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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFBI investigating NRA to determine if Russians laundered money through NRA to Trump campaign
Why are people not talking more about this? This is very much part of the Trump/Russia investigation. Thank you, Senator Wyden, for continuing to insist on following the money.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/15/nra-russia-and-trump-money-laundering-poisoning-us-democracy-commentary.html
NRA, Russia and Trump: How 'dark money' is poisoning American democracy
The FBI is investigating the National Rifle Association to determine whether Russians illegally funneled money through the organization to help the Trump campaign.
Beyond Russian meddling, this allegation illustrates a problem of even broader scope in our political system.
As American communities continue to be victimized by gun violence including the mass shooting yesterday, in Parkland, Florida the National Rifle Association continues to wield immense influence over American legislators, primarily through enormous campaign contributions.
But when it comes to funding, the NRA may have finally gone too far: the FBI recently launched an investigation to determine whether a Russian central banker, and Putin ally, illegally funneled money through the organization to help the Trump campaign.
These allegations have prompted a complaint to the Federal Election Commission and an effort by Sen. Ron Wyden to obtain documents from the Treasury Department and the NRA. As shocking as other Russia-related revelations have been attempts to hack voting machines, vast Internet propaganda, leaking of stolen campaign information this allegation illustrates a problem of even broader scope.
Although much of the reporting on Russia has focused on whether there was "collusion" with the Trump campaign a genuine concern the investigation is also revealing another disquieting reality: that American democracy has a money laundering problem.
Both in their personal finances and in their campaign support, politicians are relying on money hidden to the public, money which threatens to make them answerable to interests beyond those of the citizens they represent. The only way to combat this problem is to start shining a light on the dark corners of our politics.
In the most conventional sense, money laundering describes the process by which illicit funds are made to appear legitimate in origin, so they do not attract the suspicion of law enforcement.
Lots more at link.
Seriously, guys, why are there not more people talking about this in light of all the attention on the NRA after Parkland? I remember something on Rachel about it (I think?) and hearing some things about it here a few weeks or so ago, but this seems to be completely missing from the narrative on gun violence and the NRA.
Gabi Hayes
(28,795 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)Parkland, and the town hall, but I have seen nothing recently? Have you?
certainot
(9,090 posts)are not howling about it, as they would if the russians were pumping money through planned parenthood. or some russian was seen leaving a planned parenthood facility.
remember in 2000 when 1500 radio stations suggested with nothing to go on that all gore and the dems were in cahoots with the chinese selling them missile technology or something and they tar and feather an asian american scientist at los alamos or spying for china while tying gore to some budhist group etc and suggest bill richardson is tainted - all to stop richardson as gore VP choice because that would have pulled all the hispanic vote from george bush? it was all made possible with talk radio, and because the idiot dems ignore it it is still working its magic.
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)I feel sick with the corruption in this country (political and financial go hand in hand). We don't deserve to be a so called "world leader" at this point.
sweetroxie
(776 posts)nt
Dustlawyer
(10,493 posts)We no longer have Representative Democracy, they represent Donors!
The FBI should look at the US Chamber of Commerce. I would expect to find they received a lot of Russian money as well!
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)I bet they have a "wealth" of documentation for Mueller and the Fake News press (CNN, etc) would find it very interesting if it were made public.
Moostache
(9,895 posts)We are a laughing stock, the butt of endless diplomatic drinking games and jokes ("Ok...everyone has to do a shot whenever Trump says 'no collusion' or 'believe me'....HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!" .
There is no American soft power because we have no functioning State Department at all...
There is no respect for the President because our current occupant of the office is unworthy of even a cordial greeting, let alone respect.
There is only the gaping hole in global leadership being filled by the Germans, the Chinese and the Russians as they have decided the 21st century power center will be in Beijing and they want seats at the table to decide their fates and to divide the world's remaining resources among themselves...
HootieMcBoob
(3,823 posts)and can not understand why The Democratic Party won't take it seriously.
certainot
(9,090 posts)olegramps
(8,200 posts)The takeover of the radio stations by the right-wing fascists was compliments of Regan when corporations were allowed to own multiple outlets. At this time the FCC is going to go even further handing Sinclair rights to a monopoly. Daily over 25,000 hours of extreme right-wing propaganda is broadcast in comparison to 2500 hours of progressive programing. This does no include FOX News.
calimary
(80,700 posts)IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,072 posts)... They have been working together for a few years now. Inviting operatives to the Young Republicans summer retreat, bringing them to the largest vo-tech school in the region to speak on... whatever.
[link:http://dakotafreepress.com/2017/03/27/maria-butina-connects-russians-nra-trump-sibby-and-mathew-wollman/|
And Paul Erickson seems to show up right in the middle of the nastiest and underhanded tactics, an originator if you will, going back to 1980 and illegally swiping mailing/address/phone number lists:
[link:http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/trump-putin-and-erickson-russia-probe-just-another-chapter-in/article_e9ed9038-3411-5112-86fa-f64bb0fa6549.html#tracking-source=home-top-story|
olegramps
(8,200 posts)This includes, most importantly local and state government, as well as federal government. It is imperative that we destroy the Republican Party which has metamorphosed into a cancer that is destroying the nation. They are espousing outright fascist propaganda in direct imitation of the Nazi who took over German and Italy. Trump is a filthy lying demagogue whose is scapegoating minorities just as Hitler used the anti-Semitism to come to power. Read the history. It is an identical situation.
