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An East Bay real estate developer was found guilty on Tuesday of funneling tens of thousands of illegal contributions to the congressional campaigns of U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Livermore).
After an eight-day trial in federal court in Oakland, a jury found James Tong, 74, of Fremont, guilty of two counts of making contributions to a federal campaign in the name of other individuals to Swalwell’s campaigns in 2012, when he was first elected, and 2014.
Swalwell, a former Alameda County prosecutor and Dublin City Council member, sought the 2020 Democratic nomination for president but in July he became the first Democrat to drop out of the presidential race amid weak fundraising and polling numbers.
Federal prosecutors said evidence at Tong’s trial indicates that in 2012 and 2013 he used two primary straw donors as recruiters for his scheme.
According to prosecutors, Tong gave thousands of dollars in cash to his chosen middlemen and instructed them to recruit straw donors to write checks to Swalwell.
Prosecutors said Tong induced the individuals to distribute cash in the community to be donated to the initial and re-election campaigns of Swalwell.
They said the network of straw donors included dozens of conduits who agreed to write checks in exchange for a commensurate amount of cash sourced from Tong.
Swalwell said he was unaware of Tong’s illegal contribution scheme and testified against Tong at his trial, according to a spokesman for his office.
“Justice was served for a campaign supporter of mine who violated the law,” Swalwell said in a statement.
“From the moment I was notified that my campaign was a victim of fraud, I assisted the FBI to obtain the records they needed to conduct their investigation,” he said. “All the donations to my campaign in this case were subsequently donated to local charities.”
Tong is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon Tigar on Dec. 13.
He faces up to four years in federal prison and fines for the amount of the illegal campaign contributions.
In 2016, Tong pleaded guilty in federal court to violating the U.S. Endangered Species Act by grading a Dublin development in a way that harmed the habitat of a threatened species, the California tiger salamander.
He was ordered to pay $1 million in conservation funds and set aside 107 acres of land to protect endangered species.
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Swalwell should be believed, after all he works wit Adam Schiff and runs to the TV cameras to dump on Trump each time Nancy tells him to perform.
Kick him out of office!
It’s clear he is just as dirty as he says Trump is!
It’s clear Swalwell is a liar and does not deserve to be in the US Congress!!
Forget any due process, forget looking at the facts……he’s “obviously” guilty and should be kicked out!
Anybody who has voted for him or plans to vote for him is “obviously” a deplorable and should be disparaged, ridiculed and attacked just like Swalwell and the Democrats have done to Trump supporters!
Talk about quid pro quo this guy is a slime ball. I am embarrassed that this idiot is my representative in Congress. Didn’t know about the contributions? Really? As Ben said why would anyone contribute to his campaign unless they are getting something in return. Illegal grading in Dublin…isn’t that where slime ball Swalwell lives and isn’t it part of his district? Coincidence? I don’t think so. He’s a disgrace and needs to be kicked out, voted out or just resign from Congress. I hope him or his staff reads these comments so he knows what the public thinks of him.
Indeed, Swalwell is an embarrassment. So … what are we going to do about it? A Republican probably doesn’t have a prayer of being elected in this district, so sane local democrats need to get going and field a good primary opponent. Please, someone step up….
https://ebcitizen.com/2017/09/11/prominent-tri-valley-developer-indicted-for-illegal-campaign-contributions-to-swalwell/
Read this old article…This has been going on for a long time and Mr Swalwell has known where the money was coming from, he pretends that he does not. They just got tricky about trying to hide the source. I was aware Tong/Charter Properties tried to donate money to organizations in the community a few years ago, some organizations were smart enough to decline.
Sad. Money aside, you all seem so very angry and rather hostile. Guess I’d be upset too, if my standing president was in as much trouble as the current one is.
Imagine what good could be done if all this pent up anger was directed toward helping those in need. Just imagine!
Follow the money, it does not just happen in Dublin. Not long ago the same James Tong along with Jennifer and Fredrick Lin tried to develop the southern ridges in Pleasanton. The citizens gathered enough signatures to go to the ballot to undo the vote of the council on a referendum called Measure D. On the other side was Mayor Thorne who wrote the ballot argument to develop the hills and defeat Measure D (but it did not work). Word was Tong/Lin combo spend almost $400,000 on the campaign, plus he has written checks to every pro-developer candidate in the recent history of Pleasanton. Sad when our offices are for sale.
The Pleasanton Weekly should come clean as to why:
1) Given the pattern of campaign contributions to local politicians that started appearing in 2003 with contributions to various Pleasanton officials, did the Pleasanton Weekly never once put together an article examining this pattern.
2) PW endorsed the James Tong subdivision “Oak Grove” high in the ridges with one single street entrance/exit in a high wildfire hazard zone. Why?
Reading the court records on this recent case is absolutely chilling. It is public corruption at its worst. It would be nice if the newspaper actually wrote and published an original article that detailed the trial rather than relying on a local subscription news service summary of the outcome.
You’d have to wonder since the newspapers routinely report on campaign contributions given to local candidates, why the newspapers liked this one stayed silent on the pattern of campaign contributions that started appearing in 2003, sixteen years ago.
It is beyond absurd that a James Tong ridgetop subdivision in a high hazard wildfire zone with a single road entrance/exit in Pleasanton was endorsed by the Pleasanton Weekly. How on earth did that happen? Was the Pleasanton Weekly convinced by Tong himself to endorse it or were they swayed when ex-mayor Tom Pico was paid to act as lobbyist for this ridiculously dangerous development? Or was the Pleasanton Weekly lobbied by Jennifer Hosterman to endorse the Oak Grove development? Or was it that James Tong ad money through the various “Do Not Sign” petition campaigns in the Oak Grove referendum that convinced the newspaper to endorse the development?
