Nine days after the Rob Porter/White House domestic abuse debacle, Donald Trump finally told the world he opposes domestic violence.
The only comment he made regarding the scandal was to defend the domestic abuser the day after the news broke.
“I am totally opposed to domestic violence and everybody here knows that. I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind. Everyone knows that. And it almost wouldn’t even have to be said. So, now you hear it, but you all know.”
Watch the statment below.
President Trump: “I am totally opposed to domestic violence and everybody here knows that. I am totally opposed to domestic violence of any kind. Everyone knows that. And it almost wouldn’t even have to be said. So, now you hear it, but you all know.” pic.twitter.com/8jE8iF74hf
Donald Trump’s personal lawyer and porn accountant, Michael Cohen
Michael D. Cohen, President Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and go-to “fix-it” guy, said on Tuesday that he personally paid $130,000 out of his own pocket to porn star Stormy Daniels who had claimed to have had an affair with Mr. Trump.
What a mensch. He pays his buddy/client’s prostitution bill just to be nice.
In the most detailed explanation of the 2016 payment made to the actress, Stephanie Clifford, Mr. Cohen, who worked as a counsel to the Trump Organization for more than a decade, said he was not reimbursed for the payment.
“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,” Mr. Cohen said in a statement to The New York Times. “The payment to Ms. Clifford was lawful, and was not a campaign contribution or a campaign expenditure by anyone.”
He declined to answer several follow-up questions, including whether Mr. Trump had been aware that Mr. Cohen made the payment, why he made the payment or whether he had made similar payments to other people over the years.
Mr. Cohen has previously said that Mr. Trump has denied an affair with Ms. Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels. She has said the affair took place soon after Mr. Trump’s wife, Melania, gave birth to the couple’s son, Barron.
Note that there was no reason given as to why Cohen wrote the $130,000 check.
Why would a candidate’s lawyers pay $130,000 to a porn star, if she was lying about an affair with the candidate?
It’s totally normal to use money to silence a porn actress who slept with your friend running for president— who pays you regularly in legal fees (aa your attorney), fees which can fluctuate up and down depending on…whatever.
Cohen says Trump campaign was not “a party to the transaction.” But that’s not the law. If $130k hush money payment to Stormy Daniels was made “in cooperation, consultation or concert with, or at the request or suggestion of, a candidate’s campaign,” it violated fed election law. https://t.co/ytfPHiwv5T
Completely turning “conservatism” on its head, President Trump has submitted a budget to Congress which would add $984 billion to the federal deficit next year and would increase the federal deficit over the next 10 years by $7 trillion.
President Trump on Monday sent Congress a $4.4 trillion budget with steep cuts in domestic programs and entitlements, including Medicare, and large increases for the military, envisioning deficits totaling at least $7.1 trillion over the next decade.
The blueprint, which has little to no chance of being enacted as written, amounts to a vision statement by Mr. Trump, whose plan discards longtime Republican orthodoxy about balancing the budget, instead embracing last year’s $1.5 trillion tax cut and new spending on a major infrastructure initiative.
According to Bloomberg reporter Laura Litvan, Trump’s budget includes these nuggets:
• 27% cut to State Department • 34% cut to Environmental Protection Agency • 14% increase for Pentagon • $18 billion over 2 years for the Trump wall • Entitlement cuts of $1.7 trillion over the next decade including $237 billion from Medicare
Trump declared himself the “King of Debt” during the 2016 campaign, and that’s just what he’s delivering.
Of course, the president’s budget is merely a blueprint. There’s no way this will get passed “as-is.”
Trump will sign anything the GOP-led Congress sends him. He just wants points on the board.
Former Judge Tim Nolan, who was Donald Trump’s campaign chair in Campbell County, has plead guilty to 21 counts of human trafficking, giving drugs and alcohol to minors and more.
According to court records, Nolan used drugs, threats of arrest and eviction to coerce women and girls under the age of 18 into sex acts.
In addition to 20 years in prison, Nolan is ordered to pay a $100,000 fine.
At his sentencing, he thanked his attorneys, the judge and a doctor who was involved in his case “who made me realize things.”
Nolan isn’t the first Trump campaign figure to go to prison over sex trafficking charges.
