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President Donald Trump appears to have changed his story about a 2016 meeting at Trump Tower that is pivotal to the special counsel's investigation, tweeting that his son met with a Kremlin-connected lawyer to collect information about his political opponent.
[...] That is a far different explanation than Trump gave 13 months ago, when a statement dictated by the president but released under the name of Donald Trump Jr., read: "We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago."
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President Trump Changed His Story on Son's Meeting with Russian Lawyer
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Misfortune, n.:
The kind of fortune that never misses.
-- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @05:17PM (51 children)
This was in that house report months ago. Some russian bigmouth guy promised some sort of info on clinton but then showed up and wanted to talk about some bill noone cared about instead. Heres the report from nyt:
https://static01.nyt.com/files/2018/us/politics/20180427%20Intelligence%20Committee%20Report.pdf?authuser=1 [nyt.com]
Ive been following this via the gov reports and skipping the news, are they really 4 months behind? And getting it wrong, since what they said earlier was not far different, just precise in a weasely way. They did meet to get the info, but then there was no discussion of it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @05:23PM
And I mean sorry but 4 months late and wrong news is ________.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @06:41PM (38 children)
Well then, you should follow the news because the House Intelligence Committee is so dysfunctional that nothing being officially reported out of there is well researched. The people running that committee have been using it to provide disinformation, not information. For example, they refused to interview Maria Butina, the red-haired Russian spy [mic.com] who was sexing up the GOP, [foxnews.com] the NRA [heavy.com] and the National Prayer Breakfast [religionnews.com] and dating the #2 national security guy on trump's campaign, [usatoday.com] J.D. Gordon, he's the one who changed the GOP platform on Ukraine to be more russia friendly. [businessinsider.com] All of that they deliberately avoided interviewing her. Kinda weird, huh?
No, that's just one of many lies that DJT Jr told the House committee, lies that the people running the committee had no interest in double-checking. If they didn't do anything illegal in that meeting, then why all the changing stories about the meeting? People don't lie when they have nothing to hide. Its super suspicious, super colludey.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @06:55PM (37 children)
What changing stories? The only changing stories Ive seen are in headlines like this one. The news changes their understanding and tries to put the earlier confusion on someone else. Of course this "we didnt talk about it" thing could be made up, but that doesnt mean the story has changed at this point. What evidence do you have they talked about something else?
(Score: 5, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @07:28PM (7 children)
> What changing stories? The only changing stories Ive seen are in headlines
WHICH IS WHY YOU SHOULD READ PAST THE HEADLINES DUMBASS
November 11, 2016
Hope Hicks, then-spokesperson for Trump's campaign, told The Associated Press [apnews.com] there was no contact between the Trump campaign and Russian representatives.
"It never happened," Hicks told The AP. "There was no communication between the campaign and any foreign entity during the campaign."
_______________________________________________
January 15, 2017
Mike Pence issued a blanket denial to Chris Wallace on Fox News.
Wallace: "I'm asking a direct question: Was there any contact in any way between Trump or his associates and the Kremlin or contacts they had?"
Pence: "I joined this campaign in the summer, and I can tell you that all the contact by the Trump campaign and associates was with the American people. We were fully engaged with taking his message to make America great again all across this country. That's why he won in a landslide election."
Wallace: "... if there were any contacts, sir, I'm just trying to get an answer."
Pence: "Yes. I -- of course not. Why would there be any contacts between the campaign? Chris, the -- this is all a distraction, and it's all part of a narrative to delegitimize the election and to question the legitimacy of this presidency. The American people see right through it."
Pence later repeated that "of course" there had not been contact between the Trump campaign and Russia in an interview with CBS' Dickerson.
_______________________________________________
March 2017
Trump Jr. denies setting up any meetings with Russian nationals for campaign purposes
In an interview with the New York Times, [nytimes.com] Trump Jr. denied that he had participated in any meetings with Russians relating to the presidential campaign.
“Did I meet with people that were Russian? I’m sure, I’m sure I did,” he told the Times. “But none that were set up. None that I can think of at the moment. And certainly none that I was representing the campaign in any way, shape or form.”
_______________________________________________
The fact that they lied about the meeting is strong evidence that the meeting was actually productive. They are WAY past the point of getting the benefit of the doubt now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @10:29PM (6 children)
So it says they didnt meet with any "foreign entitities" and "the kremlin or contacts" but they did meet with russian people. How is this inconsistent? Is there any reason they thought the russians they were talking to were one of the excluded groups?
I mean your story has an obvious hole in it.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday August 07 2018, @11:48PM (3 children)
Let me lay that out for you. They met with entities (people are entities) and those entities were Russian. So he met with Russian Entities. Russians are NOT Americans.
