurate, I can't think of any plausible reason for the lawyer to meet with Fusion GPS (of all people on Earth) before and after the meeting in the tower that doesn't involve skullduggery. If you want to believe it's a fantastic coincidence, I can't disprove this.

There are many examples, too numerous to even remember, let alone post here, of fantastic coincidences. That's precisely why I believe the agency actors were the ones to set up the sting- starting with Halper, possibly Carter Page-- but there were several more spies embedded in the Trump campaign.

If you're paying attention, you're starting to see frantic positioning ahead of the release of the I.G.'s first report on the corrupt handling of the Clinton email investigation. 

The OP is effectively established. We can see what the whole puzzle looks like now- we don't need to scour the house, or look under our chairs, or the dining room buffet for those last few pieces to know what's going on.

[Opti]

Jun 4, 2018 12:30:59 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Jun 4, 2018 12:10:58 GMT -5 Opti said:

Virgil, you obviously interpret posts very differently than I do. While I see people opining Trump must be in trouble because of what he's doing, I see no any minute now stuff that you seem to see.

Comments like, "The more somebody posts, the more I know that Mr. Trump is in deep doo doo.", "I gauge the amount of shit Trump is stepping in based on his tweets.", "As the temp gradually increases the frog doesn't realize he is being cooked alive until it is too late.", etc.

The "any minute now" is more a reflection of the fact that we've seen these same comments for the past 18 months.

There hasn't been a solitary month where Pres. Trump hasn't been up to his eyeballs in angry tweets. He seems to revel in it. If we include the election, we've accumulated 2.5 years of evidence that the man's successes and setbacks aren't correlated with the fervency of his twitting and tweeting.

So in other words, that 'any minute now' assertion is really your interpretation of what you are reading. Ok...

I disagree on the tweeting. Trump definitely tweets to distract and when he is feeling under pressure. It is a reasonable gauge of how secure or insecure he is feeling at the moment. Things will happen when they happen. Most of the non RW posters seem to be willing to wait.

[Opti]

Jun 4, 2018 12:41:31 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Jun 4, 2018 10:57:34 GMT -5 Opti said:

Trump and Rudi have become delusional. They act more like residents of a locked ward dementia unit than knowledgeable public servants.

Clinton / Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos is a genius. And you're seeing it today just like you saw it in 2012 when he successfully planted the idea that Mitt Romney somehow posed a threat to women's access to contraceptives. 

And please don't misunderstand me: George IS a genius. He's one of the smartest people in politics I've ever seen (possible exceptions for James Carville and Karl Rove, though the latter two didn't have the savvy to work undercover posing as journalists.

It's a bullshit question. Rudi should have known better. 

The question was asked to plant the idea that Trump has done something, or is being accused of doing something for which he might need to "pardon himself". Of course there's nothing- but the question was brilliantly designed to plant the idea there was-- and what can I say except that yet another dopey Republican fell for the cleverly laid Democrat trap.

Stop pretending you have a clue as to what I thought in 2012 or any other time. I'd be surprised if I personally opined on Romney and BC at all.

You can post what you want, but last July Trump opined on this pardoning himself BS. If he's really as brilliant as you say, why can't the man just say nothing?

[Tennesseer]

Jun 4, 2018 13:07:34 GMT -5 Opti said:

Jun 4, 2018 12:41:31 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Clinton / Democratic operative George Stephanopoulos is a genius. And you're seeing it today just like you saw it in 2012 when he successfully planted the idea that Mitt Romney somehow posed a threat to women's access to contraceptives. 

And please don't misunderstand me: George IS a genius. He's one of the smartest people in politics I've ever seen (possible exceptions for James Carville and Karl Rove, though the latter two didn't have the savvy to work undercover posing as journalists.

It's a bullshit question. Rudi should have known better. 

The question was asked to plant the idea that Trump has done something, or is being accused of doing something for which he might need to "pardon himself". Of course there's nothing- but the question was brilliantly designed to plant the idea there was-- and what can I say except that yet another dopey Republican fell for the cleverly laid Democrat trap.

Stop pretending you have a clue as to what I thought in 2012 or any other time. I'd be surprised if I personally opined on Romney and BC at all.

You can post what you want, but last July Trump opined on this pardoning himself BS. If he's really as brilliant as you say, why can't the man just say nothing?

'Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt.'

[tallguy]

There has been no doubt for a long time.  The man is a fool.  I just wish he were not so dedicated to proving it.

[kadee79]

    Mine are Snickers Minis! 

