I love the hair-on-fire, sky-is -falling worldview of the Times. Very entertaining.
4
Constitutional amendment: Prospective candidates for the presidency have to pass all screenings for the highest level of security access BEFORE they can run. As people have noted, if not for his position Mr. Trump probably would be denied a visitor's pass to the White House, given the murkiness (to say the least) of his foreign entanglements. The danger of outside influence on his decisions is only part of the problem. What about when he finally leaves the office, with a head full of national secrets and a deep reliance on Russian oligarchs?
52
Trumps finances would have been revealed in state and fed tax returns. There have been no issues apparently on his NY state or federal returns, and its safe to assume NY state would have looked very close.
Trumps subdued Putin criticism is likely because; Trump needs Russia if the N Korean nuke deal falls apart, Trump needs Russia on our side when it comes China/ South China sea and for a solid Middle East peace plan to work..Russia must be on board.
Speculation on golden showers started 2 yrs ago, much has been speculated on since. now money laundering... credibility is waning.
4
According to a poll out today, 65% of the country basically despise Donald Trump and hope Robert Mueller has a real good reason why he's allowed him to remain in office. Prosecutors could just read open source news articles and books about Trump and know the man should be sent up the river. Should be in the Big House not the White...what's taking so long, sir? Paul Manafort, same kind of corrupt paper trail as Trump, he's gone. The Russians you nailed, that was fantastic. But they're not the one killing the country. Not the one destroying a sense of hope around the world. If not now, Robert Mueller.
7
Where was the SDNY >10 years ago? Oh yeah, going after Martha Stewart.
10
A couple of things: Bruce Ohr may have been formerly obscure but he’s not marginally involved in the Trump investigation. Ohr’s wife, Nellie worked for Fusion GPS and assisted in developing opposition research on Donald Trump. Bruce was debriefed 12 times by FBI agents on his meetings with Christopher Steele, meetings that took place after the FBI discontinued their relationship with Steele and asked him to stop investigating on their behalf. Bruce did not divulge his actions to his superiors but he did work with Andy McCabe, Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. Their fates have been well recorded in the media.
Andrew McCabe was not fired because of Donald Trump’s lobbying. Btw, Trump was McCabe’s boss. McCabe is currently under Grand Jury investigation for lying on several occasions about leaking information about ongoing FBI investigations.
There are other inaccuracies, minimalizations and misdirections in this article and I implore the Times to stop with this.
You cannot be “The Paper of Record” if you don’t tell the truth.
6
SCOTUS Justice Kennedy's son of Deutsch Bank approved a $1 billion loan to Trump. I wonder if our POTUS doesn't have the money to pay his Russian debt so he's repaying Putin with information.
15
He collided with the Russians to learn nasty things about Hillary;
No wait, when a private citizen he had sex with a porn star, and paid her off to shut up;
No wait, when a private citizen he had sex with a different woman, and paid her to shut up,
No wait, some Russian lady offered someone sex, in return for a business deal;
No wait, his son-in-law met with some Russian banks who may have made a loan his son-in-law’s business;
No wait, someone he did business with was convicted of crimes having nothing to do with Trump;
No wait ...
No wait ...
Please folks after spending millions of dollars investigating and targeting Trump - and anyone he ever knew or might have known for 2 years - and nothing important revealed, can we stop the silliness and move on ?
There’s an election in 2020, just nominate someone other than a Clinton, and you can’t lose.
1
These are dark and dangerous times. While the numbers look good, most noted economists believe we are on the cusp of a US recession and with compassless leader like Trump at the helm, the world could be in deep trouble. The real question is, "what craziness is he capable of as his survival instincts kick in"? A false flag incident to divert attention from impending political conflagration? His administration is exhibiting all the makings of a Shakespearean tragedy with drama, intrigue and back stabbing paranoia that not even Shakespeare himself could have conjured up. The national security teams need to stay sharp.
18
Here's what each of us can DO once we realize that only Democratic midterm wins can help:
Beyond your individual vote, you can make a difference in other House races by getting out the vote.
DCCC.org is the best one-stop guide. Toolbox, action items,etc.
You do not need to live in those districts, nor go to those districts, to be effective. They are well set up via phone banks, and research shows these DO make a difference. And careful analysis has been done to direct efforts towards the seats that are neither a sure thing, nor a probable lost cause.
You can help with things as simple as making sure likely Democratic voters have a ride to the polls, know where their polling place is this year, can access proper ID, etc. In other words, you are not being asked to make a sales call.
Many of us are feeling helpless, especially if we live in districts in which the outcome seems predetermined. This is the antidote to that helpless feeling.
19
So, is the full story here that Trump had Mob financing before the late 80's real estate crash, then replace it with Russian money. Filing bankruptcy made the banks go away, but organized crime's collection efforts are a bit more extensive.
11
Folks, the charter of the Mueller investigation isn't "follow (Trump's) money." It is to investigate Russian interference in the US election ... and any crimes Mueller happens to stumble over in the course of that.
Manafort's money laundering was so blatantly in view it couldn't be missed; and it tied to the Ukraine and Russia. We know that the FBI already had considerable evidence amassed on it when the Mueller investigation started.
One obvious question is why did Mueller keep the Manafort investigation, as opposed to referring it (like Cohen's)? We know the answer -- everybody does, starting Judge Ellis: Mueller wants to force Manafort to testify against somebody higher up in the Trump campaign. The only higher-ups are in the Trump family.
What we don't know is what Mueller knows that Manafort knows ... and the Trumps know.
Little Donnie may be the target; the Trump tower meeting pegs him front and center. But there are also NYC rumors that he and Manafort had real-estate deals together, with Russian money.
Hey New Yorkers -- you want to follow the money laundering? The State attorney general could start by reviewing the NYC property rolls for every sale to a foreign corporation, that was followed by a no-cost or low-cost deed-over to a private citizen.
Manafort didn't invent this scam, folks.
18
Follow the money. Trump's tax returns need to be made public. How long will his corruption be countenanced? He's using the WH as a business expanding venture. Active Measures is an essential documentary detailing Trump's odd relationship with Russia's oligarchy.
21
Somehow we’re supposed to believe that starting 30 years ago Russians were laundering money through the appalling DJT’s ‘businesses?’ You know, the ones that always fail?
More likely Russians have and will continue to launder money where they always have: UK real estate and Cypriot banks.
Exactly no one then and now trusts Trump with their money.
4
The theory that Trump is controlled by Putin is now virtually impossible to refute. As Mr. Leonard documents the likely reason is illegal financial dealings with Russia.
The Republican Party is in turn obviously controlled by Trump. The American people find ourselves in an unprecedented and beyond alarming situation: we are to a great degree under the influence or even control of a foreign tyrant.
If this malignant conspiracy cannot be fully exposed, and Trump and his Party entirely rejected, America may be truly lost.
18
The article points out what seems like a softness on Russia. What the article fails to point out is that this has been US policy since the Obama administration concerning the events of the invasion of the Crimea and Russian assistance to Assad in Syria. Perhaps Trump as President is privy to these reasons and is doing his job and taking your political shots as a stand up American President the same way that Obama did.
2
@Douglas R. Lally: Do you mean to imply Obama laundered money for the Russians? Ridiculous! Obama made political decisions (e.g., sanctions against Russia because of the invasion of Crimea that suspiciously disappeared from the Republican Platform), but Trump is suspiciously nice to Putin while he insults long-time USA allies and throws his own country and law enforcement and intelligence agencies under the bus in a treasonous appearance with Putin. That has never been US policy. Trumps ties with shady Russian lenders and Deutsche Bank have been well documented for years. Where are his tax returns?
13
@Anna I never even implied money laundering by Obama. All I said was that Obama also was soft on Russia. Perhaps there is a reason 2 administrstions have been soft on Russia. Obama did not live up to our defense pact with the Ukraine and Obama did not stop Russian assistance to Assad’s regime that caused human atrocities. Maybe Russia plays an important geopolitical role for the US as in a check on Chinese military ambitions that if we weaken Russia it puts pressure on us. Russia may be a useful tool even if it is bad.
Maybe, but I doubt it.
2
The IRS has entire access to his tax records anytime they want them. He's been in business long before politics ad presumably been audited to a high degree long before becoming president. Trump is entitled to the same treatment as anyone by the IRS, no more, no less. To suggest Congress must seize his tax records, when the IRS has reviewed them in detail every year suggests this is nothing more than a political pitchfork party. You hate Trump so much, elect a better candidate.
2
In the aftermath of the coming 2018 elections, when Democrats regain control of the House, every relevant committee should open investigations into the conduct of the President his cabinet, staff, family and business associates. If some of the seemingly less relevant committees want to open investigations, no matter how obscure they may seem upon instigation, I say go for it! Given the blatant, open corruption one can discern just from paying attention to the news, I doubt that there's a single part of this administration that isn't tainted, from Commerce to Interior to Veterans Affairs. After the years of Benghazi witch hunting from the Republicans in the House, the Democrats need to start exposing some real witches. Start with white collar crime and international money-laundering for criminals, by all means, but don't stop until every Republican politician who has sat on their hands in this shameful exercise in corruption is sitting on their butts back home, out of office in disgrace. Vote in November!
24
How long does it take to audit DJT taxes is what we need to find out from the IRS. This whole audit seems very suspicious and not transparent. He’s been using this excuse since campaigning and he’s been in office now since 1/2017. What gives?!?
15
When it comes to Trump, one must always look for the pedestrian. Money laundering, rather than glamourous art thefts in Monaco or Prague. He doesn't travel more than he can help - he defrauds whoever is close at hand. Little crimes, petty crime. Cheating plumbers and electricians rather than the Papacy. It's who he is. He has no imagination or, if he once had, he hasn't any any more. He just repeats the same old, tired, little scams, over and over again. Say! Isn't there something called pattern corruption?
12
What a joke of journalistic principles here. McCabe was fired without any intervention by Trump. He lied to to Solicitor General on multiple occasions and leaked info to boost his own image. He is currently under referral for criminal behavior. Ohr admits to a year's worth of contact with Steele, after Steele was fired for lying to the FBI, and for peddling stories to the media. He also admits to not having informed the FBI that his wife was the main contact at Fusion GPS, a massive breach of discretion and also a violation of FBI policy.
Trump does lie a lot, but that in no way exonerates those who prosecute him from their own lies. This is classic misdirection. Want to prosecute Trump in our editorials . . . fine. But own the other side too.
2
In Active Measures, an excellent documentary released 8/31, filmmaker Jack Bryan connects the dots to show that Putin is behind a 30-year history of covert political warfare to disrupt and ultimately control world events--and Trump is his stooge. https://www.activemeasures.com/ Must-see viewing--mostly for those who don't generally read this paper, unfortunately.
9
Why does Donald Trump spew out invectives against anyone who threatens him (Mueller, Woodward to name two) but says nothing against the one who poses the largest threat: Putin, who has mastered the use of holding leverage against Trump for all of Trump's shady dealings in and with Russia.
7
On-point. No doubt. What else could it be?! US banks cut him off a decade ago; European banks shortly behind. Where else could his financing for the past decade have come from? He doesn't own golf course and hotels. Some Russians do.
11
Really? Complete conjecture...
1
@Frank Gerace: Nope. Saying it is, doesn't make it so... wishful thinking!
7
For decades, Russian and former Soviet-bloc kleptocrats have washed their Benjamins in The Donald’s laundromat.
16
I know it's bad form but I believe it's highly topical to reference a documentary... everyone reading this should watch "Active Measures".
Actually, everyone not reading this should watch.
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by everything presented in that movie which provides detail and backstory to this article's topic... to somehow feel like it's almost "too conspiratorial" to be real... but objectively, I can't find a factual fault with the movie. Trump is a traitor. He sold us out to get out of debt.
9
Ever since Trump became a candidate I have felt like I'm living out a never ending April Fool's Day. Everything that has happened since is nothing but a farce.
We have a fool in the White House with the authority to blow up the world and nobody worries about his scurrilous activities, both past and present. Why didn't a few people with some power meet with him when he declared his candidacy and explain to him that his relationship with Russian oligarchs precluded his ever being president?
The way employers snoop into people's lives these days, if he were an average person, he couldn't get a job as a Walmart cashier.
9
It looks like the Russian oligarchy intends to spread Donald Trump all over the door handle of U.S. justice. The fact that Mr. Trump’s career long ago morphed into a giant laundromat for dirty Russian money is the 800-pound gorilla in the room. (Actually, there's a whole band of 800-pound gorillas running amok, yet the Republicans continue to look at their shoes and whistle “Dixie.”) This citizen very much wants a Democrat-controlled Congress [VOTE this November!!!] to investigate this likelihood thoroughly.
10
We deserve a full accounting of any and all money laundered by the Trump organization. This might be the key to all of his corruption.
8
There needs to be a rigorous legal standard defined to the vetting of Presidential hopefuls before they can be confirmed as candidates by their political parties.
Trash like Trump should not even be in the running for the POTUS job.
17
Donald "Teflon Don" Trump is convinced that no slime slung his way will ever stick. He's nervous, however, because the Trump Organization's alleged Russian mafia money trail could be guiding prosecutors straight down the road to a RICO indictment.
6
The GOP can always scrape the barrel and come up with a Trump or a Pence and his subsequent gaggle of corrupt incompetent acolytes.
BUT it's not easy to convince 30- 40 million ignorant tribal folks to fervently support them.
That takes years of indoctrination/propaganda -Fear mongering and disinformation and THEN you need a shrewd sociopathic -immoral - narcissistic psychopathic lying machine -an individual WITH a lifetime of proven experience to front the whole operation.
Trump works really well in that role BUT these rich and powerful bottom feeders are never in short supply.
AND now we know there is also an unlimited supply of ignorant deplorables to be raised up from THEIR swamps.
Ready willing and able to continue their inexorable march into cultural and economic irrelevence -smiling merrily along the route.
5
...and how long did it get the NYTs to get to this realization? The pornstars and playboy bunnies only enhance Trump's reputation, as seen from the pop-up male sex enhancement potions sold by Alex Jones and company. These old white males only envy Trump more for his capacity to 'perform'. On the other hand, money laundering, a crime that has already ensnared his former campaign chair, is the one that will bring this madness to an end.
7
It is 100% money laundering, but then high end real estate in NYC, Miami and London is a store of value for flight capital. All with the collusion of local politicians, developers, lawyers, accountants, et al: so let's not single out DJT. Keep in mind that when Treasury proposed that anonymous LLCs could not buy high value real estate in NYC, Chuck Schumer opposed it.
5
@IfUAskdAManFromMars I would love to not single out DJT from the other compromised and corrupt real estate developers in the U.S. Unfortunately, HE singled himself out by running for president. “Everybody else does it” only works as an excuse if you remain among the ranks of everybody else.
1
Why wasn't this investigated long ago before he ever entertained the idea of becoming president. Everyone knew he was a money launderer.
6
Still no mention of Commerce Secr. Ross, the former co-chairman of the Bank of Cyprus, infamous for laundering Russian oligarchs' money (e.g. for the Russian Fertilizer King, Putin's BFF, who was the other co-chairman at the Bank of Cyprus, hiding his money from his divorcing wife on shady real estate deals with, guess who)?
10
Yes, NYT look into Wilbur Ross!
7
Hi!,
NYT might have very strong grounds for suspicion. However this is all speculation. Why doesn’t NYT try and dig up some facts about Mr Trump’s financial dealings in Russia before publishing these sort of articles. He is a businessman, and he might have had business deals going on in Russia, before he thought of contesting for the Presidentship. Were the illegal / borderline illegal deals. Let us know
M.R.Reddy
2
Well, that’s the point of getting access to trump’s tax returns among other things. The whole point of the article, which you clearly missed, is that trump’s behavior invites suspicion. And the NYT can’t provide hard evidence for most of this because trump is hiding it. Duh...
8
Hey, nothing else is working your way so let’s move on to another red herring!
I often wonder, while reading a piece like this, what it will be that will finally tip the Reublicants that we have in Congress now, to turn against Trump. They seems to be just happily working, working, working on turning over anything that got in their way of making money or shady deals to appease their financial backers and themselves. Will it be something really big, or will they decide that the heat is getting to hot in the kitchen and it’s time to show him the door? I predict it will be a tiny straw that will break this camels back, and I am hoping that the American people will
Remember who sold them down the river.
5
The author nailed it. History will show what dupes we are, ignoring all the red flags and electing this criminal..
7
How can we take David Leonhardt seriously when he pooh-poohs any story that doesn't fit his narrative?
Take the case of Bruce Ohr, the fourth-ranking official at the DOJ. National Review reports that "[e]mails recently provided to Congress by the Department of Justice (DOJ) reveal that Christopher Steele, the former British spy contracted by opposition-research firm Fusion GPS, was in regular contact with senior DOJ official Bruce Ohr as he compiled his infamous dossier on then-candidate Trump."
I believe that Glenn Simpson, Fusion's boss, was part of these conversations. And, unmentioned by Leonhard, Ohr's wife worked for Fusion.
At the very least, Ohr's contacts with a Clinton campaign operative on matters of national security were highly improper. The were probably collusive. But, no, Leonhardt refuses to believe the evidence of his eyes.
2
Sorry for bursting the bubble, but Trump's "base" couldn't care less if he was caught red-handed laundering Russian mobsters' money while supplying them with kidnapped Guatemalan children to use as slaves.
They are weak-minded fools who follow an irrational personality cult, and they believe that there really is a deep state conspiracy out to get their hero. All they want is a leader that will make America white again, turning back the clock to 1955 as if all the developments in society, technology, jobs, science and education don't matter. They want to go back to a time when women and colored minorities knew their place, and where white middle class men ruled uncontested (or at least they thought they did).
The pursuit of their outdated dream is not going to be disturbed by complicated conspiracies involving Russian oligarchs, dodgy American bankers whose dads serve in the Supreme Court, funny named foreign banks or anything else that cannot be explained on the cover of the "National Enquirer".
The GOP Congress knows this, and they'll do everything in their power to obstruct justice and bury this investigation.
14
@Andy Sadly, I fear you are correct.
6
Donald and his father have long (half a century or more) had deep connections with first the American and later Russian Mafias, particularly in terms of each of their relationships with the ease of money laundering through realty and construction including through their family business lawyer Roy Cohn of both the McCarthy Hearings and Cost Nostra infamy.
Now we hear of Bruce Ohr as the current and singularly exclusive government employee Donald wishes to sanction in order to clip investigatory wings. A quick reading of names investigating, investigated and associated with Bruce Ohr's inquiries puts us into those longstanding realty/builder relationships. Such exposure threatens the potentially greatest area of vulnerability for the Trump empire in terms of criminal exposure.
4
Vote for change this November so we have a chance not only to connect the dots but also do something about it. Vote to replace Trump’s rule by omertà with rule of law.
10
Curious. Isn't someone who wants to run for president subject to a background check?
2
Nothing new here, it has been obvious for a very long time that Trump must have a lot to hide. He's been hysterical and paranoid about mr. Mueller's investigation right from the very start, and it's only increasing. For an 'innocent' person he's been behaving very guilty indeed, for al long time now.
He is most likely up to his neck in debt with Russian oligarchs, laundered money and so on. That must be what Putin has on him.
Who cares about peetapes or prostitutes in Moscow hotel rooms? Irrelevant.
If Trump revealed his tax returns it may show that his debts are much larger than his assets. Perhaps he's not even a billionaire.
At least he's making decent money now, thanks to his current position.... His hotel in DC, and all those taxpayer funded weekends to his own golf courses.
The CFO of the 'organisation' has immunity and may have very interesting tales to tell.
Do hope mr. Mueller comes with hard evidence, and lots of it.
In the meantime, Americans, please go out and vote, take the power away from this rotten bunch.
16
Your hypothesis, "He could make his life easier if only he treated Vladimir Putin the way he treats most people who cause problems — and cast Putin aside. Yet Trump can’t bring himself to do so," is improbable.
A double improbability: Should he want to cast him aside? Being on the world stage, because he lacks an ethical compass, is sufficient motive to continue with the 'opera buffa' — the moral consequence is irrelevant.
Is he capable of? Even if he wants to, a moronic improviser could not outflank an astute opponent that he misperceives as his equal partner. Unless he is pelted with rotten tomatoes, the comedy will continue.
1
This makes sense. We know there is a connection with Russia and a financial entanglement would certainly be the proper motivator for Trump's otherwise inexplicable behavior. But, please let's be sure to stick to known facts. There does not appear to be much hard evidence at this point. We all need to avoid contributing to another conspiracy theory.
2
wouldn't the IRS have already notified Justice if there were issues with Trumps tax returns? how has he gotten away with this for so long?
2
A man who has been bankrupt six times has current wealth which cannot be explained by his businesses and which seems to have arrived in the form of large amounts of Russian cash. But it is this wealth which his voters continue to take as a proxy for competence; It was the fact of his wealth that earned their respect in the first place.
I believe that they will continue to support him as long as they are under the impression that he is a successful businessman. So does he, which is why he fights accountability tooth and nail.
Whether or not Trump is hiding anything illegal it could still destroy his popularity if he is exposed as anything less than a competent businessman.
10
There is still a question of collusion. This may not be pursued until after the midterm elections. Maybe it will take a new Congress. If the House turns over to Democratic Control, the new chairmen will have subpoena power. All of sudden it is a new ball game. The Trump administration will be on the defensive.
6
The 2 hours Trump and Putin spent together in Helsinki may have been one of the worst security breaches in our nation's history. I hope the Finns, or someone else from the civilized world, was listening, and whatever mitigation might be necessary is somewhere underway. And MAGA, at long last, doesn't mean (Russian) "Mobsters Are Governing America".
9
That Trump's "accomplishment " at the Helsinki meeting was the purported great offer by Putin to let us give over Russians indicted here, for questioning by Putin's Kremlin goons, is appallingly insane.
2
Russia has laundered billions through Trump via real estate transactions, where they purchased at a premium and sold at discount, and through Cohen's medallion cabs. They have vectored much into the GOP's bucket. The GOP's strategy is to allow Trump to fulfill their agenda, despite the accompanying horror, and when such horrors substantively impact their base, they will then "save the day" by joining impeachment proceedings.
8
all this was obvious all during the campaign. its a mystery to me why the democrats continued to focus on trumps sexual peccadillos when the real transgressions were all financial.
8
@allen: The Dems were NOT focused on "trump's sexual peccadillos," but the financial doings surrounding those sexual predations...and the possible illegality of those financial doings. trump has all sorts of "real transgressions." The sexual ones are simply repulsive, but the financial ones are those of consequence, because they will prove his thorough and despicable criminality. And those financial transgressions surrounding his adultery are just the tip of his FINANCIAL TRANSGRESSION ICEBERG.
4
What type of Senator or Representative supports a President who:
A. Claims the News is the enemy of the people
B. Publicly berates:
1. his own cabinet staff
2. long-serving public officials, especially those upholding the laws of the USA
3. his own family
C. Uses tactics to further divide the USA
D. Destabilizes the USA's relationships with foreign alliances
E. Supports the USA's #1 Enemy and is the President's # 1 financier, advisor, and friend
I would call them the Enemies of America, Greedy Communists, Unpatriotic and a whole lot more.
Protect your country from its internal villains - VOTE!
7
thou doth protest too much
3
ALWAYS has been and will be, 'All About the MONEY, Honey! America please THINK! How Much MORE, when will ENOUGH be ENOUGH?
We NEED TRUTH and Transparency!
6
There is a host of reporting (Vanity Fair, New York Magazine) on Trump having dependencies to Russian circles of power since 1987. Fast forward to 2020 and we should see a slew of revelations, convictions and a Republican Party in collapse given their dependence Trump and Russian payola.
5
Trump’s tax returns might have proven that he has been laundering Russian oligarchs’ money for years. It’s not difficult, then, to imagine the quid pro quo deals between Trump and Putin: Putin keeps this all quiet in exchange for access to American government and the lifting of sanctions, scuttling the Iran Nuclear treaty, weakening NATO, etc. This is the “kompromat” that Putin has on Trump, not some ridiculous pee tapes - that the Russians own him and have involved him in not just financial crimes, but conspiracy to act against the interests of the country. Of course the GOP is running cover for him, they’re afraid that if all of this comes to light it will take the whole party down because THEY COLLUDED with Trump, and by extension, Russia. And all Trump had to do to extricate himself from this bargain with the devil was to just LOSE THE ELECTION! Had he been able to keep his ego in check just enough to throw the game, he’d be sitting pretty and still able to pay his Russian debt: he’d still be a folk hero to the people who make up his base, he’d be able to rant to his heart’s content on Fox News about crooked Hillary and lyin’ So-and-So and other heels that had done him wrong, he could still help make or break other politician’s campaigns, and he wouldn’t have to do all that stupid president stuff that makes him so cross. This is a perfect example of someone “hoist by his own petard.” I could almost feel sorry for the man if...nah, I can’t feel sorry for him, only for us.
