What a difference a week can make.
Last week we were watching FBI Agent Peter Strzok get raked over the coals for his personal text messages to Lisa Page and accused of being part of some kind of Deep State partisan Witch Hunt to destroy the Donald Trump candidacy by doing something… somewhere… to harm his campaign. Rep. Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows were preparing papers to impeach Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein because he refused to hand over detailed information about a confidential FBI informant and other details of their ongoing investigation so that House GOP members can pick through them and leak them to Rudy Giuliani and the Trump defense team.
Now, after Trump himself has openly repeated this same sort of deluded conspiratorial bullfrack on the national stage with Vladamir Putin standing right at his shoulder the nation is shocked… SHOCKED I SAY… that Trump dared to repeat exactly what he’s been repeatedly tweeting for more than a year in real time, using his own voice and words.
With people watching.
It’s already so bad, just one day later that Democrats who wouldn’t even whisper the “I” word in hushed tones in the cloakroom have suddenly gone full-throated. Even establishment Democrats like Steny Hoyer:
The number two Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives argued on Tuesday that President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was “nothing short of treason.”
During a press briefing on Tuesday, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said that he agreed with former CIA Director John Brennan’s assertion that Trump committed treason by publicly siding with Putin over the U.S. intelligence committee’s assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
According to Fox News reporter Chad Pergram, Hoyer called impeachment a “distraction,” and he argued that the issue should be tabled until “we take control of the House back.”
I would say, let’s see what the makeup of the Senate is after November — because there’s no real reason to Impeach if you can’t also remove him from Office. But then again, considering the level of criticism of Trump’s summit coming even from establishment GOP members of the Senate: Never say Never.
Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff and other Democratic leaders have just openly accused Trump of “Treason" in a House press conference - so I think it’s all on now. [I’ll have more on this when video is available]
During this week besides having Peter Strzok grilled over hot coals, we’ve had Robert Mueller issue his stunning indictment of 12 members of Russian Military Intelligence for multiple hacks and attacks on our Democracy. And it goes deeper than just stealing emails, they also apparently gained access to DNC analytics which is essentially the campaign roadmap to the voters they think they need to win. If an opposition campaign has that, they have a roadmap to implement voter suppression and help themselves win the election as Rachel Maddow explained in detail this week.
The bottom line to all this is that we frankly shouldn’t be even slightly surprised by anything Trump said during his #SurrenderSummit yesterday. He’s been saying all of the exact same things on Twitter and even in persons for months. He has never admitted that Russia influence in the election was a real thing. Right after Mueller issued his latest indictment Trump called them “Stories”.
On Friday a federal grand jury said Russia’s military intelligence agency officers covertly monitored computers of Hillary Clinton’s campaign and Democratic campaign committees, and stole large amounts of data.
“The stories you heard about the 12 Russians yesterday took place during the Obama Administration, not the Trump Administrations,” Trump said on Twitter.
“Why didn’t they do something about it, especially when it was reported that President Obama was informed by the FBI in September, before the Election?”
“….Where is the DNC Server, and why didn’t the FBI take possession of it? Deep State?” Trump asked.
That was Trump on Saturday, why exactly would his attitude about it change dramatically on Monday? That same day Trump said that Jonathan Chait of New York Magazine suggested that Trump has been a Russian asset for the last 30 years since 1987, and he makes a compelling case.
It is often said that Donald Trump has had the same nationalistic, zero-sum worldview forever. But that isn’t exactly true. Yes, his racism and mendacity have been evident since his youth, but those who have traced the evolution of his hypernationalism all settle on one year in particular: 1987. Trump “came onto the political stage in 1987 with a full-page ad in the New York Times attacking the Japanese for relying on the United States to defend it militarily,” reported Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “The president has believed for 30 years that these alliance commitments are a drain on our finite national treasure,” a White House official told the Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin. Tom Wright, another scholar who has delved into Trump’s history, reached the same conclusion. “1987 is Trump’s breakout year. There are only a couple of examples of him commenting on world politics before then.”
