February 13, 2019: Another Secret Meeting with Trump Advisers and Russians Is Revealed

 

2/13/19: Yet another secret meeting with Trump campaign people and Russians is revealed. 

On August 2, 2016, we learn (more than two-and-a-half years after it happened) that Paul Manafort, then Trump’s campaign manager, and his right-hand man Rick Gates, met for dinner with a third party at a Manhattan cigar bar, the Grand Havana Room. That third party, Konstantin Kilimnik, was a man with connections to Russian intelligence. He, too, is now under indictment in the Russia probe. 

 

“The people of Crimea…would rather be with Russia.” 

Among other topics Manafort, Gates and Kilimnik discussed a possible peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Ukraine. It was, in fact, the invasion of Ukrainian territory and the seizure of Crimea by Putin’s forces that led to the Obama administration slapping Russia with sanctions. 

At this same meeting, it is alleged, Manafort turned over valuable polling data to Kilimnik. This data would (in theory) help Russian hackers target U.S. social media sites successfully. It is also alleged that Manafort expected to be paid $2.4 million for the trove. After the three men finished dinner, chatted, and smoked cigars, they decided it would be wise to leave by three separate doors, just like any set of friends out for dinner and conspiring to steal an election.

 

Something else interesting had happened the day before: that is August 1, 2016. 

Candidate Trump had informed George Stephanopoulos, host of This Week on ABC that, “The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were.” 

Then he blamed the problem in the Ukraine on the Obama administration, not on the invaders, themselves.

 

So, while this blogger would argue that we still have not seen evidence that would merit impeachment of President Trump, the case is taking shape. If a gang of eight is suspected of robbing a bank, and five gang members (Flynn, Gates, Manafort, Papadopoulos and Cohen), lie about where they were on the night of the heist, you begin to believe the gang robbed the bank. If two alleged accomplices (Don Jr. and Stone) are caught with safe-cracking tools in their cars, you realize there is evidence the gang robbed the bank. Does that prove the head of the gang, President Trump, gave the orders, or that he was directly involved? 

Not yet. 

At this point you begin to suspect police are going to find marked $100 bills, covered in red dye, under Trump’s bed.

Trump and Putin.