trump (convicted felon, defamer, insurrectionist, contemnor, and rapist - $537M)

[AndyinPA]

Rachel said at the end of her program that the former guy or his attorneys have been informed that the investigations have now also become criminal. I can't find a link yet, though, or anything on CNN com.

[Dr. Ken]

Rachel said at the end of her program that the former guy or his attorneys have been informed that the investigations have now also become criminal. I can't find a link yet, though, or anything on CNN com.

I haven't been able to get any official confirmation but it's trending on Twitter.

[AndyinPA]

Thanks! I don't do Twitter.

[Lani]

It's on msnbc now.

[SuzieC]

Holy shit. Any idea what the criminal investigation might be about??

PS I mostly posted here to make this topic rise to the top as I want to read it tomorrow morning when I get up.

[northland10]

It's quicker to list what it won't be about. The list of possibilities is immense. With Trump, everything must be extravagant and beautiful. He will be able to proclaim his beautiful indictments. The biggest indictments evah.

[filly]

Holy shit. Any idea what the criminal investigation might be about??

PS I mostly posted here to make this topic rise to the top as I want to read it tomorrow morning when I get up.

Tax fraud, insurance fraud, banking fraud....

[SlimSloSlider]

Gonna be all over the media -

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ey-general

I predict underbussing of minions.

[Dave from down under]

Bring it on BABY!!!

Vance’s office has said in court filings it was investigating “possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct” at the former president’s Trump Organization, including tax and insurance fraud and falsification of business records.

James, who like Vance is a Democrat, is leading a separate criminal probe into whether Trump’s company falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.

[LM K]

[Lani]

There's a lot of possibilities for criminal activity, but I'm still hoping (since 2016) money laundering is on the list.

[Luke]

Seems like it's always been about the reps & warranties on the real estate, he just makes up numbers, low for taxes, high for investors. He's done it for decades and even talked about and admitted it in depositions. This is an easy case. The question is what the penalty will be. Would have expected civil, but criminal is especially delightful. And once they find that, many other doors of this corrupt, heartless organization will open. Everybody knows the Trump Org MO -- find folks to do the work, then at the end offer 50% or they can sue TrumpOrg. I have friends that have had it happen directly. It's sleazy, mean & fu*ks people who can't afford to do that over. They deserve everything they are going to get.

AXIOS:

New York AG announces criminal investigation into Trump Organization

The New York attorney general's office said Tuesday night it has informed the Trump Organization that its investigation into the company "is no longer purely civil in nature" and is now also a criminal one.

Why it matters: The attorney general's office is now working with the Manhattan district attorney's office, which has been investigating the Trump Organization for potential bank, tax and insurance fraud.

Driving the news: New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) announced in 2019 that her office was investigating Trump Organization finances.

Her office filed a lawsuit last August to compel the organization to comply with subpoenas for an investigation into whether former President Trump and his company improperly inflated the value of its assets on financial statements. Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for James, said in an emailed statement Tuesday: "We are now actively investigating the Trump Organization in a criminal capacity, along with the Manhattan DA." Levy declined to comment further.

What they're saying: Representatives for the Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment on the news, first reported by CNN. But Trump has previously denied any wrongdoing and accused James of "politically motivated harassment" and called Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance's investigation a political "witch hunt."

https://www.axios.com/new-york-ag-trump ... aign=onhrs

Delicious. Bring it on.

Meanwhile... The criminal and insurrectionist should be stripped from receiving this.

Report: Trump has been receiving presidential pension payments since January

Former President Trump has received $65,600 in pension payments since leaving office in January, Business Insider reported Monday, citing a General Services Administration spokesperson.

Why it matters: As part of a campaign promise, during his presidency Trump stuck to his vow not to accept a taxpayer-funded salary while in office, instead sometimes donating it to services such as the National Park Service.

[Gregg]

Holy shit. Any idea what the criminal investigation might be about??

