US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[Joe Molotov]

https://twitter.com/kurteichenwald/status/864534659006443524

[Mandark]

"During the O’Reilly Factor segment on June 21st, while engaged in a discussion on Lesbian gangs, I inadvertently stated that gang members carry pistols that are painted pink and call themselves the "Pink Pistol Packing Group." I was not referring to the gay rights group "Pink Pistols" who advocates for the lawful rights of gays to carry weapons for protection. Further, I mentioned that there are "over 150 of these gangs" in the greater Washington DC area. What I actually meant is that there are over 150 gangs in the Washington DC area, some of which are in fact lesbian gangs. Lastly, I mentioned in the segment that there is this "national epidemic" of lesbian gangs. A better choice of words would have been to say that there is a growing concern nationally, and especially in major urban areas, of increased gang activity, which includes some lesbian gang activity. I apologize for any misunderstanding this may have caused."

[I'm a Puppy!]

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/864512345074225153

Oh boy

1) Why would Trump want to give a speech on Islam?
2) Why would Saudi Arabia be like "yeah, this is exactly the type of guy we need to give a speech on our religion here in our house."?

[Nola]

Why are we talking about Seth Rich? Can we stick to relevant news?

The talking points came down late last night.

Drudge, Breitbart, and Fox all decided to pretend the Trump thing didn't happen and give an impromptu memorial for Seth Rich.

It sort of like how the same outlets decided to never talk about how Trump undermined and countered the WH's denial that the Russia investigation was a factor in the Comey firing. That coincidentally resulted in polls recently showing an overwhelming majority of Republicans saying Trump firing Comey had nothing to do with Russia.

[zomgee]

I can't imagine they have too many more distraction stories left. Maybe they can try Anthony Wiener's laptop again.

Or maybe they can wheel out Juanita Broaddrick.

[Oblivion]

In private, three administration officials conceded that they could not publicly articulate their most compelling — and honest — defense of the president: that Mr. Trump, a hasty and indifferent reader of printed briefing materials, simply did not possess the interest or knowledge of the granular details of intelligence gathering to leak specific sources and methods of intelligence gathering that would do harm to United States allies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/white-house-staff.html?_r=1

To reiterate: this is supposed to be their DEFENSE.   

[Human Snorenado]

So apparently the sources that Trump burned to the Russians (and thus the Iranians, and probably Hezbollah and the Syrians) were Israeli.

Gonna be an interesting middle east trip he takes next week...

[Mandark]

https://twitter.com/nytmike/status/864591993967607808


This guy.

[agrajag]

 

[Mandark]

Called his shot back on Thursday:


https://twitter.com/matthewamiller/status/862849567221534721

[Nola]

 

[Great Rumbler]

“I have seen and read the emails between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks,” the federal investigator told Fox News, confirming the MacFadyen connection. He said the emails are in possession of the FBI, while the stalled case is in the hands of the Washington Police Department.

A federal source confirming that Seth Rich sent e-mails to MacFadyen as a wikileaks correspondance. Rich's family trying not to be labeled the family of a traitor.

https://twitter.com/aseitzwald/status/864594316085297152

To clarify where the initial report came from: A Fox News/Breitbart contributor urged the family to hire a Fox News contributor to investigate their son's death and he just happened to find a direct link between Rich and Wikileaks.

[Nola]

A Fox News/Breitbart contributor urged the family to hire a Fox News contributor to investigate their son's death and he just happened to find a direct link between Rich and Wikileaks.

I guess depression and loss and all that, but why in the fuck would the family do that?

Haven't they basically disowned this report too?

[Human Snorenado]

Trump: *kills a bunch of white orphans on the south lawn*

Paul Ryan: this is concerning if true

[Great Rumbler]

Trump: *kills a bunch of white orphans on the south lawn*

Paul Ryan: this is concerning if true

Mitch McConnell: We could do with a little less baby killing so we can focus on deregulation, tax reform and repealing and replacing Obamacare

[Oblivion]

Trump: *kills a bunch of white orphans on the south lawn*

Paul Ryan: look, I've said before I'm no longer going to comment on the day to day issues the President is accused of

fixed

[Phoenix Dark]

https://twitter.com/TheLeadCNN/status/864574596128886784

whewww

[Oblivion]

UH OH SPHAGHETTIOS:

https://twitter.com/rvawonk/status/864599109096919041

[Atramental]

What a time to be alive. 