[happyhoix]

Jun 4, 2018 12:30:59 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Jun 4, 2018 12:10:58 GMT -5 Opti said:

Virgil, you obviously interpret posts very differently than I do. While I see people opining Trump must be in trouble because of what he's doing, I see no any minute now stuff that you seem to see.

Comments like, "The more somebody posts, the more I know that Mr. Trump is in deep doo doo.", "I gauge the amount of shit Trump is stepping in based on his tweets.", "As the temp gradually increases the frog doesn't realize he is being cooked alive until it is too late.", etc.

The "any minute now" is more a reflection of the fact that we've seen these same comments for the past 18 months.

There hasn't been a solitary month where Pres. Trump hasn't been up to his eyeballs in angry tweets. He seems to revel in it. If we include the election, we've accumulated 2.5 years of evidence that the man's successes and setbacks aren't correlated with the fervency of his twitting and tweeting.

My comment about Trump's tweets is just referencing his pattern of setting off a flurry of tweets either right before he fires someone or in advance of doing something he knows will bring a backlash from the GOP, in an effort to stave off criticism before he does something stupid.

Since he and his minions (like Rudi) have started tweeting that it's perfectly legal to pardon himself, and since he knows such an act will cause the GOP to rouse itself a bit and bitch about it, I'm guessing he's planning to pull that card out of his hat, should things go to hell.

I'm not predicting when exactly things will go to hell for him. Things seem to be on a downward slide, but as low as we go, we still manage to go a little lower, so I would expect we'll continue on for a while longer. Hopefully we hold out until the 2020 election, when we can boot him out of office, write all the history books to explain what the hell just happened, and move forward.

[happyhoix]

Jun 4, 2018 12:15:52 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Jun 4, 2018 11:53:05 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

After all, if they did set up a sting to 'catch' Trump Jr being treasonous on June 2016, why the hell didn't they leak that tasty morsel to the press BEFORE the election? Or better yet, trot out the traitor Comey to give a press conference to discuss the Trump Jr meeting, if they're the ones who set up the meeting?

Unlike Paul, I'm not convinced the agency actors were the ones to set up the sting. Even if they were, I don't believe they were bound by any timeline except possibly Pres. Trump's inauguration.

All I know is that if the timeline is accurate, I can't think of any plausible reason for the lawyer to meet with Fusion GPS (of all people on Earth) before and after the meeting in the tower that doesn't involve skullduggery. If you want to believe it's a fantastic coincidence, I can't disprove this.

What would be the point of the sting if it wasn't dramatically revealed at just the right moment - like two weeks prior to the general election? Any competent dark hat/black star conspiracy worth a damn would have done it then - not a year after it happened. So either they're so useless they blew a fabulous chance to keep Trump from getting elected, or there is no conspiracy.

As for why the lawyer met with Fusion GPS, I can think of lots of more realistic reasons why Russia would send their lawyer minion to GPS. Trying to find out what information GPS had collected, for one thing, to see if Russia was at risk of having their dirty tricks exposed. Maybe get her to threaten a little bit, to try to get GPS to back off. Maybe try to offer GPS fake data in the hopes they would pass it along to the FBI as potentially good intel.  Maybe Russia hires GPS to do work for them sometimes, or maybe the Russia lawyer works for them (or has offered to work for them). Leaping to the conclusion that she must have gone there as part of this big black heart/dark hole world wide conspiracy is one of the less likely scenarios, I think.

[happyhoix]

Jun 4, 2018 12:28:55 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Jun 4, 2018 12:15:52 GMT -5 Virgil Showlion said:

Unlike Paul, I'm not convinced the agency actors were the ones to set up the sting. Even if they were, I don't believe they were bound by any timeline except possibly Pres. Trump's inauguration.

All I know is that if the timeline is accurate, I can't think of any plausible reason for the lawyer to meet with Fusion GPS (of all people on Earth) before and after the meeting in the tower that doesn't involve skullduggery. If you want to believe it's a fantastic coincidence, I can't disprove this.

ANOTHER story just blew up.

George Papadopoulos was NOT "drunk" and "blabbing". This story is no longer operative. 

We now know the SOURCE of the Russian emails (which occurred OUTSIDE normal State Department channels) was Austrailian Ambassador, Alexander Downer. 

DOH! Screwed again! 

This is a very serious matter, and the rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth hate-filled anti-Trump maniacs had better take a giant step back from the ledge and stop this assault on the legitimacy of elections just because they're upset that they lost.

So do you have a journalistic source to back that claim up?

Not CTH or some stock broker's back pages or the Fox news comments section, actual NEWS source.

