Maybe the next time the Democrats are in power, we can declare the NRA to be a subversive organization. Members will need careful background checks before getting security clearances required for many high level government jobs.
Amazing how out of touch the NRA is that its leaders would entertain a scheme to get in bed with the Russians to influence American elections. I guess the NRA takes an a la carte approach to defending the Constitution. What a bunch of traitors.
69
NRA donations (that can be traced) to Congressional candidates in 2016 cycle: https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/toprecips.php?id=D000000082&cycle=2016. I'm not a religious person but, please God, let this be a trifecta takedown of DJT, GOP and the NRA.
83
If a LW activist group had such ties, GOP Congress Critters would hold hearings from now to Doomsday--which may be a lot nearer thanks to President Big Button--and FOX News would cover it 24/7.
30
It is just inconceivable to me that any American citizen with half a brain could EVER believe that allying one's self to Vladimir Putin or any Russian leader would be a positive thing for our country! Putin HATES our American guts and WANTS TO DESTROY US AND OUR COUNTRY. What is wrong with these people who think that they can cherry pick Putin's and Russians' money? What is even more ironic is that these are the very same people/political types who are screaming incessantly about the Clinton Foundation accepting donations from foreign countries. I pray that there is a day of reckoning for these Republican/"conservative" hypocrites and criminals, one way or another.
60
"The organization helped Republicans cement control of Congress. If it did so with Russia’s assistance, the whole party is implicated." This might explain 2 things - the video from 2016 ""“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, according to a recording of the June 15, 2016, exchange,” "“NO LEAKS, ALL RIGHT?,” Ryan said, adding: “This is how we know we’re a real family here.” “That’s how you know that we’re tight,” Scalise said. “WHAT’S SAID IN THE FAMILY STAYS IN THE FAMILY,” Ryan added."
And the extraordinarily desperate defence of Trump by so many congressmen that shrieks `we've got something to hide'.
All the GOP agenda could go on with Pence in charge. Oops, Mr Pence is also desperately defending Trump. Then there's the GOP emails that were hacked. Does someone, somewhere, have those? Someone Russian perhaps who might release them if, necessary? It really doesn't look good for the GOP, does it?
36
I can see the connection between the NRA and Russian based on the sale of AK-47's (or its variants.) Seems to be the preferred gun of insane mass murderers in our country.
From NYTImes dealbook: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/business/dealbook/kalashnikov-ak47-sa...
"The United States is the world’s largest civilian firearms market, and Kalashnikov was selling more rifles to the country’s civilian market than to the Russian military before the sanctions were imposed."
29
Also look into why evangelicals like Franklin Graham support someone that is the exact opposite of family values. According to the Washington Post, Russia is involved there too. Graham goes to Russia and meets with Putin to discuss the persecution of Christians. But then comes back and supports a 3x married, multiple times cheating, porn star loving, playboy cover person, non church goer and "former" pro life proponent. I'm sure its just a coincidence.
53
Nice to hear that the National Ruble Association may be complicit in all this. So, when Amerika becomes a satellite of the USSR, will Putin impose strict gun controls on us? Who woulda thought that this Russian invasion could have a silver lining?
36
If only it is true, perhaps we can rid ourselves of Trump, Pence and the NRA in one swoop. That would almost make the last year worthwhile.
53
As I reflect there have been only 2 entities that trump has never attempted to bully or denigrate.....the Kremlin and the NRA.
When it's NEVER time to talk about gun regulations or sanctions on Russia something is up.
37
This is worse than I thought, and that is saying a lot. I thought something was up when the NRA didn't immediately attack the McClatchy article. Thank god for the FBI, and the CIA. As a liberal I never thought I would utter those words. They are American Heroes along with Mueller. Lets root out all these traitors and bring them to justice. After all this is done, it may be our nation's finest hour. The system that Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and company designed is working as they envisioned. They were amazingly prescient.
47
"[A]n N.R.A. role in Russiagate would explain a few things, including why the N.R.A. has, in recent years, developed such a close relationship with Russia.
. . . There’s been a lot of reporting about that relationship, which is widely seen as part of Russia’s efforts to cultivate right-wing groups throughout the United States and Europe."
I, for one, need no further evidence of America's right wing -- label it Trump to get the finest point on it -- being manipulated by Russia. Russia could use nothing better than a nice little "inside army" of N.R.A.led gun-lovers, should a propitious occasion arise. How hard is that to understand? Led by a cult figure like Trump, who doubts that our "second amendment people" -- so-called by Trump when he obliquely -- criminally, in my view -- suggested that our "second amendment people" could "do something about" Hillary Clinton -- would gleefully turn out in their camo gear and tactical toys at Trump's or Wayne LaPierre's bidding.
"Russia, if you're listening . . . ." -D. Trump
28
If the Russia/NRA connection is corroborated, the entire Republican Party will be implicated in the most serious, and treasonous campaign financing conspiracy in US history. A new major party would have to be created to replace a Republican Party too riddled by corruption and crime to remain a player in US politics. The entire Right Wing beaurocracy, founded on deceit and lies, would be totally discredited, including propaganda outlets like a Fox and Breitbart, the Evangelical allies of the Party, and mega donors such as the Kochs, all of which serve their own illicit agendas, but have also conspired to welcome Russian contamination of our entire political system. This is huge, and one can only imagine how aggressively Mr Mueller will pursue this money trail.
38
Russia donated money to the NRA to help it support Trump, in order to stoke the fiery conflict between the left and the right over gun control, not to support the second amendment. Putin probably has enough dirt on Trump's shady business deals with money laundering and his fetish with known criminal gangland figures to bring him down, so Trump avoids confronting him about anything at all. But Putin also sees that Trump is a weaker leader who can be manipulated easily, exactly what Russia needs to out maneuver the United States internationally. So Russia decided to support Trump.
But where is the enlightened self interest in the Republican Party. They act as if the Russians are their friends, they aren't. If the Republicans were to offer up a candidate with strong foreign policy views, like Graham or Rubio, the Russians would not give money to the NRA, and they would spread disinformation about the Republican candidates.
8
Haven't you noticed?
"How sweet would that be if the NRA provides the smoking gun?"
That's already occurred! No evidence whatsoever, of course, but the accusation has been made, and that's good enough.
4
Follow the money to Red Square and we'll find the answers to everything. Trump is probably squirming over this. Even his muzzling of witnesses won't save him now. Let's make him the first president to be indicted while in office.
22
I really, REALLY, hope the full truth of this comes out. I have been a gun owner and shooting sports participant all of my adult life. I watched with disgust as the NRA transformed itself from an organization focused on firearm safety and education to a belligerent mouthpiece of the radical Right. They are (or should be) an embarrassment to all thoughtful firearms owners.
Now - The NRA in bed with Putin's Russian mob? It cannot get more surreal. I once thought Dr. Strangelove represented the zenith of dark comic satire. Now, reality has eclipsed the absurd. The NRA, the Russians, and the GOP. WOW!!! If this is true I pray to whatever deity might listen that it see the light of day and be shouted from the rooftops. Kubrick can make a sequel. Perhaps Alec Baldwin could play Trump and Kelly and Putin.
37
"Of course, the citizenry has no way of knowing where any of that money came from. But the F.B.I. almost certainly does."
Hence the recent attacks on the FBI by Trump and the GOP (ostensibly the party of "law and order"). In the court of public opinion, Trump and his colleagues are brave; brazen to the point of arrogance, actually. In courts of LAW... not so much. When the penalty for lying is actual jail time, Trump and his associates tend to hold their tongues, hiding behind dubious privilege claims, instructing witnesses to do the same and just plain refusing to talk about things they don't like. That's sound legal strategy, but not exactly encouraging from an administration that boasts of "cooperation" with the investigation. Meanwhile, because courts of law are less inclined to accept "alternative facts" or "truthful hyperbole", the Trump administration has been undermining the judiciary branch for the entirety of his presidency and has openly expressed his desire to use the DOJ as his own personal tool for promoting his own interests (and smiting his enemies).
I don't know where the Russia investigation will end up, but anyone thinking Trump's administration is working to sweep corruption out of Washington is willfully blind. The reason so many flies keep buzzing around this White House (Bannon, Gorka, Price, Manafort, Flynn, Miller, Conway, "The Mooch," etc.) is because they SMELL the rot. It's in their nature to want a piece of the action.
29
If the NRA is implicated in the Russian scandal, those on the right will only scream "Wich Hunt" even louder. Based on the way the facts-be-damed voters on the right have expressed themselves so far, I fear that will only help keep Trump and the Republicans in power.
9
I am sure that for the majority of Americans there is plenty of evidence of 'collusion' well before this explosive article.
I am also quite sure that if DJT hung a hammer and sickle flag out the oval office window while toasting his good business sense as he rakes in cash from various former Soviet Union client states with a milk shake, the GOP cult would not see collusion.
Such is the sorry state of the GOP.
30
So the NRA spent (is spending?) $85 million in lobbying. Sounds like an ideal, if criminal, way to launder Russian money and circumvent what remains of campaign finance laws.
Can we all stop using the word "collusion?" I've read in recent months that there is no criminal statute with that word in it. Sure, we all know what it means. Well, at least those of us in the reality-based universe know what it means. But let's start using terms that have legal meaning. Conspiracy, in all its variations, seems like a good place to start.
Michelle, you are a stupendous addition to the NYT op-ed pages.
23
OH MY, a smoking GUN, literally! You cannot make this stuff up.
We need transparency, need to know who's behind nefarious facebook accounts, LLC's and 'dark money' for starters.
We can leave the porn star payoffs for last!
12
Alas!
And so the NRA, perhaps, will be revealed as a (partial?) culprit in this great takeover of Democracy's Dream.
A few lines from Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" may describe America in the future:
"I am great OZYMANDIAS," saith the stone,
"The King of Kings; this mighty City shows
The wonders of my hand."—
The City's gone,—
Nought but the Leg remaining to disclose
The site of this forgotten Babylon.
. . .
What powerful but unrecorded race
Once dwelt in that annihilated place."
9
This gives new meaning to the expression, "shotgun wedding."
7
Russia, Putin, own trump lock-stock-and barrel! He has laundered their dirty money for over three decades!
14
I've posted this before....
The NRA is a home-grown domestic terrorist organization. The Republican Party is their political arm.
You can now add... NRA funding comes from Putin and the Russian govt.
To my fellow Americans who don't see this.... do we have to put it on a bumper sticker so you can read it? Maybe on a ballcap? A red one?
16
The GOP is blocking the Russia probe to protect the NRA
first
6
Stormie Daniels got paid off through an LLC Cohen set up. Is there a pattern here?
8
It's interesting that the NRA types are usually the loudest voices warning of communists under every bed in the US. Turns out the commies were actually in the bed. With the NRA.
16
I find the idea of the Kremlin using the N.R.A. as a weapon to be very believable, despite Putin's own opposition to gun ownership in Russia.
The right is easily manipulated. They jump and act before thinking and don't require a lot of facts. They love money and can believe anything, especially dire claims and flattery. They see conspiracies everywhere so being part of one is not far from their world view.
Having Russian money and influence furthers their own agenda. They don't see themselves as being 'played'. They see an ally.
The Russians are smart. They know how to cultivate to get what they want. They are practiced at it and I would expect the N.R.A. was an easy mark.
Whatever the investigation uncovers I expect it will lead to unmasking just how devious getting influence was and who benefited.
After all of these relationships are sorted out I think the picture will be clear about how easy it was for some to sell out their country to further their agenda. It will explain, I'm sure, how all these Russians suddenly started showing up in our election and which side their favor fell.
Follow the money. It's less bloody a way to achieve your goal than bullets.
13
No. No. No.
We are not WAITING for collusion.
Collusion happened. There are more than enough facts to demonstrate that Russia worked to aid the Republican Candidate, and harm the Democratic Candidate.
The question we are waiting to answer is "Are we going to do anything about it."
Comrade-in-the-Oval should be impeached, and removed from office. All the appointees he made to government should also be removed from government.
If we do not take these actions, we become a client state to President Putin.
18
You are waiting for evidence of collusion? That is hardly an unbiased point of view: you have decided he is guilty, and are awaiting evidence.
Maybe he is guilty. But you should decide that after there is evidence, not before.
The NRA says it works so hard to defend its view that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms because the Second Amendment is "the" Amendment that makes it possible for Americans to be free -- free not speak, to believe, etc. Can't really see how that fits with developing close ties to a country lead by a dictator who works so hard to undermine American interests and American democracy but then, the NRA has done more to protect the illicit gun market and criminal access to guns than any organization so maybe protecting American freedom has never been more than a ruse.
6
I have long believed that DT didn't worry about campaign funding because he knew well and good that it was being taken care of behind the scenes.
9
"They say where there's smoke, there's fire."
Sometimes. Other times it turns out just to be smoke. Enough smoke here for Mueller to take a closer look, but who knows what, if anything, he'll find?
This would explain an awful lot, including why Congressional Republicans haven't let the Russia investigation proceed more aggressively and deliver them President Pence, whom they would certainly prefer.
There is an awful lot of smoke here. An awful lot of slightly tangled strings tying Trump and the GOP to the Russians. I am very hopeful that Robert Mueller is tying them up into some very tight knots for the lot of them.
When history looks back on this period, the Whitewater and Benghazi investigations will be savagely contrasted with the Russia probe.
Republicans saved their party in the 1970s by getting on the right side of Watergate. We'll see how their party ends up after this one.
14
What really saddens me is that if the GOP had forced Donald Trump to turn over his tax returns during the campaign, he'd be in prison today and all would be right at the White House. I blame Mitch McConnell.
18
In deciding Citizens United, the Supreme Court said the decision could be revisited if it was shown to be having an "undue influence" on our elections.
WELL??
23
Until we have transparent sources of campaign influence peddling, dark money will always be a problem. Thanks to the Supremes. Time for a change to get democracy back on track.
14
I'm enjoying the delicious irony as much as anyone, but at the risk of sounding moralistic, I have to remind myself and anyone who cares to listen:
This is all a sideshow, just as McCarthyism was. The real question isn't which insiders colluded with the Russian dictator to undermine the US government, or even how do rich folks sneak money into campaign spending. The real question always was and always will be: When and how will working people organize to demand, negotiate and secure a fair society?
I think the most important fact for people to grasp is that per-capita inflation-adjusted US GDP has doubled in 4 decades, and that the bulk of this second America we've built has gone into about 10,000 pockets.
That is the fact that most people don't really grasp. It should, one way or another, be on the front page of every paper every day until people actually understand it. Once they do, no amount of "dark money" will secure the status quo.
13
Thank you for this excellent reporting - long live the free press!
13
The idea that the Russians supported the Trump campaign and Republican candidates for federal offices with donations funneled through the NRA is almost unbelievable. I say almost because, although it would be treasonous to accept money from a hostile foreign government, it is my impression that the Republicans will do anything to hold onto office and its accompanying power.
I really hope that this allegation is not true. But if it is, I hope Robert Mueller and the F.B.I. indict every member of Congress who took the money as well as every member of the Trump campaign including Trump himself. There is no excuse for selling out our country just to hold on to political power.
17
As Goldberg rightly suggests, it's important that we not get carried away. Still, this Russia-NRA connection could provide an additional reason why so many Republicans in Congress seem increasingly determined to quash the Russia investigation: It could implicate their biggest source of political and/or financial support. I'm not suggesting they were in on the collusion (though the whole Trump-Russia scandal is so bizarre that anything seems possible at this point). But it's conceivable that they have some sense of where this all could be heading.
7
Could the recent spate of GOP retirements be because they know what is coming? We certainly now know why the GOP has tried to shut down Mueller's investigation. Even if a given senator or rep. had no direct contact or knowledge of the true funding source, if this proves to be true, it will certainly damage the election possibilities for the entire GOP. Not that Trump isn't already doing that, but the GOP could still at this point try to paint him as an outsider, thus limiting the damage.
