What's ''Stormy Daniels'' about?

[iNow]

https://www.vox.com/2018/8/21/17765496/michael-cohen-plea-deal-sdny-criminal-prison

Cohen was charged with five counts of tax evasion from 2012 to 2016, one count of making a false statement to a financial institution from February 2015 to April 2016, one count of being a “willful cause” of an unlawful corporate contribution from June 2016 to October 2016, and one count of making an excessive campaign contribution on October 27. 2016. 

Cohen pleaded guilty to all of the charges, including failing to report $4 million in taxes. He said he violated campaign finance laws in coordination with and at the direction of an unnamed candidate — presumably Trump — in coordinating payouts to porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom alleged to have had affairs with Trump. He said he acted for the purpose of influencing an election.

https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2018/8/21/17766080/cohen-manafort-trump-plea-republicans-gop-cornyn-graham

“But in court, Cohen admitted that he made hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and other women “at the direction of” the president, and with the goal of influencing the 2016 election.

Lanny Davis, attorney for Michael Cohen:

"Today he stood up and testified under oath that Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime by making payments to two women for the principal purpose of influencing an election.”

Davis added. “If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldn’t they be a crime for Donald Trump?”

[StringJunky]

4 minutes ago, iNow said:

Davis added. “If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldn’t they be a crime for Donald Trump?”

Do you think the law agencies will concur with this?

[iNow]

18 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

Do you think the law agencies will concur with this?

The justice system is controlled by the president. It’s a wing of the executive branch, and he’s the senior most executive. 

Whether or not they concur, they’re most likely powerless to act. 

The check here needed to restore balance is the Congress itself, but congress is controlled by Republicans and even the most reasonable and moderate of those today have been signaling they won’t act on this despite its obvious illegality. 

Indicators are they'll only act if Russian collusion is shown. All other crimes can politically be ignored as not high or misdemeanor-y enough.

We’re at a constitutional impasse until or unless the GOP loses power and Democrats take over congress in 76 days during the 2018 midterm elections. 

[StringJunky]

4 minutes ago, iNow said:

The justice system is controlled by the president. It’s a wing of the executive branch, and he’s the senior most executive. 

Whether or not they concur, they’re most likely powerless to act. 

The check here needed to restore balance is the Congress itself, but congress is controlled by Republicans and even the most reasonable and moderate of those today have been signaling they won’t act on this despite its obvious illegality. 

Indicators are they'll only act if Russian collusion is shown. All other crimes can politically be ignored as not high or misdemeanor-y enough.

We’re at a constitutional impasse until or unless the GOP loses power and Democrats take over congress in 76 days during the 2018 midterm elections. 

Presuming he escapes the law whilst President because the President can't be touched, can it come back to bite when he''s not?

[iNow]

15 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

Presuming he escapes the law whilst President because the President can't be touched, can it come back to bite when he''s not?

My instincts tell me, yes. Once he’s no longer president, he’s once more just like any other normal citizen.

The only thing that’s prevented these sorts of post-office punishments is a sense of decorum, normalcy, and tradition or protocol. It was seen as too politically risky to attack a former leader or political opponent. The voting populace wouldn’t stand for such “savagery.”

Along that same vein, recall that President Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon after his kerfuffle, largely in hopes of more quickly healing the political rift which had deepened in the nation. Nixon, though, still enjoyed lots of die-hard supporters behind him when he exited, much like Trump enjoys himself today.

That said, what’s happening now is largely unprecedented and norms are being broken and extinguished daily. Your guess is probably as good as mine. Loser buys first round. Deal?

Edited August 22, 2018 by iNow

[StringJunky]

5 minutes ago, iNow said:

My instincts tell me, yes. Once he’s no longer president, he’s once more just like any other normal citizen.

The only thing that’s prevented these sorts of post-office punishments is a sense of decorum, normalcy, and tradition or protocol. It was seen as too politically risky to attack a former leader or political opponent. The voting populace wouldn’t stand for such “savagery.”

After all, President Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon after his curfufdle, largely in hopes of more quickly healing the political rift which had deepened in the nation. Nixon still enjoyed lots of die-hard supporters behind him when he exited, much like Trump enjoys himself today.

That said, what’s happening now is largely unprecedented and norms are being broken and extinguished daily. Your guess is probably as good as mine. 

Loser buys first round. Deal?

OK. What's your prediction? what do you think will be his destiny by the end of his term, if he gets there?

[iNow]

22 minutes ago, StringJunky said:

OK. What's your prediction? what do you think will be his destiny by the end of his term, if he gets there?

The most honest answer is that I have no idea.

You’re asking me to predict how someone will move their rook or queen 3 moves from now, all while the chess board itself is being set on fire. 

[Ten oz]

9 hours ago, iNow said:

The check here needed to restore balance is the Congress itself, but congress is controlled by Republicans and even the most reasonable and moderate of those today have been signaling they won’t act on this despite its obvious illegality. 

Even if Democrats were to win both the House and Senate in Nov. I doubt they'd act strongly against Trump out of fear of public reaction. From Franken being immediately disavowed to the continued concessions about the kind of candidate Clinton was or wasn't Democrats are very sensitive to criticism. Too sensitive to stand up to some like Trump who'd make a nuclear level skeptical of every disagreement. I actually think Democratic weakness will boost Trump's 2020 odds. Currently Trump is struggling to find someone to blame for all his lies and failings on. Blaming the media has been successful in some circles but not good as blaming Crooked Clinton was. Trump needs an enemy and a Democratic led Congress which lack the courage to impeach is the perfect punching bag for Trump to publicly denigrate and blame everything on.