[brawndolicious]

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/16/graham-comey-firing-senate-238463

Lindsey Graham just invited Comey to testify PUBLICLY at a Senate hearing as Comey requested.

I wonder how often fired FBI directors are asked to do that.

[Madrun Badrun]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/nato-donald-trump-four-minute-time-limit-keep-us-president-attention-span-meeting-a7738626.html

[VomKriege]

Comey looking forward to taking down yet another presidential candidate ?

[Joe Molotov]

Tonight
White House Spox: "This is completely untrue, President Trump never discussed Mike Flynn with Director Comey nor tried to influence any ongoing investigations"

Tomorrow Morning
Donald Trump: "So Comey, one of the worst FBI Directors of all-time, okay?, he was wasting time with this Russian thing, which is totally FAKE NEWS by the way, you know? So I told him, hey I hope you can just let this Mike Flynn thing go, okay? Mike Flynn is a great guy, and the press treated him so badly. So I said, can you just drop this thing, right? This is just the media trying to make this stuff up because they were so wrong about me and they gotten beat so badly that they don't want to focus on the real story, okay? Who's doing the leaking, I said? This leaking is not good, Comey, you need to find the leakers.

[agrajag]

You forgot to work in his landslide electoral college victory in there, but that's pretty spot on otherwise.

[agrajag]

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/16/graham-comey-firing-senate-238463

Lindsey Graham just invited Comey to testify PUBLICLY at a Senate hearing as Comey requested.

I wonder how often fired FBI directors are asked to do that.

When you're a grand-stander attention whore like Comey, at least a dozen times.

[Atramental]

Comrade Comey. Deposing neo-liberal shills and oligarchs. 

[VomKriege]

In private, three administration officials conceded that they could not publicly articulate their most compelling — and honest — defense of the president: that Mr. Trump, a hasty and indifferent reader of printed briefing materials, simply did not possess the interest or knowledge of the granular details of intelligence gathering to leak specific sources and methods of intelligence gathering that would do harm to United States allies.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/16/us/white-house-staff.html?_r=1

To reiterate: this is supposed to be their DEFENSE.   

I was elected to lead, not to read

Didn't they already said that about one of the executive orders or the healthcare repeal ?

[bluemax]

https://twitter.com/toddlevin/status/864229213032677376

[Great Rumbler]

https://twitter.com/rachaelmbade/status/864603264632934400

https://twitter.com/rachaelmbade/status/864603875898257410

https://twitter.com/sarahcwestwood/status/864611207545843713

https://twitter.com/rachaelmbade/status/864608676740554752

whew lads

[etiolate]

“I have seen and read the emails between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks,” the federal investigator told Fox News, confirming the MacFadyen connection. He said the emails are in possession of the FBI, while the stalled case is in the hands of the Washington Police Department.

A federal source confirming that Seth Rich sent e-mails to MacFadyen as a wikileaks correspondance. Rich's family trying not to be labeled the family of a traitor.

https://twitter.com/aseitzwald/status/864594316085297152

To clarify where the initial report came from: A Fox News/Breitbart contributor urged the family to hire a Fox News contributor to investigate their son's death and he just happened to find a direct link between Rich and Wikileaks.

Going to illustrate to you spin control.

Wheeler said on Monday there was evidence to support the conspiracy theories

Who said the conspiracy theorists were right? (And what was the conspiracy?)

Just two months shy of the one-year anniversary of Rich's death, FOX 5 has learned there is new information that could prove these theorists right.

So Fox 5 said that, not Wheeler. However, more effective to attack the character of Wheeler, and mention what primo Intellectual Coward Mandark posted, a whole bunch of nothing about lesbian gangs that is poor wording and OTHER people getting confused.

So wait what was that which Wheeler claimed?

Wheeler, who did not respond to request for comment from NBC News, revived Rich's murder by making explosive claims to a local Fox affiliate that Rich was in contact with Wikileaks before his death and that the local police and FBI were covering that up.

