'Sit Your Ass Down': Meeting Between Sidney Powell and Trump Lawyers Reportedly Erupted into Wild Fi

[JoeOtterbein]

Mediaite

By Ken Meyer Feb 2nd, 2021, 8:25 am

Stunning new details have emerged from President Donald Trump’s final days in office, in particular a meeting with competing factions of allies that plunged into a chaotic mix of conspiracy theories and screaming in the White House.

Reports in December described the meeting where Trump hosted “Kraken” attorney Sidney Powell and pardoned former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn at the Oval Office. The meeting was then described as a chaotic affair devoted to Trump’s obsession with overturning his 2020 election defeat after numerous attempts had already fallen apart.

But Axios has reported excruciating new details on the conversation and how it devolved into a confrontation between the White House’s advisers and the conspiracy theories pitched by Powell, Flynn, and their surrogates.

The meeting began with Powell’s claim that Dominion Voting Systems rigged the election as part of a massive international conspiracy, the same claim for which Dominion is suing her in a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit. The conversation reportedly went on with Powell and Flynn proposing that Trump should mobilize the government, have Dominion’s machines seized, and declare a national emergency.

snip

more silliness at link

[Johnny2X2X]

1. This is insane and a must read

https://www.axios.com/trump-oval-office-meeting-sidney-powell-a8e1e466-2e42-42d0-9cf1-26eb267f8723.html

We were so close to losing our Democracy.

[PatSeg]

2. Its much easier to read the original

in its entirety at Axios, without all the flashing ads. I was just coming here to post the link, but you beat me to it.

Fascinating article.

[Rorey]

4. I hope somebody's already working on the movie

Yes, absolutely insane, and also a fun read. And terrifying.

I always wonder how people like Flynn and Powell reach the level that they're at professionally.

[Johnny2X2X]

8. Propaganda

Propaganda is a very powerful tool. You look at some of the stories about the Capitol rioters that are coming out. Some were totally normal people 4 years ago, might not have even voted for Trump, just regular people leading normal lives until highly organized propaganda did a number on them. When the stuff you're following online gets more and more out there, but very gradually it can be extremely powerful, when it's then backed up by the most powerful man in the world, it's just dangerous.

The same happened to people like Flynn and Powell.

[Rorey]

10. As a survivor of narcissistic abuse

I can totally understand how someone can get so drawn into something that, in retrospect, is implausible.

[PatSeg]

11. Oh yes, this is both riveting and bizarre

Patrick Byrne was at the meeting as well and his story is absolutely bonkers. Apparently he has now been suspended from Twitter as well.

His former girlfriend was Russian agent Maria Butina.

From August 2019:

Former Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne claimed in a blog post on Tuesday that in 2016 his then-girlfriend, admitted Russian agent Maria Butina, offered to arrange a meeting between her beau and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Around the end of March, 2016, Maria called me excitedly: there was an upcoming conference in St. Petersburg, Russia... She had made arrangements for me to have a key speaking slot, on the subject of Bitcoin and Liberalism,” Byrne wrote. “I would speak, and then since President Putin was in St. Petersburg the same day (he may have been speaking at the same conference), it had been scheduled that I would have 60 minutes alone with President Putin (with Maria as translator).” Byrne goes on to write that, while he was excited to speak with Putin and “engage in some Miltonesque mind-openers,” he was unable to do so because he instead broke up with Butina at the urging of “Men in Black.” The former CEO has repeatedly claimed that he was an integral part of a “deep state” government plot surrounding the Russia investigation, and recently went on the Fox Business Network to further muddle his story.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/patrick-byrne-former-overstock-ceo-claims-butina-offered-to-arrange-one-on-one-meeting-for-him-with-putin

The nuts keep getting nuttier. Almost too unbelievable for a movie.

[Ilsa]

14. The movie would need lots of details of idiocy and

hysterical fascism of trump, flynn, etc. If it doesn't present them clearly as near-insane undemocratic authoritarians, and how stupid and ignorant his followers are, it'll just rile his base up.

[dalton99a]

33. +1

[MrScorpio]

3. Pitting people who all work for him against each other is routine for Trump

I believe he’s gaslighting his subordinates into finding ways to be more subservient to him by questioning the loyalty of associates and attacking them. It’s rooted in his own deeply held feelings of insecurity. He’s a broken, self-hating and toxic person who brings out the worst of those he surrounds himself with.

To Trump, people are toys to be discarded.

He’s a monster.

[PatSeg]

13. From the description of the so-called meeting,

Trump actually sounded rather subdued and normal in comparison to all those screaming nutjobs. They almost out-Trumped Trump.

[underpants]

17. Trump loves people to fight it out in front of him

That was a normal part of business in his private operation from what I’ve read. As the article states too, hearing all this support and loyalty was music to his ears.

[PatSeg]

18. Yes, I've read that too

I just got the feeling that this time, it might have been even too much for him, as he didn't seem to be in control and none of these fools were making any sense. Time was running out for him to salvage his presidency and his minions were more obsessed with attacking one another than helping him. The visual of the meeting would be hilarious if it was fiction. Makes Dr. Strangelove look like a documentary.

I find it interesting that there was more than one source for the description of what took place and I was trying to picture which ones they were. How did we survive that insane administration?

[underpants]

19. I think Swain was allowed into the White House

and he basically shadowed Trump. I haven’t seen that he states that this is compiled and the sources don’t want their identities known.

