Giuliani says Trump paid $130G to Cohen for 'expenses' over several months

[txradioguy]

In a wide-ranging interview on Fox News' "Hannity" on Wednesday night, Rudy Giuliani told host Sean Hannity that President Donald Trump reimbursed his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, $130,000 that Cohen paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

"That money was not campaign money," said Giuliani, a recent addition to Trump's legal team who is also a former mayor of New York City and Republican presidential candidate. "It's not campaign money. No campaign finance violation."

"They funneled the payment through [Cohen's] law firm," Hannity said.

"Funneled it through the law firm and the president repaid it," Giuliani said.

But Giuliani later clarified for Fox News that the money Trump paid to Cohen was for unspecified "expenses," and that the president was unaware that money would be going to Daniels.

Giuliani says Trump paid $130G to Cohen for 'expenses' over several months.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/03/giuliani-says-trump-paid-130g-to-cohen-for-expenses-over-several-months.html

[Mesaclone]

In a wide-ranging interview on Fox News' "Hannity" on Wednesday night, Rudy Giuliani told host Sean Hannity that President Donald Trump reimbursed his personal attorney, Michael Cohen, $130,000 that Cohen paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

"That money was not campaign money," said Giuliani, a recent addition to Trump's legal team who is also a former mayor of New York City and Republican presidential candidate. "It's not campaign money. No campaign finance violation."

"They funneled the payment through [Cohen's] law firm," Hannity said.

"Funneled it through the law firm and the president repaid it," Giuliani said.

But Giuliani later clarified for Fox News that the money Trump paid to Cohen was for unspecified "expenses," and that the president was unaware that money would be going to Daniels.

Giuliani says Trump paid $130G to Cohen for 'expenses' over several months.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/05/03/giuliani-says-trump-paid-130g-to-cohen-for-expenses-over-several-months.html

All I can say to this is...so what?

First, I believe everyone on earth knew Trump paid the 130G. Second, the man has a well earned reputation as a Lothario, something nobody really gives a hoot about other than to think "eeewwww". Third, and most importantly, he paid a porn star/stripper to keep quiet about a bogus allegation...or perhaps about a genuine liaison they had...something only the two of them will ever know to be true/false unless this was actually a threesome. For Trump, it had potential to be bad press so he paid her off.

Not seeing what the issue is here, or why anyone cares two hoots...there's zero allegation of anything other than consenting activity, nor is there any evidence whatsoever of any illegality. A big nothing burger, as they say. As compared to banging interns IN the oval office, lying in sexual harassment lawsuits (Clinton), and screwing Starlettes in the White House Swimming pool (Kennedy).

This is an issue because Trump is guilty of being a conservative President and a Republican.

[corbe]

Somewhat reminds me of Wilbur Mills and Fannie Fox.

[edpc]

All I can say to this is...so what?

First, I believe everyone on earth knew Trump paid the 130G. Second, the man has a well earned reputation as a Lothario, something nobody really gives a hoot about other than to think "eeewwww". Third, and most importantly, he paid a porn star/stripper to keep quiet about a bogus allegation...or perhaps about a genuine liaison they had...something only the two of them will ever know to be true/false unless this was actually a threesome. For Trump, it had potential to be bad press so he paid her off.

Not seeing what the issue is here, or why anyone cares two hoots...there's zero allegation of anything other than consenting activity, nor is there any evidence whatsoever of any illegality. A big nothing burger, as they say. As compared to banging interns IN the oval office, lying in sexual harassment lawsuits (Clinton), and screwing Starlettes in the White House Swimming pool (Kennedy).

This is an issue because Trump is guilty of being a conservative President and a Republican.

The issue is that Trump was in a position to be compromised and blackmailed and his mouth breather attorney that has said ‘he will always protect Mr. Trump’ did just that with hush money.  The whole idea behind the dossier was the existence of ‘kompromat’ that could be used against Trump.  Is the Moscow hotel tape real?  I doubt it.  Does other, real material exist?  Bet on it.