According to your article.

According to the original article:

Rod Wheeler, a private investigator hired by the Rich family, suggests there is tangible evidence on Rich's laptop that confirms he was communicating with WikiLeaks prior to his death

He said he believes there is a cover-up and the police department has been told to back down from the investigation.

So two actual claims: There were wikileaks correspondance on Seth Rich's email. The police are stalling to cover up the investigation. The second claim is indeed a conspiracy but Wheeler's own claim, rather than the rampant actual conspiracy theories on the internet (which are separate from Rich's report).

As for the wikilinks bit, we have FBI officials denying it and other federal sources confirming it, which is why what I posted specifically names a federal source rather than Wheeler.

Also, Seth Rich was murdered and it was no botched robbery. A botched robbery isn't two shots in the back and all your valuables left on you. That part is suspect as hell to any discerning person. The actual conspiracy theories are Clinton Globalist Alex Jones shadow government hitman stuff. Rich was killed, but robbery wasn't the reason why and continuing that lie helps feed the nuts. Continuing that lie doesn't leave me to believe your later claims to the press about laptops either.

As much smoke as you all chase, in the end you don't believe in the truth. It's just tribal war for many of you. I'm supposed to discount one report because of how it serves a political party and yet believe any other Trump report because of how it serves a political party. That's not how I operate. I can see Trump is a liability because he doesn't know how to do the job and still see that Seth Rich killing is worth attention.

[Nola]

Why are we talking about Seth Rich? Can we stick to relevant news?

The talking points came down late last night.

Drudge, Breitbart, and Fox all decided to pretend the Trump thing didn't happen and give an impromptu memorial for Seth Rich.

It sort of like how the same outlets decided to never talk about how Trump undermined and countered the WH's denial that the Russia investigation was a factor in the Comey firing. That coincidentally resulted in polls recently showing an overwhelming majority of Republicans saying Trump firing Comey had nothing to do with Russia.

Huh, you're right. I just checked r/the_donald, and the entire front page is Seth Rich stuff.

Only the hardcore partisans are going to follow that shiny object though. All that really matters are the undecideds who gave Trump his margin of victory.

I guess it depends on how you define "partisans."

Nixon was knee deep into Watergate with ~75% approval ratings from Republicans. Left office with 50% approval from Republicans.

Just last week a WSJ poll showed that two-thirds of Republicans believed that Comey's firing had nothing to do with the Russia investigation, despite Trump admitting to it point blank. Which makes sense when you recognize that the whole of the right-wing news media buried that interview and instead focused on liberal hypocrisy about Comey during that media cycle. So what most Republicans got in their world was the White House's initial denial, defenses of that firing, and then a bunch of bullshit about liberal hypocrisy in place of the NBC Trump interview.

To me it's not so much about how many people follow the shiny objects down the well, so much as how successful the echo chamber is at minimizing/controlling negative narratives toward the Trump/conservative brand and keeping the fire of hatred for "liberals" burning bright.

[Madrun Badrun]

Who the frick is Seth Rich and why does anyone give a shit about him when there's all this Trump fuckery to feast upon? 

He's Vince Foster in disguise. 

[Madrun Badrun]

https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/6bkkqt/graham_invites_comey_to_testify_before_senate/dhndxcy/

[Great Rumbler]

stuff

W H A T A R E Y O U T A L K I N G A B O U T
H
A
T
A
R
E
Y
O
U
T
A
L
K
I
N
G
A
B
O
U
T

[etiolate]

AVOIDRESPONDINGTOETIOLATEDIRECTLYCUZHEOWNDURASS

ISAVEVAPORWAVESPACINGFORTHETRULYWORTHY

[Madrun Badrun]

AVOIDRESPONDINGTOETIOLATEDIRECTLYCUZHEOWNDURASS

ISAVEVAPORWAVESPACINGFORTHETRULYWORTHY

If you're so smart, why is your second line not vertical? 

[Nola]

Also, Seth Rich was murdered and it was no botched robbery. A botched robbery isn't two shots in the back and all your valuables left on you. That part is suspect as hell to any discerning person. The actual conspiracy theories are Clinton Globalist Alex Jones shadow government hitman stuff. Rich was killed, but robbery wasn't the reason why and continuing that lie helps feed the nuts. Continuing that lie doesn't leave me to believe your later claims to the press about laptops either.

