Daily Check-In 02/22/2019

Daily Check-In

Friday, February 22, 2019 and the weekend.

 

THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION

Mueller Report

See, this makes a little more sense.  Mueller will finish his report when he finishes his report.

 

Manafort

Manafort had another bad weekend.  Mueller released his sentencing document with 800 pages of evidence.

800 pages.  To put that in perspective, George R. R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” is 693 pages.  So using that logic, Paul Manafort is more fucked than Ned Stark.

And if he’s still holding out hope of a pardon, the state of New York has something to say about that.  They have charges ready and waiting to go the moment Tangering Tojo decides to try it.

Remember, a presidential pardon is useless against state charges, and there’s enough that Paul did in New York that’s under their jurisdiction to make sure he winds up in prison for the rest of his natural life.

 

Roger Stone

His gag order includes his associates.  He has a status update on March 14th.  Let’s see what happens.

 

 

COHEN, NEW YORK, AND THE OTHER LAWSUITS

Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, met last month with federal prosecutors in Manhattan, offering information about possible irregularities within the president’s family business and about a donor to the inaugural committee, according to people familiar with the matter.

Mr. Cohen, who worked at the Trump Organization for a decade, spoke with the prosecutors about insurance claims the company had filed over the years, said the people, who did not elaborate on the nature of the possible irregularities.

While it was not clear whether the prosecutors found Mr. Cohen’s information credible and whether they intended to pursue it, the meeting suggests that they are interested in broader aspects of the Trump Organization, beyond their investigation into the company’s role in the hush money payments made before the 2016 election to women claiming to have had affairs with Mr. Trump. Mr. Cohen pleaded guilty last summer to arranging those payments.

The prosecutors also questioned Mr. Cohen about a donor to the president’s inaugural committee, Imaad Zuberi, a California venture capitalist and political fund-raiser, according to the people familiar with the matter, who were not authorized to discuss the confidential meeting. Around the time that Mr. Zuberi contributed $900,000 to the committee, he also tried to hire Mr. Cohen as a consultant and wrote him a substantial check, one of the people said.

 

Building Names

 

Taxes

 

TRUMP THE RUSSIAN ASSET A.K.A. INDIVIDUAL-1

 

TRAITOR TOTS

Kushner

 

Zinke

 

 

FIGHTING BACK

 

SOCIALISM: THE BOOGEYMAN OF THE RIGHT

 

CONGRESS

 

EMERGENCIES, SHUTDOWN & IMMIGRATION

 

RIGHT WING TERRORISM & WHITE NATIONALISM

 

SCOTUS & COURTS

 

#METOO & WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Epstein

Taking a closer look at Judge Kenneth Mara’s opinion and order finding that the DOJ — and specifically then-US Attorney, now Labor Secretary Alex Acosta — violated the law in the Epstein plea deal. (Thread)

2/ First off, again, full credit to the amazing reporting by @jkbjournalistof the @MiamiHeraldfor “How a future Trump Cabinet member gave a serial sex abuser the deal of a lifetime”…worth a read:

3/ Judge Kenneth Mara presents these facts: “From between about 1999 and 2007, Jeffrey Epstein sexually abused more than 30 minor girls, including Petitioners Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2…”

4/ “Epstein and his co-conspirators knowingly traveled in interstate and international commerce to sexually abuse Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 and others… Epstein directed other persons to abuse the girls sexually…”

5/ In 2005, the Palm Beach Police Department “received a complaint from the parents of a 14 year old girl about her sexual abuse by Jeffery Epstein.” PBPD found “20 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 who were sexually abused by Epstein.” FBI began investigating as well.

6/ From Jan-Sept 2007, discussions took place between the office of the US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida — Alex Acosta — & Epstein’s attorneys. At that time, Acosta’s office was also informing the victims of Epstein’s crimes of their rights…

  1. …specifically rights as established in the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, including “the right to be heard in public court proceedings relating to…acceptance of a plea bargain” and “the right to be informed in a timely manner of any plea bargain” https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33679.pdf …

8/ On or about June 7, 2007, the FBI delivered to Jane Doe 1 the standard CVRA victim notification letter promising DOJ would make its “best efforts” to protect those rights, Jane Doe 1 “believed that the Government would protect those rights,” the judge wrote.

9/ Jane Doe 2 received her CVRA victim notification letter on or about August 11. At the time she was being represented by an attorney Epstein was paying for.

10/ US Attorney Acosta’s office and Epstein’s attorneys entered into a non-prosecution agreement – NPA – on Sept 24, 2007 “whereby the United States would defer federal prosecution in favor of prosecution by the State of Florida.” Did Acosta’s office inform the victims? …

11/ Judge Mara: “From the time the FBI began investigating Epstein until September 24, 2007—when the NPA was concluded—the Office never conferred with the victims about a NPA or told the victims that such an agreement was under consideration.”

