Giuliani: Trump reimbursed Cohen for $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels

[XenaLee]

It is possibly blackmail/extortion and we don't want a President that responds positively to blackmail or extortion.

And again... I posit that most, if not every, congress critter probably has similar things in their past that could be used as blackmail or extortion.  And usually....or most of the time.... presidential candidates come from DC (vs. New York).

I'm just saying... that to make this the "big deal" the left is trying to make it is, in my estimation, an epic FAIL.

[mystery-ak]

Stormy Daniels lawyer on Giuliani’s comments: ‘I am absolutely speechless’
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/385976-stormy-daniels-lawyer-on-giulianis-comments-i-am-absolutely

excerpt:
"I have to tell you, I am rarely, as your viewers know, rendered speechless," Daniels's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell. "But I am absolutely speechless at this revelation and this admission."

Avenatti's comments came shortly after Rudolph Giuliani, one of Trump's lawyers, revealed in a Fox News interview that the president reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000 payment to Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement.

That revelation directly contradicted Trump's and the White House's claims that he knew nothing of the payment, which Cohen has acknowledged making.

[mystery-ak]

I don't expect Rudy will be with Trump's legal team much longer...

[edpc]

I don't expect Rudy will be with Trump's legal team much longer...

He's going to take a pre-planned vacation.  Naturally, the story will be that he was just doing temporary consulting work on a potential Mueller interview and that portion is done.

[XenaLee]

Stormy Daniels lawyer on Giuliani’s comments: ‘I am absolutely speechless’
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/385976-stormy-daniels-lawyer-on-giulianis-comments-i-am-absolutely

excerpt:
"I have to tell you, I am rarely, as your viewers know, rendered speechless," Daniels's lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell. "But I am absolutely speechless at this revelation and this admission."

Avenatti's comments came shortly after Rudolph Giuliani, one of Trump's lawyers, revealed in a Fox News interview that the president reimbursed Cohen for the $130,000 payment to Daniels as part of a nondisclosure agreement.

That revelation directly contradicted Trump's and the White House's claims that he knew nothing of the payment, which Cohen has acknowledged making.

Well perhaps hiring Rudy was yet another yuge mistake on Trump's part.  Rudy may be the fly in the ointment here.  Not....looking.... good.  It's also keeping the non-issue on the front page re: "salacious news".   Kind of stupid, IOW.

[mystery-ak]

Ex-White House ethics chief: Trump just admitted filing false financial disclosure
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/385994-ex-white-house-ethics-chief-trump-just-admitted-filing-a-false

[Sanguine]

Rudy was asked, "And Trump didn't know it?"  Rudy paused, his eyes went up, said, Ahh - he knew part but not the details.  When a person makes up a lie, their eyes go up.  Rudy didn't do Trump any good with what he said.

He also said Trump gave Cohen a retainer of $35,000, and Cohen did no work so that is how Trump re-paid him, by giving him retainers and no work.

It actually depends on which direction they look up.  If they are right handed and look to the left, they are actually accessing memories.  If they look to the right (left side of the brain) they are quite likely lying. 

[Sanguine]

Ex-White House ethics chief: Trump just admitted filing false financial disclosure
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/385994-ex-white-house-ethics-chief-trump-just-admitted-filing-a-false

The former director of the Office of Government Ethics on Thursday said that revelations that President Trump reimbursed personal attorney Michael Cohen for a payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels means the president has admitted to filing a false financial disclosure.

Walter Shaub tweeted the president “trying to talk his way out of a campaign finance violation” basically means “Trump has admitted to filing a false financial disclosure in 2017.” 

“AMAZING! In trying to talk this way out of a campaign finance violation, Trump has admitted to filing a false financial disclosure in 2017,” Shaub tweeted. “He personally certified that his closure was ‘complete and correct.’”...

But, if it didn't come out of campaign funds, it's not a false filing. 

[XenaLee]

But, if it didn't come out of campaign funds, it's not a false filing.

Shhh!  They're on a roll.  This time, by George, they've GOT him!   

