Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave...

[Angrboda]

On top of everything else, the Republicans can defuse any impeachment by arguing that collusion with Russia in order to win an election is nothing more than a campaign violation, something that happens all the time, and thus doesn't rise to the level of a high crime.

[The Grand Nudger]

Not sure how that's going to play when the whole corrupt foreign practices act rears it's ugly head...or the vast network of money laundering for sanctioned institutions and individuals, trumps Real Business, is laying out there in plain sight of all.

Just how much crime, and with whom, does a person have to get into before the party of law and order deems them to be sufficiently criminal?

[Crossless2.0]

Not sure how that's going to play when the whole corrupt foreign practices act rears it's ugly head...or the vast network of money laundering for sanctioned institutions and individuals, trumps Real Business, is laying out there in plain sight of all.

Just how much crime, and with whom, does a person have to get into before the party of law and order deems them to be sufficiently criminal?

I don't know how much or with whom, but I can tell you when.

It will be about two minutes after the party leaders in the Senate hold their fingers in the air and realize the wind is definitely not trending in their direction and there will be electoral hell to pay if they don't cut Trump loose.

[Angrboda]

Not sure how that's going to play when the whole corrupt foreign practices act rears it's ugly head...or the vast network of money laundering for sanctioned institutions and individuals, trumps Real Business, is laying out there in plain sight of all.

Just how much crime, and with whom, does a person have to get into before the party of law and order deems them to be sufficiently criminal?

I'm not sure of your point here. The FCPA forbids us from influencing them, in the main. Insofar as it forbids our involvement with foreign powers, it does so only to the extent that our actions are furthering corruption there. Or that's my understanding, anyway. If Putin or Russia were involved with Trump, I don't see how that falls under the FCPA.

[The Grand Nudger]

Not sure how that's going to play when the whole corrupt foreign practices act rears it's ugly head...or the vast network of money laundering for sanctioned institutions and individuals, trumps Real Business, is laying out there in plain sight of all.

Just how much crime, and with whom, does a person have to get into before the party of law and order deems them to be sufficiently criminal?

I don't know how much or with whom, but I can tell you when.

It will be about two minutes after the party leaders in the Senate hold their fingers in the air and realize the wind is definitely not trending in their direction and there will be electoral hell to pay if they don't cut Trump loose.

They can't....honestly.  If they cut trump loose they loose the base and thus have no chance of maintaining control of any part of the goivernment even -with- gerrymandering and voter suppression - as the results of this last midterm have demonstrated.  OTOH, if they hold on to him in spite of it they loose everyone but the base, same applies.

@jorg, check your news feed. Looks like the trump clan was trying to float a 50million dollar bribe to Uncle Vlad in order to set up a foreign money laundering service for criminals and other sanctioned bric a brac through sham "real estate" deals.

---

-as an addendum to the above, there's your kopromat, right thur.  People wonder why anyone would wade through so much shit to hide a pee tape..but the answer to that is that they aren't.  Even if trumps inflated "net worth" were remotely true, the fines on that, alone, going from the bare minimum that can be assessed..even if a person could dodge the prison time, are devastating. What are the odds that the fucking kremlin wasn't listening in on that chestnut?

I'd say 0.

[Crossless2.0]

I don't know how much or with whom, but I can tell you when.

It will be about two minutes after the party leaders in the Senate hold their fingers in the air and realize the wind is definitely not trending in their direction and there will be electoral hell to pay if they don't cut Trump loose.

They can't....honestly.  If they cut trump loose they loose the base and thus have no chance of maintaining control of any part of the goivernment even -with- gerrymandering and voter suppression - as the results of this last midterm have demonstrated.  OTOH, if they hold on to him in spite of it they loose everyone but the base, same applies.

Pence is their (weak) hope, here. The Jesus voters will be delighted to get behind someone who is really one of them. Pence can be counted on to continue the GOP project of loading the judiciary. He would gladly rubber stamp any regressive tax policies they would ram through congress, if they could (and now can't). If they cut Trump loose, they will have to double down on their culture war rhetoric, which suits Pence to a "T" since he doesn't seem to have anything else to offer. At least, among the base, Pence will be seen as a true and faithful servant, the guy who adoringly stood by Fearless Leader and finally offered him a pardon after a world of Judases sold him out.

The GOP really won't have any good options, but I expect to see some among them suddenly see the light when the full weight of Trump's corrupt practices and the degree to which he is compromised becomes known. They'll throw his ass on the fire when it becomes clear that it's the only way to save what's left of the GOP brand and their careers.

[The Grand Nudger]

Pence is a wet blanket. Pence can't pardon trump...history tells is that this is disastrous...but if he doesn't, he loses the base. The gop has massively fucked themselves. All they can hope to do..and all they -are- doing, is ratfucking as much as possible as the clock runs out.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

‘Oh, what tangled webs we weave,
‘When first we practice to deceive.
‘Which leads me to suspect the fact is,
‘We REALLY ought to get more practice.’ - Dorothy Parker

It isn’t so much that Trump is corrupt - we’ve known that forever. Or that he surrounds himself with equally corrupt thugs - this is also not news.

The distressing thing is that they’re all so bloody inept at it.

Boru

[Crossless2.0]

Pence is a wet blanket.  Pence can't pardon trump...history tells is that this is disastrous...but if he doesn't, he loses the base.

Unless a Kasich comes along and catches fire, a wet blanket or a crook are all they have to run with.

Self-inflicted wounds . . . .

Fuck 'em.

[The Grand Nudger]

The distressing thing is that they’re all so bloody inept at it.

Boru

Riiiiight?  If there was an ounce of competence in this whole scheme that much, at least, would be impressive.  As it stands, the whole lot belong in the "dumb criminals" section of some local 25c print newspaper.