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Trump cries 'Russian witch-hunt' after Manafort conviction and Cohen guilty plea – live Trump cries 'Russian witch-hunt' after Manafort conviction and Cohen guilty plea – live
(35 minutes later)
On a lighter note, Newsmax has this story about how Paul Manafort’s hometown tweaked a street name to make it clear the street had been named after Manafort’s father (Paul Manafort Snr) and not his beleaguered son.
Paul Manafort Snr served as mayor of New Britain, Conneticut from 1965-1971 and the town named a street after him – Paul Manafort Drive. As of last week, the street has been renamed Paul Manafort Snr Drive.
What do today’s events mean for Donald Trump?
Tom McCarthy writes that today’s guilty verdicts against Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chair, constitute a sign Robert Mueller has struck back against the president in a “silent yet forceful way”
For Trump, the implications of the Manafort conviction and Cohen plea are ominous. In convicting Manafort, Mueller has won new impetus to prosecute figures even closer to Trump, should the evidence warrant.
For Mueller’s team, the guilty verdict represents a substantial victory, a significant hurdle cleared. The case was Mueller’s first outing at trial, and a failure to convict might have called into question Mueller’s broader enterprise.
Tom’s full analysis is here:
The president has shared some photos on Twitter of the West Virginia rally, as well as a video of the speech, in case you fancied watching it in its entirety.The president has shared some photos on Twitter of the West Virginia rally, as well as a video of the speech, in case you fancied watching it in its entirety.
Thank you West Virginia. I love you! pic.twitter.com/K1OQ98wOh4Thank you West Virginia. I love you! pic.twitter.com/K1OQ98wOh4
MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/gZqP81bclEMAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/gZqP81bclE
Trump has wrapped up and left the stage at the rally. We’ll bring you a full report of the speech shortly, but here are a few initial reactions to Trump’s hour-long speech this evening.Trump has wrapped up and left the stage at the rally. We’ll bring you a full report of the speech shortly, but here are a few initial reactions to Trump’s hour-long speech this evening.
Trump made no mention of either Michael Cohen, his longtime lawyer who today pleaded guilty to eight charges including directly implicating Trump in paying “hush money” to women with whom he allegedly had affairs or Paul Manafort, the president’s former campaign chairman, was convicted on eight charges of bank and tax fraud.Trump made no mention of either Michael Cohen, his longtime lawyer who today pleaded guilty to eight charges including directly implicating Trump in paying “hush money” to women with whom he allegedly had affairs or Paul Manafort, the president’s former campaign chairman, was convicted on eight charges of bank and tax fraud.
The closest Trump came was when he turned on the media pack at the rally, calling them (or what they were trying to do, it was unclear) “Fake news and the Russian witch hunt”. “Where is the collusion? They’re still looking for collusion,” he said.The closest Trump came was when he turned on the media pack at the rally, calling them (or what they were trying to do, it was unclear) “Fake news and the Russian witch hunt”. “Where is the collusion? They’re still looking for collusion,” he said.
The rest of the speech was a rambling affair, taking on a variety of subjects from ESPN, Thanksgiving turkeys, Chinese tariffs, threats to impose hefty tariffs on cars exported to the European Union, his positive relationship with Kim Jong-un, the Paris Accord and social media censorship. The rest of the speech was a rambling affair, taking on a variety of subjects from ESPN, Thanksgiving turkeys, Chinese tariffs, threats to impose hefty tariffs on cars imported from the European Union, his positive relationship with Kim Jong-un, the Paris Accord and social media censorship.
Supporters at the rally were incredibly vocal, cheering Trump, booing when he mentioned an opponent or perceived enemy, and chanting “Lock her up!”, “USA! USA!” and “Built that wall!” It seems that among his base, support is undimmed despite today’s news.Supporters at the rally were incredibly vocal, cheering Trump, booing when he mentioned an opponent or perceived enemy, and chanting “Lock her up!”, “USA! USA!” and “Built that wall!” It seems that among his base, support is undimmed despite today’s news.
It’s quite hard to keep up with the twists and turns of this speech. But it is worth going back to a baffling line from earlier on, in which Trump was explaining that some policies take time to come into effect.It’s quite hard to keep up with the twists and turns of this speech. But it is worth going back to a baffling line from earlier on, in which Trump was explaining that some policies take time to come into effect.
