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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhere the Bodies Are Buried
With all the discussion about who knows where all the bodies are buried, one person has been repeatedly left out of the equation: Donald J. Trump.
Because he insists on micro-managing anything that directly affects him, theres no doubt he knows everything about the coordination between his people and Russian operatives. The Russians have nothing to worry about on that score; theyre safe from extradition, which makes them safe from any consequences for their actions.
But what about the Americans in particular, the higher-ups in the Republican party who aided and abetted collusion, or advised that certain things were do-able because they could be covered-up?
I keep thinking about Hope Hicks reassuring Don Jr. not to worry about the emails he exchanged about getting dirt on Hilary. Those emails will never come out, she assured him. And then they did.
Ive no doubt that there are powers-that-be in the GOP who knew about the collusion and participated in it. And Trump knows exactly who they are and what their participation was.
Once Mueller puts the noose around Donalds neck, he is going to do the two things he is famous for: blame others and exact revenge. Hes going to start running his mouth about exactly who knew what was going on, and who did what in order to keep the Trump/Russia train moving full-steam ahead.
Im sure there are a number of high-profile Republicans who are sweating right now. While Trump is worried about people like Manafort and Cohen flipping, theyre a lot more worried about Trump spilling his guts about the GOPs involvement before, during and after the fact of his illegitimate election.
Trump is going down. And the fact is that when he does, hell make sure he takes the Republican party with him. No one is safe, no one will be spared. If he has even a modicum of dirt on anyone in the party that betrayed him by failing to protect him from Mueller et al, he will release the Kraken not to save himself, but out of sheer spite.
As the Republicans are fond of saying when Trump lies, exaggerates, bullshits, demonstrates his ignorance, et cetera, Well, ya know, thats who he is. Hes just that kinda guy.
Yeah, exactly. And hes just that kinda guy who will never, ever go down without taking as many people as he can down with him.
dchill
(38,527 posts)Zoonart
(11,878 posts)dalton99a
(81,570 posts)oasis
(49,401 posts)"Their" inability to Make America Great Again. Hitler, bunkered down in his final days, blamed the German people for failing to live up to his dream of A Thousand Year Reich.
It's incredible that he can't see how his dream ends.
thbobby
(1,474 posts)in exchange for incriminating info on the gop? A lot to speculate on. Can and will trump be indicted and if not, what can Mueller use to coerce him? I have no doubt that you are right about much of the gop being involved in the conspiracy to steal elections with Russian help. If the gop is involved in the criminal conspiracy, can they appoint enough corrupt judges to evade justice? I think that most of us on DU are frightened as Hell they can. America is on the edge.
NBachers
(17,136 posts)his usual suspects. He's too dissembled to comprehend how to do what you're expecting of him.
Cohen- He could do this. Trump- I think he'll be too freaked and disintegrated to pull it off.
rusty quoin
(6,133 posts)But I do not know the mechanism of how that would work to bring him down. We control no branches of government.
I know that Trump is worried, but what do we have? We have the majority of Americans, but that has not made enough of a difference in the long run.
I would like a plan... a good plan.
world wide wally
(21,754 posts)And if he doesn't have anything on McConnell, he'll make something up.
NanceGreggs
(27,817 posts)Swear to god, I thought the same thing while writing the OP - If he doesn't have anything on McConnell, he'll make something up.
GMTA!!!
Dark n Stormy Knight
(9,771 posts)Every single complicit R bastard needs to pay a huge price.
rmac3075
(31 posts)That might happen, but if you think about the fifties you had McCarthy the loose cannon causing all the trouble. Actually the Republicans were in it up to their necks when the country turned against them they slid out the back door and blamed it all on Joe. You may live to see McConnell and Gowdy praised for saving the country.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Petrushka
(3,709 posts)When you say:
"The Russians have nothing to worry about on that score; theyre safe from extradition, which makes them safe from any consequences for their actions.
"But what about the Americans in particular, the higher-ups in the Republican party who aided and abetted collusion, or advised that certain things were do-able because they could be covered-up?"
---and---
"Ive no doubt that there are powers-that-be in the GOP who knew about the collusion and participated in it. And Trump knows exactly who they are and what their participation was."
---I can't help but wonder: What does NanceGreggs know that Rosenstein doesn't?
What am I missing?
P.S.
Here's a link wherein you'll find the full indictment document available:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/read-muellers-full-indictment-against-12-russian-officers-for-election-interference
___________________________________________
Edited to add:
Nevermind! I just came across another DU post that explains more about what's going on:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210871479
All best!
MFM008
(19,818 posts)Every tiny detail
He ordered it.
Gothmog
(145,530 posts)Orsino
(37,428 posts)...precisely because he doesn't understand what the fuck he's supposed to be doing. He wants the illusion of control, and remaining handlers and hangers-on know how to present their decisions to him in such a way as to get his signature.
He's erratic and changes his mind a lot, but those close to him are able to steer him in most things. Trouble is, there are those who really know where the bodies are buried, where the tapes are, and how to retrieve documents that would end his career. Putin can veto anything that a John Kelly might push as a more-or-less reasonable course of action.
We have a confused, insecure man-baby nominally in charge who fires staff that fail to please him and who is being run by Russian or other mob blackmailers. He doesn't understand his own policies because he has no hand in crafting them. None. It's just that every so often he feels a need to look like a manager, and will give an order at random just to watch people jump.
NanceGreggs
(27,817 posts)... "he insists on micro-managing anything that directly affects him."
For example, there's no way Don Jr. was meeting with Russian operatives and Trump didn't know about it. He was probably apprised of every word that was exchanged and who said what, because it was ALL ABOUT HIM.
He wants to "look like a manager" when it comes to foreign policy, tax reform, immigration, etc. - but they are things he knows nothing about and, in the long run, really doesn't care about.
But when it comes to himself - how he is portrayed in the media, whether his "ratings" are up or down, whether his fanatical base is singing his praises - I'm sure he knows every detail.
Orsino
(37,428 posts)He likes grudges, taking them as license to be as nasty as he wants.
Last we heard, he has staffers sifting the news for nuggets that can be spun positively in his briefings. These will be half-truths at best, which is probably why his brags so often get the numbers and basic facts wrong.
I don't think he actually micromanages anything. He is utterly dependent on handlers, and that's why he won't let any join him when Putin rubs his face in the pee tape and other kompromat.