Donald Trump Accused of Committing 'Massive Crime' With Reported Phone Call (Israel)

[iemanja]

Donald Trump has been accused of violating federal law by allegedly calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ceasefire deal the U.S. is helping negotiate between Israel and Hamas.

The former president allegedly made the call on August 14, according to Axios, which cited two unnamed "U.S. sources who were briefed on the call."

Netanyahu denied the call took place.

Multiple people have criticized Trump on social media following reports of the phone call. Political commentator and Democratic National Committee member David Atkins said the allegation would be a "massive crime" if true . . . The Lincoln Project, a conservative group dedicated to "stop Trump, break MAGA and save America," wrote: "There's absolutely no line he won't cross."

Netanyahu met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in late July, when the Israeli Prime Minister was in the U.S. to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/donald-trump-accused-of-committing-massive-crime-with-reported-phone-call/ar-AA1pb03m?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=a0cf44b4a3d94a50ac6acdcc874b49c2&ei=37

We all know Trump is capable of breaking the Logan Act is such a brazen fashion and compromising the lives of Israeli hostages in the process, but is Netanyahu?

[republianmushroom]

1. So what, that old myth is/was just that, a myth.

43 months and counting (includes foot dragging)

[iemanja]

4. I don't follow your point

Can you explain? Are you calling the allegations against Trump a myth?

[republianmushroom]

9. the allegation, no, the prosecution of the convicted felon for this, yes, a myth.

43 months and counting (includes foot dragging)

[iemanja]

11. Oh, right

Our friend, Garland. Gotcha.
This is a new allegation of course, but there are other, older ones.

[C_U_L8R]

2. Did the NSA record the call?

isn't that what they're supposed to be doing? Protecting us across borders from bad actors undermining our national security?

[stumpysbear]

5. If Netanyahu took the call they most certainly did.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Did tRump say it "was a PERFECT phone call"?

That is what I would expect him to say.

[Jose Garcia]

92. The Polk Administration

[lees1975]

6. Who would arrest and prosecute him?

Not the justice department, for sure.

[iemanja]

13. Not THIS justice department

but with another AG, it's possible.

[tritsofme]

14. Pretty silly. The Logan Act is widely believed to be unconstitutional and not a single person has ever been

successfully prosecuted under it.

Taking shots at the Biden/Harris Justice Department for not prosecuting under it is incredibly ridiculous.

[iemanja]

16. I'm taking a shot at Garland

with good cause. I don't see Harris's reappointing him.

[tritsofme]

18. A shot at him for not prosecuting under a law widely believed to be unconstitutional?

Under which no person in over 200 years has ever ever been prosecuted, and only two ever tried (unsuccessfully), in the 1800s?

Yes, that is incredibly ridiculous and silly.

[iemanja]

19. A shot at him for how he handled Trump in general

and we are now living with the consequences of his inaction and kicking the can down the road.

[tritsofme]

38. So to atone for these supposed transgressions you want him to prosecute under an unconstitutional law? That makes sense.

[iemanja]

43. I'm not a legal expert

Last edited Wed Aug 21, 2024, 09:46 PM - Edit history (1)

and nor are you. Show me where SCOTUS has ruled it unconstitutional. Abortion is now unconstitutional too, as is trying to live out one's life without being shot. Is that your arbiter of what is good and just?

[edisdead]

57. You need to back off on saying this person holds SCOTUS belovedly

That's fucked up.

[iemanja]

60. Okay, I deleted beloved

point taken.

[marybourg]

67. No, abortion is not unconstitutional. It's just that

it’s no longer protected by the Constitution, so that states are free to pass their own laws against it. And some have.

[iemanja]

82. Yes, I do understand that.

[LeftInTX]

96. About the Logan Act

Only two indictments have ever been handed up under the Logan Act, both in the 19th century. Both cases were dismissed and never went to trial.

There has been little judicial discussion of the constitutionality of the Logan Act. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Waldron v. British Petroleum Co., 231 F. Supp. 72 (S.D.N.Y. 1964), mentioned in passing that the Act was likely unconstitutional due to the vagueness of the terms "defeat" and "measures," but did not rule on the question.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act

Both Nixon and Reagan got away with it.

