This might be my favorite story of the 2016 presidential campaign: how many lies has Melania Trump told about her immigration to America? In Friday’s story, I even made a joke about how Melania needed to show us evidence of her long-form visa to prove her story (that’s a joke about Donald Trump’s insistence that Barack Obama needed to show his long-form birth certificate), only guess what? People really do want to see all of the receipts on Melania’s immigration. And those people are not f—king around. The Democratic Coalition Against Trump has filed a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request for all of Melania’s paperwork, and I think they should get it. Considering Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and Melania’s shady history of lying and misrepresentation, I think we do need to see all of her paperwork. Hilariously, the question over Melania’s visa situation isn’t the only question people have. There’s a rumor that Melania might have been secretly married!!!
Although Melania Trump has previously said that Donald Trump is her first husband, Univision reported a claim on Friday that she was wed for four years before her 2005 Palm Beach nuptials to the 70-year-old businessman. Immigration attorney Michael Wildes, who worked for the Trump Organization, told Univision that Melania has obtained a green card “based on marriage” in 2001.
“Ms. Trump received citizenship in 2006 and prior to that she had a green card based on marriage,” he said. “Before that, she had a work visa and was in full compliance on her visas and never disrespected any of them. That has been made clear to me.” When asked to explain the marriage discrepancy, Wildes told Univision he would seek clarification – presumably from the Trump Organization, they speculate. He later emailed his response: “I didn’t hear back, sorry.”
Oh. My. God. If Melania was married to an American before she married Trump, that would explain a little bit more about the timeline of when she got her green card. I tend to think she probably was on a tourist visa (meaning, she was not supposed to be working in America) for her first few years in America, like from 1995 to 1998 or so. And then she got a work visa, and maybe a husband, then she got her green card in 2001, etc. That’s just my theory. And if there is another husband out there, SOMEONE NEEDS TO FIND HIM. Please!!!
Also, Melania’s old modeling agent tried to clarify and obfuscate the details about Melania’s visa when she first came to America. Remember, Melania has been lying about that for a while, insisting that she first came to America in 1996, when we now know she was here in 1995. Her former agent Paolo Zampolli insists that Melania was “not working a paid job before she got the H-1B.” Note the wording – she wasn’t being paid, but she was working? That’s my guess. Again, the Trump Campaign has “repeatedly declined to clarify her comments. The campaign also declined to discuss Mrs. Trump’s immigration history in detail or provide copies of any paperwork that would put the issue to rest.” Come on, Donald. Show us the paperwork. Show us Melania’s birth certificate (because I bet she’s lying about her age too). Show us Melania’s immigration paperwork. After all of that Birther crap, we need to see all of it.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
What is with her and those weird sleeves?
Every single dress!
In different colors. And I don’t see those sleeves on other people. Or in stores.
There was a moment about 3-4yrs ago when that dress was very popular. So many society ladies and TV characters wearing it.
It must be a best seller because the designer keeps re-issuing it, or a version of it, in different colours every season since it’s debut.
Personally, i like it in black
http://www.matchesfashion.com/products/1067124?country=GBR&LGWCODE=1067124000010;104009;6167&visitor_id=v3_9b98470c-5d6a-11e6-a413-00163ef106fd&gclid=CjwKEAjw26C9BRCOrKeYgJH17kcSJACb-HNATt74IfLVlSfwyoAtQWwHip2OMB8ZONUbFDcOnVbhfBoCThnw_wcB&qxjkl=tsid%3A75588%7Ccid%3A281046404%7Cagid%3A20827862804%7Ctid%3Apla-112181226774%7Ccrid%3A73807089644%7Cnw%3Ag%7Crnd%3A18152024551621158104%7Cdvc%3At%7Cadp%3A1o4
They are a throwback to a design from the 60s (Dior or Balmain?). Queen Maxima wore an outfit with them four years ago. Mustard yellow, but the 2 foot feather on her hat distracted from the sleeves a bit. Princess Madeleine wore an outfit with those type of sleeves to Prince Oscar’s christening recently. Why designers are reviving them I cannot understand.
That’s the only thing I like about her! I never wear, but love just the same, a weird sleeve.
LMAO!!! The sleeves are ridiculous but what has she been doing to her face? She’s giving me serious cat lady vibes in that first pic. Her eyes.
That pink dress belongs on a Simpson character. And on that subject, her expression in the top photo is giving me Amber Simpson (Homer’s Vegas Wive) vibes.
When I was little I had a ‘fashion designer’ doll toy which had grooves at strategic points around the body and the idea was that you draped the fabric provided and then styled it by shoving excess fabric into the grooves or fluffing it out with a tool as provided.