[edpc]

On "Hannity," Giuliani said Trump repaid Cohen "over several months" by putting him on a "retainer of $35,000 when he was doing no work for the president."

"I said, 'That's how he's repaying it, with a little profit and a little margin for paying taxes,'" said Giuliani, who added that Trump "didn’t know about the specifics of [the payment], as far as I know, but he did know about the general arrangement that Michael would take care of things like this. Like I take care of things like this for my clients.

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


OK, a few odd things here.  If the specifics of the payment were not known to Trump, how would he know what was paid would allow for margin to cover taxes and include profit?  Was the profit payment because Cohen caught Trump in a generous mood or it was a bonus for getting it done?  Why do it over several months when that amount is inconsequential to your claimed worth?  Rudy takes care of things like this for his clients, too?  Interesting.

[mystery-ak]

Trump says no campaign cash was used to repay Stormy Daniels’ $130K
https://nypost.com/2018/05/03/trump-says-no-campaign-cash-was-used-to-repay-stormy-daniels-130k/

excerpt:
Giuliani, the former New York mayor who recently joined Trump’s legal team, was adamant that no campaign money was used.

“I’m giving you a fact that you don’t know,” Giuliani said. “It’s not campaign money. No campaign finance violation. They funneled through a law firm and the president repaid it.”

He also said Trump was unaware of the specifics about the Cohen payment.


more
https://nypost.com/2018/05/03/trump-says-no-campaign-cash-was-used-to-repay-stormy-daniels-130k/

[Victoria33]

The pie shall be tyranny, and many shall declare it freedom.
Which is where we have arrived some time ago.

@INVAR

We are Sodom and Gomorrah waiting for God's wrath.

[edpc]

But, if it didn't come out of campaign funds, it's not a false filing.

Except you're leaving out the second tweet where Schaub explained it.

Walter Shaub
@waltshaub
·
1h
But Tump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, now admit that he had a $460,000 liability that he omitted from his financial disclosure report. /2

An omission of nearly $500K isn't an oversight.  There were three choices they had and they were all bad:

1)  State the true reason for the expenditures.
2)  Include them, but lie about the purpose.
3)  Don't include them.

[XenaLee]

Except you're leaving out the second tweet where Schaub explained it.

Walter Shaub
@waltshaub
·
1h
But Tump and his attorney, Rudy Giuliani, now admit that he had a $460,000 liability that he omitted from his financial disclosure report. /2

An omission of nearly $500K isn't an oversight.  There were three choices they had and they were all bad:

1)  State the true reason for the expenditures.
2)  Include them, but lie about the purpose.
3)  Don't include them.

I find this hard to believe.  How really stupid would it be.... for a billionaire to choose 3) ???  It's not like he couldn't afford the disclosure.   One wonders.   It's rather surreal.

[edpc]

I find this hard to believe.  How really stupid would it be.... for a billionaire to choose 3) ???  It's not like he couldn't afford the disclosure.   One wonders.   It's rather surreal.

Who knows?  I don't know why they'd pay her if the allegations weren't true.  The other women with claims have been largely ignored.  The biggest 'bombshell' Clinton could come up with during the campaign was Alicia Machado.  That flopped.  There were some waves made with the Access Hollywood tape, but it wasn't the seismic shift the left expected.  Had the Daniels story come out, it would have been on the heels of that and looked like a desperation play - especially after the Weiner computer saga.  The only reason it made sense to pay her and demand materials in the NDA is because she has/had something.  Just how it looks to me.   

[mystery-ak]

Rudy will be on Cavuto at 3pm central..maybe he can correct the damage he caused...my advice is to STFU

[XenaLee]

Who knows?  I don't know why they'd pay her if the allegations weren't true.  The other women with claims have been largely ignored.  The biggest 'bombshell' Clinton could come up with during the campaign was Alicia Machado.  That flopped.  There were some waves made with the Access Hollywood tape, but it wasn't the seismic shift the left expected.  Had the Daniels story come out, it would have been on the heels of that and looked like a desperation play - especially after the Weiner computer saga.  The only reason it made sense to pay her and demand materials in the NDA is because she has/had something.  Just how it looks to me.   

