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Under oath, John Kelly raises serious allegations against Trump (www.msnbc.com)

submitted 1 year ago by BadaBing@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

72 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Over the weekend, the allegations returned to the fore, and for good reason. The New York Times reported on Saturday:

John F. Kelly, who served as former President Donald J. Trump’s second White House chief of staff, said in a sworn statement that Mr. Trump had discussed having the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies investigate two F.B.I. officials involved in the investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia. Mr. Kelly said that his recollection of Mr. Trump’s comments to him was based on notes that he had taken at the time in 2018. Mr. Kelly provided copies of his notes to lawyers for one of the F.B.I. officials, who made the sworn statement public in a court filing.

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[-] Yewb@kbin.social 77 points 1 year ago

If any other person were even accused of some of these actions it would be arrest first then we figure out the full story.

Put them all in prison, Hunter Biden, Trump, Fucking all of them I don't give a shit about any identity politics, break the laws? Go the fuck to jail!
No one should be above the law.

[-] prole@sh.itjust.works 101 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Let's be clear, Hunter Biden hasn't actually been formally accused of anything.

After this much time of people searching for anything, yet there still isn't enough evidence to make a clear accusation, seems kind of obvious that he doesn't deserve to go to prison. Unless someone can provide some kind of evidence of criminal activity, but I won't hold my breath.

This isn't a "both sides are the same" thing. Not even close.

[-] skepticalifornia@lemmy.world 92 points 1 year ago

Additionally, Hunter Biden is a private citizen, and did not take an oath to uphold the Constitution nor did he have access to classified information that he could mishandle, nor did he have influence over our government’s most powerful arms of justice. There is no comparison between what Hunter Biden and Trump are alleged to have done - but the right would sure like for you to think that they are equivalent.

[-] Puppy@kbin.social 30 points 1 year ago

Oh they know Hunter did absolutely nothing wrong. They just need a scapegoat for when people point out the obvious crimes Trump committed so they have a "both side" argument.

They don't seem to understand nobody cares about Hunter and his "laptop". It's just Hillary's emails 2.0 ... with less credibility because they aren't even targeting a politician 😆

[-] Froyn@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago

And like a millions times more the revenge porn. Imagine if that was the content of Hillary's emails.

[-] Ducks@ducks.dev 28 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Meanwhile Trumps children and Jared Kushner did have much of that and they're likely criminals. But of course if these people could think, they wouldn't be Trump supporters.

[-] skepticalifornia@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Well said. We'll likely never know the depth of the gritting or the extent of the damage done.

[-] SulaymanF@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago

Sure we will. Like Vietnam and Watergate, 40 years from now we’ll have all those Republicans write autobiographies about how Trump was awful and how they tried to hold him back and how they were never on board with his atrocities and begging history to judge them separately. We’re already seeing hints of this with the Bush administration about Iraq.

[-] FinalBoy1975@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Yes, it's quite predictable in politics to view the former politicians of the future writing their memoirs. History repeats itself a lot in the political arena.

[-] rigatti@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago

I get what you're saying, but Hunter did recently plead guilty to tax crimes.

[-] keeb420@kbin.social 20 points 1 year ago

not paying his taxes makes him smart. or so i was told.

[-] Yearly1845@reddthat.com 5 points 1 year ago

And also unlawfully possessing a firearm, but you'd expect the right to love that.

[-] Reliant1087@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

He pled guilty to lying on a form about his addiction while purchasing a firearm and not paying taxes for two years while he was an addict (through he paid the back taxes after that eventually I think).

I honestly appreciate the fact that everyone was transparent about this and chose to be upfront and take responsibility rather than do all the shit that republicans do when accused of something.

[-] prole@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 year ago

Oh so is the GOP going to start disparaging people for tax crimes? Usually that doesn't hurt their opinion of people.

Tax crimes by a private citizen do not warrant the resources being used up during this witch hunt.

[-] McNasty@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 year ago

He did. It was a plea bargain that included dropping the charges of improper gun ownership.

[-] Yewb@kbin.social 6 points 1 year ago

My comments were more along the lines of no one is above the laws Democrats and Republicans.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

Yeah but Republicans break those laws so much more often and to such a greater degree that it's a false comparison.

[-] Arcane_Trixster@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

He was just convicted of tax evasion and possession of an illegal firearm, Hunter Biden i mean.

Nothing like he's been accused of, but he has been formally charged and convicted recently.

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Don't think that's what the comment said... And I'm pretty sure Hunter pled guilty to a felony firearm charge and willfully failing to pay hundreds of thousands in taxes so, yeah, sounds like they're both dicks. The argument that "your dick is bigger than my dick" is hilarious though.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 35 points 1 year ago

Jesus fuck

One side had a guy tax fraud and owning a firearm

One side had a guy try to violently overthrow the government in order to install himself as dictator

Gee, you're right, they're both equally bad WHAT THE FUCK HOW DUMB ARE YOU?

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well I got to enjoy a few weeks of it feeling different from Reddit around here...

The comment at the head of this was stating that no one should be above the law. (<- That is a period.) Not that no one should be above the law if their crime is a certain amount of awful... Not that no one should be above the law depending on their political alignment. No one.

Then the response was arguing that Hunter did nothing wrong! There's no evidence of a crime! You shouldn't say they're all the same!!! No one said their crimes are the same. No one said they're the same in any way beyond that they are citizens of a country that has laws and they should be held accountable if they break them... And yes, Hunter committed and admitted guilt to crimes... And it doesn't put a red hat on someone's head if they acknowledge a fact that doesn't fit in with your agenda.