8
Weakening the federal government is the aim of Republicans and foreign interests. It's not surprising that the two are acting together.
11
We laughed when Romney said that Russia was the greatest threat facing our country. We accused him of being out of touch and being a relic of cold war thinking. Perhaps he knew things that are only now coming to light.
The only way to fix this is to repeal citizens united. We need to get dark money out of our politics. Anonymous donors have no place in a functioning democracy.
This election is going to be one of the most significant of our history. Not because of the Trump show but because of the things that are being exposed that are a threat to our country. If we survive this and actually do something about it this chapter might make our country stronger. Time will tell.
18
But why is a gun maker "the most influential conservative group in politics", even after regular public gun violence? What liberal group has such clout?
In other democracies politicians don’t get paid by gun makers, their gun laws reflect basic sense, and their citizens are safer.
Trump/GOP may collude with Russia, but our politicians legally collude with domestic money sources to write laws and set political norms. That’s why we’re the only modern nation without affordable health care for all, and the most gun violence.
The political soil for Tsar Trump was well prepared.
Strange that a group is labeled “left” if it warns that that our campaign finance laws make it easy for foreign govts to influence our elections. That warning should be in the center of politics in any working democracy. But in a country that turns over its elections to the richest mega donors, it’s labeled “ left wing” to push for finance reform. Is that’s why our media columnists keep avoiding the topic?
Even the Disclose Act, for transparency in donations is labeled too “left wing” to pass in our distorted political culture. Big money domination of elections has become a centrist norm. On most policies re public good, the moderate liberalism of the past is now labeled too ‘left wing’. The media avoids this change.
Polls show majority of voters and gun owners are against NRA money in politics, and against easy guns for all. But the citizen majority has no influence in our no-op democracy.
12
This story is not implausible and considering the historical precedence of people abusing the system this should be taken seriously. Our leadership is responsible to us to address this. Citizen's United continues to provide opportunities for big and dark money to be used in service of the weakening and potential destruction of our democracy. If this incident can be unraveled, it should be used in a case for the SCOTUS to kill this avenue of unfair path to acquiring power with an distorted advantage in our electoral system. The majority of people in this country are not choosing to be participants in this manipulative use of money to support a candidate and it should not be allowed for those who do. One person, one vote has lost it's meaning and it is unconscionable that the SCOTUS has provided this opportunity for situation to happen. They have given the rich and foreign countries a path to control and impact and our elections for personal gain without consequences. True or not, the potential is proven. If it is true, we need to hold everyone involved accountable. The truth needs to be exposed to the light and we as a nation need to vote for those who would protect us from this. VOTE for those who are willing to do so and we save ourselves. It is the only way.
4
Whether this is "the collusion we were waiting for" or not, this is something the liberals/anti-trump people in this country need to understand: there has been a long history of "mutual admiration" and cooperation between the US right wing conservatives and Putin's Russia. To this day I keep hearing liberals express what sounds like genuine puzzlement - "How can the party of Reagan be ok with Putin? Didn't Reagan call Russia the Evil Empire?" This misses the point entirely. Reagan said that about the Soviet Union, the communist superpower that no longer exists. Putin may have been a Lt. Colonel in the KGB, he can be many things - but he's not a communist. And neither is Russia these days - it is a genuinely right wing, ultra-conservative country, and yes, it is entirely natural for the American conservatives to view Putin as an ally. And it's not just the fact that Russia is run by the "strong President", the military and the oligarchs. Russia is one of the last places where white people live where it IS OK to be openly racist, homophobic, misogynistic and otherwise "intolerant", even for an educated person. So it is not in any way a surprise that the conservatives in the US view Russia as a right wing paradise of sorts. In their minds, they don't "collude with Russia" any more than gen. De Gaulle "colluded with the Americans" to liberate France from the Germans.
15
Some of this does, indeed, seem too delicious to be true. That doesn't, however, make it impossible. Anything but. Much of what is already publicly known is in the same category. The well-supported contention that Russian money went to the NRA for campaign spending contributes growing likelihood of a Trump Russia conspiracy to undermine our democracy. The NRA's campaign spending was appalling and essentially undemocratic. I refer, for example, to the NRA campaign ad that exhorted Republicans "to protect [Fox Trump Republican] truth with the clenched fist of force."
5
Just because it sounds like Resistance fan fiction doesn't mean it's false. It would be a very big mistake to think it could not have happened.
The search for evidence of collusion is yearlong now. Still the faithful seem as enthusiastic as ever.
the f.b.i., and the special prosecutor, do have the power to find out who has contributed money to the nra, and how that money was spent (contributed). what would be especially interesting is if persons even closer to the trump campaign committee (maybe even trump personally) knowingly supported the link between russian interests, the era, and his campaign. we know already that russians tied to its security services, by purchasing trump properties at inflated prices, helped trump's business interests.
what we need now is proof that the era contributed to his campaign. we're getting closer to proof that, indeed, trump was involved in a racketeering conspiracy with putin's people. i wonder if trump's political supporters, and the republican party, will "care" about that.
1
In 2008, Trump was in arrears on a payment to Deutsche Bank for
$40 Million.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/business/05norris.html
About that time he sold a Florida property, purchased in 2004 for
$41.4 Million, for $95 Million to a Russian Billionaire.
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/why-did-a-russian-pay-95m-to-b...
The real estate market was tanking at the time.
The FAA records show a Airbus 319, a private jet registered to the
Russian, kept landing at Trump campaign events. One landing occurred
after his inauguration.
Coincidence?
15
This would maybe also explain why Republicans have been so quick to dismiss any investigation relating to Russia? I never understood why they would stick up for Trump (they clearly don't like him), but if they are tainted by the same Russian financing (through the NRA) it all makes sense...
7
You know, we're all so inured to the degradations of the Trump Show that one plot point seems to blur into the next - and the reality show nature of the whole enterprise makes the whole thing seem like a long Netflix binge-watch.
But if the NRA is aligned with the Russian government - think this through - it means that that the Russians basically have an armed ally inside the USA.
Did I say "armed"?
Only to the tune of 300,000,000 guns.
The NRA also foments anti-government propaganda. To read NRA literature, you would think that the United States is occupied by a hostile force - a government that wants to take away our liberties.
This may be the most dangerous threat the United States faces: the existence of a massive, politically powerful armed militia - with an arsenal that actually dwarfs that of the U.S. military.
If the NRA is aligned with Russia, we have a massive hostile army within our borders.
The NRA is potentially a much more dangerous terrorist organization than Al Qaeda - and they already have 300,000,000 weapons of mass destruction peppered throughout the American homeland.
Are the interests of the NRA aligned with those of Russia?
Imagine this situation from the point of view of a foreign power, antagonistic to the United States. If you could ally with an organization that not only opposed the government, but that was armed to the teeth, you could defeat your enemy from within.
I beg you to think consider what this could mean.
15
Several commenters have asked:
Who's McClatchy?
McClatchy is a Sacramento, CA family that owns several newspapers and other news outlets. I've always had high respect for the organization, including its Washington, DC bureau.
3
"In May 2016, Paul Erickson ... sent an email ... This is one of those episodes that is easy to lose track of..."
Oh, I don't know about that! It strikes me as sort of a big deal, something I'd look into right away.
When was this email sent -- May 2016, 20 months ago? Oh well, better late than never, I suppose.
1
Could this be a major reason the GOP seems to be going out of its way to discredit Mueller's investigation?
4
“During the Obama administration, Senate Democrats twice tried to pass the Disclose Act, which would require greater transparency about the sources of political donations; both times Republicans filibustered.”
This excerpt sheds light on the rot at the heart of the Republican Party: their greed. Republicans would rather appease foreign donors than protect our elections from foreign interference.
9
So, the good old Republican pattern of projection - always accusing the Democrats of what they are actually doing - goes all the way back to the McCarthy era.
5
No wonder the GOP wants to shut down all the Russian investigations. Poster Boy Devin Nunes is especially keen to keep all information inside the GOP camp so my question is What Does Nunes Know and When Did He Know It?
FBI Director Wray was in Gov. Christie's substantial back pocket and was way too chummy with Trump when nominated for his current position - was he placed there to be a good "friend" to the Trump and the GOP?
Anything is possible in Trump world!
4
I fear the NRA-loving Republicans will have even more incentive to get Trump to fire Mueller now. Good for McClatchy for breaking this story, and good for our press for remaining dogged in following it.
8
Trump accepts money form foreign governments into his private businesses.
This violates the emolument clause, an impeachable offense.
One has to wonder that when (not if) Meuller finally announces irrefutable evidence of the players and the money flows involved in Russia's interference in US elections will be enough to finally bounce trump out of office (and hopefully into jail) will actually be enough to get the republican congress to act in the interests of American democracy?
3
I wonder if American politics is such that the Dems could play this either for short term political gain or as part of a long term strategy to bring transparency to campaign finance; but the only way to do both is to make the policy play and let any political benefit be incidental to doing the right thing.
9
All these Trumpsters are being played and they don't want to know.
They can dish it out but they can't take it.
43
I hadn't noticed much skill in dishing it out, either.
1
MUST reading: This reads like a spy novel, and you can’t put it down. I’ve been doing (almost) nothing else since I started it. It is anything but boring - and will tell you what you need to know. Share it, and encourage your friends to read it - for the sake of democracy. You will learn a lot, you will see why the powers that be don’t want you to read this, and you will never have the same views again: https://intelligence.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=850
18
"It’s important not to get carried away, if only because a scenario in which the Russian investigation ensnares the N.R.A., probably the most influential conservative group in the United States, seems a bit too much like Resistance fan fiction, too delicious to be true."
It will also guarantee that the Republican Congress will avert its eyes and pretend everything is normal. They might be willing to turn on Trump as payback for all the various insults since 2015, and to advance Pence - more of a party insider - as the new President. But not if it will hurt their most influential donor.
15
If House and Senate Republicans knowingly took Russian money from the NRA, then they are going to prison--where they can pretend all day and every day that everything Trump is normal.
6
What a pipedream Michelle! That Trump will meet with anyone, porn stars, etc is a given. What did Lindsay Graham say, "He's just a street fighter who wants to be liked." And of course those conservative NRA types just love the Russians. Special Counseler Mueller has all those Trump emails. If there was something there, wouit have surfaced b
4
Why is this an op-ed and not front page news? It should be the lead on every single American paper.
62
That's a good question. Let's ask Stormy Daniels if she knows why.
5
Because of phrases like this one:
"Here’s another way L.L.C.s could be used"
Key word is "could". Theoretical.
When it reads "the way an L.L.C. was used" (and there is established evidence thereof) you can be sure it's a page one story.
1
Sounds like a two-fer to me. Quack, quack.
9
I think I'll change my Women's March sign to a triangle: NRA-----Trump-----Russia
16
This proves once again that the NRA is in reality a terrorist organisation dedicated to undermining American democracy. It should be banned and it's leaders imprisoned for conspiracy and treason.
69
How sweet would that be if the NRA provides the smoking gun?
99
This may have killed conspiracy theories; don't need 'em anymore.
11
Taking down the NRA along with Trump and his family would be icing on the cake!
35
So now we know, Putin is eyeing the NRA (Nefarious Russian Asset) as his “well regulated militia”.
28
NRA leaders being wined and dined in Moscow by a Kremlin front group. Just when I thought it couldn't get any stranger.
43
This commenter praises the author:
"WOW!! Hat's off to you Michelle. Excellent reporting."
Reporting? Did you happen to notice this article appears in the "Opinion" section?
But let's not stand on arbitrary classifications. Tell us all, what facts "reported" in this article struck you as the most persuasive? Was there more than just opinion?
For those interested, an early comment includes a link to a McClatchy article on this subject. I highly recommend reading that article yourself -- I did. See what you think after you've finished.
7
an editing point michelle...for those of us who might not be absolutely on top of everything...just what or who is "mcclatchy"...a news platform?...a magazine?...a person?...
3
McClatchy is a publishing company that owns many local newspapers. In a time when media is becoming "big media" thru acquisitions, McClatchy has tried to maintain the independent, local sensibility needed to keep democracy strong. They have a progressive background (pro-people, skeptical of corporations kind of progressive) and it is anyone's guess these days what motivates anyone.
However, they do have a team of journalists who do a lot of digging and researching and focus on tough issues and try to get to the truth. They are not TV personalities (yet?) but a reliable and respectable news source. FYI, there is a dense Wikipedia page about them if you like that sort of detail.
3
So Putin gets a two-fer: he helps Repubs get into office, who in turn help the NRA continue to flood the US population with weapons, dividing and further weakening our nation. Sickening.
22
Russians and the NRA.
No need for Putin to send soldiers to attack us.
The NRA will flood the country with more guns, and we'll just kill each other.
Statistics show it's already working.
I guess Trump knew what he was talking about when he said he could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and wouldn't lose voters.
The NRA made sure he wouldn't.
26
Putin. NRA. Trump. Now there's a triumvirate.
20
Resigning membership with the NRA today!
31
Hasta la vista, baby! I quit when they caricatured John Kerry as a French poodle. What happened to all the articles in the "American Rifleman" about hunting, firearms technology, ammunition technology, shooting sports and marksmanship competition... Now they're just a fawning, dishonest arm of the nut-wing of the Republican Party. Or worse, if Michelle Goldberg is onto something. I'm sending my dues to the ACLU.
8
I am willing to bet a bottle of Russian vodka that the Mueller findings never see the light of day.
Why would one expect a criminal like Trump who regularly breaks laws, to allow a seriously damaging report-and it will be-to be divulged?
He will say whatever he wants as to the reasons and will receive full support from his drooling cabinet and the Republican Party....and his base wouldn’t believe it anyway...fake news.
The irony is so rich...Commie-hating Republicans joining forces with Russia to take over America.
12
Perhaps Putin promised the GOP "dominion" over a new and improved U.S. of A?
1
If the NRA has been infiltrated by Russian influence peddlers, it could explain a lot of things. A LOT of things.
Wonder, though, if anyone on the Republican side of the aisle even cares. Money is money, and who cares where it comes from. Unless, of course, you're a Democrat.
21
All these intrigues are beginning to sound like a cheap spy novel or at least a “dark comedy.”
If this is to be considered as a fundamental problem and not a TV gimmick to “punk” Americans, we have to go all the way back to the Supreme Court’s decision to allow corporations to contribute unlimited quantities of untraceable money to political campaigns.
Was the Court aware that they were opening these collusive possibilities with foreign governments? If they did, then they’re culpable; if they didn’t, they’re unfitting to judge and at least the four remaining conservative judges should resign or be impeached.
One of the major organizing principles of the NRA during the Cold War was to allow “citizen soldiers” to be able to defend the country against a Russian invasion. Where is that now if the NRA is colluding with Russia?
In the years leading up to WWII, there was international collusion among right-wing groups with Fascists. When Germany declared war on the US, the Nazi-leaning American bunds quietly folded their flags and were never held accountable for their pre-war fascist collusion. Is this what’s going on now among the international “right?”
If Ms. Goldberg’s accounting is serious, we have the strange juxtaposition of “goose-stepping clowns.”
13
Traitors, all! the Executive branch and the NRA included! And these comfort-givers to the enemy wrap themselves in rank hypocrisy with the American flag. Traitors. Lock them up!
12
Give it a break. Congress has a 4 page memorandum apparently identifying wrong-doing and collusion amongst the DOJ and FBI in respect to surveilling the Trump campaign and transition team and, who knows at this point, maybe actively working to disadvantage Trump. Nothing in the Times today about it, although it's all over the place everywhere else...only this hopeless article of the continuation of the collusion charade ilk. Look up #releasethememo if you are unaware of what is happening. Hope it's true so the Times can get off this nonsense and go back to being a great source of journalism and opinion.
