It’s The Money Laundering Not The Collusion That Will Sink Trump
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Follow The Money!
Aug. 02 2017 by Charlie Franklin
Until the disclosure of the Trump Jr. meeting in June 2016 with certain Russians offering dirt on Hillary Clinton, there was no evidence of collusion in the election except the say-so of the various intelligence agencies. And, many who doubted the collusion narrative were reminded that the intelligence agencies have not been a good source of truthful information throughout their history. Specifically, the CIA has an abysmal track record of truth telling, including lying in testimony before Congress many times. Much of what they do has always revolved around disinformation campaigns. However, the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Trump Jr. and the Russians, for the stated purpose of passing along dirt on Clinton, while not evidence of collusion, is certainly evidence of a willingness to collude with a foreign adversary to help win a domestic political campaign.
Trump is a fraud! Trump inherited a fortune but has his supporters believing he is a self made man. Trump claims to be worth $10 billion yet he ran a scam called Trump University essentially ripping off people for $35,000 tuition fees from people trying to learn how to make money in real estate speculation from someone they perceived as an expert. (Would someone worth $10 billion run such a sleazy scam? Makes no sense. Sure, he has a lot of assets but certainly not a net worth of $10 billion.) Trump claims he is a great deal maker but his first 6 months in office should be sufficient proof that he is not. The list goes on and on…
Regardless, what we think will ultimately sink Trump will not be the ‘collusion’, and maybe not even the various false statements. Maybe the obstruction of justice might contribute. But the big red flag is the Trump finances. There is a ton of evidence showing Trump has been mobbed up from the start, beginning with his mentor in New York City, mob lawyer Roy Cohn. Now Trump’s businesses dealings are coming under intense scrutiny. And now, Trump is panicking.
FinCen…the division of the US Treasury (the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network that investigates money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes… is reported to be looking at people who have invested in Trump deals over the years. The Senate Intelligence Committee has requested from the Treasury Department the FinCen records on Trump. Special Counsel Robert Mueller has staffed up with investigators with a specialty in money laundering.
As this area of inquiry has become more known Trump has threatened Robert Mueller with firing and floated the idea of pardons.
The biggest scandal in U.S. history is unfolding. Coming soon is the 2nd resignation by a U.S. President and possibly the crumbling of the Donald Trump financial empire. Maybe even the first ever jailing of a soon-to-be ex-President. Stay tuned…
Suggested Reading:
Trumps Russian Laundromat by Craig Unger July 13 2017
https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-tower-luxury-high-rises-dirty-money-international-crime-syndicate
Felix Sater is cooperating with a money laundering investigation. That’s bad news for Trump
https://thinkprogress.org/https-thinkprogress-org-felix-sater-news-bad-for-trump-99e4ebe9a1ad
IRAKLY KAVELADZE — THE EIGHTH PERSON IN TRUMP TOWER MEETING
https://whowhatwhy.org/2017/07/24/irakly-kaveladze-eighth-person-trump-tower-meeting/
WHY FBI CAN’T TELL ALL ON TRUMP, RUSSIA
https://whowhatwhy.org/2017/03/27/fbi-cant-tell-trump-russia/
Dirty money: Trump and the Kazakh connection
https://www.ft.com/content/33285dfa-9231-11e6-8df8-d3778b55a923
WATCH VIDEO : ZEMBLA – The dubious friends of Donald Trump: the Russians
WATCH VIDEO : Donald Trump’s business links to the mob – BBC Newsnight
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From Feb 2017…
The Covert Scheme To Remove Donald Trump Is Underway
It appears Donald Trump is being set up for removal from office. Trump has been at war with the CIA and other intelligence agencies since before the election. Recall that there were two other Presidents in our history who have had bad relations with the CIA and both ended up out of office prior to the end of their terms.
The last time a President had a direct confrontation with the CIA was in the fall of 1961 when President Kennedy fired CIA Director Allen Dulles along with Deputy Director for Plans Richard M. Bissell, Jr. and Deputy Director Charles Cabell as a result of the Bay Of Pigs fiasco. After the firing of Dulles and company, Kennedy intended and was in the process of attempting to strip covert action power away from the CIA. Some researchers, mostly recently David Talbot in his 2016 book ‘The Devils Chessboard’ suggests that pushback from the CIA, where Dulles loyalists remained in control, resulted in the assassination of Kennedy in 1963. But that’s a story for another day.
