RugbyRebels

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During a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Mr Trump called Mr Biden and his son, Hunter, "stone-cold corrupt".

Mr Trump directed much of his anger towards House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, calling him "shifty Schiff, "a lowlife" and saying he "should resign from office in disgrace".

He added: "Frankly, they should look at him for treason."

Mr Trump also stated that he believed Mr Schiff had "helped write" a complaint about the call filed by a whistleblower, without offering evidence.

The US president told reporters that only "legitimate" whistleblowers should be protected.

"This country has to find out who this person was, because that person's a spy, in my opinion," Mr Trump said.

He labelled the entire inquiry a "hoax" and a "fraudulent crime on the American people" while maintaining he would "always co-operate" with Congress.

The US president also sparred at the White House with a Reuters correspondent, who asked him what he considered treasonous.

As the Finnish leader looked on, Mr Trump said "there are those who think I'm a very stable genius" and said he "probably will be bringing a lot of litigation" against those who participated in the Russia investigation.

When the reporter pressed Mr Trump, the US president cut him off, saying: "Don't be rude."

Earlier, Mr Trump raged at the most powerful elected Democrat, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Mr Schiff on Twitter, accusing Democrats of focusing on "BULLSHIT".

Mr Trump said Mrs Pelosi should focus on her own city, San Francisco, which he described as a "tent city" of homeless people.

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Puja wrote:Surely there's an open-and-shut slander case there for Biden and Biden Jnr?

Puja

WaspInWales wrote:

Puja wrote:Surely there's an open-and-shut slander case there for Biden and Biden Jnr?

Puja

In most countries it would be, but knobheads like Trump hide behind the first amendment. That said, quite a lot of the stuff he says is probably not covered by freedom of speech laws.

It's quite amazing he doesn't get sued a few times a week tbh [emoji2371]

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Puja wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:

Puja wrote:Surely there's an open-and-shut slander case there for Biden and Biden Jnr?

Puja

In most countries it would be, but knobheads like Trump hide behind the first amendment. That said, quite a lot of the stuff he says is probably not covered by freedom of speech laws.

It's quite amazing he doesn't get sued a few times a week tbh [emoji2371]

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

The first amendment prevents the government from stopping your speech; it doesn't give you licence to say whatever you like. If you say something defamatory without any proof, that's not protected by the first amendment at all.

Puja

WaspInWales wrote:

Puja wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:In most countries it would be, but knobheads like Trump hide behind the first amendment. That said, quite a lot of the stuff he says is probably not covered by freedom of speech laws.

It's quite amazing he doesn't get sued a few times a week tbh [emoji2371]

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

The first amendment prevents the government from stopping your speech; it doesn't give you licence to say whatever you like. If you say something defamatory without any proof, that's not protected by the first amendment at all.

Puja

But yet many, including Trump (including for many years before he was elected) continue to get away with such claims...and the 1st amendment is the reason.

Puja wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:

Puja wrote:
The first amendment prevents the government from stopping your speech; it doesn't give you licence to say whatever you like. If you say something defamatory without any proof, that's not protected by the first amendment at all.

Puja

But yet many, including Trump (including for many years before he was elected) continue to get away with such claims...and the 1st amendment is the reason.

Idiocy and wilful misinterpretation of the law isn't a legal defence though - plays well in the media, but if it ever went to court then that 'defence' wouldn't last a second.

I'm baffled as to why Biden isn't suing. A lot of what Trump says is couched as questions and "people say" which does protect him, but this was a direct accusation of corruption and I'm amazed that Biden's letting it ride.

Puja

Digby wrote:What exactly has Trump said that one might sue for?

WaspInWales wrote:

Digby wrote:What exactly has Trump said that one might sue for?

He has called individuals crooked, corrupt and quite a few other defamatory claims including accusing others of specific illegal acts.

He constantly questions opponents character, intelligence, professional ability.

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Digby wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:

Digby wrote:What exactly has Trump said that one might sue for?

He has called individuals crooked, corrupt and quite a few other defamatory claims including accusing others of specific illegal acts.

He constantly questions opponents character, intelligence, professional ability.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

And a child gaining very generous employment could well get filed under corrupt , which is an odd charge for Trump to make given what he inherited and his own spawn, but Trump being odd doesn't for me shift the charge of corruption/nepotism into being one you could sue for. I'm not saying there's nothing Trump has said which one couldn't take him to task for, but ugly language seems a push

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:He has called individuals crooked, corrupt and quite a few other defamatory claims including accusing others of specific illegal acts.

He constantly questions opponents character, intelligence, professional ability.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk

And a child gaining very generous employment could well get filed under corrupt , which is an odd charge for Trump to make given what he inherited and his own spawn, but Trump being odd doesn't for me shift the charge of corruption/nepotism into being one you could sue for. I'm not saying there's nothing Trump has said which one couldn't take him to task for, but ugly language seems a push

The phrase that I thought was actionable was "Joe and Hunter Biden are stone-cold corrupt." Given that corruption is a hell of an accusation to make of a politician and that there appears to be no evidence of corruption on the part of either Biden, is that not slander?

