Posted on 09/01/2018 6:45:41 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
A former campaign aide accused of lying to the FBI said that then-candidate Donald Trump “nodded with approval” at his suggestion of setting up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
George Papadopoulos’ lawyers argued in new probation filings that President Trump was open to his suggestions about meeting with the foreign leader in March of 2016, The Associated Press reported Saturday.
Papadopoulos allegedly volunteered to set up a meeting between Trump and Putin during a gathering with Trump’s foreign policy advisers, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions — who was a GOP senator at the time.
“While some in the room rebuffed George’s offer, Mr. Trump nodded with approval and deferred to Mr. Sessions who appeared to like the idea and stated that the campaign should look into it,” defense lawyers wrote.
His lawyers argued in a 16-page defense memo that Papadopoulos was “eager to show his value to the campaign" and should receive leniency.
The aide was hired to the campaign in March 2016 without any previous knowledge of Russian or U.S. diplomacy, AP noted.
Papadopoulos lied to FBI agents not to hurt special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation but to “save his professional aspirations and preserve a perhaps misguided loyalty to his master,” his defense lawyers wrote, according to the AP.
They acknowledge that he “lied, minimized and committed material facts.”
However, due to his loyalty to Trump and his desire to play a pivotal role in his new administration, “he hoisted himself upon his own petard,” his lawyers argued.
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty last year to lying to FBI agents about his communications with Russians and a London professor and agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s ongoing probe into Russian interference in the 2016 campaign and potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Papadopoulos's bragging about seeking dirt on Hillary Clinton from the Russians during the presidential campaign first launched Mueller's probe, according to congressional investigators.
Mueller recommended last month that Papadopoulos be sentenced to zero to six months in prison and face a fine of $9,500.
Papadopoulos’s wife, Simona Mangiante, suggested last month that she wanted her husband to back out of the deal after her confidence in the Mueller probe wavered.
"I trusted the institutions until they proved me wrong," Mangiante told MSNBC, adding that she had been made aware of "exculpatory evidences that fully justify him to drop off his plea agreement."
She later said that Papadopoulos will stick with the plea deal arranged with Mueller and take “responsibility for some inaccuracies” during his FBI interview.
Thank-you, FBI. Well done. Keep up the good work.
He farted in approbation
Meeting is not a crime.
How did this guy propose to introduce Trump to Putin?
Now there’s a headline without a story.
...setting up a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
*gasp*
So what was he supposed to do? Nod with disapproval?
Is Putin the Black Plague or something?
What the Hell is this horsecrap?
So?
If this was such a horrid violation why didn’t the board members - some of whom are high ranking Republicans - SAY anything?!
Because it wasn’t and isn’t a crime!
So, the Feeb’s star witless has been accused...by the Feeb...of lying.
Darn word-complete.
Yeah this sounds like contrived BS for sure.
Well, duh. That’s what presidentiaL candidates do. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s been discussed to death and it is OK. You’d think the “journalist” would know this by now.
He meant his hamster named Putin.
The Democratic Media Complex leaves out the fact there is no crime for a candidate to with a leader of any other country AND there was no meeting.
Now we learn Trump 'nodded in approval' to a meeting.
If Trump had managed a meeting with the President of Mexico, that would be a big deal. And, that’s right, he did meet with the Mexican president before the election. Similarly, had he managed a meet with Putin, to show himself on a stage with a major world leader, it would have been a help to the campaign.
But it didn’t happen. If Trump had to look to a low-level dweeb whose only contacts with Russia were via FBI informants pretending to be in contact with Putin, that pretty much proves Trump didn’t have those contacts.
Though, frankly, Trump being Trump, I imagine if he wanted to get Putin on the phone, Putin would answer. The fact that he didn’t, and they were having to throw guys like Papadopoulos at him, proves they didn’t have anything.
If approving a meeting is now a crime, where does Obama’s promise of “flexibility” with the Russians stand?
Another non-story. The meeting never happened. What is wrong with a Presidential candidate wanting to meet with a foreign leader? Obama did it and even held rallies overseas.
Is this supposed to be evidence of collusion/conspiracy? We are now approaching a level of lunacy. What's next, the preference for Russian dressing?
You give “journalists” far too much credit. Most of them are so stupid they can do little more than regurgitate what’s fed to them by others, and the rest are utterly dishonest hacks and/or shills who will write or say anything to further their agenda.
What’s next? President Trump uses the TAP code?
To some on the left, Trump waking up and breathing is a crime worthy of death...
Next thing you know there will be accusations that he might have watched the Clinton’s make criminal arrangements with Russians, Ukrainians and others.
Did he see them make all these criminal actions and not report them?
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