It's starting to look like a s-storm in the making (thanks, Rudy!).  Or maybe like a day-time drama/soap.  Who knew .... that Trump would hire Giuliani to stir up MORE controversy.

[Sanguine]

Rudy will be on Cavuto at 3pm central..maybe he can correct the damage he caused...my advice is to STFU

I don't think he caused damage, he was destroying the charge that this was a possible campaign finance problem. 

[Restored]

Did anyone think that Trump DIDN'T pay the $130k?

[XenaLee]

I don't think he caused damage, he was destroying the charge that this was a possible campaign finance problem.

Yeah.... but.... in the process of clearing that up.... he kinda/sorta at best, shed doubt on Trump's claim that he didn't know about the payment... and at worst, made Trump out to be a liar.

Ooops.

[endicom]

I don't think he caused damage, he was destroying the charge that this was a possible campaign finance problem.

Any damage would be in the confiscated Cohen records so this would be getting ahead of the leaky ship Mueller.

[edpc]

And when the people themselves don't give a shit about character or morals because they want their piece of life's pie served smoothly and without blemish  - then it is impossible to maintain liberty or a republic in such an environment whatsoever. 

The pie shall be tyranny, and many shall declare it freedom.

Tyranny is Sarah’s secret ingredient.

[Sanguine]

Yeah.... but.... in the process of clearing that up.... he kinda/sorta at best, shed doubt on Trump's claim that he didn't know about the payment... and at worst, made Trump out to be a liar.

Ooops.

Or, didn't know about it at the time.  Either way, that's not a crime, like the other one could be.

[XenaLee]

Tyranny is Sarah’s secret ingredient.

Nah.  That's just Peecans.

[XenaLee]

Or, didn't know about it at the time.  Either way, that's not a crime, like the other one could be.

Right.  But.... never incriminate yourself just cause the idiot left is trying to make you panic.  And that's what it looks like to me. 

[edpc]

Nah.  That's just Peecans.

Bourbon, too.  I’ll bet it’s really good.

[Sanguine]

Right.  But.... never incriminate yourself just cause the idiot left is trying to make you panic.  And that's what it looks like to me.

We'll see how it shakes out.  I think Rudy knows exactly what he is doing.

[edpc]

We'll see how it shakes out.  I think Rudy knows exactly what he is doing.

I dunno.  If you really know what you’re doing, you don’t follow up a major revelation on a higher rated prime time show with an appearance an a late afternoon show nobody watches to clarify.

[Sanguine]

I dunno.  If you really know what you’re doing, you don’t follow up a major revelation on a higher rated prime time show with an appearance an a late afternoon show nobody watches to clarify.

Let's wait and see what he says.

[Jazzhead]

We'll see how it shakes out.  I think Rudy knows exactly what he is doing.

I think so too.

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.   

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. 

[INVAR]

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.

All it proves is that Americans are fine and dandy being ruled by slime-ball lying sacks of shit.

We deserve all the consequences that follow.

[Sanguine]

@Jazzhead, remember if you want to call her a slut or whore or whatever, don't forget her partner in the act.

[Jazzhead]

@Jazzhead, remember if you want to call her a slut or whore or whatever, don't forget her partner in the act.

Yes, and prostitute and a john.  A transaction of services for money.  Except here, years later, the prostitute realized her john was running for President, and sought to extort him.   A transaction of a promise of silence for more money.   And of course she didn't stay silent, despite getting paid.

What would you call her?     

[edpc]

Yes, and prostitute and a john.  A transaction of services for money.  Except here, years later, the prostitute realized her john was running for President, and sought to extort him.   A transaction of a promise of silence for more money.   And of course she didn't stay silent, despite getting paid.

What would you call her?   

You're forgetting about all the times he promised her this and that (TV spots, property), but never delivered.  Perhaps if he had, the issue would have been swept under the rug years ago.  Daniels and McDougal aren't the only ones.  The fact we know about it was because be didn't pay her.  She did the In Touch interview in 2011 and Cohen threatened them.  Years later, it was a real problem.  The WSJ found out, because Cohen was desperate and sloppy with the election on the line, not because she talked.

