# Are the Dems and media becoming over-invested in Trump/Russia? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 10, 2017, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823 "2017-03-10T01:12:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/81 "2017-03-20T14:31:49Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Yes, gerrymanding and voter ID laws. It’s great that you and a lot of people on your side think that. ---
**Author:** ![SingleMalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/singlemalt/32/3961_2.png) [@SingleMalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SingleMalt)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/82 "2017-03-20T17:02:07Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > It’s great that you and a lot of people on your side think that. Not to mention several courts, state and federal. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/83 "2017-03-20T19:26:24Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > You are in the worst era to be a conservative, if that’s what you are. The stench of 2016 will take a lifetime to dissipate. Stop worrying about how liberals treat you. Start thinking about your dignity, just for a start. Dial it back. Do not personalize arguments in this fashion. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/84 "2017-03-20T19:29:11Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Over the last week, I heard three Republicans divert questions about Obama’s wiretapping with comments about Democratic investigations into Trump’s Russia connection. > > It seem that the Republicans think that the Russian hoopla is a winner for them. > > I agree. So the news out of the hearing today is…\* good for the Republicans\*? :dubious: Am I just imagining Nunez’ fearful demenor? Trump’s desperate attempts to spin this via tweetstorm? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/85 "2017-03-20T19:32:21Z")
Is Mr Schindler way off base here? > > [@](#): > > No amount of #GOP obfuscation & redirection can change just how awful today has been for the Trump WH. Comey’s statements can’t be unsaid. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/86 "2017-03-22T12:28:32Z")
[Breaking: Manafort Secretly Worked To Advance Putin’s Interests](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/manafort-worked-advance-putin-interests) This guy had something to do with Trump, right? Headed the campaign, was in charge of the convention, etc… right? > [@](#): > > President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, **Paul Manafort, secretly worked for a Russian billionaire to advance the interests of Russian President Vladimir Putin a decade ago and proposed an ambitious political strategy to undermine anti-Russian opposition** across former Soviet republics, The Associated Press has learned. The work appears to contradict assertions by the Trump administration and Manafort himself that he never worked for Russian interests. > > \*\*Manafort proposed in a confidential strategy plan as early as June 2005 that he would _influence politics, business dealings and news coverage inside the United States_, Europe and the former Soviet republics to benefit the Putin government, even as \*U.S.-Russia relations under Republican President George W. Bush grew worse. \*\*\*Manafort pitched the plans to Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, a close Putin ally **with whom Manafort eventually signed a $10 million annual contract** beginning in 2006, according to interviews with several people familiar with payments to Manafort and business records obtained by the AP. Manafort and Deripaska maintained a business relationship until at least 2009, according to one person familiar with the work. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/87 "2017-03-22T12:35:22Z")
Here’s the original AP report: [null | AP News](https://www.apnews.com/amp/122ae0b5848345faa88108a03de40c5a) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/88 "2017-03-22T12:37:54Z")
Reporter: “Sean, how do you respond to these allegations about Paul–” Spicer: “Never heard of him. He doesn’t exist. Fake person!” Reporter: “Manafort was Trump’s campaign manager–” Spicer: “No he wasn’t. Even if he exists, he was lower than an intern. There may have been some guy named Paul working at the KFC that the President eats at nine times a week.” Reporter: “But here is a picture–” Spicer: “Fake news! Fake picture! Fake reporter! Fake President! Oops, I retract that last one.” ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/89 "2017-03-22T12:47:22Z")
Holy shit that’s not all. Remember the secret ledger that recorded former Ukrainian president Yanukovych’s corruption? The one with [$12.7 million of payments to Manafort](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/15/us/politics/paul-manafort-ukraine-donald-trump.html)? One of those $750,000 payments is matched by a [$750,000 “computer sale” from a shell company in Belize to Manafort’s consulting company](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/20/world/europe/paul-manafort-ukraine-allegations-trump.html?_r=0). I don’t think hiring a [“crisis communication firm”](http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/lobbying-hires/325053-former-trump-aide-manafort-hires-crisis-communications) is going to be enough to save Manafort’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/90 "2017-03-22T13:26:21Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > This guy had something to do with Trump, right? Headed the campaign, was in charge of the convention, etc… right? He had a very limited role for a very limited amount of time. According to the White House, he “was brought on sometime in June and by the middle of August he was no longer with the campaign”, so just a couple of months, really. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/91 "2017-03-22T13:29:52Z")
I love that Trump hired a guy to run his campaign AND the GOP convention who worked, for _years_, to destabilize George W. Bush’s foreign policy efforts. Wheels within wheels… ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/92 "2017-03-22T13:41:33Z")
I’m no lawyer, so what are the potential charges that Manafort could face? Seems to me he was working as a foreign agent without registering as one, is that accurate? So if you’re running a presidential campaign as an unregistered foreign agent and the candidate gets the platform committee to revise the platform in Russia’s favor, is that not significant? Now, will the feds go after Manafort or use him as bait for the bigger fish? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/93 "2017-03-22T14:23:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’m no lawyer, so what are the potential charges that Manafort could face? Seems to me he was working as a foreign agent without registering as one, is that accurate? So if you’re running a presidential campaign as an unregistered foreign agent and the candidate gets the platform committee to revise the platform in Russia’s favor, is that not significant? Now, will the feds go after Manafort or use him as bait for the bigger fish? It’s unthinkable that Manafort isn’t part of the FBI investigation. I’m sure how he’s used there depends on what sorts of dirt gets uncovered. If he has damaging information on others in the campaign and is willing to testify and/or turn over evidence I could very well see immunity being offered. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/94 "2017-03-22T14:28:20Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > I love that Trump hired a guy to run his campaign AND the GOP convention who worked, for _years_, to destabilize George W. Bush’s foreign policy efforts. > > Wheels within wheels… I mean, I’m torn here. GWB _sucked_ at foreign policy. So is Manafort a hero or a traitor… or both? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/95 "2017-03-22T14:43:45Z")
I posted this in another thread, but there are also leaked text messages from Manafort’s family that have been verified that talk about Manafort and Trump plotting together (Manafort lives in Trump tower, by the way) and that Manafort has killed people for the Russian/Ukrainian cause. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/96 "2017-03-22T20:08:24Z")
> [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > He had a very limited role for a very limited amount of time. > > According to the White House, he “was brought on sometime in June and by the middle of August he was no longer with the campaign”, so just a couple of months, really. Why on Earth would you take anything the White House says seriously? 😕Here in the real world, he was a member of Trump’s inner circle since March, although he was only named Trump’s campaign manager (which isn’t usually considered a “very limited role” in a campaign) in June. [Here](https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/03/28/donald-trump-hires-paul-manafort-to-lead-delegate-effort/) is one of the dozens of cites to this effect which you could easily have found in ten seconds of Googling. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823/97 "2017-03-22T20:14:24Z")
I’m thinking you got whooshed there, TF. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-dems-and-media-becoming-over-invested-in-trump-russia/781823.md?page=4)