I think all her outfits look like my 5yrs old attempts at styling fabric by shoving it into grooves/fluffing – especially at the elbows.
Hehehehe!
Right??? After all of his bullshit about President Obama’s birth certificate??? This would be epic! 😃
Hire all of the deceives! Find this man!
The only thing that would make this better is if the first husband she used for a green card were Mexican-American.
Or Muslim
If there is any justice in the world, let him be a black Muslim. (Although in all fairness, whoever he is – if she was married before – the poor guy does not deserve to be dragged into the circus, unless his silence had been paid for by the DT circus. In that case, release the lions!)
A black muslim mexican.
You guys are too funny. Thanks for the laugh.
Yeah, you guys are the best.
Please GOD LISTEN TO YOUR SERVANTS PRAYERS!! It’s such a small thing to do Really!!!?!
Hallelujah and amen, QQ!!!!
QQ – Do I have to break out my English to Spanish translator ap again? And what’s more, I would again be speaking Spanish in reference to Cheetos. Ahhhh….the irony!!!
Oh I adore that idea! Middle-eastern, Hispanic or other ethnicity. I felt bad for her until she plagiarized Michelle & heard all the GOPers giving her a pass when they would NEVER have let it go if the shoe was on the other foot. Or when they called her porn shots “art” but condemned MO for wearing sleeveless dresses in July!
She never asked for this attention & The Donald thrust it on her. He knew all her “baggage” & still threw her out to the wolves because he wants to be King. I would rethink the motives of one who is suppose to love me (my husband) if he would put me in situation that might bring me ridicule
A black muslim mexican who is transgendered.
Hilarious! Please let Christmas come early and make it true!
If Melania was married before, I would bet Donald paid the guy to disappear and never speak of the marriage. As for any public records of this alleged marriage, with the right amount of money any record would be made to “disappear” too.
The marriage records will still be in her alien file at USCIS. Forever.
The combination of hypocrisy on immigration and Trump leading the “birther” movement are the reasons this shouldn’t be dropped.
Absolutely. Trump is looking more and more like the stupid hypocrite that many of knew he was. Hahahhahahahaha.
I posted a pro-Hillary article on facebook the other day… someone commented that she would be voting for Trump because he could not be bought. I then pointed out that he has been bought many times over. In fact, it seems to be the only way he can make money. I went on to point out many of his hypocritical talking points. That commentor did not reply…
Yep. Melania was on the View in 2011 talking about Obama’s birth certificate, for god’s sake. Joy Behar shut her down.
This is rich, partly because of The Donald’s immigration hoo-hah, and partly because of his Obama birther hoo-hah. I read she was living in an apartment with a guy but the relationship was not explained. What if Trump already paid off the previous husband? Both of these two are allergic to the truth. They put Melania on a First Lady pedestal but she just fell off.
“she just fell off” 😂😂😂 Too true. Hope she can find a good divorce lawyer on the way down
There are a lot of odd smells wafting from the visa story…I would guess if you asked any model/actress why they did not-so-artsy nudes, they would all say because I needed the $..badly done nudes aren’t exactly a path to a vogue cover..and how did she manage living in NY with no income?..and afford to fly back and forth, as she says she did? Bizarre…
HOOKER.
Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s how she met the Orange.
Ding ding ding!!!!! Escort City baby
I’ve been saying it for months. Models at Heff’s mansion are there for one reason only. They are prostitutes on the side.
Her roommate in NYC said she complained about how little work she was getting. She was 26. Her best modeling days were behind her, and she was never an A-tier model anyway.. Donald was a huge get for her from the perspective of financial planning. LOL
LOL! How romantic!
Melania was the equivalent of an instagram model it seems. That’s probably one of the reasons Trump goes after Heidi Klum so rabidly. She was legit and made herself a successful brand, something his wife could never do. And denied ever dating him. I will always love her for that.
It’s not like she’s with him for his charm.
I doubt there is a model who doesn’t have ‘arty’ nudes in their portfolio.
I’ve long suspected that this “modeling” career was as fake as Trump University. In modeling years, her expiration date had long passed by the time Donald came into her life. And all the spreads she’s done were cheesy, nudes.
I didn’t want to be slut shame-y, but honestly, the nudes give off a smarmy vibe, not an artistic thing atall. Let’s just be out with it…Melania maybe did some porn-ish thing, and if the RNC were out with it, then some heart strings might be pulled. Like, “oh she did this for starving her family” blah blah. Now that the digging is starting it might be worse. I’d feel sorry for her if she didn’t’ flat spew the “writing the speech myself” thing. She and her husband seem driven to blame and spin, so let the fact finding begin.
