Tillerson firing set to showcase just how little the media know (Here's what's really going on)

American Thinker ^ | 03/13/2018 | Monica Showalter

[JerryBlackwell]

I had not heard of the tax free stock package. Can you please explain so we understand?

[Intolerant in NJ]

Tillerson firing set to showcase just how little the media know...suspected Tillerson was on his way out - maybe because of the tariff decision - last weekend when he was reported as being ill and cancelling his appearances in Africa - surprised then that none of the talking heads, usually eager to find the murkiness explanation of anything, weren't talking about it.....

[DaveA37]

“If Tillerson is gone, Alfred E. Sessions may not be far behind.”......

A lot of people have been and continue to wait for Sessions departure. Sessions hasn’t been doing the job, Tillerson on the other hand, DID a pretty darn good job. I expect we will hear from him in the future.

[Bratch]

The Senate committee reviewing the nomination is led by Senator Corker of Tennessee. Corker said today he is scheduling hearings in April. Apparently there is no sense of urgency in the Republican leadership. Can’t blame Democrats for obstruction yet.

Can't let anything interfere with the Easter recess!

[Starboard]

If Tillerson is gone, Alfred E. Sessions may not be far behind.

**************

Good opportunity for Trump to make another “adjustment” to his cabinet. Sessions has been in the job (but not DOING the job) for over one year. He has allowed the crooked partisan Rosenstein to be the de facto AG. For that reason, Sessions must go.

[jjotto]

Pompeo having already been confirmed for another Cabinet position, he can serve as SoS for a long time until he needs to be re-confirmed.

[abb]

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/03/13/rex-tillersons-tax-deal-may-have-made-year-in-trumps-orbit-worth-it.html

Rex Tillerson’s favorable tax deal may have made a year in Trump’s orbit worth it

Rex Tillerson was required to divest his stocks when he became secretary of State post.
His stock holdings were estimated in January 2017 at $54 million.
Tillerson also held the right to an estimated $174 million in Exxon Mobil shares for his four decades at the oil giant, and Exxon set up a special trust in which it sold the shares and agreed to pay cash to Tillerson over a decade.
Both deals deferred any taxes the former Exxon Mobil CEO would ordinarily owe on stock sales, and in the best-case scenario, could defer taxes forever.

[Cuttnhorse]

I’m with you SOS,

I was wondering if the reason I don’t understand this method of “management by twitter” is because I was never exposed to it.
It makes no sense to me that the President ridicules someone like Sessions on social media...why wouldn’t he just call Sessions into his office, close the door and lay the law down to him?

I guess my style is no longer popular???

[arthurus]

What I said in a comment on a previous post: “When people are no longer the right fit for their job they get fired. Incompetence is not implied here.” The author here uses a few more words than that but that is what he said.

[arthurus]

Tillerson was not fired. His contract ended.

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[Garvin]

Must be coincidence Saudi Prince Bandar bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud jumped to his death today in the UK.

[hinckley buzzard]

I notice that Sessions is suddenly appearing on radio talk shows--Hewitt and Gallagher today. Can't remember the last time he was interviewed in these venues. Something is afoot with him.

[JimSEA]

Leaves more than just a bad taste in your mouth. Bad, very bad practices.

[Haddit]

Tillerson was the right man for the job at the time with his diplomacy skills and his contacts all over the world. He was in the Mid-East representing President Trump. Then President Trump went to the Mid-East and gave a great speech where he called for unity in fighting terrorism and cutting off the money to terrorists.

The Saudis, Qataris and UAE were funding the terrorists under President Obama. We were training them with our CIA. Hillary received $2.35 million from the Saudis. Nobody yet has claimed the terrorist were backed by their governments, rather their extremely rich were supporting the terrorists.