[Mesaclone]

The issue is that Trump was in a position to be compromised and blackmailed and his mouth breather attorney that has said ‘he will always protect Mr. Trump’ did just that with hush money.  The whole idea behind the dossier was the existence of ‘kompromat’ that could be used against Trump.  Is the Moscow hotel tape real?  I doubt it.  Does other, real material exist?  Bet on it.

So your argument is that any politician who'd previously had an affair can't serve in office...which eliminates about 95% of congress and politicians generally. So that's just idiotic. It would also eliminate many, if not most, of our previous presidents.

Second, we already KNOW the Moscow tape is not real as there is zero evidence of its reality.

Third, the entire dossier is fully exposed as a paid, partisan work of smear fiction...so that's a useless argument. The dossier wasn't based on "Kompromat", it was based on Hillary Clinton/Soros smear tactics based on...nothing. The dossier has the validity of a Soros political statement...zip.

Finally, suggesting "other"material exists...when we have absolutely no such evidence...is just old fashioned Dem smear-mongering.

The key point is that Trump has always been known...and is assumed by the public...to be a Playboy and philander. That character trait actually makes him uniquely immune to blackmail on that point. Positing that he could then be blackmailed by the Kremlin on those points is absurd...You might as well assert that Hillary is being blackmailed over being a secret Lesbian. Democratic dreams of unicorns are more likely to come true than anything in the "Dossier".

Nothing.
Burger.

No one cares that Trump slept with a Porn star in 2006. Nor that he paid her to keep quiet about it. All of that is legal AND unsurprising about him...on the contrary, its generally assumed behavior from him that nobody gave a hoot about in the 2016 election.

[txradioguy]

The so what is that Trump has denied that he knew anything about any payments to Ms Daniels.

Now his lawyer is on TV saying not only did he know...he repaid his lawyer for the money that was paid out.

[txradioguy]

All I can say to this is...so what

Not surprised one bit this was your answer.

[txradioguy]

Conspiracy theories that Rudy was a "deep state operative brought in to take Trump out" coming in 3...2...

[Jazzhead]

I think the point of Rudy's statement was to make clear that Trump paid off the prostitute's blackmail.   Not anyone else - which could be seen as an illegal campaign contribution given the timing of the payoff.   Yes, Cohen paid it but Trump reimbursed him.   

Mesaclone's right - no one should be surprised that Trump, a well-known playboy,  may have dallied with a prostitute.  It's embarrassing, but it happened years before he ran for office.  The whore, of course, sensed a payday and hired a sleazeball guido for her attorney and extorted the money.   And the guido has now appeared over 50 times on CNN in the past several months to keep pushing his slime and maintain CNN's reputation for journalistic excellence.

But if the rent-a-slut was paid off by Trump himself - "funneled" through his lawyer or otherwise - then this is nothing but a tawdry, embarrassing episode.  Not a violation of campaign financing laws. 

[catfish1957]

Conspiracy theories that Rudy was a "deep state operative brought in to take Trump out" coming in 3...2...

May be at the point that DJT has stated so many lies, he can't keep the story straight.

[GrouchoTex]

Does other, real material exist?  Bet on it.

@edpc

No one wants to hear the morality clause argument, but they are put in private contracts for a reason, aren't they?

Of course, public figures do not have to sign them, but we are supposed to be the "morality clause" with our votes and donations.

You keep on doin' what you're doin', you'll keep on gettin' what you're gettin'.

[corbe]

   Stormy was paid off 6 days before the election, had hellary got ahold of this he would have been burnt toast.

[Applewood]

@Mesaclone

So what?  Well, the "what" for me is that Trump lied about the payoff.  Trump is a liar.  Always has been and always will be. 

So your counterargument might be that all politicians lie.  But I was always told by Trump supporters that Trump is not a politician.  Guess that's a lie too. 

Maybe I'm naïve, but I have always expected my leaders to be better persons than I am.  I expect them to have character when it counts.  You might think this business of accusations from a porn star don't matter.  Well, it does matter to me.  If Trump lied about this matter, what other lies has he told? 

