Lewis Lukens, former Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in London, talks with Rachel Maddow about the unusual circumstances around the withholding of the State Department Inspector General's investigation report on Donald Trump pressuring Ambassador Woody Johnson to ask the UK to move the British Open to Trump's Turnberry golf course. Aired on 8/5/2020.
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Report On Trump Scheme To Profit From UK Favors Withheld; IG Fired | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC
Trump did dirt. People reported him. He fires IG investigating. I’m noticing a pattern.
Donald John Trump’s lifelong criminal career is just about to catch up with him.
At last 👮🏻♂️ ⛓ 🎃 ⛓ 👮🏿♂️
the IG report was – bizarrely (and _illegally_ ) – declared classified
Cole Chillen Yeah, a crooked pattern.
The Trump and William Barr combination will go down in history as the biggest corrupt and crooked gangsters of the 21st century.
@Phil Garza Your grammar is despicable.Find a school near you and start over.No trash like Natzi Pickledosi Schcammer Nadhandler Blobama Obiden Hellnoary Schiff for brains all should be in prison.
Debates 2020!!! I cant wait!! It should be lots of fun!! Don’t you agree?
💙💜❤️💚💛
They are just the beginning. Why shouldn’t other administrations copy it? You can be openly corrupt and never go to jail – well sometimes a few months before you get pardoned.
Hang on to those Biden 2020 signs.They are so rare they may actually be valuable in the near future.🤗
Bring on Debate-Bowl 2020
TRUMP 2020🙃
We can expect to eventually see a MOVIE of THIS HORRIBLE Trump Catastrophe! We’ve never had such an EVIL PRESIDENT IN RECENT U.S. HISTORY!
So last year we learned that on Don the Con’s orders, the Pentagon acknowledged that it had been sending US troops to his failing Turnberry golf resort while they were on overnight layovers at the nearby Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland, for the sole purpose of lining his greedy pockets with taxpayer dollars.
Then we learned that DJT wanted to hold this year’s G-7 Summit at his Doral resort in Florida, so that he could again line his greedy pockets with millions in foreign money and taxpayer dollars.
Now we’ve recently learned that DJT asked the American ambassador to Britain, Woody Johnson, to see if the British government could help steer the lucrative British Open golf tournament to the Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland.
This is a level of corruption that we have never seen before, or even imagined. Its naked, gratuitous, egregious and overt corruption on steroids. Nixon’s ghost can finally rest in peace, for Nixon is no longer the most corrupt president in American history. T.rump’s face belongs on the Mt Rushmore of corruption….all by itself. At this point, they should just wrap the entire White House with yellow police tape, and declare the whole thing a crime scene..
And win or lose in November, one thing won’t change for Trump: Over the next few years, he must settle a series of TREMENDOUSLY large debts. Before the end of a theoretical second term, his company will have to refinance—or, in a far less likely scenario, pay off—nearly a half-billion dollars in loans. These debts are maturing at the worst time for Trump, whose roach hotels and resorts have been plagued by declining revenues. And that was before the pandemic pummeled the hospitality industry.
On financial disclosure forms, Trump has reported holding 14 loans on 12 properties. At least six of those loans, representing about $479 million in debt, are due over the next four years. Some are guaranteed by Trump himself, meaning a creditor could come after his personal—not corporate—assets if he defaults. If he holds onto the White House, the refinancing of these debts could take his conflicts of interest to absurd new heights. How will the public know if these deals are on the up and up or whether Trump is receiving sweetheart terms from a bank that wants an in with the president? And what might a lender desire in return for helping Trump out of a financial jam?
Trump’s biggest creditor is Deutsche Bank, the bank preferred by Russian mobsters and Oligarchs. In the late 1990s, Deutsche Bank took a gamble on Trump, whose history of bankruptcies made him untouchable by most other lenders. Deutsche’s commercial lending division learned the hard way one reason why other banks wouldn’t touch Trump with a ten-foot pole: If pushed by his creditors on payments, Trump shoved back. In 2008, after he defaulted on a loan for his Chicago hotel and condo development, he filed a multibillion-dollar suit accusing Deutsche and others of contributing to the recent financial meltdown, which he blamed for his inability to repay the loan.
Nevertheless, Deutsche’s private banking division, which caters to wealthy clientele, continued to lend to Trump, giving him $125 million, spread over two loans, to finance the purchase and renovation of his Doral golf resort in 2012. Both are floating rate loans, meaning the interest rate fluctuates based on market conditions, which lending experts say usually indicates they are interest-only loans. If so, Trump probably hasn’t paid down much if any of the principal and will owe something close to the whole $125 million when the loans come due in 2023.