What changed that year? One possible explanation is that Trump published The Art of the Deal, which sped up his transformation from an aggressive, publicity-seeking New York developer to a national symbol of capitalism. But the timing for this account does not line up perfectly — the book came out on November 1, and Trump had begun opining loudly on trade and international politics two months earlier. The other important event from that year is that Trump visited Moscow.
During the Soviet era, Russian intelligence cast a wide net to gain leverage over influential figures abroad. (The practice continues to this day.) The Russians would lure or entrap not only prominent politicians and cultural leaders, but also people whom they saw as having the potential for gaining prominence in the future. In 1986, Soviet ambassador Yuri Dubinin met Trump in New York, flattered him with praise for his building exploits, and invited him to discuss a building in Moscow. Trump visited Moscow in July 1987. He stayed at the National Hotel, in the Lenin Suite, which certainly would have been bugged. There is not much else in the public record to describe his visit, except Trump’s own recollection in The Art of the Deal that Soviet officials were eager for him to build a hotel there. (It never happened.)
Trump returned from Moscow fired up with political ambition. He began the first of a long series of presidential flirtations, which included a flashy trip to New Hampshire. Two months after his Moscow visit, Trump spent almost $100,000 on a series of full-page newspaper ads that published a political manifesto. “An open letter from Donald J. Trump on why America should stop paying to defend countries that can afford to defend themselves,” as Trump labeled it, launched angry populist charges against the allies that benefited from the umbrella of American military protection. “Why are these nations not paying the United States for the human lives and billions of dollars we are losing to protect their interests?”
Trump’s pro-Russia anti-NATO perspectives are not new, he’s had them for at least as long a period as Chait suggests. The year after his trip to Moscow in 1988 then U.S. Attorney Rudy Giuliani investigated Donald Trump for money-laundering after he was linked to being involved by mortgage broker Frank LaMagra, but Donald was dropped from the case right after promised to raise $2 Million for Rudy Giuliani if he ran for NYC Major. He ran and lost in 1989 & 1993 before winning in 1997.
LaMagra got no deal and was convicted, as was his mob associate, Louis (Louie HaHa) Attanasio, who was later also nailed for seven underworld murders. Robert Hopkins was convicted of running his gambling operation partly out of the Trump Tower apartment he had been sold by LaMagra, where he was arrested. FBI Agent Tony Lombardi closed the Trump investigation without giving it a case number, so it was never visible to the NJ Gambling authority.
A few years later when his Casino businesses — which he wouldn’t have been able to open if not for the intervention of Lombardi — began to fail, Russians came to the rescue with cash and gifts. During the 90’s he pocketed at least $98 Million in cash payments from dozens of Russian oligarchs purchasing property from him.
“I can tell you, speaking for myself, I own nothing in Russia,” President Trump said at a news conference last month. “I have no loans in Russia. I don’t have any deals in Russia.”
But in the United States, members of the Russian elite have invested in Trump buildings. A Reuters review has found that at least 63 individuals with Russian passports or addresses have bought at least $98.4 million worth of property in seven Trump-branded luxury towers in southern Florida, according to public documents, interviews and corporate records.
The buyers include politically connected businessmen, such as a former executive in a Moscow-based state-run construction firm that works on military and intelligence facilities, the founder of a St. Petersburg investment bank and the co-founder of a conglomerate with interests in banking, property and electronics.
People from the second and third tiers of Russian power have invested in the Trump buildings as well. One recently posted a photo of himself with the leader of a Russian motorcycle gang that was sanctioned by the United States for its alleged role in Moscow’s seizure of Crimea.
This occurred at a time when Trump’s Taj Mahal casino, which was a favorite gambling spot for Russian mobsters living in Brooklyn, was cited 106 times in 18 months for violating money laundering rules, particular failing to report when someone wins and withdraws more than $10,000.
Donald Trump has been trying to build a Trump Tower in Moscow since at least 2005 and had signed a letter of intent to do it again in 2016 during the campaign which Michael Cohen and Felix Sater were working on together with help from Ivanka Trump right up until the Republican Convention.
That’s on top of one Oligarch who spent over $95 Million on one mansion that Trump had bought for $45 Million just a two years previously.
