Saturday, September 21, 2024

'From Russia with Lev'

A great documentary on the goings on, conviction, openness of Lev and the Ukraine interconnects, somehow Rudy is still free, should have been jailed as well ... Look for it on-demand, whatever it takes ... It's very eye opening, but unfortunately, the people who truly NEED to see this film, never will.

Posted by OCUser at 12:31 PM | 29 COMMENTS | permalink

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From Executive Producer Rachel Maddow, "From Russia With Lev" reveals the outrageous scheme that led to former President Donald Trump's first impeachment. It follows the much, much larger-than-life journey of Lev Parnas, a Ukrainian-born hustler and former small-time mafia operator whose random, almost accidental association with Trump and Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani took him around the world, and ultimately to prison. Lev reveals the ham-handed workings of the furtive campaign to dredge up false but damaging allegations against then-candidate Joe Biden.

Comments

Watched it last night on MSNBC. Excellent well done piece.

#1 | Posted by shoeless at 2024-09-21 08:53 AM

The feature length documentary, 'From Russia with Lev', will be rebroadcast tonight on MSNBC at 8:00pm ET.

OCU

#2 | Posted by OCUser at 2024-09-21 11:44 AM

I recorded it. Will watch it sometime this week.

#3 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-09-21 04:04 PM

Lev Parnas
@levparnas

**Hey @realDonaldTrump**, why the deafening silence on my movie "From Russia with Lev"? Is the Donald scared? I thought you weren't afraid of anyone! Speak up, man! What's got you spooked? #TrumpScared #FromRussiaWithLev

4:01 PM Sep 21, 2024

#4 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-09-21 09:00 PM

@#4 ... why the deafening silence ...

If i may proffer an answer to that question based upon my experience here ...

Likely for the same reason why I see [crickets] to the many questions I ask on this most august discussion site.

The folk to whom I direct such questions cannot answer them.

Did I catch them in a lie?

My guess would be "yes."

But I do not know that for sure.


#5 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-21 09:23 PM

I watched it last night, too. I struggle to find the words to describe the warped mentality of Donald Trump and how close we, as country, came to being under the control of such a person who, in my opinion and without hyperbole, belongs in a mental institution. Seriously!

#6 | Posted by Twinpac at 2024-09-21 11:31 PM

The difference between 2020 and 2024 is that Trump's mental depravity has become worse.

Now he's a ticking timebomb.

And yes, if he loses this election, he will pull another January 6. But this time, the new killing field will start from within.

#7 | Posted by Twinpac at 2024-09-22 12:40 AM

@#7 ... The difference between 2020 and 2024 is that Trump's mental depravity has become worse ...

I am not convinced of "depravity."

Degradation? Yeah I'd agree with that.

But my current opinion is that fmr Pres Trump's depravity has not gotten worse.

However the apparent degradation of his mental facilities that I may see seem to be emphasizing the depravity that likely has always existed within him.

Stated from another angle...

I'd proffer that fmr Pres Trump's rant four days ago in NY ( drudge.com ) is not an indication that his mental depravity has gotten worse.

To my view, it is just another example of that mental depravity that may have always been there, but is only surfacing more frequently nowadays.


#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-22 12:54 AM

Watched twice. Lev Parnas was a real fool who thought he'd get rich hanging out with Trump-supporting multi-millionaires and billionaires. And Rudy Giuliani became Parnas's handler as a backdoor alternative Secretary of State to do Trump's dirty work to make Putin happy.

What the documentary succeeds at is showing what a corrupt Giuliani did at Trump's behest. It also shows how quickly Trump throws his abetting cronies under the bus to keep himself from being discovered as the one pulling his cronies's strings in committing a broad array of criminal acts to implement Trump's wishes. Suckers? Yes.

You have to wonder how many others in Trump's orbit have broken laws to make Trump happy? Anyone know about the convoluted path from Egypt to Trump thst moved $50 million Trump's way when he was President? This documentary doesn't get into that potentially impeachable emolument, but it does show how Tdump associates with such bad actors to engage in crimes on his behalf. It insinuates too that Giuliani and Trump were doing much to keep Putin happy.

In the end, Giuliani is the biggest loser, now at the verge of bankruptcy. One wonders how Parnas retained so much accumulated wealth. Seems that Parnas's lifestyle isn't so bad for someone who went to jail working in the name of Trump in illegal ways that led to jail time. Still, it's great that Parnas helped make this documentary possible.

#9 | Posted by Augustine at 2024-09-22 01:41 AM

In the end, Giuliani is the biggest loser, now at the verge of bankruptcy.

And felony criminal indictments in AZ and GA

#10 | Posted by AMERICANUNITY at 2024-09-22 01:48 AM

@#9 ... You have to wonder how many others in Trump's orbit have broken laws to make Trump happy? ...

What Trump allies have faced criminal charges? (August 2023)
www.reuters.com

... Here is a look at some of the Trump aides and allies who have faced criminal prosecution.