It's sad when Captain Obvious is actually called for.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @12:12AM (2 children)
He clearly says he met with russian people in the one quote. So whatever, continue reading incorrectly into these tactically chosen phrases all you want, there was no changing of the story presented here. If you want to say "entities are people, gotcha!", that will be your own personal problem.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Wednesday August 08 2018, @12:30AM (1 child)
So your argument is that I have a problem because you agree with me?!?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @12:37AM
Well troll certainly don't get into arguments to broaden their own perspective.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @01:24AM (1 child)
When DJTjr went full Fredo and just tweeted out the emails about setting up the meeting, [theguardian.com] he proved that he was literally told that he was meeting with "the crown prosecutor of Russia” who was there to provide the trump campaign with "very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr Trump."
You are an obvious hole
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:21AM
So you are saying they met with the crown prosecutor of russia? Or now that meeting with someone who was told something by another person is the same as meeting with the "other person"?
Its still a consistent story with precise and weasely wording by the trump campaign.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 07 2018, @07:42PM (2 children)
What changing stories?
"Hillary Clinton I think is a terrific woman. I am biased because I have known her for years. I live in New York. She lives in New York. I really like her and her husband both a lot. I think she really works hard. And I think, again, she's given an agenda, it is not all of her, but I think she really works hard and I think she does a good job. I like her." Donald J Trump, March 28, 2012 episode of "On the Record," a Fox News program
On a serious note, here's a pretty good compilation of the lies that have gotten us here. [npr.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @10:42PM
Ok, has nothing to do with the topic at hand. I mean really? Thats your evidence of russian collusion? No one outside the echo chamber is going to think this type of thing works out in Trumps disfavor.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @10:55PM
Remember, that was when President Trump was still a Democrat (which he was for most his life).
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @08:35PM (25 children)
The fact that, as soon as trump was in office, the very first thing he did was try really hard to give Putin what he asked for at the meeting.
DJTjr's first official statement specifically about the meeting [weeklystandard.com] was:
"Adoptions" is russia-speak for "sanctions relief" because the adoption program was cancelled by Putin as a foot-stamping response to the Magnitsky act sanctions against russian oligarchs. [businessinsider.com]
Trump's first move after the inauguration was to secretly start trying to lift that Magnitsky sanctions without getting any concession from Russia in return. [thehill.com]
Furthermore, the trump administration has done everything it possibly can to neuter [reuters.com] the new sanctions [nytimes.com] that congress passed on a nearly unanimous vote. [cnn.com]
So, we have clear and obvious evidence of the Quo that Putin was asking for at that meeting.
Do you think Mr "Art of the Deal" is just going to give away the Quo without getting the Quid he was offered first?
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @10:38PM (1 child)
Trump said he wanted to improve relations with russia publically during the campaign. Looks like he tried to do that because he wasnt part of whatever secret backroom deal gone wrong between Russia and the Obama administration. There is no need to think that has anything to do with the meeting in question.
This whole thing has to be fake. All I see is some zero evidence wild speculations most useful to drown out any real criticism of trump. This is so crazy, I warned everyone on here that Trump was going to win because of this behaviour well before the election, but the same people seem to be doubling down!!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @01:29AM
Giving up your strongest cards without even getting a promise of anything in return is not "improving relations" its surrendering.
That pathetic, whiny little loser sold out america and he did it right god damn in front us.
You have to be fake.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:07AM (22 children)
So, those high profile stories of deaths of adopted Russian children had absolutely NOTHING to do with the cancelation of foreign adoptions of Russian children. Got it.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:10AM (21 children)
Despite your snark, you are correct. Its called a pretext.
But you are one of those antipatriots who thinks its better to be a russian than it is to be a democrat. So enjoy the comforting salve of that pretext.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:20AM (20 children)
More accurately, it's better to be Russian or Chinese than to be a progressive. There are still some good Democrats left. If I were to estimate how many, I'd give some number slightly over 50% of all registered Dems. It's the LEADERSHIP that truly sucks ass, not so much the rank and file.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:31AM (16 children)
So you wanted Bernie instead of Hillary but being a progressive is worse than being a damn commie...what the fuck. Go to bed, old man, you're Alzheimering all over the thread again.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:42AM (13 children)
You're getting senile. No, I didn't want Bernie. Bernie was by far the lesser of two evils competing for the Democratic nomination. And, apparently, Democrats saw the same thing. But, Hillary and her corrupt supporters stabbed Bernie in the back.
In your mind, is it necessary that I like a person to recognize that he has been served an injustice? Wow - I wonder what that would do to our legal system? First you have to win a popularity contest, THEN you have a chance of winning your legal case.