5
Justice and Police are REQUIRED by their constitution duties to watch ("surveil") suspicious activity. They don't take their orders from any monarch in any White House. This may be a curious thing to a Putin operative, but not to people who live in a lawful republic.
5
A quibble. McClatchy has been in the middle of numerous stories in recent years, some of them explosively important. Why hasn't the Times broken these stories?
11
The more journalists in on this, the better.
Monocultures are not very robust ecosystems.
2
“A nation can survive its fools and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
41
Mueller, Mueller, Mueller!
5
Justice Kennedy must be so proud. This is exactly the kind of influence Democrats were screaming about when the Citizens United case was before the court. The Republican-appointed justices were either corrupt (wanting to open the floodgates to billionaire cash, consequences to representative democracy be damned); or they were stupefyingly naive (ignoring how dark money could be used by anyone, foreign or domestic, to hijack our representative democracy). Either way, the GOP-appointed justices sold us out to large GOP mega-donors and hostile foreign powers. Moral of the story? If we value our form of government of, by, and for the people, we must not vote for Republicans.
32
I thought the NRA was a gun club, not a Super-Pac.
9
The NRA is a highly destabilizing anti-social source of violence. How useful is that to a foreign power intent on wreaking havoc inside the United States? Duh....
26
Boy, these NRA folks sure are patriots that love the US, huh guys?
11
"Russiagate" It's about time the "gate" suffix was attached to this Presidential scandal. Thank you.
5
I prefer "Traitorgate."
2
Snakes go as far back as the Bible in representing treachery. Looks like the snakes are alive and well. People in the Republican Party had better start getting patriotic real soon
6
Remember when Milwaukee’s crazy sheriff David Clarke was in Moscow on behalf of the NRA?
11
So, the Second Amendment Trumps the First Amendment?
10
As juicy as the Russia-NRA “connection” or possible “collusion” may be, it seems to be a minor example of the massive amounts of money that appears to have laundered into various directly controlled Trump entities and properties. There is an emerging pattern of such money flows that exceeded market prices to raise the issue of “kompromat.” While I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the NRA violated campaign finance laws, it seems that following the rubles that directly involved the Trumps will reveal why and how Russia infiltrated the Trump Organization itself and had their very own Siberian candidate in Donald Trump.
16
When is someone going to do something about all this!
8
It is hardly surprising that Rick Dearborn would be involved in the Trump administration, nor that he would have the necessary contacts to deal with anything underhanded. He has been groomed for the part by the activities of his father, Ed Dearborn, a veteran of US covert activities from Laos, the Contra Affair, to a jaunt into Azerbaijan with a newly-minted al Qaeda in the early 1990s; From Global Research:
"What is slowly emerging from Al Qaeda activities in Central Asia in the 1990s is the extent to which they involved both American oil companies and the U.S. government. By now we know that the U.S.-protected movements of al Qaeda terrorists into regions like Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Kosovo... In many cases they have also provided pretexts or opportunities for a U.S. military commitment [mercenaries] and even troops to follow.
"In one former Soviet Republic, Azerbaijan, Arab Afghan jihadis clearly assisted this effort of U.S. oil companies to penetrate the region. In 1991, Richard Secord, Heinie Aderholt, and Ed Dearborn, three veterans of U.S. operations in Laos, and later of Oliver North’s operations with the Contras, turned up in Baku under the cover of an oil company, MEGA Oil."
It should never be surprising any longer the friends people will make to fulfill an agenda; even allying themselves to an enemy.
8
If I were an adversary of the United States and wanted to so discord and division, I would fund its most vocal and prominent gun rights organization and Trump and Republican candidates.
But I’m not. So,
Dear Congressman,
“Did you take money from the NRA?” “Did you know it was from Russia?”
10
If thrift he NRA becomes seriously implicated you will find the Republicans much more aggressively rallying around shouting down the FBI investigation. They are far more loyal to the NRA than to Trump.
8
The attraction of the NRA to an autocrat like Putin couldn't be simpler. For all the NRA's talk of being freedom-loving, it is--like most right-wing organizations--in love with militaristic strong men. All the wannabe authoritarians of the past half century--Nixon, Reagan, Cheney, Trump--have all had overwhelming support of America's wannabe militiamen. The NRA believes in freedom only to the extent that people should have the freedom to behave exactly as the evangelical right tells them to behave.
8
Treason doth never prosper. What’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.
9
That the right wing continues to cozy up to the Russians, their sworn enemy for decades, is shameless, even for a group noted for its spinelessness . I always thought Reagan was a simpleton, but at least he knew who his enemies were.
9
And I was beginning to wonder why, after Republicans had (almost) unanimously supported the appointment of Mueller, they had started to decry him and denigrate his investigation. Now we know: dark money leading to dark motives--and possible felony indictments and widespread denigration of GOP insider-ranks and money-changers. Please let it be so, on behalf of all citizens (the real kind) of all parties, who only want the restoration of democratic principles into our politics--if such an oxymoronic paradox is even possible.
8
This is a very interesting connection. Certainly possible. I’ll be very interested to see if the information proves true. Then it would be much more than just “interesting”.
4
In line with what McClatchy, Simpson, and Goldberg are reporting, facebook and twitter posts paid for by the Russians during the campaign were aimed at exploiting and magnifying racial division in the U.S., with anti-Muslim issues thrown in. It would also explain why Republicans in Congress are protecting Trump--they are as guilty as he is at colluding with a hostile foreign power.
That they didn't correct the loopholes allowing dark money in campaigns, including from hate groups, also suggests, is evidence of, criminal intent.
That foreign oil (fossil fuel) plutocrats are in cahoots with American energy monopolists to subvert Clean Air regulations is no surprise. Criminal activity on both accounts.
7
As horrible and traitorous the right wingers are in accepting this Russian money to influence our electoral process is it really illegal? After all, hasn't it been the goal and purpose of Republican legislation for these many years to make such influence and this present political outcome lawful?
In a democracy when the citizenry sleeps while their elected leaders legislate for their own self-interest campaign finance reform is opposed and decisions like Citizens United are supported by the judiciary.
Legalized corruption is the certain result.
3
It is too easy to see this story and dismiss this as resistance fan Fiction, and it is too easy to see this story and note that the NRA may have been able to raise all $55 million from membership dues.
What this story DOES prove, right here and right now, is that America's election finance laws are dirty, dirty shams, designed to protect the anonymity of huge-money donors at the expense of the American people. If we had even remotely civilized campaign finance laws -- no Citizen's United, no Anonymous Donations, no Soft Donations, absolute tracking of every dollar to every donor -- not only would this story be a non-issue, but we'd also make our republic more transparent, more ethical and more safe.
But neither Republicans NOR Democrats want that -- too much danger of shutting off the money tap that keeps them in office, and transparency would make the puppet-strings of industry, unions, Koch's and Soros's all alike visible to the unamused audience.
This story, and the 2016 Elections, make it clear that the biggest political issue in America is Electoral Reform -- with our elections currently burdened by Gerrymandering, voter suppression, the archaic Electoral College, insecure e-voting machines instead of countable paper ballots, the even more archaic Primary system and the disgusting flood of untraceable, untrackable and invisible cash Citizen's United made possible.
And until we reform our elections, we'll continue to have elections like 2016.
2
Unbelievable and chilling especially the last paragraph "when people think that the Russian intervention was just about tipping the scales to one of the candidates in 2016, they’re thinking far too narrowly" Indeed if one puts these allegations together with the allegations that the Clinton Foundation received funds from the Russians it seems like Russia might be trying to gain control over the entire political spectrum left and right and center! Don't think NRA and Republicans think career politicians! (no difference if Dem or Rep) we desperately need term limits and new tough election financing laws to insure our independence from any foreign influence!
1
Once again, collusion between Trump and Russia is being inferred from issues only tangentially related to Trump. If the NRA received political contributions from the Russians, that is their problem, not Trump's unless the Trump campaign was coordinating with the Russians. While we have had lots of leaks about people with unsavory relationships with Russians, there has been nothing showing coordination between the Trump campaign and Russians.
Contrary to Trump's claims, the Russian government did attempt to influence our election, although the impact is unknown. The $30 million spent by the NRA (part of which may have come from Russian sources) was dwarfed by the $1.2 billion Clinton raised. The real impact on the campaign came from the release of Clinton emails, but that was only an issue because of the content of those emails, not the fact that Russians (likely) hacked her emails.
1
It's hard to get ones mind around news like this. The mere possibility that a major political party would knowingly climb in bed with a foreign adversary is simply astonishing. Does anyone on the right actually love this country? Or is it all for sale to the highest bidder?
6
It's time that people wake up and smell the Borshcht. Russia is executing a many layered assault on the U.S. . It is all so confusing and disorienting because American's cannot even fathom to what extent the Russians have infiltrated the American govt. It is unprecedented. Some light must be shed on this darkness very quickly to say the least. An epic battle for the soul of America is brewing.
5
This truly is a "conspiracy so immense" that unless you are the House committee investigating Trump, you will find ample evidence of collusion.
Mueller knows what is stake. With the current GOP, "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" is not remotely sufficient. It will take volumes of corroborating evidence infinitely higher than what is normally required to convict. As such, Mueller is going to deliver an encyclopedia's worth of high crimes and misdemeanors so that even the most partisan of Republicans will have to finally throw in the towel and admit that the the indefensible Mafia Don is indeed indefensible.
Personally, I am looking forward to the money laundering through Trump properties, the Kushner piece, etc.
When we are done, Watergate will look like a case of poor decision making and Nixon will look like the paragon of integrity in comparison to Trump. That is the level of criminlaity and absurdity we have achieved.
4
Citizens United, loopholes in current campaign finance laws, the GOP killing the Disclose Act, and Citizens United all scream out loud that it is time for campaign finance reform. The very fact that foreign governments can buy government interest and change domestic or foreign policies based upon the size and scope of the donations means that America can be bought.
We have proof right now that wealthy donors are pulling the strings of government and GOP legislation is for special interests groups only and not 99% of Americans they are supposed to serve. They are not public servants, but private servants.
The fact that more and more big money ties are going back to Russia or Putin is why the GOP is taking a leaf from Trump's playbook and trying to discredit the FBI. They are complicit with Trump as far as attacking American democracy and the people it supports which is all Americans and not just the precious extremely wealthy few who think they should be running the government.
Russian money ties to Trump campaign are just the tip of the iceberg since big money from Russian oligarchs and mobsters have been pouring into America for decades.
Should I start calling America, 'Little Russia' now? Or, maybe more aptly, the United States of Putin?
7
This is the party of Goldwater and Reagan? (Not that I liked either. But still.)
2
Money is behind everything. Good and bad, whichever, is expensive. Where to get the money and who gets it are the questions that have to be asked and answered if anything about anybody ever sees the light of day. If anything is discovered, then Whoever has to figure out what to do about it. The world has gotten a lot more complicated since the days when all you had to do was win a war to get what you wanted.
1
That the NRA finances Republican candidates is no news at all, and is met by DT supporters with a yawn, or a yay, and all the rest of us with mild contempt. But if the Russians are found to have donated secret money, it's another kettle of fish. I wonder then what will be the reaction in the camp of Trump supporters? Will they even care? Will it change their minds about anything? Will it be just another "fake news" story? I cringe and remember Jefferson: "When I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep, I tremble for my country."
Who on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees has received funding from the NRA?
2
I can't tell whether conservatives are that naive or just power hungry. Of course they could be just plain dumb.
3
"Why are we still splitting hairs over "collusion" when we've seen proof of treason with our own eyes?"
Indeed -- treason strikes me as a lot worse than just collusion!
Tell us, though, if we've seen "proof of treason with our own eyes," I guess I must have been blinking then. Can you remind me the proof we saw?
3
For those who aren't familiar, the NRA's magazine has a section called 'Armed Citizen' they've written for decades where every single small paragraph story is about Americans defending themselves using guns. It used to be the NRA centerfold, not a pretty one, but shallow and eye opening, like a good centerfold.
I can't help thinking how the NRA will react to this latest saga of Americans defending their democracy armed with nothing but the bare naked centerfold truth, no bullets, no guns.
For my money, the NRA will do exactly as they've done on the firearms issue, go bezerk confusing the defined distinctions, like the non existent difference between destructive devices and submachine gun capablity rifles. You call them 'assault rifles.'
Knock it off, it's a submachine gun, just like a gangster's tommy gun. No difference. Same capability, improved even.
The NRA is working on this right now. The Russians will become 'foreign consultants'; so watch out and prepare to defend yourself with precise and accurate definitions, America.
It's only been your and your families hides on the line the whole time.
3
If this scandal revealed that the NRA was funded and supported by Russia, it would shed a whole new light on the massacres at Sand Hook and Las Vegas: our gun culture being a Russian effort and essentailly leading us to more or less attack our own country. It would be a brilliant plan on Russia's part if true but, once exposed, might lead to the downfall of the NRA. Finally.
2
Can't wait for the movie to come out. It's going to be exciting!
1
What is WRONG with Republicans these days???!!!!! This is our country we're talking about!!! Our republic! Our democracy, flawed as it may be.
I have long suspected that the Republicans protest too much.
2
The GOP and right wing activists...agents of the Russian government and architects of democracy's downfall.
By exploiting greed, fear and ignorance, Putin has achieved with smoke and mirrors something that the Soviets failed to achieve with with their vast military might...a total defeat of America...thanks to a group of traitors (unwitting or not) on the American right. Who could have possibly imaged that this is where the end of the "Cold War" would have eventually led us?
1
One has to ask, is the Republican party rotten to the core?
1
This adds a while new meaning to the term "smoking gun."
4
So... what you're telling us is:
The organization which produces videos of Dana Loesch foaming at the mouth, fomenting violence against journalists and anybody who dares challenge the Trump administration *isn't* a fierce defender of the US Constitution?
The organization which has enlisted Donald J. Trump Jr. to lobby for a bill to deregulate silencers *doesn't* actually care about the delicate hearing of red-blooded American sport shooting enthusiasts?
The organization which routinely blocks any effort to stanch the bloodshed of over 30,000 Americans a year *doesn't* actually care about American lives?
That, in short, the NRA *doesn't* represent the interests of rank & file American-as-apple-pie gun owners?
How utterly shocking.
/sarcasm
2
Great reporting. And perhaps puts the entire GOP Congress is a new, harsher light. If they had any inkling of this, it would help explain their inability to stand up to Trump on nearly any issue....
3
This is an eye opening treatise on the possible outcome of the Citizen United ruling by the Supreme Court. The Court's defense of "Free Speech" apparently extends to Russian funding of the NRA.
There is little doubt that the Supreme Court was exceptionally naive in their estimate of defending "Free Speech" by effectively allowing the richest among us, and apparently Russians too, to have a disproportional effect on the result of elections. Hardly the desired effect since it utterly undermines the "all men are created equal" concept.
It is stunning that the Supreme Court naive construct could be exploited to allow the freedom of speech argument to extend to Russian attempts to control and sway US elections.
If there is anything about American politics that needs to be fixed before everything else it is the Citizens United ruling and the resulting dark money funneled through superPACs. If the Russian/NRA money connection can be proven, it may be the political stimulus that will make candidates stir from basking in the glory of their superPACs to raising money from real voters instead.
3
Good article. In Muller we trust. I hope enough gets uncovered to demonstrate illegality but I fear at this point, we probably will never know the true depths of what was done to subvert our election process, in large part because Republicans have supported changes to the process (e.g., campaign finance reform) making influence more difficult to track.
8
Gee Michelle -- Adam Schiff already determined months ago that there was collusion -- so your headline's suggestion that we are still waiting for that evidence is plainly wrong -- just ask Adam!
8
Except when pressed on what it was Mr Schiff couldn't come up with any examples
3
Collusion is a funny thing, historically people involved in profound acts against the public good have been sociopathic greedy narcissists who believe they are immune to the rule of law, and rearrange facts and empirical realities to support their personal ethic of - "survival of the rich."