STEVE BANNON
Trump's former campaign and White House strategist was convicted in 2022 of contempt of Congress. Bannon was charged after defying a demand to appear before a U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol attack by Trump supporters seeking to prevent Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's November 2020 election victory. Bannon, who has appealed, has yet to be sentenced. ...

ROGER STONE
Trump's longtime friend and adviser was convicted in 2019 of lying under oath to lawmakers investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election. Trump commuted his sentence the day before Stone, a veteran Republican political operative, was due to report to prison to serve a sentence of three years and four months. Trump subsequently pardoned Stone.

ALLEN WEISSELBERG
The former chief financial officer at Trump's real estate company served more than three months in jail for helping to engineer a wide-ranging tax fraud. Weisselberg pleaded guilty in 2022 and served as a star witness in the Trump Organization's criminal trial on tax fraud charges. The company was convicted but Trump himself was not charged.

PETER NAVARRO
The former Trump White House adviser was charged with contempt of Congress after refusing to provide testimony to the House panel investigating the Capitol attack. Navarro, who has pleaded not guilty, has yet to face trial. Two other close Trump associates, Mark Meadows and Daniel Scavino, did not face similar criminal charges despite a House vote recommending them.

MICHAEL COHEN
Trump's former personal lawyer and "fixer" was sentenced to a three-year prison term after pleading guilty in 2018 for his role in making illegal hush money payments before the 2016 election to two women ...Cohen also pleaded guilty that year to lying to Congress about negotiations concerning a proposed Trump Tower in Moscow, a project that never materialized. Cohen has become a fierce critic of Trump. ....


[continued in a new comment because of a 4000 character restriction per comment.]

#11 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-22 02:06 AM

[continued from prior comment]

MICHAEL FLYNN
The retired U.S. Army lieutenant general served as Trump's national security adviser for less than a month in 2017. Flynn, who also previously served as head of the Pentagon's Defense Intelligence Agency, pleaded guilty that year to lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russia's ambassador to the United States in the weeks before Trump took office, then tried to withdraw that plea. Trump pardoned him in 2020.

PAUL MANAFORT
Trump's former campaign chairman was found guilty in 2018 of fraud and pleaded guilty to money laundering and lobbying violations related to his work as a political consultant for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians. Manafort was sentenced to 7-1/2 years in prison but was pardoned by Trump in December 2020.

Manafort also faced fraud charges in state court in New York but they were dismissed in 2019 by a judge who concluded that the charges violated Manafort's protection against "double jeopardy" - being prosecuted twice for the same conduct.

RICK GATES
Manafort's former business partner, who was also deputy chairman of Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy and lying to investigators in the Russia campaign probe. Gates was sentenced in 2019 to 45 days in jail. He testified as a prosecution witness in Manafort's trial.

ELLIOT BROIDY
The former Trump fundraiser pleaded guilty in 2020 to violating foreign lobbying laws by attempting to influence Trump's administration on behalf of Chinese and Malaysian interests. Trump pardoned Broidy.

JAN. 6 PROSECUTIONS
More than 1,000 people have been charged in connection with the Capitol attack. ...

#12 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-22 02:06 AM

@#9 ... You have to wonder how many others in Trump's orbit have broken laws to make Trump happy?

Yeah, that list seemed to exceed the maximum message size of this most august site.

To my eyes, that says something significant. ...

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-09-22 02:09 AM

LAMP

"To my eyes, that says something significant. "

Yes, moreso, because it didn't include the number of fake electors who have pled guilty or the lawyers who lost their license or were suspended for their participation.

Trump leaves a lot of victims in his wake. And, willing victims or not, ignorance of the law is not a defense.

#14 | Posted by Twinpac at 2024-09-22 03:22 AM

Thanks Lamp. While the question was mainly rhetorical, you gave so many prominent administration names that show "special" Trump is. Unlike ordinary presidential aspirant who would have been banished from the scene long ago, despite all his lies and schemes, Trump is still endorsed by nearly all of his party's elected officials.

It's hard looking at Trump's record and behavior and listening to his words to not see commonalities between Trump and evil dictators and mob bosses of the past and present. As one evil dictator proclaimed, the path to "success" is paved by legions of "useful idiots".

This documentary also shows that Trumps been aided and abetted by a complicit media company that creates smoke screens and deceptions to help Trump's deprived "official acts" escape criticism from so many everyday Americans.

(Hint: That sly corporate ally has the misleading term "News" after its three letter first name. "Propaganda" would be more accurate.)

#15 | Posted by Augustine at 2024-09-22 06:58 AM

Watched it last night. Very well done.

The scene at the end with Hunter Biden is powerful. Neither Lev nor Hunter is blameless in the national nightmare America has endured since the political ascendancy of Trump, but they both acknowledge that fact and appear contrite. Each of them just happened to be conveniently positioned for Trump to use them and spit them out.