Except she wasn’t doing artsy nudes. She was straight up doing soft porn. I would bet anything she was an escort or a prostitute. Someone needs to research this past.
This a million times over!!!! She was a prostitute!!! No different than Clooney’s ex’s or the contractors that hang with Leo D. They are prostitutes. It is no secret in Tinsel Town that “models” prostitute on the side.
Melania better get everything she can now because if he loses the election he’s going to kick her to the curb.
My thoughts exactly. The future former Mrs. Trump.
Yup. He will totally hang any loss on Melania. {grabs popcorn}
On a separate note, the only problem I would have with her having been a “working girl” is her eagerness to cover it up or lie about it.
This. Melanie “worked” as many ladies do. Reminds me of LuAnn and Sonja from RHONY.
Normally, I’d say that Melania isn’t running for office and her background is not at issue. However, since Donald had no problem going after Obama for his background paperwork, I’d say that turnabout is fair play and they should pony up her papers.
It burns when it’s done to you and yours, doesn’t it?
This is how I feel. Normally I say leave the spouse alone but in this case looks like they are bold-face lying about practicing what they are preaching.
And you know what else? I’ve got to wonder how all those folks who over the past 8 years have clutched their pearls in judgement over First Lady Michelle Obama and her arm-baring outfits (for shame!) can reconcile that bull*hit with their fawning acceptance of a full body-baring Melania?
But, but, but — I thought the Second Amendment guaranteed the right to bare arms!
Jwoolman😄😄😄😄😄😄😄
I would say that Melania is not running for office and her background has no bearing if Donald Trump weren’t running on an anti-immigrant platform. His whole spiel is fear-mongering about immigrants so to have his wife have been in this country illegally at any point is a topic that needs to be known and thrown in his face to show his hypocrisy and have him address it at a debate or something.
Her background became relevant when she a) went birther on Obama in an interview with Joy Behar a few years ago and b) gave multiple interviews holding herself up as an example of immigration done the right way.
Exactly, Trixie. You can’t bash immigrants publicly and cheat the system privately!
Being FLOTUS is most definitely holding “an office”. The President’s spouse has a ton of responsibilities, usually involving education and caring about the poor. Funny, I know….but anyhow, I digress….what would Melania possibly have to bring to the table? Nobody expects another Jackie O, but after having Michelle in the white house these past years, how could a former “model” even consider being the First Lady. She should at least be well-educated and have some history of working with causes she feels passionate about. What would her’s be? Bad fashion and dating history with sugar daddies? Come on!
Except it’s an unelected office. You get the job by dint of being married to the person elected as President. That’s why I tend to believe that the background of a spouse is not particularly relevant to the Presidency, unless it’s something that would seriously call the candidate into question. Surely you can see the difference.
You’re being pretty judgmental there. Melania’s history as a model isn’t a reason to vote against her husband. I don’t particularly care what kind of First Lady she’d be. Because she’s not running and she’s not going to be making policy decisions. Her husband is bad enough on his own.
And “well-educated?” You do know that one need not have a lot of formal education to be educated? I’m not defending Melania per see, but her lack of college degree does not, by default make her stupid. Now, she doesn’t come across to me as especially bright (not a Hillary or Michelle, certainly) – but it’s not her lack of a degree that did that.
I think a good “cause” for her could be ‘HOW TO MEET AND MARRY A RICH GUY AND BECOME A TROPHY WIFE’.
Of course I see the difference. But you have to admit the POTUS is not just about the President. He and his wife or she and her husband as they case may soon be, are a team. They are both looked to for respect and role modeling.
it’s one thing not to have a formal degree. It’s quite another to have done nothing to educate yourself, get out of your bubble, or gain perspective by exposing yourself to experiences you wouldn’t normally choose for yourself. She has done none of that. She stays home and watches one little boy (with the help of nannies) and dinks around. And please don’t tell me she’s spending her days reading smart people books and getting private tutoring. She isn’t. It isn’t that she didn’t earn a degree. It’s that she’s ignorant, sheltered, and inexperienced, under-exposed. World leaders and their spouses should have something to teach or share. Yes, Melania’s history as a model is a very good reason to vote against her husband. The only jobs she’s ever had were putting herself on display for the pleasure of men for money. It’s misogyny at it’s finest. Just because she did it willingly and had to fill out a W9 doesn’t make it any less sexist or exploitative. Not what I want in a First Lady and I’d feel that way if it were Hillary or Michelle.
And don’t call me Shirley!