What is happening now, if all the dots are connected, can only be what Richard Painter, W's Ethic's Czar and leading Partisan for America, has said: "there is no other word for this but TREASON."
Collusive collaborators act within a self erected delusional wall of impunity. And this has been a fatal flaw.
There is an emergency Mandamus action, SCOTUS Docket, #17-857, past the date for objections, asking the Court to appoint Mueller as Special Master under its non partisan aegis.
SCOTUS has the right and authority to provide a monumental precedent which would illuminate the collusion, and the unlawful vote of the Electors for a President-elect who was exactly what Hamilton in Fed No. 68 warned Electors against.
If Americans are seriously against collusion with a foreign hostile nation, in particular -- the dictator of Russia whose "ascendance to the council of the Magistry" (see Federalist No. 68) is manifestly apparent -- then now is the time to step up to the line and ask the Court to step up to the line to hear this case. For how the Court can save America now: www.citizensfortruth.net
19
"Collusion is a funny thing, historically people involved in profound acts against the public good have been sociopathic greedy narcissists who believe they are immune to the rule of law, and rearrange facts and empirical realities..."
Well done! That is a perfect description of President Trump.
Finally an explanation for the Republican resistance to the Russia investigation
30
Yeah, they aren't covering for Trump, they are watching out for their own hides...
The investigation is like excavating a GOP cesspit. Everyone needs to protect Mueller from Trump.
21
I used to think that 'NRA' stood for No Responsibility Anywhere.
Now I see, it stands for Not Really American.
36
Three pivotal areas to research and investigate:
1. HOW and/or DID Russia intentionally and manipulatively use FACEBOOK & Twitter Trolls via the NRA to communicate & influence potential Trump Voters & track these voters?
2. KEY Question: Like Trump, Vladimir Putin is NOT interested in sharing POWER, CONTROL or LEADERSHIP. Trump does nothing that is not in his own interest. I don't believe he's stupid enough to actually believe that Vladimir Putin just wanted to help out "his American buddy". WHAT DOES VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE ON TRUMP OR MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY?
3. WHY WAS Vladimir Putin so threatened by Hillary Clinton? I get that he can't stand her BUT really if Clinton had been elected, the U.S. policy and dealings with Russia wouldn't have been that different than they were under Obama. Putin seemed to tolerate Obama. WERE/WAS/IS there Global Information about Putin's environmental, banking and /or money laundering that was about to break and PUTIN KNEW Clinton had the goods on him & that's why he blackmailed Trump?
PUTIN is not a TRUMP. He is more like MUELLER albeit an autocratic MUELLER. WHAT WAS or IS MOTIVATING HIM to IMPERIL his own Supreme Power & Wealth?
6
Meanwhile, so many of our sisters and brothers live in fear of losing health care, of being deported, of living in an era of emboldened racism, of losing loved ones to addictions... and this hollow shell of a human pays off a porn star while his new child is still nursing, goes golfing while railing about the supposed ineptitude of others, and tweets away whatever decency and moral authority this office once held.
25
It doesn't matter. The ONLY thing that counts is voting, in November. Make them own their Creature. Bigly.
18
So this could be the proverbial smoking gun, eh? How ironic.
19
Wow, wouldn't Charlton Heston be proud.
8
If the Mueller investigation destroys the NRA it will have done more end terrorism and gun violence than years of police work. Should it take down Trump and the GOP as well, all the better. Maybe Donnie and Wayne can be cell mates in Leavenworth.
13
Be still, my heart! But we are a very long way from seeing the NRA destroyed. Even if all the players were to get fitted for stripped jammies, the 2nd amendment survives, "Gomer" still has some 300 million guns in his closet and truck and the new NRA would simply use different initials and pretty much carry on as before. It's money, folks. When a dogs' breakfast like the NRA can drop 50 million to get a handful of water carriers elected, democracy is just another word. As it has been for a very long time.
Smoking (NRA) gun? Russopublicans? We must not let this party short-circuit Mueller probe. How can the object of this probe cut it off? Stand firm. This is becoming more and more sickening...if that is possible.
6
Is the implication that now that the red flags no longer fly in fascistic, oligarchic Russia, and the Czar is again on the throne, our own fascistic oligarchs see common cause? One big happy family, just like the European Monarchies of old.
4
I think that's pretty much it. There's no more communism in Russia, and the GOP knows it--so they have come view Putin a lot more favorably.
Trump and the GOP seem to want to set up our own home-grown oligarchy modeled after Russia.
If ifs and buts we’re candy and nuts we’d all have a Merry Christmas!
1
Ifs and buts is all they have
1
Actually, no...
Said another way...
#releasethememo
3
The US is the only western “democracy” that allows PACS and other dark money and super rich individuals to spend huge amounts of money in support of candidates and essentially buy elections. To borrow a phrase : It’s the money stupid. Stop it and you stop the obscene NRA dictating Congress not to stop mass slaughters, you stop rich American “oligarchs” like the Koch brothers from directing elections, you stop the military industrial complex from buying votes for its products and you stop a latent dictator and authoritarian madman from becoming President.
20
Please let it be true and provable.
9
Now we know that NRA actually stands for "National Ruble Association."
6
I hate doing business with LLC's. You never really know who is on the other end. Could claim to be Organic gardeners, while the truth is they are owned by Monsanto. Could claim to be American patriots; or it could be the NRA financed by Putin. You just never know.
7
If chunks of the Greed Over People party are indeed being bankrolled by Russian interests, I'll go from giddy to horrified as the GOP implodes and their M.O. starts a civil war.
4
Who's McClatchy?
1
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a vigorous 65 year old man who is running and leading two nations-America and Russia- with a streetwise gangster smile and smirk. Conspiracy, collaboration and cooperation in further of a criminal enterprise is the underlying evil. Collusion without criminal intent or acts is nothing.
Putin controls his puppet dummy Donald John Trump by helping Trump hide how much he is profiting from Putin's assistance by refusing to disclose his personal and family income tax returns and business records to the American people. Putin is making weapons out of the most malign domestic American institutional internal divisions like gun control, color aka race and faith.
Putin aspires to being a worthy heir to Russian Czar Peter the Great. In a nation of 143 million with an aging shrinking ethnic Slavic Russian majority, Putin is punching well above his nation's socioeconomic political diplomatic military weight class. The nominal American annual GDP is 15x Russia's. America annually spends 9x Russia on it's military-industrial complex. But Russia selected the current President of the United States.
"We will hang the capitalists. And they will sell us the rope." Vladimir Lenin
Putin and Lenin are lawyers. Putin is reputed to be the richest man on Earth. Unlike Trump, Putin did not inherit his wealth and power. The Bolshevik Revolution did not last a century. A tiny pimple on the historical rule of the Czars.
3
What delicious irony! The smoking gun may actually belong to the NRA. Go figure.
3
Sounds like the NRA was just reaching out to talk to the Russians. Just think, people to people talking without the interference of the v2.0 Cold Warriors in the Obama White House! No HRC reset button to sink the discussions. ...
We've seen it all before so save the outrage and indignation.
2
No wonder trump is so nervous about Russiagate, it has implications far beyond his inner circle and family. As is often said "Follow the money" and it would appear that Mueller's investigators are precisely doing so. The manure pile keeps growing.
3
Ironic that the NRA may be the ones holding the "smoking gun".
7
These revelations are explosive. And thoroughly damning. They undermine the right wing's boasts of patriotism, in fact they shred it.
BUT, folks, don't expect the Congress, the Courts or the press to do what needs to be done.
Everything we've experienced for the past two years is the culmination of processes and deceit long in the making. Only the voters of this country can turn the tide. And if Russian hacking skills improve, voting may not be enough. 2018 is an opportunity and a critical moment in our nation's history.
6
Schiff's last statement is what Russiagate is all about. The election was just one instance of the conspiracy of which trump is a part. The division and disruption of the U.S. is what Russia is all about. Just ask yourself: "What would Vladimir want?", whenever a trumpian event occurs. Why trump, because of the money he requires to satisfy his urges. The other conservatives in the cartel are loyal only to money, not country. Thus, they know no political boundaries. The trump Russia relationship began in the 1990's. Do you think Vlad would like to see every American carry a gun?
2
It's pretty clear now that Trump's fortune is totally built on money laundering for the Russian mob. He's compromised himself, as has the RNC, putting the whole country at risk.
3
If the NRA was involved in facilitating Russian financial involvement in American politics, you can be sure the dirty money trail did not stop at Trump, but extended far down into the Republican Party as well.
This fear of the discovery of the true extent of Russia's involvement with the GOP could well explain all of the stonewalling going on in the GOP-controlled Congressional investigations into the Russian meddling.
As Rep. Adam Schiff has continually pointed out, the Russian decision to back the GOP in the 2016 elections actually occurred in 2014 and predates Trump's emergence as the GOP candidate. Trump's (and his supporters such as Page and Manafort's) preexisting Russian business and intelligence contacts only made their job even easier.
This whole Russia business keeps getting uglier and uglier.
7
It's just another egregious example of the damage wrought by the Citizens United decision allowing dark money to pour into our politics.
Unless and until we pass a constitutional amendment prescribing public financing of elections, we will continue to be vulnerable to foreign financial meddling in our elections (in addition to the usual sort of domestic bribery).
497
The most lasting damage to our democracy is the large number of right wing extremist judges being added to our judicial system by this republican government.
Expect more damaging decisions such as citizens united in the future.
7
But Citizens United doesn't protect foreign infusion of money; it is illegal. Creating a fake LLC in the USA to receive Russian money and then pass it to the NRA "dark money" fund doesn't make it clean money; it remains illegal and I also hope, but I don't have faith in, Mueller's team will do justice to this travesty.
For Republicans to filibuster the Disclose Act, they reveal their complicity in the opaque money that has corroded democratic elections. But ditching Citizens United is crucial.
Go Team Mueller! (Fingers crossed).
3
Our campaign financing system has always been just a system for legalized bribery. Why the American people have allowed this to go on for so long is a mystery to me, when it's obvious that cash buys votes - no matter how distanced that cash seems to be from the votes, the connection is always there if you follow the money. The Russian kleptocracy couldn't help but notice.
And politicians are so cheap! They charge ridiculously little for their votes - I guess they make up for the low prices with high volume sales. And awaiting them after their careers in vote-selling are lucrative jobs in corporations and lobbying firms. If they weren't millionaires upon entering Congress, they sure are when they leave, and more riches greet them as they walk through that revolving golden door. Dollars or rubles - it's all the same: bribery.
1
I have said before that I believe this potential scandal would involve more than just Trump and his allies. This goes deep into the heart of Republican leadership and the fall-out, when it comes, will be considerable. The Teapot Dome scandal and Tammany Hall will pale by comparison.
3
The Supreme Court’s decision on the Citizen’s United case made disclosure of who is supporting candidates unconstitutional as well as limiting how much that they can give. It was as misguided an idea as eliminating referees from professional sports, it amounts to guaranteeing corruption.
4
The Russians have been waiting for decades to see a man like the current president in power; a man whose sole aim is fame and riches, a man who could be controlled with the color green. War was never the answer for them to defeating us, because they knew we had a weakness where the lines of race and money lie, and with the current U.S. leadership they could finally exploit it. Greed, demagogues and phony patriots will be our downfall.
3
This story reminds me of Chekhov's gun, the idea that in writing, something should not be introduced unless it plays a role further along in the story. The NRA met with Kremlin-connected Russians and spent three times as much on Trump as on Romney. The NRA and its millions in dark money appear poised to play play a larger role in the Trump-Russia collusion saga as it unfolds.
3
This commenter has figured it out:
"Trump has colluded with the Russians."
Evidence? We don't need no stinkin' evidence!
Besides, we've got plenty of evidence. For example, 40% of the letters in "Trump" are exactly the same as 33.3% of the letters in "Russia." That's statistical proof -- the best kind! And both words contain an "R" -- as does "rifle."
Are you starting to see the pattern here?
4
Consider the hundreds of thousands of cloned military assault weapons purchased in our country each year. Consider Russia's growing influence over the thought process of American hard right politics, whose supporters are the owners of the majority of those weapons. Lastly, consider the potential ability of the NRA to issue a call to arms should ownership of those weapons be threatened by a Left-leaning government. Russia has succeeded beyond its wildest dreams in turning brother against brother in these formerly United States. The Great prophet Frank Zappa once parodied our society by singing 'It can't happen here." If we are truly whistling through the graveyard, it's time for America to wake up and come to it's senses.
4
John le Carre could not have written this story. World-spanning shadowy characters, nefarious deeds and political intrigue make for entertaining spy novels, but they are frightening ingredients in news stories.
Is it fair now to say that the NRA has completed its transition from a one-time, well-meaning, gun-safety organization to a duplicitous industry lobbying front to (finally) a full-blown international criminal enterprise?
Yes, that seems fair.
6
It's a myth that a frog will remain in a pot of water as it boils. It jumps out around 98 degrees. The daily barrage of information about Donald Trump's shady entanglements is a reverse sorites paradox.
At what point does the mounting evidence become enough?
2
The metaphor of the Smoking Gun is turned into its original. So now the whole Repub party is compromised via the rifle lobby. Donald's cult does't care, but the Emperor should be revving up his yacht for departure. Elba? The Caspian?
2
So, is "In God We Trust" an outdated axiom for America? The last election certainly lends credence to that possibility...
3
Getting a little scary. What if they go all in an decide to hack the voting machines.
1
Can't help but wonder how deep this goes...could large swaths of the Republican party have been infiltrated by dark Russian money? The entire cabinet has history with Russian 'business'...Everything--especially fawning support for NRA-- looks different through this lens. Even Neil Gorsuch's ties to Russian billionaires (which was dismissed as not a reason to hold up confirmation at the time) starts to look, well, a little too coincidental.
We also know the FBI had been examining Murdoch/Fox in connection with bribery to Russian officials...
...Is this really happening, or has my outrage simply made me vulnerable to embrace such a widespread conspiracy here?
3
It's pretty obvious that Russia hand-picked Trump's cabinet.
What scares me is the left and right dichotomy leaving the confines of our borders. Now the right would rather financially align with Putin just because he supports same sex marriage and loose gun laws. More than collusion, if true, this is treason.
1
I have my fingers crossed that the NRA can be included in the collusion of the Trump camp and the Russians. The possibility is almost too rich to be true.
1
What was true in 1775 when Samuel Johnson said it (according to Boswell) is true today: "Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel."
The NRA has turned from a gun-responsibility group to the equivalent of an SS for the GOP...and Russian infiltrators.
2
Not just the Republicans!
"Apparently the entire Republican party is in Putin's pocket."
Don't forget Bernie Sanders! He was in Putin's pocket too, as was everyone who opposed Hillary Clinton.
Even Martin O'Malley? Yep, O'Malley too. In late March of 2016, O'Malley was seen taking an envelope (undoubtedly filled with cash) with something written on the outside in what appeared to be Russian. The envelope actually had a return address on it (those Russians aren't the sharpest tools in the shed): "Vladimir Putin, Kremlin, Moscow, Russia."
O'Malley may deny this, but his denial will be further evidence of his guilt.
And Sanders? Come on! Everybody knows he and Putin are vodka drinking buddies from way back.
2
And the NRA has built themselves a cadre of followers who think the government is coming to take their guns and so their followers have stocked up after every gun incident. Buying record numbers of semi-automatic weapons to defend themselves from the government and the crazies who have blasted innocents with semi-automatic weapons. These same semi-automatic weapons manufactured by the millions and known as AK-47’s or in Russia after their maker, Kalashnikovs.
So if the findings fall against Trump and the NRA and the Republicans and the Russians and who knows who else, there are all these guns seeded and planted out there among people who are great conspiracy theorists now.