In 2008, Dmitry Rybolovlev bought the Palm Beach mansion owned by Trump for $13 million more than the most expensive Palm Beach mansion sale up to that moment. It’s been almost a decade since the sale, but the transaction is newsworthy again as new questions surround contacts between members of Trump’s administration and Russian government officials.
Many of these transactions matched what the Treasury Dept often considers money laundering.
Buzzfeed’s Thomas Frank reports that over 1,300 real estate transactions involving Trump properties were purchased by shell companies in cash. They have the hallmarks of money-laundering as outlined by FinCen, all of which could have generated as much as $1.5 billion in profits for Trump Co. accounting for 21 percent of their U.S. property sales. Meanwhile, 77 percent of Trump Soho properties were bought by shell companies in cash.
In 2013 Russian mobsters renting property in Trump Tower just three floors below the penthouse suite were arrested for money laundering and running an illegal gambling ring at the end of a 2 year investigation. One of the attorney’s for the defendant in a related case is Denys Katsyv of the Prevezon Group is Natalia Veselnitskaya, and the prosecutor is Preet Bharara. Some of the stolen money is connected to Bill Browder’s investigation and the murder of Sergei Magnitski in Russia by Prosecutor General Yuri Chayka — who is a Putin devotee, and Veselnitskaya’s former boss.
So this goes back a long, long way and a long, long time. Trump is now exactly who he has been for decades — a Putin Oligarch.
We shouldn’t be surprised that he drops to a bended knee before Putin, he’s been doing that for years. He’s never going to contradict or betray his boss.
Specific daily details of events in this weekly update to the Trump Russia Corruption Timeline are as follows:
- July 12th —
- July 13th—
- ABC News reports that emails between Michael Cohen and Novartis CEO Joseph Jiminez show that Cohen’s various deals with Essential Consulting were attempts to sell access to Trump.
- Former FBI Agent Clint Watts explains that GOP Lawmakers have been turned into Russian pawns.
- LIsa Page is interviewed by House Judiciary behind closed doors.
- Video resurfaces of Kellyanne Conway calling Trump “vulgar” and “unpresidential” in 2016 before he hired her in the same way that Peter Strzok did.
- Trump says Theresa May’s Brexit plan kills hope of a U.S. Trade Deal, then he calls media who report that he said that “Fake News” even though it was on tape. Then he bashes both NBC and CNN as “Fake News” refusing to take their questions and instead answers a question from Fox. [That’s how tinpot dictators do it!.] He also says his friend Brexiter Boris Johnson would make a great Prime Minister, except that he just got sacked.
- WH orders that the entire House and Senate be given access to classified information on the FBI informant who had been in communication with George Papadopoulos and Carter Page at the start of the Russia investigation, which could compromise that person‘s safety.
- Trump has Tea with the Queen while ducking and dodging hundreds of thousands of protestors in main London who block him from accessing Downing Street and have the Baby Blimp flying over Parliament. “Why would I go there if I’m unwelcome?” [You aren’t really welcome here either, so why don’t you stay?]
- WaPo reports that the CIA will not grant Jared Kushner SCI clearance to review surveillance and Intel “sources and methods.” He still retains a TS (Top Secret) clearance though.
- Rod Rosenstein announces that the Mueller Grand Jury has issued 12 Indictments against members of Russian Military Intelligence (GRU) for Conspiracy and Computer Hacking of the DNC, DCCC and Clinton Campaign computers stealing their emails. State Secretaries of State and State Elections systems where they stole voter and election registration information then created DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0 to release and exploit the information they stole from DNC and other computer systems. Apprehension and prosecution of these cases will be handled by FBI and DOJ National Security Division, not the Special Counsel. Trump had been briefed on this indictment earlier in the week by Rosenstein. [Which should make his meeting with Putin in Helsinki very interesting, also I’m wondering how this affected the Lisa Page interview?]
- 2 of the Nunes Horsemen Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows are putting together Articles of Impeachment (Finally) for Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein (Oh brother!).
- The new Russian indictment indicates that within hours of Trump calling for Russia for “find Hillary’s missing emails” — they started spearfishing email servers linked to her campaign.
