# The Trump Administration: A Clusterfuck in the Making **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2016, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070 "2016-12-07T00:25:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 840
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16785 "2018-02-14T19:23:54Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So why the odd amount? Is $130,000 a round number in rubles? It’s around 7 million rubles. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16786 "2018-02-14T19:32:47Z")
[The plot sickens](https://www.apnews.com/7511e7654b2f476489be235327843280): > [@](#): > > Stormy Daniels, the pornography star whom President Donald Trump’s personal attorney acknowledged paying $130,000 just before Election Day, believes she is now free to discuss her alleged sexual encounter with Trump, her manager told The Associated Press Wednesday. > > Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, believes that Trump attorney Michael Cohen invalidated a non-disclosure agreement after two news stories were published Tuesday: One, in which Cohen told The New York Times that he made the six-figure payment with his personal funds, and another in the Daily Beast, which reported that Cohen was shopping a book proposal that would touch on Daniels’ story, said the manager, Gina Rodriguez… ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16787 "2018-02-14T19:44:01Z")
The chief of staff for Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin altered an email and made false statements to a department ethics official that led to taxpayers covering expenses for Shulkin’s wife on an official trip to Europe > **[Inspector general: VA Secretary Shulkin's chief of staff altered email for...](https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/politics/shulkin-veterans-affairs-wimbledon/index.html)** > > The chief of staff for VA Secretary David Shulkin altered an email and made false statements to a department ethics official, the agency's inspector general said ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16788 "2018-02-14T20:06:39Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > …“In a private transaction in 2016,\*\* I used my own personal funds to facilitate a payment of $130,000\*\* to Ms. Stephanie Clifford,” Michael Cohen said in a statement. “Neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly.” “I’m not a scumbag, I’m a LEGAL scumbag”. Right, I’m sure he did this out of the kindness of his heart.:rolleyes: ---
**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:** [February 14, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16789 "2018-02-14T20:11:16Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The chief of staff for Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin altered an email and made false statements to a department ethics official that led to taxpayers covering expenses for Shulkin’s wife on an official trip to Europe > [http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/politics/shulkin-veterans-affairs-wimbledon/index.html?sr=fbCNN021418shulkin-veterans-affairs-wimbledon1209PMStoryLink](http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/14/politics/shulkin-veterans-affairs-wimbledon/index.html?sr=fbCNN021418shulkin-veterans-affairs-wimbledon1209PMStoryLink) We all just misheard… he is _training_ the swamp, not _draining_ it. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16790 "2018-02-14T20:39:47Z")
Trump takes credit for GM moving a plant from Korea to Detroit. No, it isn’t. > **[Trump takes credit for imaginary auto plant in Detroit](https://americanindependent.com/trump-takes-credit-for-imaginary-auto-plant-in-detroit/)** > > Trump is resorting to complete and total fantasy in order to brag about his “accomplishments.” ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16791 "2018-02-14T20:44:48Z")
The chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle has been charged with stealing immigrants’ identities to defraud credit card companies. > **[ICE lawyer in Seattle charged with stealing immigrant IDs](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/law-justice/ice-lawyer-in-seattle-charged-with-stealing-immigrants-ids/)** > > Prosecutors allege that Raphael Sanchez stole the identities of seven people "in various stages of immigration proceedings" to defraud credit card companies. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16792 "2018-02-14T20:50:09Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > [The plot sickens](https://www.apnews.com/7511e7654b2f476489be235327843280): If that second mention is accurate - it would make more sense - the NDA was about the book and not the affiar - and Trump’s attorney was about to publish a book about it? THats a pre-payment. That would have been interesting to see. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16793 "2018-02-14T21:37:30Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > The chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle has been charged with stealing immigrants’ identities to defraud credit card companies. > [https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/ice-lawyer-in-seattle-charged-with-stealing-immigrants-ids/](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/ice-lawyer-in-seattle-charged-with-stealing-immigrants-ids/) What does something that happened in 2016 have to do with Clusterfuckwit? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16794 "2018-02-14T21:57:15Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > What does something that happened in 2016 have to do with Clusterfuckwit? _ **Raphael A. Sanchez, who resigned from the agency effective Monday** _ ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16795 "2018-02-14T21:59:33Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > _ **Raphael A. Sanchez, who resigned from the agency effective Monday** _ > [@](#): > > The charging document contained few specifics about the allegations, but did give one example: It said that in April 2016, Sanchez sent an email from his government account He may be charged now, but he was committing crimes before the great orange douche came along. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16796 "2018-02-14T23:12:44Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So why the odd amount? Is $130,000 a round number in rubles? I had assumed it was the result of a negotiation. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2018, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16797 "2018-02-14T23:13:50Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > [The plot sickens](https://www.apnews.com/7511e7654b2f476489be235327843280): _“Stormy Daniels’ manager says the porn star ‘is going to tell her story’”_ **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ROFLMAO!!!** Tells us about every _ **little thing** _, Stormy! Don’t omit the _ **tiniest** _ detail! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16798 "2018-02-15T00:24:24Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > I had assumed it was the result of a negotiation. I’ll go with **Chimera** ’s suggestion that the fixer took a cut as a service fee. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16799 "2018-02-15T00:48:53Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Who do you pay to facilitate a payment? Some prince in Nigeria? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16800 "2018-02-15T01:10:01Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I think Edwards’ crime was using campaign contributions for personal use – a big no, no. It’s exactly the same kind of thing in both cases. He was _accused_ of directing money that _should_ have been reported as campaign contributions, since the ultimate purpose of the funds was to keep him electable. From [the link](https://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/us/26edwards.html?referer=) up-thread: > [@](#): > > Investigators have said that the money came from two top supporters — Rachel Mellon, a 100-year-old banking heiress, and Fred Baron, Mr. Edwards’s campaign finance chairman, who died in 2008. > > Investigators contend that some of the money was used to support and essentially hide Ms. Hunter as well as her daughter, now 3, whom Mr. Edwards eventually admitted he had fathered. The money could be considered campaign contributions, and therefore illegal, if prosecutors can show that Mr. Edwards helped orchestrate the cover-up with it or knew that the money would be used for such a cover-up. > > Prosecutors have traveled twice to Ms. Mellon’s Virginia estate to speak with her, and have also interviewed her relatives. They have said that Ms. Mellon was unaware of the purpose of her donations, which she viewed as a personal gift. > > Mr. Edwards has denied paying for a cover-up, with money from his campaign or otherwise. “I’ve never paid a dime of money to any of the people involved,” he told ABC News in 2008, when he admitted to having an affair with Ms. Hunter but continued to deny that he had fathered a child. He was ultimately found not guilty of one charge, with the remaining five charges dropped after a mistrial. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16801 "2018-02-15T02:45:38Z")
Shit tons of people in the administration still lack security clearance. > **[Scores of top White House officials lack permanent security clearances](https://t.co/s7toX4L9yQ)** > > More than 130 White House political appointees working lacked permanent security clearances as of November 2017, including the president’s daughter and son-in-law. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16802 "2018-02-15T03:15:32Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > _“Stormy Daniels’ manager says the porn star ‘is going to tell her story’”_ > > **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ROFLMAO!!!** > > Tells us about every _ **little thing** _, Stormy! > > Don’t omit the _ **tiniest** _ detail! If her story doesn’t involve pissing, I’m going to be disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16803 "2018-02-15T03:45:52Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Shit tons of people in the administration still lack security clearance. > > [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/scores-top-white-house-officials-lack-permanent-security-clearances-n848191](https://t.co/s7toX4L9yQ) How exactly does the GOP even pretend that their outrage at Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information was real? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070/16804 "2018-02-15T03:50:43Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > How exactly does the GOP even pretend that their outrage at Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified information was real? She’s a Democrat. When they do it, it is a felony deserving of a life sentence. Or worse. When it is done by the GOP, it is SOP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=839) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-administration-a-clusterfuck-in-the-making/774070.md?page=841)