# Trump's ongoing collusion **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 20, 2018, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196 "2018-02-20T13:39:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/81 "2018-02-23T20:39:27Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I know! It’s all a big nothingburger…apart from the 18 or 19 indictments and the two guilty pleas thus far. I’m sure this will all blow over. Oh those aren’t evidence, just indictments. Remember nothing actually happened unless somebody cracks open a voting machine and finds a yellow sticky that says “note to self, tell Vlad that we changed 37 votes here”. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/82 "2018-02-23T21:46:07Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I know! It’s all a big nothingburger…apart from the 18 or 19 indictments and the two guilty pleas thus far. I’m sure this will all blow over. No kidding! They investigated Crooked Killary for like 10 years and never found anything and in just a little over a little year have all in the above post on the Trump team. Isn’t it about time we finish the Trump nothingburger and get back to spying on the evil Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/83 "2018-02-24T02:39:50Z")
“So, what do you do?” “Nothing” “Well, how do you know when you’re finished?” ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/84 "2018-02-25T19:13:53Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Great. When he does, we’ll have some actual evidence to examine, rather than all this silly evidence-free speculation that currently occupies so many of your minds. That’ll be great. We’ll make room in prison for him and the rest of trumps administration. Along with trump of course. What about Paul Manafort having 3 different passports, and traveling with a cell phone that is not registered under his name? Must have accidentally picked up the wrong passport and cellphone I suppose. Such a silly mistake for an experienced world traveler to do. “He has submitted 10 passport applications in roughly as many years, prosecutors said.” Cause, ya never know… None of this rings any alarms to you? ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/85 "2018-02-25T21:23:12Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > What about Paul Manafort having 3 different passports, and traveling with a cell phone that is not registered under his name? Must have accidentally picked up the wrong passport and cellphone I suppose. Such a silly mistake for an experienced world traveler to do. > > “He has submitted 10 passport applications in roughly as many years, prosecutors said.” Cause, ya never know… > > None of this rings any alarms to you? “Goddamn it, Bourne is on the move aga…nope, never mind. False alarm, it’s just Manafort doing a little casual money laundering. He’s mostly harmless and not very bright.” Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/86 "2018-02-26T19:59:02Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > That’ll be great. We’ll make room in prison for him and the rest of trumps administration. Along with trump of course. > > What about Paul Manafort having 3 different passports, and traveling with a cell phone that is not registered under his name? Must have accidentally picked up the wrong passport and cellphone I suppose. Such a silly mistake for an experienced world traveler to do. > > “He has submitted 10 passport applications in roughly as many years, prosecutors said.” Cause, ya never know… > > None of this rings any alarms to you? Do you consider this “clear and convincing evidence that Trump colluded with Russia to steal the election”? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/87 "2018-02-26T20:04:02Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Do you consider this “clear and convincing evidence that Trump colluded with Russia to steal the election”? > > Regards, > Shodan Not in and of itself. Pretty convincing that Manafort is likely a crook. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/88 "2018-02-26T20:19:33Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Not in and of itself. Pretty convincing that Manafort is likely a crook. Which law does this break? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/89 "2018-02-26T20:21:59Z")
It’s good to see you’ve moved away from your recent certain insistence that there’s just nothing to any of this Russia stuff. Maybe this latest trench isn’t one you want to die in either, hmm? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/90 "2018-02-26T20:45:52Z")
What clear and convincing evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election do you have? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/91 "2018-02-26T21:11:14Z")
I’m not claiming there is any, am I? You, however, have expressed complete certainty that there _isn’t_ any, and that there’s nothing to anything else Mueller is investigating, either. Are you willing to acknowledge that your position has changed, and what made that happen? ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/92 "2018-02-26T21:14:05Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Which law does this break? > > Regards, > Shodan You want to know which laws Manafort broke? Have you tried reading the indictment, as a first step? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/93 "2018-02-27T13:12:57Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > You want to know which laws Manafort broke? Have you tried reading the indictment, as a first step? Was he indicted for having three passports, or a cell phone under a different name? Does the indictment mention clear and convincing evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/94 "2018-02-27T15:53:00Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Was he indicted for having three passports, or a cell phone under a different name? Does the indictment mention clear and convincing evidence that Trump colluded with the Russians to steal the election? > > Regards, > Shodan Those sound like great questions. I look forward to you updating us with the answers once you’ve read the indictments! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/95 "2018-02-27T16:56:02Z")
I’ll take that as a [No](https://www.vox.com/2018/2/22/17042254/robert-mueller-paul-manafort-indictment), then. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/96 "2018-02-27T17:00:21Z")
Horse, water. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/97 "2018-02-27T17:14:49Z")
Mueller’s team is moving to [drop charges against Gates](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/robert-mueller-moves-to-dismiss-charges-against-rick-gates-following-plea-deal/article/2650138). I’m sure it’s not because he’s giving them a wealth of information though, and that the nothingburger continues. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/98 "2018-02-27T17:18:39Z")
Manafort seems to be a thoroughly venal sort. I would have expected him to be eager to cut a deal himself to save his own ass, without waiting for Gates to nail him down tighter. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/99 "2018-02-27T17:44:40Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Mueller’s team is moving to [drop charges against Gates](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/robert-mueller-moves-to-dismiss-charges-against-rick-gates-following-plea-deal/article/2650138). I’m sure it’s not because he’s giving them a wealth of information though, and that the nothingburger continues. That seems huge. Gates must have provided something really substantive to get the charges dropped. Considering Mueller already had enough on Manafort to lock him up for the rest of his life, I doubt he would have bothered dealing with Gates for more dirt on Manafort. So apparently Gates had something pretty important on someone pretty important who isn’t Manafort. I wonder who it is. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Economist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c89c15/32.png) [@Evil\_Economist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Economist)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196/100 "2018-02-27T17:47:50Z")
> [@Evil\_Economist](#): > > That seems huge. Gates must have provided something really substantive to get the charges dropped. Considering Mueller already had enough on Manafort to lock him up for the rest of his life, I doubt he would have bothered dealing with Gates for more dirt on Manafort. So apparently Gates had something pretty important on someone pretty important who isn’t Manafort. I wonder who it is. Noted from comments: charges were dropped “without prejudice,” so Mueller can always re-file if Gates acts up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-ongoing-collusion/809196.md?page=6)