Your senility has also allowed you to forget that I work at nights. I just got out of bed a couple hours ago. In twenty minutes, I'll be headed to work.
Now, you run along, and take your own advice. Get some sleep, and prepare yourself for another tough day tomorrow.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday August 08 2018, @03:21AM (12 children)
You don't do so well in the morning (night) either it seems. "I know you are but what am I?" hasn't worked since first grade, and doubly so when you're talking to someone at least 20 or 30 years younger than you when the issue at hand is the onset of dementia. Are you *sure* you work at night, or even at all, or are you just wandering around the neighborhood in slippers and shorts swearing at lampposts and trash bins?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:08PM (11 children)
If I should live to be 120, I'll still be sharper and wittier than you ever were. You need to accept that, with your 92nd percentile bullshit.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @04:19PM (10 children)
Its funny how losers like you puff themselves up with meaningless drivel like that. Its like a circular mental disorder where the lamer you are, the more you feel like you can prove you aren't lame by acting lame.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @04:46PM (9 children)
Nahhhhh - it's just fun kicking 'Zumi because she's the one who bragged about 92nd percentile. Like - that's really something, huh? My parents got a letter, informing them that the test only ranks to the 99th percentile, and that I should be evaluated for accelerated education, blah blah blah.
Now, TBH, 92nd isn't bad. But, some chick who feels the need to brag on it? She needs to be kicked around some. This is the same chick who was 6 feet tall, until she wasn't.
Losers like me? You've never met a loser like me. I'm a winner, always. That's one of the benefits of being a veteran. And male. And hetero. And Christian. And white. I can't lose!
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @04:49PM (8 children)
Lol, your self-owns are so fucking amazing.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @05:04PM (7 children)
Could it be that I'm just talking over your head? Remember when you were really little, and the adults would talk, talk, talk - and none of it made sense? Maybe you're in just such a position today.
More serious question: How many members here do you think are NOT 90th percentile, or higher? I mean, this is Soylent - not Facefook or Twitworld or some such.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @05:29PM (6 children)
You are duning krueger personified. Let me explain it to you at your level - you think you are hot snot on a gold platter when are really gold boogers on a paper plate.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @06:23PM (5 children)
Whatever lets you sleep at night.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @06:37PM (4 children)
So many people have said that you that you now think it means something if you parrot it.
Another unintentional self-own when you thought you were being cool and sardonic. Its the compulsion of a weak, diseased ego. You just can't help yourself.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @08:47PM (3 children)
I'm beginning to think AC is just Zumi flapping her gums. Whether that be so or not - you just can't stand it. I am, and that is enough to perturb you. You can't change me, or influence me, so that perturbs you even more. It bothers you that I just don't give a damn about your feelings, or opinion, or whatever the fuck.
Find a life. There's no future in yapping at me like a silly damned chihuahua.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @08:53PM (1 child)
The traitor brags about his amazing closed mind.
The pathetic self-owns just won't stop. Ya can even open your mouth for a second without sucking on your own toes.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 09 2018, @01:37AM
And you apparently brag about your inability to open a wet paper bag. I'll just note that retarded name calling doesn't seem to open peoples' minds.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday August 09 2018, @12:04AM
LOL, sorry, I don't post AC. Never did, never will, don't feel the need to. I do appreciate that there are other people taking time to point out what a complete doddering wreck of self-important delusions you are, though. Don't worry, you'll be dead inside of a decade at this rate.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @07:12PM (1 child)
Russia isn't communist anymore. They've reverted to a sort of tsarist feudalism. And the US had a hand in that, when the wall came down and their society started to collapse we sent in the agents of unfettered capitalism and they did everything that the commies were afraid the west would do. The end result was the rise of the robber-baron oligarchs who just took state resources for themselves.
I don't know if we could have made a difference, but we certainly didn't try to help the country transition to a representative democracy, we just kinda assumed it would automatically happen because we have this dangerous myth that liberal order is self-assembling when the reality is that it is the exact opposite, it takes experience, skill, lots and lots of hard work and way too much luck. Its very much like the rise of ISIS after we kicked over Sadam's bureaucracy and couldn't be bothered to build anything in its place.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Wednesday August 08 2018, @11:57PM
Yeah, if Reagan were smart (and not already half-senile with Alzheimer's...) he'd have tried a sort of second Marshall Plan.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @03:40AM (2 children)
You swore an oath. And here you are putting our enemies above your fellow countrymen. You god damn traitor.
You are a fucking disgrace.
