2017年10月31日 星期二

Former Donald J. Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopolous pleads guilty... Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his longtime business associate Rick Gates have been indicted by federal grand jury on 12 charges,

Trump Belittles Aide Caught in Russia Inquiry; Calls Him ‘Liar’

  • President Trump tried to diminish the significance of a former adviser who admitted to lying to the F.B.I. about how he sought to meet with Russians during last year’s campaign.
  • Mr. Trump said “few people knew” George Papadopoulos and that he “has already proven to be a liar.”
JUST IN: Former Donald J. Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopolous pleads guilty for making false statements to FBI http://cnn.it/2zZE8Mv



George Papadopoulos, a former foreign-policy adviser to President Trump, admitted he misled the FBI by telling agents he had only interacted with a professor with Russian ties before joining the Trump campaign.

Initium Media 端傳媒新增了 2 張相片
【即時新聞】特朗普前競選主席、競選官員被起訴「陰謀反對美國」
美國總統特朗普前競選主席保羅·馬納福特(Paul Manafort),及其長期商業夥伴,競選副手里克·蓋茨(Rick Gates)被指控謀反、洗錢等12項罪名。
兩人於今日前往美國聯邦調查局駐華盛頓辦事處接受調查,並將於稍後送往聯邦地方法院。
特朗普競選團隊的兩大高官被起訴,意味着特別檢察官羅伯特·米勒(Robert Mueller)針對總統特朗普的「通俄門」調查取得重大進展。據CNN報導,對兩人的指控雖未涉及總統競選活動,但仍存在特別檢察官對兩人增加指控的可能。




JUST IN: Former Donald J. Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopolous pleads guilty for making false statements to FBI http://cnn.it/2zZE8Mv

The Justice Department charged Donald Trump's former campaign chairman and a top aide with "conspiracy against the United States," "conspiracy to launder money" and other charges.


Former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and, reportedly, his top aide, Rick Gates, were expected to be charged on Monday in Washington.
NPR.ORG
JUST IN: Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and his longtime business associate Rick Gates have been indicted by federal grand jury on 12 charges, including conspiracy against the United States, special counsel's office says: abcn.ws/2zjkaPO




Trump-Russia investigation: President's campaign manager Paul Manafort surrenders to FBI in first charge of Mueller probe

The charges against Mr Manafort and aide Rick Gates are not clear at this point

President Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort has reportedly arrived at the FBI's offices in Washington to face charges as part of an investigation into the Trump campaign's links to Russia.
Mr Manafort walked into the FBI Headquarters in Washington DC at approximately 8:15 am local time with his lawyer, but had no comment for reporters. 
The charges being brought against Mr Manafort have not yet been made public by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, who has been investigating alleged collusion between campaign team members and Russian officials during the 2016 US election. 
Charges against Mr Gates have also not been made public and he has not yet been seen in person entering the FBI offices.
While Mr Manafort exited the campaign in August 2016 and seemingly any public affiliation with Mr Trump's team going forward from campaign to White House, Mr Gates has been working with White House staff on an intermittent basis. 
Mr Manafort has groomed Mr Gates for several years and the pair have been connected through documents of companies Mr Manafort had established in Cyprus in order to receive payments from his Eastern European business and political clients, according to the New York Times
This past July, the FBI conducted an early morning raid of Mr Manafort's home in Virginia. At the time, prosecutors warned that he may be charged. 
In theory, Mr Manafort may make some sort of bargain - offering information linking Mr Trump to Russian officials and collusion in exchange for avoiding prosecution.



根據《華盛頓郵報》,據悉川普因此遲遲未進橢圓辦公室,在白宮官邸看了一上午的電視新聞報導,對於媒體各種評論大為光火。白宮多名資深官員和川普友人,也形容川普當天的怒氣顯而易見;一名共和黨員說:「危機逼近,大家都嚇壞了。」
川普昨推文再度撇清關係,指「沒有通俄,曼納福特被指控之事遠發生於進入競選團隊好久之前」,又說:「很少人知道名叫喬治(巴帕多普洛斯)這位年輕、低級別的義工,他已被證明是騙子。」 