“It takes time for things to gestate, like when you cook a chicken,” he said. Then the gestating chicken became a turkey, and now Trump is onto his mother making the best Thanksgiving turkey, which needed eight hours to cook. Baffling.“It takes time for things to gestate, like when you cook a chicken,” he said. Then the gestating chicken became a turkey, and now Trump is onto his mother making the best Thanksgiving turkey, which needed eight hours to cook. Baffling.
A couple notes on Trump’s discussion of the need to “gestate” a turkey for eight hours. (1) That’s not what it’s called. (2) It doesn’t take eight hours to roast a turkey. (3) Turkey is bad.A couple notes on Trump’s discussion of the need to “gestate” a turkey for eight hours. (1) That’s not what it’s called. (2) It doesn’t take eight hours to roast a turkey. (3) Turkey is bad.
Trump, mid-rally, goes off on a tangent on what a great turkey his mother made for Thanksgiving. Said it took eight hours to cook and was "the greatest turkey you'd ever have." Unclear why he is talking about his mother's turkey.Trump, mid-rally, goes off on a tangent on what a great turkey his mother made for Thanksgiving. Said it took eight hours to cook and was "the greatest turkey you'd ever have." Unclear why he is talking about his mother's turkey.
Trump is now saying a great danger is “social media censorship”. “That’s the new thing,” he says.Trump is now saying a great danger is “social media censorship”. “That’s the new thing,” he says.
“I would rather have fake news like CNN than have anyone stop being censored. We’ve got to live with fake news, there are too many sources. Everyone of us is like a newspaper, Twitter, Facebook, but you can’t have censorship, you can’t pick one person and say we don’t like what they’re saying.“I would rather have fake news like CNN than have anyone stop being censored. We’ve got to live with fake news, there are too many sources. Everyone of us is like a newspaper, Twitter, Facebook, but you can’t have censorship, you can’t pick one person and say we don’t like what they’re saying.
“We’ll live with fake news, I hate to say it, but that’s the better alternative… we believe in the right of Americans to speak their mind.”“We’ll live with fake news, I hate to say it, but that’s the better alternative… we believe in the right of Americans to speak their mind.”
This follows on from tweets from Trump accusing social media sites of “totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices”, which comes after social media platforms, including Facebook, restricted or banned Alex Jones, right-wing provocateur.This follows on from tweets from Trump accusing social media sites of “totally discriminating against Republican/Conservative voices”, which comes after social media platforms, including Facebook, restricted or banned Alex Jones, right-wing provocateur.
Trump is talking about the Paris Accord – “Is there a more beautiful name than the Paris Accord? The West Virginia Accord, maybe I would have signed it”.Trump is talking about the Paris Accord – “Is there a more beautiful name than the Paris Accord? The West Virginia Accord, maybe I would have signed it”.
Trump is saying he loves clean air and clean water, but that Trump thought the impact on the US was unfair. Plus, he adds: “We’ve got the cleanest country in the planet right now.”Trump is saying he loves clean air and clean water, but that Trump thought the impact on the US was unfair. Plus, he adds: “We’ve got the cleanest country in the planet right now.”
“Our allies treat us worse than our enemies,” Trump says.“Our allies treat us worse than our enemies,” Trump says.
Trump has turned his anger on Canada, for tariffs on US dairy products. He says Justin Trudeau is a “nice guy”, but “I don’t want to have too much fun with you Justin.Trump has turned his anger on Canada, for tariffs on US dairy products. He says Justin Trudeau is a “nice guy”, but “I don’t want to have too much fun with you Justin.
Trump on Canada: I don't want to have too much fun with you JustinTrump on Canada: I don't want to have too much fun with you Justin
“We’re like the big fat piggy bank that everyone wants to rob, and we’re not letting them rob us anymore, is that OK?”“We’re like the big fat piggy bank that everyone wants to rob, and we’re not letting them rob us anymore, is that OK?”
This speech, in classic Trump style, is taking in a number of topics. So far we’ve had Trump say he will put a 25% tariff on every car that comes into the United States from the European Union.This speech, in classic Trump style, is taking in a number of topics. So far we’ve had Trump say he will put a 25% tariff on every car that comes into the United States from the European Union.