[NJCher]

29. those two people

were undoubtedly a lot smarter than trump. Anybody would be. Maybe it's worth a shot.

Are you a lawyer? Are you qualified to evaluate this?

[tritsofme]

39. What I posted are simply facts. You can do whatever research you please.

[NJCher]

42. so you're not a lawyer

And you're speculating based on the fact that two people were not indicted back in the 1800s. Do I have that correct?

Oh and thank you so much for giving me permission to research what I please.

As for me, I'm holding out for a comment from Lawrence Tribe. Did I mention you're no Lawrence Tribe?

[tritsofme]

44. Have whatever fun fantasies you want, doesn't bother me.

[StClone]

70. Treason?

Like Nixon. Though it is unlikely Reagan did.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=%2Fprelim%40title18%2Fpart1%2Fchapter115&edition=prelim

[mjvpi]

87. Exactly. Reagan had Bush 1 and friends to do the dirty work.

The dirty work in Reagan’s foreign policy started, literally, on day one.

[harumph]

49. So you do not feel that to penalize one from engaging in unauthorized diplomacy

is not a reasonable limit on free speech? I'm just trying to get to the gist of this "...widely believed to be unconstitutional."
I mean Jonathan Turley would agree - but he's a crack brained ass.

[jalan48]

28. So is it a law or isn't it?

[tritsofme]

37. It is very unlikely to be good law. Courts don't hear hypothetical cases

Someone would need to be charged for any ruling to occur.

But due to the wide belief in its unconstitutionality and the lack of prosecutions over two centuries, it is effectively dead.

It is just a political talking point, used only based on which party has the White House.

Trump might have done something illegal here, I have no idea, but it’s not going to have anything to do with the Logan Act.

[jalan48]

40. Well, I say drag his sorry ass into court and make a spectacle of it. It's what the Republicans would do.

And if it's ruled that the Logan Act is unconstitutional, so be it. At least we'll know where we stand legally.

[tritsofme]

41. And that's why folks like this don't run the Justice Department.

Republicans under Trump made empty threats about the Logan Act too, but even they weren’t dumb enough to actually prosecute any case.

[uponit7771]

105. THIS !!! We all know they would've give a damn what kinda law it was !!

[Orrex]

54. It's amazing. Every fucking time.

Someone understandably voices their frustration about the utter lack of meaningful high-level prosecutions, due in large measure to slow and deliberate choices by the DoJ and FBI, and some stalwart DUer will immediately take that poster to task, each time a seeming effort to distract from, you know, the lack of meaningful high-level prosecutions, due in large measure to deliberate choices by the DoJ and FBI.

"Let us not discuss that!" cries the stalwart. "Instead gather round while I assail the poster for their word choice, which wouldn't hold up to exhaustive scrutiny and a 12-hour cross-examination by legal scholars! This," proclaims the stalwart "this is how we defend democracy! Not by demanding meaningful prosecution of criminals, but by belittling the anonymous members of an internet forum!"

Thank god for the stalwarts, else where would we be?

[RussellCattle]

94. I agree completely, though I would call these fine folks something other than "Stalwarts".

[Orrex]

99. I've had posts hidden for calilng them "cheerleaders"

So I'm going with "stalwarts" ironically.

[RussellCattle]

103. Nice. Stalwarts it is, then. Your post is a small work of art, by way. Well written. Kudos.

[LeftInTX]

97. Like the way the SC decided Trump's immunity? Or the judge kicked Trump's case to the curb?

The Logan Act is over 200 years old. It applies to everyone in the country. It applies to you. It applies to me. It applies to civilian Trump. No one has ever been taken to court over it. Two were charged in the 19th Century, but the charges were dropped. A farmer in Kentucky was charged for collaborating with the French who owned Louisiana at the time. An American who was living in Mexico was charged because of a contact to build a railroad in Mexico. In both cases the charges were dropped.

