Wednesday, April 25th.
COHEN: COHEN TO PLEAD FIFTH IN STORMY DANIELS CIVIL SUIT
Michael Cohen, the personal attorney to President Donald Trump, has declared his intention to plead his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination in regards to nearly every question he could be asked in his civil lawsuit against Stormy Daniels.
What is the Fifth Amendment?
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
There are several parts of the Fifth Amendment, including the basis of Eminent Domain, Double Jeopardy, establishment of military courts, and use of indictments from a Grand Jury, but when most people talk about the Fifth, they’re referring to the protections against self-incrimination. In a criminal case, a defendant cannot be forced to testify against themselves.
Notice how I said a criminal case. Civil cases do not have this type of protection, under normal circumstances. In a civil case, a defendant can be compelled to answer questions regarding their actions. They cannot claim this protection, under normal circumstances.
The main exception to that is if there is a current criminal investigation, since testimony in a civil case can be used as evidence in a criminal case.
Here is the official filing.
What has Trump said on the record about the Fifth Amendment?
“The mob takes the Fifth Amendment,” Trump said at a campaign event in Iowa later that month. “If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”
That’s a one-off, right?
“Why do u take the 5th if you have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide?” – Sean Spicer
Wow, it’s almost history is coming back to bite them in the ass.
- Lawyer: Trump to aid raids’ attorney-client privilege review
- Cohen Motion to Stay
- Trump offers to personally review documents seized by FBI in Cohen raid
- What does Cohen asking for a stay mean?
HANNITY MAY HAVE BENEFITTED FROM FRAUDULENT AUCTIONS
Oh, this is getting good…
“Brock did not use his own money to pay Doughty and Sullivan for not bidding competitively at the December 6, 2011 auctions; rather, he used money that outside investors had given him to acquire foreclosed properties,” the memorandum says, “To keep his investors informed, Brock instructed an employee to send them invoices documenting the payments that he made.”
The employee dutifully prepared an invoice documenting a $3,770 payoff for the Lakewood house. The sum seems altogether reasonable considering that county records show Brock paid only $21,130 for a house that had been purchased back in 1999 for $95,000 and subsequently carried a mortgage of $155,000.
The memorandum does not identify the investor who provided the payoff funds. Property records show that title to the house did pass from Brock to a Cobb County entity called The First Real Estate Corporation, though no purchase price is recorded and the property passed that very same day to one of Sean Hannity’s shell myriad companies, SPMKX GA LL.
Wow. This guy, Jeffrey Wayne Brock, would show up at the courthouse with a couple buddies for a property auction, and they conspired to bid low, keeping the house value down. Then, after purchasing the house for his investment company, he sold it to one of Sean Hannity’s shell companies THE VERY SAME DAY.
Think back to shows like Flip or Flop, where they buy a property from a government auction. For the auction to take place, many places require pre-registration, and a minimum number of participants, likely 3. That way, the government will get a fair number of bids. But, what if those three people were all working for the same common goal? That is a conspiracy to commit fraud, and is illegal in most places.
They misrepresented themselves to get in the auction in the first place. Brock’s buddies lied about wanting to bid on the house, and took the spot of an active bidder. Then, after a tiny battle back and forth, they’d let Brock win the auction at a very low price, far lower than anyone expected. Brock would then pay his buddies out of the money he received from his investor, and likely included that money in the transaction cost of the property back to the investor.
This reeks to high heaven, and is shady AF. What could make it illegal activity for Hannity is if he had prior knowledge of this scheme, and possibly what the purchase price of the property was. If it was very low, like just a small profit for Brock, this could be evidence that Hannity was in on the conspiracy.
THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION
The documents filed late Monday by prosecutors in the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, show that the FBI had interviewed Manafort in March 2013 and again in July 2014. Manafort’s deputy, Rick Gates, who also held a top role with Trump’s campaign, was interviewed by the FBI in July 2014, the documents show.
I wish I could be surprised, and say that maybe this was a one-off, but who am I kidding? Manafort being a criminal is why he was hired.
The Cohen investigation is being run by the US Attorney; the Justice Department’s Tax Division and the National Security Devision at DOJ both also signed off on the charges to Manafort, so separate and apart from the Special Prosecutor, those charges exist, ensuring the investigations will persist separate and aside from the role of the Special Counsel’s office.
The Manafort search warrants came from the FBI’s International Corruption department, signed off by the US Attorney’s office in the Eastern District of Virginia. The Special Counsel’s team has already rooted their investigation in all these other offices which will survive and presumably sprout new trees.
I talked before (Daily Check-In 04/03/2018) about Mueller’s dead man switch, and this is another way to short circuit any advantage Trump thinks he would get by firing Mueller. He can’t stop this part of the investigation because it originates from the International Corruption Department in the FBI. The Special Counselor’s Office is simply coordinating matters.