- Total indictment count so far: 8 Guilty Pleas (Flynn, Gates, Papadopoulos, Van Der Zwaan, Pinedo Jr, Fieldman, Baratov and Dokuchaev) out of 49 indictments between the U.S. (46) and Russia (3) which include a total of 6 Americans, 1 British Citizen (Van Der Zwaan who’s father in Law is Russian Oligarch German Khan), 1 Canadian Citizen (Baratov who was born in Russia), 38 Russians and 3 Russian companies.
- Michigan farmers lament Trump’s tariff war: “Our pleas are falling on deaf ears”
- Raw Story documents 7 Ways that Trump may still go down in flames without impeachment from the dud of his tax cuts, to trade wars, a failing Korean nuclear deal, his gutting entitlements and health care, the growing gender gap and his immigration disasters.
- WH responds to the new indictments of 12 Russian hackers by saying its vindication since no Americans were included as knowingly being involved. (Yet, but when Mueller does get to that he’ll have at least 7 — and counting — corroborating witnesses, 6 of whom have taken plea deals already.) Although the indictments do point out that several Americans linked to the Trump campaign (Roger Stone) one Company (Wikileaks) and even a Congressmen (Matt Gaetz? Paul Ryan?) were involved trying to take advantage of the hacks, just like Jeff Sessions did with Papadopoulos.
- Giuliani says these new indictments prove Trump is “totally innocent” [No, it doesn’t if he found out about the hack and Russian “dirt” from either Sessions, Papadopoulos, Don Jr. or Page — which he probably did — and then ordered his people to lie about it even to the FBI — which he probably did — because they’ve all been lying to everyone for almost 2 years now. He’s still lying about it.]
- Schumer says Trump shouldn’t meet with Putin considering the new Russian Hacker Indictments.
- John Podesta says “We just found some Witches” and now they’re indicted.
- British police discover a small bottle that they say was the source of the Novichock poisoning of 4 people, one of which was fatal.
- Brookings documents that the number of openly self-identifying Republicans — Is rapidly shrinking even as their support for Trump intensifies.
- Roger Stone admits — finally — to Chris Cuomo that it is his DM messages to Guccifer 2.0 that are quoted in the GRU hacker indictment.
- Trumpster Jason Miller tries to hand wipe away the impact of the GRU hacker indictments with the “but no Americans were implicated” Jedi Mind Trick and fails miserably.
- Sam Nunberg accuses Mueller of timing the GRU indictments to help Democrats impeach Trump. [No, listing Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator in their attack against America will lead to his Impeachment.]
- Meghan McCain has a meltdown after Republican Never-Trumper Tara Setmeyer calls Trump supporters “a cult”. “There’s a large group of people who blindly follow what this man says, that don’t think for themselves,” she said. “He can get away with saying things on tape and then calling it fake news! That is a cult!” McCain says “You’re painting everyone with a giant swathe that everybody’s been brainwashed, that we’re all in a cult… By not listening to the middle of the country, and not admitting that some people felt they had no choice, you're not reaching them.” [And she’s right, but those people can’t be reached anyway.]
- July 14th —
- Trump calls the GRU hacker indictments “stories”, then blames Obama for not switching a magic internet switch in September to stop them then (actually they did stop the attack immediately, but DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson was blocked from countering the attack on State Election systems by Republicans who said it was a “power grab”, and GOP Congressmen blocked a joint public warning about it all) then he again asks why the FBI didn’t just take the DNC Email Server even though they were still using it and it’s pretty clear from the indictment details, they didn’t need it to see who hacked what. Also his campaign was warned about Russian infiltration in August of 2016 and they did nothing about it, and they’ve done basically nothing to protect the nation from Russian attacks since then.
- Jonathan Chait at New York Magazine suggests that Trump has been a Russian asset for the last 30 years since 1987 when he first visited Moscow.
