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(Thread) Broidy, Iron Triangles and a Firehose of GOP crimes.
Elliot Broidy is in the news again.
propublica.org/article/federa…
Let’s begin the Elliot Broidy story on April 9, 2018 when the FBI raided Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen’s office and seized material.
Elliot Broidy is in the news again.
propublica.org/article/federa…
Let’s begin the Elliot Broidy story on April 9, 2018 when the FBI raided Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen’s office and seized material.
1/ A few days later on April 13, Elliot Broidy made news when it was reported that Michael Cohen had brokered a deal between Broidy and playboy model Shera Bechard.
cnbc.com/2018/04/13/tru…
Broidy was described as a wealthy RNC official with “close ties to the White House."
cnbc.com/2018/04/13/tru…
Broidy was described as a wealthy RNC official with “close ties to the White House."
2/ Broidy had allegedly been paying Bechard to have an exclusive affair.
After she became pregnant, Cohen brokered a deal: Broidy would pay her $1.6 million for the abortion and her silence.
Cohen collected $250K for arranging the deal.
chicagotribune.com/news/nationwor…
After she became pregnant, Cohen brokered a deal: Broidy would pay her $1.6 million for the abortion and her silence.
Cohen collected $250K for arranging the deal.
chicagotribune.com/news/nationwor…
3/ When the scandal broke, Broidy resigned his position as deputy finance chair of the GOP.
The same day the Broidy story broke Cohen was claiming the FBI couldn't examine the material taken from his office because he had a “sensitive” law practice, and the materials. . .
The same day the Broidy story broke Cohen was claiming the FBI couldn't examine the material taken from his office because he had a “sensitive” law practice, and the materials. . .
4/. . . were protected under the attorney client privilege.
law.cornell.edu/wex/attorney-c…
The prosecution argued that the material was not privileged: They alleged that Cohen had only one client, and that the work he did for this client was not legal work.
law.cornell.edu/wex/attorney-c…
The prosecution argued that the material was not privileged: They alleged that Cohen had only one client, and that the work he did for this client was not legal work.
5/ On a Friday, the judge ordered Cohen to provide a list of all of his clients and the nature of the legal work he did for them.
The court scheduled a hearing for the following Monday to determine how to handle the “sensitive” material seized from Cohen’s office.
The court scheduled a hearing for the following Monday to determine how to handle the “sensitive” material seized from Cohen’s office.
6/Over the weekend, Trump intervened in the Cohen case.
documentcloud.org/documents/4438…
He filed a letter with the court requesting that he and his lawyers look at all the seized materials, decide what was privileged, and hand over to law enforcement what they should be permitted to see.
documentcloud.org/documents/4438…
He filed a letter with the court requesting that he and his lawyers look at all the seized materials, decide what was privileged, and hand over to law enforcement what they should be permitted to see.
7/ Obviously the seized materials concerned Trump—and he didn’t want them to fall into the hands of law enforcement.
At the Monday morning hearing Cohen said he had 3 clients: Trump, Broidy, and a third client who he refused to name.
documentcloud.org/documents/4438…
At the Monday morning hearing Cohen said he had 3 clients: Trump, Broidy, and a third client who he refused to name.
documentcloud.org/documents/4438…
8/ The court insisted that Cohen reveal the third client.
He revealed the third client: Sean Hannity. (Interesting to contemplate why Hannity needed a fixer.)
(Very little of the seized material was ultimately found to be privileged.)
law.cornell.edu/wex/attorney-c…
He revealed the third client: Sean Hannity. (Interesting to contemplate why Hannity needed a fixer.)
(Very little of the seized material was ultimately found to be privileged.)
law.cornell.edu/wex/attorney-c…
9/ This morning we learned that in July of 2018—shortly after Cohen began cooperating with law enforcement—federal agents raided Broidy’s offices and seized material.
ProPublica reports the sealed search warrant shows that federal agents sought records . . .
ProPublica reports the sealed search warrant shows that federal agents sought records . . .
10/ . . . from Broidy’s office related to the United Arab Emirates, UAE adviser George Nader, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and any travel to the Middle East. propublica.org/article/federa…
They were also seeking records concerning Broidy’s dealing with Trump administration officials.