4
Presidential candidates should get a formal security clearing before running for office...especially if the Supreme Court rules that Presidents may function as monarchs above the law.
6
Money laundering and business dealings have no business in congress. That should be dealt with by Justice. Congress is about politics and power. Most important is gaining or regaining power. If they took over investigating Trump’s business, it would have nothing to do with the welfare of the nation but the welfare of their congressional power. It would be McCarthyism 21st century style. Mueller is already on the case. He has even looked into a beauty pageant held in Russia in 2013, as though that had anything to do with Trump winning an election. There is also the Manhattan Madam he questioned as though she held the secret information about Russian / Trump collusion. Mueller knows Trump didn't ask for or get help from Putin. He had Hillary to help him. If you doubt that, read Donna Brazil’s book or another book, Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign. As far as Putin goes, past presidents most respected in the latter half of the 20th century were those who sought to reduce tensions with Russia. Remember they have 6000 nuclear tipped missiles with our address on them. Also remember Sun Tzu advice to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
@Ron: Money laundering is a crime and an impeachable offense. Trump asked the Russians to find Hillary’s deleted emails and his own son stated they had a lot of financing from Russia. And what would you know about what Mueller knows? You are just making up things.
3
@Ron
Sun Tzu must have had a strong stomach.
1
David, thank you for the "Captain Obvious" moment I had reading your piece. Some may wonder why such a "successful" real estate developer would be tempted to enter into dubious cash only deals with international mobsters. To them I say, when was the last time you heard of a big-time casino owner (other than Trump) declaring bankruptcy?
8
In the alternative universe of Fox News, Ohr is one of the top stories along with Uranium One, Hillary's nefariousness (Lock her up?), FISA documents, the Clinton Foundation and a host of other paleolithic undetectable "crimes" unknown to all but Rupert Murdoch's propaganda outlet. When Dump was bankrupt it was the Russian criminal oligarchs who kept him afloat and it is for excellent reasons that Dump slavers over his owner Putin. Produce the tax returns now.
8
All roads lead to his tax records. What are your hiding Mr Trump?
10
@Drew Your one sentence says more than this entire article.
1
Gee, and I thought he was merely insane and needed to be removed from office under the aegis of the 25th amendment. Like so many other anti-Trump Op Eds in the NY Times. No proof. Just progressive rage and smears. Now that your Messiah is back on the campaign trail reminding us poor deplorables about why we voted for Trump in the 2016 election in the first place, the results of the 2018 mid term election are bound to disappoint you. Who are you going to blame this time? In the meantime, when Trump declassifies the FISA warrants and all the corruption surrounding them this week poor Bruce Ohr and his wife are probably going to federal prison along with a host of others. Your mistake is under estimating Trump. He's shrewd, cunning, relentless and unforgiving. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of this guy.
1
@Martin Gray: Trump is toast. His own senior officials conspire against him to prevent him from blowing up the world. Talk about shrewd and cunning. He can’t even control his own office...
3
The loony left can not think three steps ahead....by trying a million different ways to reverse an election. You all are setting the standard that will come back to bite you all in the butt. Think REAL hard before you set standards like using the intelligence agencies, FISA, DOJ, Special prosecutors, etc. Harry Reid thought he was doing something right when he killed the filibusterer for SC nominations or Ds defending obstruction and lying by Clinton. Both are now standards set by the Ds.
2
This is all a Twilight Zone scenerio that nobody's doing anything about in the current orb of power, that is the republican congress. Except for Mueller's investigation that may be dismissed or forced into an implosion by forcing the whole thing to be toppled under the weight of corrupt blowback, the future of the free world is slipping into darkness.
4
The more obvious something is, the less this infantile nation can believe its own eyes.
12
Hey David, you forgot to mention Ohr's wife worked for Fusion GPS. You know, the firm that developed the "dossier" on Trump?
3
@Harlod Dickman
And precisely how does this have anything to do with the point of Leonhardt's column (other than whatever spurious connections you're making with your delusional Deep State conspiracy theories)?
2
@Harlod Dickman Let me guess, you think none of the dossier has been proven accurate?
4
This matters, why?
2
This whole thing is so filthy it makes most any historical instances of presidential corruption pale in comparison. If for no other reason than the country has lived through those events and we should be much more vigilant. It just goes to show the level of rot in our system and society.
I absolutely still marvel at the people in this country who listened to HRC and said "Well, I just can't trust her...". But somehow those same people listened to Trump and thought "Yeah, he's more trustworthy".
Truly baffling.
12
"I don't see how it would be." ... I mean wouldn't be ... sort of a double-negative. Kinda like: "I did not say that I did not do it." Double negative. Fourth grade language arts stuff.
This coverage of long-running back-story raises a new thought about frosty relationship launched by POTUS with long-tenured and well-grounded German Chancellor, who has accountability for regulation and audit of German banks.
It never occurred to me until today that Merkel might have reacted coldly to any kind of private plea for "loyalty" by Trump, prior to the special counsel's international process serving.
The evidence will emerge to answer this and other questions.
5
---This administrations guiding principle:No Lie Left Untold!
6
Yes, let's talk about Money Laundering by the campaigns that took part in the 2016 election. Trump's organization for sure but also Clinton's. We can start with the "Uranium One" sale of a large portion of the US uranium reserve to Russian interests and the associated kickbacks through the Clinton Foundation and payments for Bill's speaking engagements. Glad to put it all on the table. But let's put it ALL up for side-by-side comparison.
Then let's put the Clintons in jail, impeach Trump and let us all return to sanity under POTUS Pence.
2
@R. Craigen, you are beating a dead horse. https://www.factcheck.org/2017/10/facts-uranium-one/
3
@R. Craigen
Your assertions of "facts" have been disproved long ago. But go ahead and keep repeating the meaningless meme that Fox News feeds you.....
5
Uranium One was investigated and discredited by top law enforcement officials. When will right wingers stop relying on Fox News as its basis for all things political? More importantly, it’s time to let go of false equivalencies and Hillary Clinton. She’s not the President.
5
Don't panic.
Al Capone went to jail on income tax evasion.
Just do your jobs, gumshoes.
11
There's no way a sex tape in the hands of Putin would worry Trump - it has to be "follow the money." That's why he's panicking, attacking the messenger, because laundering foreign money is a serious crime while a sex tape might be mildly embarrassing but with his narcissistic rants he'll turn it into patriotic behavior.
The closer the Mueller investigation gets to Trump's finances the closer Trump gets to jail.
12
The only people who didn't know about Trump's previous skullduggery (at least those who care about such things) are the people who voted for him.
Through the power of television, he was presented to millions of American's as a business genius on "The Apprentice."
The TV Show was about as far from reality as reality TV can get. This was all well-documented.
It was also well known that after 3 bankruptcies, Trump could not get a loan from an American Bank.
So Trump started looking abroad.
He also started doing all cash deals in total contravention of both industry norms and his claim to be "The King of Debt."
It makes sense too. If you use all cash, you can launder more money.
Trump is not smart guy. Even if he were, he could not hide his tracks well-enough to escape the like of Mueller's team.
In short, the money laundering will be one of the easiest charges among the many he will ultimately bring to prove.
But all of this criminal behavior takes time to document. Republicans will just have to be patient.
12
I believe Rachel Maddow has been saying this all along, since over a year ago. I'm quite sure Meuller is following this line, so hopefully before the election he will come out with his full report.
9
One can't help but notice that Trump always denies the "Witch Hunt" by saying "There was no collusion." As obvious as the 500 lb. gorilla in the room, he NEVER mentions any of the other crimes he's accused of, especially money laundering.
9
@DaDa
Trump learned how to spell a big word and by darned, he's going to use it.
3
Why did Justice Kennedy retire so suddenly, was it because his son is an investment banker at Deutch Bank and has had real estate business relations with Donald Trump and helped him launder money?
15
The" possibility of money laundering" as a justified reason for an investigation is absurd. The evidence of money laundering is a reason for an investigation. "Witch hunts" are exactly what these types of investigations are , looking for a crime to prosecute , with only innuendo and rumor as a basis. As far as "hidden tax returns" are concerned, can you claim to believe that the 0bama IRS wouldn't have proceeded against Trump if illegalities were found? "Many voters now believe" has now become the basis for criminal accusations ? Trial by alleged public opinion. A new low in journalism.
@Bob israel
"Can you claim to believe that the 0bama IRS wouldn't have proceeded against Trump if illegalities were found?"
- Don't you remember that trump's excuse for not releasing his tax returns is that he was being audited? Hmmm, that does sound like there could well be some "illegalities" that were found! However, the IRS is not allowed to tell us what they found; if they did, you Trumpkins would scream bloody murder.
"The possibility of money laundering" as a justified reason for an investigation is absurd."
- No one says that Mueller's investigation was begun on the basis of "possibility of money laundering!" Remember, it was started because of the probability of conspiracy between Trump and Russia. However, Mueller was also given the mandate to examine (and prosecute) any other related crimes he finds along the way. See, nothing untoward going on here!
(And BTW: If you didn't complain in this same manner about Ken Starr's investigation into Whitewater => Travelgate => Vince Foster => Monica Lewinsky, then you're nothing more than a partisan hypocrite!)
3
@Bob israel Having income from Russia isn't illegal, so nothing to prosecute. Being POTUS and being beholden to Russian interests just might be a different story. Does it bother your that Trump promised to release his returns (when he was a long shot), then refused to do so when he rose to the top of the race. My guess is he didn't ever intend to release them. Yours?
2
Great job, David Leonhardt, connecting the dots! Please with your colleagues stay on the story.
7
Trump's business history is studded not just with transactions with Russian property buyers but with men like Felix Sater, a Russian national with connections to organized crime who has represented Trump. Then there are the murky Russian relatives and business associates of Michael Cohen. Of course Trump doesn't want Mueller looking into his business affairs or his shady associates. Trump attracts (and needs) these sorts. I mean, Stephen Miller, Steve Bannon and the coterie of white nationalists that were drawn to Trump just didn't have criminal records. At least for the moment.
4
See the detailed followup to Mr. Leonhardt's excellent piece.
Active Measures can be rented on iToons and gives the details.
I am not in any way connected to this excellent documentary.
If trump the hump is Not a crook, I'll eat his hat or his hair or both.
6
@Into the Cool: Me, too! Without even a bit of salad dressing or ketchup to make it palatable!
1
Of course it's the money laundering, stupid!
Trump's dream is to have (licensed) Trump Towers in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and all the Little Stahns.
Even Putin knows he has to keep Trump from trying to do this in his first term. That would force out the connection between Trump and Russian organized crime, and Putin's own involvement in it.
But if Trump were to win a second term, even Putin would not be able to restrain Trump's cupidity.
"Stop me if you dare!" Trump has been messaging Republicans all along, and they would get out of his way to further misprision the Presidency of the United States of America if he wins a second term, or maybe even if the Republicans hold on to at least the Senate in 2018, which would be Trump's shield against the impeachment and conviction he richly deserves.
Bertold Brecht, where are you when we need you?!
6
An excellent article, but I am concerned by the phrase "illegal money laundering". This is redundant, and perhaps contributes to the misconception that "white collar" crimes are not among the most serious offenses.
Money laundering makes many other for-profit crimes, including some violent crimes, possible. It would be almost impossible to traffic in large quantities of illegal narcotics or engage in systematic fraud if the proceeds from these crimes can never enter the legitimate economy. Additionally, such crimes often involves huge sums of money - implying that those involved are very likely to try to protect their schemes with violence.
So-called "white collar" crimes erode both our economy and our culture. Our justice system needs to treat them accordingly.
15
trump already told us that he doesn't think tax or bank fraud is a crime - the president defended manafort and doesn't think he should be prosecuted for them -
I have very little faith in the justice system when it is ruled by republicans - their crimes are not crimes, democrats can't jay walk without the republicans screaming lock her up.
10
The sad fact of the matter is that everybody knows Trump has been a crook. He has always bragged about the stuff he has gotten away with, fancies he could get away with.
Being a crook was not a "bug" of his election win; it was a central feature.
Same as the groping, his grotesque "Access Hollywood" tape -- nobody really believes it "was just locker room talk," and why would anyone want a president sick enough to engage in that kind of fantasy and lying if it were? People voted FOR Trump, because he's a groper and they know it.
Same as "Trump University:" he paid a 1 M$ fine to NY State, that is an admission of guilt. People voted FOR Trump, because he's a fraudster.
Same as Trump's endless lying.
This is all wretchedly deplorable. It's hard to understand or admit that so many Americans do in fact want what Trump really is; we'd like to think they are better people.
But they aren't, and they'll support his overt criminal acts too when they become public.
The numbers don't lie, and "we like his policies" is nonsense. He has no policies other than self-aggrandizement. "His" tax policy was Ryan's, would have happened under any Republican. Ditto right-wing Supreme Court appointments.
Basically Trump's support (vs. other Republicans) can only be about really ugly things ... because that's what distinguishes him from a host of other Republicans.
13
Sadly, I’m afraid you are correct.
7
I'm somewhat amused by the calls for Trump to release his tax returns. The man is such a blatant liar, and his businesses so corrupt, I would bet his tax returns are most likely "faith based" flights of fancy with absolutely no connection to real world as we know it.
9
Trump has probably sued the IRS into stupefaction.
2
The big question staring us in the face is why so many Americans continue to back a truly loathsome individual. Or why they supported him in the first place. He is, after all, the conspiracy theorist who perpetrated the lie of Obama having been born outside the U.S. He got out of military service by claiming “bone spurs” and defrauded so many through Donald Trump University. He did nothing to do with “Art of the Deal,” had a number of bankruptcies and has always been tied to Russians. And the list goes on.
10
Without documenting criminal involvement in money laundering, the Special Counsel's investigation is effectively a witch hunt, as the 8th Grader-in-Chief says: we didn't need to spend millions proving the he and his organization are self-serving amateurs with no scruples, much less principles; that has been obvious since his takeover of the R side of the 2016 election. Only that FoxNews mindset, in which established government officials and processes that raise red flags about interaction between Russians and Trump campaign/administration could ever be so myopic as to go from 'wiretaps reveal...' to 'deeps state spying', having remained deliberately self-deceived about the obvious 'they are SUPPOSED to spy on the Russians involved', bad luck for the naive Americad on the other end of the line.
But both government and party officials need to begin to make clear: if the ship goes down, all those insider enablers (McConnell, Nunes, McCarthy, Mnuchin, Mulvaney, Pompeo) need to pay a legal and political price too. Maybe even my own anonymous OpEd'er nominee, Kelly.
4
even if there's a modicum of truth to this idea , where are your whistle- blowers , any trace of a paper trail ; there's no evidence to support the idea of money laundering. The Kremlin knows and understands our rule of law and in the end if Mueller provides a detailed speaking indictment both the Russians and Trump will deny it. End of story.
I thought that it was common knowledge years ago, that when Trump went bankrupt he got money from the Russian mob? Like everything else with Trump, that which is supposed to be some big hidden mystery needing investigation is actually blatant, out in plain sight and has been all along--
9
Exactly. Trump is without shame because he wears what he is on his sleeve and suckers deal with him anyway.
2
Wouldn't surprise me if the only reason he ran was a last ditch gamble to get out of a bottomless financial hole and arm's length from creditors who were calling in their markers.
9
This should absolutely be front and center in the investigation.
Because if Trump committed criminal conspiracy by accepting and aiding in the smear of Hillary Clinton by Russian operatives, it was at least in part because he knew the Russians had all the information regarding his money laundering and illegal business practices.
They own him. He's trying to hide that every single day to maintain the illusion that he is a legitimate businessman and president.
12
While there has been quite a bit of evidence that Mueller is investigating collusion and obstruction of justice, as well as the indictments of Russians clearly indicating the level of Russian interference (so much for the fat kid on the bed hacking the Dems), there has been little sign of investigations into Trump's finances. Famously, the Mueller team has been remarkably leak-free, and hopefully a lot of that is going on behind the scenes. As is the case with Manafort, most of the necessary evidence will be in the paper trail.
7
President Trump does himself no favors by acting guilty of money laundering, whether he is guilty or not.
in this as in other regards, Trump conducts himself like a mafioso.
besides his incompetence and craziness, he is an embarassment for our country at home and abroad.
waiting for the election to take any action, such as under the 25th, smells exactly the same to me as McConnell forcing a delay on President Obama's Supreme Court nominee until after the pending election - and that one was almost a year in the future.
as McConnell said, the American people should have a chance to weigh in. as of now, most of us think there's a better than equal chance the very unpopular, untrustworthy Trump has a lot to hide. and he's hiding it.
8
This is absolutely the elephant in the room that it seems nobody has the courage to investigate. For good reasons. Putin poisons his enemies. Trump gets career civil servants fired and career politicians defeated. But the real culprits as always are the voters who didn't care about ethics and morals, obvious conflicts of interest and possible criminality when they voted in a fit of anger and resentment to elect a billionaire businessman with a web of foreign connections. These people would have voted for a Mafia don, an international drug kingpin, or Vladimir Putin's son if he had been on the ballot opposite Hillary Clinton's name. So we have probably the most corrupt president and administration in a lifetime. We will see in November if some of them are done with their temper tantrum and ready to vote as adults and patriots with our democracy and our nation's security their foremost concern.
17
Collusion is spelled C-o-n-s-p-i-r-a-c-y. That is exactly what Trump is involved in with Russian operatives.
6
I don't understand how the Commander in Chief doesn't need to pass a background check? That should be a requirement, along with full financial transparency.
10
Sadly, none of what David Leonhardt presents is news to anyone who bothered to have a close read of Donald Trump's track record prior to the 2016 election. By now, we've had nearly two years to experiece the horrific morass that failure to look closely at glaring mismatches between what a candidate says and what (s)he actually has done, and complacency and apathy at the polling booths, if we even bothered to cast a minimally informed vote, has led us. The same comment applies even more so to the Republicans who intially professed to abhor Trump, then eagerly embraced him as it became obvious that Tump was their meal ticket to saddling Aericans witht their ill-serving agendas by employing misleading tactics.
We have another chance this year to show Mitch McConnell that, contrary to his logical backflip pleading the manufactured importance of a presidential vote 9 months away to justify abrogation of his obligation to give Merrick Garland a fair hearing in early 2016 to his conveniently claimed irrelevance of the 2018 midterm vote to give the American people a real voice in Brett Kavanaugh's choice a mere 3 months away, to do our homework and show up at the polls in overwhelming, well-informed numbers which demonstrably show that Americans will not tolerate the unprecedented malfeance and sleight-of-hand tactics that have characterized the Trump Administration and our McConnell and Ryan led Republican dominated Congress.
10
Who would even trust these ridiculous frauds to feed their cat? I cannot find anything to respect about them besides the sheer magnitude of their gall.
1
@Steve Bolger: But we must not respect "the sheer magnitude of their gall." Rather we should be horrified and gobsmacked by it. I have no respect for these low life criminals, for that is what they are. This time, a bunch of them have managed to infiltrate our government, and overtake our democracy. We should get to work to make sure we oust them, punish them, disenfranchise them (as they are trying to do to us) and that noting like this ever happens again.
1
There was information available regarding his extensive and questionable business ties to Russia long before the election. If that wasn't enough to cause people to doubt him as president, and taking everything else into account now, I do not believe that we are going to be able to rid ourselves of him. He is even stacking the Supreme Court in his favor. He is truly above the law.
7
Trump will collapse the law in this helpless land.
@J.Haynes: NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW...Even if they get away with murder, it does not mean that they are above the law.
2
@Elin Minkoff We thought no one was above the law until Trump was elected. I would love to see him out of office and paying for everything he's done in business and in our government, but so far, no one - NO ONE - has held him accountable.
1
What is truly astounding, is that if one declares bankruptcy, which Trump has done repeatedly, many many companies just won't hire that person, and that is for just one default. However, the Republicans made a multiple debt defaulter, that most major banks wouldn't even let in their doors, no major corporation would ever hire, with dubious dealings with probable criminals (mob connected construction companies), as well as shady Russian deals, was the man they made President, and they continue to support him. Just where are the alleged "Reagan Republicans" now? They line up for his blessing? Please Mr Mueller, the clock is ticking on our Republic, and only you have the keys.
21
It's clear as day: After the midterms, Trump intends to fire Sessions and Rosenstein and put someone in place who will curtail or stop the Mueller investigation. If he's guilty of money laundering, collusion, obstruction of justice or some of all of the above he has few other choices.
10
I am truly worried about whether our American democracy can withstand backsliding into an authoritarian form of government. Are the foundations of our democracy strong enough to hold off the authoritarian propensities of a President with little observable commitment to constitutional rights? Institutions alone are not enough to protect us from an elected autocrat because these institutions can become political weapons in support of those who control them against those who do not. THE CONSTITUTION MUST BE DEFENDED. VOTE.
33
People want Trump to show his tax returns, which he said he would do but refuses to do so. How do we know, if he ever shows them, that they are true? An unscrupulous accountant (does Trump hire anybody who isn't unscrupulous?) could twist tax returns so they don't resemble reality at all.
15
Can't wait for the "defenses" from ever faithful Trump supporters. They will include, something like, "Everyone knew enough about Trump's Russian financial dealings, and voted for him anyway." Or, "Everybody cheats, deals with 'foreign investors,' but Trump's just better at it; what's the big deal?" Or, "It's only 'white collar' crime, so nobody, really got hurt." No doubt, Rudy G. will explain it all.
11
The fact that the crusading US Attorney, Preet Bharara was one of the first to be fired under Trump, speaks volumes.
22
This issue is fundamental. Trump and his family are not above the law, and setting a precedent of ignoring crimes would seriously and irreparably weaken the American system. It is truly sad that the Republicans seem to be OK with this. At this point we know that the Trumps' public behavior repeatedly indicates a 'quid pro quo' with Putin and the Russian oligarchs. We must get the full and complete financial truth.
12
For both parties, the 2016 election was a sad and complete change from the situation just four short years earlier when we had two candidates who, though ideologically quite different, both were of indisputable integrity and honesty.
After the 2017 election, I took comfort in my confidence that Trump would most likely not last one full term. It was already clear that he had an ego that far exceeded his abilities. Most people like that, mistakenly believing that they are so clever that they can get away with anything, at some point stray into unethical/illegal actions.
So, it doesn’t surprise me to now read the money-laundering suspicions regarding Trumps earlier real estate activities and I fully expect that they will turn out to be well-founded.
However, I am appalled at the ready willingness of so many NYT readers to slander the reputations of Justice Kennedy and his son, without the slightest bit of actual evidence. I, like your slandering readers, know almost nothing about the son, other than he worked in the real estate area of a bank that made real estate loans to Trump. Proof of nothing!
More importantly, Justice Kennedy is widely recognized to be a man of absolute integrity and who coincidentally may turn out to be the last independent-minded Justice on the Supreme Court. His “sin” is prematurely (age 82 with 30 years service!) retiring from the Court and thereby allowing Trump another appointment!?
He deserves our endless gratitude, not unsubstantiated smears!
3
I urge all readers to watch the new documentary "Active Measures" by Jack Bryan. Sober, thoroughly researched, and with the direct participation of serious people like John McCain, James Woolsey, Michael McFaul and many others in a position to really know, it connects the dots between Trump, Putin, Russian oligarchs, organized crime, and our 2016 election, putting it all in historical context. The case is far clearer and more compelling than most people realize.
24
Explains, as if further evidence is needed, why no one was allowed to attend the one on one meeting between trump and putin in Helsinki, and why to this date, no one knows what was said other than the translator.
19
Should the Democrats win control of the House in November, do you think a new investigation by the House committees would expose this illegal money laundering scheme with its trail of co-conspirators? Or would that not be a topic for investigation?
5
That Failed 45 is nothing but a Russian money laundering operation has been obvious for years.
Mueller has probably uncovered plenty to refer to regular prosecution, and has probably already done so under seal.
9
The GOP-dominated Congress will never go after Trump's real vulnerabilities, the ones that could actually bring him down. He's too valuable to them as a distraction while they and their minions eat away at the progress that's been made over the last fifty years.
12
or, over the last 125 years.
2
Maybe if the Manhattan DA had put more resources into white collar crime and fewer into prosecuting poor crack addicts back in the late 80s and early 90s, we'd have been spared this presidency.
14
The Times should consider doing a story, or a series, about the rise of the Russian mob during Giuliani's time as Mayor. The coincidences abound. From the Italian families finding themselves decimated overnight to Trump Org's washing machine helping give the newly-installed Russian mob unlimited financial power and control - all under the nose of Mayor Giuliani - I've no doubt, when unraveling the Trump-Russia connections, the thread begins there.
8
I understand the 'Active Measures' documentary, which charts the development of Putin's relationship with trump over the past twenty years or so, is now available on YouTube.
