Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Joelelan

George Pearkes @peark.es · 2h

Fraud is legal

Exclusive | Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder

The pardon follows months of efforts by Changpeng Zhao to boost Trump crypto company

www.wsj.com

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 3h

The Republican’s couldn’t design a better candidate to hope for.

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 5h

“Are we going to have presidents from here on in just shaking down DOJ or other parts of the US government for money to put in their pockets?” Raskin says.

He also says he'll push this when Judiciary Committee meets next, challenging Rs on the $230 million payoff:

newrepublic.com/article/2021...

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 5h

Critical angle: Trump's accomplices are surely counting on pardons, which only makes them more beholden to him. Todd Blanche must think hard about saying "no" to Trump's demand for the $230 million.

Raskin and I discuss this here. It's something Dems could say more:

newrepublic.com/article/2021...

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 4h

Trump is turning the presidency into a massive Bribe Delivery System, or BDS. He's creating many new avenues for media companies, law firms, universities, etc to channel tribute payments as he directs. Feeding the BDS is the cost of doing business in Trump's America.

newrepublic.com/article/2021...

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 4h

Dems should push a bill banning such administrative claim payments to presidents even if claims predated their service. Republicans will block vote on it. Let them. Then hammer away at that to voters. Push media to cover GOP complicity in Trump's theft of taxpayer $.

newrepublic.com/article/2021...

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 3h

Ok- so it’s going to be disproportionally huge at ground level….What are they putting BELOW GROUND?

Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 3h

This isn’t a “ball room” - it’s a convention center!

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 3h

This is a much bigger implications than is being discussed. It isn’t about delaying the Epstein file release…it’s about not swearing in the next Congress.

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 3h

Probably going to be chuckling about this all day.

Sincerely, thank you.

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emptywheel @emptywheel.bsky.social · 5h

Yup. It's really the perfect metaphor for all his crimes:

Abuse of process
Open corruption
Destruction of the notion of "public"
Bad taste

All during a government shutdown necessitated by tax cut for some of the zillionaires who paid for the ball room.

Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 5h

Trump has done many many many many many things that are worse than this, but I bet this is one of the things that turns people.

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Tammy Duckworth @duckworth.senate.gov · 16h

If given the chance, I'd lose my legs all over again to serve in our great military.

The leader of your party is a five-time draft dodger who has fired more Veterans than any other president in our history.

Square that circle then tell me who really hates our military.

New York Times: Scott Perry Says Democrats ‘Hate the Military,’ Echoing Trump’s attacks.

The remarks by the Republican House member from Pennsylvania align with efforts by the president and G.O.P. leaders to portray the political left as un-American.

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 20h

I remember Fox News spending days on the scandal that was Michelle Obama’s modest little veggie garden. It was discussed and berated non-stop with the general theme being ‘how dare she desecrate those hallowed grounds.

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bonnjny.bsky.social @bonnjny.bsky.social · 20h

The New York Times just reported he is destroying the entire East Wing this weekend. No permits, no approval from the National Capital Planning Commission. Nothing. Where is the outrage from Congress?

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 20h

I’ve heard it was where the first lady’s office is.

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 20h

I remember the RW media’s days long fury over Michelle Obama planting modest veggie garden….

Wonder if they even bothered to preserve any of that history for the Smithsonian?

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Molly Jong-Fast @mollyjongfast.bsky.social · 1d

Trump destroying Eleanor Roosevelt‘s legacy (the east wing) feels a little on the nose.

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, I remember days of Fox News outrage over Michelle growing some veggies on the grounds.

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Zach Everson @zacheverson.com · May 11

🚨 NEW: Trump's biggest lesson from his first term?

He left money on the table.

He's returned to the White House with three new ways—all easier and faster than booking a hotel room—for allies, favor-seekers and foreigners to funnel money to the US president.

me, for @forbes.com

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Truth Social, the $Trump meme coin and World Liberty Financial Give Supporters And Favor Seekers New Ways To Pay Trump

Foreign firms, crypto whales and political allies are using Trump’s newest ventures to route millions into companies he profits from while in office.

www.forbes.com

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John Howl Boo @jholbo.bsky.social · 1d

Release the unredacted Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Russian Interference in the 2016 United States presidential election!

Jamie Fox @whatlawfoxsays.bsky.social · 1d

Or the Senate Intel Committee report. Chaired by Rubio. History indeed. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_...

Senate Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

the president has destroyed the east wing of the white house without so much as a word of input from anyone else to build a royal ballroom paid for with bribes

Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: After The Washington Post reported Monday on the demolition of the "East Wing facade," a new picture obtained by Law Dork that was taken on Tuesday shows that a substantial portion of the entirety of the East Wing has been demolished.

Photograph of ongoing demolition of the East Wing of the White House.

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Tracey Ryniec @traceyryniec.bsky.social · 1d

We will never know when he gets $200 million from taxpayers.

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Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 2d

Once again, one reason Trump says & does whatever he wants is bc every societal institution, including the media, has totally normalized & internalized the idea that the laws, the Constitution, & the international treaties we have signed & ratified simply don’t apply to this one guy. It’s maddening.

Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · 2d

No mention at all of the fact that Trump doesn't have the legal authority to do this, that plans haven't even been reviewed (because the office is closed for the government shutdown), that the size and cost estimates keep changing, etc., etc.

Part of White House Is Reduced to Rubble. Trump’s Ballroom Will Rise in Its Place.

www.nytimes.com

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Joelelan @typomaker.bsky.social · 2d

To call a construction project ‘damage’ sounds unserious/hyperbolic.
HOWEVER- call it ILLEGAL (it is!), WASTEFUL + HYPOCRITICAL.
Please emphasis those things:
-illegal
-wasteful
-hypocritical

Also any addition would require an exterior wall to be impacted (like the 1902 West Wing add)

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David Sirota @davidsirota.com · 2d

Every now and then I go back and read the Citizens United ruling to see if it is as unhinged as I thought, and every time I do that I see it is actually far more deranged than I remembered.

levernews.com/book

Supreme Court ruling: "This Court now concludes that independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption. That speakers may have influence over or access to elected officials does not mean that those officials are corrupt. And the appearance of influence or access will not cause the electorate to lose faith in this democracy."

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