As much smoke as you all chase, in the end you don't believe in the truth. It's just tribal war for many of you. I'm supposed to discount one report because of how it serves a political party and yet believe any other Trump report because of how it serves a political party. That's not how I operate. I can see Trump is a liability because he doesn't know how to do the job and still see that Seth Rich killing is worth attention.

You understand speculation is not evidence right? And you connected that Fox 5 seems to be using Wheeler as their source for that piece?

Just because something feels off doesn't mean the explanation you think feels more correct is the "truth" and the stated explanation is unequivocally "false." Starting off your argument with such a gross logical misstep and carrying it through your rant kinda calls into question your ability to rationally weave through this story. Just saying.

As it stands we have multiple sources saying the FBI never had the laptop, that no emails we're found. On the other hand you have Fox News contributor Rod Wheeler asserting a single source under questionable motivations, within the narrative of pushing a conspiracy angle.


I really am not going to go much further with this nonsense, because as of right now that is all it is.

[Boogie]

I can't believe I'm even going to waste three sentences on this, because I really don't actually give a shit, but

Also, Seth Rich was murdered and it was no botched robbery. A botched robbery isn't two shots in the back and all your valuables left on you. That part is suspect as hell to any discerning person.
. . .
Rich was killed, but robbery wasn't the reason why

Oh?  Thank you for that informed asssessment.   And your extensive background in law enforcement and criminality is......?

[curly]

It's amazing that etoilet still manages to post after being declared officially brain dead by a team of medical professionals.

[agrajag]

https://twitter.com/gfish3000/status/864538031079817217

I read Russian brehs. It says:

"According to sources at the White House, the President described in detail a new threat coming from ISIS in connection to laptop computers on airlines. Trump described how terrorist are able to make specific attacks, and explained the harm that they could bring. He also named a city, controlled by the terrorist group, where a certain partner of the US in matters of intelligence discovered a new threat. According to aides, Trump described the steps the US has taken against the threat of ISIS, including combat operations in Iraq and Syria, and also the strengthening of security."

[Madrun Badrun]

#Blabbergate  I like it

[etiolate]

Also, Seth Rich was murdered and it was no botched robbery. A botched robbery isn't two shots in the back and all your valuables left on you. That part is suspect as hell to any discerning person. The actual conspiracy theories are Clinton Globalist Alex Jones shadow government hitman stuff. Rich was killed, but robbery wasn't the reason why and continuing that lie helps feed the nuts. Continuing that lie doesn't leave me to believe your later claims to the press about laptops either.

As much smoke as you all chase, in the end you don't believe in the truth. It's just tribal war for many of you. I'm supposed to discount one report because of how it serves a political party and yet believe any other Trump report because of how it serves a political party. That's not how I operate. I can see Trump is a liability because he doesn't know how to do the job and still see that Seth Rich killing is worth attention.

You understand speculation is not evidence right? And you connected that Fox 5 seems to be using Wheeler as their source for that piece?

Just because something feels off doesn't mean the explanation you think feels more correct is the "truth" and the stated explanation is unequivocally "false." Starting off your argument with such a gross logical misstep and carrying it through your rant kinda calls into question your ability to rationally weave through this story. Just saying.

As it stands we have multiple sources saying the FBI never had the laptop, that no emails we're found. On the other hand you have Fox News contributor Rod Wheeler asserting a single source under questionable motivations, within the narrative of pushing a conspiracy angle.


I really am not going to go much further with this nonsense, because as of right now that is all it is.

Everyone is missing this part: The confirmation is a source of Fox News. Wheeler has his source, which he says is in the local police. It is a federal investigator that Fox News is quoting. Wheeler claimed to have people in the police and FBI. It is a FBI official that NBC quotes. The other NBC source is former FBI.

The local police are a source, but I don't take them seriously until they stop the botched robbery line or someone corrects that. Yes, the police suspect a botched robbery but who the fuck would suspect that? It's such a ridiculous view of the murder scene that I don't trust them.