Who dictates policy…the President or the military and intelligence services?
The so-called national security apparatus of the United States expects Presidents to play ball, and when they don’t…stuff happens. A recent case in point is the Syrian cease-fire deal worked out and agreed to between Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in 2016 involving a proposed joint U.S.-Russian air campaign against the Islamic State militant group and Al Qaeda via a “Joint Implementation Center.” After the deal was announced U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter strongly, and publicly, objected to the deal. President Obama had initially overrode Secretary Carter’s objections but as a September 13 2016 New York Times story reported, Pentagon officials were still refusing to agree that the U.S. should proceed with the deal. Fast forward to September 17, 2016 when U.S. and allied planes attacked a Syrian government base in the desert near one of its airbases in Deir Ezzor and killed at least 62 Syrian troops and wounded more than 100. The Pentagon claimed the strike to be a ‘mistake’ in targeting. The bottom line is the ceasefire deal was immediately dead. Syria accused the U.S. of a deliberate attack on its forces and the Russians similarly did not buy US claims that the attack was an error. On Monday, Sept. 19 2016 the Syrian regime declared that the seven-day ceasefire had ended.
So, regarding the current Trump scenario from the left’s point of view…The good news is that Trump may likely be headed for removal from office…probably by impeachment or by forced resignation.
But if those on the left give that notion the thinking-through it deserves…The bad news is that Trump will have been removed by a covert propaganda smear campaign probably run by the CIA in the manner that they have done in foreign countries since the 1950’s starting with their complicity in the Iran coup in 1953.
The further bad news…assuming Trump is sincere about his stated desire for better relations with Russia… is that the United States will return to a confrontational relationship with Russia, which is where we were heading during the latter part of the Obama administration and where we most certainly would have gone under Hillary Clinton if she became president.
Clinton received a number of endorsements from prominent neocons such as Robert Kagan, the creator of The Project For A New American Century, and other neocons who helped give us the Iraq War in 2003 based on false premises, as well receiving the endorsement of the very hawkish Mike Morrell, former acting CIA director who publicly and repeatedly endorsed Hillary Clinton and played the Russia card throughout the 2016 campaign on behalf of Clinton.
WATCH VIDEO: Interview And Comments From Glenn Greenwald
So, while many of those on the left view Trump as an amateur who is unqualified and unfit person to occupy the oval office…a position not without merit…what the country would be left with after Trump’s removal is Mike Pence… who would likely be fully compliant with the wishes of the Russia hawks.
Those who favor a confrontational approach to Russia do not just reside on the right, but also on the left. On the right they are called neocons whereas on the left they are called ‘liberal interventionists.’ Recall liberal interventionist Hillary Clinton’s advocacy of the overthrow of Qaddafi in Libya as well as her advocacy of a no-fly zone in Syria…a move that would surely have caused a confrontation with Russia. Neocons and liberal interventionists are equally comfortable with regime change and the notion of ‘American Exceptionalism’ and world hegemony. Both groups are comfortable using ‘regime change’ as a tool of US foreign policy.
The point is that the removal of Trump may mean it goes from bad to worse.
The flow of new anti-Trump ‘Russia disclosures’ is not coming from investigative journalists but instead from leaks from the US intelligence community, according to media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, The Washington Post and others.
Factions inside US Intelligence clearly want Trump out. There are a number of possible reasons for this. Among them is the notion that they can’t control Trump or get him to play ball with their neocon regime change agendas, as well as Trump’s indication throughout the campaign that he wants better relations with Putin and Russia. That’s not acceptable to the new cold-warriors.
History shows that most all Presidents play ball with what some call the Deep State or The Military Industrial Complex or The Secret Government, as Bill Moyers called it. Most presidents essentially hand over the bulk of control of foreign policy to the entrenched national security professionals. A case in point is ex-President Barack Obama who after his election in 2008 re-appointed former CIA Chief Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense, kept David Petraeus on and picked Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State…and mostly followed their lead, especially in his early years.
We know that the disclosures about the alleged Trump campaign officials contacts with Russia, specifically concerning Michael Flynn, are from leaks ‘inside’ the government, according to CNN and other media. The frequency of the contacts throughout the 2016 campaign have been described repeatedly by CNN as “constant contact” between the Trump campaign and Russia. The leaks are repeadedly attributed to being from anonymous sources inside the intelligence community. It should be noted that none of the information contained in the leaks has been verified. And CNN has yet to define what they mean by “constant” contact, a term no other major media is using.
