On Monday, Popular Information reported that Justin Sun, a Chinese national currently being prosecuted for fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission, sent President-elect Donald Trump $18 million in cash.
What one is witnessing here is the absolute best investigating journalist in America… doing the job! The research with facts and sound conclusions for the reader to understand.
The other outlets mentioned are nothing more than tokens presented to muddy the water and give false conclusions.
Malcolm X said it and it’s true…we weren’t careful.
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing"
When the obscenely wealthy started buying all the media outlets our ability to know the truth and to keep a vibrant democracy going has greatly diminished. And many of our important leaders have talked about what this failure would do. And now we know. We found out.
Just read that Musk is talking about buying up CNN -- and laughing about doing the same to MSNBC. Is this possible?! Would it be totally based on the money that the owners and shareholders could make off of a deal like that? or are there any laws in place to prevent this?
The end of USA as we knew it. An all new USA is emerging and I’m glad I’m as old as I am to not have to watch this play out. What I find most annoying is that it has always been those that profess the most patriotism that are the first in line to bring it down. Was like this in the 60’s and here we still are. Historians have always said democracy is difficult to sustain and they weren’t wrong.
I am so outraged at this lack of reporting of Trump taking millions from foreigners, and likely more as he ran and is now PE. They act like we are an echo chamber here? At least it is reporting the truth!
Let's face the reality that the corporate media is terrified of Trump and his goons. They expect that he will carry out his threats to prosecute them for coverage he doesn't like (anything that reports the truth). Always have been, always will be. And with that recognized it's time to stop asking them to do their jobs. It's time for us to walk away from them and hasten their slide into irrelevance.
Time to leave all of the corporate-owned media outlets. Depend on excellent substack reporters like Judd Legum to tell us the truth about what is happening. Personally, I canceled some time ago with the NYT and the WaPo, and haven't tuned in to CNN in more years than I can remember. MSNBC ain't what it used to be (Rachel: come back! We need you!) Is this like the underground press in fascist dictatorships?
Thank you so much for this. How far the Overton Window has been pushed in these 9 years!!. This is terrifying and clearly we need independent journalism more than ever.
NYT & WaPo *will* eventually give this crypto payoff story at least some of the attention it deserves. But only because Judd Legum ran it first.
But never expect FOX News or its smaller imitators to ever cover a story like this. It makes Trump look corrupt; which is forbidden in RW media circles, where he's got the status of an anointed -by-God messiah who can do no wrong.
Yes. The #DirtyOldMan and his cultists live in the separate reality they Faux News et al created. It is impermeable now as clearly shown by the outrage over Hunters pardon. Zero sense of irony.
The Executive branch has collapsed, the Judicial branch has collapsed, the Legislative branch is teetering perilously close to collapse -- and now our final Fourth Pillar is folding. This is how it happens.
I'm personally not a big fan of the Clintons, but I can recognize the glaring double standard here. His supporters clearly don't care, but the media should be covering the president-elect with the same zeal. If Congress or the Supreme Court won't hold Trump accountable, who will?
Where is the double standard of Judd never mentioning the influence of AIPAC over both parties and both Presidential candidates? This is all pennies in comparison to the hundreds of millions dropped by AIPAC and their affiliated dark money PACs. I am not a Trumper but his blindness on how much has been spent by the Israel lobby to buy a narrative is glaringly partisan, and unlike someone who usually follows the money. Except he is choosing not to here. WHY?!?
I find it kind of funny because when Trudeau went to Mar a Lago (and showed his weakness) he wasn’t there to chat with the Orange Wonder about the grand celebration of the revitalized Notre Dame.
He told OW that tariffs he proposed would be devastating and then OW responded that if CAN is unable to handle them, it should become the 51st state. Then generated a meme to troll CAN which was mostly ignored by the media, at least here.
Thank you for shining a light on how Trump makes it so very easy for foreigners to buy influence, while corporate media choose to ignore this threat to our national security!
Yes, I guess the 'foreigners' Trump wants in his inner circle are the exact opposites of the workers he seeks to "send back to their shithole" countries! Just look at the crop of cronies he wants to staff (or STIFF) the cabinet and head federal agencies. Bottom of the barrel rotten fruit. Hope you voters will be happy with egg and gas prices!
I’m sure this is tiny compared to what he has taken and not to mention what he sold… sold as in classifieds … then there is his family receiving unimaginable foreign and domestic amounts as well
I have to believe that one day this will all crash and justice will be served …
Had to think, not too long ago, "monkey business" was enough to ruin your political career. The Republicans have had to be paying off umpteen thousands since before then.