Also, it is interesting that it seems like James Tong’s buddies in the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce seem to have become somehow very silent.
Speaking of strawmen, are we sure you’re not all the same person or something? A little too much high fiving here.
Many politicians get donated money by crooks. Trump had plenty. Swalwell has one. It doesn’t reflect poorly on either politician. It would matter if the politician induced the illegal contributions, but the FBI absolutely would have investigated that with an eye to making the bust. And Swalwell was a prosecutor, so he’d not have been that stupid.
Frankly, Swalwell is in one of the safer House seats and doesn’t need money. It doesn’t influence his chances.
That being said, James Tong sure looks like he was trying to bribe, and it makes me wonder if he’s been successful before and only got caught now because he donated to someone who didn’t appreciate it. Who has he donated to that did appreciate it? Oak Grove was a terrible idea that got surprisingly far…
Hey, if you’re entitled to your Swalwell is corrupt paranoia, I’m entitled to my who in Pleasanton (and Dublin too) is corrupt paranoia.
Swalwell should provide a spread sheet listing the donations from the Tong fraud scheme, dollar for dollar and in turn what charities did Swalwell provided those dollars to, listing each charity dollar for dollar.
“Trump had plenty.”
Name them.
Dan
I think Michael Austin has a great idea.
Eric Swalwell needs to make contributions to charity equal to the Tong sourced campaign contributions to all of his congressional runs including any of the Tong sourced contributions to his multiple campaign organizations for the Dublin City Council seat. Dublin has a $500 limit per contributor and it looks as though Swalwell’s contributions even in his city council days have many many businesses from the Chabot Drive address of Charter Properties. I am looking forward to that spreadsheet and I hope it includes all pre-Congressional contributions from James Tong that exceeded the $500 city council limit.
Tom Pico needs to make contributions to charity equal to all of the payments James Tong paid him to act as a paid lobbyist for the Oak Grove development. Tom Pico needs to disclose how much he was paid. I am looking forward to that spreadsheet.
The Pleasanton Weekly needs to make contributions to charity equal to all of the havoc and damage over the history of its being such as this editorials such as this one where they laud the fact that the ex-mayor is being paid by James Tong to promote his development https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/morgue/2005/2005_02_18.edit18.shtml as well as in an amount equal to the revenue they have received from James Tong and affiliated corporations since its existence. Also in the interest of transparency, the Pleasanton Weekly needs to disclose how much ad revenue they received from James Tong, Charter Properties, the Lin developers, Yes on D, and so on. I am looking forward to that spreadsheet as well.
This is a great time for ALL Democrats to move, mingle, and bathe in the sewer of politics, because they know no one is going to care or investigate. California is exclusively owned by the Democrats, so forget about anyone even glancing at what Swalwell did. For 3 years he blatantly lied about the Russian collusion and has never been held responsible. Never has he been seriously questioned by a member of the media in this state. Never has he been called out by our local news agents. The majority of Californians cheered him on, to include all the Democrats in his district, where we live today. Has anyone associated with Pleasanton Weekly written a critical editorial about Swalwell? Have any of the liberal Blog hosts featured in the PW addressed his criminal pursuit for the last 3 years? No. These liberal propagandists continually go back to their empty well to whine about the existential threat of President Trump. It’s all they have. When will the liberal media hold Democrats such as Swalwell accountable? When will we have a return of journalism that can be nonpartisan?
Swalwell knows he won’t be confronted, at least not with hardball questions. He knows no journalist will take a serious look at his career, his life, let alone his campaign. He lives in his own Sanctuary State of Democrats free to behave in any manner he feels fit without impunity.
Eric will run again for his seat, and he will be voted in by the same people as before with very little effort. What statement does that make?
Gee, it’s like a right-wing convention here. Tell you what, right-wingers, first you get rid of your corrupt Republican President who is currently undergoing an impeachment investigation for abusing the Office of the President in order to coordinate a personally motivated political attack in league with his personal, private attorney against a political opponent, and THEN AFTER THAT you can try lecturing to the rest of us about political corruption.
Even a FOX News poll found that the majority of voters want to see this corrupt Republican President impeached AND removed from office. That’s where your focus should be if you sincerely believe in getting rid of corruption.
Wombat:
You are in the wrong thread.
This thread is about Swalwell.
@pope john wrote “ This thread is about Swalwell”
No. it’s about Swalwell AND the claim that voting Republican is the solution to political corruption.
Wombat…..are you sure it’s not Wrongbat…..because you’re barking up the wrong tree here…..and Trump has been in office less than three years…what we are speaking of is and has been going on for many years….and Swillwell has been doing it since before he ran for congress…it’s just now coming to light of day….clean your own sheets before stepping in this house…
Wombat – you are SO spot on. I feel like I’m living in the deep south and not Pleasanton. If I had known this town was so red when I bought here years ago, I would NOT have purchased. But here I am and here I’ll stay and by golly I will continue to work to turn this red town BLUE!!! Dag-gummit. GO Swalwell, GO BIG BLUE!!! GO IMPEACHMENT!!!
@Ben J.
How is it that out of all of the people in the country that Trump could have selected to be members of the White House staff, Trump just happened to pick his very own daughter and son-in-law to White House staff positions?
Pretty AMAZING COINCIDENCE, huh? Can you say “nepotism”?
Trump’s son-in-law seems to be putting his White House staff position to good use in striking up personal business deals with foreign leaders wishing to curry favor with Donald Trump.