UpInArms
(51,253 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)It answers everything. Nothing can be done without the m-o-n-e-y.
global1
(25,170 posts)out of politics. End Citizens United.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,790 posts)mountain grammy
(26,573 posts)IronLionZion
(45,269 posts)GOP had been stalling on filling open positions on federal courts during Obama's second term and Trump has been stacking the courts with young dumb RW extremists, to lifetime appointments.
It's an uphill battle for us.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)It goes beyond Citizens United.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)bitterross
(4,066 posts)If we could see LaPierre and 45 go down at the same time that would be so great. The NRA out of business would be a wonderful thing.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)dweller
(23,562 posts)I could only stomach about 47 secs of her diatribe, she reminds me of the batshit crazy Michelle Malkin
make her go away!
They_Live
(3,222 posts)evil eyes and won't stop talking to let the other person get word in.
GoCubsGo
(32,061 posts)Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)Got to wonder if Roberts, et al., had this kind of thing in mind when they decided that "money is free speech." I can still picture that fuck, Alito, mouthing, "That's not true" when President Obama warned us of the perils of their "Citizens United" decision. I just want to punch him in his rotten face.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)foreign govts to influence our elections?
GoCubsGo
(32,061 posts)Volaris
(10,260 posts)GoCubsGo
(32,061 posts)ffr
(22,649 posts)napi21
(45,806 posts)another new conman story hits the news. Sometimes it's his tweets, sometimes new info out of the Mueller Camp, sometimes a new accusation from some hooker. What I mean is there's never time to expound on the story of yesterday because another new one has already taken it's place.
I think that's all part of the conman's methods...through so many balls in the air at once so no single story has a chance to stick.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)to distract from it, but that was so minuscule compared to now. STill, I 'd think that with so much attention on the NRA right now, it would come up more than it has.
Silver1
(721 posts)This is dangerous. People become immune to what's going on and eventually nothing shocks anyone. It's like some kind of numbing vaccination. What to do?
spanone
(135,637 posts)take these fuckers down
I can't wait
magicarpet
(13,945 posts)...... Where the strength of your voice
is dictated by the thickness of your wallet.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,576 posts)Second Amendment Traitors to America.
Kablooie
(18,572 posts)---
Sounds like they need a good laundering by the FBI themselves.
Sheesh!
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)"But when it comes to funding, the NRA may have finally gone too far: the FBI recently launched an investigation to determine whether a Russian central banker, and Putin ally, illegally funneled money through the organization to help the Trump campaign."
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)UCmeNdc
(9,589 posts)samir.g
(835 posts)That entire organization should be imprisoned.
Zoonart
(11,750 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)It dovetails with the recent Russian indictments, Manafort indictments, and other news.
But there is no result of any investigation. There is just an investigation. The FBI investigates a lot of things. We'll see what happens.
lindysalsagal
(20,445 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)nolabear
(41,915 posts)lindysalsagal
(20,445 posts)Wouldn't THAT be poetic.
mountain grammy
(26,573 posts)the NRA lobbyist in Florida for decades. Our legislators aren't writing gun laws, the NRA is. It's obscene how much power these unelected lobbyists have over American lives.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/the-nra-lobbyist-behind-floridas-pro-gun-policies
IluvPitties
(3,181 posts)lastlib
(22,982 posts)Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)vkkv
(3,384 posts)vkkv
(3,384 posts)Dopers_Greed
(2,640 posts)This could end up being even bigger.
Hopefully this investigation will bring about the end of dark money in politics.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)Az_lefty
(3,670 posts)Major Nikon
(36,814 posts)It's probably going to involve other tax exempt entities like churches. It's cheaper to buy politicians in Russia, but not by much and you just have to be more creative with third parties. Ironically Trump was elected on the promise of draining the swamp and there seems to be a pretty good chance of doing just that, but not nearly as he intended.
C Moon
(12,188 posts)dalton99a
(81,091 posts)TomVilmer
(1,832 posts)It is kind of lucky this cleanup is happening with Trump as president, and not with a a Democrat in charge. Then this would have looked like a full attack on the losing political side with misuse of presidential powers etc. Happily Trump has not been able to make any of his Benghazi-like fantasies work IRL!
hexola
(4,835 posts)This IS the Memo story now - its all coming together...
I see these investigations colliding soon.
hexola
(4,835 posts)And this story is REALLY why they are distancing themselves.
malthaussen
(17,066 posts)Russians give money to NRA, NRA uses it to buy politicians who will do Russia's will. Elegant.
-- Mal
poboy2
(2,078 posts)DallasNE
(7,392 posts)Many of those are lifetime members. That means their dues are only a small part of the money they spend so the bulk of their money is unregulated dark money. We have presumed that this meant gun manufacturers. That presumption needs some work, including legislative work so the existing laws are enforced as written.
FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)geardaddy
(24,924 posts)"grandma wearing wearing a grandpa suit"
TwistOneUp
(1,020 posts)marybourg
(12,540 posts)this morning.
Amaryllis
(9,523 posts)marybourg
(12,540 posts)That's my daily window into cable news, when I visit my DH in his assisted living each day. For some reason that seems to be the time when the most important story of the day is discussed. Was it Andrea Mitchell? I recall seeing her face, but I turn the sound off when I arrive, and just look at the closed captioning every few minutes, to get the gist of the story and still be able to talk to my DH.