Why would Peter Thiel need an escape hatch from the U.S.A.? Any ideas?

[Joinfortmill]

https://www.rawstory.com/peter-thiel-2658456541/

'America first megadonor Peter Thiel seeks citizenship from Mediterranean island...'

'One of the largest individual donors in the 2022 midterm elections is seeking to obtain citizenship in Malta, The New York Times reported on Saturday..."Mr. Thiel...is...acquiring...his third passport even as he expands his financial influence over American politics," ... "Since backing Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, (he)...has become one of the largest individual donors in the midterm elections... spending more than $30 million on more than a dozen right-wing Congressional candidates who have decried globalization and pledged to put America first."...Thiel also has a New Zealand passport.

"There is no obvious tax benefit to Mr. Thiel to gaining Maltese citizenship...though wealthy Saudi, Russian and Chinese citizens...seek a passport from the island nation for European Union access and to hedge against social or political turmoil at home..."What is clear is that a Maltese passport would give Mr. Thiel an escape hatch from the United States if his spending doesn’t change the country to his liking."

[magicarpet]

1. Could I buy a vowel please ?

Oh fuck it,... I just buy the whole damn country.

[marble falls]

2. He doesn't need an escape hatch, I'd be glad to call an Uber for him to get to an airport, ...

... phantom boat at a deserted pier after midnight, and/or welded into a hidden compartment on a semi trailer headed to parts further south - whatever.

Hey Pete, if you leave now, they'll never be the wiser!!! Glen Greenwald says Brazil is a fun place.

[marble falls]

3. It is nice to hear he spent more than $30M on slug candidates who will win or lose with ...

... or without his money. He'll have made no difference beyond redistributing $30m.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. He'll Take Credit For Any Who Win

For those that lose, he'll say he never heard of him.
It will help the illusion that he actually matters.

[Faux pas]

4. ...

Help stir it up and run like a chickenshit weaselly asshole. What a patriot.

[Conjuay]

6. he's just

trying to stay ahead of the pitchforks and torches.

[Ztolkins]

7. Malta has some of the largest server farms in the world

[brooklynite]

8. Maltese citizenship is a good deal....

650,000 euros gets you full access to the EU, and they speak English.

[peppertree]

19. Best of all, if you're Thiel, they like to launder ze money

And if anyone complains about it a little too much...

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. But he was born in Germany, and there doesn't seem to be any sign he gave up German citizenship

He still held German citizenship when he applied for New Zealand citizenship in 2011.

[Evolve Dammit]

9. Giving up on the U.S.A. is my guess. Going to get ugly and I'm oughta here?

[VGNonly]

10. Seasteading

Aren't happy with your country, just build a new one.

[c-rational]

11. I believe I mentioned him today as an example of an idiot Libertarian. Bye bye, please keep your

political donations elsewhere.

[JT45242]

12. Maybe one of the rethugs he bribed sang to a grand jury

Follow the money for the coup and it is likely to end with Thiel and the Koch corporation....

Maybe, he realizes that seditious conspiracy has up to 20 years.

Of course there are a crap ton of his federalist stooges in the FBI, DOJ, and the courts. He will know long before we do if the noose is getting close to him.

[BadgerMom]

13. Why drag your heels, Peter?

Just leave-and leave us be-now. IMHO, he’s another right wing crybaby who wants everything his way.

[ancianita]

14. Because he can. He's also got German and New Zealand citizen escape hatches.

Last edited Sun Oct 16, 2022, 04:59 PM - Edit history (1)

Thiel's been quite the busy venture capitalist, angel investor, and Republicans' biggest funder -- over $20 million -- founder of PayPal, on the board of the Bilderberg Group, biggest donor to the Club for Growth and helps fund the CIA's own venture capital vehicle, In-Q-Tel.

Doesn't matter where he goes, he'll be the driver of Republican campaigns and corporate Republican interests.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Thiel#Political_activities

[DBoon]

15. To show people if you have enough money no nation can hold you accountable

[Bobstandard]

16. He expects US exits will be restricted

Totalitarians close their borders both to outsiders wanting to enter and citizens wanting to leave. A foreign passport holder will have a better chance of getting out. And once out, crossing borders that will be closed to citizens of the totalitarian state. Like, you know, the US under the next Republican regime.

[Fiendish Thingy]

17. He wants to be able to renounce his citizenship to avoid increased taxes

If Dems increase their power in the midterms, and pass a wealth tax, or some other kind of tax hike on the rich, I’m guessing Thiel wants to able to renounce his citizenship to avoid taxes.

He may shelter his assets in Malta anyway, to hide from the IRS.

He’s a rat bastard.

[Joinfortmill]

21. Interesting.

[peppertree]

18. Because, as a Greek shopkeeper once whined at me:

"I don't see why I have to pay all deese TAXES!"

He was zany, and I liked him - but boy, if he didn't bellow that with every fiber of his being.

[Warpy]

20. he's already bought dual citizenship in New Zealand

but I guess he's heard there are too many ordinary people there for his taste or they didn't keep kissing his bum or something. His NZ passport has already given him an escape plan, one I read about years ago that involved heroically dodging explosives as he roared through a traffic jam on a motorcycle with his assault rifle at the ready, strapped to his handlebars, nukes going off in the distance. Don't know what he thought would happen when the EMP hit the bike.

He's entertaining, I'll give him that much.

Malta might be close to the EU and Middle East, but it's not much of an escape hatch. For one thing, it's one of the most densely populated countries on the planet. For another, it's part of the UK and I doubt he'd care for that. Climate change is also likely to sink quite a bit of it.

Or maybe he's just bored with buying up politicians and is now buying up countries, or at least citizenship in them.

He's seemed restless since his Seasteading libertarian paradise went belly up, https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/03/15/peter-thiel-founded-floating-island-plan-sunk-by-the-government-of-paradise/

Yeah, entertaining.

[autorank]

22. Here's why - US-Malta Extradition Agreement and a sedition/treason indictment from US

It's reasonable to think that Thiel funded some of the groups that attacked the United States government on January 6.

It's reasonable to think that Oath Keepers and other all-but-convicted educationists can verify that funding path.

It'd reasonable to think that if the previous two statements are true, Thiel may well be indicted for sedition or treason.

Therefore, he needs a hideout. Malta may be the place.

There is a US-Malta Extradition Treaty. But it contains an out for the Maltese citizen (e.g. Thiel) if the requesting nation (e.g., the USA) does so for "a political offense" or with "political motivation" as determined by as judged by the "executive authority" of Malta.

"Article 4 sets forth bases for the denial of extradition. As is customary in extradition treaties, paragraph 1 provides that extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is requested constitutes a political offense."

https://www.congress.gov/109/cdoc/tdoc17/CDOC-109tdoc17.pdf
p. VI

From the Act

Article 4 Political and Military Offenses

"1. Extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is considered a political offense."

Article 4, #2 defines what "shall not be considered political offenses" ... They're mostly violent crimes.

https://www.congress.gov/109/cdoc/tdoc17/CDOC-109tdoc17.pdf

Article 5 Political Motivation

"Extradition shall not be granted if the executive authority of the Requested State determines that the request was politically motivated."

[Joinfortmill]

25. Sounds like his plan. His next move will be interesting

[PlutosHeart]

24. So he is going to spread his joy elsewhere?

Lots of places or people o buy while evading responsibility. Or Court.

[crickets]

26. Bye, Felicia. nt