8
"Most voters now believe he has something to hide" Yes, but that seems to make little difference, certainly not to the Congressional Republicans and for sure, MAGA supporters at the hate filled Trump rallies to include evangelical Christians that could care less. Republicans cannot even bring themselves to demand release of Trump's tax returns. Perhaps, eventually the Russian Mafia Trump corruption will be revealed, maybe. We are experiencing a real "1984" crisis.
15
Who knows if Trump has ever paid even one red cent of federal income tax?
1
Re: "I realize that this evidence is only circumstantial and well short of proof."
Circumstantial evidence is more reliable than eye-witness testimony. A single "coincidence" is not necessarily convincing. A repeated pattern is, in fact, proof. It is past time to stop tossing out the "well short of proof" when offering overwhelming proof.
What, exactly, would take us beyond "well short of proof"? The systematic attacks focused on those who understand how money-laundering works, and have been successful in prosecuting it is itself "proof". The actions to change US policy to favor Russia began with the changes demanded by the Trump team to the Republican Platform to not help Ukraine--led by people now known to be Russian operatives--and has intensified since.
Is there something in Trump's behavior that suggests he is completely unaware of all of this activity?
There is no need to decide if it is a compromising tape, or conspiring with a foreign adversary to illegally influence a campaign, or money laundering and other financial crimes. It could be all three. (At this point, the strongest evidence of a compromising tape is Trump's over-the-top reaction to it compared to his much more subdued response to various leaks of infidelity and sexual escapades.)
What, exactly, are we protecting with the weasel-words? Certainly not truth, or accuracy--or democracy and the country.
4
If access Hollywood tape did not shame Donald nothing will. He has no shame. Putin had leverage over Trump either it is in sexual or financial or both. I believe Trump is doing the bidding of Putin in getting rid of career employees in the Justice Department and FBI. Please Vote on November 6th. 57 more days to mid-term election.
10
Sometimes we just don't want to accept what's staring us in the face.
Trump's economic dependence on Russian money has been bruited about for some time. From the flipping of a Palm Beach mansion to an oligarch, to the reportedly cash sale of apartments to Russian nationals, to Trump's insistence that his business dealings are 'off limits' and his refusal to release tax returns, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that there's something worth looking into here. I trust that Mueller, SDNY or NY AG are on to this.
Bottom line, I'm afraid, still is that millions of people voted for this childish, ignorant, bellicose fraudster knowing that he is manifestly unfit for office. Most of those would apparently do so again.
21
The Russian Revolution took place in a mostly agrarian nation where the serfs burned out the kulaks.
It was tax evasion that got Al Capone a cell. Would it not be poetic justice if Trump were to expire in the same manner from complications of the same diseases?
Actually, when you think about it, we might be witnessing the symptoms right now.
https://www.quora.com/How-did-Al-Capone-die
12
Does not the whole Trump-Russia thing come down to that tired bromide, "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."
With more than a hint from Russian hoodlums to Trump that, "If you don't do as we say, you face financial ruin and more."
It has been that way for years. Except now their mark and their pawn has been elected President of the United States.
Trump says there has been no explicit collusion. But won't Mueller and his team present reams of financial data?
And then argue "res ipsa loquitur," that is, the thing speaks for itself.
4
I'll follow this author wherever he goes. He's just about the only person asst the Times who spells correctly the word, "bogeyman."
2
This was published more than a year ago:
https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-t...
3
The gist of this article is that we will understand Trump's words and actions if only we can understand the impact, or not, of money laundering. That will not explain, however, the GOP's sudden abdication of its oversight responsibility. The money trail may take many routes into Washington DC and all of them are urgent.
9
The NYT article dated 5/8/18 Firm Tied to Russian Oligarch Made Payments to Michael Cohen
“A shell company that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money to a pornographic film actress received payments totaling more than $1 million from an American company linked to a Russian oligarch and several corporations with business before the Trump administration, according to documents and interviews…..
Transactions adding up to at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants starting shortly before Mr. Trump was elected president and continuing to this January, the records show.”
During the 2016 campaign and until he resigned on 6/20/18, Michael Cohen was Deputy Finance Chair for the RNC.
Was Russian money spent by Cohen as part of RNC campaign activities?
Following election day 2016, V-P elect Michael Pence was chairman of the Trump transition committee.
Did Michael Pence receive money from Michael Cohen for pre-inaugural expenses?
Can any of the money, controlled by either Cohen or Pence and spent by the RNC or by the transition team be traced to Essential Consultants, LLC? Is any part of this money Russian money?
Is there an accounting of the spending by the RNC or by the transition team?
Enquiring minds want to know.
5
I've read that there are special loopholes for Real Estate transactions in the laws that address money laundering.
I would love to see Trump prosecuted for money laundering because he obviously has built his business on it.
But, has he actually broken any laws?
3
The GOP will forever be the party of treason in our household. None of my three children or my twelve grandchildren will ever vote for a republican traitor again.
26
Republicans must hold majority for these vrimes to continue. Therefor Putin must again steal the election. Be prepared
14
The last emergency exit on this runaway train is for massive numbers of people to elect a democratic majority to Congress, but that can only happen if a sufficiently fair election can and does occur.
The inaction of Republican congresspeople who aren't even going through the motions of investigating possible money laundering by the Trump Organization worries me--- they seem to feel secure.
We need deep investigative reporting (and the best people in the CIA and FBI) to try to ferret out any signs of corruption of the election itself before it is too late. Let's not lose our democracy.
21
Spot on
7
VOTE!
12
<<He could make his life easier if only he treated Vladimir Putin the way he treats most people who cause problems — and cast Putin aside. Yet Trump can’t bring himself to do so.>>
This is the biggest tell of all.
Trump has name-called and slandered any one who has inconvenienced him in the least and yet all he has to say is that Putin is a good man — this after he addressed the Russian tyrant as “Mr. President” and was promptly put in place by being called as “Donald.”
The quandary now for this “moron” as called by General Kelly is that had he not ran for office, he could still be Putin’s money launderer & general errand boy. Now with all these investigations, the washing machine is about to grind to a screeching halt with all the Russian money still inside.
We all know what an ex-KGB can do with a talcum-looking powder.
Donald is afraid. Very afraid. And while potty-tweeting at 3 AM might distract the NYT or CNN, it won’t distract his Russian boss.
“No puppet no puppet you are the puppet.” — Trump, the so-called President of the US who lost 3M votes to a lady and a real New Yorker
28
Vote.
13
We have a mobster in the Oval Office.
Period
19
@r mackinnon
Why hasn't Mr. Trump picked up the nickname of the Teflon Donald, in honor of his model NY City mobster, the Teflon Don? The Gambino family, the Genovese family, etc., and the Trump family. Never mind impeachment, go after a RICO prosecution. To paraphrase them, 'lock 'em up.'
7
@Che Beauchard
Telflon Don Jnr.
It has the right tone.
If Trump is as guilty of money laundering as this article implies, and the Republican Congress is hell bent on supporting Trump regardless of this, I suspect that many Congressmen know full well what is going on and that makes them criminals too.
Their refusal to act in America's best interest by blindly supporting Trump reeks of complicity.
Our only reasonable step is to vote as many Republicans out of Congress as possible. At least that will give us a chance to get our government back.
Crooked President, crooked Congress.
23
"So, Donnie boy, there are a couple of bozos working for you that bring me some discomfort." Said the voice with the thick Russian accent. "See if you can get rid of them for me, will ya."
Spoiler alert: not a scene from "Good Fellas".
I have speculated, more than once, that the t rump presidency is really just a very elaborate FBI/Interpol sting to get Putin and his crime family out of power.
And poor ole "Donnie boy" is just collateral damage. A convenient stooge. The "useful idiot" Russians are so fond of turning. Or is it flipping"
Putin has probably figured out by now that t rump is more idiot than useful.
But, more than likely it really is the out of control nightmare we all witness every day.
7
How could it possibly be more obvious that his mind is 100% criminal? He is a gangster-thug, plain and simple.
20
Money laundering. It sound like the part of a high stakes high dollar crime that is the LEAST damaging the least guilty the least vile.
In fact there is no criminal worse than the money launderer. We should punish them more severely than the worst mass murderer...the murderer has a screw loose...the launderer is very much in tact and interested only in profits.
But what makes him the worst of all criminals is what he makes possible:
Human Trafficking - woman and children suffering unspeakable abuse.
Drug Trafficking - entire countries held hostage, its people often forced from their homes with nothing but the clothes on their backs and their families held in their arms.
Arms Dealing - All over the world but chronically in Africa where genocide has found new meaning as a strategy of war.
Government Corruption - Putin, Trump, Maduro, North Korea, etc....
Eliminate these cowards and a better world emerges with it....death penalty. The harm they do is without equal and impossible to measure.
14
This is classic Never Trump stuff. Again that Putin has something on Trump. While the US ratchets up the tensions with Russia fueled with the anti Russia hysteria which by far the public does not have much interest in. Trump has been more than malleable to the neo con agenda.
3
@c harris, maybe in your neck of the woods people aren't interested. Millions across the country are not only interested in following the money but are appalled by Trump and his ardent groupies at his crazy-talk rallies. A national embarrassment, probably criminal and possible treasonous. VOTE!
11
The best $3.00 any American can spend today, is to rent the Documentary movie, "Active Measures." Money laundering and bank fraud at its best, by the President of Russia, Donald Trump.
link to trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLD6jroVA38
11
Less than 40% of Americans believe Trump. Over 60% don't.
Math is simple. If those knowing gross unfitness of Trump to be in WH should all be voting come November. That's the only way to curb and control the calamity called Trump.
If republicans maintain majority in both houses, democrats and progressives would lose any and all reasons to pin election of Trump on his base.
7
The question is why? Why did he ever run for president knowing what we now know about his past illegal finanical dealings with the Russians. He would have been far better off to stay out of the spotlight and in the shadows.
Trump is a challenge to our democracy and the Law.
VOTE:-)
17
He ran because of a massive amount of self-deluding egotism along with lots of encouragement from Russian operatives.
2
Dear Mr. Leonhardt,
Despite the usual Trump tirade, Bruce Ohr himself has problems of his own:
http://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/405484-bruce-ohrs-efforts-to-secr...
2
He's a wannabee oligarch with all it implies. Short of a leak, an informer, millions of hours of investigation this is a Hail Mary at best. The fact that he is seen as anti-hero in the eyes of his base makes it all the more difficult and fraught.
Stealing paradise has been going on for centuries, the only reason this whole shebang is not prosecuted as organized crime is because there are loopholes galore in law to make it legal supported and paid for by the few in charge. They do not want to cook the goose that lays their golden eggs. I'm betting (but hoping not) that the trade-off will be a get out of jail free pass signed by the GOP, the ruling class and privileged (across party lines) and across the globe. Al Capone (anti-hero immortalized in books and movies – sound familiar) was eventually convicted of a lesser crime, people in positions of power (including Government employees) protected him to save themselves and the status quo that benefited them. Let's see.
Here's an interesting primer on oligarchs and money laundering: https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/theoligarchs/
https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/stealing-paradise/
1
You have to really wonder.......Trump has set the bar so low with his rudeness, race baiting, blatent sexism, Bunny payoffs, that some real evidence of a series of crimes could be something his supporters will overlook. A little money laundering, some shakey Russian investments, campaign finance violations,.........so what? He's still "our guy".
3
@Bob, forget being the party of family values. They are the party of no values. The Trump Party.
5
The litany of things his base can overlook totally fits the deplorable label!
1
Of course it's all about money laundering, which is so obvious that I can only hope Mueller is focusing on it.
Trump is a gangster, albeit a cowardly gangster, who has been laundering money for the Russian Mafia via real estate deals for years. Perhaps longer. Trump is a criminal, a lowly, greedy criminal.
18
@Ken Solin Isn't the AG of NY starting to look into the workings of the organization?
4
Circumstantial? Yes. But if it smells like a skunk, walks like a skunk and surrounds himself with skunks then it must be trump. Follow the money. Follow money trail of Ross, of the Jr Kennedy and this skunks family. It may not be enough to go after this skunk, it may take a concerted effort at uncovering the Russian Mob in America to really get at the truth here. The Mafia may still have power but nothing compared to where they were headed before the FBI`s war on them. It`s time to make war on the Russian Mob, take the politics out of it and treat it as the major crime that it is. Once we do this trumps signature will show up and we will do the world a favor by putting Putin and his mob on there knees. My next question is what were the gang of 8 Russpublicans doing in Russia and how far has the Russian Mob infiltrated our government!!!
5
Trump is a crook. The only question is quality and quantity.
2
It's obvious that Trump has been laundering money for the Russians for years. Who knows what other dirt they have on him. I still think about him alone in a room with Putin for 2 hours. But I guess if you are a republican you don't care what kind of traitor you have in the white house as long as you get your friends their tax cuts and Mitch his judges. Just never mind the children so cruelly separated from their families or anything else this nightmare of a president says or does. I will never vote for another Republican in my life.
18
It's a duck!
8
Great, more and more the structure of the administration is coming to resemble the Mafia, with nuke's. And the American People are the patsies in this relationship.
John~
American Net'Zen
7
I voted for Trump and will vote for him again. I don’t care if he laundered 10 trillion dollars or if the Russians changed every vote. The insanity of the New York Times types and people like Adam Schiff, aka Brad Sherman, is too entertaining to give up.
Good luck will your quest. Maybe tomorrow we will learn that Mueller has subpoenaed Trump’s borscht recipe
4
So, the fact that our president is a crook makes no difference to you?
3
I wonder if the "I don't care "crowd have young kids or grandchildren ...that's quite a legacy
Why don’t you care?
Or perhaps Trump is just trying to maintain reasonably good relations with Putin--like Obama did. Any Liberals remember Obama whispering to Dmitri Medvedev, "I'll have more flexibility after after the election".
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-more-flexibility-russia/
But perhaps, Liberals also believe Trump laundered money for the North Koreans--since it's obvious he's also trying to maintain a good relationship with Kim Jong-un?
Anyone who has ever negotiated anything, will tell you, it's best not to insult or berate the guy on the other side of the table.
Ho-hum--just another salacious and unsubstantiated smear, by another writer at the NY Times. At least this time, the writer is not anonymous.
4
@Jesse The Conservative: No, this is about serious substabtiated indications of Trump laundering money through real estate deals with Russians, not about having more political flexibility in negotiations between governments. There's no equivalence whatsoever between the two.
2
Trump and his organization are Rotten to the Core! Follow the money!
6
The NYT is intentionally hiding the truth and the facts from the public and the explanations that connect them properly and accurately.
3
@Kenan Porobic - how wonderful that you apparently know the truth and the facts - as well as the connecting explanations!
Do tell the rest of us - what are those truths, facts, and connectors? 'Cause otherwise it sure does look bad - set the record straight since it seems to be so easy.
2
@Julius
I work hard to learn the truth. Of course I could only create the analyses and make prediction. I am only asking the NYT to publish the texts I made 10 or 15 years ago and verify what I correctly recognized. If I were right in several critically important areas it means there is a lot to share with the world. It means the next step should be done by the NYT, not by me...
so instead of speculating, the NYT should go out and investigate.
like those guys messers Woodward and Bernstein.
10
@Gene 99
The NYTimes probably is investigating, or is party to a more global investigation – it's incredibly expensive and time consuming for one paper to do investigative journalism on its own, even prohibitive and bankrupting.
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
https://www.icij.org/search/trump
I can only assume that Trump was not fully investigated, or fully confronted about his less than Presidential behavior and history of his behavior, because at this point in time with all that we now know, everyone must have just assumed he was never going to win anyway...so....why bother. Well, wasn't that stupid.
6
Donald Trump is a crook. New Yorkers know this.
The rest of America knows him from reality-TV shows. There he presents himself as a boor and a braggart.
A crook and a preening boor. Sitting where, to name only Republicans, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and -- God help me -- even Richard Nixon sat.
(At least Nixon supported scientific and medical research, poured money into cancer research, and funded environmental and wilderness causes. At least he served in the military during World War II. At least he really loved his wife. I've always considered the fall of Richard Nixon to be a classic Greek tragedy: His misery was of his own doing; the worst griefs are those we cause ourselves.)
Donald Trump is a crook, elected by an ignorant, vulgar electorate.
25
As worried about the Mueller investigation as the president is, one would think he would resign before the investigation is complete. It does not take any great intelligence to figure out where the Mueller investigation is going.
Trump should resign now after making a pardon deal with Pence. Staying in office is pure stupidity.
5
Stupidity combined with self-delusion.
2
Money laundering ? Lol !!!, The NYC real estate boom is entirely based on money laundering. The economy that you have seen in this city rise is because many shady people from this mostly dangerous world dumped money here.
What a dangerous and slippery slope the NYT will start with this.
1
Calling Dr. Obvious!
3
The Russians got Trump. It's too obvious to question. The man will do anything for money and the attention and glory it brings. He's an empty shell whose only reason to live is built around his wealth, and he's been bought and paid for.
But there is a $64,000 question.
Who else does Putin own? Trump's 'me first, me only' qualities aren't a rarity in politics. If Trump gets taken down, which seems increasingly likely, who is waiting in the wings to step in?
It's impossible that the answer is 'nobody'. And looking at the way Congress has been acting — or not acting — the answer could be 'many'.
We are living in increasingly dangerous times.
9
The Russians are smart enough to have reached down into Congress to compromise or bribe Republians to ensure that Trump is not threatened by oversight or other powers of legislative branch.
7
@Bj
Nunes is high on my list of Russian owned Congressmen. He is trying way too hard to protect trump.
2
We should not have a lying, criminal president.
Please vote Democratic in November.
9
The motivation for the republicans to cheat in the coming election has never been higher. Fraudulent voter fraud claims, slow the vote campaigns, Russian bots, ...
here in Montana I have been getting numerous calls claiming to be researching only to be read a long list of imagined crimes committed by our Democratic senator Jon Testor.
Vote Democratic this November
10
Trump is clearly fearful of Putin the Russian mob boss. The often repeated expression cannot be said often enough and loudly enough here "Follow the money". Trump is dirty.
4
“When you look at them together, it’s hard to come away thinking that the most likely explanation is coincidence.”
How on earth are we still holding out the possibility of a coincidence? It’s weak tea bordering on self delusion to not draw the obvious conclusions based on the current information. Heck, for three years or better the financial connection to Moscow has been clear and present. Not to mention dangerous.
5
Trump walks like a duck (really!) and quacks like a duck. There is a reason that Weisselberg received immunity.
4
If it's shaped like a duck, and waddles like a duck, and has feathers and webbed feet, floats on water, hangs out with ducks, and quacks... It Is A Duck!!
Trump behaves like a crook, talks like a crook, looks like a crook, hangs out with crooks, and takes other people's money ...
Those who disagree are either willfully ignorant or have spent too much time in flyover country. Neither of those excuses gets a pass. It's time for the nonsense to end.
Voters must vote and law enforcement must enforce the law.
5
You don't mention Wilbur Ross in all of this?? Why not?
8
Book Him!!!!!
1
Trump related money laundering?!
You are so tragically fooled and manipulated!
Can’t you see the problem?
Just open your eyes!
Your own kids are brainwashed from the early childhood with the endless commercials making them addicted to the food, alcohol, drugs and clothing fetish so they work the endless hours as the adults to please the artificially created needs while walking on extremely high heels destroying their feet, posture and backbone or purposely hitting each other in extremely violent game of football leading to the brain damages but you are still wasting you lives of hating Trump?!
If the children spent an equal amount of time on learning and gaining the knowledge as on following the professional sports, playing the video games or idolizing the celebrities on the social media we would be the most educated nation in the world and wouldn’t depend on luring the foreign computer programmers and scientists to keep our economy afloat.
Are you aware of the epidemic of obesity, drug and alcohol abuse?
Do you blame Trump for that too or you aren’t aware of the problems at all?
Ooooh shiny! I’m forgetting all about the points made in the above article!
2
Ya think?
I have always felt that it isn’t the purported video of Russian hookers soiling a bed that the Obamas slept in (Trump wouldn’t care; he is un-shame-able), but rather that the purported billionaire’s “B” became an “M” long ago as Russian mobsters hollowed out his “empire”.
5
Native NYer here. Most of us know a real billionaire, Mike Bloomberg. trump’s “wealth “ is a joke. The tax returns are the tell all. trump’s lucky he can pay for a cab!
4
Follow. The. Money.
5
Trump launders money more often than most Americans launder their sheets. And I still want to know what the server from Alfa Bank is doing in Trump Tower, NYC. That issue reeks of dirty money.
11
Follow the money ...
If the Hollywood Access tape and a fling with pornographic film star haven't sunk him, a kinky tape with hookers in Moscow won't either.
He's obviously terrified of something ... what else could it be?
4
@JR Berkeley My theory is that Putin has audio and video tapes of Trump, JR, Ivanka, and Jared all discussing how Russia will help make him president. One goes down, they all fall down like a house of cards.
It's called Treason for a reason.
2
Money Laundering is probably only one of many criminal activities Putin and the Russians has to hold over the Trump family. Trump is an unrepentant crook and tax evader and voters dumb enough to trust him especially without seeing his tax returns deserve what they get. Trump's Helsinki speech standing next to little Vladie was the most embarrassing displays by a US President in history. The Russians have a failed economy, the average annual income is $6000/yr, the only thing they have is oil, hackers and organized crime. Yet, Trump is bowing down to this country and it's pipsqueak of a leader? John McCain called Trump a traitor after his Helsinki speech and he should be impeached for that treasonous speech alone.
10
Please also see Craig Unger's July 13, 2017 article, "Trump's Russian Laundromat", in The New Republic:
https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-t...
4
Here is my fear: Trump's supporters don't care about money laundering with Russian oligarchs.
They don't care about his refusal to release his tax returns, racketeering fraud, bankrupt businesses, bragging about his success in habitually sexually assaulting women, the tapes of him bragging about his own daughter's great body, the video of him mocking a disabled reporter, his attacks against war heroes and gold star families, his need for both a porn star and a playboy bunny to cheat on his third wife, the hush money he paid to both, or his history of compulsive lying, racism, and misogyny.
All of that -- which has been hiding in plain sight -- does not faze these people. And most elected Republicans are happy to go down in history as spineless cowards because they and their rich friends got a tax cut.
So why bother talking about Trump's money laundering with Russian oligarchs? It's one more link in his chain of monstrous degeneracy.
The focus should be on why elected Republicans still supporting Trump are bereft of any shame. Why, when they just shrug and gloat about their Supreme Court Justice, they are going to go down in history as disgusting cowards.
13
"So far, congressional Republicans have chosen negligence."
That is the story. This paper has covered the Republican enabling, but that coverage should double and triple down until elected Republicans finally understand a simple concept: history.
History. Their progeny will be ashamed of them. At this point, either two things are true:
1. Trump is guilty of some serious crimes vis-a-vis Russia, including potentially being a Manchurian candidate, including possibly the children of his supporters asking mommy and daddy about the tape of the President with peeing hookers in a Moscow hotel. What he is covering up could be bad in so many ways.
OR 2. Trump is the most incompetent innocent person in history. Did you see him at Helsinki? If Putin doesn't have anything on Trump, then Trump's incompetence runs so deep that "trumpism" should be a new word in the dictionary meaning a cocktail of incompetent, inept, inane, insane, low IQ.
Either way, history will not reflect well on his enablers.
5
The “Rule of Law” is an abused and misused concept. With Republican Senate, House and Supreme Court we are talking about a corporate “fascist” rule of law. It isn’t based on a democratic concept. Now we have a purported attempt by Trump to instill his “dictatorial Rule of Law “ on the Republic. The Rule of Law was followed in Nazi Germany by a law abiding German population. As long as you weren’t a dark skinned minority or a Semite and had blonde hair and blue eyes you were going to support the Nazi Rule of Law. We cannot afford to fall into the trap that the Rule of Law will save use from tyranny.
I have thought this all along. It's good Leonhardt has connected some of the dots for us.
3
With congress people like this in office we have a de mock racy Where the rules that the nation thought it was under have been bought by the highest bidder in the Crime families of the world,
I say Vote the crooks out of office or your nation is toast in a few years when #EvilDJTrump sells it to the dictators that want to own the nation and all those nice soft people to become slaves to the corporations.
Freedom isn't free.
3
There's no urgent question. This article is full of ridiculous smears about Trump, don't waste time reading it.
2
You seemed to "waste time" on this article, but of course are entitled to your opinion. Realize, however, that facts are facts and when pieced together for the period starting in 1980's to present, there is an overwhelming amount of suspicious evidence of criminal wrongdoing. This article must be seen in conjunction with other investigative publications which will show alarming situation with Trump being in White House - not a "smear" campaign as you superficially suggest.
6
A quick scan of the article shows no mention of the book by Craig Unger that came out last month to much less fanfare than the other Trump books - 'House of Trump, House of Putin' - he details 3 decades of Trump's association with Russian mafia types including being bailed out by them when his casino business went belly-up to the tune of several billion dollars.