My gut reaction to this story is to feel badly for Melania. From some accounts, she tried to disuade Trump from running for President, I believe, for this very reason. Her privacy has been invaded and no one deserves that. That being said…. She’s a liar and a fraud. This hypocrite sat in front of a camera and claimed that she “did the right thing” (unlike those other immigrants) by going back to her country and getting her visa stamped every six months. Just like she claimed, in front of a camera, that she wrote her RNC speech with “very litte help.” She is a liar! She and her lying husband perpetuate this idea of immigrants from certain countries with brown skin, as being nothing more than “rapists, murderers.” But of course, in most racists eyes, Melania isn’t “that kind” of immigrant. She’s the European kind and married to a republican, so that makes it okay. It’s funny, I remember in 2004 how Teresa Heinz Kerry was deemed, by the Republican party, as not being “American enough” to be our country’s First Lady, even though the woman was married to TWO U.S. Senators, very successful in her career, smart as a whip, and was part of an Old American business, which employed millions of Americans. Why does Melania get a pass?
She’s a total liar and fraud. Probably the reason she gets along with DT and has been married to him longer than his other wives!
Bingo. That, “I did the right thing” quote from her killed any pity on my part. She’s a hypocrite and liar just like every other member of Trump’s family except she’s not skilled or smart enough to be good at either.
She is also a full on birther. If the interview she gave to Joy Behar a few years ago wasn’t so repulsive, it would have been funny. She insisted that what Hawaii calls a “certificate of live birth” was not a “birth certificate”.
Right on. My reaction exactly. Do I think she’s the world worst person (Trump is in contention IMHO)? No. If she were still living in her protected gilded cage expounding on her bullshit, elitist views, nobody would give a shit, but now this lady is putting out lies and hypocrisy to denigrate immigrants and push her husband’s asinine agenda. A real Imelda Marcos in the making. No, thanks.
That’s exactly what the white power folks are saying. We want white immigrants, not those other kinds.
On the flip side, she’s not very bright, she’s financially dependent on him, she’s got a kid and has gotten used to a certain kind of lifestyle. I’m not saying it’s right but she would have felt pressured to do this and I can imagine living within the Trump organization, she wouldn’t have thought of any other options. So I guess she can sleep in the bed she’s made but she was probably brought up to believe that she was taking the path to success. You have to feel a little sad for her, being married to a husband who actually believed they could get away with this BS. But a little sad is as far as I’ll go.
Absolutely we should require the receipts! Hypocrites! And your tax returns Trumpy. Anonymous needs to get on that.
Did anyone watch Bill Mahers show “Real Time” on Friday night?
Julian Assange was on (Wiki-Leaks) and said he’s working on hacking into Trumps Tax returns & releasing them.
This would completely destroy any chance of him catching up& surpassing HRC in the race.
He is not paying his fair share. He is not a billionaire by a longshot ..
And he’s in debt to Russia, for many loans he took from that country.
Wikileaks said on Saturday they aren’t trying to hack Trump, it was a joke. And they’re not hackers anyways – they take whatever hackers give them. Assange is in bed with Russia, who is in bed with Trump. You won’t see anything dirty on Trump from Wikileaks.
*puts down chair*
*drags over small table*
*adjusts umbrella*
*sits down with sunglasses*
*crosses legs and leans back*
*starts watching this drama, sipping lemonade nice and slow*
Can I put my chair next to yours if I supply alcohol?
I’ll bring the popcorn!
I’ll bring the champers so we can toast the downfall!
It’s a party! I’ll bring some nibbles (thank you Edina) and a float for the pool!
I bet you she is still married to her first husband…………….. ooh the SCANDAL. This is going to be juicy.
Would be nice to see equal vitriol and demand for the truth from HC regarding Benghazi and her secret servers.
Not sure if serious or trolling. If you’re serious there’s been nothing but vitriol about Benghazi and the servers.
Not trolling
Not the same. Trump has been spewing hate speech about immigrants and Muslims. That’s why this is relevant.
Let’s go for million dollar investigation number nine. That’ll turn up evidence that Hillary is the Master of the Universe and she LET those boys die.
Myrna, I’d like to see some interest in the dozens of embassy workers who died under Bush. But there wasn’t a single investigation.
Gotta admit, Betsy.
I don’t know about the Bush allegations, but will research it.
Myrna, there were 13 “Benghazis” under Bush. 13. And, she’s been exonerated, repeatedly, so perhaps it best if you cease beating that long-deceased horse.
Myrna – I’m going to take you to be sincere (not a troll), but respectfully say your response is a deflection. In my mind, investigating inconsistencies with Melania Trump’s immigration status/claims can completely co-exist with investigations into Clinton. But you say that you wish the same voracity for the truth would be used for Clinton, and I must say that rings very hollow.