But you don’t want to talk about that, do you? Oh, and let me guess your response: “But…but…but…Biden!”
Wombat. What foreign companies are Trumps children drawing large salaries with no experience in those companies? Please name them. If you can then you are right. But….but….but….There is nothing wrong with nepotism. It happens everywhere but Biden’s situation is not nepotism.
@Ben J.
There are plenty of articles about how the Jared Kushner and Ivanka leveraged their White House staff positions to make money through their businesses. And the amount they made is calculated in the millions, not in “pennies. You can google for yourself news stories having the key words “kushner financial gains staff” and find plenty of examples. Yes, nepotism does pay. Pays big in the case of Jared Kushner and Ivanka.
Donald Trump’s claim that he is only interested in rooting out “corruption” in Ukraine is hilarious given his crooked track record including hiring his own daughter and son-in-law to White House staff positions where they’re ideally situated to make deals benefiting their personal businesses. Trump is the corruption.
Wombat. ” there are many articles…….” Please provide one factual article about your accusations. Why should I have to do the research when you are so well informed. Please enlighten the deploreables with your knowledge.
@WOW wrote “ Why should I have to do the research when you are so well informed.”
No, you’ve got it backwards. The question is why should I bother to write a long post explaining in detail the corruption behind these nepotistic appointments of Trump family members to White House staff positions when it’s obvious that you all haven’t bothered to do any basic reading of widely available news stories on the subject?
Not worth my time, particularly given the fact that you wrote the inane comment “There is nothing wrong with nepotism”.
I provided you with information for googling up the relevant news stories. But I know that you haven’t even bothered to make the effort because it’s not information that you want to see.
Wombat. Simply give me the link. You don’t have to write a long post. A simple link. Nepotism is alive and well in all forms of government and private enterprises and it is not illegal or necessarily unethical. Pay attention. Simply provide a link to a factual article since you have all of the information. Provide a link and I will concede to your point. Otherwise shut up.
Wombat:
Will you support and encourage a spread sheet accounting from Swalwell as Michael Austin suggested?
@Ben J.
Hunter Biden is an adult son of Joe Biden. Joe Biden has no responsibility nor control over the actions of an adult son. No parent has legal or ethical responsibility for or control over an adult child.
Gee. This is pretty basic stuff. Why am I having to explain this to you?
@WOW wrote “ Wombat. Simply give me the link. You don’t have to write a long post. A simple link.“
I already did you better than that. I gave you instructions on how to pull up a whole set of articles describing how inappropriate the nepotistic appointments of Jared Kushner and Ivanka to White House staff positions was. But did you even bother to read any of the articles? No. And in fact you continue to claim that there is nothing fundamentally unethical about nepotism in government positions. IMO, I’ve already spent more time with you than you’re worth.
@pope john
I don’t even bother to read Michael Austin’s posts anymore. Let’s leave it at that.
@Ben J. wrote “Well, by your logic(?) President Trump has no control how his children make money; legally, ethically or otherwise, or, if they don’t make money at all. So why the rant about Trump’s kids then? You do realize, your answer was one of the most illogical….”
Huh? Have you even been paying attention to what we’ve been discussing here, or are you starting to get groggy because of the lateness of the hour? You lose the plot and you question my use of logic? Wake up. You ALREADY KNOW why Trump is complicit in any unethical or illegal acts performed by Jared Kushner or Ivanka in connection with their White House staff positions and Trump family businesses because I’ve been hammering the point in over and over.
The only thing sad got right was the name. SAD. LoL
Wombats the type that would have supported the brown shirts.. Like he is doing now. LOL
“corrupt Republican President who is currently undergoing an impeachment investigation for abusing the Office of the President in order to coordinate a personally motivated political attack in league with his personal, private attorney against a political opponent,…”
Hey genius, read the transcript. Anyone with an ounce of reading comprehension knows what he said and did, and there was no quid-pro-quo.
The “impeachment” will go no where because the president did nothing wrong. This is already being flushed out in testimony held in the Intelligence sub-committee, you disingenuous hack.
“Even a FOX News poll found that the majority of voters want to see this corrupt Republican President impeached AND removed from office.”
Nope, this was disproven just last night. They had incorrectly calculated the distribution of party affiliation…again. The correct breakdown was something like 44.9 for impeachment and 44.2 against. Split right down the middle. I can’t find the article right now but that is what happened.
Dan
“Donald Trump’s claim that he is only interested in rooting out “corruption” in Ukraine is hilarious given his crooked track record including hiring his own daughter and son-in-law to White House staff positions where they’re ideally situated to make deals benefiting their personal businesses. Trump is the corruption.”
Hysterical!
Look up Jared Kushners responsibility in the China negotiations and prison reform and then get back to us, dude.
You have no idea all the good that Jared and Ivanka Kushner have done for our country. In fact, tell me precisely what policies Trump has instituted that has made this country worse off than under any other president?
How’s your 401k portfolio or pension performing? Pulling out the 50 soldiers in Northern Syria is a bad thing? how about strengthening our southern border and stopping more invaders than any other president? Don’t like moving the Embassy to Jerusalem? Oh, and how is the middle doing at this moment? Don’t wanna pull out of Afghanistan?
I can go on and on for days about all the good our president as done, but for some reason, you’ll respond with ad-hominem attacks and whisper campaigns with shallow allegations that will eventually go no where.
You’re so tedious and boring. You’re like Cholo with better links.
Dan
Poll mistakes:
https://nypost.com/2019/10/12/fox-news-pollster-braun-research-misrepresented-impeachment-poll-analysis/
Indeed…
Dan
@DKHSK wrote “Nope, this was disproven just last night. They had incorrectly calculated the distribution of party affiliation…again. The correct breakdown was something like 44.9 for impeachment and 44.2 against. Split right down the middle.”
