I don’t quite understand your question.
I do think that the presser on Monday may be the beginning of the end though.
So… call me an optimist?
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(Her name is being printed both Maria and Mariia, I’ve seen her name in Russian/Cyrillic as Мария, but maybe she spells it with two i’s? )
The problem with transliteration from Cyrillic to Latin (or, I suppose, between any two alphabets/languages that use similar symbols but represent a different underlying set of sounds) is: do you transliterate to faithfully convey the sound, or do you try to replicate the original spelling?
и transliterates as “i” (as in “police”); я transliterates to “ya” or “ja”. “Maria” captures the sound of Мария, but “Mariia” is more faithful to the original spelling. This sort of mixup happens all the time on Russians’ passports/visas/etc., and it’s not necessarily due to intentional obfuscation - just a difference of opinion between various officials over which transliteration is “right”. The person whose documentation it is often has little or no control over how their name ends up being spelled.
(I don’t hold any brief for Ms. Butina - I hope she gets her comeuppance and takes the whole corrupt lot down with her - but this same thing has happened to some of my friends, who are now stuck with passports/driving license/etc. all having different spellings, and having to explain themselves frequently.)
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When any of these treasonous assholes actually serve any time and I mean substantial prison time, then I’ll celebrate. Until then, it’s a nothingburger. I can get a nothingburger just about anywhere.
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So many people showing up to obfuscate this story. I wonder why that is?
It’s not about sex. The sex is immaterial. Cash works just as well. The real story is the treachery.
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In the sense that apples are “sort of like” oranges because they’re both fruits?
It’s not so much that the countries are different but that the girls are.
Well, you know how it is, someone has to defend poor misunderstood Putin in these matters.
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I meant it’s not even “suspicious” that Putin would fund a “guns right” group despite not being the least bit “pro-gun rights.” To be suspicious, there would have to be some ambiguity about what the Russian government was actually doing with the group. But Putin’s attempts to infiltrate American conservative groups, and through them the US government, have been pretty obvious, at least given what we know now. So if we can’t call Putin’s activities “suspicious,” what do we call them?
I really hope this is the beginning of the end. It should be. But I keep hearing/seeing Republicans respond with, “Oh well, he meant to say ‘wouldn’t,’ not ‘would,’ that’s fine then, I’ll just ignore the fact that he stated the same sentiments in multiple ways, and continues to do so.”
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What if this Butina “did” Drumpf… that would be amusing.
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It could serve as another platform for promoting “patriotism”, like Putin’s favourite bikers.
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He is all about “transactional sex” so it’s not outside the realm of possibility. As amusing and pathetic as that would be, the unnamed American is more likely one of his henchmen (probably not a cabinet-level official but who knows with this bunch) or one of his GOP enablers in Congress. Whoever it is is next up on one of the several flip parades slowly making their way down Pennsylvania Ave.
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And neither did Butina’s indictment or subsequent filing specify who the person she was in a relationship with. Who she offered sex to. Which Russian personages she was involved with. Which Organizations she attempted to infiltrate. All of that’s come from subsequent reporting.
I caught some where that it was a GOP politician, but the person in question hasn’t specifically been identified as of yet.
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Unregistered lobbyist is not the same as “spy.” She was a spy.
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I certainly hope that image is animated or I’m starting to lose it.
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So the US gets to help Russia in exchange for…helping Russia? Sounds good to me.
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“This is the story that may unravel the presidency of Donald Trump.”
The ONLY thing that will unravel the presidency of Donald Trump will be to ELECT DEMOCRATS in November, and put immense pressure on them and on the remaining GOP to actually DO SOMETHING. Stop it with the magical thinking. He and the GOP traitors who have also benefitted from their treasonous collusion and conspiracy with Russia will stay in power if we sit around thinking Mueller will do it all on his own.
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There are certainly some GOP politicians who made use of hacked information. Gaetz and DeSantis are likely, and one of Brian Mast’s staffers openly admitted it, but I’m pretty sure it isn’t them in the indictment.
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The USA is going to be digging up all of Putin’s filthy buggers for some time, get used to it.
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She want to join NRA, hunt Moose and Squirrel. I do not see problem.
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Imagine how awkward things are going to get in Hell when today’s GOP leaders try to explain their actions to Joseph McCarthy.
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The former Russian Ambassador (McFaul), no less. Why is that bad? Because diplomatic staff are supposed to be protected. If Trump is willing to turn over McFaul, he’s willing to turn over anybody.
Honestly, every other country in the world should be pulling their own diplomatic staff from the US. Because if Trump is willing to do this, what would possibly make him respect the immunity of foreigners? The rules are gone. Time to get used to that.
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