I find it most suspicious that this well researched book barely made a blip on the national media scene, but one that has the POTUS being called an idiot by his staff is being treated like... well... news. Trump being an idiot isn't news. Trump being a highly compromised asset and agent of Vladimir Putin is.
Repeat: Trump is a highly compromised asset and agent of Vladimir Putin.
5
@signalfire To your point - https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/is-there-a-case-for-trump-putin-c...
1
Sex with prostitutes in Moscow is embarrassing but it's not illegal. Money laundering is illegal under US law, common in the real estate industry, and pre-president Donald J. Trump laundered money for Russian criminals. Putin knows exactly when and how much money Trump laundered for Russian criminals and could release this information, landing Trump in prison. That's what Putin has over Trump.
8
So we vote in a new Congress, we subpoena his tax returns and then he just refuses to comply. Because he will. What then?
1
Why 24/7 coverage of Trump in 2016 didn't focus full time on the Trump-Russia money laundering is still completely baffling. When the likes of Moonves of CBS & Lauer of NBC, sexual predators both, just like Donald Trump, set the table of discourse, it's a dereliction of journalism that lives in infamy.
The documentary Active Measures" belatedly has righted the record as it reveals it's been common knowledge, through out the NY and NJ business worlds, that the U.S. president has been bought and sold, since 1986, to the Russian Oligarchs.
Now Kavanaugh's history of 'lying under oath' about Sen. Leahy's and democrat's 'stolen' emails gets the 'deep- six'.
As if lying under oath is no big deal. Contrast with Al Gore who immediately turned over Republican info to the FBI.
Has media from NYT to C-Span learned nothing since 2015?
Where do Flake, Sasse, Collins, Murkowski stand on LYING?
3
There has been far too little emphasis on the true scandal - the irresponsible and reckless Republican Party! If Hillary Clinton was president and she had committed a tenth of what trump has done, she would have been investigated and impeached by now.
This is not going to blow over! The truth is going to come out eventually. Unfortunately, before that happens, it is possible there will be a disaster. The Republicans are playing with fire - they are acting irresponsibly and many would say recklessly. As Obama said, trump is a symptom of something far more rotten. This is what the Fourth Estate should have been focused on for the past 25 years!!
Democracy has been systematically marginalized by the Republican Party for and on behalf of a few greedy and obscenely rich people. The root of every single problem in America can be traced directly to unprecedented income and wealth inequality. There has been a class war going on for more than 40 years and the wealthy have won it thanks to the Republicans.
Time for everyone to reacquaint themselves with an excellent NYT article written almost 12 years ago by Ben Stein: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html
Since that article was written, it has only gotten much, much worse given the latest round of tax cuts, budget-busting deficits, deregulation, and a capitalist-friendly Supreme Court. The wealthy won and now they are reaping their spoils.
7
"It has created tensions with his own staff and his Republican allies in Congress." Except for Dana Rohrabacher: "For two decades, Representative Dana Rohrabacher has been of value to the Kremlin, so valuable in recent years that the F.B.I. warned him in 2012 that Russia regarded him as an intelligence source worthy of a Kremlin code name." (NYT, 11/21/2017). Later this year, one of the most reliably Republican districts in the US will no doubt reward him for his fealty to a foreign power.
3
Just dig deeper. Trump helped launder millions for the wealthy Russians after the fall of the USSR.
4
It’s a little bit intriguing that the same people objecting the foreign investments into the Trump Corporation as the shortcut to undermining our national sovereignty are simultaneously the strongest proponents of the free trade and being dependent on the communist China for our everyday needs and supplies.
If we started from the author’s premise that president Trump is just a Putin’s puppet it implies that the Kremlin is more concerned with the defense of the American sovereignty and independence than the Democrats that want the free trade at all cost because they are so far above those repetitive and boring jobs that should be done by those simple-minded Chinese workers for a handful of peanuts...
Of course, the same Democrats are the strongest opponents of any bias, prejudice and bigotry in this world.
When the conclusions don’t make any sense it just means we started from the wrong premise.
This shouldn’t be construed in any way as defense of Trump.
I just don’t want you to waste your life obsessing about him or end up being overwhelmed with hatred...
If foreign money laundering is illegal then arranging to do so is collusion.
I went to the Bible to look up the phrase "The love of money..." and I discovered the preceding verses seem equally relevant.
1 Timothy 6:3-10 (in part):
"They are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind...who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
For the love of money is the root of all evil..."
3
@Don Oberbeck
Sounds very much like our president.
2
No question who's in charge and who's overwhelmed in that picture.
4
Thank you for this article. I for one am 100% convinced that the issue is money laundering that Putin has over Trump. Sad to say Trump and his base could care less about any sex tapes; which blows my mind that the conservative White religious people don't blink an eye over such things anymore. No it's the only thing that really hits him below the belt. Money. Greed.
To me it's just plain as daylight. I only pray that Mueller is able to continue his work.
2
Can’t we finally stop obsessing and talking about Trump?
He is absolutely irrelevant, regardless whether he is right or wrong.
What are you going to do if you are chosen by the voters?
What is your plan of action?
What principles will you promote and implement?
However, please refrain from the reckless statements that you will bestow the unlimited benefits on the citizens while simultaneously cutting the taxes.
That’s a pure fantasy. It’s not real. That’s the equivalent of the housing bubble from a decade ago – how could everybody get extremely wealthy without any hard work...
Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s impossible...
@Kenan Porobic and there’s some great surf off the NC coast right now....I believe that as much as I believe your comment.
Perhaps the Trump Organization is part of the money laundering that has been a boon to the Manhattan real estate market investors and the bane of working New Yorkers looking for affordable housing. Follow the money with all deliberate speed!
4
The US should require for just to run for the US presidency, that the person should be completely. critically examined and investigated thoroughly, mentally especially; in order to ensure that they are suitable for a job requiring secrecy, loyalty, and trustworthiness from the citizens of the US.
But after some US citizens setting the bar so low...
Who's going to be chosen for the Oval Office next... Kanye West?!
Wake up and DO something.
2
What has taken the Times so long to have an article on Trump's money laundering? -- this most obvious of all the President's possible activities. The very mention of their revelation might cause Trump's knees to knock loudly enough to be picked up by reporters' microphones.
4
For heaven's sake, he is a crook who has engaged in enterprise corruption also known as racketeering. Trump made his fortune by becoming a celebrity who ran an American laundry machine for Russian oligarchs, organized crime bosses and highly placed Russian politicians. Trump is a useful fool used as a tool by Putin to influence American foreign policy.
8
The New York Times did a whole series on dark money in real estate in New York. Illegal money from Hong Kong and Russia was being parked in the form of condos under secretive LLC's.
We all know Trump has no moral compass. His business is real estate, which he was terrible at and desperately needed funds.
Combine these two points and you don't even need to debate whether or not Trump has laundered Russian money. He has. As the sky is blue.
Question is how much money is he and his family in debt? And to what extent is he willing to bow to Putin for this?
1
Vote in November. Without retaking at least one branch of government, Trump will have two more years to degrade democratic institutions and we may lost our last chances to excise this rot.
4
"If Republicans keep control, just imagine how emboldened Trump will feel. He could mount a full-on assault on the rule of law by shutting down Mueller’s investigation and any other official scrutiny of the Trump Organization." If Repblican retain control of Congress after this November, the people will riot. It will not be pretty.
6
A lesser mortal with foreign debt or business connections would not be able to get a security clearance, even without evidence of money laundering or other criminal conduct. There's a very good reason: The business involvement or debt would give the foreign power strong leverage to compel the person to disclose classified information. The risk is just too high.
A history of bankruptcy or financial mismanagement is another "red flag" that can disqualify a lesser mortal from obtaining a clearance. Financial irresponsibility can make the person susceptible to "offers they can't refuse" from foreign intelligence agents. It also suggests a lack of responsibility in general, which makes granting access to classified information risky.
So we have a Commander-in-Chief, whose access to the nation's secrets is presumably unlimited, with a history of bankruptcy and failed businesses, who had to turn to a known money-laundering bank and Russian oligarchs for funding. He also refuses to disclose his tax returns and consistently behaves as if he has something seriously damaging to hide. By the standards that apply to normal people, that would seem the ultimate threat to national security. But Donald Trump is not subject to the standards that apply to normal people.
I suppose we should be grateful that Trump's lack of interest in security briefings and lack of intelligence to understand what he does receive probably limits the damage he could do if Putin tries to exert leverage.
409
@Ted And Trump revealed classified information when he invited Russian officials into the White House, allowing Russian reporters, but no American press. Of course, he gets to decide what's classified.
2
@Ted So you don't this that Vlad would pay attention to detail and tell Trump , during a two hour conference with no one else present, exactly the information he wants regardless of the briefings ?
@Ted Of course Trump would never have been able to meet the requirements for a security clearance, but the POTUS is not required to have a security clearance.
1
Thank you for writing this piece, but it’s too little too late. Why this isn’t front page news EVERY DAY is beyond me. The Times should have been covering this since before the 2016 election. A shameful, irresponsible response to Trump’s MOB ties. See: #transnationalorganizedcrime
So much of this info is & has been public for many years. Not all of it, of course, as the rot is so deeply infested that more information comes out daily. BUT...many independent journalists & former intelligence have been sounding the alarm on this subject for the last 2 plus years (to much condemnation) . NOW the mainstream media is shining a light on the corruption? Your audience reaches far & wide - people need to know this story from the Times. You have an obligation to put a priority on these stories but instead you cover Trump’s rallies and fluff pieces about Javanka being rejected by NY society?? Talking to you, Maggie Haberman!!!!!
www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2018/07/28/us/politics/jared-ivanka...
I still pay my monthly subscription fee but have considered taking my money elsewhere because of the unbalanced priorities in reporting the money laundering aspect of this horror show. I hang in there in the hopes that the Times will come around & start educating the public on how long this has been going on. These are not conspiracy theories - the corruption has been out there in plain sight - ESPECIALLY in NEW YORK! Please publish more, not just Opinion but Front Page!
3
I agree with all the comments that say this should have been the focus all along. Whether or not “collusion” occurred, the Trump organization appears to owe its life to huge collusion with Russian money.
428
Point well taken, dear SR. Just the same, even IF the accusations that Donald Trump has a long, sordid, totally corrupt, absolutely illegal, up-to-his-eyeballs history of Russian money-laundering are true, isn't that a SMALL PRICE TO PAY to once again be able to say "merry Christmas" without having to whisper? ... Is it really asking too much for NY Times opinion columnists to consider the BIG PICTURE?
@SR
Yeah, right. One lead proves to be a dead end. So let's follow another one.
The name of your game is "Get Trump."
@SR There is no crime called collusion, money laundering on the other hand usually is, although maybe not always. If the money was generated by an activity that's specifically outlawed under US law, selling arms to Iran or drug trafficking for example, then there is no question that it's illegal. However if a fried of Vladimir wants to get money out of Russia because friends of Vladimir might not be his friends tomorrow, or Putin himself is wants to move money out of Russia because he's worried about losing power, is that a crime under US law? It's likely that there is a mix of reasons behind the money that the Trump organization has taken so it's certainly worth investigating.
On the other hand if Russian agents troll Twitter on behalf of a candidate, how is that a crime?, it's protected speech under the first amendment. Russian agents hacking e-mail accounts is a crime, but the hackers are the criminals, not the beneficiary unless the Trump campaign explicitly asked them to do it which is highly doubtful.
It does seem possible that Trump actually won the election
1. By all the dirt flung at Hillary
2. By the lack of people with the conscience to refute such filth
3. By the gullible voter who believes such muck
3
The ugly truth that President Trump is desperately trying to hide is that Russian money has kept the Trump Organization afloat since the 1990s when his casinos failed. (Think about that - casinos are a license to print money. How badly mismanaged must they have been? How much money must have been siphoned of these companies for them to fail?) At this point, one would guess that the majority of Trump's ventures since the beginning of the millennium have been funded with Russian money. At any moment Putin could decide to cut off his funding and he'd be ruined. In other words, THEY OWN HIM! Donald Trump was bought and paid for long before he ever descended that escalator to kick off his campaign. Regardless how how horribly the Russians act in Syria, the Ukraine, or against our democracy, Trump will never utter a peep in opposition. Nor is the President the only U.S. politician who is compromised. Millions of dollars have been funneled to the GOP through the NRA and other advocacy groups, not to mention any number of anonymous PACs.
11
Individual-1 is a criminal that contracted with an enemy to steal the election. Entirely illegitimate.
Remind yourself of that every day. All of what republicans are doing is illegitimate. And they know it. Cheaters always know it.
10
TIP of the iceberg.
Trump Is Putin.
6
Good article and interesting comments.
1
It's money laundering. Russians are crawling all over the
US and Trump properties like ants at a picnic.
3
Uncle Donald is very sick. Who in the family/village will take him to the doctor?
3
"I am so innocent!" insisted the President. "I'm the most innocent president since George Washington. Most innocent in history. Look at the Clintons if you want to see crooks. And Obama is a big crook too! Investigate them if you want to catch crooks!"
1
Clearly almost nobody cares about sex scandals (porn stars, hookers, water sports, or daughter fantasies).
What is important to DT is gold. It drives everything he has done throughout his life. Given his business failures and bankruptcies, his only alternative was the Russian "White Knight" or should it be "Red Knight"?
2
On CNN (Cuomo's Prime Time) last night the odious Lewandowski argued that if Trump were to produce his tax returns, they would show simply that he made 'a lot of money last year'.
Now on that basis and given that trump is forever hyping his wealth and success, don't you think he would be rushing last year's tax returns out as (further) evidence of his greatneas.
He's not too bright, that Lewandoski.
7
Why did Trump set himself up for this anyway? Investigations are going to continue into his finances long after this presidency is over. The FBI is thorough, if anything at all. The old joke is that the Communist Party in the United States finally collapsed for lack of membership when the FBI pulled out all it's undercover agents.
1
[ a lot of comments today]
What happened years ago is not the business of voters.
Also, in international business money laundering is often necessary. Americans are blind when setting standards.
@N. A. Gallo - Of course it's our business. This jerk is a national security threat who is enriching himself and his cronies at our expense.
2
@N. A. Gallo
Why do you say it happened years ago? Do you have some inside information regarding the trump crime family money laundering gig?
So trump's previous business dealings, illegal or otherwise, that he did as an adult male is out of bounds but Elizabeth Warren's college application is EXCEPTIONALLY RELEVANT?
Sometimes putting your reasoning on paper provides clarity.
1
Donald has turned the party into the Russian farm team.
12
For the love of country, people... VOTE!
10
Why has it taken this long for you and so many journalists to see what has been obvious from the beginning? It's the same root cause as your misread of the 2016 election, I think.
4
Oh, of course the Russians have something over him. What other politician, much less President, has been so cozy with so many Russians. What other President has not uttered ONE word against Putin and his regime. Trump is a crook now and he always was. He lies when his mouth is moving - “I know nothing about Russia.” Please. The Republicans have absolutely sold their souls and ignored what is staring them in the face - our President can be blackmailed by Russia. Republicans will do ANYTHING to push their agenda through, even tolerate an overtly criminal, mentally unbalanced President, who’s laundering money for a foreign adversary. Oh, that this ends sooner rather than later and we get to see Trump told “You’re Fired!””
4
A majority of GOP voters still hold Trump beloved
They do not care about any of these potential illegalities
The majority of white men and women voted for Trump to restore white dignity, end abortion, curtail minority rights and stop non-white immigration
Nothing else matters
2
@Blue - White dignity? Have you seen Trump supporters? There is nothing dignified about these crazed loons.
Trump has proven himself to be a pathological liar. Why on earth should we believe he is honest as a businessman?
6
It should be apparent by now even if the Russians have outrageous sex tapes of trump, they don't phase him. Follow the money laundering.
7
David, it is way, way past time to take the gloves off. I'm just an ordinary citizen with less access than you and over a year ago I reached the conclusions you are only just now reaching.
Trump is a mobster. Period.
Putin owns Trump. Period.
Tens of millions of American citizens choose not to vote. Tens of millions voted for Trump and still support him. Tell me why they do not care what you write!
Why don't you and the other NYT Opinion page writers decamp from DC and NYC, stop preaching to the choir and do a road show in the midwest or south or somewhere you might make more of a difference.
12
It always comes down to “follow the the money” or “checher la femme”.
2
He's clearly guilty of something. Probably alot of things. And too ignorant or too lazy or ruled too much by impulse to exercise the minimum amount of cunning necessary to cover his tracks or divert attention from his vulnerabilities.
He's an obvious blatant liar. And I'd be surprised if he wasn't an obvious blatant money launderer.
3
Trump's business has been a money laundering operation
for decades
Shake a tree, a Russian falls out
12
Lock Trump up. Lock him up. Lock him up.
17
One question:
What do The United States of America stands for?
I don't know anymore.....
3
Would a President Pence consider an indictment for Russian money laundering too beyond the pale to be pardonable?
2
@Karen - What makes you think Pence isn't involved in some of this or at least complicit?
@DR Oh, he might well be! I'm just genuinely curious as to what, if anything, Pence would be unable (politically) to pardon. It sickens me that either of these wretched men are where they are.
1
The real story here are the members of the Republican Crime Family who have been impersonating legislators and getting away with it.
7
Of course trump and his company and associates are criminals.
We knew this before the repubs used him to gain total control of all branches of government.
I pray ,hope,wish my fellow Americans no matter whether you voted for trump or not decide to cut him off right now in November.
Those voters who thought he was a better choice than Hillary cannot be blamed .
What choice did repubs have after the freedom caucus and Federalist Society discarded viable candidates without hate in their hearts.........think Kasich and Bush. Normal politicos.
Now that the voters that were denied their choice for election see the trumpian oligarchic mess his crooked administration has created ......seems to me other repubs like myself that did not vote trump in or those that made the BIG MISTAKE of voting for him owe the country our allegiance by voting straight democratic ticket.
We must or we become a feudal satellite of Russia and trump world will stop viable elections. He will then have his mandate to become Dictator in Chief aligned with all his bloody pals.
2
I went from suspicious to convinced some time ago.
Can you imagine if Obama had all these connections to Russia, indictments, guilty pleas, loans, pandering to Putin, etc.? FOX News and the GOP would have him in an orange jumpsuit.
18
It also explains Trump's admiration of Paul Manafort for not "breaking." Their relationship goes back 15 years or more. There is apparently an enormous, labyrinthine connection between Trump, Russia, eastern European organized crime and dubious foreign banks. It looks as if we finally put a bona fide professional thug in the White House.
4
Trump is a New York City real estate dealer. He has known past ties to the Italian mob in New York City that served him in building Trump Tower and Trump Plaza. In New Jersey the mob was involved in the building of casinos in Atlantic City. It would be natural for him to do business with the Russian mob in NYC as the Italian mob was losing it’s influence.
Trump’s only God is money. He doesn’t care where or how he obtains it.
www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/05/donald-trump-2016-mob-organized-...
www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-01-18/trump-had-ties-to-...
3
How can the NY Times print this nonsense. Maybe it's this or maybe it's that? Maybe it was aliens? I expect some sort of facts in articles printed in the Times. The Bruce Ohr story is a legitimate story. He appears to be the definition of what Republicans describe as the Deep State. The relationship between Ohr, his wife, the Democratic Party and the Clinton campaign, the FBI, the Justice Department, British intelligence, and the Russians is frightening. Rather than dismissing the story as nothing, the Times should be pressing the story. Twenty years ago I hated Murdock and Fox News. I considered them an affront to the very concept of journalism. They still disgust me. The legacy news media has become even worse. Whatever Russia might have done in the last election it is no worse that what China, Britain, Germany, Israel, Mexico and a host of other nations are doing every day. The influence of the five top internet companies on our elections is frightening. This article is a sham and the Times should be embarrassed.
Follow the rubles.
326
To get an idea of what Trump is up to just look at his convicted criminal associates like Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen. Or look at past business partners connected to the Russian mob in the US or the oligarchy in Russia, like Felix Sater and Aras Agalarov. What are the chances that someone is surrounded by white collar criminals and mob-connected businessmen and are themselves clean as a whistle? It’s perfectly clear why Trump doesn’t want to release his tax returns or have a Special Counsel investigation into his business finances. Trump is swimming in the same cesspool of white collar crime as Manafort and Cohen.
Take a moment to reassess what we know from the public record about Trump’s financial abuses. An epic history of bankruptcies, lawsuits, and stiffing partners and contractors. A $25,000,000 payout to settle fraud allegations from Trump University. A pattern of abuse at his nonprofit foundation that includes self-dealing, illegal political campaign contributions, and using charitable funds to pay business expenses.
In light of all of that – and nevermind the possibility of a serious criminal conspiracy like money laundering - what is the likelihood that close scrutiny of Trump’s personal and business finances would uncover tax fraud, bank fraud, violation of financial reporting requirements, or all of the above? Based solely on what we know about Trump the person and can infer from the public record I think it’s more likely than not.
2
FOLLOW THE MONEY. It's all Trump cares about. Well, that and his oversized and fragile ego.
3
Trumps failed to add when describing himself is that in addition to being greedy, he amoral, unscrupulousness, not trust worthy and a pathological liar. That about sums up the high lights of his personality.
As for money laundering, it's a crime worthy of long prison time and it doesn't matter if it was before his presidency or not. If this is proven by Mueller's investigation he should be immediately impeached no matter which party holds control of the House.
6
Explain to me again why we the American people don’t have all the dope on this dope who happens to be the President of the United States.
Whoever said a person could assume that office if any of their affairs were hidden? We vet dog catchers better. Are we sleepwalking?
6
I think it has always been plain that Trump is crooked, a consort of mobsters both domestic and foreign. So are his associates in the Trump organisation and within his political circle, as has become obvious as the investigations and criminal charges pile up. The big stories aren't sleaze and boastfulness and personal peccadilloes -- much as these titillate the media -- or even Trump's bigotry and stupidity. Rather they are the corruption at the heart of US politics and all too many US corporations, the evil confluence of criminality and civic life. This is a very old story in America -- party machines, mobs, financiers, election financing, media and corporate magnates manipulating public policy go right back the early days of the Republic, sometimes submerged, sometimes in your face. Really nothing new here, folks. The complicity (and hypocrisy) of Republicans (and many Democrats) is no surprise; they're part and parcel of the same game, though they'll huff and puff and go all self-righteous if their privileges are threatened. No one wants anyone to look too closely.
4
What has become abundently yet distressingly clear is the laws in this country are only as stong as the people endorcing them.
The money laundering, the Woodward book, the Op-Ed piece, the Mueller investigation - none of it matter as long as the Reality Show Con Artist has the Vichy GOP behind him who are actively obstructing the law in defense of someone they know is unfit for office.
The only satisfaction we will get is going to come at the ballot box by voting for everyone with a D by their name.
10
Say what you will about conspiracy to subvert the 2016 elections (yeah, it's pretty obvious it exists). I think it's the money laundering that will bring Donnie Two Scoops, sorry I meant "our esteemed President", down.
6
Anyone who has actually been paying attention to this mess knows that the way Donald Trump has been compromised by the Russians has everything to do with money laundering, and very likely loans that total in the hundreds of millions. Trump has already been humiliated and embarrassed by his extracurricular activities with women,and by his lewd comments regarding women , and because this does not seem to affect his base it also does not seem to be his greatest concern if a “sex tape “ is found.
When you hear that familiar phrase “follow the money“ this is what is meant. It is above all the reason why the president has not released his tax returns.
If you want to understand this president who behaves like a gangster you have to think like a gangster in order to understand this very serious situation with Russia
8
Mr. Leonhardt, in you daily email you said:
“There is no proof that Trump helped Russians disguise illegally earned profits...” and in this piece, you talk about the evidence being circumstantial. I wish you would refrain from making such statements. You are not the one investigating Trump and therefore you do not know what evidence or proof there is of his illegal activity. Just say, though we don’t know yet what investigations will reveal, this is what it looks like.
3
He knows, like his fellow Russian stooge Manafort, that if he gives up his Russian contacts or fails to repay his debts in cash or in kind (Intelligence tidbits) he will never be able to touch a doorknob without an involuntary spasm for the rest of his life.
6
I would urge everyone to see the recently released movie "Active Measures" which credibly connects the dots between Putin's activities over the last couple of decades to raise Russia's stature in the world/control through rigged elections in countries formerly part of the USSR (e.g., Ukraine), Russian assassinations, the Russian mafia's presence in the US, and money laundering involving the Russians and Trump. I do hope Mueller has set his sights on Trump's financials...it's all about corrupt influence and money.
3
Trump's money lifeline has been the Russian mafia for well over a decade and it is well documented. Considering the close ties between the Russian Mafia and those in Putin's close orbit and how they use each other to consolidate power and enrich themselves, Trump's questionable protestations become more discernible. There may or may not be conspiracy from the Trump campaign, but I'm sure there are illegal transactions that would prove very problematic for Mr. Trump and his businesses if they come to see the light of day. It disgusts me that the GOP has cast lots with this criminal. I hope they suffer a stinging rebuke in November.