In 2001/2 Congress’ House and Senate intelligence committees held 22 hearings into the 9/11 attacks. That’s a lot of hearings but given the scope of that tragedy, the number makes sense.
Do you know how many Congressional hearings there have been for the Benghazi investigation to date? 33.
There have been 13 published reports from these hearings/investigations. 9 from the Republican led House, 2 from the Republican led Senate, 1 from the State Department 1 from the Independent Panel.
Benghazi was a tragedy and I feel deeply for the four families who lost their loved ones. There were lessons to be learned from this, and I think it was appropriate to have an investigation into the tragedy. Seems to me that 33 hearings indicates demand for the truth. But none of the published reports have been able to find the State Department or HRC acted criminally, intentionally with disregard or malice.
In fact, the final report from the most extensive investigation (from the actual Select Committee on Benghazi) was released on June 28th of this year and concluded after years of investigation that there is no evidence for culpability on the part of then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. How much more truth is there to find? Here is the report if you’d like to read. http://benghazi.house.gov/NewInfo
And to @Betsy’s point, here is a list of all the embassy attacks and diplomatic tragedies under President George W Bush.
http://www.politifact.com/embassyattacks/
As for the email/server situation – I think she was a fool to do what she did. In the case of Clinton, the FBI concluded there was no intent to break the law and could not prosecute. With that said, we all know she has lied about comments publically vs in hearings. Why do we know this, because it has been investigated by the press just as recently as last weekend.
She wouldn’t be the first to not use Gov secured servers (also see similar but not exact same situation of Karl Rove using RNC private servers while conducting White House business under W and their missing emails) With two private email server issues in the past two administrations, I’m beginning to think this practice might be something more common among our politicians that we think (which sucks).
Thanks for putting some perspective on this mia.
@mia girl
Yup, these practices go way back. Even before the internet age, there was that secret phone installed in the basement of The Executive Office Bldg during the Nixon Administration. The phone # was registered in the name of a White House secretary. She was stationed @ the basement desk to take calls for “The Plumbers”. Each month, the billing arrived at her home address & she delivered it to a WH staffer to pay it.
Thank you, mia girl, for providing a breakdown/review of info on some of the issues.
But I sincerely believe that HC is not held to the same standard by the press and a majority of the voting public.
And I’ve posted a few times on this thread earlier, but it got deleted, that I’m speaking about the overwhelming vitriol of my fellow posters that I’m referring to.
It is striking.
I am merely respectively stating my opinion that I personally find it perplexing that so many posters here are pro HC and BO while overwhelmingly vehemently against the GOP and Trump.
It’s simply perplexing to me.
EDIT AFTER SEEING POST BELOW:
Wanted to add that, yes, there have been investigating at length – sure – but I watched Comey’s entire press conference announcing the FBIs finding re HC and her servers.
It was a contradiction to say the least.
He spoke for several minutes detailing all of the things the FBI found that she did wrong only to conclude that she shouldn’t be prosecuted!
Absurd!
And I know that I am not only one who feels this way.
Again, it’s such a divide the way we seem to view things here.
No shade…it’s just my observation and belief and I’m struck by it.
@Myrna: This has long been a pretty liberal site when it comes to politics. This shouldn’t be a surprise.
As for the vitriol against Trump and the current GOP? Well, considering the current state of the GOP, that shouldn’t be surprising. And there are many conservatives who can’t stand Trump, so it’s not just liberals.
In regards to your claims about Hillary, it has been pointed out time and time again, both here and other sites, that have detailed Benghazi and the servers. And yet it still gets brought up. So at this point I’d have to say someone still bringing it as a talking point is really not paying attention.
There are plenty of legitimate policy criticisms of HRC, but Benghazi and the servers* is at this point nothing but GOP propaganda to rile up the base.
*sounds like a band name.
@mia girl: don’t forget that Ms. C Rice was given securety info that there would be an attack in America, yet she did not follow up on the information. – approx 3,00 people died at the World Trade Center. People are still dying from cancer because they worked at WTC after the buildings came down and got lung or blood cancer from breathing the dust in the air for months.
Myrna – I understand you feeling perplexed and I am often struck by similar wonder on how many can seemingly hold one standard for some and another standard for others.
My first comment upthread was about this. I wondered how many of those who criticized with vitriol that our First Lady inappropriately wears sleeveless dresses could now be defending Melania’s nude photos. Personally, I couldn’t care less nor judge her for those photos, but it strikes me as strange that she is held to a different standard by some.