Nope, don’t buy the NY Post’s critique of the Fox News poll. Sorry. They got it wrong on the party affiliation breakdown. But even IF I were to concede your point, even by your (and the Post’s) interpretation of the Fox News poll, almost half of all voters (44.9%) want to see Trump impeached AND removed from office! You’re cheering about that???
Wombat,
“Nope, don’t buy the NY Post’s critique of the Fox News poll. Sorry.”
Ok…so you’re anti-statistics. Got it.
“almost half of all voters (44.9%) want to see Trump impeached AND removed from office! You’re cheering about that???”
You think I believe this poll any more than the polls stating Hillary Clintons chances of winning were 91%?
LOL!
I was just telling you that the poll had methodology issues, not that I believed its outcome.
Your continued beclowning is fun today.
Dan
And btw, your avoiding any substantive issues I mentioned above is noticed.
Have a wonderful Sunday.
Dan
@DKHSK wrote “How’s your 401k portfolio or pension performing?”
Not bad. Are you saying that Trump is single-handedly responsible for the state of the US economy and the world economy on which the US economy depends? You really going to go down the stupid route yet again?
But OK, Sparky, we’ll play the game your way: The average annual return of the S&P 500 (including dividends) since Trump stepped into office has been 11.0%. The average annual return of the S&P 500 (including dividends) during Obama’s terms was 12.8%. (You can verify this with any on-line S&P 500 calculator).
Oh, and what about Trump’s promise that, if elected, he could achieve 4% GDP growth, and that under his leadership even 5% or 6% might be possible? How did that hot air from Trump match up with reality? Here’s the answer: Last year (2018) the annual GDP growth rate under Trump was 2.9% – far short of Trump’s promise of 4%.
Trump loves and lives off of gullible fools like yourself. I’ll bet you’re also still waiting for Mexico to send Trump a multi-billion dollar check for the Wall.
DKHSK wrote “You think I believe this poll any more than the polls stating Hillary Clintons chances of winning were 91%?”
Don’t know what (unmentioned) poll you’re referring to. Fivethirtyeight had Hillary’s chances of winning at 71.4%, and 71.4% is not 100%.
But if you really want to hear something funny about polls, have you heard about how Trump (and many Trump supporters) was cheering a Breitbart poll showing that he had 98.5% support against being impeached? LOL! What a buffoon, right? Put a dunce’s cap on that guy! Oh, what’s wrong, DKHSK? You’re not laughing.
🙁
@DKHSK hilariously wrote “I was just telling you that the poll had methodology issues, not that I believed its outcome.”
LOL! So you’re saying that you disagree not just with the conclusion of the Fox News poll, BUT you also disagree with the conclusion of the NY Post article WHICH YOU YOURSELF PROVIDED!!!
LOL! You’re a laugh-riot, DKHSK! Thanks for the entertainment! You never disappoint!
“The average annual return of the S&P 500 (including dividends) since Trump stepped into office has been 11.0%. The average annual return of the S&P 500 (including dividends) during Obama’s terms was 12.8%. (You can verify this with any on-line S&P 500 calculator).”
LOL!
When you start at the bottom, it is statically significant that your gains will be higher.
Now do NASDAQ and DOW.
“if elected, he could achieve 4% GDP growth, and that under his leadership even 5% or 6% might be possible?”
Granted but its still good. BTW, what was Obama’s GDP growth?
“lives off of gullible fools like yourself”
Ah…the “gullible fool” label. The last resort of a defeated incel.
Been fun Wombat.
Dan
“Oh, what’s wrong, DKHSK? You’re not laughing.”
The only laughing I’m doing is at you and your Democrat party compatriots who think you’re going to somehow get to Trump. He’s been so far ahead of you it’s getting boring watching him run circles around you.
I never get tired of winning.
Dan
“So you’re saying that you disagree not just with the conclusion of the Fox News poll, BUT you also disagree with the conclusion of the NY Post article WHICH YOU YOURSELF PROVIDED!!!”
I literally said: “I was just telling you that the poll had methodology issues, not that I believed its outcome.”
It IS possible to disagree with the poll result (based on principles of human nature) but agree with its methodology.
Please close your laptop and go get something to eat. You’re obviously not thinking clearly.
Dan
Let’s be honest, Eric Swalwell’s contribution problem is but a bat-dropping on what is really occurring in the Democratic Party. @Wombat is a reflection of our dumbed down society that is only informed by the disinformation services of CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS and more. Project Veritas is actually coming out with a bombshell regarding CNN this week. People of the category represented by Wombat are used to deflect, misdirect, and confuse anyone seeking the truth: the Obama administration was the most corrupt presidency in American history. All these illegal investigations are to protect what actually occurred during his two terms.
The real constitutional crises is swirling around in these faux investigations. The current Impeaching Inquiry is nothing more than a disguised Impeachment, but without authorization and legal process. It is an extension of the Russian Collusion hoax to stop any examination into Biden’s criminal activity under the support of Obama. Furthermore, the crimes committed by Clinton as Secretary Of State and her campaign collusion with the Obama administration is the sole purpose of these distractions to protect his legacy.
Get off cable and TV, and start reading outside the mainstream media through books, editorials, independent commentary, and interviews. The mainstream media is provided their talking points from the DNC. This was unearthed through their own emails back during the hacking of the DNC server.
An informed populace is the only way to prevent these abuses via the ballot box.