While the allegations of an unusual amount of contact between Trump campaign officials and Russia seems possible, we don’t know the reason for the alleged contacts. Was it because of business dealings between Trump people (or Trump himself) and Russia? Or worse, was their any collusion regarding attempts to sabotage the Clinton campaign. So far we have a lot of leaks and innuendo, but no real evidence for the any of these allegations or for the intelligence community’s earlier “assessments” that Russia allegedly “hacked the election”…. or that Russia hacked the DNC in order to help Trump beat Clinton in the 2016 election. Assessments, of course, are just guesses. And, although there are claims that actual recorded phone calls exist they have not been made public thus far. So, no actual evidence has yet to be released…none at all! All we have are unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources. Journalism 101 dictates this is not proper reporting. Our major media outlets have shamefully become mere propaganda outlets for the government’s intelligence services. We’ll see where this goes in due time.
But in the meantime, the propaganda efforts are significant. It certainly appears that the CIA is doing what they have done for decades in other countries around the world as they destabilized governments, influenced elections, engineered coups and assassinations. On the one hand Trump looks like an unqualified, unfit individual who should not be allowed anywhere near the oval office…a point of view not without merit. But, on the other and, the American public should not be comfortable with US intelligence services running a covert operation against a US President. The CIA, of course, is prohibited by law from operating inside the United States and are supposed to conduct ONLY ‘foreign’ intelligence operations.
The current scenario is wholly consistent with a banana republic, not a democratic republic.
If the intelligence services have “the goods” on crimes or treason by Trump or his team, the actual evidence should be presented to the FBI and to Congress for the appropriate action…without delay. But the way that this is being done, specifically by a constant drip on unsubstantiated allegations with no supporting evidence whatsoever…and from anonymous sources… should give any critically-thing person pause.
Anonymous tips without actual evidence from secret sources is nothing more than a propaganda smear. If the facts exist they should be presented and the appropriate parties held completely accountable.
Unfortunately, whether or not Trump is removed from office by impeachment is a lose/lose scenario for America. If he manages to stay in office, America is left with an amateur in power who is arguably unqualified and unfit for the job. If Trump is impeached, Mike Pence becomes President and the neocons are fully back in power.
The biggest leak of the 2016 campaign was the Billy Bush tape, which was supposed to take Trump out of the race. The tape came from NBC, which is owned by GE, which is the largest defense contractor in the U.S. That leak did not do what it was intended to do which was to get Trump out of the race. The next step was the increased barrage of evidence-free charges that ‘Russia hacked the election” and tilted the election to Trump thus making him an illegitimate winner. That campaign reached a crescendo as the Electoral College voting approached in December. That didn’t work and here we all are with the current scenario.
To this observer (a Sanders supporter who didn’t vote for Clinton or Trump) it looks like Trump’s refusal to play ball with the hawks is the primary driver of the various Trump/Russia conspiracy theories, including the Russia election hack conspiracy theory.
Stay tuned…
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UPDATE From March 08 2017
Putting aside the immature behavior of President Trump whose childish Tweets lend a lot of credence to the idea that he is temperamentally unfit for the nation’s highest office, the following seems logical. There is a continued drip of innuendo and unsubstantiated allegations emanating from the intelligence community about alleged Trump dealings with Russia and possible collusion with Russia regarding the 2016 election. Logic would dictate that if there was any actual evidence, such evidence would have already been presented to the appropriate government authorities and overseers such as the FBI, the Attorney General, and the various Congressional leaders so that they could quickly move to present to the President the option of resigning or be removed from office by impeachment. But that has not happened. And, this suggests that no such evidence exists. So, the steady stream of innuendo appears to be laying the groundwork to make impeachment politically palatable for the Russia hawks in the Republican Party who could pull the trigger on impeachment once Trump’s approval ratings drop sufficiently to mute significant backlash from Trump supporters. As the drip of innuendo and evidence-free allegations continue, the current level of support for President Trump will drop further and Trump’s removal from office will be able to take place without too much resistance. The Democrats will cheer and most of the others will continue to believe their democracy is intact. The takeaway is that the National Security State will not permit warm relations with Russia, and will not allow any President to dictate U.S. foreign policy.