It isn't the espionage act. It isn't the FISA Act. It isn't the foreign agents act.

I'm sure many many instances have happened, but no one is ever charged. It's a law that "sits on the books", but isn't enforced.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan_Act

[Orrex]

98. Either you're being disingenuous, or this is your first day on DU

Since this is not your first day on DU, I'm not going to hash this out with you, except to say the stalwarts have been mocking and belittling fellow DUers since the moment that Trump's countless crimes started to come to light.

The Logan Act is the least of it.

[LeftInTX]

100. I've been here twelve years. You're the one who started picking on DU members who pointed out facts

You started bashing them because of facts. I don't like being bashed over facts. Quit bashing me. You're the one bashing DU members!

Quit calling me names!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You must have a terrible chip on your shoulder, if you need to lash out at members!!

Maybe take your complaint to Merrick Garland instead of people like me???
Call the Whitehouse and complaint. Call your senator
Call your congressman!

[Orrex]

101. LOL

Calling out behavior, whether it's disingenuousness or performative indignation, is not name-calling.

Calling out DUers for belittling, mocking, ridiculing, and demeaning other DUers is not bashing.

[LeftInTX]

102. That's what you're doing to me! Calling me disingenuous, stalwart or whatever. You're calling me names.

I haven't called you anything. I suggested you contact someone who can file charges against Trump instead of calling me names.

[Orrex]

106. Whoa. I apologize. Truly.

Looks like I misread the intent of your initial post in this exchange, and unfortunately I attributed it to the one whose comment motivated me to post.

I'm sorry that I swept you up in the reply that I intended for them.

[uponit7771]

104. AMEN !!! So fuckin sick of them

[RockRaven]

7. When you're famous they let you do it...

[PeaceWave]

17. Yes, and besides which - this is all just "locker room talk" among boys...

[brush]

8. Being the known liar that he is, is there any doubt he made the call?

And warmonger Netanyahu is not much better as he wants to extend the war as long as possible so he doesn't get tried for corruption.

[AnnaLee]

10. When a lie is an accepted defense or alibi.

You can break any law you want when all you have to do is lie about breaking it. Trump told us he could get away with murder and he did. Now, if he is blocking a cease fire, all who die as a result are on his head. I don't know, of course, what agreements he and Netanut have come to, but Trump would benefit from foreign policy failure by Biden, just like he has by blocking immigration solutions. Look at the language he uses about the working class. They die? He doesn't care. Collateral cost of Trump power.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. "Bibi, can you find me 10,781 votes? Oh, wait, that was Georgia, 2020. Just delay the deal til Nov 6."

[SunSeeker]

21. Exactly. Trump is trying to copy how Nixon iced the Vietnam peace talks. nt

[JustAnotherGen]

69. And Reagan

The hostages

[ScratchCat]

15. If the call occurred, the NSA knows

And if it did occur, Biden needs to make it public. Now. In Prime Time. Tell Americans, Jews and Arabs what he is doing, which directly leads to more deaths. Show them this man cares nothing of this country or the people in Gaza - just himself. Tell them, Joe.

[Permanut]

20. Logan, Shmogan,

Just a piece of paper.

Ow, trying to think like Mango Mussolini makes my head hurt.

[PatSeg]

22. And I'm sure he's broken the Logan Act more times than we know

He has no restraints or self control. He does whatever he likes if it serves him.

[usonian]

65. Has anyone counted the times his administration blew the Hatch Act out of the water?

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2024, 12:53 AM - Edit history (1)

Criminality Incorporated.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

71. Yes, he and his administration

made an absolute mockery out of the Hatch Act.

[PatSeg]

77. It was like watching a satirical movie

Maybe even a satire of a satire as it often was so absurd. The Trump administration made the movie Wag the Dog look like a documentary.

[PatSeg]

75. I was wondering the same thing

His criminality was so excessive and often routine, that it didn't set off many alarms. Those around him and the media were too overwhelmed trying to keep up with one inconceivable outrage after another. Trump is a master at chaos and distraction.