Also, Wheeler said this about where the laptop is:

The police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming,” said Wheeler. “They haven't been cooperating at all. I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI. I have been told both.”

Now note how you've had this framed into the argument that Wheeler said the FBI had the laptop, some people deny that, so obviously this is all right wingo false. The press helped create a strawman against Wheeler and you fell into it quite easily.

I'm not saying Wheeler isn't possibly biased or suspect. I just recognize the manipulative approach in the press and how easily some of you fell for it. 1. Claim it's all Wheeler. 2. Character assassinate. 3. Paint strawman that Wheeler claimed the FBI had the laptop for certain. 4. Tear down that strawman.

[Nola]

https://twitter.com/gfish3000/status/864538031079817217

I read Russian brehs. It says:

"According to sources at the White House, the President described in detail a new threat coming from ISIS in connection to laptop computers on airlines. Trump described how terrorist are able to make specific attacks, and explained the harm that they could bring. He also named a city, controlled by the terrorist group, where a certain partner of the US in matters of intelligence discovered a new threat. According to aides, Trump described the steps the US has taken against the threat of ISIS, including combat operations in Iraq and Syria, and also the strengthening of security."

GAF was right, there are Russian spies in their midst 

[Boogie]

The local police are a source, but I don't take them seriously until they stop the botched robbery line or someone corrects that. Yes, the police suspect a botched robbery but who the fuck would suspect that? It's such a ridiculous view of the murder scene that I don't trust them.

Right, again, this conclusion is based on your own extensive law enforcement experience, I am assuming.

[Human Snorenado]

Joe/Rumbler, ask demi how much I need to pay to have etoilet lepered to the point where anything he posts is just a gif of poop coming out of Trump's mouth or something

[etiolate]

The local police are a source, but I don't take them seriously until they stop the botched robbery line or someone corrects that. Yes, the police suspect a botched robbery but who the fuck would suspect that? It's such a ridiculous view of the murder scene that I don't trust them.

Right, again, this conclusion is based on your own extensive law enforcement experience, I am assuming.

It's on my long history of healthy skepticism and bullshit detection. If someone was murdered via being shot twice in the back and had all their valuables left on them with no sign of attempted theft, and you told me that it was a botched robbery then I'd call bullshit on you.

If you had a point or explanation oh how that death is the result of a robbery then you could offer it.

[Nola]

Everyone is missing this part: The confirmation is a source of Fox News. Wheeler has his source, which he says is in the local police. It is a federal investigator that Fox News is quoting. Wheeler claimed to have people in the police and FBI. It is a FBI official that NBC quotes. The other NBC source is former FBI.

The local police are a source, but I don't take them seriously until they stop the botched robbery line or someone corrects that. Yes, the police suspect a botched robbery but who the fuck would suspect that? It's such a ridiculous view of the murder scene that I don't trust them.

Also, Wheeler said this about where the laptop is:

The police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming,” said Wheeler. “They haven't been cooperating at all. I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI. I have been told both.”

Now note how you've had this framed into the argument that Wheeler said the FBI had the laptop, some people deny that, so obviously this is all right wingo false. The press helped create a strawman against Wheeler and you fell into it quite easily.

I'm not saying Wheeler isn't possibly biased or suspect. I just recognize the manipulative approach in the press and how easily some of you fell for it. 1. Claim it's all Wheeler. 2. Character assassinate. 3. Paint strawman that Wheeler claimed the FBI had the laptop for certain. 4. Tear down that strawman.

The entire Fox 5 piece is sourcing Wheeler for their story.

- Wheeler claims someone within the FBI has informed him of emails being present.

- NBC has spoken to two FBI investigators, one current, one former, and has spoken to someone on the DC police force involved on the case. They all claim the laptop never made it to the FBI and the DC source claims no emails we're found.

So right now Wheeler seems to be on shaky ground, with independent sources disavowing his entire narrative. 

Right now that is where we are.

A murder, initially ruled as a botched robbery, with no further leads. Rampant conspiracy laden speculation that led to a millionaire and occasional Fox-News contributor funding another paid Fox News contributor to look into the conspiracy. One source that requires trust in the credibility of Wheeler and Fox News, and three sources from NBC and the official words of the DC police... And a forum dolt that thinks his keyboard homicide detective skills and poor reasoning enshrine him with enough credibility to declare the DC police have falsified the investigation.

