Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

No one could have predicted…

Republicans in disarray!

Our messy unity will be our strength.

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

The willow is too close to the house.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

Everybody saw this coming.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Let me file that under fuck it.

Bark louder, little dog.

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

At some point, the ability to learn is a factor of character, not IQ.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

Compromise? There is no middle ground between a firefighter and an arsonist.

Let there be snark.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

Republicans do not pay their debts.

You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Trump Crimes Open Thread: Follow the (Inaugural Committee) Money

Trump Crimes Open Thread: Follow the (Inaugural Committee) Money

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Remember all those stories about the immense sums that somehow leaked away during the preparations for Trump’s extremely underwhelming inauguration? How “The bill from the Trump International Hotel was more than $1.5 million. And there was a documentary, overseen by a close friend of Melania Trump’s, that was ultimately abandoned…. “?

Well, it may not technically be illegal to throw money at one’s cronies — or at least it might be hard to document — but the rules about who gets to donate those funds are strict. Per the Washington Post:

… Only U.S. citizens and legal residents can legally donate to a committee established to finance presidential inaugural festivities…

The subpoena also specifically seeks all communications with one donor, Los Angeles venture capitalist Imaad Zuberi, as well as the firm with which he is affiliated, Avenue Ventures. The company donated $900,000 to the inaugural committee, records show…

Trump’s inaugural committee raised a record $107 million to fund events and parties surrounding his assumption of office in January 2017, more than twice the amount raised to fund President Barack Obama’s inaugural in 2009.

Contributions were made by a wide array of corporate interests and wealthy Trump supporters, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission…

The request for documents, which was first reported by ABC News, is a sign of another widening legal headache for Trump, whose business, personal charitable foundation and campaign are all under investigation by state and federal authorities.

The document indicates that prosecutors are investigating crimes related to conspiracy to defraud the United States, mail fraud, false statements, wire fraud, and money laundering.

The subpoena seeks information related to broad topics, including information about benefits provided to top donors, training documents for fundraisers, and information related to any payments made directly by donors to vendors.

Reader Interactions

28Comments

  1. 1.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    What does it say when a President can’t even get through his Inauguration Day without a whiff of corruption?

    Inauguration Day hell, I think it was literally the day after the election they doubled the membership fees at Mar-A-Lago, and wasn’t it some time in December the Fredos tried to set up a “charity” that more or less advertised selling access to the POTUS?

  4. 4.

    Mary G

    I don’t think the president has gotten through a day in his life without doing something corrupt.

  6. 6.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    some good news to end the day:

    Kyle Griffin @ kylegriffin1
    Ruth Bader Ginsburg made her first public appearance since undergoing cancer surgery in December tonight, attending a celebration of her life presented in song.

  11. 11.

    Amir Khalid

    Q:

    What does it say when a President can’t even get through his Inauguration Day without a whiff of corruption?

    A: The lack of surprise only shows that everyone already knew the fucker was corrupt to the bone.

  14. 14.

    Aleta

    @Jay: Saudis, Al Qaeda, Yemen

    Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have transferred American-made weapons to al Qaeda-linked fighters, hardline Salafi militias, and other factions waging war in Yemen, in violation of their agreements with the United States, a CNN investigation has found.

    The weapons have also made their way into the hands of Iranian-backed rebels battling the coalition for control of the country, exposing some of America’s sensitive military technology to Tehran and potentially endangering the lives of US troops in other conflict zones.

    Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, its main partner in the war, have used the US-manufactured weapons as a form of currency to buy the loyalties of militias or tribes, bolster chosen armed actors, and influence the complex political landscape, according to local commanders on the ground and analysts who spoke to CNN.

    By handing off this military equipment to third parties, the Saudi-led coalition is breaking the terms of its arms sales with the US, according to the Department of Defense. After CNN presented its findings, a US defense official confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into the issue.

    The revelations raise fresh questions about whether the US has lost control over a key ally presiding over one of the most horrific wars of the past decade, and whether Saudi Arabia is responsible enough to be allowed to continue buying the sophisticated arms and fighting hardware. Previous CNN investigations established that US-made weapons were used in a series of deadly Saudi coalition attacks that killed dozens of civilians, many of them children.

  15. 15.

    Jay

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Bullshit that The Evil Prince is unaware,

    Or Bullshit that The Evil Prince is working for China,

    Or Bullshit as an expression of invectment of living in the era of Needy Amin?

  16. 16.

    Jay

    @Aleta:

    Iranian support for the Ansruallah alliance is mostly moral and political.

    There’s a 24/7 naval blocaide against Yemen that prevents even food and medicine getting in,

    I doubt that US Military Technology is getting out.

    But the US MSM has to “both sides”,

    Do they breed for that trait?

  17. 17.

    Jay

    @Aleta:

    BTdub’s, the BBC revealed two years ago that the Sawdi’s/UAE were arming, paying and training AQAP to act as infantry in Yemen.

  21. 21.

    rikyrah

    The only two media outlets who have been consistently on the Inauguration Slush Fund have been USA Today and Maddow. The rest of them ignored the $50 million + slush fund aspect. They couldn’t be bothered.??

  22. 22.

    trnc

    What does it say when a President can’t even get through his Inauguration Day without a whiff of corruption?

    Frankly, nothing we didn’t know already.

  23. 23.

    SFAW

    What does it say when a President can’t even get through his Inauguration Day without a whiff of corruption?

    That the Traitor-in-Chief doesn’t like change?

  24. 24.

    jonas

    Funny how right out of the gate everyone just assumed Trump’s new administration was a total racket and started ponying up for the inaugural committee.

  26. 26.

    Raoul

    The $25M Three Doors Down concert is looking really suspect.
    Obama’s concert cost 1/5th that amount! And he had actual talent at his.

  28. 28.

    J R in WV

    @Raoul:

    The $25M Three Doors Down concert is looking really suspect.
    Obama’s concert cost 1/5th that amount! And he had actual talent at his.

    Oh, come on now!!! Surely you aren't suggesting that overpaying for an act for your biggest party ever is a criminal act???

    /s

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