[edpc]

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The appearance on Fox&Friends this morning was not helpful at all.  At the 6:00 mark, Ainsley asks Rudy why Cohen said he was never paid back, when Trump says he was. Giuliani can't come up with a good answer, so he veers off and rambles on about how this was personally hurtful to the Trumps and not related to the campaign.

Later, at the 8:10 mark, he posits what if this had come out on Oct 15th during the last debate.  OK, so that makes it a political liability and he admits it on his own.  It's almost painful to watch.  Plus, Cohen disputes Rudy’s version of events, according to Donny Deutsch.


"I spoke with Michael Cohen yesterday and his quote about Giuliani doesn't always know what he's talking about," Deutsch said Friday as a guest on MSNBC.

"He said look there's two people that know exactly what happened, myself and the president and you'll be hearing my side of the story. And he was obviously very frustrated with what had come out yesterday."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cohen-giuliani-doesn-talking-article-1.3971188?outputType=amp

[corbe]

    Hell of a Drug, makes old men do stupid $hit, quicker.

[ABX]

! No longer available


The appearance on Fox&Friends this morning was not helpful at all.  At the 6:00 mark, Ainsley asks Rudy why Cohen said he was never paid back, when Trump says he was. Giuliani can't come up with a good answer, so he veers off and rambles on about how this was personally hurtful to the Trumps and not related to the campaign.

Later, at the 8:10 mark, he posits what if this had come out on Oct 15th during the last debate.  OK, so that makes it a political liability and he admits it on his own.  It's almost painful to watch.  Plus, Cohen disputes Rudy’s version of events, according to Donny Deutsch.


"I spoke with Michael Cohen yesterday and his quote about Giuliani doesn't always know what he's talking about," Deutsch said Friday as a guest on MSNBC.

"He said look there's two people that know exactly what happened, myself and the president and you'll be hearing my side of the story. And he was obviously very frustrated with what had come out yesterday."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cohen-giuliani-doesn-talking-article-1.3971188?outputType=amp

Jeeze...

When you are done in a hole, dig your way to China.

[darroll]

That's the way Washington works. If you run for office you have to look around and see who will try and destroy you. You can't gag them. The only thing left is pay them off.
If you run for office you will be surprised what will be said about you if you are not a democrat.

[LauraTXNM]

You're forgetting about all the times he promised her this and that (TV spots, property), but never delivered.  Perhaps if he had, the issue would have been swept under the rug years ago.  Daniels and McDougal aren't the only ones.  The fact we know about it was because be didn't pay her.  She did the In Touch interview in 2011 and Cohen threatened them.  Years later, it was a real problem.  The WSJ found out, because Cohen was desperate and sloppy with the election on the line, not because she talked.

@edpc, All very well put -- you and @corbe are on a roll ;). 

You're right -- the WSJ brought this up again, not Stormy Daniels.  President Trump still says the affair never happened, which is patently ridiculous.  Or else, who knew it could be that easy to con $130,000 out of President Trump?!

This episode just demonstrates the stupidity of continually compounding lies like, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."  This is such a colossal waste of everyone's time.

[DB]

And again... I posit that most, if not every, congress critter probably has similar things in their past that could be used as blackmail or extortion.  And usually....or most of the time.... presidential candidates come from DC (vs. New York).

I'm just saying... that to make this the "big deal" the left is trying to make it is, in my estimation, an epic FAIL.

The problem is Trump has buried himself in lies over this. Blatant lies. It is rather hard to believe anything a blatant liar says after awhile.

[edpc]

The problem is Trump has buried himself in lies over this. Blatant lies. It is rather hard to believe anything a blatant liar says after awhile.

The worst one was yesterday.  He tried to tell the same reporter who asked him about the Cohen payment on Air Force One that he did not say what he said. It’s unbelievable.   Unfortunately, I could only find a source from MSNBC. However, watch the portion from the 2:00 - 2:40 mark.  Jedi mind trick fail.


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