# 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:** 74
**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:** [July 20, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1463 "2017-07-20T20:46:48Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Maybe, but remember, he gave up a Senate seat to be AG. What’s he got to look forward to? A lobbying job, a visiting professor at the University of Bumfuck? Trump is his brand, he’s stuck. If Trump goes down in flames, even those are less than ideal options. If he does an about face and goes after trump, then he can write a book about it and get rich that way. I’d probably buy it, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1464 "2017-07-20T20:48:41Z")
Also, bonus. If Il Douche pulls out his magic pardon pen, that’s only criminal, his money is still at risk. He’s a greed freak, money is the Meaning of Life, far as he’s concerned. Follow the money. Kill! Kill! Kill! ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1465 "2017-07-20T20:49:51Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Maybe, but remember, he gave up a Senate seat to be AG. What’s he got to look forward to? A lobbying job, a visiting professor at the University of Bumfuck? Trump is his brand, he’s stuck. If Trump goes down in flames, even those are less than ideal options. > . The guy was born in 1946, that makes him about 71 years old. Why does he need any job? He can kick back and enjoy his Golden Years. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1466 "2017-07-20T20:50:15Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > If he does an about face and goes after trump, then he can write a book about it and get rich that way. I’d probably buy it, anyway. Probably wouldn’t be legal to set up a Gofuckme fund for that? Be like bribery, or something. Right? ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1467 "2017-07-20T21:05:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > At this point Mueller should simply ask Trump if there are any other things Trump doesn’t want him to investigate. Think of the time it would save. If I were Mueller, or on his team, I’d so be trying to get the questions I want Trump to answer raised on “Fox & Friends.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1468 "2017-07-20T21:10:55Z")
> [@snoe](#): > > If I were Mueller, or on his team, I’d so be trying to get the questions I want Trump to answer raised on “Fox & Friends.” Eh, I’d rather catch him by surprise than telegraph the questions I was going to ask. He’s _so_ good at impromptu speaking. Good for the investigation, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1469 "2017-07-20T21:12:17Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > As for Sessions’ portrait in cowardice: yeah, he’s protecting himself (not strategizing over various ‘fire Mueller’ scenarios). He figures he has a better chance of staying out of Club Fed if he hangs on as AG as long as possible. I think Sessions has already flipped. I think that was part of the conversation that led to his recusal. I think he’s in now as the mole. Actually, I think there’s probably more than one mole. Sessions wouldn’t have recused himself if he wasn’t more afraid of the Feds than he is of Donald. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1470 "2017-07-20T21:14:19Z")
> [@Crybaby\_Boobie](#): > > Again, further proof that there has to be a pee tape. Because he said there isn’t a pee tape. I can’t wait for that to show up on YouTube. > [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > I think it’s pretty clear that Trump’s possible financial ties to Russia are directly related to a collusion investigation, which means Mueller should be able to go over everything about Trump’s finances with a fine-toothed comb. > [@elucidator](#): > > Follow the money. I just posted this in a GD thread: [“Set aside Putin and follow the money”: a Russia expert’s theory of the Trump scandal Why the collusion story begins with money, not politics.](https://www.vox.com/2017/7/18/15983910/donald-trump-russia-putin-natalia-veselnitskaya-collusion) > [@](#): > > “To understand the roots of the collusion, set aside Putin and follow the money.” > > That’s what Seva Gunitsky, a politics professor at the University of Toronto and the author of Aftershocks, told me in a recent interview. I reached out to Gunitsky on Monday after he posted a short but incisive thread on Twitter about the financial roots of the Trump-Russia collusion case. > … > The financial connections between Trump and various Russian banks and oligarchs (business elites with ties to the Kremlin) stretch back decades, which is likely a big reason why Trump won’t release his tax returns. Trump’s election, Gunitsky contends, presented Russian oligarchs with an opportunity to recoup losses and leverage Trump’s debts for political gain. ---
**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 20, 2017, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1471 "2017-07-20T21:36:18Z")
> [@Merneith](#): > > I think Sessions has already flipped. I think that was part of the conversation that led to his recusal. I think he’s in now as the mole. Actually, I think there’s probably more than one mole. > Sessions wouldn’t have recused himself if he wasn’t more afraid of the Feds than he is of Donald. I agree that there is more than one mole in the T. administration, and also that Sessions is probably cooperating behind the scenes. Must be tough on him, though: he’s a true believer in Trump as the Great White-Supremacist Hope (in my opinion). While he waits for Trump to be brought down he’s getting in as much ‘stick it to the non-whites’ as humanly possible. Trump, of course, is too dimwitted to realize that Sessions’ efforts are the main reason that Trump’s own base is sticking with him—each time a story breaks about a high-school valedictorian or hard-working mom being deported back to Mexico, the base heaves a sigh of pleasure. Anybody Trump manages to get confirmed by this Senate is much less likely to be a base-pleasing hammer of the non-whites. (Ssshhh…don’t let Trump know! Let him keep making nasty comments about Sessions!) ---