Now we’re on the positive relationship Trump has with Kim Jong-un, with whom he says he has “good chemistry”.Now we’re on the positive relationship Trump has with Kim Jong-un, with whom he says he has “good chemistry”.
“Who knows what’s going to happen?” he says of the North Korean situation. “Who knows?”“Who knows what’s going to happen?” he says of the North Korean situation. “Who knows?”
Now he is mentioning his previous hostile stance to North Korea – you will remember Trump called Kim “little rocket man”, after the Elton John song. Trump is saying he does not want to insult Kim by repeating the insult, though he is doing anything but, telling the crowd: “You remember, you remember. Elton John.”Now he is mentioning his previous hostile stance to North Korea – you will remember Trump called Kim “little rocket man”, after the Elton John song. Trump is saying he does not want to insult Kim by repeating the insult, though he is doing anything but, telling the crowd: “You remember, you remember. Elton John.”
Michael Cohen’s lawyer Lanny Davis has tweeted that this is a “new beginning” for Cohen, who is committed to telling the truth. There seems to be an implied threat here to the president, as Davis writes that Cohen’s commitment to “independence” and truth-telling was seen “from his sworn statement in federal court today” about Trump’s instruction to pay money to two women to stop them from making disclosures that would be detrimental to Trump.Michael Cohen’s lawyer Lanny Davis has tweeted that this is a “new beginning” for Cohen, who is committed to telling the truth. There seems to be an implied threat here to the president, as Davis writes that Cohen’s commitment to “independence” and truth-telling was seen “from his sworn statement in federal court today” about Trump’s instruction to pay money to two women to stop them from making disclosures that would be detrimental to Trump.
This is a new beginning for Michael Cohen, his chance to tell the “rest of the story.” On July 2nd Michael announced his independence and his commitment to tell the truth. (1 of 2)This is a new beginning for Michael Cohen, his chance to tell the “rest of the story.” On July 2nd Michael announced his independence and his commitment to tell the truth. (1 of 2)
Now @MichaelCohen212 is committed to continue to do so going forward as can be seen from his sworn statement in federal court today about @realDonaldTrump instruction to @MichaelCohen212 to pay money to 2 women that Mr. Cohen admitted was a campaign finance law violation (2 of 3)Now @MichaelCohen212 is committed to continue to do so going forward as can be seen from his sworn statement in federal court today about @realDonaldTrump instruction to @MichaelCohen212 to pay money to 2 women that Mr. Cohen admitted was a campaign finance law violation (2 of 3)
Trump has turned his ire on the media again, pointing to them on the floor of the rally as the crowd boos.Trump has turned his ire on the media again, pointing to them on the floor of the rally as the crowd boos.
He is calling the journalists (or their mission, it’s unclear): “Fake news and the Russian witch hunt”.He is calling the journalists (or their mission, it’s unclear): “Fake news and the Russian witch hunt”.
“Where is the collusion? Where is the collusion?” he says. “They’re still looking for collusion.”“Where is the collusion? Where is the collusion?” he says. “They’re still looking for collusion.”
The responses of this crowd at the West Virginia rally suggest support for the president among his base is undimmed by the convictions today of Manafort or Cohen.
So far we have had rousing chants of “Build that wall”, “Lock her up”, and “USA, USA”, as well as repeated boos whenever Trump mentions anyone he doesn’t like, and screams whenever Trump mentions one of his perceived achievements.
The US department of justice has released a statement about the Michael Cohen conviction.
“Michael Cohen is a lawyer who, rather than setting an example of respect for the law, instead chose to break the law, repeatedly over many years and in a variety of ways. His day of reckoning serves as a reminder that we are a nation of laws, with one set of rules that applies equally to everyone,” said Robert Khyzami, attorney for the United States.
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “[A]s we all know, the truth can only remain hidden for so long before the FBI brings it to light. We are all expected to follow the rule of law, and the public expects us - the FBI - to enforce the law equally. Today, Mr. Cohen has been reminded of this important lesson, as he acknowledged with his guilty plea.”
Trump is back on one of this favourite subjects: the wall along the US-Mexico border.
“It’s coming along nicely,” he tells a crowd that responds by chanting “Build that wall”.
Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Ballhaus is pointing out the irony of a crowd of Trump supporters chanting “Lock her up” in relation to Hillary Clinton after the convictions of Michael Cohen and Paul Manfort today.
