Giuliani associates arrested on campaign finance violations

Kento

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Jan 11, 2002
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The Bar
For someone who didn't collude with Russia, sure seems like Trump and Co. worked with a lot of them.
 

afoaf

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Jun 25, 2008
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  • Haha
Reactions: Phi1

afoaf

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Jun 25, 2008
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Part of this was about good old fashioned influence buying. According to the indictment, the two were involved in a scheme to “funnel foreign money to candidates for federal and state office so that the defendants could buy potential influence with candidates, campaigns, and the candidates’ governments.” The defendants used a limited liability corporation to hide some of the contributions. Some of this was just about corrupt business, such as getting a recreational marijuana business going in Nevada. (They didn’t necessarily do it well. After using funding from “Foreign National 1” to support a lobbying campaign of state and federal officials to help with their license acquisition efforts, the group missed the deadline to apply for a marijuana license. At this point, one of the defendants allegedly told others of the missed deadline “2 months too late to the game unless we change the rules.”)

But more interesting than the details of the petty influence peddling efforts are the allegations in the complaint that the purpose was to further the bigger political goals of the co-conspirators. According to the Wall Street Journal, the defendants funneled $325,000 to a pro-Trump Super PAC. They then worked with the president’s personal attorney, Giuliani, to remove the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. (They further allegedly sought to lobby an unnamed Congressman to seek the ambassador’s removals.) The apparent goal was to move her out of the way so Giuliani, on Trump’s behalf, could pressure Ukraine prosecutors to dig up or fabricate dirt on Joe Biden and his son Hunter. All of this is at the center of Congress’ impeachment inquiry of the president, and House Democrats were reportedly due to seek to depose the two men as critical witnesses prior to their arrest.
 

cdes

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Oct 9, 2006
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Just in: These guys gave House Minority Leader McCarthy and Jeff Sessions over 100K in donations... Uh oh~
 

Phi1

Phil Edwards status
May 21, 2002
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Hell Cajon, Ca
investigate the investigators investigating the investigators!

good thing we're looking in to this Ukraine thing, right!?!?!
They were arrested while waiting for an international flight...one was scheduled to testify before House committees the following day.

Is the deep state out deep-stating the deep state now?
 

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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Just in: These guys gave House Minority Leader McCarthy and Jeff Sessions over 100K in donations... Uh oh~
Raise your hand if you're surprised.

Cue iFall with "both sides do it!" in 5....4....3...2...
 

mundus

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Feb 26, 2018
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Republicans are beyond crooked, to think anyone was dumb enough to believe "drain the swamp"
 

$kully

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Feb 27, 2009
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I just love the "Everybody does it and he's just exposing it by doing it more" angle these guys are taking.
 

mundus

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Feb 26, 2018
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How come all Trumps/Republicans shady buddies are Russian mob connected foreigners? From the party that shamelessly wraps itself in the flag, you really can't make it up,
 

mundus

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Feb 26, 2018
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Rudy met with these 2 characters right before they tried to skip town, is that aiding and abetting?