Below is my column in the New York Post on the new narratives emerging in the media in anticipation of the investigation into Biden influence peddling. The comments by NBC’s Meet the Press host Chuck Todd capture the ongoing efforts to dismiss the serious allegations raised in the scandal.
Here is the column:
“It does sound personal”: NBC’s “Meet the Press” host’s words Sunday capture the new narrative in Washington as the House readies the long-delayed investigation into the Biden family’s foreign influence peddling.
I previously wrote how the media was preparing to control the damage from the scandal after spending years falsely calling the Hunter Biden laptop “Russian disinformation.” Even after belatedly acknowledging the laptop’s authenticity two years after The Post’s October 2020 reveal, they continue to bury the story involving Russian, Chinese, Ukrainian and other foreign interests, including figures associated with foreign intelligence.
Now the details of one of the largest and most lucrative influence-peddling operations in history could be made public — along with their effort to conceal it.
Even in a city where influence-peddling is a virtual cottage industry, the Bidens took the corrupt practice to a truly Olympian level. The direct references to Joe Biden receiving money and benefits from these contracts should concern any citizen, let alone any journalist. Yet House Democrats blocked efforts to investigate any Biden influence-peddling.
This obstruction was only possible with an enabling and protective media downplaying the scandal. The press continued the effective blackout even as emails showed Biden repeatedly lied about having no knowledge of his son’s foreign business.
Such denials, however, are getting more difficult. The Associated Press had to withdraw its absurd recent claim there’s no evidence of Biden ever discussing his son’s dealings. There’s even audio of him leaving a message for Hunter specifically about coverage of those dealings.
Dozens of emails, pictures and witness accounts prove the president was not just aware but a possible beneficiary of this corruption. His personal interactions with his son’s business associates include at least 19 visits to the White House by Hunter’s partner, Eric Schwerin, alone from 2009 to 2015, when Biden was vice president.
Emails on Hunter’s laptop make repeated reference to not only Joe’s knowledge but efforts to hide his involvement. In one email, Biden associate James Gilliar instructed Tony Bobulinski, then Hunter’s business partner: “Don’t mention Joe being involved, it’s only when u [sic] are face to face, I know u [sic] know that but they are paranoid.” Bobulinski has given sworn statements that he personally met with Joe Biden to discuss these dealings.
Emails used code names for Joe Biden such as “Celtic” or “the big guy.” In one, “the big guy” is mentioned as possibly receiving a 10% cut on a deal with a Chinese energy firm. There are also references to Hunter paying off his father’s bills from shared accounts.
Code names, cuts for “the big guy” and millions in mysterious foreign transactions would ordinarily send the media into a frenzy. But the Bidens adeptly enlisted the press into suppressing the story. Many in the media became “made men” and women who proved their loyalty. If this is a corruption scandal, there’s little the media can do to spin their own role in concealing it from the public.
For their part, Biden allies are gearing up to attack possible witnesses against the Bidens. For the media, however, it’s hard to acknowledge let alone pursue a scandal that you actively suppressed for years.
That’s what made Chuck Todd’s interview with incoming House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer so revealing. Todd spent most of the interview dismissing the committee’s work as a “political” exercise in targeting opponents. Comer’s efforts to detail the evidence of the president’s role was met by a smirking dismissal from Todd, who ended the interview by saying, “Well, it does sound personal, at that.”
So investigating millions of dollars flowing from foreign interests, including some connected to foreign figures or intelligence operatives, is just a personal attack.
If you’re wondering how the media would have reacted to even a fraction of such concerns being raised about Trump business deals, you don’t have to. They spent years drilling down on every foreign deal, and Todd was one of the most vocal in raising the alarm over foreign influence.
For example, in 2018, Todd doggedly pursued interviews with figures like former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff on Trump foreign deals and bank loans with Russian figures. Schiff declared without contradiction by Todd that “if Trump’s [business dealings] are a form of compromise, it needs to be exposed.”
Todd conducted a similar interview in February 2019 on influence-peddling allegations involving the Trump family. As Neal Katyal, former acting solicitor general, breathlessly announced a Russian-collusion indictment of Trump “could be coming,” Todd asked whether foreign business deals “compromised” the president.
Todd was right to ask if Trump was “compromised” by foreign deals like a Trump Tower in Moscow in 2019. It was neither personal nor political to raise such questions.
But it is now. Totally personal and political. Unlike Schiff, who was heralded for his efforts to uncover evidence of “compromise,” Comer was given only two choices by Todd: Will he “de-partisanize” his investigation or “do you expect it to be partisan?”
The problem is that not only will the details of these dealings be made public; the public wants to see those details. Various polls show Americans want an investigation into the matter and believe Congress should address social-media censorship of such stories.
In other words, it’s not working. The public is not going to dismiss this influence-peddling scandal with a smirk and a shrug. There will be a public accounting, and it will not be confined to the Biden family.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School.
Unfortunately, little Chuckie Todd will have a tsunami of support from the mainstream media to advance the “it’s personal” narrative. All Democrats, led by Hakeen Jeffries, will be howling this mantra for the next two years like dogs howling at a fire siren. Thank you, Jonathan, for an excellent article.
@Skyraider,
I’m not too sure.
Will McCarthy pull a Pelosi and bounce Dems chosen by Jefferies to be on certain committees? Or will he let Jefferies place who he wants within constraints?
(McCarthy is already committed to removing several Dems from committees due to previous actions. )
So we will see in committee meetings Dems asking weird questions and trying to object to anything relevant.
The good thing is that such actions only make it more apparent as to the depth of the problem.
What will most likely happen is that most of the MSM will ignore these committees.
To Svelaz. We don’t have Ivanka Trump’s laptop and I fail to see any instances of her covering up her deals in China and no allusions to the “Big Guy with orange Hair”. Apple has deals with the PPRC as do many other corporations. Maybe you should start there. GM is almost a subsidiary of the PPRC. So present some illicit information of Ivanka. Also she did have a company and was making deals for years before her father was president. As far as Hunter Biden is concerned, his father was a senator since Hunter was a child and then Joe was VP, and POTUS and has been alleged to have been selling political influence the entire time and Hunter was right there at his father’s knee learning the ins and outs of influence peddling. Until 2016 Trump or Ivanka had no political influence to peddle but they did have deals to make.
GEB, Ivanka Trump did the same sort of thing Hunter Biden is accused of. She benefitted from her father’s position as president and made deals in china regarding her business. It’s legal. The laptop does not prove that what Hunter Biden did was illegal or criminal and neither is Biden lying about what he knew a crime. President Biden’s tax returns are public and if he profited from any of Hunter’s deals it would show up on his tax returns.
Trump fought tooth and nail to hide his tax returns and given his penchant for lying and deceiving there was more reason to suspect HE was doing something illegal or criminal.
“ So present some illicit information of Ivanka.” Ok.