Vitriol for both candidates exists all around. I do not accept that there is less vitriol for HRC as there is for Trump. Just go on Twitter, Facebook, comment sections across many different sites (not just here) and there is plenty of equal-opportunity vitriol to go around. This site is more anti-Trump – but you can find it’s opposite on other sites.
I suppose the frustration you feel about the FBI conclusions are similar to those felt by others during other investigations across administrations like Iran-Contra, Whitewater, 9/11, WMDs in Iraq/Iraq War, etc etc. (see @B n A fn comment above for example).
As for a different standard by voters and the press, the majority of the voting public know HRC pretty well. She has been around for so long, and vetted over and over. If there is less outrage among some voter about Clinton’s scandals, it may be that they get put in the same perspective as the other investigations during other administrations. Maybe voters are cynical about or just resigned to the fact that there are these types scandals and mistakes happening in both Democratic and Republican administrations.
But she is not unscathed. A majority of voters indicate that she is not very trustworthy – and yet a majority will likely vote for her because in this election she is seen as capable, knowledgeable etc. in contrast to Donald Trump.
For the press, Trump is the new man on campus – not fully vetted before and there are a lot of places to go there. And you have to admit that he gives the press plenty to unpack. He has said they cover him because of ratings, and he’s right. But that can be a double-edge sword that he is now having to deal with.
But I find it interesting that the press speaks most of Clinton’s “trustability problems” when the recent polls have shown that Trump’s trustworthiness is equal or lower than hers. But she’s the one with trust issues.
I guess what I am trying to say is that the “no fair” POV can be argued from both sides.
@Marie3 – Wow, I didn’t know that. Thanks for the info.
@mia_girl. If you haven’t read “All the President’s Men”, I highly recommend it. I was a kid when Watergate broke. I put off reading the book for years because I remembered the the televised hearings were so dry & boring. But the book is written in the 3rd person & reads like a mystery novel as Woodward & Bernstein puzzle together what was going on at the White House with what was coined “rat-f*cking” at the time.
I also recently watched the HBO movie “Game Change” with Julianne Moore. It was amazing to watch how the McCain’s crew didn’t do their homework vetting Sarah Palin at the time. It would appear lessons weren’t learned as we watch this ticket make similar mistakes.
Politics do feel very “plus ça change” these days.
Taking my personal beliefs out of this discussion, I have read and I do think it’s pretty clear we are in an era of “distrust” when it comes to politicians, business, leaders, heck, we even question the validity of our favorite celebrity relationships. I read a really great article in the Atlantic a few weeks/months back that discussed the genesis of this distrust of politicians and the growth of ‘outsiders,’ referencing even Ross Perot back in the day.
Long story short, I think as a society we really trust NO ONE as we are the generation that has seen a great deal of corruption, dirty business deals, economic failure, the shortcomings of the American Dream, not to mention we are more educated and have access to more information than ever before. I really don’t think there is a candidate on the planet we wouldnt question, doubt, mistrust, etc.
Benghazi has been the subject of multiple, thorough, lengthy, and extremely costly investigations; none of which found an illegal acts on the part of Clinton, much to the consternation of the Republican congressman who has so enjoyed wasting our tax dollars. The server issue amounts to “what was workplace practice and what happened with others who used the same practice? Her two immediate predecessors followed the same practice. Yet, I don’t hear the people screaming “lock her up!” including Condi or Colon Powell in their rants.
@Myrna
I don’t know what comments were aimed at you in the past but at CB you have to show receipts for your claims. Hillary Clinton has had every investigation imaginable done on her and written up (see Starr report etc.) numerous times by the government, the press and private citizens. Yet they never find any legal wrong doing or smoking gun. How many other non-president politicians have been as hounded as her? She has undergone more investigations as a person had 911 or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan!
Trump is running for president and we have very little know information on him. The press chose ratings over investigations on him all through out the primaries. We don’t have his tax forms, details about his over 20 bankruptcies, Trump University complaints, foreign business dealings, etc. I mean how sad is it that we only found out that his wife never graduated from college TWO WEEKS ago?
For every 1 lie Hillary tells, Trump will tell 200. I wish someone would keep a lie count! And we know about 99% about Hillary from birth to current age and 1% about Trump.
I think a lot of Trump supporters/ Hillary haters fall under “the truth is what I FEEL it is not OBJECTIVE data”. I feel Hillary Clinton eats children for breakfast or I believe Hillary is responsible for deaths in Benghazi so it must be true. The truth is irrevelant.