The Saudi’s gave Hillary Clinton $20 million for her election.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed Talal Tweeted:
@Alwaleed Talal
@realDonaldTrump
You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America.
Withdraw from the U.S. presidential race as you will never win.
11:02 AM – Dec 11, 2015
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/11/anti-trump-saudi-prince-alwaleed-clinton-donor-jailed-corruption-crackdown/

Trump replied:
Saudi Prince Alwaleed Talal
Wants to control our U.S. politicians
With daddy’s money. Can’t do it
When I get elected. #Trump2016
12/11/15, 7:53 PM

11/5/2017 Prince Alwaleed Talal is arrested in Saudi Arabia
Prince Alwaleed’s many investments include Twitter, Apple, Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp., Citigroup, and the Four Seasons, Fairmont and Movenpick hotel chains. He is also an investor in ride-sharing services Lyft and Careem.
**
In December 2017 King Salman of Saudi Arabia presented Donald Trump with the Kingdom’s top civilian honor when the president was recognized for “his quest to enhance security and stability in the region and around the world.”

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has handed control over to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Prince bin Salman praised President Trump as “the right person at the right time”
**
“You are a unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible,” el-Sissi told Trump
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/egyptian-president-tells-trump-you-are-capable-of-doing-the-impossible/article/2623738

When Egypt was overthrown and they installed the Muslim Brotherhood Morsi as their president, the military had another coup that threw Morsi in prison. They called Hillary a war criminal for her support of the Muslim Brotherhood.

All the money that came from those supporting the rebels, were pushing for a new caliphate. When Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrested them, the Arab Alliance sanctioned Qatar for their refusal to reign in al Jazeera news who was inciting the riots that created civil wars.

Rex Tillerson was trying to get Trump to release the sanctions on Qatar.

President Trump attended the Arab/American Summit in May of 2017 and spoke with 55 Muslim leaders.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/21/president-trumps-speech-arab-islamic-american-summit

[dr_lew]

Trump is fighting for his Presidential life, and Tillerson was acting as a usurper, whether he saw it that way or not. Trump certainly did.

[onedoug]

He wasn’t well.

[Soul of the South]

“Great financial cost? He got his massive stock package tax free. He probably made over $50million in tax savings taking this position”

To take a much lower job in government service he was forced by law to divest 611,000 shares of Exxon stock which deprived him of the potential upside in the stock price plus the flow of future dividends. The law also requires the proceeds be invested in government bonds which pay less than the 4.1% dividend yield of Exxon stock. Capital gains on the sale of the Exxon stock were not tax free. The taxes were deferred as long as he keeps the proceeds invested in low yield government bonds. At the point he sells bonds to reinvest the money, he pays the deferred capital gains.

The government forces the sale of assets for people like Tillerson to avoid real or perceived conflict of interest. Forcing him to his assets and pay millions of dollars in taxes in order to take what turned out to be a short tenure job seems unfair, which is why the taxes are deferred, not eliminated.

Forcing someone to divest property is a limitation on their freedom. To force the sale of property and immediately levy a heavy tax only adds insult to injury. Likely few wealthy private sector individuals would take appointed senior government roles if compelled to divest property and immediately taxed on the proceeds. Capital gains tax deferral, as long as the funds are invested in government bonds, allows the executive to preserve principal while giving up the potential for higher returns on equities. Ultimately Uncle Sam will collect the taxes because the government bonds will ultimately be sold or mature.

The only thing certain in life is death and taxes. He got nothing tax free. One other thing to note. If he disposes of the bonds after the next Democrat administration takes power, it is likely he will likely face a higher capital gains rate than he does today.

[BeauBo]

“Tillerson will remain SOS until and including March 31st.”

I think that is probably just to close out personnel actions, like completing performance appraisals, and putting some folks in for awards and such. He also keeps some perks, to help moving his stuff out the office.

He said that the Deputy (John J.Sullivan, a Trump appointee, former Bush Administration official) will take over all functions at midnight tonight.

[Ambrosia]

I remember Rex Tillerson stating he would be S O S for about a year in early 2017. So is it possible this is another Trump distraction, where he is doing one thing with right hand, and upsetting left with his left!

Some things go over their heads, when he is tweeting or stirring up something like DACA...then Trump accomplishes his agenda with little media coverage? And the media is in hysterics.