“ Just a month before her father was elected president, Russia renewed two trademarks for Ivanka Trump’s business. This would be the start of a pattern. In 2017, Ivanka’s business won preliminary approval for three Chinese trademarks on the same day that she dined with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago. In May 2018, Ivanka’s business was awarded “registration” approval from the Chinese government for five trademark applications, with an additional one getting “first trial approval.” The same week, President Trump announced he would try to save jobs at ZTE, the Chinese telecommunications giant closely tied to the government. A month later, Ivanka’s business got registration approval for three more Chinese trademarks, on the same day her father announced he’d lift sanctions against ZTE.”
https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/jared-and-ivanka-made-up-to-640-million-in-the-white-house/
That is just one instance. Nothing she did was illegal or criminal, but the conflict of interest was optically bad. What Hunter Biden was doing is no different and just as legal.
If there is a weakness or flaw in the U.S. Constitution, we have a “constitutional-amendment process” to correct those flaws. Maybe the entire justice system needs to be designed as “independent” of the political branches of government?
Maybe the courts and DOJ should be designed totally independent of politics. If Congress is going to investigate anything, maybe they should appoint retired members of Congress – not sitting members running for re-election.
Congress will likely get nothing substantial completed for years due to politically motivated investigations. Maybe Congress should not be spending their time as “legislators” acting as prosecutors?
James Madison warned us about “the tyranny of the majority” – when large percentages of voters, in any given voting districts, support what’s popular for the majority in that voting district but tramples on the rights of minority groups.
Although today women, African-Americans, LGBT-Americans and other minority groups are on the “receiving end” of the “tyranny of the majority”, in 30 years white Christian males will be on the receiving end of these abuses.
Constitutional rights are guaranteed for everyone under the U.S. Constitution, even those currently in the minority. Maybe we need a “constitutional amendment” to minimize politics in our justice system?
Maybe the courts and DOJ should be designed totally independent of politics. If Congress is going to investigate anything, maybe they should appoint retired members of Congress – not sitting members running for re-election.
No.
All federal govt agencies need oversight by those held accountable in regular elections.
I look forward to independent journalists like Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi, Bari Weiss to compare and contrast MSM “coverage.”
Chuck Todd is not off the mark. Biden is representative of impropriety and exploitation at the highest levels of the federal government. It is proper that law abiding taxpayers who profit only from what they genuinely earn should take it as personal.
“ Biden is representative of impropriety and exploitation at the highest levels of the federal government.”
So was Trump. He exploited the secret service by charging them exorbitant fees to rent rooms and equipment at his properties whenever he stayed there. Trump is all about exploiting anything of value for his gain. His own children used their father’s position to gain lucrative deals for their own businesses and personal influences. It’s a well known fact that every politician’s children take advantage of their position to profit or gain a foothold on lucrative opportunities. This is not merely isolated to the Biden’s and that’s why this “scandal” as Turley erroneously keeps referring it to is not a scandal. Republicans and democrats have been complicit in such dealings for decades.
Excusing Biden for doing what Trump allegedly did offers no respite for those who find nothing good and positive about either one of them.
I say again, “Influence peddling does not have to be illegal to be a scandalous wrong. It simply being a disgrace or something that offends the moral sensibilities of society is more than enough. Our elected guardians of the Republic are meant to serve those moral sensibilities, not to make themselves wealthy at the expense of them.”
Ron, Trump didn’t allegedly do what I said. He DID do that. That is not excusing Biden. Pointing out the fact that Trump was and is still the worst in exploiting his position for profit and taking opportunities such as still owning his company as president.
I agree that it is not good or positive. The point is republicans are only focusing on these actions because it’s an opportunity to score political points and feed the need for vengeance for what they did for trump despite the fact that THEY didn’t care what Trump did which was exactly what they are accusing Biden of. It’s quite hypocritical to have this ‘urgent’ need to investigate something that they clearly don’t see as an issue when it comes to one of their own. You didn’t criticize republicans for not investigating Trump or his children for clear conflicts of interest. No republican or trump supporter did. Which is why it’s easier for them when it comes to Biden because they would hate to own up to the fact that Trump is just as guilty of doing what they accuse Biden of.
It’s about being petty and vindictive. Trump was was desperately wanting to “catch” Biden doing something bad as to distract from his own screwups and profiting. He didn’t want the attention he was getting about his own grifting and lying. Right now he’s loudly accusing Biden of “stealing’ classified documents and asking why he isn’t being raided like he was despite the fact that Biden didn’t obstruct NARA and claimed those documents were his. It’s that pettiness and need for vengeance that fuels this whole “Hunter Biden scandal” and the “need” to investigate.
The fees charged to the secret service were standard fees at MAL and other Trump fascilities.
The SS was perfectly free to rent rooms elsewhere.
Further Contra claims by the Left – Trump did not profit – either from this or by his presidency.
Trump enterprises returned to the US government profits on services for government or for those lobbying government that could be construed to be a conflict. This is well documented. But those like you pay no attention to it.
Regardless, the expenditures of the Secret Service are governed by law. Neither Trump nor Biden control those expenditures.
“ The SS was perfectly free to rent rooms elsewhere”
No they were not free to rent rooms elsewhere. The nature of their job required them to rent rooms close to the president and within the security bubble that surrounds him.
“ The fees charged to the secret service were standard fees at MAL and other Trump fascilities.”
False.
“ Hotels owned by Donald Trump and his family repeatedly overcharged the Secret Service for their rooms, billing up to $1,185 per night, according to documents obtained by a House committee.
The findings by the House Oversight and Reform Committee run counter to claims by Trump’s family that use of the properties would save the government money and show that the Secret Service spent at least $1.4 million at Trump properties after he took office.”
…” The committee found that the Secret Service was charged in excess of government rates at least 40 times, between Jan. 20, 2017, and Sept. 15, 2021, according to documents gathered in the panel’s continuing investigation of the former president’s conflicts of interest.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2022/10/17/house-panel-trump-hotels-repeatedly-overcharged-secret-service/10524873002/
“ One of the biggest sources of expenses was Mar-a-Lago, the so-called Winter White House. The documents, obtained by CREW through the Freedom of Information Act, show the Secret Service paying Trump’s private club more than $300,000 to protect him and his family there. Over his presidency, Trump made an astounding 146 visits to the Palm Beach club, which makes sense in the context of his inability to bill the government when he was staying at the actual White House. The records do not show any spending at Mar-a-Lago until 2018, despite the fact Trump visited that property many times the year before, and those visits are known to have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars of Secret Service spending.”
…” These properties were resorts and hotels, he did not need to charge the Secret Service to stay there. In fact, Eric Trump, who along with his brother Don Jr. was nominally in charge of his businesses at the time, lied that they were only charging the Secret Service the cost of housekeeping. Trump made a choice that he was going to actively grift the Secret Service since it was required to protect him. He appears to have made millions, but the cost to the integrity of the presidency was much higher.”
https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/the-secret-service-spent-nearly-2-million-at-trump-properties/
Trump could have let the secret service stay for FREE at their properties, but clearly he saw an opportunity to make money by overcharging the SS.