They were also seeking records concerning Broidy’s dealing with Trump administration officials.
11/ Note that law enforcement cannot obtain a warrant without probable cause that they will find evidence related to a crime.
Broidy was a major Trump campaign fundraiser.
The search warrant cites three potential crimes that authorities are investigating:
Broidy was a major Trump campaign fundraiser.
The search warrant cites three potential crimes that authorities are investigating:
12/ . . . Conspiracy, money laundering, and violations of the law barring covert lobbying on behalf of foreign officials.
I suspect—given the nature of the suspected crimes and foreign entities involved—that we are glimpsing a point of an Iron Triangle.
I suspect—given the nature of the suspected crimes and foreign entities involved—that we are glimpsing a point of an Iron Triangle.
13/ In Jan. 2011, Mueller gave a lecture (while he was FBI director) about organized crime.
archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/…
Today's mobsters have gone international, he said. They are fluid with global reach, and (in 2011) already posed a significant security risk to the U.S.
archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/…
Today's mobsters have gone international, he said. They are fluid with global reach, and (in 2011) already posed a significant security risk to the U.S.
14/ Mueller described “iron triangles” that consist of (1) organized criminals (2) corrupt government officials, and (3) business leaders.
Motivated by greed, they sell to the highest bidder and will stop at nothing to make money.
Motivated by greed, they sell to the highest bidder and will stop at nothing to make money.
15/ Note that Broidy already has a criminal record: In 2009 he pleaded guilty to charges connected with public corruption and bribery.
Former Republican Max Boot wrote yesterday that the GOP is morally bankrupt👇
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…
Former Republican Max Boot wrote yesterday that the GOP is morally bankrupt👇
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…
16/ From Book notes that the GOP, which once called itself the party of law and order, is standing by as Trump obstructs justice and is now “devoted exclusively to feeding Trump’s insatiable ego and pandering to his endless lust for power.”
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…
washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/…
17/ Breaking laws is no longer a disqualification in the GOP.
washingtonpost.com/powerpost/crim…
In fact, it is becoming a badge of honor. This astonishing video shows the ovation and applause Roger Stone received recently at a GOP event in VA, after his indictment:
washingtonpost.com/powerpost/crim…
In fact, it is becoming a badge of honor. This astonishing video shows the ovation and applause Roger Stone received recently at a GOP event in VA, after his indictment:
18/ If you’re new to my feed, I have offered two explanation for the firehose of crimes we see coming from the GOP:
First: They're trying to take us back to the 1920s & the era of robber barons, when white men could basically do as they pleased.
First: They're trying to take us back to the 1920s & the era of robber barons, when white men could basically do as they pleased.
19/ Wealthy white men could cheat! See:
Wealthy white men could also grab! (🎶 Those were the days 🎶)
See this thread on rolling back the clock: Rape and Harassment laws: terikanefield-blog.com/rolling-back-t…
Wealthy white men could also grab! (🎶 Those were the days 🎶)
See this thread on rolling back the clock: Rape and Harassment laws: terikanefield-blog.com/rolling-back-t…
20/ Second: The GOP has aligned with Putin’s Russia because they see Russia as the savior of the white race. See:
Their alliance with Putin brings them into alliance with other non-Democratic nations.
Their alliance with Putin brings them into alliance with other non-Democratic nations.
21/ Finally, where the GOP is today (aligned with Russia, breaking laws, and creating alliances with non-democratic nations) makes perfect sense given the history of the GOP.
If you missed it, I recounted that history here:
end/
If you missed it, I recounted that history here:
end/
* Tweet #16: should have been Boot, not Book.
Boot as in @MaxBoot
Boot as in @MaxBoot
All my thread are now blogposts. You can read this one here: terikanefield-blog.com/broidy-iron-tr…
If you haven't visiting my blog, I have all of my threads indexed. That's how I find stuff so fast. (The appellate lawyer in me like to have information organized and accessible.)
If you haven't visiting my blog, I have all of my threads indexed. That's how I find stuff so fast. (The appellate lawyer in me like to have information organized and accessible.)