5
You must have recently watched the new documentary, “Active Measures.” It appears that much of what’s contained in your article is drawn directly from it. Worthwhile and important information. If only those Republicans who need to watch it would do so — then grow a collective spine,
6
Few criminal enterprises operate alone or in a vacuum, if Trump was running some kind of scam with the Russians there has to be other actors involved and that may explain why some in the GOP are so protective of him. There is a lot of money and influence peddling going on with Trump operatives since his intentions to attain the top job in the WH surfaced in the 90’s . He had no desire to start at the local ,state or federal levels of office but instead went right for the presidency. How is it that all the pundits and pollsters got it wrong right up until we encounter the odd 78.000 or so votes that swung the election to Trump in three states with lax voting booth security. How strange it all seems. Something smells in the WH and it appears it is coming from that sewer in the Trump organization.
5
It has been completely obvious for years that, because of his nefarious business behavior, upright New York financial institutions long ago quit making loans to the entire Trump cabal and that the cabal then discovered the masses of available cash which had been stolen from the Russian people by Putin and his oligarch patrons. And that's what this has all been about for years already--it's absolutely clear. The only question left are whether the Trump cabal, with the help of the Republican Party, will be able to hide and/or get by with the scandal. And, then, if they do get by, what happens to an America already far too close to becoming a banana republic.
4
Forgetting the Micturating Minxes of Moscow for a minute..
What would happen if Putin ordered a withdrawal of support, financial and otherwise, from all or parts of Trump's businesses? There is every reason to think that such an instruction would be swiftly obeyed: for who wants to fall out with Putin and touch the Novichok?
Is this not the real stick that Trump fears, as catastrophic collapse would seem certain, with his then erstwhile Russian friends picking up the pieces at pence on the dollar, no doubt. The Russian wolf would blow the house that Trump built without even a huff or a puff!
Helps me make sense of it all, whatever that's worth these days...
2
I think I follow the news pretty carefully but was not aware until reading this article and comments that Justice Kennedy's son had a significant position at Deutsche Bank--one of Trump's major lenders.
If this fact is irrelevant to Kennedy's resignation from the Court-----well, I just don't believe in coincidences. US Press---are you still there? Please explain this to me.
5
He indeed worked for Deutsche bank, but I think the timing is wrong for this particular conspiracy — he wasn’t there when the Trumps borrowed all the money. But I might be wrong about that.
@Lisa
What about this here Brett K. fellow @theDJT is trying to railroad into the Supreme Court. Is it true he was on the "team" that fought the efforts by workers to form a union at Trumps Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Sweet payback and if that flies then Kavanaugh could "look out for Trump, just a little bit..."
@ANNE IN MAINE - The NYT did a story about this around the time of Kennedy's resignation announcement. It makes for interesting and chilling reading.
As obama pointed out, it’s the whole regressive agenda that’s the problem. This would-be Soprano is just the symptom. Unless people vote, there’s no chance of stopping that.
3
People need to focus on what this article points out: "He (Trump) said that Mueller’s investigation would cross a red line by looking into his finances. When word leaked (incorrectly) that Mueller had subpoenaed Deutsche Bank’s records on Trump, he moved to fire Mueller (only to be dissuaded by aides). Trump is certainly acting as if his business history contains damaging information."
Dots should be connected. As the NYT and many other outlets pointed out, Justice Anthony Kennedy's son, Justin, was THE Deutsche Bank guy who facilitated between $1 and 2.5 billion dollars in loans to Trump when no one else would. Duetsche Bank was also fined nearly $700 million for money laundering $10 billion in Russian money during Justin's time at Deutsche Bank. If Justice Kennedy remained at SCOTUS, who could shield his son from future entanglements w/Trump and Russia? Not him. He'd have to recuse. In a maze of corruption and real and actual conspiracies, I hope this one doesn't get lost in the mess because we are all going to be stuck with Kavanaugh for many years to come because of Trump's dirty deeds done dirt cheap.
11
Leonhardt says in a related post that "There is no proof that Trump helped Russians disguise illegally earned profits — the basic definition of laundering." Of course not. Proof, at least the publicly acknowledged kind, lies in access to bank and tax records as well as some forensic financial investigation, which Mueller's investigation has yet to disclose. However, I suggest those who are interested read Craig Unger's new well-researched and annotated book "House of Trump House of Putin" to learn just how extensive the ties are between Trump, Putin and the Russian maffia, as well as numerous examples of as-yet "unproven" money laundering.
1
I wondered what ever happened to the Mafia and the Mob. It appears that they didn't all go to jail, just found another way to make money, laundering internationally. The Russian Mafia and Putin may be the other side of the dumbell. Trump here, the money over there. As one commenter suggested Giuliani may have had a hand in this, and that would make sense as well. Why would a guy with Law and Order credentials be so aggressive for Trump's exoneration?
2
Pardon the conspiracy theory but let's think big. Are there any other Americans like Trump who have followed the same crumbs towards Russian money? Hard to believe that he's the only one. How did Trump find this pipeline to begin with? Maybe by uncovering the path, we can finally expose all the laundering and get Trump to boot.
Yes, it's scary to think about, but are these schemes so big that we have other powerful and rich characters involved who are smart enough not to run for President but who would definitely want to subvert such an investigation? These people could be pulling strings with other Republican politicians to keep them in Trump's corner. After all, we're probably talking about billions, not millions, of dollars.
My question: Are we becoming an oligarchy in democratic clothing? That to me, is the bigger problem and I hope Mueller finds out.
4
Any branch or cabinet of government, i.e., DOS, that investigated, researched or reported on money laundering and/or influence peddling is being attacked or slowly dismantled by the current administration.
2
I think it would be interesting to know what % of congress actually believes he has NOT been involved in money laundering and why they believe that.
6
It’s time for Deutsche Bank to come clean.
Money laundering is a dirty business but it will all eventually come out in the wash.
Better sooner than later. That way they’d get some points for fessing up.
3
Like Trump himself, Deutsche Bank awaits the elections.
They should just do the right thing and come clean.. now.
4
Let's not forget that former supreme court justice Anthony Kennedy's son led a real estate division of Deutsche Bank when it loaned Trump a billion dollars at a time other banks wanted nothing to do with Trump.
3
Hard to believe that (a) there was not money laundering and (b) our intelligence services don't know what Russia has on Trump.
6
No, no, no, its none of that. It has to do with Mr Trump's primary purpose in life: to build monuments to himself. He has tried for a decade to build a Trump Tower Moscow, which requires approval from Putin that he has yet to receive. He is positioning The Trump Organization for a time after this annoying side-job, the presidency, so he will be rewarded with a Moscow building permit soon afterward.
1
Another possibility is that the sealed indictment filed alongside Manafort's indictment names Trump and the Trump organization for money laundering. Unlike the other criminal conspiracies under investigation, money laundering has a shorter statute of limitations, so Mueller needed to file before those expired. Anyone have a better guess who was indicted?
2
I think Robert Mueller is more than happy to let the President and the media focus on collusion and a blackmail tape. Mueller instead will drop a nuclear weapon on the Trump Organization consisting of money laundering with dozens of proven instances, multiple wire fraud charges and maybe a RICO charge involving the Russian Mob. Mueller's a magician, getting everyone to look left while the magic is in the right hand.
5
It is incomprehensible that Republican congressional leaders REFUSE to use all their power to get at the truth of Trump's finances. They are the ones guilty of collusion. Collusion with a conman masquerading as a president.
The Democrats are far from perfect, but they are the country's only hope of getting to the truth. Whether you love them or hate them, vote for them if truth matters at all to you.
We know for a fact, it matters not one wit to the witless wonder.
2
The title question of Trump's money laundering was urgent when he was a candidate. We all know he is hiding something. Surely the IRS has finished his audit by now and we can see his tax returns, right? If you want to know the truth about Donald Trump, you must vote for Democrats in November, period.
5
Trump's relationships with Russian mafia, now oligarchs goes back as far as 1984, but really took off with the Trump casino collapse. Craig Unger's book, "House of Trump, House of Putin" explores the decades old complicated connections. Trump's Deutsche Bank relationship, its own money laundering, and Trump's links to Alfa Bank are all threads.
3
I agree with Kathryn below re the press. Instead of getting all fluttery eyed and outraged at Trump's peccadillos back in the early days of the campaign they should have been digging hard and deep into the financial issues surrounding this man.
4
The question of Russian money laundering if unexamined would be unfair to Trump leaving him with this cloud over his otherwise sterling reputation. Yes we owe it to him to have this done by Christmas.
I know being the humble servant of the people that he is he will demur but he has earned the right to have this innuendo dispelled. MAGA.
The first line says it all. I am Greedy and I am only out for Donald Trump. Not the country, not truth, not even basic right and wrong. No moral code or lodestar does he exhibit. Yet, the "true believers" flock to him like the "second coming." Is it prejudice, hatred, greed or self righteousness? I will NEVER understand or know why this immoral person has gained the power to destroy our Democracy and everything I hold dear. He must be defeated and relegated to a disgraced, former president!
2
This offers an excellent explanation of Trump's protection of Russia, and his betrayal of American democracy....something most Americans have long ago figured out. The rest is genuine Cluster B Personality Disorder: Narcissistic, Sociopathic, Borderline and Histrionic (on steroids). Added together (self-interested motivation and serious psychopathology) it puts America in a danger equivalent to occupation by a hostile power.
5
It now seems certain the Mueller investigation will not be issuing a report or more indictments before the mid-terms. And that means they'll not be producing anything, ever. Because with freshly elected majorities in Congress, and the Supreme Court stacked in his favor, Trump's first executive action will be a thorough housecleaning at the DOJ, and that department's shut-down of the Mueller investigation along with locking away all the evidence — destroying it if they can.
Next Trump will pardon Manafort, Flynn, Gates, Papadopoulos, even Cohen — as proof to his future partners in crime they too will have a Get Out of Jail Free card provided they don’t cooperate with future investigations.
For the next six years Trump and his henchmen will have free rein dismantling uncooperative federal agencies like the EPA, NSA, and FBI; continuing to ramp up ICE as it morphs into America's version of the Gestapo; and in the guise of fighting the deficit, paring down entitlements like Affordable Care, Social Security, and Medicare until they are essentially defunded.
But before all this can happen, Trump must defend to this country's citizens his scheme to transform America into an authoritarian state posing as a democracy — much as Putin has done in Russia. His trial will be the mid-term elections, and his jury the American voters. If the GOP hangs onto Congress in November, the American people will have only themselves to blame as this country slowly spirals into the maelstrom.
4
Of all the smoking guns to notice or dots to connect on old Trumpsquatch's shenanigans the one(s) that scream to me for major scrutiny are the questions that are raised by Trump's Atlantic City casino properties having somewhere in the vicinity of -1% revenue growth during AC's best salad years heyday which are said to be roughly 1995-2005, while all the other casino companies in AC during that time had revenue growth in the +18-20% range. During those pre Borgata dayss the Trumpmeister's places were thriving and hopping with crowds and activity and were the places to be- yet his revenue growth languished. That's a lot of phantom or missing or skimmed or laundered revenue... Where did it go? Who did it come back to and from who, or again, where?? A simple google search of "Donald Trump's casino revenue relative to the AC norms for 1995-2005" should yield a number of interesting articles on the related subjects. And oh Lordy, I too hope there are tapes, or, better still, somebody left at the FBI or Justice Department who cares enough about this country to connect these and other dots that suggest we have a spoiled rotten trustfunder bully turned Russian mobbed up oligarch wannabe/developer/ reality TV host as the now under siege and lashing out to survive President of the United States.
3
You either vote Democrat this fall or you support Trump. It’s that simple. Are you listening, Bernie Bros?
6
Bill Maher has consistently described the administration as a "slow rolling coup." It becomes more true every day.
4
It was always about the money. That is Trump's Achilles heel. His self worth is based on his perceived riches. If the tax returns are ever published then he will be exposed for what he is- a lying cheat.
5
I'm sure if folks went digging, it would be found that Trump is guilty as sin in many areas including colluding with Russia. WHY DO WE LET THIS MAN CONTINUE? It is crystal clear that he is incompetent to lead and unfit for office. I don't get it, folks. I just don't get it. That he is under Putin's thumb is obvious. But Congress does nothing but cower. Like I said, I just don't get it.
2
This demonstrates a serious flaw in the Constitution: when a single party controls the presidency and Congress, that party can effectively block investigation into their own misdeeds, even if those misdeeds are what allowed them to win control in the first place. Once the dust settles, assuming the Republic survives, I hope we can look into amending the Constitution to prevent a repeat.
1
There is no doubt that Mr. Trump's organization has had dealing with Russian money, he freely admits that and, in an era of international deals, it would be surprising if it were not so. The chain of reasoning in this article that leads to suspicion of money laundering, however, would be laughed out of a Tom Clancy novel, much less a court of law.
1
@mikecody I doubt Trump is a smart as Tom Clancy. His misdeeds should be easy to trace by Mueller. Trump is not the brightest bulb in the pack. His arrogance is another weak spot in being sloppy with financials.
This article highlights a interesting phenomenon, it is a tricky time when the facts are all on one side and the political power all on the other. The voters line up accordingly.
Better hope the rule of law holds together before these investigations end, otherwise it doesn’t matter how much evidence piles up. Trumps supporters aren’t interested in a reality which conflicts with their faith in their president and the politicians in power are perfectly happy with their devil’s bargain (and no doubt have few illusions about who Trump is, which makes it all the more alarming).
For the rest of us on planet Earth it begs the question, what are the ramifications of the US president being under the thumb of Russian organized crime? Certainly decline follows.
14
@M- Yup. When all the criminal activity of this guy surfaces, his supporters will say, "I don't care."
3
Everyone, including trump, should be required to turn over their tax returns to some government agency that can review and scrutinize them for accuracy and legality. Why hasn’t someone thought of this yet?
10
@Fred Everyone is required to do exactly that. The agency is called the IRS.
1
It's called the IRS.
1
"Then there is Trump’s paranoia about scrutiny of his businesses. He has refused to release his tax returns."
This, in my opinion is the heart of the problem. He refused to release his tax returns on spurious grounds to begin with. Trump never intended to release them. Therefore they must have incriminating information about his financial affairs.
We know that he has a habit of stiffing his vendors. We know that he's a failure as a businessman and that our banks want nothing to do with him. We knew, before he was elected, that his ethics and morals were questionable.
In the future, starting in 2020, candidates running for the presidency, the vice presidency, senator, or representative, ought to be releasing their tax returns. We do need a law to compel it. The lack of such a law has led to this fiasco. It's not the minor problems any person can have that worry me. It's the problems that we're seeing with Trump and his/Pence's nominees that bother me and ought to bother the GOP, the IRS, and every other American.
26
@hen3ry- I love that phrase, "on spurious grounds." And nobody called him or pushed hard on that. "I'm in the middle of a thousand year audit." What a bunch of hooey.
1
Agree. And every candidate, for any office, should also have to finalise his FEC filings from the last campaign before being eligible for another.
That’d take care of Bernie, who has done neither of these things.
1
I recently had a conversation with someone, that could have devolved into an argument but I restrained myself, who uses these same facts as proof there has been a conspiracy in the FBI against Trump, because the firing of so many FBI agents is historically unprecedented. I left this conversation when he said the proof that Trump, not anyone else, paid the hush money himself, making it not illegal, is that Trump said he did. I should mention that this person is on the far left, not the far right. Or perhaps just far removed. Even if others won't believe Mueller's facts when he finally presents them, I will, and I hope to see them soon.
7
Of course he is hiding something . You make a pretty strong case for the possibility of money laundering , although as you say , circumstantial . The good thing is that Mueller will present to us , not only circumstantial evidence , but solid irrefutable evidence .
22
I’ve been passing the word about this article to as many friends/family as possible. Revealing beyond belief! I also read Natasha Bertrand’s article in The Atlantic which provides even more details of the Russian Mafia’s involvement with names and details. Praying for a Blue Tidal Wave in November.
Billy
17
A charge of money laundering would take forever to move through legal process. Nevertheless, at its core the Trump family business is real estate which works best with leverage, a mechanism which Trump has loudly and proudly spoken about in the past. Of main stream banks only Deutsche Bank will deal with him, the rest having had quite enough from 2008 - 2012. Say the family business has assets of $10B and debt of $9B. Deutsche Bank will have syndicated that amount, with the syndicate possibly including some Russian financial institutions or individuals with a more robust view regarding debt collection and contract enforcement than their Western counterparts. So the family business, run by his dim bulb sons, is in hock to the Russians, clearly a spectacular conflict of interest. His CFO has been given immunity by Mueller - in exchange for, one hopes transparent information about the family business and its various relationships. Surely this will be enough to expose Trump as the fraud he is and force the supine Republican Party to deal with this appalling presidency. Money laundering can be dealt with later.
17
Considering the fact that Trump's accountant and the owner of the National Enquirer has agreed to cooperate with the investigation, I would say that these financials will be revealed. And then we will know whether there has been money laundering as well. Plus the fact that Cohen has already proven that Trump hid payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen MacDougal (by way of National Enquirer owner).
I think the investigation is on to proving that there is and was money laundering. I am of course talking about the New York investigation as well as Mueller's.
17
Haven't a lot of people gone to jail on circumstantial evidence, especially when it's overwhelming, and especially when it can lead to hard evidence once the investigative floodgates are opened?
10
There is no doubt of trumps use of questionable money for many years. he has always sought other peoples money to use and could care less where it was from. He was cut off from legitimate funds in the early 1990's due to n his series of bankruptcies. He was known to lie to lenders before this to get loans. He then began using money for "unknown" sources. He also began to spend lots more then what many of these projects were worth. Money did not seem to matter, there was plenty of it. Many of his Trump Tower investors were Russian oligarchs and in the Kremlin "IN" crowd. It is just a matter of connecting all of the paper works to prove this. Of Course, Trump will claim he did not know but I think, like Stormy Daniels, it will be shown he was directing things.
13
If nothing more comes from the Mueller investigation (or a congressional inquiry held by majority Democrats) than a complete disclosure of the Trump clan's finances and business relationships, it will have been worthwhile.
Trump refused to release his tax records pending an "IRS audit" that was to conclude in November of 2016. Clearly he did not expect to win the election and hoped never to be held to his word.
Now it is clear Trump had no intention of releasing his records, and he is the president. He is a president exhibiting behavior that would indicate to anyone not deaf dumb and blind that Russian organized crime and political interests have significant leverage over him personally.
It is time to expose this corruption.
20
If Dems win control of the House, he cannot shut down the investigation. His tax records, business dealing with Russia and oligarchs will all be looked into. This could be the beginning of end. Please make it slow and extremely painful to Trump and the GOP enablers.
18
The result of small government: we can't investigate financial crimes properly. Look at all Trump and Manafort have gotten away with for decades. Then imagine how many people are able to commit these crimes undetected because they're not in the public eye. The IRS and other agencies that could address these issues are undermanned because of budget cuts.
You can see why the wealthy are for the Republican mantra, small government.
14
A speculative column like this makes for a fun parlor game, I suppose, if the object is another ritualized projection of anger and disgust that Trump continues in office. This is a another entry in an unfortunate genre where invention and wishful thinking converge to produce judgments based on no evidence. Not quite Alex Jones stuff but trending that direction.
Nothing you recite is circumstantial evidence of ... really anything beyond itself. Certainly not money laundering. (By which I suppose you mean it was some cabal of Putin stooges investing in Trump projects, the source of which must necessarily be criminal and which the Trump Organization has some duty under Treasury Department rules or otherwise to investigate and report the source of?)
The mini-obsession with Ohr, such as it is, relates not to his professional expertise but rather to his connection with Steele and the dread dossier which Trump (correctly it would seem) regards as providing the initial thrust for the last sixteen months of the Mueller investigation and all the great fun that has gone with it.
I believe Trump's failed casino in New Jersey was fined a substantial amount by the Feds for money laundering. So he's been caught once. I'm sure it was the only time though.
2
The Russian who bought the Florida house for three times its worth is either stupid or laundering money. The fact that he had $95 million to spend suggests he isn’t stupid.
2
Congressional Republicans and their big money donors know full well Trump is dirtier than an overflowing septic tank. If they truly believed he was "clean", that he was honest & had nothing to hide, they would not be obstructing the Mueller investigation nor would they be obstructing people like Adam Schiff. If they genuinely believed Trump is innocent, these Republicans would be pushing him to release his tax returns & prove to the world that "there's nothing to see here, folks".
31
There really isn't much question about Donald Trump and money laundering.
After all, this is the same person who refuses to make public his tax returns while continuing to grant favors to corporations and big business.
This is also someone with a long litigous past worthy of closer inspection.
And then there's the constant "No-Collusion-with-Russia!" denials, and the very definite impression one gets that he is most vehemently trying to hide something -- his recent all out attacks against Bruce Ohr certainly bears that out.
Let the "witch-hunt" begin...
15
Anyone who thinks that a sex tape alone, regardless of how shocking, unorthodox, or repulsive it might be, represents the leverage Putin and Russian interests have over Donald Trump has not been paying attention for the past three years. My sense of Trump is that, like a middle-school boy in the hopeless grip of surging testosterone, he is gleeful every time he thinks anyone makes a connection between him and sex in any context.
In his mind he invented sex and everything about it; it’s his domain and playground; sexual swagger is his persona. It gave him his charisma and his power; his sexual reputation orders the world the way he likes it.
No, Trump’s shadows are not sexual; they are of the financial, business variety. They, when they are uncovered, are going to show him weak and vulnerable, at the mercy of others who grimly use him for their own gain, even as he thought to use them. Revelations will eventually demonstrate that this man who struts and preens in public is, after all, only a tool for other equally base men who see him and use him as a means to maintain their own wealth, power, and pleasure.
Trump lives a precarious life, in that his entire survival depends on his continually assuring those who own him that they can remain sure of what he will do, what he will allow to be disclosed about himself, while at the same time continuing to pull the wool over the eyes of enough gullible and hanger-on Republicans to keep up the show.
32
and don't forget Trump's firing of Preet Bhahara, who was investigating Russian money laundering through Deutsche Bank as US attorney for the southern district of Manhattan. Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz warned him "This guy is going to get you." Then he was gone.
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-personal-lawyer-boasted-that-he...
6
I think this money laundering angle has far more potential than the collusion angle. I would also like to see legislation that requires full financial disclosure including tax returns for anyone seeking office. I suspect this has never been enshrined in law because all presidents have disclosed voluntarily, until this one. If the Democrats win the House this should be the first bill they sponsor. Even if no chance of ultimate passage make every Republican go on the record that they are against public disclosure. A tax return shouldn't be something your ashamed of. Rather, if your rich it can show how successful you've been in life, and savvy if you've cleverly used all the loopholes the law allows.
6
This article is right-on-the money, so to speak. Anyone with half-a-brain who happens to read the news must realize that the Trump organization depends on money-laundering for survival. Trump and company launder money for Russian criminals, but also for lawbreakers in other nations, including the U.S.
9
BULL'S EYE
8
The Second Coming
W. B. Yeats, 1865 - 1939
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun,
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
10
Even if I liked Trump I would like to see his tax returns. The money laundering seems to be there but the cover-up includes more sources of money for the Trump family.
Trump's premise is that everybody is stupid and he can get away with it, courtesy of the GOP.
7
Is the right word oligarchs or oiligarchs?
1
Trump tower should be renamed Trump Laundromat---how does a company with track record of numerous bankruptcies, numerous lawsuits, numerous defaults on loans, numerous failed businesses become a billionaire (granted the B here is questionable) ?? There are two pathways to the B category---the Buffet, Gates, Bezos, Cook way---or the Tony Soprano way--which way do you think Trump chose?
10
Deutsche Bank was fined over $600 million for its role in laundering $10 billion of Russian currency.
Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has Trump's Deutsche Bank files.
That is takes a legal arm to offset the flaws of capitalism manipulated by a president of the United States is simply stunning.
Reuters found through corporate records, public documents & interviews that 63 people with Russian passports or addresses purchased about $98.4 million worth of property in 7 Trump-branded luxury towers in south Florida.
That we wonder if a president is a money launderer is sad state of affairs.
Meanwhile he has the nerve to insist a private corporation--Google-- must have search results of which he approves-- that he should be the one to determine what it is Google displays. Or that Ford must manufacture its autos here!
14
Russia if you are listening please disclose all of Donald John Trump Sr.'s personal and family income tax returns and business records to the American people.
11
To all of you who repeatedly demanded: “Follow the money”...
I did it, but you are going to hate the findings...
You are stealing the money from the next generations.
You are demanding the perks and the benefits but refuse to pay the proper amount of the taxes to balance the federal budgets, meaning you are saddling your own children with your personal irresponsibility.
Or, do you prefer to apply the aforementioned principle exclusively to Donald Trump?
Now, that would be the blatant prejudice, bias and discrimination, wouldn’t it?