對川普投震撼彈

負責調查通俄門的特別檢察官穆勒,藉由前天公布的首波起訴3人名單,宣告他將毫不猶豫起訴任何涉案人士的決心。穆勒旗下其中一名檢察官柴林斯基指,穆勒的調查是「大規模進行的行動,巴帕多普洛斯(George Papadopoulos)的案子只是其中小部分」,暗示將有更多後續動作。
川普的前競選經理曼納福特(Paul Manafort)和其副手蓋茨(Rick Gates),被控洗錢、密謀對美國不利等罪名,兩人前天投案,但出庭聆訊時不認罪。緊接著穆勒又公開巴帕多普洛斯的認罪自白書,坦承他就「曾與俄國聯絡人會面,及企圖牽線安排川普陣營與俄國政府官員會面之事,向聯邦調查局(FBI)調查人員說謊」,投下對川普最有政治損害的震撼彈。
福特漢姆大學法學教授舒喬曼認為,穆勒在揭露起訴曼納福特後,才公布巴帕多普洛斯的認罪自白書,是刻意手法,意在施壓曼納福特配合檢方。他說:「這會使曼納福特感覺被孤立,了解不利處境。」

曾向FBI做偽證

白宮發言人珊德斯前天試圖劃清關係,稱巴帕多普洛斯在競選期間「只是義工」,未支薪,川普只和他見過一次面。但《華盛頓郵報》指出,川普去年3月率外交政策顧問團隊受訪時,向《華郵》介紹巴帕多普洛斯是「能源和石油業的諮詢顧問,他是優秀的人。」有線電視新聞網(CNN)分析指,巴帕多普洛斯承認做偽證是「大事」,重點在他試圖隱瞞跟俄官員見面的時間點和詳情。
FBI去年啟動俄國干預美國大選的「通俄門」調查,今年5月穆勒獲任命特別檢察官後出現重大進展。川普陣營一直矢口否認通俄,雖然全案尚未直接指向川普,但法律專家指,巴帕多普洛斯提供的資訊,很可能成為穆勒進一步調查其他人的關鍵。 

巴帕多普洛斯涉案時序

2016/03 成為川普競選團隊外交政策顧問
2016/03/14 在義大利與一名和俄國政府有關係的「教授」面會
2016/03/24 教授向他介紹普丁的「姪女」(實際上不是)
2016/03/31 參加川普在場的會議,宣稱可以安排川普與普丁會面
2016/04/25 向上級報告已取得普丁邀川普的邀請函
2016/04/26「教授」告訴他,莫斯科當局取得大量希拉蕊電郵
2016/07~10 維基解密公布大量民主黨全國委員會及希拉蕊親信被駭電郵
2017/01/27 受FBI偵訊,騙說與「教授」會面是在入川普團隊顧問之前
2017/07/27 在華府機場被FBI逮捕,承諾協助辦案
2017/10/30 認罪自白書公開(goo.gl/sjnKER
資料來源:《衛報》網站

2017年10月30日 星期一

紐約時報 網路版首頁相關2017.10.30 Former Trump Campaign Chief Is Indicted



Manafort Is Charged With Tax Fraud and Money Laundering

  • Paul Manafort and his business partner, Rick Gates, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
  • They are the first to be charged in a special counsel investigation that has cast a shadow over President Trump’s first year in office.
Video by YOUSUR AL-HLOU and SARAH KERR. Photo by Sam Hodgson for The New York Times


NEWS ANALYSIS

For the President, Indictment Raises the Stakes

The gravity of the threat may yet tempt the president to short-circuit the investigation by firing the special counsel or pardoning Mr. Manafort or others.

2017年10月27日 星期五

Robert Reich: With America split six different ways, ...

The old Democratic and Republican parties have fractured. When you take a closer look, America actually has 6 political parties right now. Whoever can put together elements of a governing coalition among these groups will win future elections. One possibility is a coalition of anti-establishment Democrats who want to get big money out of politics and who reject crony capitalism, and anti-establishment Republicans who want the same. What do you think?
Whoever can put together elements of a governing coalition among these six will win future elections.
NEWSWEEK.COM

Trump Orders 2,800 JFK Assassination Files Released, Withholds Others

NPR
The files are among the last to be released by the National Archives under a 1992 law that ordered the government to make all remaining documents pertaining to the JFK assassination public.
The vast majority of what's being held secret is at the request of the FBI and…
NPR.ORG

2017年10月26日 星期四

The Republican Party is increasingly hostile to principled, patriotic lawmakers. That presents a grave threat to our country.


