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This is maddening yet not at all surprising. People like Kushner and Trump don't know how to create wealth, only how to extract it. Then, when they screw up their (parent's) money, they let shady people who expect something in return swoop in and save the day. Nothing to see here!! Just a couple billion dollars...

I was almost a teenager when Trump's Art of the Deal book came out. My grandfather was at his table on the back patio, chain smoking cigarettes in silence as my dad gushed about the book. As calm as he looked, his right eye was starting to twitch, a clear sign his stress levels were off the chart.

After my dad left, my grandpa fumed about Trump. A former CEO himself, he thought Trump was the worst kind of business man -- a corrupt and dishonest one who lacked integrity and operated from a place of extreme self-interest and greed. He feared what we would become as a people if that became the day's model for business. He envisioned con artists and scamsters flourishing in a Trump-styled world, and honest people driven to obscurity. He said that model of business is unsustainable and would destroy America as we know it. That was over 30 years ago...

My grandpa died in the late 90's. He would've been horrified to see how life has unfolded over the last 6 years. This is exactly what he feared -- power falling into truly corrupt hands.

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He was a wise man.

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Despite his soft, waxen appearance, Kushner has emerged as one of the most craven, amoral players in global politics. 1.25% mgmt fees for this fund is a ridiculous amount, which he'll leverage for who knows what. Quite probably Jared will become a future kingmaker of the GOP a la the Mercers and Koch's, who are ageing and appear to be losing their touch. This may be payback by MBS, but he is likely seeing this as a long term investment in US political influence for many years to come.

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Waxen is the perfect word for describing Kushner's looks.

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Like father, like son.

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More grifting from a family of grifters and con artists. And this, apparently, is who the MSM wants back in the White House. Because, you know, ratings.

This country is just so screwed.

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founding

Payback for what? Top secret information that Jared Kirschner had access to? Likely. I also worry its more than payback, but also an investment in the future. Does MBS want Trump back in the White House and are they willing to help him via online disinformation campaigns? Seth Abramson's research unearthed an alliance between middle eastern countries--including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel--Russia and the Trump campaign and presidency. If Trump runs in 2024, will Israeli Cambridge Analytica-like tech firms like Psy Group meddle in the race, along with Russian disinformation operations? Let's assume the answer is yes and prepare accordingly. According to many experts on the subject, like Dave Troy, Jim Stewartson and others, Russian psychological operations, psy-ops for short (brainwashing of voters online) have been ongoing here, with many of the big ones like Q-Anon under the direction of Mike Flynn, who has an extensive backdrop in psy ops during his time in the US military. According to Jim Stewartson, who has followed Flynn daily for over a year, Flynn is a Russian asset under the direction of Putin. For speaking out on this warning the American people, Stewartson has ben attacked by Flynn/Russian aligned trolls who work for money. As a result, he has been successfully silenced on Twitter, which has a terrible safety policy that allows trolls working for Russia to stay online and people telling the truth like Jim Stewartson to be booted off by them. I have had personal experience being attacked by these trolls whenever I mention Flynn and Stewartson in a tweet. Some of the disinformation agents are even quasi respected journalists who influence story place meant in publication including The NY Times. The NYT story on the roots of Q Anon was the result of disinformation fed to them that they believed and published. According to former KGB agents I'v heard interviewed, for decades this has been one of Russia's propaganda techniques, getting propaganda pieces published in major western news outlets. Mike Flynn is dangerous and continues to radicalize his followers, many of whom are far right evangelicals and conservatives Catholics. He's a traitor and a fraud and threat to national security and public safety, as he commands a brainwashed "digital army', in his own words. Jim Stewartson has a sub stack where you can learn more. I also recommend his and Heidi Cuda's podcast on disinformation, "Radicalized Pod." ) When she once interviewed the former president of Estonia- a country with a lot of experience with Russian disinformation--and he, Toomas Hendrick Ilves, mentioned he read Jim Stewartson, I knew Stewartson was the real deal.

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Earlier in the year I commented about the media not giving Biden a fair chance and consistently ignoring the excellent policies and programs that have come from the Biden administration. You commented that that was just the way it was. I hope you will read Heather Cox Richardson today her column Speaks to the disconnect between the media and Biden

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It’s a shame the media seems to have fallen for spectacle and not competence.

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Most of the.MSM is owned by 1% ers. Birds of billionaire feathers flock together including Saudis and mid eastern potentates

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Thanks! I just paid for an annual subscription. It will be well worth the money. Well-written, informative, factual.

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I guarantee you'll not regret subscribing if you enjoy learning history, and how the past often ties into current events. It is also a pleasure to regularly read intelligently written non-partisan essays that never stoop to sensationalism. But we do live in interesting times.

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I follow several who write using substack. Individually they are certainly reasonably priced for quality journalism, but they can add up.

