Ross: 100 percent free-range American rich guys who don’t play by rules
Aug 22, 2018, 6:54 AM | Updated: 8:49 am
This April 11, 2018 file photo shows attorney Michael Cohen in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
Two of President Donald Trump’s associates — his former campaign manager Paul Manafort and his former fixer Michael Cohen — now face sentencing on several charges that boil down to lying.
Lying to the IRS and lying to banks.
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Michael Cohen, for example, wanted a loan to buy an $8.5 million summer home. To get the loan approved, he lied about his debts on the application.
He also made personal loans of his own, and had the interest paid directly to him in the form of personal checks, which he did not report to his accountant, so they wouldn’t show up on his tax returns.
Over five years, Cohen hid $2.4 million dollars.
You know how much income goes unreported every year in this country? According to the last official estimate eight years ago, its enough to cost the treasury $500 billion. I’m betting it’s a lot more now.
And it’s because of all the Michael Cohens and Paul Manaforts, who think the rules only apply to suckers like us.
The president’s reaction?
“This has nothing to do with Russian collusion,” Trump said Tuesday after hearing the news about his associates. “This has absolutely nothing to do. This is a witch hunt and it’s a disgrace.”
He’s right. It is a disgrace and it’s not about Russia. It’s about a couple of home-grown, 100 percent free range American rich guys who think the rules just don’t apply to them.
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