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Trump And The Path To The End Of Marijuana Prohibition
When running for office candidate Donald Trump indicated that the legalization of marijuana should be left up to the states. That’s usually the Republican point of view, with the exception of issues such as abortion, gay rights and marijuana legalization. The states-rights notion has long been a part of the history of the United States. It was an issue when the U.S. Constitution was being written in Philadelphia during the birth of the nation. It was a point of compromise as many at the Constitutional Convention did not want to be a ‘united’ group of states under one constitution and with federal laws superseding state laws. The biggest boil-over regarding this issue was of course over the slavery issue in the 1800’s and was the major factor in the secession of the Confederate States and the subsequent Civil War in the United States. Well, now the cannabis legalization issue is presenting itself in marijuana legalization debates in states that have legalized cannabis for medical or recreational use. This has not only affected medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, but also CBD oil. Cannabidiol, better known as CBD oil is a compound present in cannabis and hemp that is getting ongoing publicity for its’ potential for a variety of potential health benefits. CBD, unlike the more well-known cannabis compound THC, does not produce a high. The substance is currently enjoying active sales growth throughout the U.S. and beyond as the complicated legality of the substance is debated.
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In Health News
Things You Can Do For Healthier Skin
One only has to take a walk down the beauty aisle of any store to see what consumers are most after: dewy, youthful looking skin. The problem with many of these foundations, concealers, and creams is that much of what makes skin appear healthy and radiant has far more to do with what goes into the body than what is layered on the skin. Research shows the following steps will have a significant impact on the health and appearance on your skin.
Hydrate. Getting enough water helps skin stay supple, and it aids in flushing out any toxins. Highly caffeinated beverages can act as diuretics, which detracts from the goal of hydration. Sugary drinks are harsh on skin cells. So for the goal of achieving healthier skin, waters and unsweetened herbal tea are the best options.
Eat Organically. The same harsh chemicals that are sprayed on foods to keep away pests and disease go into the bodies of the people who eat them. Scientists have documented more serious risks from these toxins, but one risk on the cosmetic side of the equation is the toll they can take on the skin. Consumers can avoid the impact of these chemicals by choosing organic options as much as possible.
Supplement. Research has shown that certain vitamins and nutrients can aid in the appearance and health of skin. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to get all the needed nutrients through diet alone. In particular, fat-soluble B vitamins have been shown to benefit skin and may be a beneficial supplement. The essential fatty acid omega 3 also offers skin cell benefits. Any antioxidants added to the diet through, food or supplement, help fight free radical damage to the skin. But the latest craze which seems to have a huge following is to get a hold of the best hydrolyzed collagen supplements you can find. There is increasing buzz that its’ great for the skin as well as your joints, muscles, hair and nails!
The creams, make-ups, and serums offered for skin have their benefits, but consumers cannot rely on them without focusing on what is the inside as well.
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In Media News…
Video Streaming May Replace Cable Sooner Than We Think
The way we view television may see a major overhaul in the coming years. Previously, either cable TV or broadcast TV were the only means of accessing high quality television programming. But, with the rapid emergence of online streaming and video services the cable TV industry might take a back seat to streaming sooner rather than later.
Streaming services have now become such a powerful emerging potent threat to cable, that television viewership statistics are already feeling the effect. Industry statistical data have shown that loyalists of cable television are increasingly turning to video streaming services to watch their favorite shows. In fact, many of these new favorite shows are offered exclusively on streaming services, think ‘House Of Cards’ and ‘Orange Is The New Black’ or ‘Bloodline’ on Netflix or the new ‘Sneaky Pete’ on Amazon Video.
Despite the expansive growth potential of streaming services, there are significant advantages to cable TV at this point in time. Cable and satellite TV services offer much more TV programming than streaming services. Additionally, one issue that has yet to be resolved is how to deliver traditional broadcast TV programming, such as local news, through a streaming service. This will be resolved at some point as various licensing issues are resolved.
However, the reasons why video streaming services are gaining popularity are clear. Internet growth coupled with the development of faster and faster internet speeds from all forms of internet content delivery, including satellite internet from companies like Exede satellite internet and HughesNet has made video streaming a breeze.
So, there are a number of factors suggesting video streaming services may deal another massive blow to cable television. The popularity of services such as Netflix and Amazon Video certainly is one indicator. Another is an evolving concept by video streaming powerhouse YouTube as the company works on a new project that is an online television subscription service called Unplugged that will reportedly offer consumers television channels to stream.
Rumors suggest Unplugged could launch sometime in 2017.
