Hacker group holds Trump dirt for 42 million ransom...

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shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
It may not matter for elections however any criminal activity exposes Trump to liability after he's out. By parallel construction, Trump may find himself in a bad place in criminal or civil actions. NY will certainly be assessing anything of substance, although again I'm not saying this is a smoking gun.
He's already beat criminal charges multiple times. It won't matter.
And if Donald had anything prosecutable the authorities would have turned it up a long time ago and decided it wasnt worth the time or they couldnt make it stick in court. Hackers arent going to find something new and special.
If anything it will show that our government is useless at prosecuting rich powerful men, but it still won't matter to the Donald.
 

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,981
3,318
126
From the article:
It isn’t clear what info the hackers might have on Trump or how it pertains to Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, which has never represented Donald Trump or the Trump Organization in any legal matter.
You actually believe that....
 

UNCjigga

Lifer
Dec 12, 2000
24,802
9,005
136
I call shens...but maybe the hackers think Trump’s peeps are dumb enough to believe them and pay them off?
 

nickqt

Diamond Member
Jan 15, 2015
7,535
7,660
136
Either:

1. It really is something scandalous, in which case no one will change their mind about Trump, or

2. It's just Dan Rather type documents planted by Trump so that more "fake news" is being spread about him.

I'd bet money on 2, as Trump's Firehose of Falsehood propaganda preference relies on continuous lies about everything.
 

hal2kilo

Lifer
Feb 24, 2009
23,331
10,238
136
He's already beat criminal charges multiple times. It won't matter.
And if Donald had anything prosecutable the authorities would have turned it up a long time ago and decided it wasnt worth the time or they couldnt make it stick in court. Hackers arent going to find something new and special.
If anything it will show that our government is useless at prosecuting rich powerful men, but it still won't matter to the Donald.
Nothing negative about Trump is/has come out about Trump since Barr was placed in charge. And Trump is freely removing executive oversite (IGs) without consequence. Barr was brought in to stop the investigation with complete complicity of the Republican party. I swear they all took a death oath that another Republican president will never be impeached again. No matter the treason!
 
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Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,284
5,057
136
It's as if Greenman doesn't understand how the law works.
That could be it. Or there could be difference between representing a client that's charged with a crime, and knowingly withholding evidence that a crime has been committed and no charges filed.
 

Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
72,329
6,040
126
Love the comment by this person:

FU

May 16, 2020 at 1:52 am

Trump’s followers will balk at tax returns with payoffs to Russians, eastern Europeans and Chinese as “FAKE” even though those returns will as also show zero wealth and mounds of debt. If they’re still on board with Adolf Twitler after the first election, they’ll be there for life..
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,284
5,057
136
Why do people think criminals send out 1099's? I also wonder why so many think a tax return lists net worth. The blank documents aren't secret, anyone can go to the IRS website and download them.

I assume that the person in moonies quote meant "Adolf Twitter", which is an outstanding.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,717
47,406
136
Why do people think criminals send out 1099's? I also wonder why so many think a tax return lists net worth. The blank documents aren't secret, anyone can go to the IRS website and download them.

From this do you mean it would not be possible to determine if Trump is committing crimes by looking at his tax returns and the tax returns of his companies? If so this is badly wrong.

Just as an FYI the New York Times already uncovered strong evidence of criminal activity by Trump and his family using his dad's tax information.


If given access to the requisite tax and business records I am highly confident that forensic accountants could determine if Trump was/is engaged in criminal activity, which he most likely was/is. I mean I guess there's always a chance he committed a bunch of crimes with his dad, never got punished for them, and decided to stop out of the goodness of his heart, but that is... unlikely.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,284
5,057
136
From this do you mean it would not be possible to determine if Trump is committing crimes by looking at his tax returns and the tax returns of his companies? If so this is badly wrong.

Just as an FYI the New York Times already uncovered strong evidence of criminal activity by Trump and his family using his dad's tax information.


If given access to the requisite tax and business records I am highly confident that forensic accountants could determine if Trump was/is engaged in criminal activity, which he most likely was/is. I mean I guess there's always a chance he committed a bunch of crimes with his dad, never got punished for them, and decided to stop out of the goodness of his heart, but that is... unlikely.
The returns of corporations that Trump is involved with are an entirely different matter and would only be examined as part of a criminal investigation. The only people who get to do routine checks on the information is the IRS.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,717
47,406
136
The returns of corporations that Trump is involved with are an entirely different matter and would only be examined as part of a criminal investigation. The only people who get to do routine checks on the information is the IRS.
No, Congress can most get access to those returns as well under the same authority.

Regardless, can you admit that Fred Trump shows pretty clearly that criminal activity can be uncovered through examining tax returns? Hell, not just criminal activity generally but criminal activity involving Donald Trump, haha.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,717
47,406
136
It’s amazing to me that conservatives fight so hard against the idea that we should know if the president is currently actively engaging in criminal activity.

The only argument I’ve seen is ‘if Congress can pull Trump’s taxes to see if he’s being bribed they could do that to ANYONE!’, not apparently realizing Congress has had the ability to do this for their entire lives and it’s been fine.
 

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
20,284
5,057
136
No, Congress can most get access to those returns as well under the same authority.

Regardless, can you admit that Fred Trump shows pretty clearly that criminal activity can be uncovered through examining tax returns? Hell, not just criminal activity generally but criminal activity involving Donald Trump, haha.
I assume it could be. Though I find the idea of a wealthy business owner doing his own taxes a little absurd. I wouldn't be any more surprised to find he changed the oil in his car or mowed the lawns at the property's he owned. When dealing with millions of dollars, and the possibility of hundreds of thousands in fines for making a mistake in a very complex tax system, why do it yourself? A top notch CPA would very likely net you far more in savings than the the service cost. I assume it could all be a large conspiracy carried out over decades, but that's a stretch.

My hunch is Trump wants to keep the information private because he's not worth nearly what he claims, perhaps a few million dollars.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
83,717
47,406
136
I assume it could be. Though I find the idea of a wealthy business owner doing his own taxes a little absurd. I wouldn't be any more surprised to find he changed the oil in his car or mowed the lawns at the property's he owned. When dealing with millions of dollars, and the possibility of hundreds of thousands in fines for making a mistake in a very complex tax system, why do it yourself? A top notch CPA would very likely net you far more in savings than the the service cost. I assume it could all be a large conspiracy carried out over decades, but that's a stretch.

I'm 100% sure Trump doesn't do his taxes himself, but the idea that his accountants are committing or enabling crimes on his behalf without his knowledge beggars belief. So, whatever wrongdoing can be uncovered by them is Trump's direct responsibility.

Like I said before, we ALREADY have tax information that shows Trump was engaged in what likely amounts to tax fraud in the past. Do you think after doing this for years and never being punished he would just stop? Does that seem even REMOTELY likely?

My hunch is Trump wants to keep the information private because he's not worth nearly what he claims, perhaps a few million dollars.
I similarly suspect that it shows he's not worth nearly what he claims but it will also likely show ongoing criminal activity as his father's tax returns did.

Personally I think conservatives are against people looking into his returns because they know as well as I do both of these things will turn out to be true.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,512
29,099
146
Im willing to bet *if* there is a payoff, somehow that money is comimg from tax payers. No way the President uses his own money.

It would present "a dire threat to the safety and security of the American people and all must likewise contribute to the purity of the pious Trump er...american presidency."

It would be spun, thus.

because, you know, the potential for Donald fucking Trump being held hostage through blackmail was never ever discussed before his election. Every, by anyone. No sir, not one person ever discussed this likely threat.