Prosecutors probing potential links between Trump Organization executives and hush-money payments: r

[mystery-ak]

Prosecutors probing potential links between Trump Organization executives and hush-money payments: report
By Emily Birnbaum - 12/09/18 08:28 PM EST

Federal prosecutors are reportedly continuing to probe potential links between Trump Organization executives and the two hush-money payments that President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen says the then-candidate helped coordinated.

The prosecutors have requested documents and other materials from the Trump Organization in recent weeks, The New York Times reported on Sunday. They are trying to identify if other organization officials helped pay off two women to keep quiet about alleged affairs with Trump, the Times reported. 

 

In a sentencing memo released on Friday, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York said for the first time that Cohen acted “in coordination with and at the direction” of Trump when he organized payments to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, women who claimed that they had affairs with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the alleged affairs.

Cohen has told prosecutors that other Trump Organization executives were involved in the hush-money payments, including the chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, the Times reported.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/420497-prosecutors-probing-potential-links-between-trump-organization

[Victoria33]

@mystery-ak
@Oceander

"Cohen has told prosecutors that other Trump Organization executives were involved in the hush-money payments, including the chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, the Times reported."

Perhaps these "other executives" are the back-up witnesses for these pay-offs.
After reading another thread info. here and more info. on a news website, it appears Trump may be charged with a crime by the US Federal Southern District of New York.  That is where Cohen is charged so Trump will be charged there, if anywhere at all.   

According to what I read, the info. could be given to congress for them to decide what to do with the material, impeach, or not.  Other than that, a few criminal attorneys think he would have to stand trial now, some say after he is no longer president.  It appears that situation would go to the supreme court to determine the next action.

Mueller is not finished and no one knows who will be named as breaking the law in his final report - maybe those charged are already charged, no more to be charged.  He has stayed silent, absolutely super to keep his investigation quiet.  It is people on the TV/internet who are going crazy with charging people of crimes.

What does the above mean?  Nothing.  It is supposition, as we don't yet know what Mueller knows.  He will make a report - wait for it.

[libertybele]

@mystery-ak
@Oceander

"Cohen has told prosecutors that other Trump Organization executives were involved in the hush-money payments, including the chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, the Times reported."

Perhaps these "other executives" are the back-up witnesses for these pay-offs.
After reading another thread info. here and more info. on a news website, it appears Trump may be charged with a crime by the US Federal Southern District of New York.  That is where Cohen is charged so Trump will be charged there, if anywhere at all.   

According to what I read, the info. could be given to congress for them to decide what to do with the material, impeach, or not.  Other than that, a few criminal attorneys think he would have to stand trial now, some say after he is no longer president.  It appears that situation would go to the supreme court to determine the next action.

Mueller is not finished and no one knows who will be named as breaking the law in his final report - maybe those charged are already charged, no more to be charged.  He has stayed silent, absolutely super to keep his investigation quiet.  It is people on the TV/internet who are going crazy with charging people of crimes.

What does the above mean?  Nothing.  It is supposition, as we don't yet know what Mueller knows.  He will make a report - wait for it.

Well, to me it seems that Mueller holds all the cards and I think Trump was a fool to not fire him.  Mueller has a past history of being less than honest and ethical.

So ... can we believe anything that Cohen is saying?  Did Mueller or did he not 'bribe' him so that the outcome is what Mueller and Rosenstein (a la Clinton and the left) want?  I believe it is very doubtful and improbable that Mueller conducted a legitimate, honest investigation.

We have a corrupt DOJ. Sessions had the ability to ensure a competent and trustworthy DOJ and he FAILED.  No one who is authority right now, can assure the American public that there is absolute integrity within the DOJ.

Rumor has it that Trump has enough dirt on Mueller to take him down...but WHO is going to take Muller down??  Certainly not his boss Rosenstein. 

[Oceander]

The will to disbelieve is strong among the trumpaloos.

[Wingnut]

The will to disbelieve is strong among the trumpaloos.

What is a "trumpaloo"

[Right_in_Virginia]

Just as a side note, this pleases me:

Prosecutors Recommend Several Years in Prison for Michael Cohen
Real Clear Politics, Dec 8, 2018

[...]