Scum worse than Bergdhal. Never show your face around her again you shitstain, you're not even worthy of being a boot.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday August 08 2018, @02:05PM (1 child)
Hey, Fuckface. I swore an oath to defend my country against all enemies foreign AND DOMESTIC. These days, Russia isn't our enemy. China is still something of an enemy, but our former president Clinton sold out to them, and there's nothing I can do about it. Meanwhile, Fuckfaces like yourself are enemy enough to occupy many of us. You're damned right, I'll support any honest Russian or Chinese who mean me well, ahead of the Democratic party and their legion of progressive shitstains.
Funny you should mention Bergdahl. It was your progressive president who ransomed that deserted traitor. Not our dumbass currently in office, but the progressive half-white Muslim.
Abortion is the number one killed of children in the United States.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @03:29PM
Mike Pompeo Director CIA:
“The actions of this administration make clear that President Trump’s national security strategy, rightfully, has identified Russia as a danger to our country.” [whitehouse.gov]
Nikiy Haley UN Ambassador:
“We don’t trust Russia. We don’t trust Putin. We never will. They’re never going to be our friend. That’s just a fact,” [thehill.com]
“I will tell you that when a country can come interfere in another country’s elections, that is warfare." [politico.com]
John Bolton National Security Advisor:
"[Russia's attack on US elections] is in fact a casus belli, a true act of war, and one Washington will never tolerate." [smh.com.au]
YOU FUCKING SHITSTAIN TRAITOR CUNT
Russia is YOUR friend, but they are OUR enemy.
When you stand with our country's enemies this isn't your home anymore. Get the FUCK OUT!!
Go off to Russia where they put you in prison if you prosletyze jesus [bpnews.net] Enjoy your fucking friends you limpdick quisling bootlicker. You are a traitor to your country and a traitor to the lord.
(Score: 3, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 07 2018, @07:24PM (10 children)
Some russian bigmouth guy promised some sort of info on clinton
Which is a crime! Also, soliciting that information, in the form of accepting a meeting to discuss it, is also a crime.
So your "meh" is an admission of two federal election crimes.
I posted the statute in a different post. [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @07:33PM (5 children)
As uber trump hater Strzok also said, collusion is not a crime.
(Score: 5, Informative) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 07 2018, @07:48PM (4 children)
As uber trump hater Strzok also said, collusion is not a crime.
You're right, it's multiple crimes. [washingtonpost.com]
(Score: 0, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 07 2018, @10:25PM (3 children)
No, thats not what he meant. And he was the one in charge of the investigation, who said he didnt want to waste any more time with it careerwise since "there was no there there". People have apparently come up with their own armchair legal advice to disagree with FBI and DoJ who public records show were investigating trump, totaly biased against him, but didnt think there was anything there. Read the actual reports by the people involved and listen to their testimony.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday August 07 2018, @11:49PM (1 child)
"there was no there there".
Whelp, turns out the guy who was swiftly removed from the investigation due to a conflict of interest was wrong. "Cause we're "there" already and "there" keeps getting bigger every time a lie is exposed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @11:47AM
What? He wasnt swiftly removed, he decided he didnt want to do it. You need to go watch the Strzok hearing and read the OIG report on all this.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday August 07 2018, @11:55PM
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday August 08 2018, @05:15AM (2 children)
Welp, you just turned this into a First Amendment issue. There is no exception for big mouth Russians or election campaigns. First Amendment trumps statutes.
What I also think is remarkable about your post is that if this information really was the real deal, then the law would have suppressed a bit of vital information that the US public should have known about Clinton. It is remarkable that you would support this merely because of who or how that information was obtained.
OR is that rather that you support this interpretation of law because of whose side you are on?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @05:23AM (1 child)
That would be false. The first amendment does not protect libel. It doesn't protect threats. It doesn't protect piracy. It doens't protect fraud. And it sure as fuck does not protect people soliciting a crime.
you are such a fucken idiot
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday August 08 2018, @06:10AM
None of those are relevant. In this scenario, the only thing that could be a crime was the solicitation and that was of speech from said big mouth Russian, and hence, a protected activity.
Let us keep in mind that if we can just pass laws willy nilly to restrict speech, then the First Amendment which is supposed to have primacy over those laws means nothing. What else then can we just decide mean nothing?
Finally, once again, this particular interpretation of law is merely a bit of faction positioning. It should be obvious to everyone that the US public have a legitimate interest in such information and thus, that just from a public interest standpoint, election campaigns should have wide leeway in trading for information on their opponents, including purchasing said information from foreign nationals. When one then adds the First Amendment aspect, that's that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 08 2018, @06:50AM
I wonder what paying a foreign agent in the UK to write a fake dossier is a crime for then. :-/