You are a brilliant journalist and I am so grateful for how you choose to use your brilliance. But please forgive me for feeling (not always but often) that none of this seems to matter. Our institutions are ineffective, legacy media is duplicitous, wholly biased and untrustworthy, many of our elected democrats have lost the will or the knowledge of how to fight and the fighters don't have megaphones to reach to masses. Where to turn for hope? It seems that alternative media is our last best hope. Its a heavy lift but you seem to be up to it.
Thank you, Judd. The double standard that even our most trusted media has used in covering Trump by comparison to Harris and Clinton Is clear and dangerous.
The Washington Post and the NY Times have always been viewed as our country's "papers of record," sources of information everyone could trust. Now here we are. Jeff Bezos, owner of the Post, spiked their editorial board's endorsement of Harris to keep Trump on his side in transactions with his other businesses. The NY Times is apparently uninterested in stories like that of a foreign national, who is being prosecuted by the SEC, essentially bribing Trump to help him with his legal problems.
Another example: a week or so before the election, Michelle Obama gave an outstanding speech at an event for Harris. I listened to the speech and then went to the NY Times to find a summary and/or transcription of what she said. What did I find on page 1 of my digital edition? A column by their fashion editor about what Ms. Obama was wearing. To find information on the speech itself, I had to wade through the fashion article to find what I was looking for at the end of the story where the Times posts "related stories."
One obvious common element in this double standard: misogyny. What that means for us as readers is that we have to rely more heavily on other sources of information for the truth. We also have to read stories in those "papers of record" with more skepticism than we might have before. Robert Reich recently published a list of sources he trusts that is worth paying attention to.
What one is witnessing here is the absolute best investigating journalist in America… doing the job! The research with facts and sound conclusions for the reader to understand.
The other outlets mentioned are nothing more than tokens presented to muddy the water and give false conclusions.
Stick with Judd Legum …get the truth.
Totally agree!
Malcolm X said it and it’s true…we weren’t careful.
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing"
When the obscenely wealthy started buying all the media outlets our ability to know the truth and to keep a vibrant democracy going has greatly diminished. And many of our important leaders have talked about what this failure would do. And now we know. We found out.
Thank you for remembering and quoting such important wisdom from Malcolm X. Wow!
Just read that Musk is talking about buying up CNN -- and laughing about doing the same to MSNBC. Is this possible?! Would it be totally based on the money that the owners and shareholders could make off of a deal like that? or are there any laws in place to prevent this?
The end of USA as we knew it. An all new USA is emerging and I’m glad I’m as old as I am to not have to watch this play out. What I find most annoying is that it has always been those that profess the most patriotism that are the first in line to bring it down. Was like this in the 60’s and here we still are. Historians have always said democracy is difficult to sustain and they weren’t wrong.
I am so outraged at this lack of reporting of Trump taking millions from foreigners, and likely more as he ran and is now PE. They act like we are an echo chamber here? At least it is reporting the truth!
Let's face the reality that the corporate media is terrified of Trump and his goons. They expect that he will carry out his threats to prosecute them for coverage he doesn't like (anything that reports the truth). Always have been, always will be. And with that recognized it's time to stop asking them to do their jobs. It's time for us to walk away from them and hasten their slide into irrelevance.
Time to leave all of the corporate-owned media outlets. Depend on excellent substack reporters like Judd Legum to tell us the truth about what is happening. Personally, I canceled some time ago with the NYT and the WaPo, and haven't tuned in to CNN in more years than I can remember. MSNBC ain't what it used to be (Rachel: come back! We need you!) Is this like the underground press in fascist dictatorships?
Thank you so much for this. How far the Overton Window has been pushed in these 9 years!!. This is terrifying and clearly we need independent journalism more than ever.
NYT & WaPo *will* eventually give this crypto payoff story at least some of the attention it deserves. But only because Judd Legum ran it first.
But never expect FOX News or its smaller imitators to ever cover a story like this. It makes Trump look corrupt; which is forbidden in RW media circles, where he's got the status of an anointed -by-God messiah who can do no wrong.
Yes. The #DirtyOldMan and his cultists live in the separate reality they Faux News et al created. It is impermeable now as clearly shown by the outrage over Hunters pardon. Zero sense of irony.
They may eventually get to it, but it will probably be buried. My disappointment in them is palpable.
Just another example of how the traditional mainstream media is failing us. Our democracy is crumbling because of it.
…And another reason to support independent investigative journalism (like Judd!) to keep us all awake and aware!
The Executive branch has collapsed, the Judicial branch has collapsed, the Legislative branch is teetering perilously close to collapse -- and now our final Fourth Pillar is folding. This is how it happens.
I'm personally not a big fan of the Clintons, but I can recognize the glaring double standard here. His supporters clearly don't care, but the media should be covering the president-elect with the same zeal. If Congress or the Supreme Court won't hold Trump accountable, who will?
