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This Pay-to-Play scandal has the potential to cut across party lines. Undercutting Trump’s robotic support — aka his Base.
Or so concludes this analysis from Time.com …
Michael Cohen’s ‘Essential Consultants’ Business Is a Big Problem for Donald Trump
by Brian Bennett and Haley Sweetland Edwards, Time.com — May 10, 2018
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In the perverse pay-to-play world that Washington has become, it’s not clear that any of the Essential Consultants transactions were illegal. It’s common for powerful corporations to hire Washington insiders to influence government decisions: Fortune 500 companies spend hundreds of millions of dollars each year on efforts to revise pending rules or regulations, halt or shape new legislation, and otherwise sway lawmakers to serve their interests. Nor do the documents make clear whether Cohen, who is reportedly under federal investigation for possible bank fraud and violation of election laws, was simply enriching himself without Trump’s knowledge. Cohen reportedly used the company to pay for his own luxury expenses, like a Mercedes-Benz and private club dues. Cohen did not respond to TIME’s requests for comment, but on May 9 his attorney filed court papers challenging portions of Avenatti’s account.
But in the larger sense, the payments to and from the President’s personal lawyer may well be damaging to Trump on a number of fronts. They validate the continuing Justice Department probe and raise a host of questions that any prosecutor in the nation would feel compelled to answer: Was Trump aware of payments made on his behalf? Did he know where the money came from? Did he do anything in return, either in a personal or an official capacity?
Moreover, the revelations underscore Trump’s disregard for presidential ethics, despite his campaign pledge to drain the swamp. They threaten to erode Trump’s grip on supporters who don’t much care about Russia but may have less patience for influence peddling.
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First Rudy Giuliani claimed Dishonest Donald paid Cohen back for the Stormy Daniels hush-payment, to the very same account Cohen was shaking down businesses to. They really got out in front of that ‘Cohen Slush Fund’ story didn’t they?
Now Rudy is throwing Cohen under the “bank fraud” Bus — claiming that the Teflon Don had “nothing to do with” that Slush Fund account (Essential Consultants).
Which is it — Trump knew about the secret Fund, or Trump didn’t know?
Rudy Giuliani says Michael Cohen's issues have nothing to do with Donald Trump
by David Jackson, USA TODAY — May 11, 2018
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday that his client is not affected by investigations into payments to longtime Trump lawyer Michael Cohen from several American companies and a firm tied to a Russian oligarch.
"I don't see it," Giuliani told USA TODAY. "This has nothing to do with us."
[...]
Giuliani also scoffed at a suggestion made by Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti that Russian money went to the adult film star to keep her quiet about an alleged affair with Trump.
"I don't see how that could be the case," Giuliani said, noting that the entity cited by Avenatti is "not Russian; it's an American company."
I don’t think Rudy helped their case much — by “excusing” that Columbus Nova half-million dollar ‘tribute’ — as being All-American graft. I thought Trump didn’t know about it?
Did the clueless Con even “know” he was cheating on his wife? Which one? Which time? Yes, Donald it’s still cheating, even if you don’t get caught.
Just like Conspiracy. Just like Obstruction. Just like Cheating to Win — at any and all costs.
Just like making sure your “loyal” followers — get their well-deserved “rewards”.
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