The crowd at tonight’s Trump rally in West Virginia is chanting, “Drain that swamp” and “Lock her up," on a day where the president’s former lawyer pleaded guilty to campaign-finance violations and his former campaign chairman was convicted on eight counts of fraud charges.
We haven’t had much of substance yet from Trump, who is speaking at the rally in West Virginia. He is currently boasting about his record of endorsements, citing candidates whose standing in the polls has improved dramatically after he has endorsed them.
“Then you watch the news, ‘will this endorsement mean anything?’ It’ll mean a lot.”
Hi, this is Kate Lyons taking over from Kevin Rawlinson, just as Donald Trump is taking the stage at a rally in West Virginia. We’ll have updates of what he says and whether he addresses today’s dramatic Manafort/Cohen news.
Paul Ryan’s statement was spartan. The statement from the leader of the Democrats in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is – perhaps unsurprisingly – more comprehensive:
Today’s guilty verdicts against President Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and the guilty plea of Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, are further evidence of the rampant corruption and criminality at the heart of Trump’s inner circle.
Cohen’s admission of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in hush money ‘at the direction of the candidate’ to influence the 2016 election shows the president’s claims of ignorance to be far from accurate, and places him in even greater legal jeopardy.
These convictions are further proof that the special counsel’s team and prosecutors in New York are conducting thorough and professional investigations, which must be permitted to continue free from interference.
Congressional Republicans’ determination to cover up for the president and his criminal cronies betrays their oath of office and undermines their duty to the American people. House Republicans must abandon their complicity with president Trump and affirm that no one is above the law.
The Trump administration and congressional Republicans’ unprecedented culture of corruption, cronyism and incompetence is characteristic of the dysfunctional political system in Washington.
Cohen will “pay a very, very serious price”, the prosecutor and deputy US attorney, Robert Khuzami, has said. Here’s a pretty comprehensive run-down of his comments to reporters outside the federal court in Manhattan:
[Cohen] failed to report income from his taxi medallion business, brokerage commissions, and over $200,000 from consulting fees. That’s over $4.3m over a five year period, which translates into a loss to the US Treasury of approximately $1.3m. In count six, Cohen pleaded guilty to making false statements to a financial institution in connection to an application for a home equity line of credit. He failed to disclose $14m in debt that he had and, as a result of that concealment, attained that $500,000 line of credit.
He pleaded guilty to two campaign finance charges: An unlawful corporate contribution; and making an excessive personal contribution, both for the purpose of influencing the 2016 election.
He worked to pay money to silence two women who had information that he knew would be detrimental to the 2016 campaign and to the candidate and the campaign. In addition, Mr Cohen sought reimbursement for that money by submitting invoices to the candidate’s company, which were untrue and false.
He indicated that the reimbursement was for services rendered for the year 2017 when, in fact, those invoices were a sham; he provided no legal services for the year 2017 and it was simply a means to obtain reimbursement of the unlawful campaign contributions.
These are very serious charges and reflect a pattern of lies and dishonesty over a significant a period of time. They are particularly significant when done by a lawyer; a lawyer who, through training and tradition, understands what it means to be a lawyer who upholds honest and fair dealing and adherence to the law.
Mr Cohen disregarded that training and tradition and decided he is above the law and for that he is going to pay a very, very serious price.
There has been a somewhat muted response from the US House speaker, Trump’s Republican colleague Paul Ryan:
Paul Ryan spokesperson: “We are aware of Mr. Cohen’s guilty plea to these serious charges. We will need more information than is currently available at this point.”
According to the Associated Press, Stormy Daniels’ lawyer, Michael Avenatti, says Michael Cohen’s guilty plea should open the door to questioning Donald Trump about “what he knew, when he knew it, and what he did about it”.
Cohen has admitted Trump directed him to make payments that violated campaign finance laws in an effort to keep quiet two women who alleged sexual affairs with the billionaire.
Both Daniels and Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, have made such allegations, though they were not explicitly named in court.
Daniels said she and Avenatti, felt vindicated and look forward to apologies “from the people who claimed we were wrong”.
Avenatti is flirting with running for president in 2020 as a Democrat. He said the likelihood of that happening will dwindle if Trump resigns or decides not to run for re-election.