Question is, will they believe in the correct conspiracy?
1
A commenter has faith in Mueller:
"I am sure that Mueller is on top of this and is looking into these allegations."
Me too. And if Mueller finds this connection -- or any other connection -- among the Russians, the NRA, and the Trump campaign, I hope and trust that Mueller will indict everyone he can and point the finger of blame to those he can't (the Russians, for example, who undoubtedly will be sipping vodka at some dacha, thumbing their nose at US investigators).
On the other hand, if Mueller DOESN'T find any such connection, I'm not sure I'd expect him even to mention that he looked for one. It might be a bit embarrassing to admit that he fell for this.
39
Mueller shouldn't be embarrassed for investigating a lead, even if it results in nothing. That's what real detectives and investigators do.
"fell for this." Just like when the FBI "fell" for Timothy McVey blowing up the federal building or when they "fell" for that information leading to identifying the highjackers on 9/11 or when they "fell" into believing their investigative discoveries in the Boston Marathon bombing.
The FBI is clearly known for falling for misinformation and believing it without any investigation........oh wait.....that's not the FBI it's FOX news watchers.
3
Joey R,
Detectives and investigators also use some discretion. In nearly every high-profile case, hundreds or thousands of tips are phoned in. Not all of them are investigated, and many that are investigated turn out to lead nowhere.
That said, I'd investigate this one, and I'm all but certain Mueller is. Maybe something will come of it; maybe not. I'll predict "not," but I'd check it out if I were Mueller.
2
Well, well, well. Now isn't this interesting. Considering the havoc the NRA has brought on to America, it does make sense.
118
WOW!! Hat's off to you Michelle. Excellent reporting. Thank you very much. Makes a lot of sense to me. Have my fingers crossed that your effort will lead to further revelations regarding the NRA and its Republican connections. Remember Clint Eastwood? "over my cold dead body" or something like that. There are many years of explaining the roll the NRA has had in influencing our elections. 90 % of us want more accountability when it comes to gun control but have been frustrated by the NRA's and GOP's no way in spite of our huge citizen voter advantage. Now add Russia to the mix. Its getting clear. Lets's get more info on this, fast!
64
It was Charlton Heston!
I could be mistaken, but I thought it was Charlton Heston (when he was head of the NRA) who approached the podium clutching a rifle, raised it over his head and said something like: "Not from my cold dead hands . . . ". To which the audience erupted in applause.
1
"..from my cold, dead hands."
That wasn't Clint Eastwood. It was former NRA president Charlton Heston.
1
Somebody needs to fire the writers of this reality show. The plot line is just too far-fetched. The NRA, the oligarchs, David Clarke, Trump, the “Right to Bear Arms,” and Putin as an ally? Wait, what?
You just can’t make this kind of stuff up. Can we please change the channel?
23
Having trump as president seemed far-fetched, and, yet...here we are.
3
This could be a win-win for the country: take Trump and Co. down and banish the NRA.
100
Keep fighting for the truth Adam Schiff and Jackie Speier! You are making Californian's proud and giving us hope that our Democracy may not be lost after all!
130
If it took till May 2016 to try to make first contact there was probably no collusion as it's a little late in the game. Russia has a GDP the size of Canada and on the other side of the globe. I liken your readers to Charlie Brown trying to kick the football only to have Lucy pull the ball away. Over and over and over again. I guess if people continue to fall for a slightly different version of the same story and it sells clicks go for it.
In the meanwhile #ReleaseTheMemo
1
Trade ya, The Memo for Trump's tax returns.
In the meanwhile, release the tax returns.
2
You drive a hard bargain, Sleepy!
Why are we still splitting hairs over "collusion" when we've seen proof of treason with our own eyes?
55
The stench of TREASON is overwhelming.
1
Said the Spy:"Buy the Guns to Vote in the Ones,
To get things Done and our man Won.
No one will see it, not a single One"
That's how Russia made Trump their Son of a Gun
As America's President is now Putin's 3rd Amendment...
With the Right to let Russian Bear Harms...now obvious, Self Evident.
8
Trump (Infant Terrible), Putin, and the NRA: the troika trampling our great nation to bits.
18
I believe Michelle Goldberg is correct. This possible association sounds too much like "Resistance fan fiction," to be disseminated as fact right now. It may be somewhat better sourced than the conspiracy theories about Hilary Clinton (Pizzagate), but it does not seem that different from the chains of loose associations that skyrocketed books about The Clintons' financial dealings to the top of conservative best seller lists. The thought that the NRA could be a Russian "useful idiot" is a progressive dream-come-true.
Donald Trump Jr. had other very good reasons for attending the NRA meeting. The organization overlaps substantially with the Trump base.
The Erickson - Butina connection deserves further review, but it sounds like a plot from a Daniel Silva spy thriller. The motives of the participants may bot be pure, but there are alternative explanations tHt do not require a Trump connection.
I am not going to post this on social media. I am sure that Mueller is on top of this and is looking into these allegations. I'll wait for his report.
"If the NRA has 5 million members, each paying $25/year, I suppose the $55 million spent on the 2016 election could have come out of membership fees."
Exactly what the Russians WANT you to think. In fact, the NRA funded that $55 million with contributions from the Russian mafia. Known fact. Mueller is all over that one -- I didn't just make this up! (At least I THINK I didn't -- or at least I thought that at the time I made it up -- Whoops!).
And the plot goes well beyond some connection between Trump and the Russian mafia -- pretty much anybody could think that up, after all. For example, Trump's campaign plane landed in Charlotte 90 minutes after this Russian's plane landed. Do you suppose nothing happened at Charlotte airport in between?
That's right -- in between those two landings were many landings by planes owned by -- you guessed it -- United, American, Delta, you name it. Were those airlines in on the plot too, or were those landings just "coincidence?" You decide, but consider the possibility that we're onto something of Illuminati dimensions here!
1
To paraphrase Matthew McConaughey, "Aw-rite, aw-rite, aw-rite." DJT is not the target of the Blue Tsunami anymore. Nothing was working against DJT, anyway, good call.
I have always been impressed with the way Democrats can turn a phrase. Republicans and "family values" are not in the same league. "Income inequality", "Big Tobacco", "It's the economy, stupid" and of course, my fave, "Common sense gun laws".
If only guns didn't look so scary and not hold so many bullets. If gun owners only had to undergo hundreds of hours of training. And, a mental evaluation. And, if the government had a record of every gun owned. And if there was a $5 tax on each bullet, to stem the medical costs from gun violence.
Make the NRA explain what a "well regulated militia" really is. Isn't that the National Guard? The founding fathers would never have allowed people owning machine guns. What other country in the world lets it's citizens arm themselves with an unlimited number of machine guns?
Not Britain. Not Australia. Not Japan. Not China. Not North Korea. Not Russia. They all have common sense gun laws. Who doesn't support that? ISIS? The Tea Party? MS13?
Me. I don't support common sense gun laws, because, well, they aren't really common sense. They are restrictions, applied one at a time. Until, I'm as well armed as a North Korean rock farmer.
Am I the only one who was shocked several years ago that many in the Republican leadership as well as Trump were stating that Putin was a stronger leader than Obama, therefore suggesting that they preferred the Russian dictator over our sitting president? This NRA story has legs.
55
Money corrupts, especially campaign contributions.
This goes a long way towards explaining why the Republicans are so desperate to create a Potemkin village of the House and Senate investigations, and to stop Mueller's real investigation. They are nothing but traitors to our country, in the pursuit of personal power.
47
If this IS the Collusion We Were Waiting For...the Irony is incredible if, as it may turn out that the NRA ends up becoming The Smoking Gun!
Son of a Gun!
47
The historical ironies of the Kremlin-NRA connection are delicious.
Througout the 1930s, 40s, 50s we had the like of Joe McCarthy (and Donald Trump's mentor Roy Cohn) screaming about Democrat "fellow travelers" -- American Communists or Communist sympathizers.
Now we appear to have a very cozy and lucrative connection between the GOP, the NRA, and the Kremlin. Time we start rooting out the GOP fellow travelers.
I am only slightly kidding when I suggest perhaps it's time to resurrect the HUAC.
304
Even more ironic when you consider who had chaired the SUAC - before he became Ike's VP in '53.
1
HUAC was already resurrected in the form of the House Select Committee on Benghazi which, after 2 years of investigation and $7 million wasted dollars, found nothing on Hillary. Neither will Beuaregard's reopening of the supposed Clinton conspiracy (involving 7 federal agencies) in the sale of uranium to the Russians.
3
After this whole Russian imbroglio shakes out, "money for her graduate studies" may enter the political lexicon as transparently phony a cover story for the NRA "patriots" as "hiking the Appalachian trail" was for Mark Sanford. I hope none of these geniuses owns a firearm because I wouldn't want to be within a mile of any of them, they're so dumb.
I would like to point out the very ironic fact that Russia has very restrictive gun control laws, including licensing, background checks, handgun ban, burst-rifle ban, silencer ban...
15
The gun lobby's ability to shut down CDC's research on gun violence always struck me as outside of rational politics.
Thank you & Keep digging: no wonder he hates the press
69
The foolishness continues.
There remains no proof that Trump camp directed Russia to do anything to help him get elected. No one thought TRump would win. Hilary certainly thought she would win.
Dems need to get their acts together, because trump is by far the worst president ever. They need to present a viable candidate, not just someone who resists.
4
To quote Linda C:
'I am not so certain. Remember the June 2016 meeting where Kevin McCarthy says, "There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump. Swear to God" ? Paul Ryan responds, "This is an off the record . . . No leaks! . . . All right? This is how we know we’re a real family here. What’s said in the family stays in the family."'
1
I think we're seeing conspiracy in action. Conservatives do not care about the U.S. they only care about money.
1
john palmer, first of all, there is plenty of proof of contacts and exchanges but as to your claim that "There remains no proof that Trump camp directed Russia to do anything to help him get elected." I ask you if you have read the contents of Robert Mueller's files? If not, you have no idea what you are talking about. Second, the issue is not whether Russia changed votes due to a conspiracy with the Trump campaign but whether they attempted to do so. It does appear, and I believe is irrefutable, that Russian bloggers were posting fake news stories on Facebook in targeted states making the most outrageous claims about HRC. If Trump's campaign assisted, that is, at least, conspiracy and if not treason.
I can hardly stand it. Imagine, The Trump Administration and the NRA obliterated, once and for all, together. A girl's allowed to dream, isn't she?
318
@kglen: As we in NY like to say:"From your lips, to God's ear!"
18
I keep hearing that - so far - our system has been successful in containing the damage Trump and the Republicans are doing.
I am not so certain. Remember the June 2016 meeting where Kevin McCarthy says, "There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump. Swear to God" ? Paul Ryan responds, "This is an off the record . . . No leaks! . . . All right? This is how we know we’re a real family here. What’s said in the family stays in the family."
Now we have this: the NRA potentially using Russian money to help "Republicans cement control of Congress." Add in a stolen Supreme Court seat, stacking the courts with right wing judges, and what have you got?
Yes, Virginia, there is a "Deep State", but it's not the one Trump and Bannon warned about. It's the one the Russians and Republicans have created!
223
Yes, located at the intersection of where winning becomes more important than ethics or democracy.
Thank you for connecting these dots. RICO laws address this level of conspiracy.
67
The movie, The Russians Are Coming. The Russians Are Comming, was a comedy in 1966. What should we call what's happening now?
The Russians Are Here and They Are The Ones Laughing. This is not fiction or fake news. Trump has colluded with the Russians.
34
Let's hope the hunt for 'collusion' will be more successful than the hunt for Saddam's "Weapons of Mass Destruction."
10
You mean Saddam DIDN'T have "Weapons of Mass Destruction?" But I thought that's why we invaded Iraq!
Remind us: How did Hillary Clinton vote on the Iraq War? For or against?
1
From Putin's point of view, it would be stupid not to spend millions to influence our elections through organizations like the NRA. Does anyone really think social media and fake news is the only way they tried to corrupt democracy in the U.S.?
23
Looks like the Republicans have been investigating Hillary at Putin's behest. Apparently the entire Republican party is in Putin's pocket.
88
It would not be surprising, in the least, if what this article alleges is true. If NRA (and Republican politicians) are so craven that they have no problem maintaining and growing their financial power and political influence with the blood of murdered children on their hands, how could treason against one's country be problematic?
35
The bumper sticker seems correct:
Not
Really
Americans
I was an NRA-er for about a year or so (and competitive gallery shooter) and realized that 1) their magazines morphed from sport to activism, 2) the sport articles were repetitive so nothing new was funded, 3) St. Pierre wrapped himself in the flag and plainly appeared purchased by others (false patriotism), and 4) they propagated a series of bogeymen to keep the guns flowing (especially those cheap foreign semis..hmmm). It doesn't surprise me that they are dirty and their budgets don't match their outlays. They are Not Really Americans and their members have been duped using the flag. I view those red stickers on folks cars as "Sucker."
144
I have always considered claims that the NRA leadership is an enemy of the American people to be truthful hyperbole. Now we know that it might be true.
20
It's possible, I suppose:
"Isn't it possible Putin's Russian didn't need nukes to attack and weaken American democracy--just hard cold cash?"
Much more than just "possible," though is this indisputable fact:
Count the number of letters in "Trump," add one, and you end up with the number of letters in "Russia." Do the same thing with the word "Rifle" and you end up with the same result. And have you noticed that the letters "R" and "U" appear in both "Trump" and "Russia?" Don't get me started.
More seriously, one commenter graciously included a link to a McClatchy article. Do yourself a favor and read that article -- see what you think.
3
"“this could well be the collusion we have been waiting for, prosecutable as possible campaign finance crimes.”
well it's nice to know that the author and tweeter admits there hasn't been any collusion. keep waiting!
4
Well, you are right. They haven't found any so far after looking for 19 months.
1
Sorry, logically the phrase "the collusion we have been waiting for" does not imply that we have not encountered collusion before. Just think of saying "she is the one I have been waiting for." That would not mean you had not dated other "she's" while you were waiting.
On the SAT that kind of logic problem would cost you some points.
2
If you haven't seen the blatant signs of collusion, you haven't been reading. Try picking up Luke Harding's book "Collusion", an extremely detailed, documented account with interviews from over 200 people. Just the chapter on Manafort's role in the Yanukyovich election and the following annexation of Crimea/civil war paints a chilling picture of the plays Russian intends to run in our country.
The overwhelming evidence is pretty damning - but this might be the smoking gun...
Am I right to remember that in the 1960’s (post shoe episode @ the UN) NIkita Khrushchev promised that Russia would conquer America from WITHIN! I suspect this latest Russian episode has been LONG in the planning.
40
Many years ago in Mexico my husband and I met the son of a Russian diplomat who when really drunk said the same thing repeatedly. Not a new idea at all.
9
I've been predicting for months that this Russian business could well come down to the use of laundered Russian mob money to shore up shaky Trump Inc finances after his 2004 & 2009 bankruptcies. Lots of hints lying out there. The potential involvement of the NRA would be truly stunning.
56
Totally spot-on. It's obvious to anyone with eyes and ears that Trump's business is a criminal sham and rotten to the core. All of us in New York have known this literally for decades.
Why do you think he went from 'there's no collusion - I'm not worried - it'll be finished soon' to showing obvious distress and threatening Mueller when it looked like he was also digging into Trump's business dealings.
24
"seems a bit too much like Resistance fan fiction"
What is this supposed to mean? If you are part of the resistance, then you're a "fan" (taken from fanatic), as though your opposition to the worst presidency in the nation's history it is some sort idle pastime?
Following the NRA connection in the massive money laundering schemes that are being uncovered in the Russia probe is a worthy journalistic pursuit. It could be quite a profound part of any indictment that may come out of the office of the special prosecutor. If it does, it would reveal the gun-lobby as treasonous and would warrant additional prosecution of it by law enforcement authorities.
