Itā€™s Official: With ā€œVermin,ā€ Trump Is Now Using Straight-up Nazi Talk Heā€™s telling us what he will do to his political enemies if heā€™s president again. Is anyone listening?

I feel pretty safe in saying that we can now stop giving him the benefit of that particular doubt. His useā€”twice; once on social media, and then repeated in a speechā€”of the word ā€œverminā€ to describe his political enemies cannot be an accident. Thatā€™s an unusual word choice. Itā€™s not a smear that one just grabs out of the air. And it appears in history chiefly in one context, and one context only.

  • Madison420@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Very true.

    Sure, he canā€™t use it for legal defense though. Thatā€™s what heā€™s in trouble for now. It can be all of the above and fraud, if it has a specific purpose and heā€™s not using it for that then heā€™s committing fraud.

    Sure, thatā€™s not a legal defense though.

    • APassenger@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Thatā€™s the thing. Thereā€™s sloppy reporting going on and people have grown accustomed to thinking that Trump only does illegal things. He can spend from the Leadership PAC for his (or othersā€™) legal fees. This was ruled on by the government, so this isnā€™t ā€œeditorialā€ stuff.

      Heā€™s in the clear as long as heā€™s using Leadership PAC funds. His New York business accounts are in dispute. Thatā€™s worth $250 millionā€¦ but if he has access to more than that sum, he can afford lawyers - and likely his lifestyle.

      • Madison420@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        No he canā€™t unless itā€™s campaign related, Iā€™m not quite sure where youā€™re actually getting your info.

        The pac is being investigated as well.

        All that doesnā€™t matter because he wonā€™t pay his lawyers and yet he is collecting money specifically for legal fees. Thatā€™s fraud.

        • APassenger@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Whether he should or shouldnt be allowed to spend the Leadership PAC funds this way comes down to:

          • the law (Congress)
          • the FEC (enforcement/interpretation)

          The FEC says itā€™s fine. If he took money from a Leadership PAC and used it to have a tremendous week at Disney World, it would be fine. Should it be? No. But The regulatory apparatus says itā€™s fine.

          If you think I have this all wrong, Google things and post proof. Iā€™ve provided a link, used the key words a curious person could use to see how this is playing outā€¦ Iā€™ve googled your perspective. I do not find what you say.

          I believe topics are being conflated. Iā€™m clear that NY isnā€™t about PACs, he can use specific PAC funds for lawyers, and he does not have to pay every legal bill put forward.

          NY trial is about a specific amount of money and related to his ability to do business in that state. The ruling will result in him losing money. He hopes to appeal.

          He has other funding sources and the NY trial is (edit: NOT) locking up all of his money or money streams.

          • Madison420@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            He has other funding sources and the NY trial is locking up all of his money or money streams.

            Negates your own argument with your own words which I find fun.

            • APassenger@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              That was a typo, which is now fixed. My default means of engaging on lemmy doesnā€™t like the depth of responses we have.

              You can have the last word.

              If you get around to investing half the time you poured into this, can you Google the topics and see where things actually are? Lemmy will leave you with impressions that are skewed.

              • Madison420@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Itā€™s not even remotely half the time, weā€™re not exactly writing thesis here. I do research and itā€™s not on lemmy, but sure anyone who disagrees with you is of course unread and biasedā€¦ Sure keep on truckin buddy.