The money link
by digby
Like every other political writer, I've made the observation that the most likely reason for Trump's oddly out-of-character approach to Russia is the fact that he's likely in hock up to his ears to Russian mobsters and oligarchs. That's not to say he doesn't love him a handsome strongman too. And it's also completely plausible that the Russian government has put the squeeze on him in any number of ways as well as helped him to win the election with his full knowledge. I'm prepared to believe any of that as the evidence emerges. Right now we have a whole lot of evidence of something but the dots aren't yet completely connected.
The money connection is the most likely to bear fruit and this interview with a Russia expert at Vox is also worth reading. His view is that while there's ample evidence that there was a political motive behind the Russian interference in the election, and they aren't mutually exclusive, the relationship between Trump and the oligarchs is what made it possible rather than some ideological kinship.
Again, we don't know really. But there is something there and it's corrupt no matter which angle you take.
Update: Nothing to see here folks.
An accused Russian money launderer representing a Kremlin-friendly oligarch has been reportedly identified as the eighth person at a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. last June.
Irakly Kaveladze was a guest of Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya when she visited Trump and other campaign members in Trump Tower last year, Trump’s lawyer told CNN. The meeting was proposed by billionaire Russian real-estate developer Aras Agalarov. The billionaire is friendly with President Donald Trump, having hosted his Miss Universe 2013 pageant in Moscow and discussed real-estate deals with Trump.
The June 9, 2016 meeting was originally characterized by Trump Jr. as "primarily...about the adoption of Russian children." It was then revealed to have aso been about Agalarov providing “damaging information” on Hillary Clinton from the Kremlin. Joining Trump in the meeting were his brother-in-law, Jared Kushner, and campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
The eight visitors included Rob Goldstone, the manager of Agalarov’s pop-star son who reached out to Trump; Veselnitskaya, the lawyer with ties to Russian officials who lobbied the U.S. on behalf of Kremlin interests; her translator, Anatoli Samochornov; Veselnitskaya’s D.C.-based lobbyist, Rinat Akhmetshin, who was once accused of an international hacking conspiracy; and Kaveladze.
Kaveladze is an executive of Crocus Group, Agalarov’s Russian-based development company. Kaveladze’s LinkedIn page says he began working for Crocus Group in 2004, but a Russian webpage for the Economic Chronicle says he started in 1992 as Crocus’ U.S. associate. Kaveladze immigrated to the U.S. from the former Soviet republic of Georgia in 1991.
Federal investigators say Kaveladze immediately began laundering money for Russians..
read on ...
Update: The case the Vox interviewee refers to in the Southern District of New York ( not the district attorney as he says) was probably settled legitimately by the US Attorney that succeeded Preet Bharara, at least according to this. Apparently, all these Russians in Trump's orbit have suspicious financial dealings but not to the point the government believes it can get a conviction.
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