- Politico reports that WH staff are furious over the GRU indictments which came down just 3 days before Trump’s summit with Putin in Helsinki. “It’s a big FU from Mueller. It wasn’t an accident.” [Frankly, I think Mueller probably doesn’t care about the current WH schedule, this was gonna sting no matter what or when and the fact that they only care about how it impacts them politically speaks volumes.]
- Trump biographer David Cay Johnston says his criticism in England of Europe “losing their culture because of immigration” is “Flat out racist” and the he was doing Putin’s bidding with these insults. ‘If you needed a clear statement that Donald Trump’s campaign is really make America white again, and if you’re not white you better know your place, there it is,”
- House GOPers continue to push for Rosenstein to be impeached, fired or held in Contempt of Congress. If they succeed in removing him his position would be filed by Assistant AG for the Criminal Division Brian Benczkowski who was just confirmed last Wednesday and used to be the representative for Alfa Bank, which is operated by Russian Oligarch German Khan and whose son-in-law Alex Van Der Zwaan has been convicted by Mueller for perjury over Rick Gates being in communication with GRU asset Konstantin Kilimnick.
- U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw orders the government to stop charging migrant parents for the cost of travel and airfare to bring their separated children back to them.
- WSJ columnist Kimberly Strassel claims there’s a massive conspiracy in the FBI and DOJ involving Christopher Wray, Peter Strzok and something something.
- Sarah Huckabee-Sanders rage tweets about Jeff Tapper complaining that John Bolton was pulled from an appearance on CNN under WH orders — saying that it was because a CNN Reporter “Disrespected Trump” so they didn't want to “reward bad behavior” by CNN. [That “disrespect” was Jim Acosta trying to ask a question.]
- Judge Jeanine has a meltdown when Phillipe Reines a former Secret Service agent guest says the FBI and law enforcement was not “biased for Democrats”. “Oh my gosh! Philippe you are not saying that, are you?” Pirro said. “Let me tell you something: They are not an example of law enforcement!” And also that Russia swung the election for Trump.
- Rep. Adam Schiff suggests that Trump probably bought his Turnberry Golf Course in Scotland with money provided by Russia.
- July 15th
- July 16th —
- John Berman manages to get Rick Santorum to admit he was wrong to agree with Trump on blaming America for our poor relationship with Russia.
- On his way to his Helsinki Summit with Putin Trump tweets: “the U.S. relationship with the Kremlin has “NEVER been worse” thanks to his predecessors’ “stupidity” and the (Mueller) Russia probe.” [“Stupidity that has indicted 25 Russians and counting.] He also says Obama did “nothing about Russia meddling” because he thought Hillary would win.
- Gowdy is asked on Face the Nation about Rosenstein’s impending impeachment by Jordan and Meadows: “Impeach him for what? Trump could fire him in a tweet!”
- During a photo-op at the beginning of the Trump-Putin summit, Trump lists some items of discussion such as China and Nuclear proliferation but doesn't include election meddling.
- Germany’s Foreign minister responds to Trump’s “The EU is a foe” comment by saying that Germany can “no longer completely rely on the White House.” [Yeah, neither can we.]
- FEC filings show that Trump’s 2020 Re-Election campaign has spent $1.2 Million on legal fees including money given to Michael Cohen and spent on the Stormy Daniels suit. [Which should prove that the Daniels issue was always related to his election, and was an FEC violation from the beginning.]
- Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affair tweets “We Agree” with Trump about bad relations as a result of the Mueller probe. [Right, not because Russia tried to steal the election for Trump.]
- The Sunday London Times reports that neither Prince Charles or William wanted to meet Trump during his visit to Buckingham Palace.
- Sen Jeff Merkley suggests that the “Pee Tape” Kompromat is probably real.
- Rand Paul shrugs off Russian Election interference “We all do it.” [Like HELL we do.]
- Trump and Putin hold a press conference after their one-on-one meeting and things quickly go completely off the rails.
- Trump says it was a “very good start” but doesn’t really say what it is he’s starting.
- Writer-Activist Sam Husseini who had valid press credentials from The Nation is forcibly removed because he’s holding a sign that says “Nuclear Ban Treaty.”
