# 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:** 59
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1163 "2017-07-15T15:57:31Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > If the SDMB existed at all during the Bill Clinton presidency, there may have been. I recall there where whiffs that the Chinese had undue influence over Bill Clinton’s administration, especially in his second term, but I don’t remember any hints of Chinese influence on the 1992 or 1996 elections. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1164 "2017-07-15T16:14:42Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Well, the law is far from settled on this issue. But I thank you for answering my question succinctly and promptly. > > Even if there’s no criminality in his actions, it doesn’t look good. A lot of times with situations like this, there doesn’t have to be an impropriety. There just has to be the appearance of impropriety. Much like the Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch. Everyone on either side of that meeting looks shady. > > Lynch herself said that the meeting was innocent, and they only discussed grandchildren and golf and other mundane things. But she also said that the email controversy didn’t come up, but she knew that people wouldn’t see it that way. > > It’s not an exact parallel, but there are similarities. Did you (and I ask this respectfully) believe Lynch that the meeting was innocent, and didn’t involve discussion of the emails, or the investigation into Hillary? Or was it a case of those lying, scheming Clintons doing something underhanded? This stuff is so bizarre that it’s hard to imagine a realistic scenario where Trump et al would be doing a worse job at making this look bad even if they were trying to do so on purpose. From this crazy meeting (which would not have been nearly so bad if Kushner and Manafort hadn’t been there) to the Russian invite to the Oval Office, it’s like a great big Fuck You, America from the president and his team. I take solace that we are nearing the half-way point of his first year in office. We’re almost 1/8th done, folks!! Woo-Hoo!! ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1165 "2017-07-15T16:24:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Same old arguments. Nothing to see here, but even if there is, it’s not illegal. > > So just stop wasting time and taxpayer dollars on investigating it. We need to be concerned about more important things like invading voters’ privacy to gain Republican advantage in future elections! I don’t recall Okrahoma calling for an end to the investigation. He’s just overly confident that if they haven’t found anything yet then they never will. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1166 "2017-07-15T16:33:40Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I don’t recall Okrahoma calling for an end to the investigation. He’s just overly confident that if they haven’t found anything yet then they never will. Trump vs FBI. Hmmmm, that’s a tough one when it comes to predicting the winner. And just to be clear, I am being facetious. I wouldn’t bet on them nailing Trump himself, but some one or some few in his orbit are going down. If not for hard-core crimes committed, then for conspiracy or for lying to the FBI or for something. These guys are absolute idiots, and I think the #1 guy for his turn in the barrel is Kushner. Manafort better be charting his route to some safe-haven in Eastern Europe. ---
**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:** [July 15, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1167 "2017-07-15T17:00:12Z")
My bet: DJT himself was in that meeting at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1168 "2017-07-15T17:00:20Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > So if it was Chelsea Clinton sitting down with these people to get dirt on Trump, you would be passionately defending the Clintons? If Chelsea took a meeting with anyone who claimed he had documentation of Trump committing a crime, I’d have no problem with that whatsoever. Neither would you. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1169 "2017-07-15T17:02:05Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Well, the law is far from settled on this issue. But I thank you for answering my question succinctly and promptly. > > Even if there’s no criminality in his actions, it doesn’t look good. A lot of times with situations like this, there doesn’t have to be an impropriety. There just has to be the appearance of impropriety. Much like the Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch. Everyone on either side of that meeting looks shady. > > Lynch herself said that the meeting was innocent, and they only discussed grandchildren and golf and other mundane things. But she also said that the email controversy didn’t come up, but she knew that people wouldn’t see it that way. > > It’s not an exact parallel, but there are similarities. Did you (and I ask this respectfully) believe Lynch that the meeting was innocent, and didn’t involve discussion of the emails, or the investigation into Hillary? Or was it a case of those lying, scheming Clintons doing something underhanded? Of course it was underhanded. A lot of campaigning and politics is underhanded. Surprised? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1170 "2017-07-15T17:09:19Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > If Chelsea took a meeting with anyone who claimed he had documentation of Trump committing a crime, I’d have no problem with that whatsoever. Neither would you. If she were meeting with the same sort of people Jr was meeting with, of course I sure as shit would have a problem with that! ---
**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:** [July 15, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1171 "2017-07-15T17:11:11Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > The worse it gets for Trump, the more she looks like how I always pictured Maris from Frasier. Only scarier. Everyman’s ex-wife. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1172 "2017-07-15T17:11:57Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > His intent was to acquire info on criminal misdeeds of Hillary or DNC. I don’t see anything wrong with that. Neither does the law. Once again, this was not a movie, where the good guy must meet the bad guys to get evidence. This is akin to the old excuse: “I was just meeting up with this hooker to do… research! Ya, that’s the ticket, I was just researching, and interviewing this poor young lady, trapped in the sex trade.” The emails make clear; Donnie half-scoop’s intent was to work with the Russian government who were going to help out his daddy’s campaign. Look - those are the facts as we have them. Own them. Just go ahead and say that the Trumps were very willing to work with the Russians to help their campaign. And that they were very keen on hiding this fact, until such a time as it could no longer be hidden. Was there more to it that this? Possibly, we don’t know yet. But given the previous stories and lies coming from the Trump team, it is obvious to anyone that their word cannot be trusted. At all. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1173 "2017-07-15T17:14:12Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > The emails make clear; Donnie half-scoop’s intent was to work with the Russian government who were going to help out his daddy’s campaign. Look - those are the facts as we have them. Own them. Just go ahead and say that the Trumps were very willing to work with the Russians to help their campaign. I fully own it. Donnie Jr. was very willing to meet with Russians to receive information about criminal deeds of DNC and Hillary. I have no problem with that whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1174 "2017-07-15T17:17:30Z")
It is a strange world when Cracked becomes a high quality news organization. This is by far the best (and funniest so watch it for that at least) summary of the whole thing I’ve seen. When Cracked can piece this all together and see the obviousness of Trump and his cohorts, lets say suspicious behavior, you have to wonder how anybody else cannot. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NNCQMWwOZUw/maxresdefault.jpg "The Entire President Donald Trump/Russia Story (So Far) - SOME NEWS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNCQMWwOZUw) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1175 "2017-07-15T17:23:26Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I fully own it. Donnie Jr. was very willing to meet with Russians to receive information about criminal deeds of DNC and Hillary. I have no problem with that whatsoever. And do you also own the fact that there were no “criminal deeds of DNC and Hillary” on offer? That this is a fiction? And will you also admit we simply don’t know what actually transpired at that meeting, as it would be foolish to take the word of the participants, who are either proven liars and obfuscators, agents of the Russian government or both? The incoming head of the FBI has said that junior should never have gone to this meeting. Senior members of the GOP have said that junior should never have gone to this meeting. Pretty much the only people defending junior going to this meeting are Trump sr. and a handful of Trump spokes-robots, repeating talking points like yours. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1176 "2017-07-15T17:28:42Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > And do you also own the fact that there were no “criminal deeds of DNC and Hillary” on offer? That this is a fiction? Yes - apparently the offer was a fake offer. Which Don Jr. and other participants fully acknowledge. How does that change things? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1177 "2017-07-15T17:34:38Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > Yes - apparently the offer was a fake offer. Which Don Jr. and other participants fully acknowledge. How does that change things? I simply note that you keep repeating and repeating and repeating it, like it was actuallyl a thing. It is also interesting to note that shortly after Jr. had gone to the meeting, and indicated that he was very keen for the Trump campaign to accept help from the Russians, the hacking of the DNC started, and leaks of DNC emails started. Great help from the Russians that was, eh? It’s also interested to note that that shortly after Jr. had gone to the meeting, and indicated that he was very keen for the Trump campaign to accept help from the Russians, Trump Senior started tweeting about emails and such. And how do you suppose the Russians knew just were to target their social media campaign and fake websites? How did that detailed voter information get to them? ---
**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:** [July 15, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1178 "2017-07-15T17:37:22Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > I fully own it. Donnie Jr. was very willing to meet with Russians to receive information about criminal deeds of DNC and Hillary. I have no problem with that whatsoever. This line of thinking reminds me of Karl Rove’s obscenely unethical push-poll on John McCain, in which voters were asked if it bothered them that McCain had a black baby outside of his marriage. Not illegal. Anyone would done it. Nothing to see. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1179 "2017-07-15T17:39:34Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Trump vs FBI. Hmmmm, that’s a tough one when it comes to predicting the winner. And just to be clear, I am being facetious. I wouldn’t bet on them nailing Trump himself, but some one or some few in his orbit are going down. If not for hard-core crimes committed, then for conspiracy or for lying to the FBI or for something. These guys are absolute idiots, and I think the #1 guy for his turn in the barrel is Kushner. Manafort better be charting his route to some safe-haven in Eastern Europe. I agree, that’s why I said “overly confident”. I think the Trump main circle deluded themselves that they knew how to work national politics because they skated pretty well through New York real estate politics. Way more moving parts now, way more eyes on them. ---
**Author:** ![Okrahoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90db22/32.png) [@Okrahoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Okrahoma)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1180 "2017-07-15T17:40:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I simply note that you keep repeating and repeating and repeating it, like it was actuallyl a thing. You _asked_ if I acknowledge it. I answered you. > [@](#): > > It is also interesting to note that shortly after Jr. had gone to the meeting, and indicated that he was very keen for the Trump campaign to accept help from the Russians, the hacking of the DNC started, and leaks of DNC emails started. Great help from the Russians that was, eh? If you’re silly enough to think that Russians needed permission from Trump campaign to hack DNC, that’s your problem. > [@](#): > > It’s also interested to note that that shortly after Jr. had gone to the meeting, and indicated that he was very keen for the Trump campaign to accept help from the Russians, Trump Senior started tweeting about emails and such. Trump Senior tweeted about Hillary erasing 33,000 emails. Probably because Russians told him about it, right? No one knew about it before that meeting. > [@](#): > > And how do you suppose the Russians knew just were to target their social media campaign and fake websites? How did that detailed voter information get to them? Huh? Can you cite anything about the “targeting” of the social media campaign and fake websites. Exactly how do you “target” a web site anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1181 "2017-07-15T17:41:26Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Not illegal. Anyone would done it. Nothing to see. The thing for me is, this “anyone would have done it” line is quite telling. They really DO think that everyone else is a moral and ethical black hole who would stoop to any sort of behaviour short of illegality. They would do anything to win, as long as they could get away with it, and really do think that EVERYONE is like them. Immoral and unethical? No probs, as long as you won’t be prosecuted. This is how the world looks to them. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2017, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1182 "2017-07-15T17:43:19Z")
> [@Okrahoma](#): > > YExactly how do you “target” a web site anyway? You create fake news sites that say “Hillary murdered babies” and link people to these fake news sites using social media. This is what the Russians did to help the Trump campaign. Targetting specific voter groups on social media. But it’s OK, because it will be hard to prove and prosecute. All’s fair in a campaign, even using Russian help to win, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=58) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=60)