# Trump associates may have coordinated with Russians, according to US officials **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 23, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799 "2017-03-23T00:28:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 232
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4625 "2018-06-22T17:10:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Mueller could indeed come up with a Big Reveal before November that would result in Trump’s impeachment. You don’t have to be a CT’er to think so. Sure, but I don’t want to go down the rabbithole of thinking something huge, amazing, and earthshattering is going to happen (be revealed, I mean) without actual indication that it is. Yes, there is evidence of very hinky things going on. But we need to be wary of believing reveals, indictments, etc. are happening just because we want them to. I do not want to turn into a Jade-Helm-of-the-left type who believes everything evil of the party I don’t like or like someone who’s sure, every day, _this_ will be the day the Clintons go to jail. Thankfully, most have veered away from Taylor and Mensch (and the mainstream media/powerful politicians on the Left never gave them credence the way it happened with the right), but it’s disturbing how many people (at least on other boards) just ignore bad reporting and say it doesn’t matter or jump up and act like some of the things Trump has done are hugely scandalous when they are not. Trump has done many scandalous things - we don’t need to make any up or exaggerate typical things, and if we don’t have our facts right, it just weakens our credibility, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4626 "2018-06-22T19:51:20Z")
I was rather skeptical of the reports that Cohen was planning to turn, before ever even having been charged with anything, but this seems pretty convincing: > **['This dude has all the tapes': Tom Arnold says he and Michael Cohen are...](https://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-tom-arnold-trump-tapes-2018-6)** > > The comedian Tom Arnold says he's teaming up with President Donald Trump's longtime lawyer Michael Cohen to take down the president after the anti-Trump actor tweeted a photo with the attorney that Cohen subsequently retweeted Thursday night. Maybe this is why he hasn’t already been arrested. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4627 "2018-06-22T20:32:18Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I was rather skeptical of the reports that Cohen was planning to turn, before ever even having been charged with anything, but this seems pretty convincing: > > [Tom Arnold: Me, Michael Cohen Teaming up to Take Down Trump](http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-tom-arnold-trump-tapes-2018-6) > > Maybe this is why he hasn’t already been arrested. Looks like just another sideshow to me. Tom Arnold wants to be the next Woodward and/or Bernstein, and a lawyer needs a comedian’s help to find evidence against the President, really? What are they “hunting” for that they don’t already know that they have? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4628 "2018-06-22T20:48:14Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > I was rather skeptical of the reports that Cohen was planning to turn, before ever even having been charged with anything, but this seems pretty convincing: > > [Tom Arnold: Me, Michael Cohen Teaming up to Take Down Trump](http://www.businessinsider.com/michael-cohen-tom-arnold-trump-tapes-2018-6) > > Maybe this is why he hasn’t already been arrested. I’m guessing that Arnold’s ex isn’t too happy with him about this. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4629 "2018-06-22T21:41:00Z")
I argued with some friends the other day that _The Gong Show_ would never work today. The 70’s were just too weird and that program rode that wave like a surf board. Now, I’m not convinced. Oh shit. Are we in the temporal equivalent of the 70’s? Next decade, the pastel shit people are going to be wearing is going to be so obnoxious. And damn it, I’m going to have to wait until I’m in my 70’s before good music comes back again. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4630 "2018-06-22T21:43:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Looks like just another sideshow to me. Tom Arnold wants to be the next Woodward and/or Bernstein, and a lawyer needs a comedian’s help to find evidence against the President, really? What are they “hunting” for that they don’t already know that they have? Nixon was taken down by the FBI and some serious newspaper investigating. As far as Trump and Stupid Watergate go, being taken out by a comedian and a porn star seems pretty much par for the course. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4631 "2018-06-22T21:51:16Z")
He could boink every porn star in the country for all I care, keep his attention away from launching more punchbowl turds. Trouble is, that would only keep him occupied for about five minutes every other week. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4632 "2018-06-22T21:57:00Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Looks like just another sideshow to me. Tom Arnold wants to be the next Woodward and/or Bernstein, and a lawyer needs a comedian’s help to find evidence against the President, really? What are they “hunting” for that they don’t already know that they have? How do you take it that Cohen needs Arnold’s help? Arnold is doing a show for Vice where he tries to dig up embarrassing tapes of Trump. Seems like the kind of thing Cohen would be super helpful with, especially if he’s decided to turn against his former boss. Which he seems to be indicating he has, given the stories about Trump refusing to pay Cohen’s legal bills and Cohen taking a swipe at Trump’s border policy in his RNC resignation. BTW, Cohen was a Dem and a Hillary supporter before Trump ran. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4633 "2018-06-23T21:44:07Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > … Seems like the kind of thing Cohen would be super helpful with, especially if he’s decided to turn against his former boss. Which he seems to be indicating he has, given the stories about Trump refusing to pay Cohen’s legal bills and Cohen taking a swipe at Trump’s border policy in his RNC resignation. > … The theory is that Cohen is simply signalling to the Dark Money people (funded by the Mercers, the Koch Bros. etc.) that they’d better start paying his bills themselves, so that Trump may be saved. Also that would free Trump of the charge of witness-tampering. (If Trump doesn’t pay Cohen’s bills then Trump isn’t tampering with Cohen, so to speak). I’m not putting a lot of hope in the prospect of Cohen deciding to sing. I put more hope in the actual documents (and tapes!) found by the FBI in Cohen’s quarters. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4634 "2018-06-24T02:08:59Z")
