The most important news today to the future of Donald Trump's America 2.0 is this New York Times story. Here's the first paragraph:

A shell company that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money to a pornographic film actress received payments totaling more than $1 million from an American company linked to a Russian oligarch and several corporations with business before the Trump administration, according to documents and interviews.

I never was no good at following money. Let's break that sentence up and see if I can follow it:

"A shell company..."

"...that Michael D. Cohen used to pay hush money..."

"...received payments totaling more than $1 million..."

"...from an American company..."

"...linked to a Russian oligarch..."

"...and several corporations with business before the Trump administration..."

So, a Russian oligarch and several companies paid Cohen to get access to Trump. Is what I "glean" from that. 

How does lobbying work? Are you allowed to do this? I think you're allowed to lobby with money. Can a Russian guy lobby with money? It may be different with a foreign guy. If you are allowed generally to lobby with money are you allowed to pay the money to a shell company? I would think nugatory. Seems it ought to go to a reputable charity like the National Rifle Association harrumph. 

When did they do this?

Transactions adding up to at least $4.4 million flowed through Essential Consultants starting shortly before Mr. Trump was elected president and continuing to this January...

Among the previously unreported transactions were payments last year of about $500,000 from Columbus Nova, an investment firm in New York whose biggest client is a company controlled by Viktor Vekselberg, the Russian oligarch.

Okay, that's the oligarch's name and that's the company he is "linked to."

 A lawyer for Columbus Nova, in a statement on Tuesday, described the money as a consulting fee that had nothing to do with Mr. Vekselberg.

Not a good answer, lawyer for Columbus Nova. You paid half a mil to a fourth rate lawyer to do "consulting" work? What did Michael consult with you on, paying off porn stars? You only discovered that Michael was this genius you had to pay half a mil to consult with right before the Catastrophe? Not a good answer, lawyer for Columbus Nova. I also don't believe that it had "nothing to do with Vekselberg," the Russian oligarch.

Other transactions described in the financial records include hundreds of thousands of dollars Mr. Cohen received from Fortune 500 companies with business before the Trump administration...

Now, it is hard for me to believe that companies sophisticated and successful enough to make the Fortune 500 would do something like this if it is illegal. 

Mr. Vekselberg, who was stopped and questioned at an airport earlier this year by investigators for Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel examining Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Oh, Mueller questioned Vekselberg about "RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION." Oh, I see.

It is unclear whether [Conehead's payment to Stormy Daniels] or any of the other transactions were improper, but Mr. Avenatti has asserted that Mr. Cohen’s use of Essential Consultants potentially violated banking laws. The financial records indicate that at least some of the money that passed through Essential Consultants was from sources and in amounts that were inconsistent with the company’s stated purpose.

Michael, what was Essential Consultants "stated purpose"?...Actually, Michael, do not answer that question without consulting with your lawyer first.

Okay! That's maybe half of the article. Good job, me.