- Putin again denies election interference and offers to allow Mueller’s investigator to watch the indicted Russians be interrogated by his people, but only if they fill out the proper paperwork [which they already have, and have been rejected] and in exchange for similar access to people Bill Browder and U.S. Intel that Russia has pending (and bogus) charges against.
- Trump says “we’re all to blame” for the decline in Russia-U.S. relations when asked about Russia’s invasion of Crimea and election attacks. [Nope, we ALL didn’t do that.] Then he goes on to blame the “stupidity” of the Mueller probe, just he did in his tweet earlier today, saying it's a “disaster for our country". He brags that he defeated Hillary Clinton in a “clean” battle [No, not really Mr. Pussy Grabber.]
- Putin says he doesn’t have any “dirt” on Trump and that he didn’t even know that he was in Moscow in 2013. [Which is a lie.]
- Asked if he believes his own Intel and Mueller or Putin about 2016 meddling Trump says basically he believes both, somehow, then goes on the trash the Mueller and Hillary Clinton email probes in a rant of conspiracy theories that he’s previously tweeted about her server, and a former Congressional IT guy, Imran Awan, who is a Pakistani National who pleaded guilty for bank fraud involving a personal home equity loan, but never had anything to do with the DNC servers because those aren't located at Congress. And also his indictment says this: "The Government has uncovered no evidence that your client violated federal law with respect to the House computer system." so what’s he got to do with anything?
- The Press Conference draws some immediate sharp criticism.
- Anderson Cooper says it’s one of most “disgraceful performances” by a President he’s ever seen. [And he’s not wrong...]
- Sen. Jeff Flake says Trump's performance was “shameful”.
- GOP Rep. Justin Amash "Something is not right here.” [No, kidding — ya think?]
- Former GOP Rep. Joe Walsh “I'll never support Trump again.”
- Former CIA Director Brennan calls for Kelly, Bolton and Pompeo to resign in protest: “Trump clearly fears Putin.”
- Senator Lindsey Graham weakly says it was a “missed opportunity.” [To what? Cup Putin’s balls a little harder?]
- Senator Ben Sasse: America is not to blame for Russia’s aggression.
- Fox’s Neal Cavuto says that it was “disgusting and wrong.” although he then says “Maybe it was Jet Lag.”
- Rep. Darryl Issa says it’s “Fair to cast doubt" on the Mueller probe because Peter Strzok. [Who hasn’t been part of the investigation for over a year.]
- Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper: “Very Disturbing.”
- Senator Orrin Hatch says he still trusts U.S. Intel services even after Trump leaves them hanging out to dry.
- Fox Host Abby Huntsman [whose father John Huntsman is current Ambassador to Russia] says “No negotiation is worth throwing your own country under the bus.” [Yeah, what most of us — plus 3 Million — said on November 2016!]
- Paul Ryan: Trump must appreciate that “Russia is not our ally.” [No, he doesn’t — not even a little because they are already HIS ally.]
- Senator Bob Corker : “Trump cares more about how foreign leaders treat him than defending the nation.” [Ah, yep.]
- Rep. Trey Gowdy says to Trump: “Recognizing Russian meddling won’t delegitimatize your election win” [Yeah, but Trump will never believe that, it’s all the same thing to him under that fuzzy hair tangle.]
- Rep. Liz Cheney [yes, THAT Liz Cheney]: ‘I am deeply troubled by President Trump’s defense of Putin’.
- Sen. John McCain calls the meeting and presser: “A Terrible Mistake.” [No, I’m pretty sure Trump planned this all along….]
- Trump’s current Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats: “We have been clear in findings of Russian Election Meddling.” [Sure, but Trump aint trying hear all that.]
- Former California Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger smokes ‘fan boy’ Trump for standing next to Putin like a ‘wet noodle’.
- Rand Paul gets trashed by Wolf Blitzer after he claims those who criticize his summit performance simply “Hate Trump.” Blitzer countered with: “It’s not a matter of hating President Trump,” Blitzer said. “It’s a matter of what he did today, what he said today. He met with a President Putin as you know more than two hours, unlike other presidents. Especially on foreign soil, he blamed the United States for the bad relationship with Russia. He declined to back his own intelligence community for its assessment. He declined to support the U.S.”