Trump did NOT return any of that money. Why would he need to return it if he could have just not charged them at all? He’s a billionaire obviously he could have waived any charges to the secret services. But he didn’t.
“No they were not free to rent rooms elsewhere.”
Of course there are.
“The nature of their job required them to rent rooms close to the president and within the security bubble that surrounds him.”
Nope. I will bet you that there are rooms for rent closer to MAL than to Obama’s Oak Park home or his martha’s vinyard home.
Further other presidents homes have no rooms to rent inside their homes.
This is just a ludicrously stupid claim. I would further note that the SS can and has confiscated property near presidents homes for a variety of reasons – including providing SS agents a place to stay.
““ The fees charged to the secret service were standard fees at MAL and other Trump fascilities.”
False.”
True.
“ Hotels owned by Donald Trump and his family repeatedly overcharged the Secret Service for their rooms, billing up to $1,185 per night, according to documents obtained by a House committee.”
Which is the rate for the rooms they rents. Frankly that sounds low.
I did a due dilligence study for the JW Marriot at Central Park. The Cheapest room was $695/night. Most of the rooms were 2,000+
I saw rooms that cost up to 27,000/night. But there were other rooms that cost up to 95,000/night.
“The findings by the House Oversight and Reform Committee run counter to claims by Trump’s family that use of the properties would save the government money and show that the Secret Service spent at least $1.4 million at Trump properties after he took office.”
First you are not trustworthy. Second the house is not trustworthy.
You just claimed that the SS was charged as much as 1200/night at MAL. The Seattle Times reported that the fees were between 380-650/night and the 1185 from the receipt that Seattle Times provided was for multiple nights.
Separately the published rate schedule for MAL is $2000/night for a member and up to 2 guests – AFTER a 200,000 membership fee.
” The committee found that the Secret Service was charged in excess of government rates at least 40 times, between Jan. 20, 2017, and Sept. 15, 2021, according to documents gathered in the panel’s continuing investigation of the former president’s conflicts of interest.”
Ah, Please read that statement carefully. Your committee did not find that Trump charged excessive rates. It found that Secret Service stayed in rooms that cost more than the standard government rate. Again the SS was free to find a place done the road.
“Where Can I Stay near Mar-a-Lago? We’ve got 1153 hotels to pick from within 5 miles of Mar-a-Lago”
There is a La Quinta at under $100/night within 1Mile of Mar-A-Lago – that is walking distance.
” These properties were resorts and hotels, he did not need to charge the Secret Service to stay there.”
Of course he did. You can not stay in one of my apartments for Free.
“Trump made a choice that he was going to actively grift the Secret Service since it was required to protect him.”
All spin.
“Trump could have let the secret service stay for FREE at their properties”
If he did then no one should have voted for him.
Whether you like it ow not SOMEONE was going to rent the rooms at MAL.
You rant because you do not like what the SS paid.
I am sure that Eric and Don Jr. would have prefered to rent the rooms to members who pay 2000/night minimum after a 200K membership fee.
“but clearly he saw an opportunity to make money by overcharging the SS.”
The actual evidence is that he UNDERCHARGED them.
“Trump did NOT return any of that money.”
The US treasury and NBC say otherwise.
“Why would he need to return it if he could have just not charged them at all?”
If you are giving 2000/night rooms away for free – you should not be president.
Obama does nto provide free rooms for the SS, Biden does nto provide free rooms for the SS.
The La Quinta is 1mile away and costs about $100/night. There are almost 1200 hotels within 5miles of Mar-A-Lago that the SS could have stayed in.
“He’s a billionaire obviously he could have waived any charges to the secret services. But he didn’t.”
He is a billionaire because he is not stupid enough to give valuable things away for free.
Why is an SS agent entitled to a free room when people who paid a 200K membership fee have to pay $2000/night ?
John B. Say, do you even know what the standard fees are at MAL? You have nothing to show how these ‘standard fees’ compare to what the SS usually pays.
Info only…Authorized GSA Per Diem Rates in Jan/2020. Room Rates: $203/day. Meals & Incidentals: $61/Day. Source: https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates/
So the secret service would have exceeded their per diem when they stayed at MAL and other trump properties? How would the secret service pay for the extra if the per diem is only $203 per day?
Like every other agency/business…move money between pots. They might even have a line-item in their O&M to account for the additional requirements. I have no specific insight.
Thank you. These are not the typical rates for the SS – but the ordinary authorized rate for government employees
You are correct – I presumed that the SS was charged the Standard fees – I looked it up and as noted in a prior post – they were NOT charged standard fees. The standard fee at MAL is 2000/night and you can have 2 guests after a 200K membership free. The SS was being charged between 380 and 650/agent/night – not 1185 – which was multiple nights or double occupancy.
Regardless, rather than telling me what I do not know – Why don’t your read your own sources.
Which did not Say that MAL was charging more than standard rates. It said that MAL was charging more than the standard rate government employees are normally allowed to spend – which has nothing to do with MAL.
The Winnetu Oceanside Resort which is the closest hotel to Obama’s Martha’s vineyard home costs 3500/night for the cheap rooms.
Rooms near Obama’s Hawaii vacation home are much cheaper – only $300/night – but the closest hotel is 9miles away.
The standard fee is NOT what the SS usually pays – it is the fee that employees of the federal government usually pay.
As you note – the SS often must stay closer to the president, and must pay to do so.
Trump was charging the secret service according the the government panel $1,860 PER agent per room per night. That doesn’t include meals and such and use of golf carts which Trump also charged the SS for their use when he played golf.
Except that is not what the receipts that are published show.
They show 380-650 per agent per night.
Please do your homework.
MAL’s standard rate is 2000/night.
There is a La Quinta withing a Mile that charges $100/night.
The closest hotel to Obama’s Martha’s vinyard home is much further than a mile and charges atleast 3500/night.
The SS decides how many agents stay at MAL each night. Not Trump.
Lets do some math.
First YOU clam Trump charged 1.4M over 4 years.
That is half the price of the diamond that Hunter Biden received as a gift from a Russian Oligarch close to Putin.
That is just a bit more than the Chinese paid Joe Biden at the UoP Biden Center in 2018.
At 1860/ night as you claim that is 750 nights Given that Trump was at MAL 146 times and stayed multiple days at a time.
That suggests that only 1 or 2 rooms were rented per night.
The constitution dictates the requirements to hold office. The courts have consistently found those are the ONLY legal requirements for office.
To change those requirements – whether it is for Santos or Biden or Trump, you must amend the constitution.
You constantly claim Trump profited from the presidency. Yet that is demonstrably false – even Democrats revel in the fact that Trump is one of few presidents whose net worth declined as president. But more specifically all your claims that Trump profited off the secret service are nonsense. The president has no say in secret service spending. and as has been demonstrated many times, Trump enterprises returned all profits on services provided to government and/or lobbiests and foreign leaders during Trump’s term.