Ms. Goldberg's characterization of all this as "too delicious," as though our taste buds are gleefully satisfied with what could be one of the most monstrous sides to the collusion story, instead trivializes what should be genuine concerns. On the contrary, there should be an immense distaste in all of this for any conscientious citizen.
6
The Supreme Court is complicit with its Citizens United decision.
122
And now we know why Trump wants Republicans to “take control” of the Russia investigation. And why Trump has claimed the FBI is in tatters. Collusion, collaboration, conspiracy—to win an election and what else? A Supreme Court nomination? In light of this development, everything Republicans have done becomes suspect. Follow the money.
52
No wonder he Republicans are working so hard to frustrate the Russia inquiries. It is important for Mueller to follow up on this. It would also seem that Donald Jr. just forgot about another inappropriate Russian connection.
17
An N.R.A. finance investigation would also help explain why Mueller has drawn so much talent from the IRS Criminal Investigations Division. As far as we know, Mueller is not investigating President Trump's finances directly. You don't need 2,500 criminal finance specialists to not investigate a financial crime. N.R.A. suspicion offers a different justification.
10
This is shaping up to be an all out war against us and 63 million Americans are too caught up in their hate of 'liberals' or racism to recognize the threat. If this is proven to be true, I hope that it ends the NRA permanently and proves that trump wasn't duly elected and is in fact an illegitimate president. For the first time in our history we'd be faced with how to unwind an illegitimate administration, making every appointment trump has made, every executive order and piece of legislation he's signed fruit of the poisoned tree.
75
I'm so old, I remember when red-blooded Americans fought AGAINST Russia.
47
I am reminded of the Red Scare of the 1950s, Joe McCarthy, AWARE, Inc., Alger Hiss and all the other permutations of alleged Communist infiltration into the fabric of our society. The difference this time around is that the Republican party is the pathogen and they don't seem to care one whit about that fact. Have they no sense of decency, at long last? Have they left no sense of decency?
6
“If it did so with Russia’s assistance, the whole party is implicated.”
The above kind of says it all.
So THIS is why Republicans are so intransigent?
Explains a lot!
45
An apparent simple calculation for nra leadership: rather trump than hilliary, even if it meant Putin. Or is it: rather putin than hilliary, even if it meant trump? Either way it’s telling.
8
Years ago I received a phone call from the NRA asking if I would renew my membership. As a kid growing up in Los Angeles during the 1950s I was a NRA member, an Eagle Scout and an Acolyte in the Epicopal Church. My family were all college educated. I had all the credentials to be a card carrying Republican. A number of events occurred between those “innocent” days and the NRA phone call, not the least of which was an all expense paid trip to the Republic of Vietnam in 1968 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USMC.
I will not bore the readers with further stories. It’s enough to say the Presidential election of 1992 would be the last time I voted Republican.
Now back to that call from the NRA. During the call the NRA representative exclaimed, “don’t you know they are going to take away your guns!” I responded, “I am not worried, when the revolution comes there will be plenty of weapons in the street.”
My only hope is let this article be true so I never have to go loooking for a gun.
27
Red state and red states uniting by deepening the conjoined corruption of our two most cherished freedoms and widening our internal divides.
That Russia was so successful in undermining democracy in America was that they had a party and a presidential candidate that were so conducive. Trump was their receiver and amplifier and propagandist for "more!". Their paranoid style and dark money combined to open the door to collusion and their coordinated diversions from the crimes.
4
It gets deeper and deeper. Treason is the only word I can think of, Bannon is right. Sanctions against Russia are not enough to punish them for their part in this conspiracy. Trump is right, it is not Collusion, it is Treason and a Conspiracy and our own fellow countrymen the NRA helped Russia.
8
"...the oligarch flew to N.C., where djt was making a campaign speech and their planes were photographed on the ground together..."
I read the article at your link (thanks), and I don't recall it mentioning this at all. Can you point us all to that part?
1
The implications are mind boggling. Doesn't anyone on the right question why the Russian government, recently considered democracy's greatest enemy, picked the GOP as the easiest way to infiltrate the U.S. and manipulate our electoral system? Was it so obvious the Russians figured out how easily it would be to seduce the GOP's self-serving hypocrites? And how did the flag waving NRA heads allow themselves to be seduced by a country that would never allow the gun manufacturers' front organization to exist? It was scary enough to know how venal and corrupt the GOP was without reminders about how stupid they are too.
4
I fear, by this account, Trumpites will say "What collusion? The Russians just want to create their own NRA, that's all! What's the big deal?" As good journalists chase down another dead end of lies and further obfuscation remaining so difficult to assign guilt.
I feel sick reading this. Can one of our governing parties be bought so cheaply? Does this country mean nothing them? Our values?
Our right wing has lost its mind. They are deluded by ideology and race to believe that they should align with Putin. Putin abuses his own countrymen. Why would he be reliable American ally??
3
The NRA has not been pro-United States for as long as I can remember, just like their pals in the Republican Party.
Neither likes democracy. Why should either the NRA or the Republicans being in bed with the Russians be any surprise? They've always been ideological soul mates.
8
Actually, the NRA was basically apolitical up until the 1970s, when they along with the extremist religious right were willingly recruited into the republican cause of turning back the clock, on everything from the reproductive rights of women, to anti-racist measures, to poverty reduction.
Ah, yes, dark money coming into support their candidates. No surprise; after Citizens United, we could all have kissed our country goodbye...
15
How ironic it would be that the NRA, an organization that was built on the premise that citizens had to right to bear arms to prevent the overreach of a tyrannical government...would receive illegal money from such a tyrannical government.
24
And let's not forget ES&S, Mike McCarthy, Bob and Todd Urosevitch - with propriety software their customers (election officials) are not allowed to examine and their warehouses in Jackson, Mississippi, beyond the reach of Democrats, and Canada, beyond the reach of US citizens.
2
"Here’s another way L.L.C.s could be used: as an intermediary between foreign agents and tax-exempt organizations that are not required by law to disclose their donors, often called dark money groups."
The LLCs serve as what's called a cut-out in the espionage world, providing cover to the people and organizations actually supplying the money and in the case of political donations, or hush money for porn actresses, making it all quite legal - at least on the surface.
1
I can't decide whether the unfolding of the Trump organization's myriad relationships with the Russians is more akin to peeling back the layers of an onion, or most resembles a set of Matryoshka dolls.
They more we discover about the once clandestine romance between the Trumps and the Russians, the more we understand that the comparisons above are not mutually exclusive. The relationship appears to be a hybrid: a set of Matryoshka dolls that stinks more and more, and brings tears to our eyes, the further we get into it.
3
As I have been saying, not only what is Trump hiding, what is the GOP covering up? I think that is behind their embrace of a man they know to be dangerous on many levels and whom they do not like.
1
The involvement of the NRA in the Russian probe explains the Republicans' reluctance to do anything about trump and his minions. Their hands are tied. They've been bought and paid for.
I'm started to feel vindicated. For months I've been saying that the Russians have something on some (or most) of our Republican lawmakers. They're either being blackmailed, or are afraid for their lives. Or maybe they've just become very good friends.
In my lifetime the two scariest things have been Russia, which had the ability to annihilate all of us, and the NRA, which has made it possible for thousands of guns to be in the hands of the wrong people. And now we see there's been a marriage of convenience between them.
3
"During the Obama administration, Senate Democrats twice tried to pass the Disclose Act, which would require greater transparency about the sources of political donations; both times Republicans filibustered."
The Democrats didn't make campaign finance reform a cornerstone of the
'16 election, probably because the status quo benefited Clinton's candidacy and Obama never used his bully pulpit to stir up voters on this issue. His candidacy also benefited, but his agenda was chained after the 2010 midterm disaster that was orchestrated with secret money.
The threads of dark money permeate the fabric of our democracy as it comes apart at the seams, but if Democrats don't stand loud and strong for reform there is no saving us by simply winning a few elections and eliminating the worst of the actors on the D.C. stage of the moment.
True, systemic campaign finance reform will require as much heavy lifting as did passing the ACA, and the need is just as large and immediate as fixing our health care system.
3
Nice reporting. Very good thing that we have someone on the case who is skilled and honest at getting at the truth.
1
If any Republicans read this they will say, "so what." They see no issue with Russia interfering in US politics as long as Republicans get the gilded age policies they desire. The Republicans would probably take help from the North Koreans if it meant that Republicans would stay in power.
As for me, I would love to see the NRA go down with Trump. Talk about a wonderful double play. The NRA is a dangerous organization that cares nothing for human life.
3
This could be the proverbial "smoking gun" that proves collusion, and beyond that, a virtual Russian takeover of Congress. No wonder so many Congressional republicans seem to be sweating more than usual. (Unusual to see snakes sweat.)
2
If I wanted to destroy America, I certainly would funnel money to the one organization that is obstructing sane gun laws to prevent mass shootings. This makes perfect sense.
I just hope Mueller can remove 45 before he does more damage.
10
The Citizens United decision comes home to roost in yet another dangerous guise. The NRA and its dangerous mission essentially has desks in the White House, Fox "News" propaganda network and a Republican-led Congress. Putin has not had to rattle any sabers. He apparently has orchestrated well the merger of the interests of well-funded U. S. power-brokers and Russian Oligarchs connected with Russian intelligence. Whether this is from collusion or a merging of separately tracked interests is far more advanced than we have understood. The constant threat of government shut-down and the dismantling of our soft-power diplomacy presents us with a treacherous and dangerous situation. Mr. Trump wants to wall others out. Mr. Putin's tactics are walling us in.
2
Now we're getting somewhere. The dots are connecting. Is it possible that so many of the prominent congressional names on the right are not running again because of what they know about the source of the money and the breadth of the influence? How do we come back from this? Public hearings will be required but will the skeptical half of the country, or the 34% at least, ever believe what we learn? Will they pay enough attention?
Somebody (Senator Warner, maybe?) said earlier that this will be the most important thing he ever will have done. This could explain that. And a guy like Nunez....maybe this explains the stranglehold on him because his bias and actions seem so inexplicable. The stakes are so high and I worry that witnesses, investigators or reporters will start getting hurt.
Wow. I feel a little hope but it all still makes me queasy.
1
"During the Obama administration, Senate Democrats twice tried to pass the Disclose Act, which would require greater transparency about the sources of political donations; both times Republicans filibustered."
It's not hard to imagine that the Republicans filibustered in order to facilitate just this sort of interference in American elections by a foreign power hostile to the United States, but not hostile to its Republican Party.
The word for this is not "collusion", but "collaboration". Collaboration with a hostile foreign power against the interests of one's own country is also called "treason".
I recall after Citizens United that Barack Obama in a State of the Union address warned explicitly that this sort of thing could now happen, to which Justice Samuel Alito in the audience shook his head and mouthed, "No, no".
How far does the rot go on the right side of the aisle?
2
The most dangerous trend in this country is towards authoritarian Oligarchic rule. Many people with guns see them as a sign of power and authority. It is not surprising that the NRA who dominates Congress with its money and arrogance would link itself to Trump, the GOP and Russian authoritarianism and manipulation. What is surprising is that so many people in this country who pride themselves on their freedom tolerate the NRA Trump and Russian influence.
1
Every day brings a new revelation about Trump and his party. In every functioning democracy, Trump will be long gone. But ours (democracy) stopped working and the majority is ruled by minority swallowing every untruth coming from Trump's mouth.
American democracy is on life-support and "physicians" attending to it, very much like Trump's doctor,Ronny L. Jackson, proclaim, in spite of evidence, that the patient is in excellent health.
Do we want to wait until democracy dies? Where are the marches? Where are the mass protests? Women's rights are very important, but survival of our political system should take precedence over every other issue we are occupied with.
3
There is a tremendous amount of speculation these days about things the FBI "knows" or what Mueller "knows" which are secret from the general public. The hope is that some day, those who "know" will spill their collective beans, and all will become clear about Trump's culpability in conspiring with Russia over the years. And then... bye, bye, Mr. President.
But perhaps the child doth protest too much. It is unlikely that any of the investigative bodies will collate all this "evidence" into a concise history of Trumpian crimes. It is more likely that the public will never find out about the true backstory here. There are likely to be additional charges levied against many of the Trump team, perhaps leading directly to Trump himself, which is Mueller's evident intent. But there is a massive amount of information which will never see the light of day. This is a disservice to the country, because it is in this compendium that hides the true nature of Trump's self-centered malevolence. The public needs to know this, so that future similar transgressions against the country can be prevented. Sunshine really is the most effective disinfectant.
The issue here is that the media has little concrete to write about, and so they deal in speculation about what "might" be known to Mueller et al. But all that does is inflame the public's bloodlust without adequate foundation. There is a hunger for facts about all of Trump's misdeeds, and the public will not rest without them. And soon.
2
Two key things to keep in mind: (1) Trump's supporters welcome Russian influence because they see a union between the two nations leading to mastery of world affairs and the end of Islamic terrorism. (2) In its recent incarnation, the Republican Party has had no scruples about where its money comes from. As far as the party is concerned, one oligarch's money is just as good as another's. The implications are clear: Not even a Russian scandal of epic proportions will turn Trump's party and supporters into patriotic Americans. If they have to choose between the welfare of the nation as opposed to the NRA and wealthy oligarchs, they'll take guns and money every time.
3
Thank you Senator Feinstein. You deserve a medal. No wonder Republicans on the Senate Committee would not release the full transcript of the Fusion GPS testimony. No wonder, and no surprise either.
They say where there's smoke, there's fire. If that's the case, right now there's so much smoke we all need breathing masks.
Here's hoping that eventually prison jumpsuits will also be needed.
1
Once again it isn’t just Trump, it’s the anti government philosophy of the Republican Party. First Justice Kennedy says citizens united doesn’t even look like corruption then Alito shakes his head at Obama saying foreign governments could make campaign contributions and Roberts says we have no further need for the voter’s rights act. 63 million voters can’t see this
28
This must be wonderful news for the Russians. They can't speak freely in their own country but they certainly can in ours. Thanks to the Citizens United ruling that declared spending money is free speech (no oxymoron here), the Supreme Court virtually guarantees foreign influence in our elections. Perhaps we should ask Mr. Putin who he would like to see nominated when the next vacancy occurs on the high court. Perhaps Mr. Trump already has.....
18
It is it is no small irony that the red-blooded, god-fearing gun-grabbing ‘Muricans are unwittingly involved by their contributions to the NRA. And the trump camp shows exactly what they worship most. This is just another example of the 30% having more than their fair share of representation. Because money talks.
7
"many leading advocates on the right who grew frustrated with their country’s leftward tilt under President Barack Obama "
What "leftward tilt"? Do they mean extending tax cuts for the middle class? Saving the auto industry? Allowing working families the dignity of affordable health insurance, the money saved spent to help bolster the economy which was in a spiral when Obama came to office? Does "leftward" then mean, "sensible policy which helps the largest number of Americans"?
55
Thank you. The article would have been more accurate if it cited "what they perceived to be a leftward tilt".
2
trump seems to personify the rot in American culture. too much money floating around is corrosive; big bidness interests loom over the country as a whole and the most gullible, uninformed, misinformed electorate in the western world are dragging the usa into the swamp he and his fellow thugs are always on about.
with the worst voter turnout of just about any-or any perhaps--western democracy is a recipe for dysfunction, to put it mildly.
and the system, perhaps unique in the west, of politicians instead of non partisan commissions drawing up electoral boundaries in bizarre contortions of gerrymandering is beyond description.
3
ERA and Putin's moto, "making the U.S. the new Ukraine". Just what we need, essentially internal armed militias subverting law and government. A Bundy-like group in every community makes recruiting candidates and running elections a real challenge to our democracy. When is collusion treason? Getting there with the GOP leading the way.