I responded and enter you. You really weren't worth this response because you said the same dumbass thing the other person did. Arguing a point that wasn't made because you're so cocked and loaded to encounter one of those dumb right wingers that you think if anyone disagrees with you they must be wearing a maga hat. Pull your head out of your ass.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 13 points 1 year ago

I wasn't talking about that. You also said

so, yeah, sounds like they’re both dicks. The argument that “your dick is bigger than my dick” is hilarious though.

bOtH sIdEs

That's what I was calling you fuckin stupid for. Repeating bullshit propaganda.

No one said their crimes are the same.

No, no, you didn't say it...you just heavily implied it while winking and nodding in its direction. We're not stupid, fuck off.

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Lol relying on telling the other person what they were implying to create an argument for yourself. Followed by saying "we're not stupid" as if you have a bunch of people around you're speaking for.

I said they're both dicks. They both are. You want to argue the size, you go for it, I'd agree that Trump 100% is the "bigger dick" of the two, he's absolute garbage, but since I'm not on some fanciful battlefield fighting in your war of the blues & reds, I wasn't concerned with who tarnished their side the most. My concern was more geared toward the fact that rich folks shouldn't get away with doing shit the rest of us can't. If you're going to make statements for you and, whoever else falls under "we," about whether or not you all are "stupid," you should make less assumptions, it doesn't help your case.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

since I’m not on some fanciful battlefield fighting in your war of the blues & reds, I wasn’t concerned with who tarnished their side the most.

That's a favored tactic of the red side.

Both sides, impartial, enlightened centrism, yadda yadda.

[-] MelonTheMan@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

It's sad because "both sides bad" can be a valid argument, if it hadn't been coopted as an undercover facist dog whistle.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

True. In some cases it's important to bring up.

Everything needs context.

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Anything to prevent "we don't want to live under a 2 party dictatorship anymore" from being an option, right?

[-] MelonTheMan@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Definitely don't want to suppress that fact, not disagreeing with you.

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

That's been my position throughout, the disagreement came from the other person assuming my stance because it didn't align with theirs. Much appreciated.

[-] Pillarist@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

"if you're not with us, you're against us," is somehow better? The only options are the options YOU give me? Shew, you got authoritarian with a quickness. The whole seeing the world in black & white isn't a sign of much depth... It's also the primary reason it's hard to agree with "the red side" on a lot of their arguments. Hate something so much you start acting like it 🤦🏼‍♂️

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 9 points 1 year ago

Well I got to enjoy a few weeks of it feeling different from Reddit around here…

The main difference is that now instead of constantly telling fascists to fuck off, I also sometimes get to tell tankies to fuck off.

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[-] keeb420@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

oh no some one took a plea deal. no if it can be shown he got special treatment as the presidents son, that i can outraged at. but people take plea deals all the time.

[-] AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago

I mean fuck the GOP but the idea that Hunter is just some guy caught up in it all is ludicrous. The dude has been trading on his father's name for his entire adult life. There was a federal investigation into a fund that he and his uncle had set up where they explicitly said they were going to trade access to Biden. That was at least twenty years ago but still.

so many people say, "if he'd actually done anything unethical he should be punished" while completely ignoring that he essentially acts the exact same as one of the Trump kids - useless as fuck, makes bank on connections gained through nepotism and corruption.

look at the list of companies this guy has been involved in. probably most of their kids are like this.

[-] Vlhacs@reddthat.com 18 points 1 year ago

Sure, it's not entirely ethical and a nepo baby, but to still compare him with Don Jr who is still continuing to spout election denialism and misinformation is a bit disingenuous. I agree, if Hunter committed any crimes he should pay just like anyone else, but him being a nepo baby isn't the conversation we're having right now.

[-] AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

he's more akin to Kushner, making business deals and getting on the boards of companies purely by his relationships.

there's a pretty big difference between being the kid of a senator and starting a lobbying company with the aim of leveraging your familial relations to advance the interests of corporations and billionaires paying you.

but like, hasn't he committed multiple felonies that generally do end up with people in jail? tax fraud, spousal abuse, gun he wasn't allowed to have (IIRC). so, like, pardon me but i kind of think that seems like bullshit.

if he should pay like everyone else he should be barred from having anything to do with politics and go to jail like everyone who doesn't have a senator for a daddy would have.

[-] Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social 8 points 1 year ago

but like, hasn't he committed multiple felonies that generally do end up with people in jail?

I'm take that seriously when the GOP starts complaining about all the other rich people who regularly do shit like this and face no consequences.

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[-] RIPandTERROR@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Don't think I disagree with any of that. I would expand on it however and say there's an order of priority, and of the people that should be barred from having anything to do with politics and go to jail, I would not say he's anywhere close to the highest on the list of those priorities.

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[-] keeb420@kbin.social 5 points 1 year ago

hunter hasnt gotten a security clearance after failing to accurately fill out his sf86 multiple times and then got bailed out for billions on a building he was underwater on and then got billions more from another country for "no reason" while having access to classified documents.

[-] PlaidBaron@lemmy.world 43 points 1 year ago

The ending is gold.

The Trump team's response?

'That guy is a psycho, dont listen to him'.

Sounds like the kind of excuse the annoying high school kid uses. What a country.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago

Which begs the question- why did Trump make such an unstable person his chief of staff?

[-] catshit_dogfart@lemmy.ml 41 points 1 year ago

And after Nixon, it became criminal to use the IRS in this way.

[-] Limeey@lemmynsfw.com 31 points 1 year ago

These fuckin guys, what shitheads. I wish this era of our country was just over, I am NOT looking forward to 2024 election

[-] MelonTheMan@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

Same, just remember you're not alone in this horror.

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this post was submitted on 10 Jul 2023

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