**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 20, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1472 "2017-07-20T22:03:22Z")
WSJ: Manafort being investigated by Mueller for money laundering. > **[Special Counsel Investigating Possible Money Laundering by Paul Manafort](https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/special-counsel-investigating-possible-money-laundering-by-paul-manafort-1500587532)** > > Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating possible money laundering by Paul Manafort, Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, as part of his criminal investigation into what U.S. intelligence agencies say was a Kremlin-backed campaign to... ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1473 "2017-07-20T22:46:19Z")
Can’t help but wonder if the process of coming up through the rank and file weeds out folks whose corruption is so easily found out. Is that why Trumpco seem so far gone compared to previous politicians? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1474 "2017-07-20T23:00:15Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > WSJ: Manafort being investigated by Mueller for money laundering. > > [https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/special-counsel-investigating-possible-money-laundering-by-paul-manafort-1500587532](https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/special-counsel-investigating-possible-money-laundering-by-paul-manafort-1500587532) Pay wall 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1475 "2017-07-21T01:08:26Z")
Trump Junior told Sean Hannity just a couple of days ago that he would be happy to testify if called. “And you have nothing to hide,” Fox News host Sean Hannity told Trump Jr. during an interview that aired Tuesday night. “That means you’ll testify under oath, all of that?" “All of it,” Trump Jr. responded. Kushner is scheduled to have a closed door session with the House and Senate Intelligence Judiciary Committees on Monday. Trump Junior, Manafort, and Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson were scheduled for open session with the Senate Committee on Wednesday. But Junior, Manafort, and Simpson seem to be avoiding… things, appearing, committing. Trump Junior and his lawyer, Alan Futerfas, have just not responded to the invite- a bit of a change from Junior’s “of course” to Hannity. Manafort and team are “considering” the request to appear. Simpson seems to just have not responded at all. I guess Kuchner is planning to show. He has a security clearance to protect. All have been given until Friday night to either accept their Judiciary invites or be subpoenaed to appear. And all have subphoenas ready to go in case they get cold, Russian feet. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-judiciary-prepared-to-subpoena-manafort-trump-jr-by-friday-night/2017/07/20/7ca66f82-6d7b-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5\_story.html?utm\_term=.802b51255617](https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/senate-judiciary-prepared-to-subpoena-manafort-trump-jr-by-friday-night/2017/07/20/7ca66f82-6d7b-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5_story.html?utm_term=.802b51255617) ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1476 "2017-07-21T01:53:30Z")
Trump starting to ask about his [pardoning powers](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-lawyers-seek-to-undercut-muellers-russia-investigation/2017/07/20/232ebf2c-6d71-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumplegal-925pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.50aebdfc4ca8): _“Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe, according to one of those people. A second person said Trump’s lawyers have been discussing the president’s pardoning powers among themselves.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1477 "2017-07-21T02:07:22Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Trump starting to ask about his [pardoning powers](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-lawyers-seek-to-undercut-muellers-russia-investigation/2017/07/20/232ebf2c-6d71-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumplegal-925pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.50aebdfc4ca8): > > _“Trump has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection with the probe, according to one of those people. A second person said Trump’s lawyers have been discussing the president’s pardoning powers among themselves.”_ Why am I not the _least_ surprised? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1478 "2017-07-21T02:25:35Z")
Also, the spokesman for Trump’s legal team just quit. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1479 "2017-07-21T02:29:07Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Also, the spokesman for Trump’s legal team just quit. I guy who saw everybody rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, and he thought, “Fuck! Where’s the lifeboats?!” ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1480 "2017-07-21T02:39:15Z")
Well shit, the scary thing CNN is currently discussing on Don Lemon’s show, is that Trump has the absolute power to pardon himself and others, preemptively so long as he hasn’t yet been impeached. Could he be pursuing a loophole to end this investigation by just pardoning everybody, _including himself?_ ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1481 "2017-07-21T02:44:21Z")
My google legal degree indicates that presidential self pardoning is an unknown legal question. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2017, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799/1482 "2017-07-21T02:53:32Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > My google legal degree indicates that presidential self pardoning is an unknown legal question. Well, now the pundits are saying that if such a thing happened, Mueller could continue/conclude his investigation, indicate that there was an abuse of power, and Congress could still impeach. What a fucking world. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=73) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-associates-may-have-coordinated-with-russians-according-to-us-officials/782799.md?page=75)