PS I mostly posted here to make this topic rise to the top as I want to read it tomorrow morning when I get up.

Fraud and or money laundering involving the sale of real estate. My bet.

[Kendra]

[Lani]

Holy shit. Any idea what the criminal investigation might be about??

PS I mostly posted here to make this topic rise to the top as I want to read it tomorrow morning when I get up.

Fraud and or money laundering involving the sale of real estate. My bet.

Yep, that's my bet, too.

[Slim Cognito]

Alexa, put popcorn on my subscription list.

[Uninformed]

Popehat is not impressed

[Suranis]

I'm sorry, but Michelle Pfeiffer is still living rent free in my "not purely platonic" zone.

[neonzx]

Many press releases, but no action. Until I see something real, I'm not holding my breath. I'm with PopeHat.

[fierceredpanda]

Many press releases, but no action. Until I see something real, I'm not holding my breath. I'm with PopeHat.

I don't understand the point of announcing an investigation like that. All it does is tip off Team Trump and give a PR boost to Leticia James. Oh, wait...

[Slim Cognito]

Maybe as a heads-up to anyone still willing to put their neck on the block for trump? I'll keep my expectations in check, but anything that riles up the OSG puts a grin on my face.

That said, if, and I realize it's a BIG if, I still don't expect he'll see the inside of a jail cell. Worst case scenario I see for him is home detention guarded by his taxpayer-funded Secret Service.

[p0rtia]

I recognize that this doesn't answer the question "Why make the announcement to the public?", but on the tv yesterday, Frank Figliuzzi or someone like that said that they had to tell the former guy because because they had previously told him it was only a civil investigation (i.e., now that it is criminal, they are obliged to put him on alert that his status has changed).

[AndyinPA]

I heard on CNN this morning that an ex-president gets money for six months after leaving office. It has always been used by other exes to set up an office. Instead, the former guy has only used it to pay big salaries to about ten staffers. That money ends July 21. So what happens then? I doubt he will continue paying high salaries on his own dime. Does he dip into campaign funds? Probably.

[noblepa]

Report: Trump has been receiving presidential pension payments since January

Former President Trump has received $65,600 in pension payments since leaving office in January, Business Insider reported Monday, citing a General Services Administration spokesperson.

Why it matters: As part of a campaign promise, during his presidency Trump stuck to his vow not to accept a taxpayer-funded salary while in office, instead sometimes donating it to services such as the National Park Service.

Interesting article re: post-presidency benefits at https://www.thoughtco.com/presidential- ... tion%20Day.

He gets an annual pension of about $210k, plus, in a few months, he will get another $150k for office staff, plus an allowance for office space.

Any bets that he tries to bill the US for office space at Mar a Lago (at exorbitant rates)? He's probably already billing the Secret Service for using space there, for the agents tasked with guarding him.

The article also states that presidents who are removed from office through impeachment forfeit all benefits. I wonder if this is constitutional. Article I, section 3 says

"Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law"

It seems to me that forfeiture of a pension would run afoul of this provision. It would be a form of punishment beyond expulsion from office and a lifetime ban from further public office.

[Slim Cognito]

That's reminds me - presidential library. IIRC, the exes can lobby donations and we heard a long while back the OSG wanted two billion or more donated for his.

Anyone heard anything recently? I googled it and only saw articles from last January. Also too, he has a "presidential library" website. Is that what his expected $2b is funding?

I swallowed hard and clicked on the link but it's barely a placeholder. Under FAQ it just says his records will be held at the National Archives until they are transferred to his library but I didn't see anything about plans, not so much as a location. I was wondering if he was going to set aside a couple of adjoining suites at Maralago and pocket whatever donations come in. There's a blub about presidential libraries in general but regarding OSG's, it just says to contact the office of the OSG.

Here's the address. I note it's a .gov. I guess they all are? There's nothing at the website asking for $$.

https://www.trumplibrary.gov/home