Remember Preet Bahara? He was the fiercely independent U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He was fired by Trump.
Remember the Russian lawyer who met with Don Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort (and others) at Trump Tower in June 2016. They said she promised dirt about Clinton but only talked about sanctions and Russian adoptions.
What do you think Preet Bahara and Natalia Vesilnitskaya have in common?
Read this and find out.
The entanglements grow stranger every day,
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Wow! Things just keep getting murkier!
Diane Nothing is surprising any more. This morning on MSNBC, they talked about the “Russian playbook” where that now-famous meeting was a “nothing burger” precisely because the Russians were “testing the waters” to be sure that the Trump people didn’t show up with the FBI to arrest the Russians. The meeting was to be sure that the Trump people were amenable to the Russian interference; and they were. In fact, they loved it.
Not strange. Perfectly logical and comprehensible if you follow the money. I suspect that the Trumps have been laundering money for Russians through real estate transactions for years.
Sereia If this plays out (pun intended), and the Russians have been “playing” Trump for years, then the irony is mud-thick–Trump the “player” is the biggest victim of dupery going, and the biggest “loser” of them all.
The evidence grows that Trump real estate was used by Russian mafia for money laundering. Will post more on that.
Dictators (& current US Dept of Ed)
surrounds self with loyalists starting with family;
fires anyone who 1) was previously employed and 2) honest with integrity;
deregulates obstacles (eg. tax cuts for billionaires … donors)
ignores Constitution, law, & legal process to achieve ends (like story above)
eliminates executive orders and ignores laws that are obstacles;
creates mistrust among followers of anyone or anything that tells the truth (free press); creates scapegoats;
threatens blackmail (and probably blackmails);
alienates allies, baits enemies
buys loyalty in legislature via campaign donations;
redraws boundaries to oppress opposition voting
has cronies buy up tv stations and print media; uses slogans (and tweets);
spews hate and blame among “base”
bullies, discredits, demeans opposition
holds rallies
un-intellectual and criticizes intellectuals
creates distraction by bringing back campaign promises that worked (the wall, immigration, repeal health care, create jobs)
self over all others (including loyalists)
it worked in the late ’30s
and this one has the launch codes with no checks and balances
I am an armchair fan of real estate. My grandfather owned a real estate company, and many of my family members have continued in this business. One of the main reasons Manhattan real estate prices has pushed many young people out of the market is due to real estate speculation from Russians and the Chinese. Many of these high priced apartments of $10 million plus dollars remain vacant. The history of NYC real estate has shown that Manhattan real estate tends to double every decade. Corrupt Russians can launder their cash, make a solid investment and get a green card. It is a trifecta win for them.
Many other countries have a protectionist policy regarding their real estate. They will not permit foreigners to purchase real estate in certain historic areas. In Mexico foreigners cannot buy beach front property. They can buy the building, but they have to lease the land. In America we are allowing the Russian mafia to launder their ill gotten gains here, and if they invest a large amount they can get a green card. Trump feels we should hunt down our unregistered landscapers and gardeners that are here to try to feed their families and escape violence at home. Frankly, we have a lot more to worry about from a bunch of Russian mobsters on the loose than people that pick our produce and mow our lawns.
I’m posting an article on the 18th about the chumminess between the Trump Organizarioj sbd the Russian mafia. Trump has laundered their money for many years
Looking forward to the article.
Will you also be passing along articles on how the banks have aided and abetted this self same money laundering? I hope so, because it’s not like Trump did this type of thing all on his lonesome.
Two points: first, the real estate industry as a whole successfully fought for money laundering exemptions, and is now suffering from their recent elimination, as sales to foreign entities have rapidly declined; second, it’s the banking industry that is charged with identifying and informing the government about suspected money laundering. None of this could happen without, at a minimum, the willful ignorance of other gatekeepers in the system.
While it’s to be assumed Trump has been a prime beneficiary of this legalized criminality, and has snuggled with some of those thick-necked billionaire types, framing it as something he alone has done is inaccurate, and ignores its systemic nature.
Most important, it’s a political dead end for those opposing the politics he represents.
Michael,
I am sure there are many unsavory people who have abetted criminal behavior. I am not sure where this “other people are even worse” argument takes you. It sounds like making excuses for Trump, after all, he is not the worst of his kind.
Horrendous legal crimes unearthed here, thank you for posting. The pits of official illegality have no bottom. This is why I proposed some weeks ago that government should be thought of as a form of organized crime which tilts and favors the most powerful in society, aka the biggest legal criminals. Foucault named this practice which has been underway for a long time, calling it “tolerated illegalities.” Both major parties are in on the scams, so the only way to cleanse society of the infection is to build power outside the leadership now in control. This helps explain why Trump’s slogan “Drain the swamp!” resonated so profoundly with his core constituents(about 35% of the electorate) as well as many others unable to make ends meet by lawful hard work.
ira shor Your post sent chills down my spine. Most notably when you write: “This is why I proposed some weeks ago that government should be thought of as a form of organized crime which tilts and favors the most powerful in society, aka the biggest legal criminals.”
Your view is like the statement: money is the root of all evil. No, it’s not. The LOVE of money is the root of all evil. Similarly, it’s not “the government” and especially not the U. S. Constitution that is “a form of organized crime.” It’s the abuse of those institutions and the abusers who are “the biggest legal criminals.” Government institutions can be and, in our case, are legitimate cornerstones of a civil society and of the concrete implementation of the common good. I hesitate to think what it be like if we had no government, and especially if we didn’t have the one we have. Your statement is, as it stands, a call to nihilism.
My only question to you is whether you are aware of it, or u if yohave been listening too long to Mr. Bannon?
Maybe we should change the Lazarus’ poem for our free market free for all age from “”Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” to ” Give me your wealthy, crooked and corrupt yearning for a money laundering service and a green card.”
Wait, Trump is Hitler, no?
Oh, that’s right, he’s Putin’s lap dog.
C’mon, I always knew he was in with the Russian mob!