In 2014, Trump took out a separate floating loan from Deutsche’s private bank to bankroll the development of his luxury hotel in Washington, DC. The balance of this $170 million debt is payable in 2024. That year, Trump will also owe Deutsche between $25 million and $50 million in connection with his Chicago hotel and complex..
@velt Ski, where do you get the idea that I hate Trump? There are precisely two people whom I actually hate and neither one of them is Donald Trump. Furthermore, your puerile epithets betray your own hatred.
@John Brattan how come this ‘memo’ is treated as if its written into law or part of your constitution? its just a memo FGS!
@velt Ski Yes I have seen a few. Thanks.
@Christopher Simons Thank you. The first laugh of the day. I thought at first you meant placing actual turds on Mt. Rushmore. Lol.
@velt Ski seems like you have the corner on hate…facts are facts and the truth is out there for you to see for yourself..btw I WAS a Republican before Putin got Trump and company in the WH…WAKE UP!!!
The main thing to learn from all of this, is that Trump is definitely NOT a billionaire. He’s a con-artist and a failed real estate developer, who is in debt up to his eyeballs
Trump is no billionaire, even Mark Cuban and a few other real billionaires said he was lying..Trump has been stealing,lying, cheating all his life..learned the trade from his old man…
David J , I think Chucky trump owe Putin lots of favors, the reason Chucky trump don’t stand to Putin is because of money, Chucky trump sold our country his a traitor
I’ve always been of the opinion that Trump ran a whacky campaign to swindle millions in donations without the risk of actually winning. Too bad he underestimated the beast he created, so now he’s just running out the clock – why bother being a lawful or compassionate president when you didn’t want the job in the first place?
It always worked before, and he had planned to leave the country on vacation after losing the election to not watch Clinton enjoy her win. Now I can’t even imagine where he could live here, as he already had to leave NY and he’s losing ground in Florida. Can he even name any other states? Don’t think he would last long abroad.
@cc 1k why do you think he wants to abolish term limits and fiddle with voting rights? He knows he’ll be thrown to the wolves once the WH closes its doors on him. And that fills me with joy lol
The Trump cartel are using the office of the president as a piggy bank to line their greedy pockets. What a surprise.
@Chloe wilson only if u take it up Anderson’s Pooper again !!
@Eric Echols Sr. Everything could go wrong with this Dufus. I never voted for him and I pray to God he does not get elected again. Just remember this thing has single handed destroyed America.
@VJ Titicaca I would not say Putin I would say Benjamin Netanhyu rules over us.
@Chloe wilson – Yeah, but didn’t he make plenty of money destroying us? I also hope that he doesn’t get Elected/Selected again. I don’t like Biden, but I (Edit: Know) Trump is another set of (whatever expletive) I don’t want my gran-kids to know about, except in History Books 👍🏽🙂😷✌🏽
@Chloe wilson – Particularly from children, they’re easier & more vulnerable.
Britain… if you’re listening…
It’s clear the Trump cartel are using the office of the president to line their greedy pockets. What a surprise!
@A horse with no name I’d politely disagree with the same group comment, simply because so many EU neutral and Pro European Tories left, to be replaced by EU sceptics.
I’m only so-so about Boris, I liked the rubber faced guy, Rory Whatsisname, but he went off to do something else and disappeared.
I liked Jess Phillips for Labour leader, make of that what you will.
Neat name, btw, I’m remembering/singing the lyrics in my head now.
@L Mac The , “US” , didn’t “allow” ANYTHING!! We have a system , we have a protocol. We wonder the exact same thing as your system also struggles to operate in lieu of tight wing extremism.
Mostly TROLLS here too ! Answering each others banter and false PROPAGANDA. America is VOTING BLUE NO MATTER WHO…. what will you all do?
@D J Lol a bit on the defensive. I didn’t say anything about your system. Perhaps you didn’t vote for him but many of your countrymen did hence why he is President and as I said you can keep him haha. Instead of getting so aggressive with me perhaps save that for those who voted him in and allowed him to be in such a powerful position running your country. 🙂 As I said no we do not want him here.
PS I hope for your sake that America is voting the way you want this time. I am actually on your side not because I am a democrat but because I feel he is damaging your country. As the first comment addressed us I gave my opinion. Good luck 🙂
@D J – Not me. That’s not my problem. And if you think that voting in more of the same is going to solve your problem, you’re in for a rude awakening.
If all of us don’t vote, expect more of this crap. VOTE FOLKS VOTE!
@Ryan Christy DeJoy already has. Gutting overtime and not preparing the USPS to insure that mail-in voting is successful are Trump’s goals and in direct opposition to what DeJoy should be doing.
We need to vote in numbers so big that it’s TOO BIG TO RIG! 🌊💙🌊💙🌊
Since the CULT surrounding, supporting and enabling #AgentTang cannot separate themselves him,
Let’s make sure they ALL lose their seats!
republiCon Senate seats up for re-election in 2020:
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.)