John Oliver did a whole segment on this called “the truth is what I feel it is”. Example: I feel that Prez Obama is Muslim so therefore he is!
https://youtu.be/Dsw1vUpc6Ug
Starts @11:00
Thanks everyone for your intelligent and thoughtful input and opinion – all of which I respect and value.
I won’t get into “receipts” to back up my POV.
I don’t have the stamina and I apologize for voicing my views without the backup at this point.
I’ll stick to posting on lighter gossip, which truly is the reason I come here.
And the next time I decide to post general opinion without the detail that brings me there – I’ll refrain! 😊
But I will say that this is not about my “feelings.”
I am a professional journalist for a liberal major city/regional newspaper and base my opinion on thoughtful consideration of facts
Peace…
I have long thought her story about getting a green card on her own did not add up. She simply did not have the education or work experience to qualify for an employer-sponsored green card. Moreover, two laws which majorly overhauled our immigration system were passed in 1996. The penalties for living and working in the US illegally were increased substantially, and INS later implemented its electronic entry-exit system, making it harder for people to enter legally and overstay their visas. Melania probably found some guy willing to fake a marriage with her long enough so she could get her green card.
Side note: an earlier CB post implied that all spouses of US citizens are entitled to apply for US citizenship. Not true. US citizens are entitled to sponsor their spouses for lawful permanent residence in the US (“green cards”). All permanent residents who meet the qualifications for naturalization to US citizenship may apply after 5 years of LPR status. Spouses of US citizens who have green cards for at least 3 years and meet the other requirements do get one privilege – they are entitled to apply for US citizenship early (3 years instead of 5). However, they must also prove they are still married and residing in marital union with their US citizen spouses.
Can her current legal status be revoked if it’s found that she was less than honest in her earlier Visa statuses? To be clear, i’m asking if her citizenship can be revoked if it is found that her initial visas and greencard were obtained in suspect circumstances?
I read in a Washington Post article that her status COULD be in jeopardy if lies were found on the forms. But whether anything would happen is debatable (IMO) given Her connections, marriage to a citizen, mother of a child who is a citizen, length of time elapsed, etc. Maybe some kind of fraud charge and fine? Who knows. But I’m loving the irony and hypocrisy here.
She could be denaturalized and put in deportation proceedings IF USCIS can prove she lied under oath during her green card or citizenship interviews or on the forms themselves. However, at the time Melania got her green card, Immigration and Nationality Act section 245(i) was in effect, meaning that if she admitted her prior visa abuses and illegal work and paid a $1000 fine all would be forgiven. If she did that, then she could not be denaturalized. But in that case she also would NOT have been in compliance at all times.
I’m starting to to feel sorry for donald because the way it’s being reported is that she just now lied when in fact she was telling people in 1995 she graduated college way before she met him.
Exactly! A green card through marriage makes WAY more sense for her. I just could not comprehend how she could possibly qualify for a work visa and, later, for green card through her “work. I totally believe this story. Either this, or she paid someone to pull some strings.
Sadly, this possibility cannot be discounted. In the late 1990s, the federal government’s own records showed that at any given point in time roughly 14% of INS employees were under investigation for various criminal acts or ethical violations. I started practicing immigration law in 1998 and remember many big busts which resulted in firings, federal criminal cases, and denaturalizations and deportations of people who had bribed INS officers.
Well, but that would then be fraud, right? Either breaking the law, or stretching it, anyway. I’d believe that, too. I just don’t believe she could have worked her way to a citizenship fair and square and, given her marriage with Trump, it just seems that fake marriage was the easiest and most legitimate path for her.
Nice pic of Barron. He looks like a total space cadet.
I’m sure Barron would rather be anywhere but there… Does his blue tie mean he’s a secret Democrat?
When did the red for Republican and blue for Democrat start, anyway? I noticed the red state vs blue state thing some years ago in this century, but am just noticing the tie thing this election. The color coding always makes me laugh since the Republicans are especially infamous for Red-baiting. Who managed to make them get the red color?
Dunno, maybe CNN put up a map one day like that and the idea stuck.
In the Civil War, though, the North was blue and the South was grey.
For a while, blue and red states almost played out the same way.
Grey isn’t very telegenic.
Because blue looks good on everyone (inclusive) and red only looks good on some people (exclusive)! 🙂
Can we not pick on the younger kids ? (His grown-up ones are fair game).
No matter how you spin it, this doesn’t work.
Working illegally doesn’t have to involve cash, it has to involve a job where one might reasonably expect to get paid.
So Melania’s agency saying that she worked, but not for money doesn’t fly, since people who do soft core porn more often than not do it for money , rent, food or something that has monetary value.