[Joinfortmill]

23. He thinks he's still President

[Shipwack]

50. No, he thinks he's better than that... nt

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

84. So do his nutty followers.

I get so tired of those assholes when they refer to “President Trump” in the present tense. It is almost four years after the last election and Trump and his cult STILL have not accepted the 2020 results.

[Jarqui]

24. Hope they get Trump for it

Regardless, the report puts heat on the GOP for scuttling the deal.

[BlueMTexpat]

25. More about this from

MSNBC: https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-interactions-israels-netanyahu-draw-fresh-scrutiny-rcna167580

From the link:

Either way, if there’s reason to believe Trump has lobbied Netanyahu not to reach a diplomatic agreement, because the GOP nominee is worried about the developments potentially helping the Democratic ticket, that would be a real scandal. (It would also be reminiscent of a controversy from 1968.)

The 1968 controversy referred to is "entirely reminiscent of what Nixon did in the 1968 election, undermining the Paris peace talks re Vietnam. What the reporting reflects is criminal behavior, violating the Logan Act, and a true sickness of putting power and avoidance of jail over the lives of innocent people.
Note: given US surveillance capabilities, the intelligence community would undoubtedly know if Trump is doing this."

The last is from a link to a comment.

[Bucky]

47. But if only there was some precedent of Trump interfering in official state business...

... you know, for personal gain or whatever...

[RussellCattle]

26. You ask is Netanyahu capable of breaking the Logan Act? Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Whew. NO laws apply...

......to that madman.

[iemanja]

33. You're the first to address that question

I agree.

[Deep State Witch]

27. I told everyone

That it was awfully suspicious that Bibi went to Mar-a-Lardo to visit with TCF, then had the Hamas negotiator assassinated a week later. But it got flagged as a conspiracy theory.

[AloeVera]

52. And poison-pill new demands in the ceasefire deal too.

Both within days of that meeting.

Just as the ceasefire talks were finally progressing, perhaps too well for Netanyahu - and Trump.

[orangecrush]

85. +1

[Dave Bowman]

30. "Netanyahu denied the call took place."

Yeah, sure, I absolutely believe that pos.

[waterwatcher123]

31. Tangerine Man's Crime Wave Continues - Where is Merrick Garland?

He may flee the country in Jeffery Epstein's old plane on election night if losing is a foregone conclusion. Perhaps the CIA can then infiltrate Venezuela and bring him back to serve time at the Riker's Island country club.

[joanbarnes]

32. LOCK HIM UP!

[LW1977]

34. Lock Him Up! Lock Him Up! Lock Him Up!

[DownriverDem]

35. How can

we prove this?

[Bucky]

46. Phone records & contact logs, eye witnesses,

It'd take whistle blowers probably

[Richard D]

36. Donald Trump Accused of Committing 'Massive Crime'

Oh, another one . . .

[Bucky]

45. "But is Netanyahu?" -- Spoiler: he's a bitter racist

Bibi is known for his hated of Palestinians. Then he was pissed when Harris called him out at their joint press conference this last month. Of fucking course he wants his fellow Islamophobic megalomaniac Trump to win.

Don't forget that letting the war in Gaza rage on also keeps Netanyahu out of legal trouble. But would be cover up for Trump violating the Logan act? I dunno, has Israel ever violated US sovereignty? cough-JonathanPollard-cough

A coupla cases come to mind

[kimbutgar]

48. Wasn't Bibi at Mar a lago recently?

I remember seeing pictures a few weeks ago.

You know the orange maggot and him discussed this in person and not on a phone,

[iemanja]

62. Yes, in May

There is an article about it here: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump-foreign-policy-advisers-met-israeli-pm-netanyahu-source-says-2024-05-20/

[Ilsa]

63. The May meeting was Trump's advisors, and in Israel. Netanyahu

was at MaraShithole in July.

[iemanja]

64. Ah, ok

Thanks for the correction.

[brewens]

51. I hope someone can back that up. Excellent if they played it to let them lie about it first. I find it hard to

believe Trump would do that without taking precautions to keep it secret. He's Trump though. You can't expect him to behave rationally. He also may have people around him he can no longer trust.