I wonder if any of our current Pleasanton Council Members accepted money from the Tong or Lin families? I agree with earlier posts that this would be a relevant and helpful information to learn.
Jake,
“All these illegal investigations are to protect what actually occurred during his two terms.”
Bingo.
The FISA investigation is due out on Friday and it has been said that all that has been breathlessly reported about Ukraine is because they (the Democrats and media) are trying to blunt what is in the report. Will be interesting to see.
Dan
“I wonder if any of our current Pleasanton Council Members accepted money from the Tong or Lin families? ”
I’d be shocked if they hadn’t.
Dan
“LONG LIST of evidence mounting against their Golden Boy.”
The long list included “Russian collusion”, didn’t it?
When they couldn’t get him on that, they come up with Ukrainian collusion. Now they’re scrambling because the president released the transcript of the call which conflicted with their narrative.
Oops.
They make the accusation, Trump defends himself, then they make the next accusation. Rinse and repeat.
You really don’t see the game that is being played here, do you? It’s all for optics for 2020.
Btw, did anyone else catch the election just held in Louisiana? The democrats and media were hoping the Dem governor was going to get 50% of the vote but ended up getting less and now has to run against the republican winner. The state also solidified its Republican hold on the legislature by flipping 2 seats from Dem to Repub.
The dems were hoping this election would be a bellwether for the rest of the nation…I sure hope they are right.
Winning.
Dan
this thread could go on forever…i’m sure the Dems will have some other ‘something’ this president has done that warrants impeachment
I’m not sure why they don’t just Ask Swallwell to bring the paperwork he has That Proves beyond a Shadow of a Doubt that President Trump committed “something that is UnConstitunitional”, you know, like holding impeachment hearings behind closed doors, with NO vote of the Congress, or something like that….
Or, on the other hand, Congressman Schiff (shifty) also has proof Positive that Trump Colluded with the Russians to overthrow the Government of the United States(or something like that)…i’m sure THAT is UnConstitutional!…
But, why they are NoT bringing this Positive Proof Forward still has be puzzled…Could they be waiting to do it last week of October, 2020? Could be….Oh the Thought!…
was there any news of the la election on the local news channels?
“was there any news of the la election on the local news channels?”
Nope…
Ruins the narrative.
Dan
Trump announces that he and the United States will STAND STRONG WITH THE KURDS! (10/7/19):
“As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey….”
….two days later…..
Trump announces that he will THROW THE KURDS UNDER THE BUS! (10/9/19):
“They (the Kurds) didn’t help us in the Second World War. They didn’t help us with Normandy.”
The Clown Show Presidency: Now featuring a Clown with blood on his hands, and newly released ISIS fighters now running free.
Get ready for impeachment. It’s on the way! Go BLUE!!! And I’m not talking Dodgers.
Come back from a holiday, and only to read that narrow-minded right wing are still out there. Sad.
dublinmike I think you mean the “tunnel vision left with only one focus in life” are still here
“Now featuring a Clown with blood on his hands, and newly released ISIS fighters now running free.”
Yeah, we get it Wombat. You and your democrat and RINO brothers want endless wars and service members death.
All for nothing…
We get it. Ain’t happening.
Dan
@Wombat: I see now that the Democrats on this thread do what they do best: divert. Diversion is a great tool to hide the focus and truth.
Want to talk about your endless wars? Why is that Dems just love staying in conflicts that prevents nothing, costs us trillions we could use for Americans here at home, and more importantly, takes the lives of our sons and daughters? I was drafted for a war I didn’t believe in, but I went into the service anyway. How many of these Dems have daughters and sons fighting in these god forsaken sand pits in the Middle East? it is so easy to sit on the sidelines and believe everything @CNN tells you, like Max Boot, but insure they or their kids don’t put skin in the game.
@Jake Waters wrote “Want to talk about your endless wars? Why is that Dems…”
Gee, Jake. Correct me if I’m wrong but weren’t the last two wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) started by a REPUBLICAN President who was unable to finish either of them?
Don’t let the facts get in your way, Jake. Just do what Trump does: Lie and make stuff up. Oh, wait. You’re already doing that.
You would have to be not just sleeping, but comatose at the wheel to not know what was going on. This is from 7 years ago. Of course I am sure Swalwell is claiming amnesia, but of course who ends up with identical amounts coming in the same exact day? Really absurd. As long as the money is rolling in, candidates like Swalwell don’t seem to care about the FEC limitations or anything else for that matter. Except bringing in the money. And now Swalwell claims he was a victim? That is absurd too.
From — https://www.pleasantonweekly.com/square/2012/10/16/erlene-demarcus-a-lobbyist-for-james-tong
“Posted by Wondering
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Oct 18, 2012 at 12:30 am
I received a very large Eric Swalwell for Congress mailer today that barely fit in my mailbox. I looked up the Federal FEC campaign contributions on-line and found almost$30,000 given to him, most in $2,500 increments and most on the same day (9/28/2011). According to the Independent article in June, Tong represents Lin family development interests and their holdings include large blocks of land in North Livermore and property on the westside of Doolan Canyon and in Pleasanton.
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress James Tong
6/20/2012 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress James Tong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Michael Tong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Rebecca Tong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Jennifer Tong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Ronald Tong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Hong Yao Lin
6/30/2012 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Hong Yao Lin
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Mei-Chun Lin
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress John Wong
9/28/2011 2500.00 Swalwell for Congress Daniel Tsai
Where can I find the campaign contributions for local candidates that are not Federal candidates?”