Puja

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:
And a child gaining very generous employment could well get filed under corrupt , which is an odd charge for Trump to make given what he inherited and his own spawn, but Trump being odd doesn't for me shift the charge of corruption/nepotism into being one you could sue for. I'm not saying there's nothing Trump has said which one couldn't take him to task for, but ugly language seems a push

The phrase that I thought was actionable was "Joe and Hunter Biden are stone-cold corrupt." Given that corruption is a hell of an accusation to make of a politician and that there appears to be no evidence of corruption on the part of either Biden, is that not slander?

Puja

It's certainly not slander, it might be libel, and beyond that pedantry I'd still wonder if calling them corrupt when junior landed a highly paid job as child of the VP isn't open to just such a charge?

Beyond that again Biden isn't being strong enough going after Trump for this, though it's not clear how you go after someone who shouts as loudly as Trump and spouts as much crap as Trump. In a sane world Trump would have the influence of David Icke, but when he has such a following it is no doubt tricky to hit back. But that's not my problem, I'm not the one who wants to be president, and Biden looks weak. If this encourages the Dems not to vote for Biden I'd be quite pleased with that

WaspInWales wrote:

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:
The phrase that I thought was actionable was "Joe and Hunter Biden are stone-cold corrupt." Given that corruption is a hell of an accusation to make of a politician and that there appears to be no evidence of corruption on the part of either Biden, is that not slander?

Puja

It's certainly not slander, it might be libel, and beyond that pedantry I'd still wonder if calling them corrupt when junior landed a highly paid job as child of the VP isn't open to just such a charge?

Beyond that again Biden isn't being strong enough going after Trump for this, though it's not clear how you go after someone who shouts as loudly as Trump and spouts as much crap as Trump. In a sane world Trump would have the influence of David Icke, but when he has such a following it is no doubt tricky to hit back. But that's not my problem, I'm not the one who wants to be president, and Biden looks weak. If this encourages the Dems not to vote for Biden I'd be quite pleased with that

It's slanderous as Trump said it to a room full of press.

He has probably Tweeted it too, making it libelous as well [emoji848][emoji23]

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Digby wrote:

WaspInWales wrote:

Digby wrote:

It's certainly not slander, it might be libel, and beyond that pedantry I'd still wonder if calling them corrupt when junior landed a highly paid job as child of the VP isn't open to just such a charge?

Beyond that again Biden isn't being strong enough going after Trump for this, though it's not clear how you go after someone who shouts as loudly as Trump and spouts as much crap as Trump. In a sane world Trump would have the influence of David Icke, but when he has such a following it is no doubt tricky to hit back. But that's not my problem, I'm not the one who wants to be president, and Biden looks weak. If this encourages the Dems not to vote for Biden I'd be quite pleased with that

It's slanderous as Trump said it to a room full of press.

He has probably Tweeted it too, making it libelous as well [emoji848][emoji23]

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That's not how it works is it, just oral Vs written?

Slander is defamatory comment that's transient in nature and libel permanent, so if you say something in front of a load of cameras that creates a permanent record of a defamatory comment and thus is libellous, or is that wrong?

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:
And a child gaining very generous employment could well get filed under corrupt , which is an odd charge for Trump to make given what he inherited and his own spawn, but Trump being odd doesn't for me shift the charge of corruption/nepotism into being one you could sue for. I'm not saying there's nothing Trump has said which one couldn't take him to task for, but ugly language seems a push

The phrase that I thought was actionable was "Joe and Hunter Biden are stone-cold corrupt." Given that corruption is a hell of an accusation to make of a politician and that there appears to be no evidence of corruption on the part of either Biden, is that not slander?

Puja

It's certainly not slander, it might be libel, and beyond that pedantry I'd still wonder if calling them corrupt when junior landed a highly paid job as child of the VP isn't open to just such a charge?

Beyond that again Biden isn't being strong enough going after Trump for this, though it's not clear how you go after someone who shouts as loudly as Trump and spouts as much crap as Trump. In a sane world Trump would have the influence of David Icke, but when he has such a following it is no doubt tricky to hit back. But that's not my problem, I'm not the one who wants to be president, and Biden looks weak. If this encourages the Dems not to vote for Biden I'd be quite pleased with that

Puja wrote:

Digby wrote:

Puja wrote:
The phrase that I thought was actionable was "Joe and Hunter Biden are stone-cold corrupt." Given that corruption is a hell of an accusation to make of a politician and that there appears to be no evidence of corruption on the part of either Biden, is that not slander?

Puja

It's certainly not slander, it might be libel, and beyond that pedantry I'd still wonder if calling them corrupt when junior landed a highly paid job as child of the VP isn't open to just such a charge?

Beyond that again Biden isn't being strong enough going after Trump for this, though it's not clear how you go after someone who shouts as loudly as Trump and spouts as much crap as Trump. In a sane world Trump would have the influence of David Icke, but when he has such a following it is no doubt tricky to hit back. But that's not my problem, I'm not the one who wants to be president, and Biden looks weak. If this encourages the Dems not to vote for Biden I'd be quite pleased with that

I don't see how Hunter getting a highly paid job makes Joe corrupt. There's no suggestion that Joe procured the job for him or that he did him any favours as VP - obviously he gets a leg up in the business world because of his surname and connections, but there's been no rational claim of corruption putside of Trump's head.

Puja

gransoporro wrote:
Other countries may be more amenable, in US, allegedly, they investigate crimes not individuals.

canta_brian wrote:One would assume Trump knows nepotism when he sees it.