1
Donald Trump is corrupt and I suspect that members of his campaign are also corrupt. By corrupt I mean, and I hope readers agree that "corruption" means a quid pro quo. Give me money for Trump's campaign and I'll make sure he removes sanctions. In other words not arguing for policy, but buying favors.
That's the basic theory of this entire investigation. But here's one of many problems with it. Between the US Supreme Court and Congress we have made what you and I might think of as corruption perfectly legal.
Yes, there are some limitations on foreign money, reporting requirements etc. But basically our politicians are for sale and given Trump's personality one might expect him to demand a bigger price than others.
Michelle writes about 'dark money', untraceable funds that could come from almost anyone. Our politicians created the basis for 'dark money' and made it legal.
The real corruption isn't the people who us this system for their own selfish ends, it is the ones who created it in the first place and the judges who made sure that this cesspool would be protected by the law.
But rather than focus on how our own politicians are destroying our democracy, we keep getting stories suggesting that the real problem comes from Russia. I have no doubt that some Russians are playing the influence game. But it's a game we created.
That's the story we need to focus on because this corruption will be in place long after Trump is gone. And it will only get worse.
10
Yes, for those of us resisting this odious administration and appalled by the NRA's opposition to all reasonable gun safety measures, it is oh so appealing to believe this is true. Until recently it was unimaginable that any American would collude with a hostile foreign power to interfere with our democracy. Sadly, the evidence seems to be mounting that no betrayal is beyond Trump and the grifters who surround him. Every patriotic American will hope and pray that Mueller and the FBI get to the truth--whatever it is--as soon as possible.
4
This extremely powerful lobbyist owns the Republican Party. It seems doubtful there would be much of a price to pay even if you could prove nefarious activities.
4
Like the article says, this is almost too good to be true. If there are other Democrats like Schiff who are brave enough to utter such allegations, will they fall on deaf ears? It seems that the more blatant and outrageous the crime, the stronger the backlash from the Republicans has been.
2
Stunning.
And despicable.
Absolutely stunning and utterly despicable.
And frightening, on several levels.
This keeps getting worse and worse. And deeply worrying.
I cannot fathom how anyone could be comfortable with these disclosures.
Yes I suppose we should anticipate (and even expect) that they will be described by the enablers of the President as 'unimportant' or 'not a big deal.'
Which is maybe the most concerning aspect of all of this.
7
At this point, I'd venture to say that most Americans are far more interested in the truth and the facts, than anything else. Then again, if there is any sort of collusion, so be it.
Aside from that there's little doubt that the NRA, like all other deep-pocketed, right-leaning, conservative groups have pooled their support behind this president -- how far that support extends is another matter.
But just like with Robert MueIler's ongoing investigation, I, for one, am quite willing to wait for the results.
2
If it weren't such a successful spin duping the eminently-dupable American electorate, the Republicans' smear of the "country’s leftward tilt under President Barack Obama" would be amusing. Leftward compared to what? Everything's relative, I suppose, and the Clinton/Obama brand of Rockefeller Republicanism could indeed be considered leftward compared to, for example, Penceism or Cruzism.
One of the more successful political sleights-of-hand pulled off in this nation was the tugging of the perceived center of the American political spectrum drastically rightward starting in the mid-1970s, so much so that Richard Nixon is now in CommieLand and even Reagan couldn't win a primary these days. And of course, it happened while the D's were edging rightward as well, supplicating at the feet of Wall Street. Or simply asleep, as typical the last 40 years.
Terrific piece of reporting! This should be displayed more prominently and rigorously followed up on.
"That $30 million, however, is just what the N.R.A. spent on the presidential race. It also backed other candidates, reportedly spending $55 million overall. The organization helped Republicans cement control of Congress. If it did so with Russia’s assistance, the whole party is implicated."
That, Ms. Goldberg, is why the Republicans want to shut down Robert Mueller's investigation. Trashing the FBI and Peter Strzok is just a smokescreen to discredit the Special Prosecutor. The Russians aren't coming, they're already here and running the country.
15
In this internet age, it is practically costless to bring sunshine to all organizations by posting all finances on the internet. Just think, if all governments, charities and organizations posted their income and expenditures then most crime, tin pot dictators, and fraud would wither away. It would be a strong deterrent. They say that money corrupts. Posting all finances will make wrongdoing obsolete. The only thing preventing such a solution is that people in power have something to hide.
2
Collusion? I'd say just add another infraction to the list - although this instance seems to be particularly clear-cut. For months -no, make that almost a full year- it's seemed to me that that we have something unprecedented: a gangster government, unashamedly corrupt, with the capo, Trump, sneering at all conventional niceties, like truth, morality, ethical behavior and fidelity. Adding insult to injury, we have -not surprisingly- one gangster regime abetting another and, worst of all, a political entity, the GOP, that could have done something about the mess but instead opted to become a central part of it. When the time comes to make a movie about this humiliating episode, it's going to have the longest run time in cinema history.
This would also explain the Republicans in Congress, unquestioned loyalty to our "-so-called" president, as he was and is being funded by the same sources as they are through the N.R.A. It would ALSO explain why Nunes has tried and continues to try to mislead the House investigation. Plus, what other explanation is there for the Republicans doing nothing about Russian interference in our elections? They are hoping for the same influx of money from Russia for the next elections and can't muddy up the waters with investigations that might reveal more than they hoped. The greatest costs to the N.R.A. getting funding through Russia to Republicans is they have been willing to allow more guns in our nation, allowing for more mass shootings of innocent folks, especially children (Sandy Hook). It would explain their hard- hearted nature of fighting against more restrictions, as they may not get reelected. The walls are closing in on this administration (swampland) and the Republicans who have denied campaign finance rules that would deter this kind of foreign money influence. The truth will come out and the day of reckoning will come. Justice will be served.
11
I’m not prone to believe conspiracy theories, although I’ve enjoyed them in fiction.
All the information I have read around last year’s election — with the tangled Web of Trump campaign operatives’ connections to Russians, Trump’s properties and their popularity among Russians, Russians hacking of the DNC emails and many states’ voting rolls, and now this coziness between the NRA and Russia — convinces me more and more that an enormous, wide reaching conspiracy is unfolding around us. I suspect a large number of Republicans are involved, either wittingly or unwittingly. The extreme rightward tilt of the GOP seems so severe and dramatic (and unamerican frankly) it’s the only explanation that makes sense, even when taking into account our inherent racism awakened by the election of an African-American moderate Democrat as president.
I’m afraid that when the truth is fully revealed, it will be so fantastical that a large percentage of the population will not be angry or disgusted, but disbelieving.
4
When Trump exclaims that there was no collusion, he means that he cannot be traced directly back to the money. He believes that he is protected well enough so there is no direct connection or link through layering upon layering.
We all know that Trump is and has always been a dirty tricks capitalist who will do anything in order to "win". Since we know that Trump and his family including Kushner use Deutsche Bank A.G. to obtain bank loans and this bank launders Russian money then it is reasonable to look for the providence of any money that went to Trump family pockets and his presidential campaign. Mueller needs to have an accounting done of the NRA's books.
Without, Citizens United, the NRA would not have been able to do the special interest damage they have done to the American elections. This is a good time for the government to rethink campaign funding, especially funding for presidential elections to even the playing field. Right now, the richest person wins and the qualified gets pushed aside.
1
The thoughts of collusion
Are not a delusion,
But supported by facts and details.
What remains to be shown
Will soon be made known,
And the White House will stumble and fail.
2
"It’s important not to get carried away, if only because a scenario in which the Russian investigation ensnares the N.R.A., probably the most influential conservative group in the United States, seems a bit too much like Resistance fan fiction, too delicious to be true."
I know this is a serious subject, but "Resistance fan fiction" made me laugh, spot on. Nice to have something to smile about during the Trump years
1
The plot grows ever thicker and the drama is beginning to peak. If I am reading this correctly it appears as though the GOP itself may be implicated by way acceptance of funds that at least some of them were aware may have been coming from foreign sources. All speculation of course at this point but the roadmap of connecting dots is growing larger and becoming somewhat clearer. It would also help to possibly explain republican efforts to shut down the investigation.
Corruption, lies, deception, malfeasance, foreign intervention, obstruction etc. etc. etc. It is beginning to look as though American democracy may have achieved a new all time low in terms of integrity.
3
Russia appears quite adept at managing a complex ecosystem of influence, kompromat and blackmail.
This has been abundantly clear now for for almost two years. Manafort/Ukraine? The connection was clear by then.
They moved the election toward Trump.
A new election seems unlikely but is what’s needed.
Even the Russians are not happy with the results of their collision with collusion.
1
Well, now we know why so many House Republicans are eager to discredit Robert Mueller. They are afraid he has cast an awfully wide net.
4
Since Trump supporters, and Republicans in general, are more concerned about protecting their gun rights than protecting our democracy, I don't believe revelations like these will cause them to turn against Trump. In fact, they may applaud his campaign team and the NRA for accepting money from the Russians. And even if the NRA broke the law, it's unlikely the DOJ will vigorously pursue the case. The only thing that will make a difference is taking back Congress from the Republican party, and ultimately the White House as well. In the meantime, bravo to Mueller, Adam Schiff and others who are working overtime to protect the US from Putin's mendacious meddling.
2
Awesome editorial, Michelle! Although we don't have enough evidence yet to conclude that the NRA allied with Russia to betray America, it actually makes sense. The NRA's philosophy is actually pretty simple. Basically, it is, "I've got a gun. That makes me the boss of you. Do as I say, or I kill you." There is something deeply unAmerican about this, despite what the NRA says about the 2nd Amendment being there to prevent tyranny.
Democracy is a nonviolent way for everyone to work out their differences, to reach cooperative agreement. That's what it is at heart. "I've got a gun," is not a means to that end. It just isn't. It means a right to isolate yourself, impose your views on others, without ever bothering to talk to them.
It's no surprise the NRA would hook up with a dictator to undermine America's elections.
2
Another low level nobody is elevated to the status of somebody.
In the eyes of the heavy breathing media, that is.
The pattern is repeated ad nauseam.
Still no smoking gun, so to speak.
So why even bother?
Very interesting. However, I doubt that the magnitude of potential scandal here will ever play out to mean much. Even if every awful thing turns out to be true, so what? Republicans will sweep it under the rug. The 80% or so of Republicans that approve of Trump will not be bothered by any of it. The Democrats will cry foul. And what happens? Probably nothing. Frustrating, indeed.
Are there people in the FBI who believe that the right to bear arms in the USA is sacrosanct? Do those people work together to promote that belief?
Despite the furor over the FBI agent who was concerned about a Trump election, we know that there was a cabal of FBI agents in the New York office who were supporting a Trump victory. It seems they worked with Rudy Giuliani to "raise questions" about both Clintons. Some people said their existence was one of the reasons Dir. Comey sent the infamous letter to Congress.
Let's try to avoid talking about the FBI as if it were a monolithic organization that has one mind. That will make it easier to assess the role Russians, whether official or just "patriotic" citizens, played in the NRA and in other attempts to influence the 2016 election.
1
There has been no organization whose fingerprints on America are as bloody as those of the National Rifle Association. And their GOP campaign donations are the fuel that creates more shooters and more killings.
I don't own a gun, my parents didn't own any guns, my kids don't own guns. And somehow I think that makes us the norm, not the aberration. That an organization devoted to enabling the killing of innocent citizens has so many Republican politicians on its payroll is disgraceful. And if the NRA has indeed used back channels to launder Russian money for Trump, their leadership should be charged and their organization dissolved.
3
The corrupt leader has hidden the evidence. One of the reasons he wishes to destroy the free media. Our Constitution will be a mere memory if this continues.
1
Is it a bridge too far then, to associate the Republicans' obstructionist stance toward the Russia hearings to the support members have received from Russia tainted NRA money? This is one of the most sobering revelations yet. However, it's always better to know the facts. Thank you, journalists, for your service to the nation in this perilous time.
1
Could this be the "smoking gun"? Ms. Goldberg certainly presents a plausible scenario. For an organization like the NRA, whose original function was the promotion of gun safety and training young people in marksmanship skills, to have become a player in big money power and politics is a quantum leap.
Today the NRA is colluding with gun manufacturers to spread fear and death across the land for the sake of putting an assault rifle in every American's bedroom closet. Under the guise of "Defending Liberty" the NRA is arming an alarming number of Americans who are convinced that government is the enemy. What better way to undermine our democracy. Putin and Co. are reading us better than we can read ourselves.
2
This account easily passes the "truthiness test" so it will undoubtedly become an unstoppable meme on the internet and an enduring conspiracy theory on the order of the JFK assassination. If this turns out to be true, Russia has effectively staged a silent coup and now controls large parts of the US Federal government, including the Supreme Court. It perfectly explains why a conservative Supreme Court voted they way it did in Citizens v. United and Bush v. Gore. It would seem that there is nowhere in the Republican Party that this cancer hasn't spread.
3
If this reporting is accurate, it seems to be yet another result of Citizens United. Thanks SCOTUS!
4
Ms. Goldberg reports that Schiff told her. “In that sense when people think that the Russian intervention was just about tipping the scales to one of the candidates in 2016, they’re thinking far too narrowly.”
Schiff's right. And now, we have our explanation why Republicans did not want help at their polls during the election, and more. They not only like Russian interference, but now... they may become embroiled in a truly monumental scandal.
Patriots, them? Ha.
Maybe they "should all go back to Russia," to quote the trope leveled at (to quote Paul Wellstone) "members of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.
Goodness!
Let's see how many recipients of NRA money will be investigated.
2
Could this be why the GOP has not advanced the bump stock restriction? Maybe they are imported from Russia to cover the money trail. The GOP is just as ridiculous as its leader.
2
You're relying on Fusion GPS, the firm that gathered the Steele Dossier? Please.
1
Yes. Ms. Goldberg, this is the collusion we were waiting for - i.e. McClatchy yesterday, re "F.B.I. Investigating Whether Russian Money Went to N.R.A. to Help Trump". Only hitch is that we are going to have to keep waiting from here to eternity for Special Counsel Mueller's investigation tree to bear edible fruit. America's Republican government, under our unfit and ignorant 45th President, is a Limited Liability Company No dark-money group was more responsible for electing Trump than the N.R.A. If that's not scary, what is?
2
Among other things, this revealing article makes clear the reason Trump disparages the FBI. As perhaps the only agency capable of following dark money, they are a true enemy of Trump if he and his cabal have colluded with a hostile foreign power.
4
A good line of inquiry. Linking Trump to a Putin handyman at 2016 NRA gathering is the kind of specifics to prove what many people have suspected. Namely, Trump’s agenda was prepared for him in Moscow. Never have we had a president that wanted to be chummy with Russia. That is, not until Donald Trump made a deal with devil.
2
It would be beyond ironic if the NRA ended up being the smoking gun in Trump's demise.
11
The citizens cannot know where all this political money came (comes) from, and the Republicans filibuster to keep that reality intact.
This would all be moot, except that the SCOTUS-5 fools chose to let unlimited, untraceable money into our politics via Citizens United and Burwell.
If our nation fails, and that is possible, the SCOTUS-5 will bear a bigger-half of the responsibility.
8
Russians setting up LLC's to funnel money in support of Trump's interests. Now where have I heard that before? Condos at Trump Soho, and a thousand other properties? Phoney companies buying Facebook ads? I wouldn't be surprised if Kushner had his own account with Legal Zoom or if it rented desk space at the Kremlin.
5
Obama told the Supreme Court to their faces (about the Pandora's Box Citizen's United opened up) in the 20110 State of the Union. And Alito shook his head.
Who's shaking their heads now, I for one most certainly am. How about you?
But in a strongly worded and sometimes bitter dissent, Associate Justice John Paul Stevens latched onto the question of campaign spending by foreign companies as an example of the majority opinion's shortcomings, bringing it up no fewer than three times.