But this is the thing … when the world finds out that Melania and Donald had not told the whole truth about her Immigration and marital history, it won’t matter one iota to his rabid supporters, who will all view it as one more example of persecution by “Lie-beral” media.
This campaign will not explode, it will not implode, it will just angrily limp to the polls in November.
If Melania posed for photos with no fee (lots of wanna be models do this for exposure) there’s no visa violation. BUT there’s some possible discrepancy on who paid her rent during that time. If her agent/agency did so, that’s compensation and WOULD be a violation.
But do they do soft porn pics just for exposures (no pun intended)? I could believe other types might be done for free to work up a portfolio. But I’m not clear that the type of photos taken are commonly done for free for this purpose. Unless their real goal is the porn industry, I would imagine such pics would be a temporary activity to pay the rent, and not shown in a portfolio once they got more mainstream work. But I don’t really know.
Speaking from experience of my friends , it is extremely difficult to obtain a Green Card based on work or tourist visa alone. Many get tired of waiting and paying immigration attorneys and simply get married quietly. I know a few people who offer/ask marriage for a fee ( as low as $10,000 but normally around $30,000). You don’t even have to live together as long as your official address is the same, the immigration services.
That being said I really doubt she was married before Trump. If she were anyone could access the public records and find out- it’s not hard to do.
But work visa seems like an even longer shot for her. I mean, short of having access to a very expensive lawyer through other means, marriage makes way more sense for her immigration journey.
Not all marriage and divorce records are public though. However, her alien file at USCIS will have them. She would have had to provide copies of these documents in support of her naturalization application at a minimum.
Since alien files are protected by the federal Privacy Act, Melania would have to authorize the release of any information for her file. Despite her prior status as a birther, I doubt she will EVER let us see her A file!
Also, Apples, speaking as a board certified immigration lawyer, marrying someone just for a green card is NOT the cheap or easy way out. USCIS has gotten quite savvy about investigating sham marriages and is especially vigilant in running credit checks, vital statistic searches, welfare benefits checks, and social media searches. The more wired our world becomes, the easier it is for them to discover that two people are not actually living together or not having a shared financial and emotional life.
Does she come from money? I mean if she was living in New York and “not getting paid” how was she surviving? I work a full-time, well paid job and I still can’t afford to live in NYC, so someone arriving here with little or no money and not making money while they were here would have a very hard time, no??
I agree with the comment above that she was probably an escort – which is fine, and I couldn’t care less, but I really want to see the republicans try to spin how that fits into their “family values” and “morality” platform. At some point the hypocrisy has to get too much even for them.
Nope, doesn’t look like it ever does. They all became open-minded and tolerant the second Melania’s naked pictures surfaced. I swear, if it turned out that Melania had an abortion, they would suddenly become pro-choice, just so they can continue to stand by Trump.
She is from a middle class family and there have been stories that she was a kept woman for years and was out with one when she met Oompa, who was also out on a date.
Ummm…being an escort would have disqualified her for visas, a green card, and citizenship. Prostitution is a crime involving moral turpitude.
FOIA requests can take forever; maybe this one will get fast tracked. Really, did she get H1B application status for 10 years (1996-2006; 1995 still a question…)?
Last I checked, fiancee visas only last a year.
Watching The Donald & his lady implode is such a pleasure…
H-1B visas have a six year maximum period of stay, although in some situations that almost certainly do NOT apply to Melania, they may be extended past six years. Plus, the law authorizing the extensions past six years did not even come into effect until October 2000, and she apparently became a permanent resident in 2001.
Fiancé(e) visas actually only last 4 months. Upon arrival in the US the alien fiancé(e) only gets 120 days’ period of stay and must marry the US citizen within 90 days of arrival. The extra 30 days is to allow him/her to file a green card application. Once that is on file, they get work authorization and travel permission based on the pending green card application and no longer need a valid visa.
Can we start chanting “LOCK HER UP, LOCK HER UP”, or do you think we should wait a bit?
😉
There is no way she is her 40’s. I would say she is about 52.
Am I remembering correctly that Obama, who actually didn’t need to prove anything because everybody knew his entire famil history did release his papers?
If so, equal rules apply for all and the Trump camp and their voter base should have no problem at all to release hers.
I say anyone thinking of voting for Hillary should watch “Clinton Cash” on Youtube first. Please educate yourself.
Not American, but I agree, I watched it on youtube the other day. Feel so sorry for America with two such crappy, dishonest and greedy candidates to choose from this election…
Forget about Melania’s papers, I want to see the Donald’s birth certificate – I’m convinced he’s an alien, like from outer space. No human male could be that orange and have that bad hair. Americans should have him deported back to Pluto or wherever that hair is en vogue.