The film shines a bright light on the corrosive effect Trump, Giuliani and Fox News have had on America's collective state of mind during a series of crises. It makes you wonder what has yet to be revealed about the national and international damage caused by Trump's corruption and degeneracy.

#16 | Posted by cbob at 2024-09-22 07:31 AM

It makes you wonder what has yet to be revealed about the national and international damage caused by Trump's corruption and degeneracy.

The part that shocked me was Lev's revelation that he disparaged the then US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch as a problem in Ukraine - something he admits that he simply made up on the spot since he had no relationship nor interactions with her. He said she was an Obama holdover hostile to Trump and within the space of a few minutes, Trump told his advisors to get her out of Ukraine and replace her. Even Lev was astonished that Trump would act so impetuously without even asking anyone to confirm what Lev had just make up on the fly. And all of this was caught on tape secretively by Igor his buddy.

And this explains how Lev led Trump and Rudy into Trump's first impeachment. Had the tape been a part of the impeachment case, it would have been extremely hard for Republicans to justify such a snap judgment - made without a shred of evidence that Yovanovitch had done anything wrong.

#17 | Posted by tonyroma at 2024-09-22 08:31 AM

And this explains how Lev led Trump and Rudy into Trump's first impeachment. Had the tape been a part of the impeachment case, it would have been extremely hard for Republicans to justify such a snap judgment - made without a shred of evidence that Yovanovitch had done anything wrong.

#17 | POSTED BY TONYROMA AT 2024-09-22 08:31 AM | FLAG:

Absolutely. And you have to wonder how much effect all this smoke and mirrors, and Trump's withholding of funding for Ukraine, had on Putins decision to invade Ukraine.

#18 | Posted by cbob at 2024-09-22 12:28 PM

One wonders how Parnas retained so much accumulated wealth. Seems that Parnas's lifestyle isn't so bad for someone who went to jail working in the name of Trump in illegal ways that led to jail time.

#9 | Posted by Augustine

I suspect that it's his wife is where the money is currently coming from. Note that there's still that $500,000 civil settlement that that young lawyer in the film was always talking about, but since the judgement occurred before Lev married his current wife, she can't be held financially responsible for any part of the civil judgement (and I'm sure that there's a prenup that spells that all out in black & white). Now he's written a book, and the proceeds of that book can be claimed to help pay off that old civil case, but not any of her money.

OCU

#19 | Posted by OCUser at 2024-09-22 01:42 PM

So how do we watch this full length version? I missed the MSNBC 9/20 program.

#20 | Posted by GalaxiePete at 2024-09-22 02:36 PM

"So how do we watch this full length version?"

On Direct TV, I searched for it, figuring I'd record it the next time it's on...and the system allowed me to record it immediately. YMMV.

#21 | Posted by Danforth at 2024-09-22 02:41 PM

It's available on Peacock (non-subscribers can sign up for the 7-day trial)

#22 | Posted by WhoDaMan at 2024-09-22 05:05 PM

I didn't watch the interview with Parnas after the documentary ran, but I wish I had:

Denver Riggleman - Former VA Rep, Former USAF/NSA Intel
@RepRiggleman

I know @levparnas

He's not ------------.

Watch his documentary #FromRussiaWithLev

I know a lot about this. More than most ...

Jay
@nobodyafrn1
So this whole Hunters laptop stuff was a Russian op?

Mighty Hams
@TheMightyHams
Parnas said in an interview after the doc that a Russian intelligence asset pretended to be Biden's friend and took him to Kazakhstan, which is where the Russians got his laptop. The laptop itself may be real, but the stuff that was added to it by Russia is the op.

x.com

#23 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-09-22 05:45 PM

This thing always smelled like a Russian op, what with Rudy running around Russia with bags of cash.

Kinda like what he did in the US after Trump lost the Election, trying to buy Courts with Fake Evidence.

1 percent of Trumpers will figure this out in the next 20 years... none of them will care then, either.

#24 | Posted by Corky at 2024-09-22 06:01 PM

@TheMightyHams
I almost, sort of, resemble that remark. :-)

#25 | Posted by Hans at 2024-09-22 06:10 PM

I almost, sort of, resemble that remark. :-)
#25 | Posted by Hans

Indeed you do. Good to see you, Hans!

#26 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2024-09-22 06:16 PM

Thank you, my dear friend Gal!

Most excellent to see you, as well.

Oh, and THANK YOU for posting about @TheMightyHams.

I am vetting and will most likely follow a new resister there !! :-)

(When is our host going to add emojis to this platform?)

#27 | Posted by Hans at 2024-09-22 06:57 PM

(When is our host going to add emojis to this platform?)

With any luck when Hell freezes over. :-)

#28 | Posted by REDIAL at 2024-09-22 07:17 PM

#28

So... when the 'Boys win a Super Bowl again.

#29 | Posted by Corky at 2024-09-22 07:45 PM

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