- Miss Universe 2013 Host Thomas Roberts Confirms: Trump Stayed Overnight in Moscow
- Trump’s apparently false Moscow alibi could be strong evidence of guilt
- The Washington Post: Giuliani reopens negotiations about presidential interview with Mueller, but cautions special counsel that Trump remains resistant
- News organizations seek access to Mueller materials in Russia investigation
- GOP senator: Firing Mueller could trigger impeachment
COLD WAR 2.0
- Scientist who developed poison used in Salisbury is run over by car Vladimir Uglev was rushed to hospital in his hometown in Russia after he was struck while walking over a pedestrian crossing, suffering injuries to his head, leg and arm. dailymail.co.uk
- US senators push banks to disclose ties with wealthy Russians allied with Putin. Two Democratic senators, Jeanne Shaheen and Sheldon Whitehouse, have written to the banks, which include Bank of America Corp, JPMorgan C… cnbc.com
- North Korea’s nuclear test site has collapsed … and that may be why Kim Jong-un suspended tests
- Trump’s just a “tower constructor” who can’t grasp complex deals, Iran’s president says
- France’s Macron says U.S. should not ditch Iran deal without new…
- Vincent Bolloré: French tycoon held over ‘Africa corruption’ – BBC News
- Expelled spies included Russians suspected of tracking compatriots resettled in US
WHITE HOUSE CHAOS: PAY FOR PLAY, EPA, AND DUI IN THE VA
- Trump’s Budget Director Admits He Spoke Only To Lobbyists Who Paid Him
- Mick Mulvaney Casually Explains to Bankers How He Instituted a Pay-to-Play Rule for Lobbyists While in Congress
- Trump’s rumored next chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, admits to selling access as a congressman
Seriously, what the fuck is going on with this timeline? The head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the government organization that is supposed to protect us from corporate corruption, just admitted to accepting bribes while in Congress. In any normal universe, this would the top story of the month. This timeline, it’s not even in the top five of the day.
- EPA chief signs proposal limiting science used in decisions
- EPA security chief to Scott Pruitt also worked for owner of National Enquirer publisher American Media Inc.
- Only Trump’s EPA would say cars that pollute less put too many lives at risk
- How Scott Pruitt Plans to Defend Himself on Capitol Hill: Spread the Blame – The New York Times
Pruitt’s Plan: Blame others. Scott Pruitt has two interviews before Congress tomorrow, and I’m wondering how bad this could be.
- VA nominee drunkenly banged on female employee’s door during overseas trip, sources say
- VA nominee Ronny Jackson faces explosive new allegations of drinking, wrecking government vehicle
- Analysis: Too many Trump appointments made without vetting
Gee, what a surprise. The doctor that said Trump was healthy (Daily Check-In 02/08/2018) has poor judgement.
TRUMP ORG AND CORRUPTION, FROM THE WATER IS WET DEPARTMENT
- Trump associate received more than $21M in Kazakh oligarchs’ alleged money laundering scheme
- Trump White House Now Just Openly Courting Corruption
#NEVERAGAIN
- Our president ignores an American hero: Trump’s silence on the Waffle House murders is deafening
- Suspected Waffle House shooter’s ex-boss urged feds to keep him locked up
CAMBRIDGE ANALYTICA AND FACEBOOK
- Bannon turned Cambridge into ‘propaganda machine,’ whistleblower says Congressional investigators say the former Trump strategist sought research on Putin during the 2016 campaign. nbcnews.com
- Cambridge Analytica whistleblower urges U.S. lawmakers to investigate company
- Did somebody say Brexit? Cambridge Analytica grilled: Brit MPs’ Fake News probe • The Register
THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE
- US falls to 45th on press freedom index, Trump labeled ‘media-bashing enthusiast’
- Tucker Carlson criticizes GOP for campaigning against Clinton: She ‘doesn’t run anything’
- Fox News blacks out Mick Mulvaney’s admission that he sold access to lobbyists
GOP: THE PARTY OF LINCOLN IS DEAD
- Republicans Lost Support in Every Special Election Since Trump Became President
- Millennials blame boomers for ruining their lives
- Congresswoman Maxine Waters’ Advice For President Trump: ‘Please Resign’
- Anger spreads across Puerto Rico over lack of basic services
- Rhode Island governor orders state agencies to only use internet services that follow net neutrality rules
- HUD Secretary Ben Carson wants to triple rent on poor people
- The Washington Post: More older Americans are smoking marijuana
SAY GOODBYE TO THE ECONOMY
- GOP senators weigh plan to raid Social Security for paid family leave
- How Senator Crapo’s Dodd-Frank Rollback Will Let Banks Bet More Of Your Money
BLUE WAVE
- Dems flip New York state seat that Republicans have held for nearly four decades
- Poll: Dem leads by 3 points in Tennessee Senate race
TRUMP HATES BROWN PEOPLE, THE IMMIGRANTS EDITION
- Third judge rules against Trump move to end DACA
- Federal judge orders government to continue DACA and accept new applicants, in toughest blow yet to Trump’s efforts to end program
- The Washington Post: Federal judge: Trump administration must accept new DACA applications
- The Washington Post: Conservative justices voice skepticism that Trump lacks authority for immigrant ban
- Kagan, Sotomayor Grill Trump Admin Lawyer: What If Travel Ban Targeted Jews?
IN OTHER NEWS…
- The Washington Post: ‘Golden State Killer’ suspect, a former police officer, arrested after DNA match
- Police Appear to Have Seized Revenge Porn Site Anon-IB “Cybercrime teams from the Dutch police have seized the Anon-IB forum in an ongoing investigation concerning criminal offenses.” motherboard.vice.com
RUMOR MILL
Lincoln’s Bible on Mob Myths
This thread is definitely worth checking out.
That’s it for today. I think this weekend I’ll update the Cast of Characters. I didn’t get to that this past weekend, and I don’t like leaving things hanging.
Thank you, and have a good one.
“Without Journalists, it’s just propaganda.”
– Katy Tur
None of this is Normal 