Trump supporters have indicated a willingness to overlook his bad behavior and his lies as long as he is producing results.  Well, I'd like to know just what results has he produced.  We still have Obamacare, tax reform was a mere tweak, illegals are flooding this country, his supposedly conservative SCOTUS nominee isn't so conservative after all and he signed a spending spree bill to put this country even further into debt.  Are those the results you were looking for?  They aren't mine. 

I don't know what it will take for Trump supporters to stop defending him and realize they have been bamboozled by a con artist.  It's not a terrible thing to admit you backed the wrong horse.  I've done that many times in my life.  Only means we are human.  We make mistakes in trusting the wrong people.  Or maybe this is what Trump supporters want.  They want a lying con artist.  These are usually the same people who didn't like Obama because, among other things, he too was a lying con artist.  But I guess for many of them, they don't care if Trump does the same things because Trump is "their" lying con artist. 

[edpc]

So your argument is that any politician who'd previously had an affair can't serve in office...which eliminates about 95% of congress and politicians generally. So that's just idiotic. It would also eliminate many, if not most, of our previous presidents.

Second, we already KNOW the Moscow tape is not real as there is zero evidence of its reality.

Third, the entire dossier is fully exposed as a paid, partisan work of smear fiction...so that's a useless argument. The dossier wasn't based on "Kompromat", it was based on Hillary Clinton/Soros smear tactics based on...nothing. The dossier has the validity of a Soros political statement...zip.

Finally, suggesting "other"material exists...when we have absolutely no such evidence...is just old fashioned Dem smear-mongering.

The key point is that Trump has always been known...and is assumed by the public...to be a Playboy and philander. That character trait actually makes him uniquely immune to blackmail on that point. Positing that he could then be blackmailed by the Kremlin on those points is absurd...You might as well assert that Hillary is being blackmailed over being a secret Lesbian. Democratic dreams of unicorns are more likely to come true than anything in the "Dossier".

Nothing.
Burger.

No one cares that Trump slept with a Porn star in 2006. Nor that he paid her to keep quiet about it. All of that is legal AND unsurprising about him...on the contrary, its generally assumed behavior from him that nobody gave a hoot about in the 2016 election.

If you think it’s just a Republican thing, you might want to ask Gary Hart, John Edwards, Jim McGreevey, or Megan Barry about what effects affairs have on political careers.  There is other information out there - see Karen McDougal.  She’s not the last of it and likely includes info on business deals and NYC political graft, as well.  None of his international projects are in well known, popular destinations like England, France, Italy, Germany, etc.  They’re in lousy places rife with corruption like Mexico, Panama, India, Philippines, and Azerbaijan. Cohen’s sole purpose for a decade - protect Trump and remove obstacles.  He’s Trump’s Anthony Pelicano.  I can only imagine what information is in those seized files.

If there wasn’t anything to the Daniels story, they would have ignored her like the multiple accusers in the campaign. 

[edpc]

I think the point of Rudy's statement was to make clear that Trump paid off the prostitute's blackmail.   Not anyone else - which could be seen as an illegal campaign contribution given the timing of the payoff.   Yes, Cohen paid it but Trump reimbursed him.   

Mesaclone's right - no one should be surprised that Trump, a well-known playboy,  may have dallied with a prostitute.  It's embarrassing, but it happened years before he ran for office.  The whore, of course, sensed a payday and hired a sleazeball guido for her attorney and extorted the money.   And the guido has now appeared over 50 times on CNN in the past several months to keep pushing his slime and maintain CNN's reputation for journalistic excellence.

But if the rent-a-slut was paid off by Trump himself - "funneled" through his lawyer or otherwise - then this is nothing but a tawdry, embarrassing episode.  Not a violation of campaign financing laws.

At this, or any other point in time, who would you rather have as your attorney - Cohen or Avenatti?

[Formerly Once-Ler]

The so what is that Trump has denied that he knew anything about any payments to Ms Daniels.

Now his lawyer is on TV saying not only did he know...he repaid his lawyer for the money that was paid out.