@Kenan Porobic
Which party just blew up the deficit???
2
@T And trashed any potential surplus back in 2000?
What we are dealing with is a parasite/host relationship. The parasite wants to stay alive by feeding off the host while not killing it.
We have multiple parasites. Trump. Trump's GOP. Trump's Cabinet. Dark money, including the Koch brothers and elite donors. Dangerous adversaries, like Putin.
We have multiple hosts. America and Americans. American infrastructure, both physical and virtual.
Let's hope the parasites know what they're doing. Because if they don't, we're dead.
A victory for Trump in November? Then maybe American democracy goes on life support. A major Russian cyberattack? Then maybe the country gets crippled. A little nuclear war? Then maybe the planet dies.
So let's keep our fingers crossed. Luckily, we're dealing with some smart people here. So we must be in good hands.
3
America is being run by a 3rd rate criminal organization and Congress doesn’t care because their donors are getting tax cuts. It’s shameful and infuriating. But most of all it’s pathetic. Truth, justice and decency are being sacrificed on an altar of greed. Shame on them for doing it. Shame on us if we permit it.
18
This is the first time I have read about Trump Jr's statement about Russian money. Good job David Leonhardt and NY Times.
Keep getting the word out there about this subject because I believe it will be the reason Trump resigns or is impeached.
4
Everyone knows about Trump and family's (et al, inlaws, etc.) relationship with Deutsch Bank. Hmm, was Deutsch ever caught laundering? For Russians? In Russia? For friends of Russians?
6
The utter corruption, collusion and crimes are staring us straight in the face -with blaring red lights. The collective links provided by commenters and this op-ed need to be on the front page every single day as actual news articles. This disgusting mob thing occupying the white house and its gang of colluding equally corrupt GOP and its ignorant base are getting away with it - and it is unbelievable. It will take more than a November vote (which I don't believe will even take place) to rid ourselves of this mafia.
3
Assume Trump doesn't knowingly launder dirty Russian money. Then why might he go after Ohr? What's the likelihood he knew anything about Ohr? And if he didn't know anything about Ohr, where did he learn to see Ohr as a threat or someone who should be fired? The answer to that is almost certainly from targeted propaganda successfully fed to Trump. And that is just as worrisome as the possibility that the president is a money launderer.
2
A simple question: what do casinos and luxury real estate developments in corrupt countries have in common? (Answer: they are both great businesses for moving large sums of money around without too many questions being asked.) A more difficult question: can a President be impeached not merely for "high crimes" but rather "low crimes" -- i.e., when the problem with the person in the White House is that he is so morally compromised as to do business with members of the mafia (both American and Russian) and with drug dealers (Miami) and seek pleasure with porn stars, how do you present the case against him in a manner that doesn't turn the whole proceedings into a bad sequel to "Goodfellas."
5
Follow the money.
It worked once before.
It will work again.
Vote republicans out of office in November; then again in 2020. They are complicit in Trump's debasement of our country. This is no more a time for subtlety than 1933 Germany was a time for nuance when dealing with the national socialists.
Those who vote for republicans in the next several elections are complicit as well. If you are a hardcore republican, you can find brown shirts for sale on the FoxNews website or the Alex Jones site; one is about the same as the other.
5
If you've got it, hopefully Mueller's got it.
6
Listening to NPR's program 1A just twenty minutes ago, Michael Caputo was stating a very cogent point of the Trump's tirades of "Deep State" and the anonymous Op Ed in the NYT.
Then after seeing this article I looked up "Caputo, Trump, Russian money laundering"...Aha! Mr Caputo has Russian business ties.
This diversion is so Trumpian to undermine our government so that when all these charges are proved true by Mueller all of his base will scream "Deep State!"
6
David Leonhardt's Op Ed column today is on the money, both figuratively and literally. For a more detailed explanation of how illicit Russian rubles are illegally converted into US dollars by Trump Inc, take a look at this excellent reporting last year in the New Republic:
https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-t...
GRUSTNYY!
4
AG Sessions must investigate money laundering. Instead his attention is turned on children on our boarder. His priorities are governered by the Bully in the WH. Sessions is a coward.
It falls on the AG of NY State Underwood to investigate money laundering, and bank fraud. Governor Cuomo should encourage this investigation. The GOP Congress and DOJ have failed to do their jobs and are complicit with any crimes that they enable.
5
We need to know the back story on Anthony Kennedy's retirement and his son's involvement with Trump financings before any Trump nominations are added to SCOTUS!
10
That Trump laundered money for his Ruskie friends is a given. The problem is that is not sexy enough to be a headline grabber for most news outlets. Not many people understand what money laundering is or how it works. Everybody can understand what paying off an inconvenient sexual partners is all about.
Trump's appeal to the deplorables is that he speaks in an inarticulate vocabulary that they can understand about things that they can easily relate to.
Money laundering, collusion, campaign finance violations are complicated - just give 'em some good old sexual intrigue with a side order of racial hatred.
3
The media should be reporting on the content of his op-ed piece much more heavily. Instead we get a hundred articles on plaid-shirt guy and Trumps latest insults. I don't care about all that. Lets talk about RICO, Trump Org and THE MONEY.
7
You forget to mention Trump's well known and well document ties to both the Italian and Russian mafias.
3
The least we should expect from our democratic process and the U.S. Congress is whether or not the President has ben involved in money laundering with the Russians.
2
The Times is, as usual, so far behind the times: podcasters like Preet Bharara--with no "inside" information other than informed guests on his show--reported on this months ago. I suppose it tells you where the good coverage is.
2
I don't usually watch FOX News, or listen to Hannity, but I was in Philadelphia on business Friday night, and just happened to catch Hannity's show as I was flipping channels on the hotel TV. And I caught this: "Bruce Ohr is the Face of Deep State Corruption." Now I understand why. Google it, and hear it for yourself.
5
The premise seems plausible and very likely, given Donald Trump's six (6) bankruptcies, lack of character, misuse of power, defiance of rules, and greed.
Trump continues to hide his financial information.
He failed to remove his influence over his businesses and financial assets. He remains too close to all of them, through his children and his shady "associates". He can easily tell his children to do his bidding for his business; they'll do as daddy says - fully hidden from public scrutiny.
Before taking the Oath of Office, Trump was given sufficient legal guidance and time to separate his personal businesses and assets from himself. He chose not to.
••• He CHOSE to keep them linked to himself •••
Donald Trump failed to remove his influence over his businesses/assets - they remain within his sphere of influence.
Rob Mueller's primary responsibility, as the Federal government's Special investigator, is to investigate crimes committed by Donald Trump or his associates, and whether our country is at risk from actions and ties of this President.
Robert Mueller will most likely investigate Donald Trump's links to his businesses, and links those businesses have to corrupt Russian oligarchs.
Corruption investigations tend to look at anything within the corrupt person's sphere of influence. Donald's sphere of influence includes his web of businesses, maintained through his children who run the business.
Time will reveal how corrupt Trumps is.
He should be jailed!
4
Which is why Trump should have stuck with his original instinct to decline the presidency:
https://silverberg-on-meltdown-economics.blogspot.com/2016/11/donald-tru...
2
I think Trump is afraid Putin will have him killed. His behavior at Helsinki showed us Trump cowering in fear of Putin. Melania’s expression upon meeting Putin was one of fear. In addition to money, fear of a polonium death is behind Trump’s love affair with Putin.
7
What did djt discuss with Putin in private? He was renegotiating his loans from Putin
10
If, by any chance, we get stuck with Trump for the next 4 to6 years, AND if the Trump Organization goes down, I wonder who will come it’s aid. Money laundering Russian oligarchs again?
2
It's obvious that Trump has been ordered to get rid of anyone who went after Russian spies and the Russian Mafia. How could Trump not know that Russian Oligarchs and members of the Mafia were buying condos in Trump towers and other Trump properties to launder I'll gotten gains?
5
It is obvious.Trump could no longer use American banks so he turned to money laundering and it poured in. He is tied somehow to Putin,who holds the strings that make him jump.
The corruption and lies and more of the same while in the attempt to protect the first lies. It is a tangled web of deception. Trump is trying his best to make the US another third world dictatorship rampant with corruption and dirty money, that way he will fit right in and maybe can be a kingpin of a sort. Actually, he knows no other life.
What a tortured mess it all has become. This is what the US has decended to. The Republicans and Congress should be ashamed to stand in front of the flag when they speak. It desecrates the flag. Cowardly little men for the most part.
What a mess.
4
The Justice department is going after Andrew McCabe. GOP in Congress wants to find the anonymous NYT writer instead of checking Trump's terrible impulses! Who will force the investigations into the Russian money laundering? GOP will be the last to do so! Hope there are enough bright minds in the country to keep the fire under Trump & his shenanigans!
3
great column: thanks for scaring the heck out of me
3
Many Republicans look the other way because they want the golden eggs and don’t realize that Putin wants to utterly destroy the United States of America.
Anyone familiar with Putin’s bio knows that he will never stop seeking revenge for the collapse of his beloved USSR.
4
The parsimonious nature of this argument is incredibly persuasive.
The only thing that strains belief is that a person with this kind of dirty laundry would choose to run for president. It would take a self-deluded megalomaniac to do such a thing.
Oh, right.
11
One major point you are all missing is the stock and financial markets. The massive (immense) tax cut to corporations of every stripe is portrayed as solely great for our economy. But, it was actually just throwing gasoline on an improving economy that any reckless "trickle down" person controlling all branches of gov could have done. It primarily enriched the wealthiest (especially the doubling of the estate tax exemption) for time immemorial. It doesn't address the systemic issues that are a product of inequality and need to provide a safety net for vast majority of all Americans. When you can't reconcile these two and instead just decide to give all the money to those on top and tout bogus economic theory that it will create a PERSISTING improvement for all as it trickles down is the crime of the century. When this seeming improvement in the economy fades - and it will without a doubt - then it will be apparent that all it did was give even more to those with the most while bankrupting the future will little recourse for anyone in the lower 90%. Whether democrat or republican - if this market doesn't start to fall NOW - there will be ignorant people in both parties that will buy into this temporary "gasoline" and believe it is sustaining and will vote for the Orange idiot in November. He will stomp on the investigations, our institutions, and this autocrat will change America for generations and the entire lifetimes of all of us living today. He must be stopped.
4
The urgent question of Trump?
1
“The American people need to know their president is not a crook. I am not a crook.” Can’t wait for that old gem to be thrown out.
3
great photo ... Russia and Putin are better as allies than
adversaries .. remember it was a weak Democratic post war Executive Branch that genuflected so much to the USSR
and then made them the enemy.. Cold War Iron Curtains
Cuban Missiles - Detente . odd foreign policy progression
"Maybe it’s something shocking, like a sex tape or evidence of campaign collusion by Trump himself."
I think we can safely discard the idea that a sex tape would concern Trump enough to affect his posture toward Putin. Trump bragged about his tawdry sexual exploits in his appearances on the Howard Stern show and on the Access Hollywood tape. A romp with hookers in Moscow wouldn't phase his base; they'd love it. It would be, in their eyes, evidence that he's a "real man."
And it won't put him in jail, and that's most likely what he's worried about -- criminal liability that'll put him behind bars and strip him and his family of the lifelong gains from their criminal enterprise.
It's seemed to me since well before the election that the exposure of his rotten dealings with the Russians, who bailed him out of bankruptcy, and also with the American mob (with whom his Russian partner Felix Sater was linked), are what Trump chiefly fears.
Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter of "The Art of the Deal," noted: "He wanted to be seen as a tough guy." Sater, who savagely gashed a man's face with a broken margarita glass, would be an appealing role model to Trump, in whom the twin traits of a bully are conspicuous: sadism and cowardice.
It seems Trump was a bully even as a kid, and it's easy to imagine that his ex-KKK dad encouraged that side of his personality. Certainly his mentor, Roy Cohn, did. It's long overdue that his career as a wannabe mobster finally caught up with him.
6
Yes, and perhaps The Don(ald) will go down same way Capone did - tax troubles. Can’t wait to see the “perp” walk. Love seeing pics of Manafort in the orange jumpsuit, mussed greying hair at the temples
2
When Venessa Trump (Jr.'s ex) filed for divorce last spring, you knew she saw the big writing on the wall. The family is in major "money hide" mode right now and she wanted to ensure she got her's before being locked out and having to escape to Russia. My bet is that she's on Mueller's witness list and will have that non-disclosure agreement nullified under subpoena if needed.
3
Where have we come to that I can read an article like this about our President, and believe it? Wow, just wow.
3
I’m reading “House of Putin - House of Trump” and it’s pretty well documented that he’s been in bed with Russian Mafia for years. And the Russian Mafia IS the Russian government.
4
trump's in debt up to his ears with the Russians. They've been his bank and now they own him.
This fraud has got to go - either force him to resign or impeach him.
Republicans DO NOT have America's back...
OUR backs!
7
I’m sure it’s all just a coincidence.
2
A column of speculation. Not quite Infowars but trending that way.
(By the way,Trump going in about Ohr has nothing to with his professional expertise, only his connection to Steele and the dreaded dossier.)
@Frunobulax
Good police work follows all the leads until they can be discounted for lack of evidence. Most investigations start with speculations so I'm not sure what point you're making.
2
I think the question is how can Trump have gotten away with it for so long? It’s
Obvious that he is money laundering, but he should have been indicted long before he had a chance to become President. This means that many are getting away with these kinds of crimes, but they’re not stupid enough to think they can lie their way through Presidential scrutiny. God, I hope they can nail Trump before he destroys us.
6
Donald Trump is a financially and morally corrupt ego-manic. The republican party and many American voters chose to be complicit with this narcissist by voting against a much more competent woman. This is a man who has made a deal with the devil and will sell-out America to save himself. My guess is that he will create an existential crisis for the nation when Mueller's noose gets too tight. God help us.
5
So you're saying Trump may have colluded with some rich Russians who needed to have some money laundered?
1
Most people with any interest have understood the basic facts regarding Donald Trump's financial ties to the Russian Oligarchs from a minimal google search since before he was elected. Who can doubt that Nunes, Ryan, and McConnell have known? You don't have to be an NYT reporter to know what's going on. This should have been the focus long ago.
654
@RonC
And while the proper authorities (FBI or a Democratic-controlled House, I don't care which) are at it, investigators should look at Wilbur Ross and his Cyprus bank for evidence of Russian (and other organized crime?) money laundering.
5
@RonC especially in the spring and summer of 2016. Of course it would have had to bump Hillary’s emails off of the front page.
@RonC- Benghazi/E-mails/Little Marco/Lyin' Ted ..... These are few of my country's favorite things. I can't spend much time on this .... Gotta get back to Big Brother's Got Talent of New Jersey.
But yeah, RonC, I totally agree.
1
Excellent column and very interesting comments that were well stated. Strangely, all speculations, judgements and historical background brought forth concerning the man in the WH has the nation waiting for just one decisive result. The Mueller investigation. Watching the MSNBC "Watergate Revisited" last night one could not help see so much similarity to what the nation faces today. It took time but justice and the rule of law triumphed.
3
Seems to me that there is enough circumstantial evidence to warrant a subpoena for Trump's tax returns. THAT could settle a lot of issues once and for all. Why does that not seem to be possible?
7
Maybe he has nothing to hide.
Just a mendacious, deplorable, lying crook with no more or less relationship to Russians than any of the other hundreds of people he screwed over, or was paid off by, or he bribed to get a project done or inspection complete or a rule broken and ignored. It’s how he functioned everyday of his corrupt life.
2
Excellent article and I also agree wholeheartedly with Representative Schiff.
Expediency alone would have pushed Trump in accepting hundreds of millions of dollars of Russian monies and that 630M loan from Deutsche Bank. He went bankrupt 6 times, and what also happens in bankruptcies is that contractors and employees get the shaft yet again and go unpaid or get a small amount of monetary retribution. In other words, they get screwed over at least twice and the Gotti-Trump family got a billion or so at their personal disposal to continue living the lifestyle of the rich and infamous. Who knows how much they have accumulated in wealth for the Trump organization using Trump's influence as 'president'.
A moral, ethical man would have been sure to re-pay his debts once funds came rolling back in but Trump is amoral and Trump is first and foremost always.
I think we can all safely say after having Trump rammed down our throats for the past 19 months, he would welcome big money and not care who was donating it or its antecedents either. There are many reasons why Trump has embraced Putin at the danger of America's national security defenses.
4
Money is quite possibly the only true connection between a lout like Trump and everyone who, on the surface, at least, seems respectable, but who try to keep Trump from being found out. We have become a country that has very little interest in anything that doesn’t pertain to money. As the old master would say: Sad!
5
The New York Times has an op-ed column this morning by Michael Tomasky of The Daily Beast, who urges Democrats to accept that the fight against confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh has been lost and to refrain from pressuring red-state Senators to vote against confirmation.
The rationale is both one of preserving campaign dollars and, more importantly, of not risking a loss by Democratic Senators in tight races – like Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Claire McCaskill of Missouri -- because of a vote against Kavanaugh.
The cautious course urged by Mr. Tomasky is premature and too contrived. If Kavanaugh is confirmed before the midterms, Democrats should use that rushed vote, the withheld documents by the Republicans and the obvious dishonesty of the extremist politician-judge in every state where a Republican is running for election or re-election to the Senate or to any office.
Senators Manchin, McCaskill and others are capable adults, and they can either vote yes or abstain on the Kavanaugh confirmation as the situation unfolds, and then explain their votes to the electorate or not, in line with their best interests. They have much to talk about, such as Trump's affinity for Russian gangsters and money laundering.
There will be no “pressure” from any Democratic colleagues on anyone other than the Republicans who promoted Kavanaugh.
Democrats will continue to contribute to Manchin, McCaskill and other Democrats – quite separate and apart from the Kavanaugh vote.
1
Struggling Trump Organization filled with bad deals and such that end in bankruptcy and problems with American banks. Then he suddenly becomes cash happy. I've always commented that this isn't right. Something weird is going on.
4
In the mob underworld, people kill people, and their family members. The Russians certainly have no problem with settling scores this way. If you take money and promise to deliver the goods and don't, your life is at stake.
Seen this way, it is entirely possible that what Trump faces if he crosses Putin is a matter of life and death. This is why he is stuck.
2
There really isn't anything to search for, it's all hiding in plain site. The man, and I use that term loosely, is incompetent in any business practices that require ethics, innovation or hard work. The only money he has is through inheritance or money he borrowed from banks and refused to pay back. American banks stopped lending to him in the 90's so he turned to Russia oligarchs to receive loans and launder their money in return. He'll sell out America in a New York minute if it will relieve his debt.
4
Down with the Electoral College who brought us Trump.
6
it is very obvious given Mr Trump's behavior and statements that his financial dealings with Deutche Bank if objectively reviewed by the FBI responsible unit will uncover a lot of illicit funds flowing in from RUSSIA. We all know that, he acts like a criminal mob member beholden to Putin specifically.
2
I'm sorry but this needs to be said. All money laundering should be investigated since it is all illegal, not just because it is Trump. Like the guy who got pulled over for a broken tail light, but he had an open can of beer on the seat. Would Manafort be in so much trouble if he weren't Trump's campaign manager? Would Cohen be in hot water if Trump weren't President? We have laws and they apply to everyone. Congress needs to protect the FBI and let it do all of its job. When your Representative fails to do this, vote them out of office.
4
Californians, just about every last one of them, know that where there is smoke there is always a fire and that fires are always dangerous.
The ‘smoke’ coming from Trumps connections to Deutsche Bank is unmistakable in its smell of corruption and illegality.
A routine audit of tax records will quickly determine if its a wildfire or a Sunday barbecue. Why wait to find out.
Only fools sit around doing nothing when there is smoke in the air.
3
I have full confidence that Mueller knows and has the evidence on ALL of the "crimes" that Donald Trump and the Trump Organization have committed over decades!
Bring it on, Bob!
2
The fault for Trump's presidency lies with a failure to vet this candidate by the Republican Party foremost. He provided no income tax documents. I wonder what the GOP's own opposition research at the time of the campaign showed? After all, Republicans initiated the dossier work by Steele.
I don't let the press off the hook. They should have done a better job with this Russia money connection.
500
@Kathryn Aguilar
Yes, and this 'failure to vet' and 'failure to act on disturbing information received' is culpable and, with Trump as our president, shameful and dangerous.
But every elected Republican is biding their time, keeping their heads down, waiting to milk as much of their agenda as they can out of Trump before they jump ship.
2
@Kathryn Aguilar
I think GOP leadership probably had a pretty clear understanding of Mr. Trump's past, but had no interest in verifying information as it would be better to plead ignorance than coverup if the facts ever came out. What they correct surmised was that Trump would appeal to a broader range of voters, thus giving the GOP a real chance to retake the White House. However, what they got horribly wrong was the belief that if elected, Trump's actions as president could somehow be controlled by the traditional GOP power structure. At this point, I suspect a great number of GOP pols and operatives are merely hoping that they can somehow survive the mid terms and then get through the next two years, in the hopes of still being relevant for the 2020 election cycle.
2
@Kathryn Aguilar
Agreed.
And as for the rest of us, those who couldn't stomach Trump to begin, with were mostly going by our gut feeling.
Funny how Republicans consider going by gut feelings, and "shooting from the hip" so important. Except, it seems, when it may interfere with their own ambitions, or when it's exhibited in their opposition's voters.
1
From the onset of the Mueller probe, the rallying cry of the general public has been to "follow the money." It seems that unravelling the tangled web of Trump's vast worldwide businesses over the years is proving to be an incredibly daunting challenge and time intensive process for the Special Counsel.
Continue your meticulous work Mr. Mueller. We have faith and patience in your investigation and await the truths you may uncover surrounding Trump's shady financial dealings.
3
One thing is for certain - a Republican-controlled congress will never, ever do anything to hold Trump accountable for misdeeds and crimes. Does anyone seriously think he has nothing to hide? One just needs to open their eyes to see all of the mounting evidence.
5
I guess this is evidence that no one thinks there is any collusion. We have now moved on to money laundering as the likely crime Trump could be charged with.
1
Uh, I think the point is that money laundering would constitute a kind of collusion. Not only that, but the threat of such activity being exposed and/or discontinued by the Russians could be a reason for collusion to have taken place and for it to be continuing.
1
There are three congressional committees that have the right to subpoena tax returns. If, as now seems likely, those committees are run by Democrats, it might be possible to find out what Trump has been getting away with
3
Wow! This makes perfect sense, all the facts and information are adding up to decipher Trump's Russian adulation and his desire to get rid of anyone in governemnet well versed in Russian politics. This conman knows exactly what he is doing. At first, I thought he was just incompetent, unintelligent and incapable of coherent thought, however, his actions, words and behaviors clearly point to the fact the fact that he has something to hide. If the midterm elections do not turn out well for the Democrats and if Trump should shut down Mueller's investigation, I hope and pray there will be action to remove this dangerous man from office who continues to obstruct justice while Republicans look the other way. Trump has trashed our country, sowed division and hate and insulted our allies. He reminds me of a bulldozer mowing down anything in sight that he does not like.
2
Interesting.
But how would the ignoramus tRump himself know what kinds of cases Ohr, McCabe and Weissman had worked on? It’s the kind of detailed knowledge of facts he is incapable of acquiring on his own.
Were his attorneys telling him which US investigators were getting close?
3
We all know that trump is guilty. Why hasn’t he been arrested yet?
1
Trump behaves exactly how a reasonable person would expect someone who is guilty to behave.
His supporters who still refuse to see that are being unreasonable and irrational. They have surrendered to his alternate reality. That is the primary threat to America the Trump debacle exposes.
3
The other collusion is the GOP looking the other way, ignoring his personal incompetence, "amorality" (to quote the anonymous resister), and long list of law and accountability avoidances.
Vote in November. It will truly make a difference!
3
It is amazing that the "law and order," "personal responsibility" party is willing to take any chance on the president being a money launderer, much less complicit with our worst enemy!
3
After taking the periodic Anti-Money Laundering (AML) training required for security dealers and learning of Manafort's background around the time he was appointed Trump's Campaign Manager in 2016, I mentioned to my wife that I would bet the house that he was a money launderer. It seems this is also the likely case for Trump. The big question is how do these characters get away with this criminal activity for so many years and only get caught when they are either stupid enough or compelled by outside forces to expose themselves and their activities to the white heat of the national spotlight.
3
Republicans who stick with this guy are one day going to pay the piper, hopefully in November. I'm not saying that they will be sitting in jail next to Madoff where all these pyramid scheme money laundering types belong, but every day we learn how more corrupt, criminal, and incompetent this administration and their lackeys in Congress and blind monkeys in the Evangelical churches are. Americans don't want a false boom only to bust again economy. We want sustained growth built on real businesses, health care, housing, education, environmental protection, infrastructure, and peace, not fear, lies, braggadocio, tax cuts for cronies, money laundering, racism, and immigrant children in cages. How can Republicans, when they are in the minority, ever expect comity? How will they ever ask for the opposition to show their taxes, wait until after an election to put forward a Supreme Court Justice, vote for tax equity on more than one vote, or prevent health care for the nation as they've been trying to do for over a decade? If Republicans don't start peeling off from Mr. I-O-Putin, they will never recover from the shame they've brought to the United States.