[PatSeg]

20. I read that there was more than one source

Oh, I found it. It was at the end of the Axios article:

About this series: Our reporting is based on multiple interviews with current and former White House, campaign, government and congressional officials as well as direct eyewitnesses and people close to the president. Sources have been granted anonymity to share sensitive observations or details they would not be formally authorized to disclose. President Trump and other officials to whom quotes and actions have been attributed by others were provided the opportunity to confirm, deny or respond to reporting elements prior to publication.

"Off the rails" is reported by White House reporter Jonathan Swan, with writing, reporting and research assistance by Zach Basu. It was edited by Margaret Talev and Mike Allen and copy edited by Eileen O'Reilly. Illustrations by Sarah Grillo, Aïda Amer and Eniola Odetunde.

https://www.axios.com/trump-oval-office-meeting-sidney-powell-a8e1e466-2e42-42d0-9cf1-26eb267f8723.html?utm_campaign=organic&utm_medium=socialshare&utm_source=twitter&fbclid=IwAR0lbRj0d8D6--9FTVRDCGFBPUNAfs1irV2JoAkW-GmI6UZbVSdZSzQOtmo

Of course, that is referring to the entire series, "Off the Rails", so not sure about that particular article.

[underpants]

21. I was wrong. It's been a great series.

As bad as Trump did in the sit down interview with Swain I’m surprised he wasn’t cut off.

[PatSeg]

22. Yeah, I know

Trump seemed to be oblivious to how bad the interview went. He sees the world through a different lens than ordinary people and probably thought it was "a perfect interview". The more foolish he acts, the more he doubles down. Its almost like he intentionally sets himself up. Look at how he brought Bob Woodward back for interviews after a not terribly flattering book.

I can remember a time when I wasn't terribly impressed with Swan, but damn, he's just blown me away time after time. This series is remarkable.

[secondwind]

5. WOW 😳 😳

[58Sunliner]

6. K & R. Bottom feeders trying to bring down democracy.

[KG]

7. they really, really believed they could circumvent the election.

[Johnny2X2X]

12. And they thought they had the right to

No consideration for the people who voted for Biden.

That's what's totally absent coming from them, consideration for the majority. The media plays a role here, where are the countless articles about Biden voters?

[superpatriotman]

9. Powell, Flynn and Byrne belong in jail

The WH lawyers saved the day.

[Yavin4]

15. That Axios article reads like a sequel to the movie, "The Death of Stalin".

We can call this new movie, "The Defeat of an Idiot".

[obamanut2012]

27. Yes! Yes! It does

Terrific movie, too.

[Yavin4]

28. Would love to see the same actors re-create this scene

It would be hysterical.

[obamanut2012]

32. Michael Palin as Rudy

[Yavin4]

34. Jason Isaacs as Flynn.

[obamanut2012]

35. OMG -- and, play him like Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter

[underpants]

16. Read the whole Axios piece. WOW. Overstock guy kept mentioning a bribe to Hillary

That was never fully explained but this was just a recap of the meeting. He, Byrne, also helped himself to son free food.

Great report by Johnathan Swain in all this. He had incredible access after the election.

Another part

At its essence, the Powell crew's argument to the president was this: We have the real information. These people — your White House staff — don't believe in the truth. They're liars and quitters. They're not willing to fight for you because they don't want to get their hands dirty. Put us in charge. Let us take control of everything. We'll prove to you that what we're saying is right. We won't quit, we'll fight. We're willing to fight for the presidency.

On some level, this argument was music to Trump's ears. He was desperate. Powell and her team were the only people willing to tell him what he wanted to hear — that a path to stay in power in the White House remained.

[Mike 03]

25. ...

By now, people were yelling and cursing.

Finally Herschmann had enough. "Why the fuck do you keep standing up and screaming at me?" he shot back at Flynn.

[Yavin4]

29. ...

Then Byrne chimed in: "There are guys with big guns and badges who can get these things." Herschmann couldn't believe it. "What are you, three years old?" he asked.

Comedy gold there.

[DeminPennswoods]

36. More on Patrick Byrne

from the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/12/14/a-tycoons-deep-state-conspiracy-dive

[Mike 03]

23. The Axios article is pure gold:

Powell waved an affidavit from the pile of papers in her lap, claiming it contained testimony from someone involved in the development of rigged voting machines in Venezuela.

She proposed declaring a national security emergency, granting her and her cabal top-secret security clearances and using the U.S. government to seize Dominion’s voting machines.

"Hold on a minute, Sidney," Herschmann interrupted from the back of the Oval. "You're part of the Rudy team, right? Is your theory that the Democrats got together and changed the rules, or is it that there was foreign interference in our election?"

Giuliani's legal efforts, while replete with debunked claims about voter fraud, had largely focused on allegations of misconduct by corrupt Democrats and election officials.

"It's foreign interference," Powell insisted, then added: "Rudy hasn't understood what this case is about until just now."

[Happy Hoosier]

24. This will make a riveting movie. NT

[Mike 03]

26. ...

It was now four against four.

Flynn went berserk.

[Hekate]

30. This is as funny as a Marx Brothers' act w Keystone Cops accompaniment....

All it needs is input from the JSL* Lab.



*Jewish Space Lasers — keep up, people

[nolabear]

31. Damn, that Axios article!

That's some absolute crazy right there. And the entire presidency in a nutshell (emphasis on the "nut&quot . I'd pay to see the Broadway version. It's Glengarry Glen Trump.