Sharyl Attkisson’s latest piece about Paul Manafort may well be the one that causes our dear friends in the Resistance to finally explode in a cloud of angst, glitter glue, and patchouli. We get it, they’re already cranky that Manafort wasn’t charged with anything having to do with Russia interfering in the 2016 election but still … Attkisson’s questions are valid.
See for yourself.
Did you know thousands of well-connected US ex-politicians, lobbyists, law firms & PR firms are legally acting as "foreign agents" every day for foreign countries — including our supposed enemies? https://t.co/66CtkllD9I
— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 20, 2018
This editor did NOT know that. Guessing most Americans do not …
From The Hill:
As jurors deliberate the fate of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, it’s a bit of a letdown for Trump critics that Manafort wasn’t charged with anything having to do with alleged Russia collusion in the 2016 presidential campaign. So what’s his prosecution all about?
To understand, it helps to know a bit more about the murky universe in which Manafort and his closest colleagues operated.
It’s illegal for foreigners to directly give money to U.S. politicians and political parties. But there’s a legal way around that. Believe it or not, foreigners — even Russian President Vladimir Putin or North Korean President Kim Jong Un — are permitted to pay big money to hire well-connected U.S. public relations firms, law firms and lobbyists to act as their “foreign agents.” From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, more than 15,000 foreign entities have hired thousands of Americans to do just that.
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She continues …
In the end, if Manafort’s primary alleged crime was acting as a foreign agent, his real issue was failing to register sooner. If he’d done so, he’d arguably be much like thousands of other U.S. foreign agents paid to influence our politicians and public opinion in a way that’s perfectly legal.
Read the story here.
So if Manafort had registered sooner this would be a non-issue?
Thousands of US lobbyists, ex-politicians, PR firms and law firms act as "foreign agents" for foreigners including our supposed enemies every day. And it's legal. https://t.co/1zg9fIMUas… https://t.co/V9K9Lv2UtW
— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 20, 2018
How many were unregistered as such?
— ??ℝℂ? (@CyndiJorae) August 20, 2018
Fair question.
There's no way to know unless and until they are caught. Allegedly: Podesta, Manafort, Gates among others (though they have claimed they did not need to register). Most of those flagged over the years are allowed to simply register retroactively.
— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 20, 2018
Unless they’re somehow tied to Trump.
https://twitter.com/Milo01557032/status/1031599522391060480
Every day we’re amazed at Sharyl’s ability to keep her cool when people are acting like maniacs on her timeline.
…it's not hard (for me) to just follow the info and look of original stories. Usually, that kind of chatter has meant I'm close to important facts. So it's motivational. But it does require not getting worked up by the messengers and their followers on whatever side…
— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 20, 2018
That. ^
This one really freaked ’em out though:
Behind the headlines…what did Manafort & company do? https://t.co/BLHSm0iI6d pic.twitter.com/bneHWYqBQ4
— Sharyl Attkisson?️♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) August 20, 2018
Facts! NOOOOOO!
You are some hack "journalist." You focus only on the murkier aspects of foreign lobbying. Manafort has 18 charges. Your throwaway line about being "also accused" of tax fraud = hiding MILLIONS of dollars from the US government. Ask yourself: why do I consciously ignore that?
— hardeight (@hardeight) August 20, 2018
.@SharylAttkisson why is this legal? How does this benefit the US? Padding our lawmaker's pockets doesn't seem ethical to me. #Feelsdirty… #stopit.
— C-Glow {~_~} (@glow_frog) August 20, 2018
Sharyl never says it’s ethical, she just points out that this is nothing unique to Manafort which begs the question, what crime did he actually commit?
Hey man, we don’t know, we just work here.
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