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) — Alexander announced he is retiring in 2020
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mt.)
Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) — Enzi announced he is retiring in 2020
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.)
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.)
Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.)
Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.)
Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho)
Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) — Roberts is retiring in 2020
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S. D.)
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska)
Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia)
(https://www.axios.com/senate-seats-election-2020-54bee405-7f43-456c-936f-5bc75758bc59.html)
Check your REGISTRATION STATUS TODAY!!! As important as getting the vote out.
@J M M I will be hand delievering my mail in ballot to the courthouse.
I AGREE. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR FAMILY MEMBERS TO VOTE TO GET THIS CLOWN OUT OF POWER.
Never under estimate Trump he’s sneaky
I wish the Democrats could be sneaky
Yes sneaky a**hole taking advantage of his position, now using the united states as his personal Enterprise , but nothing surprising anyone…that’s how he’s lived all his life he used his father,
Yes he steals toilet paper and stores it on his heels while entering airforce one LOL
You’re quite right. Though he is a louse who makes ignorant mistakes due to his narrow scope – like the other day, talking about “Yo-Semite” Park… he does have a creepy cunning, knowing how to appeal to & manipulate popular resentments, with the *skill* of a true demagogue. He is the enemy of every true American & you are right in warning not to under-estimate him, as he has this “skill” which sadly too many people have been influenced by. He sees angles to stoke people’s fears & he’s all too willing to play upon what’s lowest in human nature – a divider, NOT a “uniter”… AND he’s proud of it.
Why is any president able to fire an independent IG? What a stupid system America has.
DEBATES-BOWL 2020 because the American people deserve to see Joe prove his cognitive abilities!!🇺🇲🇺🇲
@I HACKED YOUTUBE-‘ haha persom man woman camera tv hahahaha chump has proven enough he is a total moron and biden shouldnt debate at all since chump lies all the time and isnt able to read
Did you watch the axios interview? Hahaha he is too stupid to answer simple questions without lying
J M M Unfortunately, there seems to be a dire shortage of thinking Americans.
Agreed. They need to plug all of these holes once he’s gone (assuming we can get rid of him)
yeah they need to change that only congress should be able to replaced a inspector general
Trump’s usual M.O. If you are being investigated..fire the investigators.
Sort of,Trumps newest excuse is that he doesn’t know these people,he’s kept in the dark so much he doesn’t even know who is who and who does what lol.
Under any other president that would be considered illegal.
Jeez, you can’t keep track of all his nefarious activities.
That’s Trump’s ploy.
What is even more amazing is the decades that Chump has gotten away with all this criminal activity already.
But yes, Chump is accelerating it since he got in the White House.
PURE EVIL…THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DEALING WITH HERE! Trump will go down in INFAMY!
……….and he is telling us biden is corrupt and abusing his position to profit!
everything trump accuses somebody else of, is in fact an admission of his own guilt of that accusation!
its like a mirror effect!
Unfortunately for him, most people won’t fall for it this time round.
It’s called projection. And unfortunately he’s awfully good at it.
It’s called projection.
@Cancan Girl thats the word i was looking for “projection”…….english is not my first language…..not even my second or third!……the word in my language for this can be translated literally as “mirroring”…hence my use of the word mirror.
@Jencikova Jenkis mirroring is a good analogy actually. It IS like he is trying to convince the world that its not HIM its this mirror image that is commiting these crimes – HE sees himself as the good one, the blameless one therefore it must be someone else being bad!
IF Senator Joseph McCarthy was still alive, he’d BLACKLIST Trump!
Alan Smith just like the NFL owners did.
don`t be naive, he`d be trumps best buddy.
There’s so much cover-up in Trump’s administration, they ought to start a make-up line.
All bright orange .
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
So TRUMPS actually been wasting our time building up his properties while PRESIDENT??? Another FELONY SMH
Caught breaking the law? Fire the judge, the prosecutor, the officer involved. I’ll try this if I ever get stopped by the cops.
Everything Trump has done has never been for the America. Everything is for himself. For his gain. He was almost broke because of a series of bankruptcies when he was elected. That is why he wanted to be the POTUS. He was successful in a sense that he placed all his loyalists cult followers and money mongers around himself, by eliminating all the “possible” whistleblowers including Inspector Generals. That is for the cover ups. At the time of impeachment, it became evident that the Trump cult followers-republicans help bent to conspire to cover every dirty thing up for Trump. They are no longer “public servants” but merely Trump cult followers, all corrupted, all bought by Russian money, all criminal accomplices. Trump is certainly destined to the prison.
HOW IS THIS NOT……”CORRUPTION”!
No-one here in the UK wants the open staged in any of Trump’s flea pits .
How many times has he done this already..? Enough now… get rid of him.