[djAdvocate]

Jun 4, 2018 14:53:33 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

Jun 4, 2018 12:28:55 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

ANOTHER story just blew up.

George Papadopoulos was NOT "drunk" and "blabbing". This story is no longer operative. 

We now know the SOURCE of the Russian emails (which occurred OUTSIDE normal State Department channels) was Austrailian Ambassador, Alexander Downer. 

DOH! Screwed again! 

This is a very serious matter, and the rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth hate-filled anti-Trump maniacs had better take a giant step back from the ledge and stop this assault on the legitimacy of elections just because they're upset that they lost.

So do you have a journalistic source to back that claim up?

Not CTH or some stock broker's back pages or the Fox news comments section, actual NEWS source.

you know, they actually offer DEGREES in this thing called JOURNALISM?  whacky, right?

you know, they do this so that people entering the field will understand that they have STANDARDS to uphold.  that among these standards is to VERIFY SOURCES, and to CHECK FACTS.  they also take classes in this thing called ETHICS, where they learn how to stand up for PRINCIPLES, even when it differs with their opinion.  this is the sort of thing that limits the influence of BIAS to the point where it is virtually undetectable in those that actually complete this degree.

it really seems like very few people know that.  you probably do, tho. 

[djAdvocate]

some days it seems like a permanent pall of insanity has fallen over us.  but i am too fundamentally optimistic to believe that.  it might take something really shattering and damaging to change it.  it might happen slowly over time, as we learn to recognize the tribalism for what it is.  but i am convinced we will find our way out of the weeds and back on the pathway to progress and enlightenment. 

of course, the Greeks thought that too.......

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 4, 2018 15:42:48 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

Jun 4, 2018 14:53:33 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

So do you have a journalistic source to back that claim up?

Not CTH or some stock broker's back pages or the Fox news comments section, actual NEWS source.

you know, they actually offer DEGREES in this thing called JOURNALISM?  whacky, right?

you know, they do this so that people entering the field will understand that they have STANDARDS to uphold.  that among these standards is to VERIFY SOURCES, and to CHECK FACTS.  they also take classes in this thing called ETHICS, where they learn how to stand up for PRINCIPLES, even when it differs with their opinion.  this is the sort of thing that limits the influence of BIAS to the point where it is virtually undetectable in those that actually complete this degree.

it really seems like very few people know that.  you probably do, tho. 

you should mention that to the New York Times. This is the 3rd or 4th time they've gotten something major wrong about this because they just reprint the statements and the leaks from the deep state.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Byron York: Key parts of NY Times' Popadopoulos story are false:

www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/tom-blumer/2018/06/02/byron-york-flags-big-new-holes-ny-times-december-papadopoulos-story

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

My original post has been borne out. Anyone that doesn't recognize it at this point has simply lost all credibility with me. I'm going to gloat so hard when the dust settles none of you will have anything to say to me about any topic ever again.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

"Everything that was reported in the New York Times — Papadopoulos getting drunk, passing on this information that the Trump campaign knew about Russian possession of Hillary emails — none of it has held up except the stuff that has held up is Papadopoulos meeting with Mifsud, meeting with Halper, and now meeting with the Australian ambassador. Now here comes Clapper. And Clapper is saying, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Uh, we weren’t spying. We were protecting.”

Now today, Clapper says, “We weren’t even spying. This is the least of the least of anything. There was no. clandestine tradecraft. There was no recruiting, no attempt to hide his identity. This is the most benign form of information gathering that you can come up with.” He’s still admitting, FBI and intelligence agencies were information gathering on the Trump campaign.

It is all falling apart. The principals are running for cover. The New York Times and Washington Post have run stories on the spy! Is Clapper gonna tell us now that the New York Times and Washington Post got it wrong a third consecutive time? Because they laid out the details of the spy. They did everything but identify the guy." - Rush Limbaugh

www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2018/06/04/clapper-and-the-clandestine-crowd-run-for-cover/amp/

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 4, 2018 14:50:46 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

As for why the lawyer met with Fusion GPS, I can think of lots of more realistic reasons why Russia would send their lawyer minion to GPS. Trying to find out what information GPS had collected, for one thing, to see if Russia was at risk of having their dirty tricks exposed. Maybe get her to threaten a little bit, to try to get GPS to back off. Maybe try to offer GPS fake data in the hopes they would pass it along to the FBI as potentially good intel.  Maybe Russia hires GPS to do work for them sometimes, or maybe the Russia lawyer works for them (or has offered to work for them). Leaping to the conclusion that she must have gone there as part of this big black heart/dark hole world wide conspiracy is one of the less likely scenarios, I think.