In a court filing ahead of Cohen’s sentencing next week, they assailed him as a greedy opportunist who rode Trump’s coattails to wealth and is now exaggerating his level of cooperation with investigators.


More:  https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/12/08/prosecutors_recommend_several_years_in_prison_for_michael_cohen_138873.html

[Oceander]

Just as a side note, this pleases me:

Agreed.  It does indicate that Cohen isn’t a particularly grave threat; if he were, they’d be playing nicer with him than they are.

[edpc]

Just as a side note, this pleases me:

Hilarious, considering you needed Xanax the day his office was raided.

[Chosen Daughter]

  

[mountaineer]

Speaking of hush money:

Jennifer
🔱
🇺🇸
🔱
‏ @Jenn198523
5h5 hours ago

BREAKING: According to congressional sources Adam Schiff used tax payer money to reach a sexual harassment settlement w/ a 19 year old male in 2013.

Congress has a $17 million  'hush fund' & Dems refuse to release names of Congressmen.

Story developing
https://www-m.cnn.com/2017/11/16/politics/settlements-congress-sexual-harassment/index.html?r=https%3A%2F%2Famp.cnn.com%2Fcnn%2F2017%2F11%2F16%2Fpolitics%2Fsettlements-congress-sexual-harassment%2Findex.html%3F__twitter_impression%3Dtrue …

[Wingnut]

So the little Schiff is a chicken hawk!   Well blow me down.

[edpc]

Speaking of hush money:

I guess someone figured they had to outdo the phony Soros in law meme.

[massadvj]

Cohen pled guilty to a "crime" that probably wasn't actually a crime.  Now Mueller and the media are claiming Trump must be guilty of a crime BECAUSE Cohen pled guilty to it.  Thing is, paying off people to keep silent about affairs is not a crime unless it can be construed as a campaign contribution.  Trump had lots of reasons to want to pay these girls off, beyond the effect it might have on his campaign.  Plus, he did not use campaign funds. 

If this is all Mueller has, then Trump will skate.

[edpc]

Cohen pled guilty to a "crime" that probably wasn't actually a crime.  Now Mueller and the media are claiming Trump must be guilty of a crime BECAUSE Cohen pled guilty to it.  Thing is, paying off people to keep silent about affairs is not a crime unless it can be construed as a campaign contribution.  Trump had lots of reasons to want to pay these girls off, beyond the effect it might have on his campaign.  Plus, he did not use campaign funds. 

If this is all Mueller has, then Trump will skate.

This lays out why it likely was illegal. Plus, the SDNY, not Mueller, is handling this particular issue. They’re not relying strictly on Cohen. That’s why they interviewed and offered immunity to Allen Weisselberg and David Pecker.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/2018/08/22/analysis-why-was-the-cohen-payment-to-stormy-daniels-a-crime-at-all

[Emjay]

@mystery-ak
@Oceander

"Cohen has told prosecutors that other Trump Organization executives were involved in the hush-money payments, including the chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, the Times reported."

Perhaps these "other executives" are the back-up witnesses for these pay-offs.
After reading another thread info. here and more info. on a news website, it appears Trump may be charged with a crime by the US Federal Southern District of New York.  That is where Cohen is charged so Trump will be charged there, if anywhere at all.   

According to what I read, the info. could be given to congress for them to decide what to do with the material, impeach, or not.  Other than that, a few criminal attorneys think he would have to stand trial now, some say after he is no longer president.  It appears that situation would go to the supreme court to determine the next action.

Mueller is not finished and no one knows who will be named as breaking the law in his final report - maybe those charged are already charged, no more to be charged.  He has stayed silent, absolutely super to keep his investigation quiet.  It is people on the TV/internet who are going crazy with charging people of crimes.

What does the above mean?  Nothing.  It is supposition, as we don't yet know what Mueller knows.  He will make a report - wait for it.

Some of us are holding our breath for nothing.  There is no crime here.  If Trump paid these women to get rid of them, it was exactly what they were looking for.  Unless they thought Trump was really, really cute, they made advances to him because he is rich.  They didn't expect to come out of the thing with nothing.  At least Trump didn't rape anyone.  So many dems are culpable.

[mountaineer]

So the little Schiff is a chicken hawk!   Well blow me down.

