Over the weekend, the allegations returned to the fore, and for good reason. The New York Times reported on Saturday:

John F. Kelly, who served as former President Donald J. Trump’s second White House chief of staff, said in a sworn statement that Mr. Trump had discussed having the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies investigate two F.B.I. officials involved in the investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia. Mr. Kelly said that his recollection of Mr. Trump’s comments to him was based on notes that he had taken at the time in 2018. Mr. Kelly provided copies of his notes to lawyers for one of the F.B.I. officials, who made the sworn statement public in a court filing.

  • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I mean fuck the GOP but the idea that Hunter is just some guy caught up in it all is ludicrous. The dude has been trading on his father’s name for his entire adult life. There was a federal investigation into a fund that he and his uncle had set up where they explicitly said they were going to trade access to Biden. That was at least twenty years ago but still.

    so many people say, “if he’d actually done anything unethical he should be punished” while completely ignoring that he essentially acts the exact same as one of the Trump kids - useless as fuck, makes bank on connections gained through nepotism and corruption.

    look at the list of companies this guy has been involved in. probably most of their kids are like this.

    • Vlhacs@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      Sure, it’s not entirely ethical and a nepo baby, but to still compare him with Don Jr who is still continuing to spout election denialism and misinformation is a bit disingenuous. I agree, if Hunter committed any crimes he should pay just like anyone else, but him being a nepo baby isn’t the conversation we’re having right now.

      • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        he’s more akin to Kushner, making business deals and getting on the boards of companies purely by his relationships.

        there’s a pretty big difference between being the kid of a senator and starting a lobbying company with the aim of leveraging your familial relations to advance the interests of corporations and billionaires paying you.

        but like, hasn’t he committed multiple felonies that generally do end up with people in jail? tax fraud, spousal abuse, gun he wasn’t allowed to have (IIRC). so, like, pardon me but i kind of think that seems like bullshit.

        if he should pay like everyone else he should be barred from having anything to do with politics and go to jail like everyone who doesn’t have a senator for a daddy would have.

        • Aesthesiaphilia@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          but like, hasn’t he committed multiple felonies that generally do end up with people in jail?

          I’m take that seriously when the GOP starts complaining about all the other rich people who regularly do shit like this and face no consequences.

          • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            So you’re against equal application of the law if the perpetrator is prominent enough. Yeah, this is why Democratic politics are nearly as corrupt as the Republicans.

              • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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                1 year ago

                You literally just said you waive away his corruption because the other guys are more corrupt. It is not in any way a straw man it is your stated position. Maybe stop treating this like a game rich people play.

                  • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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                    1 year ago

                    but like, hasn’t he committed multiple felonies that generally do end up with people in jail?

                    I’m take that seriously when the GOP starts complaining about all the other rich people who regularly do shit like this and face no consequences.

                    You’re taking Democratic corruption seriously only after Republicans eliminate their corruption. You are a defender and champion of corruption, just as long as it’s people in your party.

                    The fact that you think that’s different from partisan corruption basically everywhere is laughable.

                    Are you a child? I try not to get into arguments with children.

        • RIPandTERROR
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          1 year ago

          Don’t think I disagree with any of that. I would expand on it however and say there’s an order of priority, and of the people that should be barred from having anything to do with politics and go to jail, I would not say he’s anywhere close to the highest on the list of those priorities.

            • Arcane_Trixster@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              He’s not actively doing it. Any accusations of the like stem from actions from a decade ago when his father was vice president, and nothing has ever been proven, though the GOP have annual witch hunts to try.

              • AngrilyEatingMuffins@kbin.social
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                1 year ago

                I mean they shut down the firm. He’s been getting jobs on the boards of mega corps ever since. What about Hunter Biden strikes you as someone who is highly successful in anything much less business

        • keeb420@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          hunter hasnt gotten a security clearance after failing to accurately fill out his sf86 multiple times and then got bailed out for billions on a building he was underwater on and then got billions more from another country for “no reason” while having access to classified documents.