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Ryan: Putin pays Trump

2017-05-17 23:14:06.210284+00 by Dan Lyke 9 comments

House majority leader to colleagues in 2016: ‘I think Putin pays’ Trump:

When initially asked to comment on the exchange, Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Ryan, said: “That never happened,” and Matt Sparks, a spokesman for McCarthy, said: “The idea that McCarthy would assert this is absurd and false.”

After being told that The Post would cite a recording of the exchange, Buck, speaking for the GOP House leadership, said: “This entire year-old exchange was clearly an attempt at humor. No one believed the majority leader was seriously asserting that Donald Trump or any of our members were being paid by the Russians. What’s more, the speaker and leadership team have repeatedly spoken out against Russia’s interference in our election, and the House continues to investigate that activity.”

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comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-18 14:49:21.819014+00 by: Larry Burton

I tend to buy the idea that this was said in jest. However, you can infer a lot about how people feel about another person by how they joke about them.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-18 18:12:51.117516+00 by: Dan Lyke

Yep. And by how they respond when you ask them about jokes but don't tell them that you have tape of them making the joke, and then reveal to them that you have the tape...

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-19 04:07:34.337344+00 by: Dan Lyke [edit history]

Yes, GOP leaders were making a joke about Putin and Trump. But then it sunk in.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-19 13:16:14.071467+00 by: Larry Burton

The link is broke.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-19 16:27:45.610642+00 by: Dan Lyke

Okay, that should be fixed.

And, ugh, I need to both not post from mobile devices, and figure out why FCGI is screwing with the Flutterby system generally.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-19 18:20:56.782249+00 by: Larry Burton

But, you know, I'm not sure we, the public, needed to know this. I state why here.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-20 18:12:16.791215+00 by: Jack William Bell

I disagree Larry.

I'm for leaks in general, so long as they are accurate and so long as they can be contextualized; preferably by government transparency but by other leaks if necessary. The problem we have is we live in a world where no-one's privacy is absolute and our ability to protect it is eroding. This means privacy can be weaponized by those who can afford it.

Radical transparency is the only solution to this problem. If getting that transparency depends on those who risk their careers (and more), EVEN IF THEY ARE DOING IT TO FURTHER AN AGENDA, then so be it. Those who are embarrassed by the leaks can avoid the problem though becoming more transparent in the first place.

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hate admitting David Brin was right. But he was right.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-22 18:54:47.967846+00 by: Larry Burton

Jack, the problem is that most leaks are propagated by people with an agenda and they will only leak the information that promotes their agenda leaving out a lot of context and not necessarily accurate.

#Comment Re: Ryan: Putin pays Trump made: 2017-05-23 01:09:01.15737+00 by: Jack William Bell

Larry;

You aren't really responding to what I said, nor do I find your argument compelling. As stated: I am fine with someone having an agenda, although I would prefer more transparency from the outset.

Perhaps the problem is how I am framing my argument. Let me try again, as bullet points:

Leaks are good, even if they serve an agenda, because they force some level of transparency; something immensely important in a world where only the powerful can achieve some level of privacy
Leaks do need to have context and those who are 'harmed' by a leak are free to offer that context
They are also free to avoid doing unethical or criminal acts that harm them when leaked (maybe the best solution in the first place)
The whole problem with leaks can be entirely sidestepped via radical transparency in the halls of power -- make them do it all where we can see it
Since the bullet point above is never going to happen, then let there be leaks; as many as possible

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