3
Money laundering? Nice guys and nice families do it, according to the TV series Ozark. It seems to be increasingly hard for Americans anesthetized to such things through TV and movies to get up any moral outrage over them. "Oh, it's just one of the things people do." And mass killing, it seems, is just one of the things people do in video games. It should not be only old fogies who notice that something is rotten in popular culture. That taints the way Americans perceive everything, including Donald Trump.
All this (Russian stuff), the philandering, the lying, the taxes, the mental instability....and yet America is allowing him to transform the judiciary to the hard right for a generation, and cement the oligarchy for many many more years to come.
5
Trump perfectly represents us. Economy doing good, who cares if Trump and his friends are corrupt. 401 Ks higher, who cares if only 30% of people have them. 80% of tax cut went to wealthy people and corporations, who cares if we got a minimal break yourself. Trump helping coal mining industry who cares if he is damaging the environment.
We are a nation of mini Trumps.
3
I don’t have any problem with politically motivated investigations. I’m still waiting for an investigation of the Clinton Foundation. Many of these same circumstantial questions remain about potential money laundering through that operation.
We have not had a non-politician, usually a lawyer, as president in many, many years. Never a “high roller” business man. I would venture to say most of these business moguls have skeletons in their closets. As do many high powered politicians.
But the bias corrupting these investigations into democrats is appalling. Just last week former president Obama referred to the Benghazi terrorist attack as a conspiracy theory. How arrogant and narcissistic can you get? Our own ambassador was killed and his dead body dragged through the streets. Yet democrats still want me to believe it was all related to a video which has been discredited. Why were there no consequences? The progressive media which is probably 95% of news sources covered for democrats. They always do.
These dishonest attempts to aid and abet those willing to dishonor the death of Americans have become clear to many voters as motivated by politics and biased promotion of extreme leftist power.
The Clinton Foundation has been investigated again and again. Benghazi has been investigated still more often. Over periods of years. When you claim that there've been no such investigations, what you mean is, "I refuse to see any investigation that doesn't get me what I want."
3
Dirty financial dealings with Russia are probably at the heart of Trump's troubles. This article provides a convincing case for it. Vote blue in November!
3
Trump is "trying to rid the government of experts in Russian organized crime."
Trump is too mentally disabled to notice when important papers are stolen off of his desk by his own people. He needed to read it in the NYT to figure out that that happened. So isn't it fair to say he is too incompetent to identify who in government has the expertise he needs to fear?
Who's helping him obstruct justice by attacking the very people who can uncover his crimes? Who told him, "Mr. President, here is the list of people with enough expertise to uncover your money laundering with Russian oligarchs?"
We need an investigation into THAT conversation. Even if it is with counsel, the crime-fraud exception to privilege should apply.
11
Schiff won’t just find a smoking gun in Trump’s dealings with Russians, Deutschebank, and Cyprus over the years. He’ll find a smoking arsenal.
4
Putin's hold on Trump has to be financial, since in the end Trump would laff-off or deny anything a normal person considered to be a sex scandal. Just about the only thing Trump cares about is his financial image and if we could see the real numbers I expect it would show relatively little net worth and massive money laundering for the Russians.
"So far, congressional Republicans have chosen negligence." It is as though they viewed themselves only as campaigning politicians and not at all as governing legislators.
If this were true, they'd have no interest whatsoever in the threat posed to national security by a revanchist, criminal, hostile state. That would be absurd, wouldn't it?
No bona fide American political party is that evil. Is it?
3
We need to be sure that Adam Schiff will have subpoena power in November to get to the bottom of Trump’s dirty dealings with Putin. Schiff is the man to do the job: focused, cool-headed, and peserving. Clearly, Trump is guilty of money- laundering Russian rubles to turn a tidy profit for his KGB Kremlin kroney who has kompromat over him. Time to end Trump’s career as a Russian poodle. Let Schiff and Mueller release the hounds to sniff out these corrupt cronies.
1
When the truth about Trump business dealings blows up and corruption is unmasked, apologist Republicans - like Sen. John Cornyn from my home state - will also be unmasked as the fools and tools that they are. And, sooner or later, it will blow up -- in their faces.
As famed NYT economics analyst, and Nobel winner, Paul Krugman knows full well, the rise and fall of the economy can be tied to the behavioral side, more than any statistical charts and graphs.
So, too, is the ease of analysis of Trump's adulation of Putin. So, too, with comments from his adult sons, Eric and Don, Jr, confirming that nearly all of the investment capital in Trump projects has been sourced from Russian oligarchs [and, quite likely, the Russian mob]. There are several Russian owners inside the original Trump Tower.
Meanwhile, Trump has made most of his money over the past 15 years with The Apprentice, and selling his name to projects without having to invest his own money.
So the question persists: Does Putin have evidence of money laundering by Trump? Since Putin takes a cut in every big deal made by those oligarchs, he has become exceedingly wealthy. Did Trump help him or did Putin help Trump?
Trump's behavior in his bormance with Putin paints a picture of more fear from exposure than a friendship. And, of course, Putin could care less if he is found to have laundered money through Trump or anyone else. In fact, money laundering probably isn't even a crime in Russia. But, it is a crime in American law.
Trump's training in early adulthood by the notorious Roy Cohn has led him to believe he can do whatever he wants and get away with it. And so far, he has.
4
Just as Deep Throat told Woodward and Bernstein, "Follow the money." Just as it was his taxes that finally got Al Capone, follow the money. I have long contended that the Trump organization is nothing but a money laundry.
5
Republicans will not subpoena people or documents to answer the question, "Is Donald Trump compromised and beholding to Putin?"
Republicans are enjoying their steamroller ride of a minority rule/running over the majority. Some day their party will have to pay for their treasonous behavior. The Republican Party has been and is earning ts fate. They deserve no respect, to the contrary, they are today's Aaron Burrs and Benedict Arnolds.
What is true for now, however, is Republicans will do everything they possibly can to keep Trump in office. They want deniability about their complicity, but only deplorable fools may believe them.
5
Trump is crooked like a question mark. There's no question about that. My question is what punishment will Republicans ever suffer for ignoring such blatant threats to our national security? Not long ago this was the party obssessed with shouting down "terror" and chasing after imaginary bogeymen with the full might of the US military. Now they can't even shrug. It's a big whatever to them. Aside from the political equivalent of a black hole in terms of principle, I want to know what penalty their behavior carries. Getting voted out of office with a nice government pension isn't enough. Like Trump's financial crimes, we need to get more creative.
4
@Andy absolutely spot on! The Republicans implicit in looking the other way, denying any collusion etc. and covering up for this monster in office also need to be investigated and held 100% accountable for their misdeeds and failure to follow their oaths of office. They are accountable for continuing to keep Trump in office to achieve personal agendas.
3
I hope Mr. Mueller is smart enough to read this column!
1
Yes. trump does crooked financial deals w/Russians. No surprise. But his voters don’t care.
1
I didn't realize there was any doubt that Trump was laundering money for the Russians. Many people of documented it over the years. His ties to the mafia and the Russian mob have been well documented.
10
You can bet that when Dems win the house the lame duck congress will do everything in their power to quash the investigations. Thankfully the NY AG will still be in the fight.
3
Trump's extraordinary bluster hides his huge weaknesses and failures. Yes, he is VERY WEAK, which is why he loves to accuse his opponents of this same weakness.
Of all his many weaknesses, his true Achilles heel is money. He loves to depict himself as a self-made man - business wizard, one who has been tremendously successful at amassing a huge fortune, whereas he knows in the heart of his heart that he is a massive failure and fraud : first he is far from self-made as he owes his initial fortune to his father, fortune which he was barely able to maintain (so many bankruptcies and fizzled-out ventures...), and his current wealth is very suspicious as he may owe it in large part to Russian money laundering, not to mention that he may have cheated the law and the IRS…
This little man must have a huge feeling of inadequacy and illegitimacy. And the only way to compensate he knows is the attack mode. Belittle, bully, accuse, insult, demean everyone who shows the slightest intention to point at his weaknesses, and endlessly boast about his (mostly imaginary) immense achievements and seek adulation from his entourage, all to boost his own incredibly weak inner self-worth.
How not to pity such a sorry creature?
But truly he has no place as POTUS and he must go as soon as possible.
If the current majority does not have the courage to do something, then please vote in November to enable representatives that will finally clean-up this mess.
5
Aside from Trump's personal wrongdoing, his ugly persona is a constant reminder of our own failings every time we look in the mirror.
After Trump is long gone we will still be stuck with our own greedy soul steeling values that bleed us of our decency.
Has there ever been a lower point or worst prognosis for America's long term future?
The cynical display of the Kavanaugh hearings is an accurate barometer of our current low level of cultural values.
We're in deep doo doo people!
4
We need to see Trump's tax returns. Vote in November.
8
It has often caused people to ponder:
Why do they seem to grow ever fonder?
Well, the reason that Putin
For the Trumps keeps on rootin',
Is that they still have money to launder!
4
The evidence of Trump's money connections to Russia and Russians has been evident to anyone who looked casually at the reporting done during the runup to the election. So too were stories about his sexual appetite and potentially criminal sexual behavior. There was writing done about his violation of housing discrimination laws, countersuing the government, running with the mob, and shafting suppliers, business partners, banks and anyone else who took him at his word. There was also Trump University.
Is Trump dirty? His history all but guarantees it.
Will Republicans actually take the danger of this unstable sociopath seriously? Their history all but guarantees they will not.
Every vote is precious this November. We must fight for every vote.
4
Trump's motive for never going against Putin is that Trump not only laundered Putin's gang money, he starched and ironed it.
5
I would bet my Social Security and the entirety of my retirement portfolio -- 'heck' … I'd bet my life that a full reckoning of trump's and the trump organization's financial history (and day-to-day 'emoluments' to date) would (but for DOJ rules that, apparently -- and essentially -- put even a 'fully criminal' potus above and beyond the law) result in djt's incarceration in a cell for a longer term than that 'given' Bernie Madoff. (Incarceration Now! Incarceration Tomorrow! Incarceration Forever!!!)
(No doubt trump would be comforted by the presence of one or both of his adult sons and his son-in-law Jared -- if not Ivanka, too -- in the same wing' of his 'trump prison hotel.')
In his book “Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money and How Russia Helped Trump Win,” no less an authority than Luke Harding writes, on page 301, “For four decades Trump’s property empire effectively functioned as a laundromat for Moscow money. Funds from the former Soviet Union poured into condominiums and Trump apartments.”
QED
4
Given the decades long nefarious business dealings of the trump organization, coupled with trump’s adamant and repeated refusals to release his tax returns, along with unedited remarks made by his sons, the evidence strongly points to criminal behavior. How trusting and gullible have trump supporters been, to take the word of a sociopath and grifter, who secretly abhors them, all for the chance to erase the legacy of a two term Black President?
3
Money laundering, is certainly near the top of the list, right under cowardice.
1
This gets to the heart of the matter of Trumps bowing to Putin. It's always been about money with Trump, and of course, his narcissistic and misogynistic personality doesn't see a problem with it. Believing that Trump is capable of some grand conspiracy gives him too much credit, although there are plenty around him more than capable of that. He is simply a greedy man that would sell his mother for the right price. Putin probably gave him a offer that Trump could never turn down, in exchange for unfettered access to the Oval Office. Simple, direct, and plays into Trumps personality. Money, money, money.
1
Trump has always laundered money for the mob. The question has always been how he's gotten away with it. I think Giuliani knows, as do several FBI agents who did organized crime investigations in the 1980s and '90s.
They know that Trump's Russia ties run through the Colombo crime family, which began working with the Brighton Beach boys in the mid 1980s—just as Rudy was wrapping up his famous "Mafia Commission" coup. Franzese taught the Russians how to run a gasoline bootlegging scam that cost NY State many millions. Trump was tight with Staluppi and Rosatti, two other Colombo guys who actually built Trump a branded limousine. Staluppi also ran Trump's helicopters for a time.
Meanwhile, a Colombo capo named Greg Scarpa was running his own FBI agent out of the Eastern District. The FBI guy covered for Scarpa's murders and it was a decade or more before the facts got out.
Russian money and muscle thus helped rebuild both NYC organized crime and Trump's empire, at the same time.
Rudy had to know all this, of course. As did the US Attorneys of the Eastern and Southern Districts.
Yet they all just let it happen.
Why?
3
@Ed The Rabbit
So Giuliani is fighting for his reputation, by getting rid of the investigation, because he was neck deep in the mob?
@Ed The Rabbit
Rudy’s bank account on Cyprus, that’s why
You check Trump's wallet and you'll find more rubles than dollars or euros because in the United States and Europe Trump's credit is as good as his word, worthless. Those overnight billionaires allied with Putin who popped up after the Soviet collapse needed a place to invest their spoils, and in Trump they found a desperate failed business fraud ready to go under. If we dont see the tax returns then Trump's dirty.
2
IF you choose to pay attention, this is sadly old news. Only another episode in the big picture of how Russia, under Putin’s iron fist, has sought opportunities over that last 3 decades to destabilize the international community and undermine our Democratic republic. Watch “Active Measures” recently released by Jack Bryan for a clear and eerie overview of this serious threat to democracy around the world.
1
What do Putin's boys get in return for all the money they have given Trump? Certainly one possible answer is in plain view, Putin himself having said that his objective is to make Russia great again and bring down the West. Thus, Trump provides assistance to Putin's objective and that is the quid pro quo. In a word treason. Treason explains all of Trump's behavior.
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
1
In Trump's orbit Putin remains loyal, so Trump is still friends with Putin. What happens if and when Putin decides to bring down our President? C'mon Vladimir, bringing down Trump's Republican Party will give you a stronger position in the world.
"Obstruction of Justice" is the synonym for "President Trump." Almost everything he does just reeks of it.
2
Add money laundering to Donald Trumps crimes, but hey BIG BANKS are getting away with it, remember "to big to fail"!
1
Forget about the chaos in the White House; someone needs to leak his tax returns!
Southern District of New York - please investigate the Russian money laundering and save the country, you cannot be stopped by DT and you need not rely on congress for any subpeona powers.
6
Of course Trump is hiding something; otherwise, he would not spew hate everywhere he goes. Hate is the distractor for corrupt people.
6
Finally! Someone is publicly following the money. Try this on for size: indirectly, thru a bunch of intermediary entities, Putin, reputedly the richest man in the world, holds the debt on Little Donny’s shell game empire. Just a wild guess.
1
Luke Harding, investigative reporter and ex Moscow bureau chief for The Guardian wrote one of the early books that uncovers decades of Trump's close ties to Russia - a fascinating read : Collusion: Secret Meetings, Dirty Money, and How Russia Helped Donald Trump Win
5
Good reason? Absolutely. He is mobbed up, a redux of the Teamsters Pension Fund mess from the 70's. So who will our Alan Glick be? Maybe it is a composite with so many former underlings running for cover and ratting Trump out. Boy would I love to see him in the dock.
Money laundering?
Our.... the President of the United States?
Oh No!
Could this be the reason that the Panamanian judiciary threw out Trump's Group from managing the formerly Trump Hotel in Panama?...
...even after the Trump organization brought threats to "punish" the country of Panama? How could the Trump management company possibly "punish" a country?
But there was enough evidence for the Panamanian authorities to allow the partner to evict the Trump management company for breaking the law, and unceremoniously chisel the Trump's name, renaming it The Bahia Grand Panama.
Is this reality stranger than fiction?
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/corruption-and-money-launderi...
David, I've been writing about this for two years https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/think-you-know-how-deep-trump-russia-goes...
I hope we can discuss!!
What effect would a video of Mr. Trump rolling in the hay with Russian prostitutes have? None, judging from the Stormy story. Conservatives only care about sex scandals when the perpetrator is Liberal and Progressives don't care at all as long as the perpetrator are consenting adults. It must be money.
3
It has seemed fairly obvious for quite awhile that Trump and his family are likely to have problematic financial relationships with Russia. So this seems like old news though it definitely should be investigated, with state and federal charges pursued if borne out by the evidence.
Independent of this however, I’m surprised the media has not been more dedicated to investigating the debts that Kavanaugh accrued, which sound fishy. I was also surprised that the Democratic senators did not pursue this line of questioning at the hearings. I’ve not seen any published accounts that confirm his story even though it would be easy enough for the people who he allegedly bought season tickets for to say so publicly. Also, his mention of a dice game in the released emails seems unusual. Although plenty of people have a friendly game of low stakes cards with friends, I’ve never heard of non-gamblers having a friendly low stakes game of dice. I’m not saying this is related to Trump or to Russia or to organized crime, but if Kavanaugh does have an unreported issue with gambling and/or a past history of shady financial dealings, it could influence his decision making or make him subject to pressure from nefarious individuals. The public deserves to know such information before his appointment to the Supreme Court gets rubber stamped.
4
If white collar crime can go on for so long in without consequences, we have a bigger societal problem than an unfit president.
550
@Daniel B Believe the attempts to weaken and dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are clear evidence of heavy lobbying by white collar crime perpetrators -- campaign contributions to a select group of less than ethical legislators.
1
@Daniel B
Most white collar criminals can't initiate nuclear war. They can't ban immigrants. They can't take away basic human rights from the citizens of this country. They can't start a civil war. This man can.
@Daniel B
Justice Department staffing has been so depleted by this and previous administrations that it has limited ability to fight white color crime by Americans or others.
All he has to do is release his tax returns.
How hard is that ?
No other POTUS has ever refused.
The only logical conclusion?
He has something very big to hide.
4
In 2015 The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network fined Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort $10 million for significant, repeated and long standing anti-money laundering violations for activity going back to 2003, also, in 1998, FinCEN assessed a $477,700 civil money penalty against Trump Taj Mahal for currency transaction reporting violations, so, no news here.
1
I'm a movie buff, and often real life reminds me of some scene, or theme of a good movie. This op reminds me of the theme from DeMille's "The Ten Commandments". The enslaved Jewish people kept alive the hope that a "Deliverer" would come to save them. They were continuing to wait, if not impatiently, for "Him" to free them from slavery and "deliver" them to the "promised land". It doesn't take too much of a stretch of the imagination to see that we are placing this mantled aura upon Robert Mueller. We want to be delivered from Trump.
3
Trump's flaws and unlawful actions are on full display. This echoes the flaws and lack of desire among Congress members to enforce laws and take responsible action to stop these behaviors and practices of a sitting president. Kavanaugh, who has lied under oath, will be confirmed. Big money in politics will continue to increase as will the opportunities for the "monied" to purchase candidates and elections. The mega-rich will flourish, Corporations and corporatists will increase their control over a grossly inequitable economy. The poor, lower and working classes will see their numbers increase and their wages, benefits, and opportunities for employment decline. Safety nets for such citizens will fray rot away (health care, social security, Medicare and Medicade), and we will become two Americas - poor America and rich America. The great democratic experiment will go down in history as a failure, and we will relinquish our exceptionalism in the world, ceding it to other countries or coalition of countries who choose to pursue the global vision we will have lost. And so what. It is not the economy, stupid - it is the raw power of money. We will become soul-less - as a nation - to our collective shame. We are - today - on that shame-train, but we do not even seem to notice. Who will be alarmed by this article? Will the scales be tipped towards "sanity" - as Obama pleads for - in November? Will people wake up and vote?
3
First Wibur Ross, Sec of Commerce, was a director of a bank well known for money laundering of Russian money. He also brokered a deal for Trump to sell a house in Florida for a $65 million profit to a Russian oligarch. Money laundering by Trump and all of his cronies deserve investigation.
3
Truth? There are people in this world and our Republic that could not or would not be able to tell the truth if it bit them on the hands. Including persons in high office in Washington, DC.
Is our Republic in deep trouble?
2
I wish I had a buck for every time SEAN HANNITY has blasted Bruce Ohr over the past few weeks. This is obviously how Trump learned about Ohr. And clearly he and Hannity are COLLUDING together to discredit Ohr and bring him down. I am truly hoping Mueller is investigating Hannity who has dedicated countless hours to perpetuating FAKE NEWS (Marc Rich and the story about Hillary's declining health during the campaign are just 2 examples.) I would also suggest to enlightened readers (that excludes all TRUMP supporters) that you sacrifice a few hours a week to listen to Hannity, since he's a major player in all this. Remember: Hannity talks to the President every night, as reported in New York Magazine. That should tell us everything!
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/05/sean-hannity-donald-trump-l...
3
@John Blank... Hannity is helping Trump run the country and I agree, Hannity needs to be investigated for his part in the sliding and perilous downfall of democracy.
Thank you for connecting the dots on this aspect of Russia's influence on Trump. This part of the story has not been getting enough attention. By this time, most people can see with their own eyes that Trump is clearly under the sway of Putin and are aware that Russia has attacked our elections. But the President of the United States laundering money for the Russian mob with impunity is another thing altogether. (The circumstantial evidence is overwhelming.) And the Kennedy-Deutch Bank connection is truly mind blowing. In another lifetime, that alone would have occupied the media for months.
I can't understand how Trump could harass and intimidate Bruce Ohr so blatantly without major pushback. Oh yeah, the Republicans in congress would rather have a few bucks in their pockets than a functioning democracy.
57 days to impose oversight on this depraved individual.
3
Steven Bannon made a pretty clear statement that money laundering was the primary issue behind everything when he was on the outs with Trump. My observation is that they guy is very good at understanding what is going on even if one can not stand his politics and objectives. I'm reasonably certain that none of this is lost on Mueller & Co.
2
While I assume the Trump family has laundered Russian money, one would think the president would resign rather than have that investigation continue. I have believed for some time that Trump never intended to win the election and become president. The Mueller investigation is a risk to Trump's continuing to make his dirty money for himself and his family.
The answer is that Trump should resign as soon as possible. Make an under-the-table deal with Pence to pardon the whole corrupt family and resign. It is the only way forward for this compromised president.
1
SusanJ--Does anybody believe that mike dense wants to be ELECTED president at some point? It will never happen if he does that. Besides, there will likely be an investigation into his campaign, and administration, activities. He has lied to Congress, if nothing else. Are we going to let him get away with that? In other ways, he is as creepy as tRump.
"So far, congressional Republicans have chosen negligence."
There is often a simple explanation for that. In this case presence of House Republicans on the committee who have also been involved in shady financial transactions. These gentlemen are afraid that, by going after Trump for his money laundering activities, they could open a pandora's box, letting lose terrible evils that would come after them.
4
Russian money laundering facilitated and encouraged by Trump and his organization is so OBVIOUS!
No reputable US bank would finance Trump due to his unethical behavior. And Trump needs money, just like all real estate developers need money, so he got it from the Russians.
It's not too complicated.
Trump won't release his tax forms. wonder why?
Trump said looking into his business dealings crosses a "Red Line" - literally and figuratively. wonder why?
It's SO OBVIOUS
5
There's a problem if one admits honesty in forming a opinion that's based not upon evidence/facts but rather hunches and guesses and, above all, what some would describe as wishful thinking. The latter is for the most part the basis for all of Trump's hypnotized base who boo and nod their agreement to all his lies and distortions about anything. But there's a common characteristic that you learn as you grow older and watch people lie about something. And that is that Trump does not act like a innocent man about his ties to Putin and Russia. You have to be truly brainwashed as a die hard Trumpie not to see how Putin treated Trump like a houseboy during the interview.
5
Money laundering is an easy case for investigators to build.
Michael "Mr. Fix It" Cohen will be a treasure trove of documentation. Add in Trump's personal and business tax returns, key bank records, and a few public documents and a prosecutor's case comes together quite nicely.
Documents don't have to "flip".
6
Trump's 2008 Florida home sale to a Kremlin friend for ~ $95 Million purchased for ~$40 Million, four years earlier is evidence of Russian collusion. The housing market crashed into the subprime mortgage crisis (mid-2006) that morphed into The Financial Crisis (2007-08), If the Trump Organization had plenty of money with "disproportionate" Russian participation in deals, it did so through the assistance of Deutsche Bank's "Project Dastan" - Russian Ministers (Gazprom) connections' children were hired and remunerated by the Bank - https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-01/lawsuit-reveals-deuts... .
The hiring of foreign special interests by Wall Street was also evident in the hey-day of Chinese banking - i.e.) JP Morgan Chase settlement https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/business/dealbook/jpmorgan-chase-to-p...
Bribery involves collusion. Whether it was Wall Street banks and Chinese officials' children involved in a scheme to engage in kickbacks is merely a matter of form. The substance is that settlement of the JP Morgan Chase "collusion" with Chinese political leaders sounds in a crime avoided at the discretion of the U.S. Prosecutor. It was a 'business decision' that affected the legal standing of top Wall Street banks that were caught in the kick-back bribery schemes.