All but your final alternative ("Maybe Russia hires GPS to do work for them sometimes...") strike me as fatally implausible, especially considering there were two meetings.

The possibility that this is a "small world" coincidence where Fusion GPS happened to be doing unrelated business with this lawyer isn't so far-fetched, but again: having two meetings--before and after--in close temporal proximity to the tower meeting, pushes it into the realm of "too unlikely to be a coincidence" in my world. Hence, flawed as it is, I still consider the "Donald Trump Jr. was being set up by somebody" theory more likely.

Really, what does it matter what any of us, or anyone at all, thinks of the relative likelihood. Either evidence will come out to substantiate the "set up" theory or it won't. The evidence will either implicate agency actors or it won't. If it does, que sera sera. If it doesn't, a theory isn't enough to prosecute or convict anybody. It goes into the bin along with the JFK assassination and the moon landing hoax.

[retread]

Interesting timing.  I grabbed this for message this afternoon and another opportunity arises a few hours later.

[Opti]

Why is it surprising a Manhattan courtroom is close to Trump Tower? The court date was likely fixed before the Don Jr. meeting. Perhaps the Russian lawyer picked that date and time to meet with Don Jr. because she knew she would be in town for court.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 4, 2018 20:41:18 GMT -5 Opti said:

Why is it surprising a Manhattan courtroom is close to Trump Tower? The court date was likely fixed before the Don Jr. meeting. Perhaps the Russian lawyer picked that date and time to meet with Don Jr. because she knew she would be in town for court.

Which is why I say the scenario "isn't so far-fetched" notwithstanding the two meetings. In short, I can believe she happened to have unrelated business with Fusion GPS (simply a phenomenal coincidence), and I can even believe the close temporal proximity of the meetings was a matter of convenience. But two meetings--before and after--push it beyond my coincidence limit.

When we also look at Mr. Halper's apparently getting campaign staffers to bite on Hillary e-mails--precisely the same thing the Russian lawyer did with Mr. Trump Jr.--this is another phenomenal coincidence we have to ignore. Nor can we argue "Hillary e-mails didn't really feature in the meeting in the tower" and Pres. Trump is only claiming so at this point because it fits with recent developments. It was established in early 2017, a year before anybody had ever heard the name Halper.

It's not the smoking gun, but at this point I suspect there's going to be more evidence forthcoming of this "big black heart/dark hole world wide conspiracy" as Happy calls it. In particular, I wouldn't be surprised if the Trump Tower meeting (and Trump Jr.'s taking the bait) shows up as part of the classified evidence the agencies used to push ahead with some phase of their operation.

If not, it's not as if this outcome would shock me either. I've watched enough forensics shows to know that major--even unbelievable--coincidences do happen.

[Opti]

Jun 4, 2018 20:21:36 GMT -5 retread said:

Interesting timing.  I grabbed this for message this afternoon and another opportunity arises a few hours later.

I am not well-versed in old movies. Where is this from? What's the scene and relevance?

[Opti]

I like this Comey tweet:

Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth.


10:20 AM - May 23, 2018

Found it in this NY Times article.

www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/us/politics/fact-check-trump-clapper-spying-fbi-wrong-.html

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Proof OBAMA was SPYING on Donald J. Trump as early as December 2015. I almost forgot: Obama hated Trump and Sheriff Joe for their work exposing the Obama Foundation fraud.

The word LURES is redacted by FBI but not OIG

"OCONUS LURES"

OCONUS= Outside Contiguous US

LURES= In this context LURES = SPIES - multiple

Is this an admission that the FBI wanted to run a baited Sting Op using foreign agents against Trump?

Yes, I think it is.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jun 5, 2018 7:17:57 GMT -5 Opti said:

I like this Comey tweet:

Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth.


10:20 AM - May 23, 2018

Found it in this NY Times article.

www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/us/politics/fact-check-trump-clapper-spying-fbi-wrong-.html

Whatever the truth about any of this is, the one thing we should all be able to agree on is that James Comey is the most self-absorbed, batshit crazy sunuvabitch ever to rise through the ranks of the FBI. Hillary would have (and should have) fired him quicker than Trump did. If you don't know that Comey is completely without credibility, I'm not sure you will be able to see anything else clearly.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jun 5, 2018 7:27:08 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

OCONUS = Outside Contiguous US

continental US

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Thread- for context:

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

And just in case anyone here shoots me some lazy retort that it's "out of context" or "fake"-- before you say anything, prepare to shut the fuck up:

[midjd]

before you say anything, prepare to shut the fuck up:

Rude.