12/ Not only that — but “Epstein’s counsel was aware that the Office was deliberately keeping the NPA secret from the victims and, indeed, had sought assurances to that effect.” Acosta’s US Attorney’s office, working with the accused, against the rights of the victims.

13/ The line prosecutor writes to the Epstein attorneys about how to achieve something “On an ‘avoid the press’ note”… filing something in “District Court in Miami, which will hopefully cut the press coverage significantly.” ???

14/ 9/25/07, the line prosecutor writes to Epstein’s attorney regarding three attorneys who might represent the victims: “I have concerns about whether there would be an inherent tension because they may feel that THEY might make more money (and get a lot more press coverage)…

15/ “…if they proceed outside the Terms of the plea agreement. (Sorry – I just have a bias against plaintiffs’ attorneys.) One nice thing about Bert is that he is in Miami where there has been almost no coverage of this case.”

16/ Epstein’s attorney to Acosta, 10/10/07: “Neither federal agents nor anyone from your Office should contact the identified individuals to inform them of the resolution of the case…”

17/ Epstein’s attorney tells Acosta that the attorney rep for the victims be instructed that “[t]he details regarding the United States’s investigation of this matter and its resolution with Mr. Epstein is confidential. You may not make public statements regarding this matter.”

18/ Epstein attorney thanks Acosta for their October 12 meeting “in which you…assured me that your Office would not…contact any of the identified individuals, potential witnesses, or potential civil claimants and their respective counsel in this matter.”

19/ Epstein agreed to plead guilty to state charges, and FBI agents tell Jane Doe 1 in Oct 2007 “that Epstein would plead guilty to state charges, he would be required to register as a sex offender for life, and he had made certain concessions related to the payment of damages.”

20/ Jane Doe 1 says they didn’t explain the NPA was signed. Her “understanding was that the federal investigation would continue.”

21/ At the end of November, the Assistant US Attorney prepares a letter to send the victims noting their “statutory obligation to notify the victims about Epstein’s plea to state charges that was part of the NPA”

22/ The proposed letter noted that because Epstein’s plea of guilty to state charges was “part of the resolution of the federal investigation,” the victims were “entitled to be present and to make a statement under oath at the state sentencing.”

23/ This was not acceptable to Epstein’s attorneys. 11/29/07, they sent a letter to Acosta “objecting to the proposed victim notification letter, stating that it is inappropriate for any letter to be sent to the victims before Epstein entered his plea or had been sentenced.”

24/ 11/30/07, Acosta writes to Epstein atty Ken Starr: “I am directing our prosecutors not to issue victim notification letters until this Friday at 5 p.m., to provide you with time to review these options with your client.” Ultimately NO letters to victims were sent in Dec 07

25/ Jan 08, Epstein “sought higher level review” within DOJ for his deal. The FBI tells Jane Doe 1 & Jane Doe 2 the “case is currently under investigation. This can be a lengthy process and we request your continued patience while we conduct a thorough investigation.” …

26/ Jane Doe 1 still believed “the Government would contact her before reaching any final resolution” and “she wanted to be consulted by prosecutors before any resolution.”

27/ June 30, 2008, Epstein enters a guilty plea to “violations of Florida statutes forbidding the solicitation of minors to engage in prostitution and felony solicitation of prostitution.” Jane Doe 1 thought the US Attorney was still investigating and pursuing her case.

28/ July 9, 2008, U.S. Attorney Acosta’s Office “sent victim notification letters to Jane Doe 1” and other victims of Epstein. The notification “did not provide the full terms of the NPA.” You get the point by now, I assume.

29/ The judge: “it is undisputed that the Government entered into a NPA with Epstein without conferring with Petitioners during its negotiation and signing. Instead, the Government sent letters to the victims requesting their ‘patience’ with the investigation …

30/”..even after the Government entered into the NPA. At a bare minimum, the CVRA required the Government to inform Petitioners that it intended to enter into an agreement not to prosecute Epstein.”

31/ The judge goes on to say the US Attorney’s office CONCEALED the NPA and “mislead the victims to believe that federal prosecution was still a possibility. When the Government gives information to victims, it cannot be misleading.”

32/You can read the whole document here, courtesy @Buzzfeed

33/ Why did Epstein get such a cozy deal? And even if one disagrees with Judge Marra and sides with then-US Attorney Acosta’s office that they didn’t HAVE to let the victims know — why DIDN’T they? Why bend over backwards for a pedophile over the rights of his victims?

The Acosta scandal isn’t just about Epstein. The deal let Trump himself avoid investigation and possible prosecution. And Trump just happened to put Acosta in his cabinet?