@Wombat
You are correct Batman, and the Democrats approved it, although they want to use words that distance themselves from it. Remember, Eisenhower may have funded the French in Vietnam, but it was JFK and LBJ that immersed us in it. Listen, we can do this all day and night, and you and I will not agree on the issues or people running the country. We are different people, from different backgrounds.
Oh, and @Barry, unless you’re new to Pleasanton Weekly commenting, it usually goes off target somewhere past the 5th commentary. Eric is past news, boring, and needs to find another job to pay off his student debt.
I agree, can we get back to the topic at hand?
My worry is that the contributions to Swalwell are the half worm in the bitten apple. How many times and who has he tried to bribe by straw donors where he hasn’t yet been caught?
I hope, now that the FBI has a conviction here, that they investigate for other bad acts. I suspect the problem is greater in Dublin, which has always had an odd way of doing rapid development of overly dense housing with underfunded schools, than in Pleasanton. I just suspect that a thorough investigation will unveil a lot of corruption with the local politics around development.
I wonder if there are any local news organizations willing to do an undercover operation to find out if local politicians are corrupt and on the take?
I might even subscribe to that organization if they got those scoops.
Dan
Perhaps Elizabeth Warren would be willing to use her the “undercover” skills she used on Facebook to help us with Dan’s suggestion?
This along with our extra $200/month Social Security raise would be a good quid pro quo payment for our votes?
Nonsense, Barry.
I’m not complaining about the desirability for people to live in California. I fully understand it. If you think *that* is my concern, it’s probably because you’re new to my comments and haven’t figured out where I tend to fall on most issues.
But, somewhat surprisingly, I agree 100% with Dan that a local news organization should do digging here. It’s incredibly disturbing to find out that one of the most prominent local developers here tried to bribe the sitting congressman, and it’s the height of childishness to think that that was his first go at it. And it isn’t hard to look around and see reasons to suspect that politicians might be on the take.
I don’t have evidence to prove it–but I’m also not the police, whose job it is to investigate where mere citizens can’t.
I am not against development–speculating on the growth of the area was a smart move and buying up farmland a good idea. But clearly this guy had more luck with local planning than his situation would have lead a reasonable person to believe. Development is hard. Large scale, repeated development requires constant fights with the planning commissions. Somehow, he had an easier time than any other developer I can imagine. I, like many here, figured he may just have been unusually lucky. To find out he was actively conspiring to bribe a politician makes me wonder what the source of his luck was.
Why doesn’t it lead to the same reaction in you?
Project Veritas is a perfect template for undercover journalism.
They can’t be touched.
Dan
I read a lot of commenters here that seem to be pushing the “developer bad” meme but the reality is that Swalwell KNEW that these were bribes. He KNEW what he was doing when he accepted the cash. He’s not some babe in the woods.
Our politicians, left, right and center are CORRUPT and we just keep voting them in to continue their crimes.
Think of it this way: how on earth do you go into a position making $174k and come out a multi-millionaire?
I’ll tell you how, bribes and graft.
They’re all crooks and we just keep re-electing them.
Term limits are the only way to stop this. One term serving your country and you’re out.
Dan
Dan, Tong used straw donors. The whole point of straw donors is to donate under many different names so that the candidate has already accepted the donations without knowledge, then for the ringleader to approach the candidate and claim to be a “bundler”–which is legal–who can control that much money. Usually the briber doesn’t admit the bribe since that would be a felony. So do you have any evidence that Tong even revealed himself to Swalwell yet as the first step? Otherwise, no, it wouldn’t be obvious.
Barry, I’m usually negative towards people who are negative, which is why I’m Grumpy. Sometimes I’m negative against something directly–usually projects the local agencies undertake that I think make no sense, or the district, which has been avoiding building a new school. Those are projects people are commonly concerned about here though. If you think that concerns about civic projects is too negative, then perhaps yes this isn’t the right place for you. Sorry.
Anyone that believes Politicians receive ANY donations that are anonymous are kidding themselves and trying to kid us along with them. Swillwell is not the only one receiving donations that are earmarked with favors expected, but to act as though he’s totally innocent is a slap in the face to all of us…especially those of us who did not, will not, ever vote for him….The District rid themselves of Stark, then got his replacement…NO CHANGE….
Just making a millionaire our of another $174k per year person, who does little or anything else besides collect a larger war chest, which he can use for anything (baby food, anyone) and do nothing to improve the District in which he resides….Oh, he does some good things…enough to make you think he’s okay, but when you get down to it….he’s storing up Gold in his bank for when he simply walks away from all of it… Wait for it…it’s a long way off unless people smarten up and vote for someone else in 2020…
Grumpy,
“So do you have any evidence that Tong even revealed himself to Swalwell yet as the first step?”
No…I don’t need one. The Democrats have been playing this game forever.
Russia Collusion? No evidence
Ukranian Election Collusion? No evidence
Next up: China Collusion…
I told you in the last thread, you GD democrats have been playing this way forever. We’ll stop, when you come to the table in good faith and discuss the needs of Mainstreet, instead of Wall street.
Until then, enjoy the hell that you created.
Sincerely,
Dan
Dan, who exactly do you think I am? What table? What talking about Wall Street. Are you totally confused? Because I’m not sure who you’re trying to address your post to, but it most certainly isn’t me.
And yes, you need evidence. Get over it.
“Are you totally confused?”
Absolutely not. The old rules have changed, Grumpy. You only need to look at the impeachment farce in Washington D.C. to understand that the rules, policies and laws that have been the bedrock of our nation are being turned inside out by one party, and one party only: The Democrats.
See also Bret Kavanaugh.
Swalwell might be innocent, but it doesn’t matter. In these days, guilt by innuendo seems to be the law of the day.