Eric Trump "confirmed" a close relationship with Russian "money". What more do you need?
2
Perfectly sound article, but I do have one caveat: What makes this urgent? As you say, it's been here all along and it's not going to go away. Perhaps there's something to be said for letting Trump twist slowly. slowly in the wind, to coin a phrase; or perhaps the death of a thousand cuts is the more appropriate metaphor.
1
@Bob Acker The longer this goes on the more urgent it becomes. Trump is attacking Ohr and his colleagues now. It is urgent that people know why and do something to stop it. Call your Representative and then VOTE. People like you make me nervous.
1
@mary bardmess
Oakland is a one-partyy district, so I contribute instead. My last essay was Jones versus Moore, and I thought that worked out very well, don't you?
I think the real problem here is not Trump--he's on the way out--but then reintegrating Trump supporters into civilized society. The more thoroughly he's discredited first the better.
My husband, who grew up in New York, is older than Trump by a half decade. He reports it was fairly common knowledge in NYC that Trump's dad and later Trump laundered money for the Russian mob. He told me this many years before the election. There is a reason Trump faired so poorly in his home state during the election. Most voters knew him.
9
So many are blindly asleep to all this. People go about their days foolishly resting on the freedom we take for granted. There is this unspoken belief that no matter how bad things look, that the core of America is unshaken and business as usual will have no impact on day to day living.
Not this time. When people do finally wake up to the stark reality bearing down on them, it will be far too late and those freedoms that are taken for granted may easily slip away.
17
@Sanity 18'
You are so correct.
"He could mount a full-on assault on the rule of law"
He wants to. He will. And get away with it. Cheered on by The Base. And met with a stone cold whatever by a subservient GOP Congress.
If November is the worst case scenario.
7
@Sanity 18' You're right of course. I'm awake. In fact I haven't had a good night's sleep for almost 600 days. My dying uncle is clinging to life only because he wants to vote one more time.
1
Trump and his supporters must be seriously terrified of Bruce Ohr.
If you go to YouTube and search on "Bruce Ohr", all but two of the top 30 videos are posted by Fox. It is absolutely chilling. We have to assume that Trump thinks Ohr has already investigated those Russians who now have control over Trump.
At least, it seems that way and it has never stopped being a legitimate question to ask exactly what has happened at Fox that they are now ready to viciously attack members of the FBI and the American security establishment.
Michael Avenatti and other commentators have already said forcefully that they are confident Mueller would have subpoenaed Trump's tax returns on Day One of the investigation, and that is very curiously ignored here.
Trump is certainly trying to use the dopey tactics he used in New York to control what local journalists might publish about his sex life or business dealings, but he simply has no concept of how a man like Mueller approaches his job.
Never in his life has Trump even tried to deal with people who were not craven enough to be a sycophant or to show fear. Mueller and his team are a type of person Trump has never encountered in his whole life. He just doesn't understand.
He says investigation of his financial dealings is a "red line" - well, Mueller subpoenaed his tax returns more than a year ago and his lifetime financial adviser has signed a cooperation agreement with the investigators.
So that red line is way in the rearview mirror.
42
@Colin McKerlie
"Never in his life has Trump even tried to deal with people who were not craven enough to be a sycophant or to show fear."
Bingo!
Robert Mueller = Marine Corps + Vietnam War + Bronze Star + Combat "V" + Purple Heart
Mueller vs. Trump. The outcome is sculpted in the medals.
3
@Colin McKerlie
"Mueller and his team are a type of person Trump has never encountered in his whole life."
I dare say Trump probably has met many desperate, corrupt, Democrat sycophants in his life.
He did live in NYC.
Non-circumstantial evidence of Russia money-laundering, Mr. Leonhardt:
In 2009, FBI Dir Mueller had obtained proof of money-laundering, blackmail & bribery by Russia to gain control of the uranium market. Evidence included the flow of millions from Russia to cutouts & on to Clinton Inc. Mueller & Rosenstein conspired in the coverup of crimes that would have put the kibosh on Uranium One. They didn’t report that investigation to Congress, as required, & didn’t disclose the evidence to CFIUS.
6
Whataboutism
@Marian
PAY TO PLAY?
1
This is the weakest form of journalism.
Your treatment of Bruce Ohr, the sympathetic dutiful civil servant unfairly targeted by Trump, is completely at odds with what we are learning about not only Ohr, but Nellie, Steele, McCabe and the role Ohr played in funneling the fake dossier into the system.
It’s as if you aren’t paying attention, or you believe your audience has invisible quantum shields protecting them from actual news sources and will believe anything you conjure.
You choose to make guesses about what Trump might be hiding - as a distraction from the Democrats’ crimes for which there is actual evidence.
And you serve up guesses as if anyone wants a journalist to be guessing.
It’s all you’ve got.
3
@Ken - It's nice to make arguments and statements, but it's nicer if they're backed up by the truth! First - the Steele Dossier was commissioned by Republican candidates of Trump in the 2016 election. It's actually been seen as historically factual. Exactly which parts are phony? You can keep screaming "phony dossier", but that doesn't make it phony.
The Uranium One scenario involving Clinton (and now Mueller??) has been completely debunked. Truth Wins
6
@Ken
It's not journalism at all. It's an editorial. Conservatives have a really hard time understanding the difference these days. So sad.
2
Ken, Please by all means share the “evidence” you have on Democratic “crimes”?
Republicans hold both the House and the Senate, the Justice Department and soon the Supreme Court.
So, if there were TRULY indisputable evidence against Democrats (Clinton) WHY are we the “people” not seeing or hearing about it?
And, while you’re at it, please also explain why almost EVERY person in Trumps orbit has a Russian connection of some kind? Coincidence?
And you can start with our Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross who sits on the Board of the Bank of Cypress. Even Jeff Sessions has money there. Forget that he “forgot” about meeting with the Russian Ambassador, TWICE!
Better yet, please read The New Republic’s super informative article “Trump’s Laundromat”.
Then you can proceed to tell me why Trump refuses to release his tax returns.
3
I have a long-time friend who has spent the last 40+ years working in the large-scale real estate financing field. She tells me that she'd be amazed if Trump was NOT involved in money laundering. In the mid-2000's his finances were such a mess that he played a "shell game", moving money around to avoid bankruptcy. But around 2008 enough money came pouring into the Trump Organization that he started a $400 billion cash buying spree.
This is no doubt the reason he won't release his tax returns. If he did, investigators would know what trail to start on, with a maze of LLCs and foreign bank transactions to disguise the source of those funds.
29
The pity is that this central and evident issue has
been camouflaged by the "collusion" mantra which
has now been sufficiently manipulated by the
enablers in congress and f-x "news" so that the
fan base of white alpha male wannabees and anti elite
allies among white evangelicals and exurban-rurals, fearful
of demographic trends, are more
than content with the fake news mantra, designed
to manipulate and keep pressure on wavering trumpicans never
to pose difficult questions.
The whole shebang, when combined with the recent
congressional shrug off of responsibility for strengthening
election safeguards are just the obvious signs
of collapse of the American system of self governing, to be
formalized this Nov. 7. The resistance is incapable of mounting a fully successful take down of the corrupting forces in cahoots with il duce because the population at large, which may still be paying any attention at all, is very susceptible to the media
sound byte campaign of cleverly targeted attacks upon those candidates willing to stand up to the corruption.
Combine this with the institutionalized efforts to dampen turnout from among those who can't be trusted to swallow/follow the party line, and we'll wake up to very bad news on Nov. 7.
A population that can neither think for itself, nor is interested
and wiling to do so, is stuck in a hopeless muddle that it can't extricate itself from by thinking carefully about the evidence
summarized in the column.
9
Regarding Trump and his organization engaging in money laundering, there are no coincidences. The overwhelming circumstantial evidence that The Trump Organization and his family is a criminal enterprise will be corroborated in short order by Mueller and his team. But the sad fact is a large percentage of his "followers" will be emboldened in their paranoia that the "deep state" is Overthrowing the government by what Mueller reveals. These people have guns
It can, and is, happening here. The coming mid-terms is America's Rubicon. If we, the people, do not take control of the House, our experiment in democracy will fail. Yes, it will be business as usual with "bread and circuses" for awhile, but the resulting worldwide economic upheaval will devolve into chaos.
Trump won't care and neither will the worldwide 1%. Vote as if your life depends on it...because it does.
33
The fact that Trump has been dependent on foreign investors to stay afloat should constitute a disqualifying conflict of interest even if money laundering cannot be proven. The intent of the emoluments clause, to prevent the influence of foreign money, should apply to his past and present real estate deals even if they were/are technically legitimate.
1322
@vulcanalex No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State
@SLB yes! why does this get so little attention or traction?!
4
@vulcanalex Emoluments Clause.
IF the New York-based Trump Organization was involved in money laundering, a state crime took place. The New York Attorney General's office should be a ready and willing employer for former feds with pertinent skills.
848
@John Trump got rid of Preet Bharara for the fact that Preet was very good at taking out "bad guys." It fits.
2
@John You are correct. Thus I assume a flow of information being shared by Mueller with NY Attorney Generals Office. House of Trump/House of Putin also a good source - timeline pattern. This mess is going to go on for some time. Buy more popcorn. Woodward book lays out the whole sordid story taking place now. Trumputin has destroyed the once revered reputation of all golfers. Can one be charged with a crime for cheating at golf - scorecard erasures, pencils with erasers, drop pockets in golf pants, etc.
@John
Yes. Now is the time to expand the NY state attorney-general's budget to allow this. NY state should be raiding the Southern District of NY's federal prosecutors.
They are the best in the country and I know they would require premium pay to work in Albany but I think they could be enticed by the thought that their work would not be subject to Trump's or Congress's attempts to block, and would not be compromised by Trump's pardon power in federal cases.
2
"Ohr’s sin is that he appears to have been marginally involved in inquiries into Trump’s Russian links. "
Oh, really ? Marginal, to who ?
Not to a federal prosecutor.
Conspiracy to withhold evidence from, or present fraudulent evidence to, a FISA court is a serious matter.
Hardly, marginal.
Leonhardt would be smart to wait until all the shoes have dropped, in the Ohr matter.
2
The only real reason that the issue of money laundering is “urgent” is to increase the sense of guilt by association with Trump as the target … prior to Election Day. Now, this IS a political fight, but it’s just as valid for me to regard it as self-interested and vastly entertaining in its transparency.
Why is it that Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren despise Trump so? It could be compelled by a third-party whose leverage consists of sex tapes or evidence of campaign collusion with Finns. How is that statement more outrageous than David’s? – and I’ll be the first to admit that mine is fake news intended to diminish Democratic powerhouses through absurdist humor.
David admits that his suggestions are circumstantial and lacking proof. But he still makes them. After all, he wants Dems to win in November, and all’s fair in love and global thermonuclear war. Isn’t it?
Schiff is as much a political weasel on Trump’s finances in pre-political life as Trey Gowdy was on Benghazi. But to David, one is clearly justified while the other is fishing for opportunities to gratuitously demonize. The truth is that Schiff’s claim that “Or we need to find out that is not the case and say so” is nothing more than an argument for a grand fishing expedition to find grist for a lawyer-manned demonization mill targeting Trump. For purely political policy-torpedoing purposes.
David DOES entertain.
@Richard Luettgen
Of course, Trump could reduce much of this speculation if he did one simple thing that all other presidents going back to Nixon have done: release his tax returns.
28
@Richard Luettgen
"fishing expedition'?
What is wrong with an objective investigation to determine the true facts?
1
@Richard Luettgen
Sorry, but your rationales are not persuasive given the information publicly available to date.
If, after the years of Trump / Russian mobocracy financial dealings and the Trump Tower / back channel Russian communications attempt by Trump's friends and family, you truly believe that this is a "grand fishing expedition," then you truly deserve to be labeled a Trump apologist.
You may be proud to be a Trump apologist, that's certainly your call.
If you and your fellow apologists are correct that Mr Mueller, the intelligence community and the DOJ do constitute a deep state insurrection against an innocent Mr Trump, then woe unto us. I apologize in advance to all of you and will mourn for what was once mankind's best experiment in democratic federalism.
We'll have to see what Mr Mueller's team turns up.
2
Another interesting "real estate" deal is the Old Post Office, now called The Trump International Hotel, on Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Washington, DC. It is owned by the Federal government and the managing "landlord" is the General Services Administration (GSA). Congress wanted GSA to lease the building out and earn the government some money on such a lease. There was a competitive offering with multiple development teams putting forth proposals to turn the building into a hotel. The Trump Organization was selected as the winning bid. There might be something "interesting" in this matter for some inquiry.
6
I've been out here in the boondocks of Idaho thinking this same thing for three years now. My only information is reading the occasional New Yorker article, and following the East Coast "elitist" media. In other words, I don't have any inside information, but even I can figure it out.
It gets so tiring to keep saying it: Follow the Money.
We can only hope that that is exactly what Mr. Mueller is doing.
1541
@Larry
Most of Americans, indeed most of the world, has already figured it out as you have done. But none of that matters a bit
unless Americans who read get out and vote in November!
3
@Larry "Active Measures," a newly-released documentary, explains all about the money laundering.
1
@Larry you are a wise man - whether we’re from NYC, DC, Cali or Idaho, the three most important words are FOLLOW THE MONEY - it’s just common sense, for heaven’s sake!
The Clintons were hounded for years over Whitewater, a fake issue where they were accused of fraud and murder. Republicans can hardly complain about Trump being investigated when there are such strong grounds to suspect money laundering.
17
One has to wish that a patriotic deep throat in the IRS will release trump’s income tax returns.
What a miracle that would be !
20
We need a deep throat because Mueller can not possibly subpoena the tax returns on his own. Or Mueller is being controlled by the Russians too.
1
It also happens that Justice Anthony Kennedy's son, Justine Kennedy, was the banker at the global head of the Deutsche Bank that loan Donald Trump more than 1 Billion dollars.
7
This is exactly why John Gotti, Vito Genovese and Paul Constellano never ran for president. They had too many skeletons in the closet. The head of the Trump crime family had too much hubris to rest on his faux real estate laurels and felt no compunction about inflicting his special brand of felonious behavior on the American people. So he bamboozled 34 percent of the population and won the Electoral College. He is filthy dirty in myriad ways, including what appears to be years of conspiracy to launder money. We can only hope that those cooperating with Mr. Mueller and the Southern District of New York help to build a tangible case against this fraud of a president and take him down — before he destroys our country and, possibly, the entire world.
10
“Most voters now believe he has something to hide. And the constant talk of Russia on television clearly enrages Trump.”
Most voters HAVE noticed the connection here.
It’s rotten smell has been in the air for about 3 years now.
8
When one considers the premise that Putin has dirt on Trump everything that Trump does fits beautifully. Isn't it a shame that the leaders of the Republican party won't, at a minimum, want to investigate the obvious.
9
Sounds like it's something the attorney general ought to investigate!
5
Every day I pray for a grand jury subpoena.
9
I think that the dangerously unstable Trump -- given consideration of his successes in the tyrannical dismantling of parts of the Republic, and defacing others -- might well be the last president of the United States.
6
Last year I asked my accountant to file my tax returns like Trump would do his. She refused. The Trump family has accumulated vast wealth through illicit means. There can be no doubt about this fact.
That his base and the GOP can look beyond this to advance their agendas is a frightening because ordinary citizens aren't beyond the law. Yet Trump clearly thinks he is, and his supporters would let him continue to use his businesses and office for personal gain unchecked.
I can only hope the Mueller can bring the rule of law back in order to end this corruption and these gross ethical offenses. We need hold the highest offices in this country up to the rule of law.
7
How could it possibly be more obvious that his mind is 100% criminal? What does he have to say or do to make it more obvious?
4
How any reasonable American could not clearly see how Trump is obviously beholden to Putin is beyond me. If I was a betting man I would bet the farm on Trump being up to his eyeballs in money laundering schemes with the Russians. Both of his sons have publicly admitted where they have received the overwhelming bulk of their loans after their six bankruptcies, where they welched on their loans to multiple US banks. Thank you Mr. Leonardt for spelling this out so transparently.
12
To the extent that Trump Inc relies on Russian funding, and its likely that it does, that money has got to be drying up. It’s fair to assume that Special Counsel Mueller and the federal attorneys in The Southern District are laser focused on money flows into Trump properties and that as a result those flows have moved on to others. That financial squeeze could account for Trumps escalating panic and is probably the real reason behind the shuttering of Ivanka’s rag business. What’s next, Eric’s winery? Melana’s Louboutins? It may turn out that the financial benefits of being president are fleeting. Let’s all hope so.
8
And if the GOP holds the House and Senate in November and then the Mueller investigation is shut down what then? Look for arrests of people who offend Trump then lots of people.
4
Even now anyone who raises any questions about trump get disappeared.
1
It's pretty obvious that the Trump crime family has had nefarious ties to corrupt Russian Oligarchs and their web of dirty dealings for many years. The problem is - so do so many others. Trump is not very bright and ultimately naive so he has been easy for Putin & Co. to manipulate. But the parallel universe of international business investors, their entanglements with organized criminal traders in drugs, arms, and people, and their ability to 'hide' and launder money, etc., is not unique to any country, or any oligarchy, including our own.
These organizations are extremely hard to catch or prosecute because they have so many layers and they are extremely dangerous if threatened.
Putin is not the only world leader playing this game. No doubt the Koch Brothers empire is too. And yes, in a way, they are world leaders too.
So let's not just blame 'the Russians '. Their are plenty of Americans ( besides Trump) playing this dirty game as well.
7
Thank you, NYTimes, for printing this piece. It says out loud what I think we've all known all along. Does anyone doubt for a moment that the money laundering is what's behind the refusal to let his tax returns be seen? Does anyone doubt for a moment that the money laundering is what's behind his closeness with Putin and all the other thieves and bullies in Eastern Europe?
Can we also point out that at Deutsche Bank, Trump's personal banker was Anthony Kennedy's son? Just sayin'.
24
Getting tough on money laundering will solve a host of problems in the United States including the opioid epidemic, the premeditated destruction of the election process through gerrymandering and election fraud by Russian oligarchs and the Republican Party, and finally conspiracy to commit treason by the Trump administration. Unfortunately a lot of powerful and influential people have an interest in the continuation of this criminal behavior. Until now it has gone on mostly unreported, which is not surprising. This should be a banner headline on every paper and media outlet in the country and a top priority of the FBI.
5
The mere fact, yet constant, that we are constantly arguing about Trump and Russia is unbelievable.
Trump has Russian ties. He launders money from Russia. He admittedly receives financing from Russia. He applauds Putin. He hides his finances. He fights against the US Justice Dept. He fights against the FBI.
This is absurd and a very clear and present danger.
All energy must go to removing Trump and his destructive cronies from the US government.
11
Could Nostradamus have predicted this? Astute and well-informed political observers suspect the president of being a double agent based on his peculiar behavior, speculating on how Putin flipped Trump.
Is this animating Trump's hostility to foreign governments that had been long term partners, his trade wars, and his disgusting comments that have reduced the standing of the U.S. government around the world?
Remarkably, if Leonhardt's explanation is true, this would not be the worst of the Trump regime. Under Trump, the government is engaging in worse evil, killing innocent people in the Middle East, whether directly by U.S. soldiers or by assisting Saudi's Yemen genocide .
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/24/mohammed-bin-salman-mbs-saudi-arabia...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/middle-east-civilian-deat...
Who could have predicted that a U.S. president working for Putin would be a minor issue compared to his extermination of many innocent people?
11
The rule of law should, in fact, be held above all else.. but we all live in the upside down and, so, is not. It is, instead, becoming a very battered and bruised, “take it like a man” institution. Or is it?
I find the involvement of the New York State Attorney and the City of New York encouraging. As I see it, the ability of our city, state and federal law enforcement agencies to work together exercising the fullest extent of the legal system is how it should work.. as it needs to work.
As for Trump, I’m afraid he is just one of many, although clearly the biggest target at the moment. I think this is a can of worms with ramifications that will continue on for many many years.
This also leads me to a question..ok, a few questions. Does Trump really think that these experts in Russian Organized Crime that are being purged from the federal government are home knitting socks? That their knowledge and experience has beef wiped from their brains? That they don’t talk to people? Maybe they, as private citizens have better cover now than they did working for the government. It’s a whole different kettle of fish to seriously go after a law abiding citizen. Perhaps, a cooler head might have remembered his own crime family mottos. “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
3
I understand that the wheels of Justice turn slowly. I appreciate the careful method of America's law enforcement and judicial system, but my god, is it really this hard to get a handle on a rogue politician who is so obviously dishonest? It makes me wonder if our system is practical enough to protect the country. If Trump weren't so busy whining and blaming and lying to us, he could have Putin working in the Pentagon by now...
9
I’ve been saying this for months. “Trump International Properties” is a front, a scam. The REAL business is selling extremely overpriced, tacky, gaudy, tasteless Condos and apartments to foreign “ investors “. Only tasteless Americans and those wished to impress Trump/ lackeys would even consider purchasing these monuments to poor taste. So, high sales commissions, fees, and huge transaction charges for foreign currencies. Source not questioned, or reported in ANY respect. The perfect scam. Seriously.
13
Is there a perception that youtube has nothing posted worth noting? You can read for yourself, many seemingly legit and well-researched videos by professional sources about Trump and Russian investors. Why wait for Congress to investigate further?
1
I think everyone with half a brain knows by now that Trump is dirty. He is desperate to thwart investigations that might touch his business affairs because he has much to hide. The only mystery here is why the Republicans have chosen to abandon any shred of integrity to protect him. But that is pretty obvious too. So long as he enriches their donors, it’s all good.
Vote them all out in November. From the bottom to the top.
3
Sex tapes or similar wouldn't phase Trump..or his supporters. But money laundering on Trump's part and the Trump kids looms large in his bromance with Putin. This has always been the key. That it wasn't investigated more prior to the election is unfortunate. But the hubris of his assuming this wouldn't get investigated during a Presidency is monumental.
5
Ask any dictator worth his salt how he got there and he'll
quickly tell you: When I tell people a lie a thousand times, it becomes the truth.
While this dutifully written piece isn't exactly 'Breaking News,' its message definitely demands to be repeated loudly and clearly until its audience includes every American voter charged with the responsibility of speaking truth to power.
Anyone reading this piece should share it with everyone else.
Vote!
13
Trumps whole identity is connected to his money and things. I think he really has NO money to speak of and doesn't own ANYTHING.....the Russians own everything. If you really look at his business record he has gone bankrupt on just about everything. His ego = his wealth,he cannot have us find out he has NOTHING because that would make him a NOBODY.
10
If you want to get a handle on Trump's activities in Russia, watch Active Measures, a documentary by Jack Bryan and read House of Trump, House of Putin by Craig Ungar.
Both connect the dots to what is most obvious: Trump is a tool of Putin and the Russians. Unfortunately, he is not alone. Wilbur Ross (Bank of Cyprus), Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner and many others in Trump's orbit are in business with the Putin and an arm of his government - Russian Organized crime. It's all about money. Lots and lots of money.
28
It is quite possible that the whole Trump campaign was a money laundering operation where the worst case scenario was to win the election. Better to have lost and slink away while the world focused on the Clinton administration. But instead Trump won and now the spotlight is directly on them.
10
Isn't it about time that the tax returns of the con man in the White House be subpoenaed by Mueller? The master of "creative bankruptcy" should be shown for what he is, so that even his enablers (if they care), may have second thoughts. This should be done weeks before the mid-term elections.
2
As long as the Republican base continues of drink Trump's Kool-aid that Fox News shamelessly serves up daily, there will never be a enough Republican Senator with the courage to remove Trump from office. The best the country can hope for is a Democratic controlled House revealing the magnitude of the corruption and duplicity Trump and his cronies have been engaging in. One should remember that as bad a Trump is, Pence would certainly be far worse.
2
Sieze and freeze Trump's assets. Can't wait to watch him go more insane when he is booted out of office and no one cares about his rants anymore.
11
Well. it kind of means what one means by "money laundering", doesn't it? Does it mean using ill-gotten gains for legitimate purposes? Then that's sort of what John Jacob Astor the First did here in New York in the middle of the nineteenth century, isn't it? Or, does it mean using ordinary funds for illegitimate purposes? Or does it mean using ill-gotten gains for illegitimate purposes? Or do these distinctions really matter? Look, the Trumps--grand-pere, pere et fils--are "not nice" people, but does being "not nice" make one's activities illegal?
Real estate development is not a "nice" activity. There's a long tradition here in NYC that people in real estate somehow are "not nice". What of it? A lot of it is class and caste disdain and envy, isn't it? So a Wall Street banker is "nice" and Fred Trump and Bill Zeckendorf were "not nice". Come off it, folks. Like it or not, New York and the United States were built by a lot of people who were "not nice" using "funny money", isn't that so?
1