McClatchy: That time Trump dialed in to offer birthday wishes to the Russian mob.

[kpete]

Link to tweet

“Tofik is my friend!” Donald Trump said through the phone. “Let’s toast Tofik!”

That moment, revealed in sealed documents obtained by McClatchy that were part of a British lawsuit involving several Russians, captures Trump in a milieu that has since cast a cloud over his presidency. The court documents focused on what law enforcement calls Russian “OCGs” – organized criminal groups.

Among those court papers was also a story about the birthday party that appeared in Izvestia, the Russian news agency, on June 20, 2005. It was written by Bozhena Rynska, a lingerie-model-turned-columnist who is followed by millions of Russians, drawn to her insider tales of Russia’s rich and powerful.

Arifov and at least two others at the party, Alexander Mashkevich and Tamir Sapir, both billionaires with roots in the former Soviet Union, have been linked to allegations of illegal activities, according to court documents, diplomatic cables and news accounts. Mashkevich has been linked to allegations of money laundering. He and Arifov have been alleged to have associations with organized crime. Sapir has been accused of nonpayment of loans for his New York real estate empire, as well as illegally importing rare animal parts.

All three were also involved in a Lower Manhattan real estate project known as Trump SoHo, developed by the Bayrock Group, once headquartered in Trump Tower and which partnered with the Trump Organization. The result would be bankruptcy and a tangle of lawsuits, some still unresolved.

The White House referred questions to the Trump Organization. Its attorney, Alan Garten, did not respond to three requests for comment.

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VIDEO & MORE HERE:
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article142584709.html#storylink=cpy

[Achilleaze]

1. republican Comrade Casino is a disgrace

and the republican party is letting him and his cronies sell out America to the freaking Evil Empire russians, who are perpetrating ACTS OF WAR* against the United States of America.

republicans are totally SUBMISSIVE, and refuse to lift a finger to defend America against ongoing russian Acts of War.

traitorous. deplorable.

[Mc Mike]

2. This kind of thing makes me wonder why

dRumpf has so many buddies in the NY FBI field office, and NYPD, and so many repug DA friends like Christie and Ghouliani.

Very odd.

[John1956PA]

4. I do not understand why, either.

Recently I attended a lecture by a retired FBI agent whose service included a span of most (if not all) of the 1990s in NYC. He stated, in passing, something which I will not paraphrase here but which indicated that he held antipathy towards the Clintons.

I am amazed by the disconnect displayed by intelligent people who harbor malice towards Hillary because of certain failing which I feel are insignificant in comparison to the glaring failings of DT.

[Mc Mike]

8. Groupthink, at best.

Of course, he could also just be part of that rabid clique of Kallstrom Giuliani creeps in the NY field office. Those guys remind me of Whitey Bulger's buddies in MA's FBI. The ones who know they're criminal and corrupt, and just fling projective crap to justify their lying fake worldview.

[FSogol]

5. A Laurie Anderson sig! Very cool. n/t

[Mc Mike]

9. Ms. Anderson's great. Really predicted dRumpf with those lyrics.

Great assist by Burroughs in that song, too.

[world wide wally]

3. Proving that money rules over all in Republican eyes and America isn't brave enough to admit it.

[uponit7771]

6. RICO Suave

[dalton99a]

7. Kick.