Further even if Trump had somehow profited – that would not be the point.
He did not profit by selling public influence. The Biden family received money in return for access to VP Biden, and allegedly in return for VP Biden’s influence in their affairs. No one has alleged either regarding Trump.
Trump was not selling the office of the President – there is not even an allegation that he was.
Biden was selling public office.
“ Biden was selling public office.”
No he wasn’t. You have zero evidence for that claim.
“ The president has no say in secret service spending. and as has been demonstrated many times, Trump enterprises returned all profits on services provided to government and/or lobbiests and foreign leaders during Trump’s term.”
No, BUT he did have a say on where he chose to stay and that often involved staying at his properties instead of camp David or other government owned properties. At his properties he was shown to be overcharging the secret service for the rooms and equipment they required and they HAD to pay it because Trump has no say in how they spend the money. Only that they HAVE to spend it because it was NOT government property.
There is no evidence that Trump enterprises returned all profits on services provided to government and/or lobbyists or foreign leaders. Trump did NOT return the money lobbyists and foreign leaders paid when they used such facilities as the Trump hotel and MAL. You have no evidence for your claim.
“ The Biden family received money in return for access to VP Biden, and allegedly in return for VP Biden’s influence in their affairs. No one has alleged either regarding Trump.”
Getting money for access is not illegal. Trump’s children often benefitted by offering such access. What you don’t have evidence of is the quid pro quo you keep claiming. Mere insinuation is not evidence.
“ You constantly claim Trump profited from the presidency. Yet that is demonstrably false – even Democrats revel in the fact that Trump is one of few presidents whose net worth declined as president.”
Trump never divested himself from his company. His children ran the company including the Trump hotel where many dignitaries and lobbyists stayed often paying hundreds of thousands of dollars and making money. We know Trump falsely claims values of property in order to claim losses and reduce his tax bill. He still profited from the fact that he still owned his company while in office.
“” Biden was selling public office.”
No he wasn’t. You have zero evidence for that claim.”
No one met with Joe Biden to buy a Condo in Florida.
Just about every single person that Joe Biden has met with in the past 40+ years has been about government.
Joe Biden is not a successful real estate mogul. Reality TV Star, Cassino operator, hotel operator, beauty pageant operator.
The influence that Hunter Biden was peddling was VP Biden’s GOVERNMENT influence.
Private Citizen Biden did not interferen in Ukraines investigation of Burisma – Vice president Biden did.
“”The president has no say in secret service spending. and as has been demonstrated many times, Trump enterprises returned all profits on services provided to government and/or lobbiests and foreign leaders during Trump’s term.”
No, BUT he did have a say on where he chose to stay and that often involved staying at his properties instead of camp David or other government owned properties.”
That is correct. Just as Biden stays at his home in Delaware.
“At his properties he was shown to be overcharging the secret service for the rooms and equipment they required and they HAD to pay it because Trump has no say in how they spend the money.”
Nope they paid the going rate at Trump fascilities. The Trump organization later donated to govenrment any actual profits them made on services provided to government, and the SS was throughout free to buy its own equipment, and rent of but homes or hotel rooms outside of Trump fascilities. You are obviously clueless of how the Secret Service operates.
The fact is that Trump SAved Secet Service Substantial money at MAL.
MAL was already a highly secure gated fascility BEFORE Trump took office.
Obama’s home in Oak Park required millions in renovations to provide presidential level security. The SS turned several city blocks in Oak Park into a gated community.
Biden’s home in Delaware required the same extensive security upgrades.
Obama’s homes in Martha’s vinyard and Hawaii required less security upgrades but not nearly as little as MAL, or Trump tower.
“Only that they HAVE to spend it because it was NOT government property.”
Nope. The secret service can buy their own golf carts. They can buy or rents homes nearby for agents off duty.
Where do you think Agents stay guarding Biden ?
Your argument is ludicrously stupid. You seem to beleive that Biden and Obama provided free sleeping quarters for probably 40+ agents at their homes. Nope. When any president is outside the WH or Camp David, agents must be put up somewhere. A small number are put up in fascilities that rh government builds at or near the presidents home, and the rest rent hotels nearby.
There was never a requiremnt that the SS rent from Trump. THEY choose where they rented. Not Trump.
“There is no evidence that Trump enterprises returned all profits on services provided to government and/or lobbyists or foreign leaders.”
Of course there is and it has been reported. Your ignorance of this does not make it false. NBC reported on this in 2018.
“Trump did NOT return the money lobbyists and foreign leaders paid when they used such facilities as the Trump hotel and MAL. You have no evidence for your claim.”
“George Sorial, the executive vice president and chief compliance counsel, said the Feb. 22 voluntary donation fulfills the company’s pledge to donate profits from foreign government patronage while Donald Trump is president.
The company said last week that it had made a donation, but refused to disclose the amount. The Daily Mail first reported the figure on Friday. And while the U.S. Treasury has confirmed receipt of the check, it also did not provide any details. A representative for the Treasury declined to comment.”
NBC 2018.
““ The Biden family received money in return for access to VP Biden, and allegedly in return for VP Biden’s influence in their affairs. No one has alleged either regarding Trump.”
Getting money for access is not illegal.”
It MAY not be illegal. In a large number of cases it is.
“Trump’s children often benefitted by offering such access.”
Nope. No one in the Trump family was doint what Hunter was.
Kushner and Ivanka were busy with their government jobs and the rest of the Trump family was running Trump enterprises.
“What you don’t have evidence of is the quid pro quo you keep claiming. Mere insinuation is not evidence.”
You keep playing games with words you do not know how to use.
There is plenty of evidence of a Quid pro quo. There is not at this time proof beyond a reasonable doubt that would persade a jury in DC.
There is likely more than enough proof for a TX jury.
Regardless the standard for an investigation is not proof beyond a resonable doubt. It is reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed – we have that easily.
“Trump never divested himself from his company.”
Nope there is no requirement that he does so.
“His children ran the company including the Trump hotel where many dignitaries and lobbyists stayed often paying hundreds of thousands of dollars and making money.”
Correct – and all profits on those stays were donated to the govenrment – this is documnted.
“We know Trump falsely claims values of property in order to claim losses and reduce his tax bill.”
We have been through this before. This is a stupid claim made by AG James in NY that is infront of an equally stupid judge.
The claim is Literally impossible. Properties are valued for Tax purposes when they are bought, when they are sold or when they are transfered in an inheritance. Alternately the local government property tax value can be used.
You are mixing the stupid claim that Trump allegedly defrauded insurance companies by misvaluing his properties – also a ludicrously stupid claim that is litterally impossible. You can not commit insurance fraud by over or undervaluing your property without making an insurance claim for a loss. And if the property was misvalued – the claim will be for that value. Insurance is just a form of gambling where the house nearly always wins. There is no correct value of something insured, just as there is no correct bet at a cassino.
Regardless, insurance companies and banks hire multiple due dilligence frims and do not use valuations provided by building owners.