[former9thward]

53. Woodruff has apologized for mis-reporting this.

PBS' Judy Woodruff apologizes for an on-air remark about peace talks in Israel

Veteran PBS correspondent Judy Woodruff apologized on Wednesday for comments she had made on the air regarding former President Donald Trump and negotiations for a cease-fire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

Woodruff, during PBS' Democratic national convention coverage on Monday, repeated a story she had read in Axios and Reuters that Trump had allegedly been encouraging Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put off peace talks until after the U.S. election in the belief that a deal could help Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign.

But Woodruff said in a post on X Wednesday that she had not seen later reporting that the story had been denied by the Trump campaign and Israel. She said her remarks had not been based on any original reporting on her part.

“This was a mistake, and I apologize for it,” Woodruff said.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/pbs-judy-woodruff-apologizes-air-remark-peace-talks-113042886

[iemanja]

55. Trump and Bibi deny it

and that's supposed to refute it? Hell no.

[former9thward]

56. Then prove it.

[iemanja]

58. I'm not a court of law

Since you put such stock in Trump's word, do you believe this too? https://democraticunderground.com/10143294393
I never thought I'd see a DUer insisting Trump was truthful.

[Dr. Strange]

81. Does anyone claim that it did happen?

All I'm seeing is unnamed sources that simultaneous say, "that former President Trump is on the phone with the PM of Israel urging him not to cut a deal right now because it's believed that would help the Harris campaign," but also, "that Trump's alleged call was intended to encourage Netanyahu to take the ceasefire deal that was on the table."

[iemanja]

83. Yeah, Axios had two US sources who were briefed on the call

that is how journalists work. Deepthroat was an unnamed source too.

[usonian]

66. So she takes Trump and Bibi at their word?

Quickest road to hell.
Ask Mike Pence, among others.

[former9thward]

88. There is no one saying it did happen.

[usonian]

89. I won't argue that point.

It's a shady world.

I just figure that liars are gonna lie so often that one can't believe them even when what they say may be true.

Comes with that territory. I don't go there.

[LeftInTX]

107. She's just saying that she can't confirm it and that Trump and Netanyahu deny it.

I'm pretty sure I know what Trump is up to.

I don't trust either of them to be truthful about this.

Netanyahu is sorta like a weather vane.

He may want Trump, but if he senses Trump will lose, he may distance himself.

[UTUSN]

61. K&R

[C Moon]

68. Vote

[spanone]

72. K&R

[Autumn]

73. Is Netanyahu capable of breaking the Logan Act? Fuck yes he is.

He is the mirror image of Trump.

[MorbidButterflyTat]

74. Accused by who?

"'...two unnamed 'U.S. sources who were briefed on the call.'"

Briefed by who?

[kentuck]

76. The law cannot keep up with this criminal.

He breaks laws much faster than they can prosecute. He is a scofflaw.

[bullimiami]

78. This is the same behavior that got him impeached.

He really learned a lesson thanks to Moscow Mitch and the rest of the let him off republicans.

I can get away with it.

[Blue Owl]

79. Jesus Christ -- LOCK HIM UP already!!!

[czarjak]

80. The Pike has'nt peaked.

Still.

[Ray Bruns]

86. This is a tough one. Who's really lying? Trump or Netanyahu?

[iemanja]

90. probably both.

[Ray Bruns]

91. Well if Trump is lying then Netanyahu is telling the truth but if both are lying then one is telling the truth.

https://m.

[iemanja]

93. They are both denying it

So either both are lying or both are telling the truth. I believe the former.

[LeftInTX]

95. The Logan Act has never been enforced.

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2024, 06:55 PM - Edit history (4)

It's a very old law and it applies to everyone in the country. A KY farmer was charged when he wanted to set up an arrangement with Louisiana ( then France). A US citizen in MX was charged when he planned to build a railroad in MX. Both cases were dropped.

When you think of all the American citizens who are meddling around in foreign countries, setting up businesses, missions, healthcare services etc the law is basically obscure. It has never been applied.