Last year, Oklahoma state Sen. Ralph Shortey, who served as Trump’s campaign chair in his state, was convicted on child prostituion charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
JUST IN: Trump campaign chair in KY pleads guilty to sex trafficking of minors: 21 counts against 19 victims, to get 20 yrs in prison, “felony trafficking of a minor, felony inducing a minor to engage in sex, and a third count of giving alcohol to a minor”https://t.co/jlM9QpCzMSpic.twitter.com/1scCWud33F
former Trump campaign chair Tim Nolan has pleaded guilty and received 20 years in prison for human trafficking
Some of the incidents occurred in the summer of 2016 while Judge Nolan was serving as the chair of the Donald Trump campaign in Campbell County, KY. pic.twitter.com/6muv9GTSTW— PoliticsVideoChannel (@politvidchannel) February 11, 2018
In a Twitter post, Mr. Trump appeared to raise doubts about the entire #MeToo movement, a day after he had offered sympathy for a former aide accused of spousal abuse.
“Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation,” the president wrote on Twitter, adding: “There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?”
On Friday, the president had jumped into the controversy over the former aide, Rob Porter, who is accused by two former wives of physical and emotional abuse, defending him and offering no denunciation even for the idea of assaulting women. Mr. Trump, who himself has been accused of sexual misconduct, focused instead on Mr. Porter, saying that he was enduring a “tough time.”
Of course, this is the same man who makes unfounded claims against his enemies all the time…
Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused – life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?
In point of fact, 2 ex-wives talking on the record to journalists and to the FBI and one ex-girlfriend on background, with a photo of a black eye and a police report, is not “a mere allegation.” https://t.co/yummWOW4qZ
Women’s lives are being shattered and destroyed by domestic abuse. Some are not believed, even with evidence. Some injuries are new, and some are old. There is no recovery for someone who is denied justice.
You had the chance to speak out and condemn this. You failed. Again. https://t.co/syqtyeai9T
Oh, look! The man who spent $85,000 placing full-page ads in the four daily papers in New York City, calling for the deaths of the Central Park Five, all exonerated by DNA, is pretending to care about Due Process. President Snowflake is scared. https://t.co/H7V8tli84Y
CNN gets the award for Shade of the Day with that banner
What is it with Donald Trump that he has to defend White House advisers as they exit due to their own bad behavior?
This morning, Trump defended now-defunct White House staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned this week after TWO ex-wives alleged domestic abuse which apparently torpedoed his security clearance.
Trump made a point of telling reporters that he only recently became aware of Porter’s history of abuse, says he “was very surprised by it,” adding, “It’s obviously a tough time for him.”
“We wish him well. He worked very hard. I found out about it recently and I was surprised by it. But we certainly wish him well. It’s obviously a tough time for him. He did a very good job when he was in the White House. And we hope he has a wonderful career. Hopefully, he will have a great career ahead of him. But, it was very sad when we heard about it. And certainly, he’s also very sad.
“Now he also, as you probably know, he says he’s innocent and I think you have to remember that. He said very strongly yesterday that he’s innocent. So, you’ll have to talk to him about that. But we absolutely wish him well. Did a very good job while he was at the White House.”
Gee, I’ll bet it was a tough time for the ex-wives. But Trump’s got nothing for them.
Trump also said Porter “says he’s innocent and I think you have to remember that […] but we absolutely wish him well.”
The Donald didn’t address the fact that Porter is currently dating White House communications director Hope Hicks, who is one of his closest advisers.
Hmm, wonder why?
It might have something to do with this:
He's blaming Hope Hicks … "The president feels that Hope Hicks has allowed her romantic relationship with Porter to really cloud her judgment and her decision-making … that Hope Hicks put her own priorities above his and above the White House's." pic.twitter.com/ahPjkyxszI— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) February 9, 2018
And just to show there’s ALWAYS a tweet…
If @rihanna is dating @chrisbrown again then she has a death wish. A beater is always a beater–just watch!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2012
Last summer, Donald Trump was invited by President Emmanuel Macron of France to attend the country’s Bastille Day events which included a grand military parade.
Trump called the event “one of the most beautiful parades I have ever seen” and decided he wanted a military parade of his own.
President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to hold a huge military parade for him, according to The Washington Post. The parade will have no military benefit, and in fact will cost millions of dollars. While not unprecedented, no U.S. president has had one since George W. Bush, but it had a purpose: celebrating the end of the Persian Gulf war, not celebrating the commander-in-chief.
“The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France,” a military official tells The Washington Post. “This is being worked at the highest levels of the military.”
The Post notes the cost of Trump’s parade “could run in the millions, and military officials said it was unclear how they would pay for it.” President Bush’s military parade 25 years ago cost $12 million.
The White House says the parade is still in the “brainstorming” phase, but insists Trump “wants to do something that highlights the service and sacrifice of the military and have a unifying moment for the country.”
Apart from the fact that we really don’t NEED to show the world our military strength – we are have the mightiest fighting force in the world – the cost of producing such an event seems ridiculous when there are so many homeless, unemployed veterans. Many folks, including military service members and veterans would much rather see aid to our vets than a parade for a president’s ego.
