We’re old enough to remember a couple of weeks there when the New York Times and the Washington Post were taking turns dropping a Trump-related bombshell every weeknight, usually sometime between 5:30 and 6 p.m.
A lot of those bombshells were straight-up duds that fizzled out overnight, while others eventually led to D.C. area bars opening early for James Comey watch parties … and then those fizzled out.
Monday night’s bombshell report from the New York Times must be the big one, right? Sure, it could use a named source or two to go on record, but for now the Times is reporting that not only did Donald Trump Jr. meet with a Russian lawyer who was said to have had some compromising information on Hillary Clinton — an email reveals he was told it was part of a government effort to assist his bid for the presidency.
whoa Drudge pic.twitter.com/kCSFfrR6Ri
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) July 11, 2017
Drudge Report makes its centerpiece story a photo of Red Square with two words "THE EMAIL" — and a link to NYT. pic.twitter.com/8J0Vs3x1V7
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 11, 2017
I see that this is going to be another night of angry Dems and journos wanting to relitigate the 2016 election. ?????
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) July 11, 2017
Yep.
new – Don Jr. told in email ahead of mtg w Russian lawyer that bad info on Clinton was part of Russian govt effort https://t.co/3xT1QDAr2a
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 11, 2017
Holy smokes: Trump Jr. was told b4 mtg that damaging info on Clinton came from Russian govt seeking to help Trump. https://t.co/kDYdTcsLpK
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/RosieGray/status/884586503665528832
How many people are you guys cc–ing on your emails? Maybe I'm doing this wrong? https://t.co/zYNebJGFJt
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) July 11, 2017
So is the story now that the Russians set Trump Jr. up?
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) July 11, 2017
I mean, I see people like Frum and Goddard going on about collusion…but Trump Jr. didn't get any goods, right? They set him up.
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) July 11, 2017
That seems sorta the opposite of collusion, no?
— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) July 11, 2017
Truth about DJT Jr. story: even if all alleged is true (a big "if," lest we get out over our skis), it's not criminal. Just super-sleazy.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) July 11, 2017
All credit to NYT for these stories. But there's still no crime alleged. Just behavior of unprincipled thugs who want to win at all costs.
— Damon Linker (@DamonLinker) July 11, 2017
Unprincipled thugs who want to win at all costs? Let’s just stick to the Trump campaign right now.
Alleged collusion seems like at least a theoretical possibility posed by Don Jr's behavior. https://t.co/LMoqLUI2qS
— Liz Mair (@LizMair) July 11, 2017
Not exactly true https://t.co/Qq1dWjiPIe https://t.co/83ntgd7CEh
— Taegan Goddard (@politicalwire) July 11, 2017
Legally significant because this is
(1) written evidence
(2) before the meeting
(3) stating Russian gov involvement https://t.co/Ae5QbK0sh4— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) July 11, 2017
If @nytimes is right, #DonaldTrumpJr was told the lawyer who claimed to have dirt on #Hillary was repping #Russian govt. Ding, ding, ding.
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) July 11, 2017
That’s three tolls of the bell from Howard Fineman — that or his microwave popcorn is ready.
The moment Donald Trump Jr got the email saying that the Russian government wanted to aid Trump's campaign, he should've called the FBI. pic.twitter.com/eviuaBxLzI
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 11, 2017
Instead Trump Jr not only went along w/ the meeting, but lied about what the meeting was about. If the meeting was innocent, why did he lie?
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 11, 2017
It's one thing to accept help from a political operative in the US, it's another to bring your team to meet with RUSSIA for political dirt.
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 11, 2017
Trump Jr brought key staff with to meet with Russia *knowing that their gov't wanted to help Trump's campaign.* How is that not a big story?
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) July 11, 2017
If someone contacts you claiming that the Russian gov't wants to feed you intel about another American, you should contact the FBI.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) July 11, 2017
This isn't controversial or difficult. That doesn't mean that taking the meeting is illegal, but it certainly is not ethically defensible. https://t.co/y1e2zW2fjl
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) July 11, 2017
I mean, what could the response to this be? pic.twitter.com/WYqcYIXoWH
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) July 11, 2017
There's just no spin I can even think of to this https://t.co/rgNC8EeXEk
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) July 11, 2017
According to three people with knowledge of the email, hmm?
So who are the three people with knowledge of this email talking to the Times if not the sender and the recipient?
— Liam Donovan (@LPDonovan) July 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/SethAMandel/status/884590768035385344
Do I think it's true? I want to see the e-mail rather than a mere characterization of it by NYT (that's a flag for me) but yeah, plausible.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) July 11, 2017
When will the public see this email?
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 11, 2017
Why haven't these sources printed the emails for the reporters to see? https://t.co/GRfLnU4HF8
— EdAsante (@EdAsante77) July 11, 2017
Yes, where is the email?
Tonight's NYT story is a big one. Caution is also warranted about what this email might actually say. https://t.co/yzJCXXILZ5 pic.twitter.com/Mqonr3WocX
— Matt Ford (@fordm) July 11, 2017
Until that’s made public, lawyers are doing the talking.
Alan Futerfas, newly hired attorney by Donald Trump Jr sends this statement to @ABC reacting to latest NYT story https://t.co/pPLYMBcI3y pic.twitter.com/NQpDrYMFef
— John Santucci (@Santucci) July 11, 2017
"The meeting lasted about 20-30 minutes, and nothing came of it. His father knew nothing about it," Don Jr's lawyer says in statement.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 11, 2017
"Don Jr has not received any request from any committee or office. If we do, we will work with (them) to convey what he knows," lawyer says. https://t.co/wplqUUZmop
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) July 11, 2017
Mark Corallo's statement to @GuardianUS about the NYT story pic.twitter.com/fgGsQyA7Er
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) July 11, 2017
So, I guess we're never going to stop talking about emails.
— Tamara Keith (@tamarakeithNPR) July 11, 2017
the main takeaway from 2016 is never email
— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) July 11, 2017
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Related:
Is the media overreaching on the Donald Trump Jr.–Russia story? https://t.co/VFmy1RUTgc
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 10, 2017
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