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[Whataboutism.com] Charging Trump Over Hush Money Payouts Implicates Congress In The Same Behavior

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by Os Trigonum, Dec 14, 2018.

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  1. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Member
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    those who live in glass houses I guess . . . interesting article

    excerpt:

    "According to the Chicago Tribune, members of Congress have a 'taxpayer hush money fund,' where claims for sexual harassment, discrimination and other workplace issues are settled and paid out with money supplied by the U.S. Treasury. Unlike the payments in Trump’s case, which were seemingly made using personal funds, congressional settlements and payoffs used taxpayer funds. More importantly, if prosecutors take the position that hush-money payments made to protect a person’s reputation and family should be deemed campaign related expenditures (because they might affect an election), the precedent could be very problematic and far-reaching.

    "For example, what should happen to those in Congress? Would prosecutors be compelled to pursue those members in Congress who have also made such payoffs? If Trump’s payments are deemed to be campaign-related expenses for the purpose of impacting an election, should each and every House or Senate member who has engaged in such conduct face criminal charges?

    "According to The Daily Signal, 'Last year, it was reported that Congress has secretly paid out over $17 million to settle close to 300 cases by staffers claiming sexual and other forms of harassment and discrimination.' If prosecutors failed to pursue charges relating to each of these individual claims and payments (normally these are made in secret and the identities of the parties are withheld unless suit is filed), would they be applying the law arbitrarily and unfairly?

    "It is evident that some Democrats want to find a way to remove Trump from office. If, for example, they can create a narrative that Trump committed a crime and violated campaign finance rules, they believe that the American public would more favorably support impeachment proceedings and possibly criminal charges.

    "Although some legal scholars have openly stated that the payments in Trump’s case do not appear to have violated campaign finance rules, Mueller, prosecutors in the Southern District of New York and congressional Democrats should think long and hard about the precedent they are attempting to set. While their eyes are set on one particular person, the potential impact could end up netting many others who have engaged in similar (or worse) conduct."​

    http://thefederalist.com/2018/12/14/charging-trump-hush-money-payouts-implicates-congress-behavior/
     
    #1 Os Trigonum, Dec 14, 2018
  2. Harrisment

    Harrisment Member

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    Maybe starting another dozen threads will finally convince people that thefederalist isn’t a joke source. I trust that you’ll put in the work.
     
    #2 Harrisment, Dec 14, 2018
    Invisible Fan, weakfromtoday, Eric Riley and 6 others like this.
  3. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Member
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    fify
     
    #3 Os Trigonum, Dec 14, 2018
  4. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    #4 bobrek, Dec 14, 2018
    Amiga likes this.
  5. Amiga

    Amiga Member

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    Need to be shut down and I believe that process has started.

    Isn’t this while you are already elected? Nothing to do with campaigning.

    I do wonder when, by whom and how that started... thats the only interesting thing here... and maybe not even... probably started in the good old days
     
    #5 Amiga, Dec 14, 2018
  6. B-ball freak

    B-ball freak Member

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    I didn’t think making the payments was the issue, not reporting them and making them in secret was.
     
    #6 B-ball freak, Dec 14, 2018
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  7. Harrisment

    Harrisment Member

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    Link to my post using Vox as a source? I agree they are total garbage. Maybe you’re thinking of someone else.
     
    #7 Harrisment, Dec 14, 2018
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  8. Os Trigonum

    Os Trigonum Member
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    good to know, guess I'll just ignore this then

    https://www.vox.com/2018/12/12/18138213/trump-illegal-hush-payments-women-explained

     
    #8 Os Trigonum, Dec 14, 2018
  9. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    Not interesting at all.
     
    #9 SamFisher, Dec 14, 2018
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  10. Harrisment

    Harrisment Member

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    #10 Harrisment, Dec 14, 2018
  11. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Article makes it out like this is going to cause Democrats some unexpected quandary. It's not. They were already debating the ethics of the Congressional practice a year ago. Here's an article on it.

    The practice in Congress strikes me as unethical, particularly the use of NDAs. Taxpayers should have transparency on everything government money is spent on. So, if throwing stones at Trump for campaign finance violations means breaking glass houses in Congress then we should definitely do it -- kill two corrupt practices with one stone.
     
    #11 JuanValdez, Dec 14, 2018
    Sweet Lou 4 2, Buck Turgidson, RayRay10 and 5 others like this.
  12. No Worries

    No Worries Member

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    Strikes me as criminal.
     
    #12 No Worries, Dec 14, 2018
  13. Haymitch

    Haymitch Custom Title

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    I do not like the rise of the phrase "whataboutism". I've seen legitimate complaints of hypocrisy dismissed with people saying "that's just whataboutism!!!"

    What is John Oliver that gave this word its traction?
     
    #13 Haymitch, Dec 14, 2018
  14. ipaman

    ipaman Member

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    Who knew that sexual harassment wasn't a crime for elected officials but only for us plebs?
     
    #14 ipaman, Dec 14, 2018
    No Worries likes this.
  15. Pizza_Da_Hut

    Pizza_Da_Hut I put on pants for this?

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    Hi there, Trump was sold to a minority of the American population as the anti-establishment figure who was coming to drain the swamp. If he is just as bad as the other members of the swamp, why did they elect him? Again, whataboutism cuts both ways. As I've asked a thousand times before, doesn't Trump have to be better than Hillary Clinton to legitimize his election? Doesn't he have to be less corrupt than what he purported she was? How can you drain the swamp when it's your feeding ground as well? This constant bombardment of "But Obama did X which is just as bad" or "But Hillary did Y" or "Someone else did Z" is hilarious. Trump can't be as bad as the liberals or even the swamp dwellers, because he ran a campaign saying he wasn't.
     
    #15 Pizza_Da_Hut, Dec 14, 2018
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  16. Buck Turgidson

    Buck Turgidson Member

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    It has had traction going back to who? Those Commie Russkies in the 60's. It's all come full circle now.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whataboutism
     
    #16 Buck Turgidson, Dec 15, 2018
  17. arkoe

    arkoe (ง'̀-'́)ง

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    The only poster I've seen actually post a Vox article (not that I actively read this forum) is @Os Trigonum.
     
    #17 arkoe, Dec 15, 2018
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  18. Haymitch

    Haymitch Custom Title

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    #18 Haymitch, Dec 15, 2018
    Buck Turgidson likes this.
  19. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    Lmao sounds like everybody who uses taxpayer money to pay off sex should ABSOLUTELY be kicked out of congress and investigated.

    To get this straight... Our president ****ed a pornstar and paid her off with campaign money, and is being defended by a group with "conservative values" with the thought process that it should be excused because other members of the government are committing crimes with tax money ...What a country!
     
    #19 ThatBoyNick, Dec 15, 2018
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  20. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Member

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    Republicans have always been about the law when it applies to minorites. They broke the law they should do the time.

    When it comes to Republicans all of a sudden whaaaaaa whaaaaaa whaaaat about Democrats? It's a stupid law! Why such a big deal?

    The hypocrisy is sickening.
     
    #20 Sweet Lou 4 2, Dec 15, 2018
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