Giuliani later clarified for Fox News that the money Trump paid to Cohen was for unspecified "expenses," and that the president was unaware that money would be going to Daniels.

I'm worried by the President's insistence that he didn't know what his lawyer was doing, and he still insists he paid Stormy off to stop her from fabricating an affair story.  The GOP doesn't care about the affair or pay off, and they don't believe President Trump is telling the truth.  Why does the President bother defending it tweet after tweet when it convinces nobody. 

President Clinton got up once to make his big lie "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."  President Trump tweets lie, after intelligence insulting lie, in a steady stream to me.  It is one of many reasons I hold him in contempt.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

That character trait actually makes him uniquely immune to blackmail on that point.

Yes.  President Trump's super power is he doesn't give a crap what anybody else thinks.

[driftdiver]

I'm worried by the President's insistence that he didn't know what his lawyer was doing, and he still insists he paid Stormy off to stop her from fabricating an affair story.  The GOP doesn't care about the affair or pay off, and they don't believe President Trump is telling the truth.  Why does the President bother defending it tweet after tweet when it convinces nobody. 

President Clinton got up once to make his big lie "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."  President Trump tweets lie, after intelligence insulting lie, in a steady stream to me.  It is one of many reasons I hold him in contempt.

@Once-Ler
One reason you pay a lawyer is so you don't know.   He probably said "take care of it" and the lawyer did and sent him a bill.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

@Once-Ler
One reason you pay a lawyer is so you don't know.   He probably said "take care of it" and the lawyer did and sent him a bill.

@driftdiver
Cohen :  I need $130,000 but I can't tell you why.
Trump : Take care of it.

that doesn't sound remotely plausible either.

[driftdiver]

@driftdiver
Cohen :  I need $130,000 but I can't tell you why.
Trump : Take care of it.

that doesn't sound remotely plausible either.

@Once-Ler
Maybe not for you an me but for someone who has a networth in the millions (maybe higher) its not so far fetched. 

[edpc]

Weird.  The few times I’ve consulted an attorney, it was specifically because I wanted to know what something meant or how the situation would effect me.  I suppose it’s a good thing I’m a thousandaire recluse who fears what could happen if I had unprotected sex with a porn star.

[Mesaclone]

Actually, I'd imagine he took great pains NOT to know what the money was for...that's the whole point of the agreement he had with the lawyer. You pay a lot of money NOT to know and to let the attorney handle it. Nothing illegal about that, it actually keeps him from having to lie about it, and the whole event tells us and the public nothing new about President Trump. Clearly, he won't be elected to the position of Church Lady. As President, he's good to go...because nothing in this was not already assumed about Donald Trump the man. More importantly, none of this has anything to do with his service as President...nor does paying off an old liaison to keep quiet alter the view held by his supporters or by the Independents who voted for Trump to be President.

I realize those who hate him will grab at any straw, but this dog just don't hunt.

And yes, I love mixing non-sensical platitudes to accentuate non-sensical arguments put forward by non-sensical haters of the President. Its kind of a hobby.

[Applewood]

@Once-Ler
One reason you pay a lawyer is so you don't know.   He probably said "take care of it" and the lawyer did and sent him a bill.

Where I come from, reputable attorneys specify the services rendered in their bills. 
 
Do Trump supporters think it's a coincidence that the $130,000 charge on the attorney's bill is the exact amount the attorney paid in hush money?

[Mesaclone]

Where I come from, reputable attorneys specify the services rendered in their bills. 
 
Do Trump supporters think it's a coincidence that the $130,000 charge on the attorney's bill is the exact amount the attorney paid in hush money?

Who thinks its a coincidence? Its a deliberate effort to have a lawyer handle the riff-raff without the client being directly involved. You pay the money so as NOT to know what its for...not uncommon amongst wealthy and celebrity clients as the President has pointed out.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

@Once-Ler
Maybe not for you an me but for someone who has a networth in the millions (maybe higher) its not so far fetched.

@driftdiver
Then it looks like President Trump has convinced the 1% with his story.  Maybe it will convince Mueller.