For someone claiming to have a bullshit detector, curious how you are conveniently giving equal weight to a partisan funded Fox investigation leaning on one source and NBC with three independent sources.

[Purrp Skirrp]

[Boogie]

It's on my long history of healthy skepticism and bullshit detection. If someone was murdered via being shot twice in the back and had all their valuables left on them with no sign of attempted theft, and you told me that it was a botched robbery then I'd call bullshit on you.

If you had a point or explanation oh how that death is the result of a robbery then you could offer it.

So, two shots in the back, and valuables not being taken are the only "evidence" you can point to, to declare the robbery theory as absurd.

Well, I can't claim to have a long history of healthy skepticism and bullshit detection, but I do have just shy of a decade in law enforcement, and that doesn't make me bat an eye for a second.

Here's the secret, etiolate, that has so escaped you:

Criminals are not always rational, you dumbshit.

Yeah, you fuck up a robbery, shoot the target, you might loot the guy before bailing the fuck out.

OR

You just fucked up a robbery, shot the target (WHO IS NOT DEAD YET, HE LIVED AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES AFTER POLICE FOUND HIM), you might fucking panic, not take the time to rustle through the not-yet-dead-guy's shit to steal valuables, giving him more opportunity to ID you if he survives, and you just take off instead, because "OH FUCK I JUST SHOT HIM THAT WASN'T WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN".

Don't want to take the extra time to take his valuables, when you just fired gunshots off, because police could be there any second.

.....which was smart of the suspect(s), as it turned out, as the news articles of the event detail that police patrolling nearby, responded immediately to the sound/reports of gunfire.

[Human Snorenado]

I'm sorry you guys, you just don't understand.

This is about ethics in crime journalism.

[Phoenix Dark]

etoilet talking conspiracies like other Trump stans today to deflect the actual major news story of the week? stunning 

[Boogie]

Or the short version:

If a criminal shoots someone, steals all their money and valuables, and gets away without detection, it isn't a "botched robbery."   It's a successful one.

[etiolate]

It's on my long history of healthy skepticism and bullshit detection. If someone was murdered via being shot twice in the back and had all their valuables left on them with no sign of attempted theft, and you told me that it was a botched robbery then I'd call bullshit on you.

If you had a point or explanation oh how that death is the result of a robbery then you could offer it.

So, two shots in the back, and valuables not being taken are the only "evidence" you can point to, to declare the robbery theory as absurd.

Well, I can't claim to have a long history of healthy skepticism and bullshit detection, but I do have just shy of a decade in law enforcement, and that doesn't make me bat an eye for a second.

Here's the secret, etiolate, that has so escaped you:

Criminals are not always rational, you dumbshit.

Yeah, you fuck up a robbery, shoot the target, you might loot the guy before bailing the fuck out.

OR

You just fucked up a robbery, shot the target (WHO IS NOT DEAD YET, HE LIVED AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES AFTER POLICE FOUND HIM), you might fucking panic, not take the time to rustle through the not-yet-dead-guy's shit to steal valuables, giving him more opportunity to ID you if he survives, and you just take off instead, because "OH FUCK I JUST SHOT HIM THAT WASN'T WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN".

Don't want to take the extra time to take his valuables, when you just fired gunshots off, because police could be there any second.

.....which was smart of the suspect(s), as it turned out, as the news articles of the event detail that police patrolling nearby, responded immediately to the sound/reports of gunfire.

Irrational sequence of events is always a plausibility. It's still suspect. I understand panic, but I don't understand how a panic situation has someone shot twice in the back in a robbery. I don't find that to be convincing enough an argument to ignore the suspect nature. You sort of have to have Rich respond to the robber by turning away from him (maybe running), the robber shooting him for it and then panic n flee. It's still a highly questionable explanation. The main issue with the intended murder explanation is that he was left partially alive.

[etiolate]

Everyone is missing this part: The confirmation is a source of Fox News. Wheeler has his source, which he says is in the local police. It is a federal investigator that Fox News is quoting. Wheeler claimed to have people in the police and FBI. It is a FBI official that NBC quotes. The other NBC source is former FBI.