Read what Swalwell has said about Trump and “Russian collusion” to get the full essence of what I mean. You’re a smart guy/gal, you’ll get it.
Dan
The Article in the Pleasanton Weekly dated Friday, October 16, is quite funny…almost a joke in itself….Wandering through the article, did you wonder where has Tong been during the time from 2016 when he pleaded guilty of violating the U.S Endangered Species act and had to pay $1,000,000.00 “in conservation funds” and set aside 107 acres to protect endangered species…Wonder who is holding that money? And what endangered species is being protected by this “107 acres, set aside”?…Where is it?
He’s going to be sentenced Dec 13!….Really? Think he’ll be in country when that date arrives? Where is this dangerous criminal now?
And Swillwell? What Local Charities received the funds? Any accounting of Those Records?
Will be interesting if any of this ever arises again in the local news or papers…
@DKHSK wrote “ Russia Collusion? No evidence”
Actually, during the 2016 election campaign Don Jr admitted that he met with Russian associates in a Trump Tower meeting in order to get dirt on Hillary from the Russians (and not to discuss “Russian adoptions” as he initially lied). That’s attempted collusion with a foreign power right there.
Wombat are you referring to the Russian lawyer. How did she get in the country ? Who did she meet with right before and right after this meeting? Do you know ? Do you ? She was a spy sent by the democrats to meddle in an election. Check mate.
Now that’s not only collusion but conspiracy. Hillary bought Russian disinformation through Michael Steele. That’s collusion and conspiracy. Again brown shirt propaganda from wombat.
@Just asking
How were you able to get out of your straitjacket and to a computer keyboard?
Wombat,
“Actually, during the 2016 election campaign Don Jr admitted that he met with Russian associates in a Trump Tower meeting in order to get dirt on Hillary from the Russians (and not to discuss “Russian adoptions” as he initially lied).”
Ok, let’s be wild and say that what you wrote is true. Where in the Special Councils report was it recorded that what you say Don Jr. did was, in fact, a crime? Point it out.
You see Wombat, just because YOU THINK a crime was committed, doesn’t make it so. It makes it, at best, an allegation. An allegation that was summarily investigated and was not judged a crime. In fact, Don Jr testified for many hours in front of congress and even congress could not find the crime.
So go on…keep bringing this up. You only make yourself look foolish with not knowing the facts of the case and the politics behind those facts.
I can go on all day if you want to talk Russia…
Dan
“Hillary bought Russian disinformation through Michael Steele. That’s collusion and conspiracy.”
This is fact and is – right this second – being investigated by the DoJ through Bill Barr and John Durham. The IG report on FISA is done and will be released sometime this month.
This is why you have all the democrats going ape—- over Ukraine at the moment.
There will be a reckoning for the soft coup that was attempted on Trump. The “impeachment inquiry is solely being used as a cudgel for the election because the democrats know Trump is going to win and are trying to demoralize. They are underestimating the popularity of our GENIUS President.
Dan
@DKHSK wrote “ Ok, let’s be wild and say that what you wrote is true.”
It’s true. Go look up the facts on the matter yourself. After initially lying and saying that his meeting was to discuss “Russian adoptions”, even Don Jr himself admitted that he met up with his Russian contacts at Trump Tower to get dirt on Hillary from the Russians, so I don’t see how you can possibly deny the truth of what I wrote.
As for the rest of your post, I see no point in answering your questions until you first admit that what I wrote is true.
Wombat,
The Russian beauty was there supposedly to talk about Hillary, which is NOT a crime, but instead talked about the Magnitsky Act. At that moment, Jr left the meeting.
What is your point? Where/what is the crime? Where in the Mueller report did he ask for charging Jr. with a crime?
You see, my dear Wombat, you have nothing. You sit here and through innuendo try and establish something that just isn’t so.
Now it is our turn to find out how it all began.
The people I mentioned investigating the soft coup will be reporting on the origins of of said coup. I’ll accept their results regardless of my personal beliefs.
Dan
@DKSHK wrote “The Russian beauty was there supposedly to talk about Hillary….”
You’re getting closer but not quite there, DKHSK. Saying that Don Jr met with Russians “to talk about Hillary” is a bit vague, don’t you think? You make it sound like they may have been just gossiping about her latest hair style or whether the sweater she wore last week looked good on her. Just come right out and say it: Don Jr met with Russians in Trump Tower TO GET DIRT ON HILLARY.
Wombat,
I’ll give you one more chance before you get the “Cholo” treatment.
If there was a law broken, please tell me what it is and why Robert Mueller chose not to indict?
Otherwise, you’re just arguing for something that is meaningless and being a waste of my time.
Dan
@DKHSK
Sheesh! Why can’t you bring yourself to openly admit that Don Jr attempted to collude with Russians in his Trump Tower meeting? Is it really that difficult for you to do? Don Jr admitted to it (after first lying about it). Even Donald Trump in a tweet (inadvertently) admitted that his son Don Jr attempted to collude with Russians in a Trump Tower meeting. So why all the evasion and deflection attempts from you? Just admit what Don Jr and Donald Trump themselves already admitted: Don Jr. did attempt to collude with Russians in the 2016 election.
As for your further questions, I made it quite clear to you that I see no point in answering them if you don’t first admit that Don Jr attempted to collude with Russians. Indeed, if you don’t admit that there was attempted collusion here, then your questions are meaningless hypothetical questions which have nothing to do with reality so why should either of us be interested in them?
Since you have made it abundantly clear that you are not willing to admit that Don Jr attempted to collude with Russians in Trump Tower, I see no point in continuing this discussion and wish you a nice weekend.
