Scratching My Head
D. S. Mitchell
Calamity politics’ mission is to share political opinions and comments on the urgent news of the day. Our goal is to empower and connect people with a forward looking progressive agenda. I admit I often use the blog to release my own pent up emotions. It isn’t a crime, but it should at least be acknowledged. Furthermore, I want it understood that I am a fervent anti-Trump voice and supporter of the Resistance. That said, today I am going to disrespect DonaldJ. Trump Jr. What the hell? Is this guy so attention starved that he wanted to bring a bunch of Russian tricksters and propagandists into the 2016 Presidential campaign to smear Hillary Clinton and impress Daddy? Is he so greedy for power that he would sell out the most sacred element of our Democracy, our vote, to a foreign power? Is he so stupid he needs help because he can’t tie his own shoe laces? Is he so used to operating outside the law that calling the FBI to report the intent of a foreign government to interfere in the US election didn’t even occur to him or the other attendees at this recently uncovered meeting. This whole story that is emerging about Donald, jr, and the lady Russian lawyer has me and most of the world scratching our heads.
The confirmed 6/9/2016 meeting, was between Trump, jr, Paul Manafort, Jared Kushner and a Russian attorney at Trump Tower and is the first known meeting between members of the Trump inner circle, both family and campaign staffers. The emerging story is grim and depressing when viewed as a family joined together to betray the United States; and in effect, mount a successful coup of the government; aided and abetted by a foreign adversary.
I am not surprised, but as more information is being brought to light my anger keeps mounting. How the fuck off kilter do you have to be to sell your country out? Too fucking immoral and fucking disgusting to be anywhere close to the White House and the role of President of the United States, in my opinion. Trump must be impeached immediately along with his Vice President, Mike Pence. OMG my hair is on fire.
I will outline the emerging events as I have been able to mentally assemble them. On Saturday, July 8, 2017 the New York Times contacted Junior to confirm a story they were preparing to publish regarding the above described meeting. Donald jr. first stated the meeting was “a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow up. I was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but I was not told the name of the person I would be meeting with beforehand.”
On Saturday when Donald jr, was questioned by reporters, he indicated the meeting was primarily about adoptions and Hillary Clinton was not mentioned.
What? Donald, jr doesn’t know who he will meet with, but he brings along the other two most powerful people in the campaign? And furthermore, no one mentioned this meeting to Donald Trump, candidate? I see either of those scenarios as seriously flawed. I believe Donald J. Trump, President of the United States knew about all of these Russian contacts, and is desperately trying to stay out of the line of fire.
By Sunday, July 9, 2017, Junior’s story was in the morphing stage, as White House insiders confirmed that the individual met with was Kremlin associated attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya after she promised to provide damaging information on Mrs. Clinton. The name of the previously unidentified “acquaintance’ was identified as publicist, former tabloid reporter, British born Rob Goldstone. Goldstone is a well-known long time associate of several Russian oligarchs. As the sludge began seeping up from the swamp, Junior released a more full explanation, different from his first story.
“I was asked to have a meeting by an acquaintance I knew from the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign. I was not told her name prior to the meeting. I asked Jared (Kushner) and Paul (Manafort)to attend, but told them nothing of the substance. We had a meeting in June 2016. After pleasantries were exchanged , the woman stated that she had info that individuals connected to Russia were funding the Democratic National Community and supporting Mrs. Clinton. Her statements were vague, ambiguous and made no sense. No details or supporting information was provided, or even offered. It quickly became clear that she had no meaningful information. She then changed subjects and began discussing the adoption of Russian children and mentioned the Magnitsky Act. It became clear to me this was the true agenda all along and that the claims of potentially helpful information were a pretext for the meeting. I interrupted her and advised her that my father was not an elected official, but rather a private citizen, and that her comments and concerns were better addressed if and when he held public office. The meeting lasted approximately 20-30 minutes. As it ended my acquaintance apologized for taking up our time. That was the end of it, and there was no further contact, or follow up of any kind. My father knew nothing of the meeting or these events.”
The emerging story is quickly becoming both a sinister tale and a grim situation for the entire Trump family. Donald jr, has previously described his actions as “conducting routine opposition research.”
At this point in the swiftly changing story, the motivation for the meeting seems clear enough, that Trump, jr and other higher ups in the campaign were willing to engage with foreign surrogates and also willing to accept foreign government assistance in defeating their Democratic opponent. They were seemingly excited to jump into the cold Russian pond without concern for ethics or patriotism.
As the fire has grown, Donald, jr hired a New York attorney who issued the following statement, “The president was not aware of and did not attend the meeting”.
When questioned, both Kushner and Manafort offered no comment.
The problem is that Kushner is likely to lose his Security Clearance if these events prove to be true. I do not know what possible legal implications there may be for Kushneer, but I know he has already lied, or represented his activities during the campaign and afterward. This issue I’m sure will begin to take shape within the next few days.
American intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian hacking and propagandists worked to tip the election toward Trump, in part by stealing internal emails from the DNC and emails from the Clinton campaign, and then providing those stolen emails to Wikileaks that were embarrassing to HRC. The email dumping began in July.
Anthony Zurcher, BBC America said prior to the release of the Goldstone/Trump, jr. emails, said in a story, “In a traditional campaign a foreign governments attempt to offer incriminating information about an opponent-or even the hint of such an overture-would set off all kinds of alarms. The FBI would have been notified. Senior staff would have insulated themselves from incrimination. Trump team was not a conventional campaign. Time and time again they made novice mistakes; or more ominously, unprecedented risks”.
Monday was spent letting surrogates speak on the subject, but by Tuesday morning the story was exploding into the “fire” the FBI and several investigatory committees have been attempting to uncover since last year. The explosion occurred when Trump,jr. published, via Twitter, all the emails between himself and Rob Goldstone related to the meeting with Ms. Veselnitskaya. The emails make it clear that both Goldstone and Trump, jr believed the “Russian attorney” to be a representative of the Russian government and that the Kremlin was interested in providing assistance to the Trump campaign.
So, what we seem to have here is a willingness of the Trump folks to engage with a foreign government to win an election and a willingness to accept assistance from a foreign government, what we are not quite sure of yet is was there a solicitation by the Trump campaign, or his family that initiated this contact between the campaign and a Russian surrogate?
I’m, as I said, outraged and hair pulling mad. I hope that the rest of the American people that are hearing this story are as furious as I am. Call your congressperson, your senator, email them, protest. This rogue administration must be shut down immediately. We cannot continue to allow a president to remain in office that conspired with foreign agents to attain his office.
We are allowing this corrupt and probable felon, to chose the next FBI director? Another Supreme Court Justice? Hold the nuclear code? The Trump Administration must be stopped immediately. Jared Kushner is directing foreign policy while he is likely to have his security clearance revoked as part of this growing scandal.
Join the Resistance
Dar