"The notion that Congress might lack the authority to distinguish foreigners from citizens in the regulation of electioneering would certainly have surprised the Framers," said Stevens. He went on to quote Fordham University law professor Zephyr Rain Teachout's observation that the Framers' "obsession with foreign influence derived from a fear that foreign powers and individuals had no basic investment in the well-being of the country."
9
Even the slightest contact between the NRA and the russians is unseemly on its face. They are not, and have never been our friends, and it is unlikely that they ever will be.
4
A fascinating possibility flowing from this is Republicans being forced to return NRA contributions, in which case their loss of the Congress becomes a near certainty.
97
I've called them Russian-Republicans for good reasons.
It's nice to see the treasonous 'Party of Lincoln' is being exposed as the oligarchic Party of Putin it actually is.
Aside from the Russian funding the Trump family business - as when Donald Jr. proudly bragged in 2008, “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets. We see a lot of money pouring in from Russia." - guess who else saw a lot of money, trolls, email hackers, fake news and campaign resources flowing in from the Kremlin ?
The Republican Party and their oligarchic, Know-Nothing, Make America Caucasian Again, Bozo-The-Clown candidate...with orange hair and all.
Republicans - just like Putin - have resisted democracy and had contempt for the will of the people for decades, ever since the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts tried to make America a real democracy.
Citizens United is a right-wing hijacking.
The Republican rejection of the Disclose Act is prima facie evidence of corruption.
The partisan gerrymander is blatantly unconstitutional.
Republican voter suppression and computerized 'black box' vote counting rigs elections.
The undemocratic Senate and slave-era Electoral College structure consistently rigs the nation rightward into a rural, regressive, racist, regressive ditch of Republican tyranny by the minority.
Add in the Fake News channel, hate radio and right-wing propaganda mills.
Welcome to Moscow on the Potomac: GOP 2018
свобода ! (freedom ! in Russian)
452
Excellent commentary, Socrates. "The love of money is the root of all evil" sure seems to fit our times, the crumbling of the American experiment, and the GOP in particular.
And yet 63 million citizens were duped into believing Trump was on their side.
Retaking both the House and Senate must be done!
22
All this and the New York Times is still playing fair and balanced as Dean Baquet stated in his recent interview. Not the one with Jay-Z.
This just in from the WSJ:
"The company, Essential Consultants LLC, was reportedly created in Delaware -- which offers a higher standard of privacy to business owners -- by (Trump) attorney Michael Cohen, according to the Journal's report, which cited corporate records and people familiar with the matter."
Apparently another LLC that was set up for "graduate studies", in this case for porn star Stormy McDaniels.
So many tracks to cover up, so little time! So much for "higher privacy standards".
262
What, precisely were the “favors asked for and received”? This claim wasn’t put in quotation marks, so it wasn’t made by McClatchy or Eisen but by Michele. And the words didn’t modify the assertion by adding “rumored”, or even “alleged”.
What’s going on here? If favors were asked by Trump’s people of Russians for their disruption of our election, and they were granted, then Mueller may as well pack up after handing down the indictments of the responsible. Where’s the proof of such an outrageous claim? I mean, since Michele seems to be breaking a major news story?
Tel ya’ what this sounds like. Democrats, having failed to link Trump to Russian cahooting but having developed a taste for tarring Republicans generally with tales of murky Russian connections, now figure that if they can’t impeach Trump or shame him from office, they may as well exploit their newfound Russian conspiracy skills to get at ANYONE they don’t like, such as the NRA. Obviously, Sly Stallone, Robert Duvall, Owen Wilson and Adam Sandler (famous Hollywood Republicans) had better watch it. The second-string could be gunnin’ for THEM.
Nothing beats unfounded innuendo. If you’re a Democrat.
Wow, the whole Republican PARTY is implicated in acts for which the only support is ideologically self-interested innuendo! Heck, I’m a Republican! Maybe I need a lawyer to protect myself from Democrats.
11
Of COURSE the Russians are in America seeking to advance their interests. For this purpose they employ spies (as I’m sure do we, in Russia), and to address this challenge we employ counter-espionage agents and the FBI. Pity they couldn’t catch Russian skullduggery fast enough to keep them from interfering in the last election.
39
"Nothing beats unfounded innuendo. If you're a Democrat."
So, obviously, Pres. Obama really was born in Africa and really did wiretapp (sic) Trump Tower. How do we know this? Because a Republican said so.
206
Although he has long since proudly worn his Republican allegiance on his sleeve, Mr. Luettgen sure sounds like a Trump supporter. As they say, If it waddles like a duck, looks like a duck and has feathers like a duck, it's probably a duck.
Are you a duck, Mr. Luettgen?
107
I thought the N in the NRA stood for National meaning the American Nation.
I wonder if NRA could stand for Now Russia Association?
This indeed has the smell of collusion.
I wonder if when this investigation is said and done, the republican party may come to realize that their unlimited funds need to be curtailed by making sure donors identity is exposed?
I also wonder if this may get the present republican congress to finally take serious the Russian ties investigation to protect us in upcoming elections?
And finally to quit making fools of themselves by insisting on frivolous investigations of Hillary.
122
It's time to be precise:
What this smells of is conspiracy to violate federal campaign finance law.
5
OK, fine, IRA -- International Rifle Association. (Remember, we do handguns, too!)
"Paul Erickson, an activist who has raised money for the National Rifle Association, sent an email to Rick Dearborn, an adviser to Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, with the super-subtle subject heading “Kremlin Connection.”
"Love it!" says Donald, Jr.
The book "Fire and Fury" aptly describes Bannon absolutely stunned by the blatant activities of the Trump campaign and Administration with regard to the Russians. He makes an alarm sound with his voice, eeeh...eeeh...eeeh, to indicate how things look from the outside, as when Trump warns NYT reporters that the Special Prosecutor better not probe the family finances (or the tax returns!).
Take your time, Mr Mueller. There is so much to learn about Trump and the dark corners of the GOP money machine.
368
The longer Mueller takes, the more likely he will be removed (and his evidence destroyed ) by the GOP. Or, if it should emerge or leak that he does have enough evidence to proceed with charges, that's when Team Trump - with full support of the GOP - will declare Martial Law. Also, possible that at any time Mueller might have a fatal ' unfortunate accident.' As Sen. Jeff Flake said the other day, this regime is essentially 'Stalinist' in its goals.
10
Wait....
I thought Trump was going to self-fund his campaign so he wouldn’t be obligated to special interests like the NRA and Putin.
Follow the money, fix the campaign disclosure laws so we know who the special interests are and change banking laws and incorporation laws so that the individuals behind shell companies are unmasked.
922
This Congress will never do that. VOTE for a new Congress, or kiss Democracy goodbye. 49% didn't bother to vote the last time and here we are.
11
"I thought Trump was going to self-fund his campaign so he wouldn’t be obligated to special interests like the NRA and Putin."
Well, as we all know, the President's views on truth-telling are somewhat, shall we say, situational.
13
Don't expect those 'regulations" to happen under Republican controlled Congress and this POTUS.
9
If Michelle Goldberg knows about it and the FBI is looking into it, then you can be certain that the Mueller investigation is on top of it. Now we know why the Republicans want to close down these inquiries so quickly. They went from "let the facts lead us" to waste of time, shut them down.
The web of Russian interference is deep and convoluted. They know know what they are doing and how to do it. It will take time to unravel the mess.
Instead of restricting Mueller to a narrow list of things to investigate, he should be mandated to truly go where the facts lead and leave no stone unturned. From now until the 2018 elections, the Republicans will exert all of their power to shrink and shutdown Mueller. Next Nov. just may be the election that saves our republic. If the Democrats regain control of both houses, a firewall of defense will be erected. If the Republicans maintain control, kiss your freedom goodby and say hello to serfdom. It's easy to find the Republicans. They are the ones that wear those little flag lapel pins.
552
They went from "let the facts lead us" to "the facts lead to us".
8
They know what went on and what's going on, and are panicked about being seen as complicit. Legally they could be in jeopardy for conspiring to participate in an ongoing criminal enterprise, a treasonous one at that.
If congress decides to eliminate Muellers budget, crowdfunding would be an ideal way to finance it.
Let the numbers speak for those of us that have seen too much of this song and dance. the numbers won't lie, even though trump will claim it's fake. I'd like to think that trumps gang would be stunned when they see how much money is raised, which would most likely leave trump sitting there with his mouth agape and stammering, looking for an out.
"Gun laws in Russia are strict, and if people close to Putin actually wanted to change them, creating a group alluding to America’s Second Amendment seems like a weird way to do it. As Simpson said in his House testimony: “Vladimir Putin is not in favor of universal gun ownership for Russians. And so it’s all a big charade, basically.”"
I swear to God you can't make this up! In one sense it would make perfect sense, because it exploits all the horror that were predicted when the Supreme Court decided the outcome of possibly the worst decision in our nation's history: Citizens United.
Has such a nice ring to it, doesn't it? "Citizens United" unleashing the notion that citizens are people and 'dark money' need not be revealed in the name of free speech,
So, in essence, if the money trail reveals a big donation from Russian oligarchs/mafia/whatever to the NRA, directed to the dark money pit, we have the Russians exploiting both our first and second amendments to influence our elections.
That would be a major federal felony for all parties, but of course nailing a Russian would be tough. As you say, though, Michelle, this level of corruption falls squarely on the GOP.
Let's hope the FBI can complete its work before the GOP, trying to make it public enemy Number One shuts down its investigation.
Isn't it possible Putin's Russian didn't need nukes to attack and weaken American democracy--just hard cold cash?
1098
In fairness to Justice Alito, he thought that the harm could be mitigated by robust disclosure laws.
Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have held the Majority since that decision and have made no move on improving disclosure laws.
137
We always knew this about the Republican Party and wondered at the power of a special interest group like the gun lobby has over the GOP. One of our darkest hours was Citizens United, brought to us by the Roberts Court and the NRA funded Republican Party. What will it take for Americans to learn that voting matters and every vote counts?
14
"Has such a nice ring to it, doesn't it? "Citizens United" unleashing the notion that citizens are people"...
I agree, Christine, but US citizens are people, bless 'em. I believe that Romney actually insisted that *corporations* are people. But Romney would not go so far (I hope) as to insist that "Russian Mafia types are US citizens entitled to bankroll a US election." In Citizens United, the Republican majority on the US Supreme Court unleashed the notion that the source of dark money doesn't matter, even if it comes from very dark corners of the Kremlin. That decision, Mr. John Roberts, is beginning to look like a most treasonous act, undermining the foundations of American democracy, and you, John Roberts, did it, Sir.
J
24
If the NRA has 5 million members, each paying $25/year, I suppose the $55 million spent on the 2016 election could have come out of membership fees. But that doesn't leave much for newsletters, sporting events and gun safety education and training programs that supposedly constitute the organization's mission. "Dark money," indeed.
374
It's not the newsletters that uses up their funds. It's the legal bribery they pay to Congress in order to ignore the unconscionable number of gun deaths the US sustains each year.
Richard Luettgen, the article clearly states that the circumstantial evidence may look too good to be true, but certainly suggests that a full investigation is warranted.
3
Granting the NRA that inflated figure of 5 million members, I would note for comparison that the US Census Bureau estimated that there are 46.8 million African Americans, which explains the outsize influence of African Americans - NOT! There are also 3.45 million Muslims, according to the Pew Research Center, which is a number closer to the actual NRA membership. The "sportsman's" friend is just a shill for arms dealers.
Doesn't the guns and ammo industries handsomely fund the NRA? Perhaps it's time for some full scale due diligence here.
3
Gee, Michelle, that puts the remarks of Speaker Ryan in 2016 in a whole new light, where he swore all GOP'ers present to secrecy after Kevin McCarthy had announced 'swear to God' he thought Putin was paying Trump:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-majority-le...?
with Ryan promptly invoking "No leaks. . . . This is how we know we’re a real family here.”
Likewise, this casts the refusal in a different light of McConnell, Ryan, and Priebus in October 2016 to go along with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in alerting voters to what had been presented from the Intelligence Agencies regarding Russian election meddling.
And new significance is added to the times that Russian oligarch who bought djt's Palm Beach mansion flip had his private jet where djt was also making campaign stops, including once when the guy had flown to Sheldon Adelson's private Las Vegas hangar (for all of 80 minutes) on the day Adelson was fund-raising for djt, after which the oligarch flew to N.C., where djt was making a campaign speech and their planes were photographed on the ground together:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article137873438.html
What's next - Rupert Murdoch publicly ripping off his face mask to reveal he's actually Putin ?
711
"Murdoch is actually Putin", it sometimes seems obvious, and more so now, that there is a strong connection between Putin/Trump/and Murdoch. Murdoch has used his media empire to cheapen and even defeat the open societies in the UK and US. The GOP is their willing partner.
4
The sovereignty of the US has been sold down the river. Money talks, and Russian oil and gas wealth has over the past 10 years especially bred a global criminal 'network of convenience.' Evidence is mounting that Trump has been a player since its inception.
12
Paul Ryan, how do you look at that P90X-worked out image in the mirror? Shameful.
8
One of the basic principles of good spy craft is the rule that one of the best places to hide something is often in plain view.
Certainly, if money laundering occurred to provide Donald Trump with funds paid in return for Trump’s making significant concessions in Russia’s expansionist ambitions in Europe and elsewhere, we would expect it in a two-step process.
Payment to the Trump family or organization directly would not be used.
Putting these two thoughts together, use of the super-patriot, high-profile National Rifle Association as the intermediary is the perfect match.
Let us hope that Robert Mueller and the F.B.I. are doggedly pursuing this lead.
602
Certainly, if money laundering occurred to provide Donald Trump with funds paid in return for Trump’s making significant concessions in Russia’s expansionist ambitions in Europe and elsewhere, we would expect it in a two-step process.
==========================
Your only problem is that there is no evidence that any such concessions have been made.
2
Your statement, Campesino, that there is no evidence of Trump “concessions” is not accurate. While we will not know the full list of everything given away or promised until the Mueller investigation continues, there is plenty we do know.
For example, last summer Congress – not trusting Donald Trump – passed legislation to bar the president from removing sanctions against Russia by executive order or otherwise. The bill was passed by 97-2 in the Senate and 414-3 in the House. It spoke of Russian interference in the 2016 election, annexation of Crimea and military incursions in Ukraine. Trump – because of the overwhelming vote – was forced to sign the legislation.
By the end of the year, however, Donald Trump had done nothing to implement the bill and was urging a closer partnership with Vladimir Putin. Both Democrats and Republicans complained loudly. Where were you, Campesino?
20
Eminent patriots collude?
With Russians? You are sir quite rude!
Unmoved by child slaughter
Or mass killings, sorter,
But not that to which you allude.
218
Listen my children and you shall hear,
A story about guns, their owners sans fear.
Armed to the teeth, shore to shore,
The Common sense citizens said, "There can be no more."
You don't need a machine gun to hunt deer or duck,
You can't have your war toys, now, cough them all up.
You can't spread your hate at schools of learning,
You can't stop us and the Constitution we are burning.
You can't have your heros, in stone standing for hate,
Their time is long over, no more shall we wait.
Those in the House and Senate shall fall,
And, the one in the White House is worst of all.
We'll march in the streets, until we get our way,
With our club and our stones, you will most dearly pay.
Now, into a pile, and make it high,
Your guns and your ammo, don't question why.
Your forties, your nines, night vision and Glocks,
High capacity magazines, surpressors and bump stocks.
You're not a militia, the Constitution's quite clear,
Give up your guns, you've nothing to fear.
We'll pass laws, with prisons and fines,
We won't ask again, this is the last time.
Now, what do you say, it's the law, don't break it.
One strong voice said, "Then, come and take it."
3
Another Limerick for the ages, Sir Larry.