Do you follow Seth Abramson?

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I'm not familiar with that writer but will look them up.

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Seth Abramson has written 3 best selling books : #1-Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America; #2-Proof of Conspiracy: How Trump’s International Collusion is Threatening American Democracy; & #3-Proof of Corruption: Bribery, Impeachment, and Pandemic in the Age of Trump. Mr. Abramson focuses on DJT & his actions & interactions in detail, and gives sources for what he reveals, so you can be comfortable that these are facts & not speculation. If something is not able to be verified, he states that. The third book was published in September 2020. Since then, he has added to this information - at length & with verified sources -through Twitter (@SethAbramson) & now also posts on Substack (sethabramson.substack.com). I would suggest that you start with his Twitter account. Some of his Substack material is on there for free, for example “The Truth About TRump and Ukraine.”

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I do

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He’s good. He & Judd Legum touch on different areas of concern, so it’s good to follow both.

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Hahaha! I believe that “May you live in interesting times!” Was a curse!!!

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Thank you for this. Yes I too have thought that the Biden administration has been unable to accomplish much, mainly due to Republican obstruction. It’s sooo good to read about what HAS been accomplished. I may have to pay more attention to this writer.

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Anyone know where I might find the 17-page playbook for rural infrastructure that’s mentioned?

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I see this playbook is included in cited notes at the end of the article when I read it again.

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A very egregious and lucent example of how politicians become filthy rich.

Just imagine all the dealings we don’t know about.

Look at the wealth of our senate politicians - Mitch McConnell and Joe Manchin for example!

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bUt HuNtEr BiDen ! !

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In other words, all the noise the Trumpists have been making about Hunter Biden and corruption is just the latest confirmation of the aphorism: "Every accusation is an admission of guilt." Hunter Biden may have taken some small advantage of his position as the Vice President's and later the President's son, but his benefit from this, amounts to payment for actual services rendered. Kushner has offered no services to MBS except the ability to launder a very dirty image and cover over MBS' murderous corruption with a layer of respectability provided by friendship with the rich and powerful. I'd say Kushner's trading on, and massively enriching himself simply because he's TFG's son-in-law is shameful if I thought America's "conservative" wealthiest citizens were capable of shame. Clearly most of them are not (at least on this side of the grave).

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We will never know the amount of criminality perpetuated by this dictator seeking president.

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I do not understand how the likes of Jared Kushner & Donald Trump can sleep at night. They are complicit in the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, & never give his death another thought.

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That’s easy: they’re sociopaths with no conscience.

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I am sure they both sleep quite well on satin sheets.

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Jean, I suggest you read the book :Without Conscience...it explains well how these psychopaths sleep at night.Dr.Hare write a gem.

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Sorry...wrote a gem!!

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I appreciate that you recommended a book that would give me a good answer to my question. Thanks, but I think I will pass on reading the book. It’s depressing enough to see how these people behave, without dipping further into their warped minds. They feel that whatever they want is good, & they will remove any obstacles that stand in the way without any care or concern for the damage they might inflict on others. I am unable to understand how they can be that way, & I think it’s a good thing that I can’t.

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I am glad Jean that you know that their minds are warped.Too many people in societies around the world can't come to grips with the fact that psychopathic humans roam the earth.Until a majority of the U.S. electorate understand....another Trump can be elected.

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And that’s damned scary.

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Trump and Kushner = corruption. Enrichment using their positions at the expense of the American taxpayer. I just helped an old lady walk home today. She was sitting on a curb on my street unable to get herself back up. Her 2 bags were groceries from the Dollar store and we’re heavy. She had 5 blocks to go. She lives on Social Security and has diabetes. Her comment: “I hear they (someone in government)want to take away Social Security. It’s all I have and even then I barely make it. The rich just keep getting richer and the poor poorer.” Why isn’t more of America outraged?

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Dammit!.... I thought Hunter Biden was a threat to our country!!!! ???

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This relationship map connects the Kushner-Mnuchin grift to the Saudi-Russia collusion that is raising gas prices and inflation. https://thedemlabs.org/2022/04/12/saudi-russia-collusion-raises-gas-prices/

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Judd, is there more public information on any other principals in this private equity fund, or the fund itself? I am assuming that the royal family is aware that he has no fund management skill or experience. He might be a rain maker or good window dressing for additional investors, or able to lobby some politicians, but what else does he offer? Also, if he's indicted by the DOJ, what good is he to private investors of any kind? Lastly, it may be of more footnote value, but I note that Jared Kushner, a true example of privileged mediocrity, also completely mismanaged the New York Observer while he ran it, both editorially and financially.

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It's so frustrating to have observed this grifter & trump making moves to enhance their pockets. They used their positions fir the betterment of themselves and it has been obvious from the start. Grrrr

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And yet, none of this is illegal.

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