Justice Kennedy's Son and Trump's $1 billion Loan

[_Hawkeye]

What. In the ever. “F”

From Business Insider:

Trump's business career is more connected to Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy than we ever knew

The son of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy was leading a real-estate division of Deutsche Bank as it gave President Donald Trump over $1 billion in loans to finance his real-estate projects when other banks wouldn't, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Justin Kennedy, the former global head of Deutsche Bank's real-estate capital markets division, was one of Trump's close business associates, The Times reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

Because of Trump's inconsistent track record in business, which included multiple bankruptcy filings and frequent lawsuits, most other major banks would not lend to him. Deutsche Bank loaned Trump the funds to construct and renovate skyscrapers and other developments in New York City and Chicago, The Times reported.

After Trump's first address to Congress, in February 2017, he reportedly stopped to chat with Anthony Kennedy, saying: "Say hello to your boy. Special guy."

The Times article describes an unusually close relationship between Anthony Kennedy and Trump and a "quiet campaign" from the White House to encourage Kennedy to retire. Trump has praised Kennedy and his work, though it has included decisions on hot-button issues such as abortion, marriage equality, and the death penalty that many conservatives disagreed with.

After nominating Neil Gorsuch to fill a Supreme Court vacancy in January 2017, Trump appointed three judges who had previously clerked for Kennedy to federal appeals courts, and he included another two on the shortlist to fill any subsequent vacancies on the Supreme Court, The Times reported.

Kennedy's retirement announcement on Wednesday sent shockwaves through Washington and constituted a victory for Trump, who will choose Kennedy's replacement, pending confirmation from the Republican-controlled Senate.

By nominating a solidly conservative justice to replace Kennedy, who was known as a "swing vote" and a decider in many key cases, Trump and the Senate can swing the ideological balance of the court to the right, a move that is likely to satisfy his base ahead of crucial midterm elections this year.

If the tables were turned and this were happening during the second year of Obama, it would be enough fodder for at least 14 conspiracy theories to consume at least two decades of Right Wing media attention. As it is, this is just business as usual for their puppet master in chief, so move along. Nothing to see here.

[_EAllusion]

If the tables were turned and this were happening during the second year of Obama, it would be enough fodder for at least 14 conspiracy theories to consume at least two decades of Right Wing media attention. As it is, this is just business as usual for their puppet master in chief, so move along. Nothing to see here.

Normally, yeah, but not this one. It seems like conspiracy mongering on this story has really taken off on the left. It's more of a parallel situation than an asymmetric one. I'm still not sure what the conspiracy is even supposed to be despite the avalanche of commentary about it. It's mostly Glenn Beckian in that people are throwing a bunch of a connections against the wall and letting the impression of sinister implication do the work.

[_subgenius]

move along. Nothing to see here.

sounds like your response to every time the Clinton Foundation and Russia, and Goldman Sachs, and campaign donors, and state department, and so on....so welcome to the party, what took you so long?

[_Kishkumen]

All I can say is that it was wildly irresponsible of Justice Kennedy to retire right now. The only good reason for it would be private health concerns of a very serious nature. If Kennedy is retiring just because, it does not speak well of his judgment. Trump is an enemy of the Constitution and our system of laws. It’s all hands on deck to minimize the harm Trump is doing to the Republic.

[_Kishkumen]

move along. Nothing to see here.

sounds like your response to every time the Clinton Foundation and Russia, and Goldman Sachs, and campaign donors, and state department, and so on....so welcome to the party, what took you so long?

So you buy into all of these conspiracy theories?

[_subgenius]

All I can say is that it was wildly irresponsible of Justice Kennedy to retire right now. The only good reason for it would be private health concerns of a very serious nature. If Kennedy is retiring just because, it does not speak well of his judgment. Trump is an enemy of the Constitution and our system of laws. It’s all hands on deck to minimize the harm Trump is doing to the Republic.

blah blah blah, "irresponsible" is in the eyes of the beholder.
Justice Kennedy is doing a great service to America. The nightmare of an appointment by Democrat is averted.

[_subgenius]

So you buy into all of these conspiracy theories?

"buy into" is a bit exaggerated....
I have long stated my appreciation for such theories, regardless of party affiliation. Conspiracies are how most everything in this world, today and through history, gets accomplished.
And Clintons....geez, Clintons are the masters of a style of politics that was a beautiful in its art of conspiracy. Granted that style is passing, but they will forever be its archetype. At best Obama was their puppet, bought and paid for - his legacy will forever be as their Uncle Tom, which is a shame (the buyer's remorse for Obama is real).

[_Kishkumen]

blah blah blah, "irresponsible" is in the eyes of the beholder.
Justice Kennedy is doing a great service to America. The nightmare of an appointment by Democrat is averted.

What’s blah blah blah is the fact that you can’t see past R and D. Trump is a different character. He isn’t really in the tradition of R or D, and he only plays the two off of each other for his own benefit. So your commentary consistently misses the point. What we need is a return to order in the legislature, and lawfulness in the executive. In the judiciary we need competence and respect for the rule of law. Trump has a spotty record in appointing judges. He is not the kind of guy any responsible person should be eager to have making lifetime appointments to the bench. The guy can’t even be bothered to read.

And here you sit spouting all of this whataboutism. It doesn’t seem to matter to you whether something is wrong or dangerous or clearly harmful. You just want to argue that Democrats are just as bad or worse.

I want a president who behaves like a statesman, you know, responsibly, who deliberates carefully, understands what is at stake, and makes wise decisions. I am not interested in ignorance, celebrity, shallowness, boorishness, irresponsibility, spendthrift habits, disregard for the less fortunate, etc, etc. Give me a Republican with real character and wisdom before a Democrat who lacks these qualities.

It’s not about the political tribe.

[_Kishkumen]

I have long stated my appreciation for such theories, regardless of party affiliation. Conspiracies are how most everything in this world, today and through history, gets accomplished.
And Clintons....geez, Clintons are the masters of a style of politics that was a beautiful in its art of conspiracy. Granted that style is passing, but they will forever be its archetype. At best Obama was their puppet, bought and paid for - his legacy will forever be as their Uncle Tom, which is a shame (the buyer's remorse for Obama is real).

I have long viewed conspiracy theories to be a false source of comfort for people who fail to grasp how complex the world is. It is more realistic to say that governance has an oligarchic tendency. In any given situation often the decisions of a few have an outsized influence. It is also the case that human relations usually have a transactional aspect. Between these two facts it is easy to see why conspiracy theories are popular. Most popular conspiracy theories, however, are nonsense.

[_canpakes]

I have long stated my appreciation for such theories, regardless of party affiliation. Conspiracies are how most everything in this world, today and through history, gets accomplished.
And Clintons....geez, Clintons are the masters of a style of politics that was a beautiful in its art of conspiracy. Granted that style is passing, but they will forever be its archetype. At best Obama was their puppet, bought and paid for - his legacy will forever be as their Uncle Tom, which is a shame (the buyer's remorse for Obama is real).

I have long viewed conspiracy theories to be a false source of comfort for people who fail to grasp how complex the world is. It is more realistic to say that governance has an oligarchic tendency. In any given situation often the decisions of a few have an outsized influence. It is also the case that human relations usually have a transactional aspect. Between these two facts it is easy to see why conspiracy theories are popular. Most popular conspiracy theories, however, are nonsense.

Keep in mind that you’re conversing with a poster who believes that the Clinton Kill List is real, while simultaneously asserting that there is no evidence that the Germans ever gassed anyone during WWII.

Your road here to a sensible and honest discussion between two parties will be long and arduous, with a good chance that the path washed out long ago.