- MSNBC’S Nicole Wallace: All he had to do is not put on jammies and crawl into bed with Vladimir Putin — and he couldn’t even do that’.
- Ret. Major General Paul Eaton: Trump is “Unfit” to command.
- Bill Browder says Trump is like Neville Chamberlain.
- David Duke shows he’s still a Trump fan as he compares him to Jesus and trashes the media and Jews.
- Trump goes on the air with Hannity after the Summit where Sean admits that the 2016 Election was rigged, then abruptly shuts things down as his guests start criticizing the summit.
- Russian National and Lifetime NRA member Maria Butina is arrested and charged with conspiracy and espionage for her attempts to establish “back channel” communications with high-level members of the GOP in Congress under the direction of her boss, Russian gangster and government official Alexander Torshin.
- Judge Dana Sabraw orders a temporary halt [including a one week delay] to the deportation of migrant families who have been reunited by the Trump administration under his recent court order, in order to allow them to gather themselves before deciding to further pursue their asylum claims.
- Kos: The entire GOP are Traitors, It’s that simple.
- July 17th —
- During an interview with Fox News Putin claims that the hacks were a real problem because the information was true. “‘Was This Any False Information Planted? No’” [Actually yes, some of the emails and leaks were doctored and modified to create false negative narratives.’] Fox News Host Chris Wallace tries to hand Putin a copy of the Mueller indictments but he won't touch them.
- Putin later tells Russia State TV that Trump made a “very interesting” offer over Ukraine and that they discussed ways to get around current Russian sanctions. [Yeah, but of course they did.]
- More Putin Press Conference fall out.
- WaPo reports that “Trump went rogue” and ignored the advice of his National Security Team. [No actually, he’s always been rogue and he’s never listened to them.]
- WSJ Editorial board [which is again, owned by Rupert Murdock] trashes Trump for “Kowtowing to the Kremlin” for personal profit. “Donald Trump left for Europe a week ago with his reputation enhanced by a strong Supreme Court nomination. He returned Monday with that reputation diminished after a tumultuous week of indulging what amounts to the Trump First Doctrine,” it began.
- Rep. Steny Hoyer says Trump performance with Putin was “nothing short of Treason”, “Nevile Chamberlain moment” and that “Impeachment is on the table” when Dems take back the House. [Oh, Dayum!]
- WH suddenly summons Rod Rosenstein for a mysterious meeting. [Ruh roh!]
- Trump rants on Twitter that the “Fake news is going crazy” in response to this Putin Summit [I think actually he has that backwards.] “While I had a great meeting with NATO, raising vast amounts of money, I had an even better meeting with Vladimir Putin of Russia,” Trump wrote. “Sadly, it is not being reported that way – the Fake News is going Crazy!” [Stay in your bubble, that’s the perfect place for you Trumpy.]
- Once back in Washington Trump makes a statement claiming that when he said he could see why “Russia would" try to interfere with our elections, he now claims he meant to say he didn't see why they "wouldn't” attack our elections. [Uh, ok, but he also says that “others were involved” even though others were indicted for the hacks last week.]
- Former CiA Director Brennen says Intel agencies may be afraid to share information with Trump since he’s compromised by Putin.
- Fox and Friends Host Kilameads begs Trump to "tweet something out to distract" from the horrible Helsinki coverage. [So it’s the Squirrel! play is it?]
- Judge Jeanine defends Trump’s traitorous kowtowing : ‘What was he supposed to do, take a gun out and shoot Putin?’. [No, but not finishing his sentences for him and making apologies and excuses for his attackign America would be a good start.]
- Russian state TV boasts that Trump never mentioned Crimea in Helsinki.
- Former President Obama calls out Russia and the pollitics of fear and division. [See? That’s how it’s done!]
- Sickened Conservatives turn off the TV in reaction to Trump’s “Total Fucking Disgrace” of a performance in Helsinki.
- The UK reports that personal data from 87 Milion American voters which had been gathered by Cambridge Analytica was accessed remotely from Russia before the 2016 elections.