Trump and Russia; Spasiba, Harasho!

[Seabass]

Putin’s Soccer Ball for Trump Had Transmitter Chip, Logo Indicates
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... -indicates

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s gift of a soccer ball to U.S. President Donald Trump last week set off a chorus of warnings -- some of them only half in jest -- that the World Cup souvenir could be bugged. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham even tweeted, “I’d check the soccer ball for listening devices and never allow it in the White House.”

It turns out they weren’t entirely wrong. Markings on the ball indicate that it contained a chip with a tiny antenna that transmits to nearby phones.

But rather than a spy device, the chip is an advertised feature of the Adidas AG ball. Photographs from the news conference in Helsinki, where Putin handed the ball to Trump, show it bore a logo for a near-field communication tag. During manufacturing, the NFC chip is placed inside the ball under that logo, which resembles the icon for a WiFi signal, according to the Adidas website.

The chip allows fans to access player videos, competitions and other content by bringing their mobile devices close to the ball. The feature is included in the 2018 FIFA World Cup match ball that’s sold on the Adidas website for $165 (reduced to $83 in the past week).

[Seabass]

These motherfuckers are shameless.

House Republicans file impeachment resolution against Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein

House Republicans introduce articles of impeachment against Rod Rosenstein

[JimC]

My Party right or wrong...

[pErvinalia]

They really are man-babies when you challenge their inherent sense of entitlement.

[Sean Hayden]

It's set up that way though right? It seems to me politics is a game for lawyers.

[Seabass]

Uh-oh!

Cohen claims Trump knew in advance of 2016 Trump Tower meeting
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/26/politics ... index.html

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney, claims that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower in which Russians were expected to offer his campaign dirt on Hillary Clinton, sources with knowledge tell CNN. Cohen is willing to make that assertion to special counsel Robert Mueller, the sources said.

Cohen's claim would contradict repeated denials by Trump, Donald Trump Jr., their lawyers and other administration officials who have said that the President knew nothing about the Trump Tower meeting until he was approached about it by The New York Times in July 2017.
Cohen alleges that he was present, along with several others, when Trump was informed of the Russians' offer by Trump Jr. By Cohen's account, Trump approved going ahead with the meeting with the Russians, according to sources.

continued...

[pErvinalia]

[JimC]

Are we there yet?

[pErvinalia]

I fucking hope so. This is getting beyond a joke.

[Seabass]

Are we there yet?

Probably not. Cohen doesn't have proof. He's willing to testify, but I don't know how much that's worth.

[JimC]

In most Western democracies, the litany of crass behaviour and dodgy dealings would have lead to either a resignation or a dismissal by now...

[Seabass]

In most Western democracies, the litany of crass behaviour and dodgy dealings would have lead to either a resignation or a dismissal by now...

The same could have been said about the US pre-Trump. Trump done changed the game!

[pErvinalia]

It really is quite mind-blowing to us in the more sane parts of the world that someone like Trump could get anywhere near the levers of power. Your country collectively seems to have no standards regarding your politicians.

[Sean Hayden]

If you hate the US you couldn't have hoped for a better president than Trump, even if you could have personally selected another.

[Seabass]

It really is quite mind-blowing to us in the more sane parts of the world that someone like Trump could get anywhere near the levers of power. Your country collectively seems to have no standards regarding your politicians.

We definitely get a lot of crazies in government. Still, they usually resign if they get caught up in a scandal. But not Trump! Our only hope is a heart attack!