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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublicans stay quiet while billionaire donor stands trial in 'biggest tax fraud scheme' in history
Yes! Defund the GOP corporate enablers and their joint war against democracy.
Hes also accused of working tirelessly to have records destroyed both physically and digitally as the walls began closing in on him. Prosecutors point to profits Brockman made out of his stakes in Vista Equity Partners, and it is not coincidence that Robert Smith, the chief executive of Vista reached a $140 million tax evasion, non-prosecution settlement with the government just one day before Brockmans charges were announced. On a side note, Robert Smith made headlines for his very generous donation to pay off both the graduating Morehouse University college loansas well as their parents loans, in 2019. Its an important reminder that billionaires can do all kinds of nice-seeming, very easy for them to afford things while still belonging in prison for their sociopathic criminal practices.
The WSJ says that Brockman has a reputation as a relentless litigant, but legal experts also say the governments evidence is strong. Brockmans legal team is also making a play to argue that the elderly Brockman is suffering from dementia and therefore unable to take part in his own defense. They hope to have the case completely dismissed. Remember Vincente Gigante? He was a leader of the Mafia in the 1990s in New York City who pretended he was senile...
Brockman handed out $80,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, and Brockman also gave over $100,000 to entities linked to former Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, including a six-figure check to the Wisconsin lawmakers now-defunct joint fundraising committee. He also has given money to Paul Ryans Political Action Committee that is still active.
Federal prosecutors are arguing that there was nothing unnecessary in Brockmans complicated schemes. They were by design. The conservative groups who benefited from his crimes are conveniently quiet because, as Mitch McConnell has taught them, it is necessary that they hide where the money they use to misinform the public comes from.
Carry on, soon-to-be Attorney General Garland!
PatSeg
(47,567 posts)this guy's prosecution. He should be getting nervous, as he could be next.
Moostache
(9,897 posts)WTF does country-club jail really mean to him at nearly 80? There needs to be real pain involved in the price of this kind of fraud. Eternal bankruptcy and shame should be the floor.
But not for nothing, the info gained about the processes of offshoring wealth will lead to other indictments.
As for shame, they got where they are because they are constitutionally incapable of it.
efhmc
(14,731 posts)from the greedy. This is about as undemocratic as one can get and yet it will never change.
ancianita
(36,130 posts)bought to be equal with that of humans -- the need to explicitly rule that the Constitution was written for humans and not fictional personhoods, with all the legal David v Goliath ramifications needing challenge; e.g., money is not "speech" and corporations are not "people, my friend."
Oldem
(833 posts)or dems will have to legislate against personhood for corps to change anything. Neither is likely, the latter because of the filibuster.
live love laugh
(13,124 posts)bluestarone
(17,019 posts)Make a GREAT add for 2022, 2024!!!!
bucolic_frolic
(43,257 posts)Wonder if Swiss bank accounts and Cayman Island addresses are involved.
Does passing money between shell companies and LLCs create money every bit as much as Federal Reserve fractional banking?
Ohio must be a great place. This was where the coin scam guy operated, didn't follow the case at all.
Physical and digital record destruction? Crypto & Bitcorners take note, there is hope for your high-level planning?
How do I get in on it? I mean I see all these companies and people getting massive loans, I could turn a profit here or there ....
ancianita
(36,130 posts)Out in the ethers, probably. There is the real economy of exchange of goods and services that we live with, and the gambling economy on our future value as commodities and future producers that participants build a house of cards with, and convince us it's real estate.
Are vampires in the ethers? Can the ethers be regulated by open source blockchain tech? Sure, but the vampires still do workarounds that exploit enough new participants that it's just not at the level of full faith and credit.
Long term, COVID and Climate don't recognize human value. We need to recognize that, and stop the enablers of division, death and destruction. We can't fight the long term survival battle with vampires at our necks.
Traildogbob
(8,791 posts)Florida Ex Gov Scott was CONVICTED of the biggest Medicare Scan in History? Was he asked to step down? Hell no, he got more power and still gets zero fall out from his scam.
Scamming is a badge of honor for GQP.
And Desantis WILL be the 2024 nominee after trump convictions take hold with OUR AG doing the law thingy.
ancianita
(36,130 posts)and its networks.
Along with more tax fraud indictments, Trump's indictments will be draining his own PACs.
It's not that there won't always be money for Republican politics or right wing media; it's that our side can drain their fraud down to levels that we can beat when we need to win beyond the merits. I'm looking at the 44 billionaires in Florida who helped Scott get where he is, and thinking that Trump's legal pains will make them double down on 2022 to destroy the DOJ again.
We should never forget what criminals they are, what rackets they set up, and never again let them win. This is a good effort toward that neverending campaign they force us to be in.
Traildogbob
(8,791 posts)Your words ring so true.
BobTheSubgenius
(11,564 posts)It seems unlikely that Brockman will do any time, although it would be nice if the govt. got their money, plus penalties, plus interest.
ancianita
(36,130 posts)Especially if AG Garland presents a stronger press outreach about these cases. Taxpayers love the schadenfreude of bringing wealthy tax fraudsters down.
I hope Zuckerman and his team keep this front and center in the press. Rachel and MSNBC's producers, too.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,400 posts)ancianita
(36,130 posts)A circle that explains their obsessions with dominating women, trafficking "child trafficking" grifts, lingo like "thinning the herd," "fuck you got mine," "psyops," "false flags" "communist" "aliens"
"states rights" "checks and balances"... we could go on with this all day.
Midnight Writer
(21,786 posts)He'll never get a chance to spend his ill gotten gains, even if he started today on a world class spending spree.
It will not give him or his loved ones a better life than they already have.
And he risks prosecution and even prison.
Why don't these people just enjoy their riches in peace and leave the rest of us alone?
ancianita
(36,130 posts)behind. They are the banality of evil in that they don't care about how...
Humans are fodder for corporations, and government of, by and for the people had better get out of their way.
Their banality of evil is in not caring about the unspoken corporate hype that's been revealed by covid and their anti-mask propaganda:
The human genome map's only value to them is to
-- prove their belief that thinning the herd improves the usability and profitability of the herd;
-- science exists to serve profit;
-- run the country like a business;
-- equality under rule of law is for losers
-- dictatorship is as profitable as democracy.
We know this as destructive free market messaging that's imprinted on the brains of Republicans.
At the political level they're probably as communist as Stalin in that they also use religion and its moral teachings as the opiate of the people, and play their politics accordingly.