You are litterally talking about one of the things I do for a living. I have done DD reports on many high value properties in manhattan.
I do not think I ever did a Trump property. But I have done more valueable ones.
Trump’s claim that AG James is engaged in a “witch hunt” is absolutely true – she is alleging crimes that are not possible. Not that did not happen, but that CAN NOT happen.
“He still profited from the fact that he still owned his company while in office.”
Nope he lost money.
The vast majority of people rarely is ever deal with the tax value of properties.
They do not own commercial real estate.
If you did, you would know that all your claims and AG’s idiotic claims are not possible.
I am in the process of refinancing a small rental property.
I told the bank the property was worth about 100K, the bank appraised the property and will write a loan based on their slightly lower apraised value. There is no Fraud. If I told the bank the property was worth 200K or 50K there still would be no fraud.
Separately for Taxes – I bought the property for 165K – that is the value of the property for nearly all tax purposes. I do nto get to make up a number. The only value is what I paid for it. When I sell the property, I will pay taxes based on the difference between what I sell the property for and what I paid for it less depreciation. The good news for me is that I am allowed to depreciate the property every year. I get to take that depreciation as an expense. As a result it looks like I lose money for taxes every year. The bad news for me is that the amount I depreciated the building is substracted fromt eh amount a paid for the building to determine the amount I owe taxes on when I sell it.
So the tax break is only temporary and when I sell the building I will owe even more taxes because of depreciation.
All of this and more is fixed in the Law – IRS code, you can look it up. Every single real estate business in the nation operates that way.
It is evidence of the cluelessness of James and the Judge that this was not tossed.
If you have a good example of Trump engaged in “influence peddling” – we can investigate it.
Not only are your claims regarding Trump for things outside of his control, but they would not constitute influence peddling even if they were.
“ Not only are your claims regarding Trump for things outside of his control, but they would not constitute influence peddling even if they were.”
A lot of things were “outside of his control” when they were really self inflicted. A lot of things were also out of Biden’s control such as Hunter Biden’s dealmaking which many of his critics disagree merely because he lied about it. Trump has lied too. That didn’t get the scrutiny from republicans as they Biden is getting nor the criticism. A lot of what his children did was indeed influence peddling, all legal as well. I was no different than those who sought access to Trump to as those that sought access to Biden. But as usual Biden is accused of a committing a crime without evidence simply because people keep insinuating there was a quid pro quo and still provide zero evidence of that that was. Many of Biden’s critics WISH he committed something in order to justify they animosity they have for him and they are looking for the excuse to pin the accusation of having committed a crime without any evidence of it. The accusation of a crime is intended to defame his character purely for political purposes.
Trump peddled influence by offering pardons to those who supported his lying about the election being stolen as one example.
“A lot of things were “outside of his control” when they were really self inflicted.”
Nope.
“A lot of things were also out of Biden’s control such as Hunter Biden’s dealmaking which many of his critics disagree merely because he lied about it.”
Hunter is likely to get alot of attention. But the focus of that attention will be how much was VP Biden involved.
WE already know that Joe was much more involved than he said he was.
“Trump has lied too.”
I am sure he has – But I would love to hear your list. I will bet you can not identify a single provable consequential lie.
“That didn’t get the scrutiny from republicans as they Biden is getting nor the criticism.”
That statement is laughable. Trump is the most investigated person in US history.
By the media, by the FBI, by a Special Counsel, by both republicans and democrats in congress.
Joe Biden may prove to be the most corrupt US president. Regardless, he has only been subject to limited scrutiny and investigation by people like John Solomon and Miranda Devine. In the press.
“A lot of what his children did was indeed influence peddling, all legal as well.”
Trumps children ? Nope. You do not appear to have a clue what influence pedaling is. Ivanka and Kushner actually worked int eh Trump administration. During that time, they complied with federal ethics rules that do not apply to members of congress of other elected people.
The rest of Trump’s kids continued their business activities, and did so without connections to the federal government.
There is almost no intersection between the private deals of the Trump family and anything related to federal government.
Conversely EVERYTHING Hunter Biden has done directly involves the federal govenrment.
” I was no different than those who sought access to Trump to as those that sought access to Biden.”
No one got access to Trump through Trump’s children while he was president.
” But as usual Biden is accused of a committing a crime without evidence simply because people keep insinuating there was a quid pro quo and still provide zero evidence of that that was.”
You do not need to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to investigate. You need to prove reasonable suspicion that a crime was committed.
There was no reasonable suspicion of the collusion delusion – the FBI and DOJ knew it was a Clinton Hoax from the start – that is what the Jury found in the Sussman and Danchenko Trials.
There is plenty of reasonable suspicion regarding Biden.
Do you know that the Biden center – where the Recent Biden Classified documents were found, was atleast partly funded by the Chinese ?
And there is atleast one report that the TS/SCI classified documents found at the Biden Center wre related to China, Iran, Ukraine and Russia ?
I would further note that Biden left office in Jan 2017. The Biden center opened in 2018. Where were these classified documents for over a year ? And how did they get moved ?
I am hearing left wing nuts claim that the Biden documents are just an accident.
That they were unintentionally moved by GSA in Jan 2017 when Biden left office.
That is plausible. It is also plausible regarding Trump. Frankly I am sure that you will find that every recent ex-present and ex-vice president accidentally or deliberately left office with classified documents – as well as allegedly government documents.
As I have argument with Trump, so long as these documents are found withing the presidents (or VP’s) secret service guarded space in their homes. This is not a big deal.
I have attacked you repeatedly – because you are missing an important element of a violation of the espionage act.
So long as the documents were transfered – to Biden’s home or to MAL while Trump or Biden were in office – there is no violation of the espionage act. Violating the espionage act requires the removal of classified documents from government control, and that can only occur for presidents and to a significantly lessor extent vice presidents AFTER the leave office.
Biden has inarguably done the one thing Trump did not do – move the documents from his personal secret service guarded offices in his home to some other non-government fascility AFTER leaving office.
Biden inarguably did that.
“Many of Biden’s critics WISH he committed something in order to justify they animosity they have for him and they are looking for the excuse to pin the accusation of having committed a crime without any evidence of it.”
Substitute Trump for Biden and the sentence is correct.
There is actually ZERO doubt at this point that Biden is corrupt. Influence peddling is corrupt – and Biden was inarguably involved, and we know he personally benefited – that his son benefiting is enough. But the fact that Biden is corrupt, immoral and unethical is not proof he is also a criminal. That is what the investigation is for. To find out if Biden is Criminally corrupt.
“The accusation of a crime is intended to defame his character purely for political purposes.”
Biden’s character is inarguably poor. We are way past that. Truth is an absolute defense to defamation claims.
I find it odd that after 6 years of politically weaponozing all parts of government to go after Trump you sudden find that political purposes are bad ?
Regardless, Biden is immoral, unethical, and corrupt. These are all established. The unanswered question is did he go from corrupt to criminally corrupt. That is why an investigation is needed.