If we have to depend on Congress or the SCOTUS to save us then get your life preserver, this ship is going down!
SCOTUS, or at least six "Supremes" are part of the problem by declaring Trump is above the law. Sorry, they will not be a "life preserver."
She said that IF you are depending on SCOTUS to save you, THEN get your life preserver. I think you misread her comment.
No one. The people have spoken, after being lied to and swallowing it whole like a Boa in the Florida swamps.
Where is the double standard of Judd never mentioning the influence of AIPAC over both parties and both Presidential candidates? This is all pennies in comparison to the hundreds of millions dropped by AIPAC and their affiliated dark money PACs. I am not a Trumper but his blindness on how much has been spent by the Israel lobby to buy a narrative is glaringly partisan, and unlike someone who usually follows the money. Except he is choosing not to here. WHY?!?
Waiting for the blue eastern and western states to leave the US and join Canada, taking with them 65% of the US’ GDP.
Great idea! Let’s get that ball rolling! But I live in FL…no hope for me.
I find it kind of funny because when Trudeau went to Mar a Lago (and showed his weakness) he wasn’t there to chat with the Orange Wonder about the grand celebration of the revitalized Notre Dame.
He told OW that tariffs he proposed would be devastating and then OW responded that if CAN is unable to handle them, it should become the 51st state. Then generated a meme to troll CAN which was mostly ignored by the media, at least here.
https://www.mediaite.com/news/trump-posts-bizarre-ai-generated-meme-of-himself-with-canadian-flag-standing-on-a-swiss-mountain/
I'm in SC. Shall we move?
And some of us northern border states, like MN, WI, and MI want to join Canada, too!
WA too!
Don't forget Illinois! Although in my southern, Missouri adjacent end, the movement is to secede from Cook County. Nothing is straightforward.
Thank you for shining a light on how Trump makes it so very easy for foreigners to buy influence, while corporate media choose to ignore this threat to our national security!
Yes, I guess the 'foreigners' Trump wants in his inner circle are the exact opposites of the workers he seeks to "send back to their shithole" countries! Just look at the crop of cronies he wants to staff (or STIFF) the cabinet and head federal agencies. Bottom of the barrel rotten fruit. Hope you voters will be happy with egg and gas prices!
I just posted the following on the NYTimes tip page: nyti.ms/2FVHq9v
A major newspaper is ignoring money from foreign nationals going to Trump. Yet they ran 79 pieces about foreign donations to HRC’s charitable foundation. Please investigate. (btw, the hypocrites are you.) https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/trump-v-clinton-the-media-double?r=4ti8v&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
What an amazing piece. And extremely disturbing, the double standard - how Trump is given a pass.. Thank you so much for this
In addition to being disingenuous, don’t those admonitions from the pontificating NYTimes sound so quaint today?
I’m sure this is tiny compared to what he has taken and not to mention what he sold… sold as in classifieds … then there is his family receiving unimaginable foreign and domestic amounts as well
I have to believe that one day this will all crash and justice will be served …
Had to think, not too long ago, "monkey business" was enough to ruin your political career. The Republicans have had to be paying off umpteen thousands since before then.
You are a brilliant journalist and I am so grateful for how you choose to use your brilliance. But please forgive me for feeling (not always but often) that none of this seems to matter. Our institutions are ineffective, legacy media is duplicitous, wholly biased and untrustworthy, many of our elected democrats have lost the will or the knowledge of how to fight and the fighters don't have megaphones to reach to masses. Where to turn for hope? It seems that alternative media is our last best hope. Its a heavy lift but you seem to be up to it.
Thank you, Judd. The double standard that even our most trusted media has used in covering Trump by comparison to Harris and Clinton Is clear and dangerous.
The Washington Post and the NY Times have always been viewed as our country's "papers of record," sources of information everyone could trust. Now here we are. Jeff Bezos, owner of the Post, spiked their editorial board's endorsement of Harris to keep Trump on his side in transactions with his other businesses. The NY Times is apparently uninterested in stories like that of a foreign national, who is being prosecuted by the SEC, essentially bribing Trump to help him with his legal problems.
Another example: a week or so before the election, Michelle Obama gave an outstanding speech at an event for Harris. I listened to the speech and then went to the NY Times to find a summary and/or transcription of what she said. What did I find on page 1 of my digital edition? A column by their fashion editor about what Ms. Obama was wearing. To find information on the speech itself, I had to wade through the fashion article to find what I was looking for at the end of the story where the Times posts "related stories."
One obvious common element in this double standard: misogyny. What that means for us as readers is that we have to rely more heavily on other sources of information for the truth. We also have to read stories in those "papers of record" with more skepticism than we might have before. Robert Reich recently published a list of sources he trusts that is worth paying attention to.