Despite being on .ml, there's a real issue with Tankies here. They hate the USA which...like fair enough, not exactly a paragon of virtue them. But then they go waaaay the other way and think China and Russia are utopian meritocracies, it's fucking bizarre.

Turns out Russia sucks pretty bad at real war but they've been excelling at these shadow ops for quite some time. The fact that they've bought so many plants in the US government is a sign of the success they've had.

There is a strong argument that Brexit was the result of Russian influence.

Democratic Germany best Germany!

While I agree on the AfD sentiment, we're not exactly living in a democracy. When money/corporations have way more influence on politics than voters, that's not even remotely resembling democracy.

My guess is if this blows up enough and the far right can't simply deny that it happened any more they will distance themselves a bit, perhaps throw him out.

Its just lip service though, the party is in large parts propped up by russia, and the members are all either corrupt shitstains doing the same as the guy who got caught or brainwashed idiots who themselves are the best argument against democracy and equal voices for everyone.

The same playbook as your Republicans

We call them "exceptions" here, they'll kick him out and say everyone else of the AfD is not like that. People will believe it and keep voting for them even harder because now. It's a shit show.

Well, his party is trying to make people forget he's in there for fear of losing votes. Given that this party is the "presentable" face of the hard right I hope he gets as much media attention as possible.

Not sure anything is going to happen to him personally but he's a politician and this is corruption so probably not.

My logic says yes but mostly it's gonna be PR issues. But reality says there won't be any other consequences because politicians don't like to oust other politicians and courts don't wanna get involved with separation of power issues.

So no but yes but no.

Pedophilia has a long and storied tradition in German politics. It's just part of their culture.

From the late 1960s until the early 1990s, with the authorization and financial support of the Berlin Senate, Kentler placed neglected youth as foster children in the homes of single pedophile fathers with the ostensible purpose of resocializing them, while explicitly encouraging sexual contact between them.

The AfD isnt conservative. They are facist to neo nazi.

Bernd Höcke is best friends with nazis and is allowed to be called a facist

It's crazy how little it takes to buy these fucks off. Like setup and GoFundMe and just bring out the bribes into the open at this point

yes, but it's important to know all details about each case, including nationality

This may have been one of a series of payments. This is only one that leeked.

A common theme in politics around the world is that you can buy politicians for a shockingly low amount of money. In the UK we've had politicians paid off for similar amounts, or politicians bought for £100k for basically their entire career.

It's not a large sum at all. That's one of the most shameful facts of all these corrupt shitheads. They sell their countries out for such a pittance.

You should see how many American politicians are just as corrupt for less money, I was surprised when I saw Devin Nunes was only making $15K from one of the bribery schemes that was supporting him while he was in Congress. I guess it all comes down to knowing your worth to the scumbags you work for. 🤷‍♂️

You'd be surprised how little money it takes to influence a US politician

That's the thing. Campaigns are super expensive AND the politician doesn't get to keep the money, so if you can find a politician who takes cash payment it's way cheaper than "legitimate" political spending.

It's in a twisted way a major reason mega corps like the massive expense of lobbying and PACs. Bribes are cheap and anybody can do it, but pulling together millions for PACs and campaigns is something smaller companies and individuals can't do.