“Trump peddled influence by offering pardons to those who supported his lying about the election being stolen as one example.”
Nope.
“The point is republicans are only focusing on these actions because it’s an opportunity to score political points and feed the need for vengeance for what they did for trump ”
Atleast partly true. As I have said repeatedly – Turn about is fair play.
You have now spent over 6 years investigating Trump and come up with nothing of substance.
It is self evident that government agencies – even while Trump was president were politicized and weaponized against him.
Worse still they are politcized and weaponized against other republicans, political enemies, journalists, and worst of all ordinary people.
Of course republicans are going to investigate that.
Regardless, you have no leg to stand on claiming the investigations are baseless and political – having conducted 6+ years of baseless political investigations.
I have no doubt Republicans will grandstand and make as much political hay out of all of this.
And if they conduct themselves like the J6 committee or the FBI or the Government agencies, or Mueller or the house impeachment committees – they will be spinning their wheels and get nowhere – just as J6 committee did.
We will judge whether Republican investigations are partisan witch hunts or meaningful and substantive based on how they are conducted and what they uncover.
There is far more than enough to impeach Myorkas right now. His conduct on just the horseman whipping immigrants episode alone is despicable. His massive overall failure at the border is another impeachable offense. His memo obliterating US immigration law is another impeachable offense.
Going after Myorkas is obviously political. It is also obviously substantive and with merit.
Unlike Benghazi where it took 4 tries to find the truth we already know more than enough to impeach Myorkas.
Investigation is just icing on the cake.
I am fully supportive of impeaching cabinet heads for throwing their own people under the bus.
I am also fully supportive of impeaching them for undermining actual law.
Congress writes immigration law – not DHS.
More broadly the politicization of government is a huge target. But most specifically where those in government act in their official capacity to influence elections. Everyone in government who was involved in censoring social media in any way at all should be fired, removed, sued, prosecuted as appropriate. We have both a violation of constitutional free speech, a violation of the hatch act, and aparently several other laws forbidding those in government to act in elections in any official capacity.
If this is not already a crime – it should be.
“ Influence peddling does not have to be illegal to be a scandalous wrong. It simply being a disgrace or something that offends the moral sensibilities of society is more than enough. Our elected guardians of the Republic are meant to serve those moral sensibilities, not to make themselves wealthy at the expense of them.”
Ron A. Hoffman, I completely agree with that. If we are to have our elects officials serve those moral sensibilities we have to include EVERYONE and hold them to account for the abuses. Republicans could have made an example by holding Trump and his children accountable just as they want to hold Biden accountable. However when they deliberately ignore what they know is wrong just to “stick it to the dems” they become no better than what they accuse them of. Which is why such hypocrisy will continue. Only when they start seriously holding Trump accountable for his own actions and acknowledge that they too have a serious problem we can ALL work to holding everyone accountable as we expect. Those who play stupid and “can’t” see that Trump is just as culpable of such behavior are part of the problem and they only do so because it’s a game to them a game of mere pettiness that is enabled by those who seek power because it’s easier to appease Trump than to call him out for who he really is.
Trump is no longer president, and that is accountability enough for me. Now, if only the same could be said of Biden. The political duopoly that administers this country is the ultimate of what needs to be held accountable, for it is that which is responsible for giving us such immoral choices.
Ron A. Hoffman, Trump may not be president now. But it would be disingenuous to not recognize that he should have been held accountable by Republicans when he was in office by the same standard they are holding Biden to and they didn’t do that.
We will never achieve ‘fairness’ in holding everyone accountable until both parties acknowledge and enforce their own standards, not just apply it to the other party and enable it with their own.
Should Biden be held accountable by democrats? If not while he is in office, how about after he is out of office?
Yes he should, if an investigation is merited. But investigating him because he merely lied isn’t enough.
..AS USUAL THE SVELAZ hack (‘so was Trump’) trying to hide the treasonous failures (..brilliantly brought to light by Prof. Turley..) re: the Biden machine by indulging again in the petty Trump fetish is so Absurd, it builds the case that this must be the alter ego of Schiff writing here….
I wonder if this all blows up on Biden what happens next? Do we really want cackling Kamala? I’m living with the vile replacement nightmare of Hochul in NY.
Jim22,
That is a disturbing thought.
Biden is supposed to make his run for 2024 sometime soon. The majority of Dems do not want him to run. Harris is even less popular than Biden.
I think the Dems painted themselves into a corner concerning 2024.
Harris’ awfulness makes her the perfect candidate for Joe to finish out his term. Don’t forget Newsome. He is the Hochul nightmare waiting in the shadows when the Dems most likely steal another election in 2024. As the mid-terms showed, the Reps have every capability to ruin a sure thing.
Chuck Todd has no self awareness at all and fails almost every definition of a meaningful journalist. One even has to be concerned about whether he can read because it would seem he does not even read his previous statements to see if there is any consistency between his position now and previously. Of, course he might be able to read but simply no longer cares to read and / or he has no care for consistency either. Consistency usually suggests an over all philosophy on how a person conducts themselves in their profession or life. If one detects an inconsistency in the practice of profession or life, that usually is a tipoff that a person must self examine and maybe make adjustments. An inconsistency usually, but not always, is based on a new experience or knowledge that does not fit into one’s philosophy and needs to analyzed by the individual and sometimes changes must be made to accommodate change. I think that is called learning. It suggests that he has been elevated to the level of his incompetence and is no longer capable of learning or growth. That often leads to extinction.
GEB,
Is his lack of self awareness a deliberate choice or truly an unconscious mind?
One would like to think there would be some degree of learning or growth.
But is seems he along with the rest of MSM have gone all in, drank the DNC kool-aid.
I think a religious cult is more like it, with true believers and zealots.
Grifters and groomers. NBC was never a paragon of journalistic ethics, but Chuckie has slashed his way to a new low.
More on this below. The vast, leftwing conspiracy is both real and underway:
https://taibbi.substack.com/p/on-msnbc-and-authoritarianism?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1042&post_id=95682106&isFreemail=true&utm_medium=email
Diogenes,
Thank you for posting that.
The nerve indeed.
Other News that is not reported:
Control of Democratic Elections Hinges on Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court is set to hear a North Carolina redistricting case, Moore v. Harper. In this video we look at that case and the “independent state legislature” legal theory at the center of it. If adopted, the court could shift federal election power to state legislatures, not subject to review by any other state authority.
https://youtu.be/s7ZY5UrZBNE
—
Moore v. Harper is an ongoing United States Supreme Court case related to the independent state legislature theory, arising from the redistricting of North Carolina’s districts by the North Carolina … Wikipedia
Argument: Oral argument
Docket no: 21-1271
https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/moore-v-harper-2/
JPMorgan Chase Hit with Lawsuit for Facilitating Jeffrey Epstein’s Crime Network; Similar Charges Were Brought Against It for Facilitating Madoff’s Ponzi Scheme
https://wallstreetonparade.com/2023/01/jpmorgan-chase-hit-with-lawsuit-for-facilitating-jeffrey-epsteins-crime-network-similar-charges-were-brought-against-it-for-facilitating-madoffs-ponzi-scheme/
—
The Redacted (Censored) Filing:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED | Case Number: 1:22-cv-10904-UA
STATES VIRGIN ISLANDS ) | ACTION FOR DAMAGES
PLAINTIFF, | JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
V.