There were tons of negative responses to the idea of a parade. Here are just a few:
Was down at the SNCO club tonight. I can tell you not one fucking Marine was interested in marching in Trump’s parade unless we’re dragging him behind an Amtrac #MARINESagainstTrump
This response to Trump’s military parade request from Fmr US Army General Paul Eaton is everything: “The military is not Donald Trump’s to use & abuse this way. Our military is the very best in the world, they are not to be reduced to stagecraft to prop up Donald Trump’s image”
As a vet myself I think it’s shameful that a draft dodging coward wants to summon everyone to parade for…what? At least Bastille Day has a reason. Also, didn’t we used to make fun of the USSR for these silly parades. He should learn to walk softly and not waive the big stick.
This is an odd way to honor troops. The audience may love a parade but they’re not the ones giving up a 4-Day weekend and standing around for hours in formation. (Plus all those rehearsal days)
No clean water in Flint, large populations without power in Puerto Rico, vets without care and shelter, and Trump wants a parade of tanks and missiles on Pennsylvania Avenue.
I’m a vet. No to the parade. The entire world knows we have the biggest military. We don’t need to flaunt it. Further we fought for freedom and tanks rolling down PA Ave doesn’t scream freedom.
During a meeting on the MS-13 gang, Donald Trump announced he supports a government shutdown if Democrats won’t agree to tighten immigration laws:
“If we don’t change it, let’s have a shutdown. We’ll do a shutdown and it’s worth it for our country. I’d love to see a shutdown if we don’t get this stuff taken care of.”
Trump’s comments came at 2:33pm today.
At 3:50pm, White House press secretary Sarah Huckbee Sanders walked that back telling the press, “We are not advocating for a shutdown.”
#chaos
During a meeting on the MS-13 gang, Trump said he supports a government shutdown if Democrats won’t agree to tighten immigration laws: “If we don’t change it, let’s have a shutdown. … I’d love to see a shutdown if we don’t get this stuff taken care of.” https://t.co/IghwpT0aPrpic.twitter.com/rlUMfOu7WD
Speaking to a crowd of supporters in Ohio yesterday, Donald Trump called Democrats “treasonous” for not applauding when he listed his achievements to Congress during his State of the Union address last Tuesday.
“Can we call that treason? Why not?” Trump said during a speech about the GOP tax. “They certainly didn’t seem to love our country very much.”
Here’s the video:
Well, treason is a very serious word to casually throw around. There’s a reason no one has been convicted of the crime in the U.S. since World War II.
So, you can understand why some folks got a bit upset about the comment, including Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Tim Walz who spent years and years serving their country in the military. That’s something, by the way, that Trump never did.
Treasonous: adj., 1. pertaining to the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign’s family 2 : the betrayal of a trust
The US Constitution has a definition of treason as well:
“Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.” https://t.co/QbCoJXGnzi
“The President of the United States calling the other party treasonous? That is literally the definition of what it means to be a third-world country” – @BillKristol on Trump’s remark toward some Democrats https://t.co/zh26JrA6Nupic.twitter.com/B5mftXlG6t
You don’t have to always agree with those on the other side of the aisle, but all members of congress love their country, and none are treasonous. https://t.co/NStC7DXqni
We don’t live in a dictatorship or a monarchy. I swore an oath—in the military and in the Senate—to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, not to mindlessly cater to the whims of Cadet Bone Spurs and clap when he demands I clap https://t.co/99gW1yalDl
Thankfully, there are better quotes from better Republican Presidents. Here’s one from Theodore Roosevelt—a Republican who earned the applause he received—that Trump might want to consider pic.twitter.com/WAhvB23zGJ
Just hours before Super Bowl LII, Donald Trump issued a statement recognizing the national event but made it clear he didn’t want to see players kneel during the National Anthem.
“As many Americans come together to watch the Super Bowl, Melania and I extend our greetings and appreciation for those who make occasions like this possible, particularly the brave men and women of our Armed Forces.
Though many of our Nation’s service members are unable to be home with family and friends to enjoy this evening’s American tradition, they are always in our thoughts and prayers. We owe these heroes the greatest respect for defending our liberty and our American way of life. Their sacrifice is stitched into each star and every stripe of our Star-Spangled Banner. We hold them in our hearts and thank them for our freedom as we proudly stand for the National Anthem.
We send our best wishes for an enjoyable Super Bowl Sunday. May God bless and protect our troops, and may He continue to bless the United States of America.”
Bolding is mine.
As everyone knows, NFL players kneeling during our National Anthem had not ever been about disrespecting our flag or anthem; it was to call attention to injustices against African-Americans.
During a speech in September last fall, Trump called players who kneel during the anthem “sons of bitches.”