OPINION | OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

Chris Coons: Why Jeff Flake's Exit Should Scare Democrats

By CHRIS COONS

The Republican Party is increasingly hostile to principled, patriotic lawmakers. That presents a grave threat to our country.


As G.O.P. Bends Toward Trump, Critics Either Give In or Give Up

By JONATHAN MARTIN and JEREMY W. PETERS

President Trump has vocal critics, but the Republican Party is increasingly his own, with little room left for an older breed of internationalist conservative.

2017年10月24日 星期二

Trump is 3 weeks late on Russia sanctions

Trump has stalled tougher sanctions on Russia imposed by Congress. The administration is now more than 3 weeks late on a deadline to begin implementing the new restrictions.
There has been no explanation given for the delay, and lawmakers are growing impatient. Yesterday John McCain warned: "If they don’t cooperate, then further actions need to be taken." Earlier this year the White House also tried to scuttle the sanctions as they made their way through Congress with strong bipartisan support.
Trump's willingness to serve Russian interests -- even in defiance of Congress -- should concern every American. It has almost been a year since the election and his coziness with Putin remains the same. Your thoughts?
The president had 60 days to at least develop a plan of action on new sanctions but is three weeks behind Congress's order.
NEWSWEEK.COM

‘Dangerous,’ ‘utterly untruthful’: Two retiring GOP senators sound alarm on Trump


Sen. Jeff Flake’s 18-minute speech today was perhaps the most sweeping indictment of Trump delivered by a Republican to date.

The remarks from Flake and Corker further escalate the civil war roiling the GOP ahead of the 2018 midterms.
WASHINGTONPOST.COM
"I have children and grandchildren to answer to, and so, Mr. President, I will not be complicit."
“We must stop pretending that the degradation of our politics and the…
THEATLANTIC.COM
American democracy is at a turning point. Principled Republicans like Jeff Flake, Bob Corker, and John McCain – all of whom are willing to stand up to Trump’s tyranny -- are being forced out.
This is how despotism begins.
Flake announced today on the Senate floor that he “will no longer be complicit or silent” in the face of the Trump’s “reckless, outrageous and undignified” behavior. “It is dangerous to a democracy…. It is often said that children are watching. Well, they are. And what are we going to do about that? When the next generation asks us, why didn’t you do something? Why didn’t you speak up? What are we going to say?”
Flake has been a long-time critic of Trump -- starting when Trump peddled his false theory that Obama was born in Kenya, through Trump’s calling Mexican immigrants “rapists,” and his call for a travel ban on Muslims. Soon thereafter, Trump went on the warpath against Flake -- savaging him as “toxic” and a “flake,” and encouraged a primary challenge against him. Flake’s poll ratings plummeted.
Flake’s remarks today came just hours after Trump renewed his attacks on Republican Senator Bob Corker, who last weekend warned that Trump’s behavior could lead to “World War II” and said his concerns about Trump were shared by nearly every Senate Republican, even if few have spoken out. Today Trump said Corker “couldn’t get elected dog catcher in Tennessee.” Corker responded that Trump “is debasing our country.”
A week ago, Senator John McCain decried the “half-baked, spurious nationalism” that he sees overtaking American politics.
Friends, none of these Republican senators will be up for reelection. Instead, Bannon and Trump are intent on filling their seats with martinets who will do their bidding. Now that Flake is out of the race, the Republican nomination will likely go to Flake’s main primary challenger, Kelli Ward -- who had said she intended to paint Flake as “an obstructionist to the America First agenda that Donald Trump touted on the campaign trail, and that the American people want to see enacted.”
More Republicans must find the political courage to put country ahead of party. The danger Trump poses to our democracy crosses party lines and strikes at the heart of our deepest values. We all have a duty to speak out. Our future -- the world's future -- depends on it.


-17:17
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