“Collusion” is not a crime…look it up.
Wombat:
Why are you against commentators on this thread asking for Swalwell to account dollar for dollar for the illegal Tong fraud scheme?
Sounds like your average politician on the take….”I didn’t know anything.”
And, since he sits in the same class as Pelosi, it’s all swept under the rug.
A very simplistic question; why would someone donate as Tong did, unless he knew he was getting something back in return?
Swallwell. Didn’t know? Sure! He knew. He knows all about the last 35 years of a certain member of the Supreme Court. And yet he says he doesn’t know what happened in his OWN campaign a mere five or six years ago!
Make him name the Charities he GAVE the money. And it what amounts! Bet we Never see or hear about this again.
SAD. Not angry. Not hostile. Not worried. Our President was duly elected and has done a great job, in spite of he and his administration being under attack since January 2016. And, all investigations by the Dems have been proven invalid, even as the investigators were primarily there own party and the news casts slanted against a sitting President.
Yet, employees are earning more, federal taxes are less, and security is the best it’s ever been.
Gumpy and Politicans-for-sale…you guys Rock! Great read…
So…in the minds of wombat, sad, et al, if you’re a corrupt liberal democrat, all you have to do is run for office and you can’t be confronted or investigated. You’re off limits by your star struck minions, you’re off limits by the leftist praetorion guard media and by gosh, how dare anyone suggest otherwise.
Another simplistic question; how is it Biden was point man for the foreign policy of only two countries, and his son, with zero knowledge, experience and expertise, made over a billion dollars after going to both countries, on our dime, with his father?
Well, Wow beat me to it. Please Wombat, list the financial gains of the Trump family strictly based on being involved in the Executive branch. Please 1 penny. You damn well if they did, Swalwell, Shifty, Pelosi and the rest of the people involved in trying to remove this President since day 1 after the 2016 election with be all over it, like flies on…you know what. Which, by the way, most people think they are, just saying.
Wombat, please answer the simple question. You and the rest of the leftist can’t. One, most have no clue, because you only get news from the democrats praetorian guard media, and two, you can’t honestly look at yourself and give a truthful answer.
So, no answer? Only deflected hearsay? Gotcha. Thanks for your time. Do a little research. Expanding your knowledge does wonders.
If the Dems are not interested in any ‘so called’ money you allege they made, there is only two reasons; one, it has nothing to do with the office, and two, they don’t want to go down that hole, knowing full dang well, their swamp will be exposed for you and me to see.
At least I’m honest with myself to throw number 2 out there as a reason. You can’t even answer a simple question about Biden’s son
So..have you ‘Googled’ how much a vice president’s son, with zero knowledge, experience and expertise made, after going on two foreign trips with his dad? Seriously. If you can’t answer it, you’re just a pawn in the leftist game and are intellectually dishonest.
Well, by your logic(?) President Trump has no control how his children make money; legally, ethically or otherwise, or, if they don’t make money at all. So why the rant about Trump’s kids then?
You do realize, your answer was one of the most illogical, unthoutful responses someone can come up with regarding the Biden corruption. But, when you can’t be honest with yourself, your answer is like a 5 year old denying their guilt when their hand hand is literally in the cookie jar.
Oh brother. I see the Republican talking points have taken hold among those blind to the LONG LIST of evidence mounting against their Golden Boy. I suppose you guys approve his hateful rhetoric, racism, stupidity and locking up children for indeterminate lengths of time. But cheer up, you’ve found one developer giving illegal contributions to someone who is working to right the wrong that happened in 2016. I fear for our democracy and for our standing in the world. Oh! But her enails!
Wombat. You’re sounding like A Schiff now
Wow. Please, back to Tong and Swalwell topic please or start another topic to present diatribes on the president, political positions and national affairs.
I would not be so quick to say Swalwell is crooked. It sounds like Tong is very experienced at deception and flaunting our laws. He’s the real problem. It is not uncommon for multiple contributions to be solicited below the legal reporting thresholds by an individual with business interests. So it’s possible the Swalwell campaign was asleep at the wheel. I also would not be so quick to demonize the Lin Family and the Oak Grove proposals. I followed both and found that years of public input occurred and ultimately the democratic process happened whether you liked it or not.
I’m disappointed with Swalwell because he spent all his time on the Congressional oversight committee and the a premature presidential run and forgot the direct issues of his constitutes.
Not wise for Swalwell but nothing illegal here I’m afraid. All amounts appear to be reported and I did not hear of any challenge or campaign comments about it. Again, Tong has violated the law before so why Swalwell did not catch it is bizarre.
To be UN-PC but timely, are the Lin’s and/or Tong family legal USA citizens or are they foreign nationals? Heck, if this issue has made it to the highest executive office of our land, why not ask about local or state elections?
Grumpy, it sounds like your REAL issue is about development and blaming developers and politicians for it instead of population growth, economy drivers like high tech, great weather and generous social entitlements. If you think there is so much corruption, perhaps you should run for office or at least volunteer on the City’s Housing Commission or Planning Commission.
Dan, reporting of public special district administration and operations would be more relevant.
Dear Grumpy, yes Im familiar with your posts. Usually negative. I guess that’s why your name is Grumpy. I’m signing off. PW blogs have become too combative
Grumpy to the very end. Again, volunteer on a board, commission or district instead of posting constant accusations and second guessing. Your comments might be taken more seriously or validated if you did instead of just noise
Dknute,
I believe the US Dept of Fish & Wildlife got the fees and required the land to be added to some wetland where they have oversight.
Wombat and DKHSK, get a room! You two have gone way off topic together.