Looks to me like the Mueller team has left them (Cohen, Manafort) with no other option but pardon and resurrection by the Donald Almighty, curses and piss be upon him. The charges already on Manafort will keep him in jail for life even with lenience. If Cohen bails, his legal bills are his alone, and he is learning that even though he sucks rich, he ain’t. Suppose maybe a bake sale, or an Oh, Fuck Me! page… I have heard opinions to the effect that it won’t help much, that state charges and so forth would not be affected, but these are mostly people who are skeptical of the very idea of the Donald Almighty. ---
**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:** [June 24, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4635 "2018-06-24T03:32:28Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I argued with some friends the other day that _The Gong Show_ would never work today. The 70’s were just too weird and that program rode that wave like a surf board. Now, I’m not convinced. > > Oh shit. Are we in the temporal equivalent of the 70’s? Next decade, the pastel shit people are going to be wearing is going to be so obnoxious. And damn it, I’m going to have to wait until I’m in my 70’s before good music comes back again. If Trump brings back Disco, then maybe they would be willing to impeach? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2018, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4636 "2018-06-24T06:39:16Z")
That would not bring me to the brink of revolution. But a Broadway revival of _Hair?_ Up against the _sky_, motherfucker! ---
**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:** [June 24, 2018, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4637 "2018-06-24T06:51:31Z")
Sadly, it is no longer the Age of Aquarius but the Age of Idiocy. And, Jack? **SEVENTIES MUSIC IS THE BEST!** ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4638 "2018-07-02T12:04:20Z")
Cohen gave a quasi-interview with ABC this morning: > **[EXCLUSIVE: Michael Cohen says family and country, not President Trump, is his...](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-cohen-family-country-president-trump-loyalty/story?id=56304585)** > > Michael Cohen told George Stephanopoulos that his family is his "first loyalty." No big revelations. If we take his silence on a subject as confirmation sin, then he’s still looking clean on Prague, so the McClatchy DC article on that is still a bit of a mystery. But he’s “confirmed” that Trump was aware of the Veselnitskaya meeting and the Stormy Daniels payments. Overall, it sounds like Cohen is playing the two sides (FBI vs. Trump) against each other, looking for the better offer. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4639 "2018-07-02T21:53:31Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Cohen gave a quasi-interview with ABC this morning: > > [EXCLUSIVE: Michael Cohen says family and country, not President Trump, is his 'first loyalty' - ABC News](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/michael-cohen-family-country-president-trump-loyalty/story?id=56304585) > > No big revelations. If we take his silence on a subject as confirmation sin, then he’s still looking clean on Prague, so the McClatchy DC article on that is still a bit of a mystery. But he’s “confirmed” that Trump was aware of the Veselnitskaya meeting and the Stormy Daniels payments. > > Overall, it sounds like Cohen is playing the two sides (FBI vs. Trump) against each other, looking for the better offer. Yeah, the stuff about his family Coming First was a pretty clear message that he wants a nice big payment (via dark money channels rather than straight from Trump’s own checkbook, no doubt) in order to ensure his silence. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4640 "2018-07-03T20:11:34Z")
The [del]Deep State[/del] Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has released a [review](https://www.burr.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/SSCI%20ICA%20ASSESSMENT_FINALJULY3.pdf) (PDF) of intelligence findings of Russian interference. > [@](#): > > The Committee has concluded an in-depth review of the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) produced by CIA, NSA, and FBI in January of 2017 on Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election (Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections; declassified version released January 6, 2017) and have initial findings to share with the American people. > > \ > > **Russian Leadership Intentions** > > The ICA states that: > > We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S . presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump. > > [ul] > [li]The Committee found that this judgment was supported by the evidence presented in the ICA. Since its publication, further details have come to light that bolster the assessment.[/li][li]The ICA pointed to initial evidence of Russian activities against multiple U.S. state or local electoral boards. Since the ICA was published, the Committee has learned more about Russian attempts to infiltrate state election infrastructure, as outlined in the findings and recommendations the Committee issued in March 2018.[/li][li]While the ICA briefly discussed the activities of the Internet Research Agency, the Committee’s investigation has exposed a far more extensive Russian effort to manipulate social media outlets to sow discord and to interfere in the 2016 election and American society.[/li][/ul] and, in other news… Trump plans a one-on-one [meeting](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/07/02/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-meeting/index.html) with Putin with no advisors. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4641 "2018-07-03T20:14:45Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Trump plans a one-on-one [meeting](https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/07/02/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-meeting/index.html) with Putin with no advisors. Performance reviews are always held one on one. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4642 "2018-07-03T20:33:59Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Performance reviews are always held one on one. Will it be a 360 Review? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4643 "2018-07-03T20:35:07Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Will it be a 360 Review? Only if Putin gives Trump a swirly. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/4644 "2018-07-03T20:35:43Z")
If you’re getting one of those, HR will be there too, and it won’t be fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=231) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=233)