Trump paid off state AGs, fired Sessions for not protecting him, and replaced him with a flunky. He’s upfront about shielding himself from the law. Of course he remembers the time Acosta illegally ended an investigation into his “partying” with minors.

Here’s a summary of the relevant parts of the Miami Herald series that broke the story. Better yet, read the whole series.

If you haven’t read this series yet, you should. It’s disturbing as hell and raises so many important issues. I can’t do them all justice. I’m just going to pull on one thread about Donald Trump and his Labor Secretary.

There’s a connection between the sexual assaults in Trump’s closet and the kidnapped children in his detention centers. He’s the abuser in chief of an abusive government. And like @C_Stroop says, abuse at scale is authoritarianism.

 

Robert Kraft and the Orchid Spa Human Trafficking Sting

 

R. Kelly

 

 

COLD WAR 2.0

Saudi Arabia

 

Venezuela

 

1MDB

 

Italy

 

ISIS

 

North Korea

 

Afghanistan

 

 

#NEVERAGAIN

 

FIXING THE INTERNET

 

THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE

 

TRADE WAR, HEALTH CARE, AND ECONOMY

 

STUDENT ISSUES

 

GOP: THE PARTY OF LINCOLN IS DEAD

 

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

 

PRIESTS & RELIGION

 

ENVIRONMENT & SCIENCE

Deniers

 

Measles

 

 

ELECTIONS

 

THINKING AHEAD

Taxes

 

Stolen Data Promise

 

PROGRESS IS PROGRESS

 

IN OTHER NEWS…

 

RUMOR MILL

Spicy Mic Banned from Twitter…Again

Houston, we have a problem. @Twitteris now randomly silencing accounts such as @SpicyFiles,@ChristopherNeth. Full suspension.

.@omidkordestani@jack@TwitterSupport, it’s time to topside your malware. You ready? Let’s go.

Eric Garland Retweeted Michael Avenatti

Twitter has no problem with serial harassers on right, left, and fake center.

Michael AvenattiVerified account @MichaelAvenatti

You are a moron. How can you be this dumb and spew this much BS?

Twitter did not suspend hundreds to thousands of accounts for harassing and doxxing any and all who revealed the activities of Mob actors on democracy, here and around the world.

Now, @TwitterSupport, I’m not going to focus on your curious decision to tell me that you would give my metadata to a billionaire who owned a firearms company mere days after St. Louis police invaded my kids’ bedrooms without a warrant. Nope. This is about someone else.

You are in contact with @/SpicyFiles about a dangerous situation. You know it. Local law enforcement knows it. And you just banned that account during the process. This should be legally escalated, from where I’m sitting.

I have many questions, but they are better asked by prosecutors from @TheJusticeDept. In multiple Federal venues.

Twitter is publicly traded. It has a psychological, commercial, and political affect on the US and elsewhere. All of this is the business of @SEC_Enforcement@FTC@USSenate@USHouseNews.

Twitter needs to answer fully for its decisions, the access to its API by the enemies of democracy, and for 100% of its finances with the SEC.

Answer now. Don’t just use and abuse these platforms and steal transparency when suits you. Be transparent. Now. Or you should be torn down as corporate, social, and political entities. </>

This is some supreme horseshit.  I’m not privy to all of the details of what’s been going on for the last couple weeks, but Spicy was supposedly brigaded by bots, trolls, and some of Michael Avenatti’s overzealous supporters and reported several of her posts as abusive.  This is on top of some other stuff that’s been going on involving doxxing.

This isn’t the first time she’s been booted from Twitter.  Last time, she lost tons of data and research.  And I don’t know if she’ll get back on again.

Some of her threads are archived on this site.  Also, there are a lot of ThreadReader links to her work as well.  There’s a feature I just discovered with them that allow for saving PDF’s of threads.  I’ll see what I can do to help her retrieve her writings.

 

Other Friends of Trump Involved in Human Trafficking

 

Erik Prince

 

 

That’s it for the last few days.  Damn.  As I mentioned earlier, I’m working trying to get some stuff for Spicy’s work.  Also, I think I’ll save a backup of this site, just to be on the safe side.

As far as Robert Kraft goes, I guess fucking the AFC for the last 18 years wasn’t enough for him, he has to go to a rub and tug as well?

 

Thank you, and have a good one.

 

“Without Journalists, it’s just propaganda.”

– Katy Tur

 

 

Published by noneofthisisnormal

Published

2 thoughts on “Daily Check-In 02/22/2019”

  1. Pingback: Daily Check-In 02/25/2019 – None of this is Normal
  2. Pingback: Daily Check-In 03/08/2019 – None of this is Normal

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