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
DEFENDANT.
COMPLAINT AND DEMAND FOR A JURY TRIAL
https://wallstreetonparade.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Government-of-U.S.-Virgin-Islands-v-JPMorgan-Chase-Bank-N.A.-Complaint-Filed-December-27-2022.pdf
2022 New Coverage Summary
https://www.foxnews.com/media/abc-npr-cnn-nbc-washington-post-among-media-outlets-that-had-gaffes-scandals-and-debacles-in-2022
Is it not time to stop expressing shock over the role of media propagandists like Chuck Todd? I think that the evidence is so overwhelming that the MSM is nothing less than an unofficial arm of the Democratic Party that anyone who doubts that view is either an ignoramus or a fellow traveler. Still, it is probably useful for Turley to make these observations in print because few others will.
What Comer just said before did seem personal to me. After the “personal” statement, Todd as he typically does thanked Comer for coming on and sharing his perspective.
There’s a big reason why Chuck Todd dismisses the “scandal”. Because it’s not a scandal. Influence peddling is nothing new and it’s actually protected speech under the 1st amendment. It has also been ruled so by the majority of conservative justices on the Supreme Court.
Influence peddling is not illegal. Making money from foreign deals is not illegal or criminal either. The Trump children did what republicans accuse Hunter Biden of doing. They all profited from using the family name. Others accuse president Biden of a crime without a shred of proof. Even Turley keeps implying a crime has been committed without ever presenting proof. This is all a pretext for the series of “investigations” a la Benghazi looking for any excuse to find anything to keep digging further and further. It’s this literal definition of a witch-hunt.
We don’t yet know if there was criminal conduct here. But the issues go beyond that. An important question is whether there should be legislation setting limits, or disclosure requirements, on certain public officials, such as the President, or their family members, benefitting from transactions with foreign governments or entities.
Joe Biden has lied consistently about this.
First he lied by saying that he never discussed with Hunter or any other family member or person matters related to the family’s foreign business transactions.
Then he lied by saying Hunter had no earnings from China.
Then he lied, in the debate no less, by citing the 51 intelligence officials to the effect that the laptop was Russian disinformation.
All this lying suggests strongly there is something to hide.
If done right, the investigation will likely show that Biden was deeply involved in his family’s business transactions and benefited personally from them. It will establish that he lied repeatedly. It may uncover criminal conduct, by Biden or others. It could lead to legislation.
Daniel, if lying is the pre-requisite for initiating investigations to “see” if a politician or even the president ‘may’ have committed a crime every single legislator and even Trump, the biggest liar of the bunch, should be investigated. Republicans never thought about trump’s own lying and serious conflicts of interest regarding his sons running his business which he did NOT divest from as a venue for ‘possible’ crimes as Joe Biden is assumed to have committed.
Trump clearly proved that benefitting from such deals is not really an issue and republicans have clearly ignored it. Because Joe Biden is a democrat different rules apply. The double standard and the calls for investigations are purely political. They have nothing to do with the deals themselves which are NOT illegal or criminal.
Trump has lied too. By your own opinion he also had something to hide, but republicans didn’t seem concerned about it because they know those activities are not illegal or criminal. So why would Biden’s similar activities be considered possible crimes?
“ It may uncover criminal conduct, by Biden or others. It could lead to legislation.”
That is what a witch-hunt is. They are looking for possible crimes by accusing him of a crime without evidence.
Trump was investigated throughout his entire Presidency, so I don’t get your point. This is now about Biden and whether he is compromised or a criminal. His consistent and blatant lying about this is grounds for suspicion It is also about whether legislation would be appropriate.
Daniel, Trump was investigated by democrats. Republicans,even , are implying that because Biden lied about certain things it means that he is hiding something and it warrants a thorough investigation to determine IF a crime was indeed committed. If that is why they are seeking to investigate Biden, because he lied why didn’t THEY state that same logic with Trump? Clearly Trump lied a lot. About his own conflicts of interest and sketchy business deals his children made while he was in office. Obviously republicans have a keen interest in Biden precisely because of those conflicts and sketchy deals. The question should be where was that keen interest when Trump was doing similar things?
It may be now about Biden, but that is only because he’s president and it’s politically beneficial for Republicans. Democrats are still intent on investigating Trump for doing things Biden is accused of. The difference is the republicans are not applying the same scrutiny they claim should be applied to everyone to Trump. They are basically the equivalent of those who enable drug addicts and make excuses for them. A drug addict (trump) will continue to behave as a drug addict if there is always someone enabling them. Republicans are just as guilty of the problem as Trump AND Biden. Things won’t change until republicans acknowledge and admit that they too need to hold their own accountable. So currently if Biden is doing something Trump did that is clearly immoral, unethical, or wrong, but not illegal or criminal Biden’s actions are no more illegal and criminal as trump’s and clearly republicans did NOT have an issue with it, Until it is because it involves a democrat.
Influence peddling does not have to be illegal to be wrong. It simply being a disgrace or something that offends the moral sensibilities of society is more than enough. Our elected guardians of the Republic are meant to serve those moral sensibilities, not to make themselves wealthy at the expense of them.
Svelaz – you have said many times in the past that: “Influence peddling is not illegal.” Unless I am reading 18 USC 201 incorrectly, it can be criminal. I quote the relevant portions of the text.
(b) “Whoever . . . (2) being a public official or person selected to be a public official, directly or indirectly, corruptly demands, seeks, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept anything of value personally or for any other person or entity, in return for: (A) being influenced in the performance of any official act; . . . shall be fined under this title or not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater, or imprisoned for not more than fifteen years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.”
Perhaps, a President is not considered a “public official” under this text, but Biden would need to establish that exemption. (Note that Biden could be disqualified from office, which would be a delicious irony since the Democrats have been trying to disqualify Trump from office for many years.)
Edward, yes the statute does say that what Biden and even Trump does should be illegal. HOWEVER the Supreme Court has ruled that the statue is overly broad and that the term “official act ” should be interpreted as narrowly as possible because it is not clearly defined. Because influence peddling can also be form of free speech and “an official” act can include protected speech. Criminalizing the donation or the mere fact that money was involved poses a problem because spending money is essential to disseminating speech, as established in Buckley v. Valeo, limiting a corporation’s or person’s ability to spend money is unconstitutional, because it limits the ability of its members or the public to associate effectively and to speak on political issues. Paying for access was also deemed a form of protected free speech activity for that same reason as in Buckley. The case that decided it was the McDonnell vs, United States.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/amy-davidson/the-supreme-courts-bribery-blessing-mcdonnell-decision
S – So, you recognize that if an action fits whatever the statutory definition of “official act” now is, it will be a criminal act. So, let’s find out what Biden did.