The local police are a source, but I don't take them seriously until they stop the botched robbery line or someone corrects that. Yes, the police suspect a botched robbery but who the fuck would suspect that? It's such a ridiculous view of the murder scene that I don't trust them.

Also, Wheeler said this about where the laptop is:

The police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming,” said Wheeler. “They haven't been cooperating at all. I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI. I have been told both.”

Now note how you've had this framed into the argument that Wheeler said the FBI had the laptop, some people deny that, so obviously this is all right wingo false. The press helped create a strawman against Wheeler and you fell into it quite easily.

I'm not saying Wheeler isn't possibly biased or suspect. I just recognize the manipulative approach in the press and how easily some of you fell for it. 1. Claim it's all Wheeler. 2. Character assassinate. 3. Paint strawman that Wheeler claimed the FBI had the laptop for certain. 4. Tear down that strawman.

The entire Fox 5 piece is sourcing Wheeler for their story.

- Wheeler claims someone within the FBI has informed him of emails being present.

- NBC has spoken to two FBI investigators, one current, one former, and has spoken to someone on the DC police force involved on the case. They all claim the laptop never made it to the FBI and the DC source claims no emails we're found.

So right now Wheeler seems to be on shaky ground, with independent sources disavowing his entire narrative. 

Right now that is where we are.

A murder, initially ruled as a botched robbery, with no further leads. Rampant conspiracy laden speculation that led to a millionaire and occasional Fox-News contributor funding another paid Fox News contributor to look into the conspiracy. One source that requires trust in the credibility of Wheeler and Fox News, and three sources from NBC and the official words of the DC police... And a forum dolt that thinks his keyboard homicide detective skills and poor reasoning enshrine him with enough credibility to declare the DC police have falsified the investigation.

For someone claiming to have a bullshit detector, curious how you are conveniently giving equal weight to a partisan funded Fox investigation leaning on one source and NBC with three independent sources.

The Fox 5 only sources Wheeler.

Fox News is what I quoted.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/05/16/slain-dnc-staffer-had-contact-with-wikileaks-investigator-says.html

Respond to how I illustrated how you got manipulated by press and you'll realize why I don't put any extra special credit to NBC than I do Fox News.

Also note how I didn't distract from the Trump story of the day and included it, but you got distracted trying to paint normal suspicion and interest in a story as craziness.

[Boogie]

You sort of have to have Rich respond to the robber by turning away from him (maybe running), the robber shooting him for it and then panic n flee.

Right, exactly.  Robbery attempt, there's a struggle. "There had been a struggle. His hands were bruised, his knees are bruised, his face is bruised", Rich turns and runs, suspect maybe pissed, takes a couple shots.  Realizes "oh fuck, this has gone sideways", panics and flees.

It's still a highly questionable explanation.

....no.   It's not.  It's a completely plausible explanation, as likely as any other given the available facts.

You asserting it to be of a "suspect nature" or "questionable" does not make it so.  You have no basis for declaring it to be "suspect" other than your own presuppositions about crime and criminals.

[I'm a Puppy!]

One of these posters is in law enforcement and would probably have some experience as to how robberies actually go down. The other generally has "toilet" as part of their nickname.

[Phoenix Dark]

https://twitter.com/HotlineJosh/status/864638758859288576
WELP

[I'm a Puppy!]

Eh, I'll believe it when it happens.

[Phoenix Dark]

Story on DNC staffer's murder dominated conservative media -- hours later it fell apart

But Tuesday afternoon, Wheeler told CNN he had no evidence to suggest Rich had contacted Wikileaks before his death.

Wheeler instead said he only learned about the possible existence of such evidence through the reporter he spoke to for the FoxNews.com story. He explained that the comments he made to WTTG-TV were intended to simply preview Fox News' Tuesday story. The WTTG-TV news director did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

"I only got that [information] from the reporter at Fox News," Wheeler told CNN.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/16/media/seth-rich-family-response-claims-of-wikileaks-contact/index.html

[etiolate]

Okay we trust Wheeler now. Good to hear.