Yeah, I can't wait to see some confirmation of this one. 

[edpc]

Some of us are holding our breath for nothing.  There is no crime here.  If Trump paid these women to get rid of them, it was exactly what they were looking for.  Unless they thought Trump was really, really cute, they made advances to him because he is rich.  They didn't expect to come out of the thing with nothing.  At least Trump didn't rape anyone.  So many dems are culpable.

There are so many reasons why you’re wrong. The article a few posts above explains the legal issues with the payment. Also, he avoided paying them for a decade, so there is a fairly obvious motive with the timing. The entire affair was handled poorly by incompetent people, at Trump’s direction. Cohen’s lawyers, Guy Petrillo, was chief of criminal investigation at SDNY, not long ago. He knows the people, how they operate, and what they have. If he thought he could have beaten the charges, he would have given different legal advice.

[mountaineer]

Should any of the women be prosecuted for extortion and blackmail?

[Emjay]

So the little Schiff is a chicken hawk!   Well blow me down.

You know what they say ... it's okay unless you're caught with a dead girl or a live boy ... Looks like Schiff may have one of two.

[Emjay]

Should any of the women be prosecuted for extortion and blackmail?

The democrats will do anything to trash Trump, but I think they're making a big mistake here..

The democrats have so much in their closets and they are just begging for a tit for tat so what is the point in embroiling the government in this tawdry mess that involves no criminal action by Trump?

Unless they want to interrupt his agenda.

[Emjay]

There are so many reasons why you’re wrong. The article a few posts above explains the legal issues with the payment. Also, he avoided paying them for a decade, so there is a fairly obvious motive with the timing. The entire affair was handled poorly by incompetent people, at Trump’s direction. Cohen’s lawyers, Guy Petrillo, was chief of criminal investigation at SDNY, not long ago. He knows the people, how they operate, and what they have. If he thought he could have beaten the charges, he would have given different legal advice.

What is the crime, Ed?  Paying a prostitute?  I don't believe there is much appetite for charging Johns with crimes ... not enough room in the jails.  Whatever Trump did or did not pay, he did not use government funds.

[edpc]

Unless they want to interrupt his agenda.

The best way to do that is by handing the majority back over to Republicans.

[edpc]

What is the crime, Ed?  Paying a prostitute?  I don't believe there is much appetite for charging Johns with crimes ... not enough room in the jails.  Whatever Trump did or did not pay, he did not use government funds.

There’s a nice, little, clickable link in reply 13 that will explain it for you. It’s called intellectual curiosity, MJ. Take it out of the closet, try it on, and see how it fits.

[Emjay]

There’s a nice, little, clickable link in reply 13 that will explain it for you. It’s called intellectual curiosity, MJ. Take it out of the closet, try it on, and see how it fits.

I think we all know that Trump was susceptible to the charms of women.  And we also know that a certain class of women headed for him like a laser because they expected or hoped for a pay-off.

Not much 'intellectual curiosity there, Ed.  But most people do not think that Trump attacked or abused any women.  He did not have to.

So, while this may not be the finest hour in Trump's presidency, it is not a crime by any intellectual standards.

So, go ahead and enjoy this, Ed.  It will amount to nothing except interrupt the Republican agenda, which was just starting to come around to supporting Trump.

[edpc]

I think we all know that Trump was susceptible to the charms of women.  And we also know that a certain class of women headed for him like a laser because they expected or hoped for a pay-off.

Not much 'intellectual curiosity there, Ed.  But most people do not think that Trump attacked or abused any women.  He did not have to.

So, while this may not be the finest hour in Trump's presidency, it is not a crime by any intellectual standards.

So, go ahead and enjoy this, Ed.  It will amount to nothing except interrupt the Republican agenda, which was just starting to come around to supporting Trump.

The curiosity to which I referred was actually reading the article that explains why the payments are problematic. Try it. As far as ‘female charms’ go, it was Trump who sought them out and had Schiller deliver them, like a pimp. Strange how the republicans ‘came around’ when they knew they’d lose control of the House, isn’t it? Seems a lot like the days when they passed a clean repeal of Obamacare, knowing it would be vetoed and had no chance of being overridden.