The problem is that an official act is not clearly defined. It must be narrowly defined instead of applying overly broad interpretations that prosecutors often relied on. The court raised the bar a lot higher and what Biden allegedly did does not meet that criteria.
S – you don’t know what Biden has done (unless you are Joe Biden himself) and therefore you cannot know whether even a narrow definitiion of “official act” applies. Further, I would note that you don’t even attempt to define your understanding of the supposedly narrow meaning of “official act”. The anti-bribery statute has not been repealed. If we are to stop corrupt practices of our politicians, we must try to apply it here. Why are you and the other trolls afraid of investigation of Joe Biden? We wasted years on a hoax – Russian collusion with Trump. Biden’s corruption is not a hoax. It may turn out that a criminal charge will not be laid, but there is something very substantive to be looked at.
Democrats are Fascists…using government, business, banking, tech, healthcare, law enforcement, media, etc to destroy opponents and STEAL as MUCH AS POSSIBLE
cut 50% of fed spending, move 75% DC fed government to the heartland. Their is too much power in DC and the Machiavellians are destroying America. Read H.G. Wells “Outline of History”….this is classic end of empire centralized power destroying itself with corruption!
“. . . new narratives emerging in the media in anticipation . . .” (JT)
Well, that’s a new one: There’s nothing to see here — in the here that hasn’t yet appeared.
Sam: Precisely. Media’s “anticipatory” ability to contain or stop a story, or make it disappear before it snowballs, is what Americans REALLY need to become “woke” to, influence peddling, et al.
Again, we watch media’s “anticipatory” attempt to downplay the “just 10” classified documents found in Biden’s office storage –found on November 2, 2022–just six days before the midterm elections…..–and we are just hearing the polished version of it now? two months post-election? The media [rightly] tore apart George Santos, but any mention of Biden’s disgusting lies about his academic and political accomplishments were not only ignored–but those who queried or mentioned it were dismissed as “whatabout”ers. Do you remember when “candidate” Trump was ridiculed about his age in 2016? –If Trump were the one who confused the Salvation Army for the Secret Service, it would have been headlines for days, if not weeks.
I would bet that Turley is not the Biden administration’s favorite [media] son…I have faith that the good professor will not become the biblical “prodigal son.”
Lin,
Well said!
Lin, what about the media (Fox News) ignoring Trump’s own disgusting lies? Shouldn’t they get the same criticism as the rest?
The classified documents issue with Biden is different than Trump’s and it’s not as serious as Trump and the media on the right WANT to make it. They are ignoring the fact that what they did in reporting it was what they were supposed to do. When they found the documents they immediately notified NARA and the DOJ. Trump didn’t, he fought and deliberately tried to hide the documents he had in his possession. The documents on the Biden case are not even alleged to be Biden’s. NARA wasn’t looking for them and it seems more likely it was a staffer who took the documents to the office where they were found. The reason for not hearing about the documents is because of DOJ policy of not commenting on ongoing investigations. Trump’s classified document problem only surfaced because he was deliberately refusing to hand them over and that ultimately required a subpoena and a search warrant when NARA found out Trump still had documents in his possession. There are huge stark differences between the two cases, and true to form right leaning media is not making that distinction precisely because it serves them better to create the narrative that Biden is just as guilty as trump which is not where near true. This is their “anticipatory” approach to the Biden story and it’s not different than what you are saying about what MSM does.
The House investigation of the Biden crime family no doubt will be extensive and it is very possible it will not just establish unlawful financial transactions and arrangements but also issues that bear directly on national security. I’m particularly worried about Joe and Hunter Biden’s dealings with the Chinese Communist Party while Joe Biden was VP and while he was in-between VP and POTUS. It is not important how Joe Biden and his family view these events but, instead, how the Chinese Communist Party views them. In their mind they “bought” him and that, in turn, colors their actions toward the US in ways that are inimical to our safety.
Ivanka Trump was also in deals with the Chinese communist party as a member of her dad’s administration. She profited from her position and got some sweet deals along the way. Republicans should investigate her as well. After all it IS influence peddling too.
Ivanka Trump was also in deals with the Chinese communist party
as abefore she was a member of her dad’s administration.No idea what a “sweet deal” means. Specifics are always absent these baseless accusations.
stupid html codes.
I was supposed to show that Ivanka was doing business in China long before her Dad ran for office
She was also doing business when she was part of her dad’s administration. She was using her dad’s name to profit from the association. Which is not illegal by the way, but she did have favorable treatment precisely because her dad was the clear potential candidate to win and when he did he liked that the Chinese were ‘nice’ to her daughter for giving her those deals. Clearly if Hunter Biden benefitted from similar deals he would have been ok, right? Hunter did the same things Trump’s kids did. And they are all legal. That is the problem. Republicans don’t like the fact that it is but they are still going to try to make it look bad because it’s still unethical and morally wrong. That didn’t seem to matter to them when trumps kids did it. So it makes sense that this “scandal” is something they already condone.
Iowan2, here are some specifics,
https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/jared-and-ivanka-made-up-to-640-million-in-the-white-house/
“In their mind they “bought” him . . .”
And in reality, the communist Chinese bought Biden. What was their “compensation?” See, for example, his policy on TikTok and WeChat — both communist Chinese companies. (And that is only part of Biden’s “pro quo.”)
He’s no Lawrence Spivak and will never be.
Todd is a Leftist hack. Check out his wife’s place of employment. An embarrassment to journalism. Tim Russert is turning over in his grave.
Emotional Italian,
But remember that Tim Russert was all-in for Obama, gushing over him and declaring him the winner in the 2008 Primaries before they had concluded.
Tim was extremely over-rated, imo.
Cindy – we should not forget that Russert spiked the Juanita Broderick rape story during the Clinton impeachment proceedings. After the proceedings ended, he allowed the story to be presented. His Democratic bias should not be surprising, since he had held important adminstrative positions with both Sen. Moynihan and Gov. Cuomo, both Democrats.
Tim Russert was so good he convinced the public that he was not bad.
Tim Russert was just as bad as the rest of the communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats, RINOs, AINOs).
It’s your receivers – they are tuned to kindness, to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, to see “the good” in people.
They are good; they are good communists (liberals, progressives, socialists, democrats, RINOs, AINOs).
They are good, no great, direct and mortal enemies of the American thesis, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, Americans and America.
They will eat you alive if you let them.
You let them.
I hope Comer has subpoenas ready to go; there will be no cooperation so a voluntary approach is a waste of time.
“I hope Comer has subpoenas ready to go”
As you know, the catch is this: Will Garland enforce subpoenas against those who ignore them?
Media bias is no longer even worth commenting on. It is absolute and constant.
Thinking people have found other sources of news.
Lefties continue to seek bias confirmation from people like Todd.