Memo: Democrats Made Up Evidence Enabled Eavesdropping On Trump Campaign
Over the last month political enemies of U.S. President Trump and the FBI and Justice Department have desperately tried to prevent the publishing of a memo written by the Republican controlled House Intelligence Committee.
The memo (pdf) describes parts of the process that let to court sanctioned spying on the Trump campaign. The key points of the memo that was just published:
* The Steele dossier formed an essential part of the initial and all three renewal FISA applications against Carter Page.* Andrew McCabe confirmed that no FISA warrant would have been sought from the FISA Court without the Steele dossier information.
* The political origins of the Steele dossier were known to senior DOJ and FBI officials, but excluded from the FISA applications.
* DOJ official Bruce Ohr met with Steele beginning in the summer of 2016 and relayed to DOJ information about Steele's bias. Steele told Ohr that he, Steele, was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected president and was passionate about him not becoming president.
If the above memo proves to be correct one can conclude that a Democratic front organization created "evidence" that was then used by the FBI and the Obama Justice Department to get FISA warrants to spy on someone with intimate contacts into the Trump campaign.
The Democrats as well as the FBI have done their utmost to keep this secret.
Carter Page was a relative low ranking volunteer advisor of the Trump campaign with some business contacts to Russia. He had officially left the campaign shortly before the above FISA warrant was requested.
Andrew McCabe was an FBI assistant director. A few month earlier his wife ran for a Virginia State Senate seat with the help of $700,000 she had received from Clinton allies.
The wife of DOJ official Bruce Ohr worked for Fusion GPS, the outlet hired by the Democrats to find Trump dirt. Fusion GPS hired the former British agent Steele.
The former British spy Steele had been hired by the Democratic Party via Fusion GPS to dig up dirt about Donald Trump. He came back with a package of "reports" which alleged that Trump was "colluding" with Russia or even a puppet of Putin. The content of the reports is hilarious and so obviously made up that one wonders how anyone could have treated it seriously.
Getting a FISA warrant on Carter Page meant that all his communication with the Trump campaign was effectively under surveillance of the Obama administration. While Page was no longer an official member of the campaign at the time of the warrant it is likely that he had kept contact. All internal communication that Page had access to was thereby also accessible for at least some people who tried to prevent a Trump election victory.
One must wonder if the FISA warrant and eavesdropping on Page was the only one related to the Trump campaign.
One may (like me) dislike Trump and the Republican party and all they stand for. But this looks like an extremely dirty play by the Democrats and by the Obama administration far outside of any decency and fairness. The Steele dossier is obviously made up partisan nonsense. To the use it for such a FISA warrant was against the most basic rules of a democratic system. It probably broke several laws.
There are still many questions: What was, exactly, the result of the surveillance of Carter Page and the Trump campaign? Who was getting these results - officially and unofficially? How were they used?
I am pretty sure now that more heads of those involved will role. Some of the people who arranged the scheme, and some of those who tried to cover it up, may go to jail.
If Trump and the Republicans play this right they have practically won the next elections.
Posted by b on February 2, 2018 at 18:06 UTC | Permalink
next page »Politics is dirty but the Democrats have taken it to a whole new level.
There are good people in the Party, yes they are noble and truly believe in the principals of social progress and liberalism but the leadership is waaaaaay out of touch and will resort to "any means necessary' to remain in power and cruelly CRUSH any type of resistance, by the media, the courts and through their various cohorts.
The worst thing is that their are people Half of the country, who simply can't see the muck and the mire and call them out on it.
Scary sh!te.
Posted by: Fernando Arauxo | Feb 2 2018 18:32 utc | 2
Just look how western msm silence this - this is big news and most likely corruption at highest level in deep state, CNN dont even talk about it! Its coverd up just like in the rest of europe,
also, WSJ article on FBI agents showing racist attitudes towards Russia, this is what drives this hysteria as we all knew:
https://tinyurl.com/ycsrbtzq
Posted by: Anon | Feb 2 2018 18:35 utc | 3
In nearly every instance of political crime, it is the attempted coverup that does the miscreants in.
Posted by: AntiSpin | Feb 2 2018 18:36 utc | 4
But this extremely dirty play by the Democrats and by the Obama administration was far outside of any decency and fairness
dirty play, you say?
it used to be called treason.
Posted by: john | Feb 2 2018 18:42 utc | 5
There is a conspiracy here but how far it reaches is debatable. From what the memo says there's no obvious evidence that the Clinton campaign or DNC were involved in it even though they paid for the "Steele dossier" It looks like those involved from the FBI and DOJ were freelancing and apparently did this by themselves. Unless there is a paper trail, it doesn't look like anything ties this back to Obama either, so how much these revelations will affect the Democratic Party in the mid-terms is difficult to judge. But the scandal does suggest that there's nothing to the Russia-gate claims - as a self-identifying liar, Steele's dossier is worthless now
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Feb 2 2018 18:44 utc | 6
@5, John
it used to be called treason.
It is treason, a national treason. It is much larger than Watergate. Ramifications are enormous. Agree with b, next elections--Democrats should simply dissolve.
Posted by: SmoothieX12 | Feb 2 2018 18:48 utc | 7
Prepare for a response by democrats, msm, deeep state coming days, something to deflect this scandal with.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 2 2018 18:59 utc | 8
https://twitter.com/mmurraypolitics/status/959478891604783105/photo/1
"The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok".
The dossier was not the trigger for the investigation. Was it really an "essential" part?
https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/959478162638991360
"The entire premise of its insufficiency in the fact that the FBI/DOJ didn't tell the FISC that Steele was biased against Trump. So the hell what? They're not REQUIRED to reveal that in every case."
Is this right? Is the political origin of Steele actually not something that had to be disclosed to FISA, and if not, wouldn't this be a non-issue then?
https://twitter.com/MikeMadden/status/959481686026280960
How valid the Steele dossier's assertions are, that's not an issue in the memo. The issue is the disclosure of Steele's political origins. One could make a detailed argument really is "hilarious" or "obviously made up". But apparently the FISA court thought otherwise. What does not seem logical, though, is the implication that if FISA knew about Steele's origins, they would automatically rule the dossier not credible. I certainly assume Steele's origins is not the ONLY reason "b" is claiming that the dossier is "obviously made up".
Posted by: Inkan1969 | Feb 2 2018 19:07 utc | 9
FYI--FISA warrant gives auth to spy on ALL the contacts of the target. E.g., in this case of the FISA target being Carter Page, all of Page's contacts legally become fair game.
Note that C. Page is referred to as a low-level member of Trump's campaign. So FISA auth is mightily expansive and effective far beyond C Page.
Posted by: chu teh | Feb 2 2018 19:18 utc | 10
Well, CIA assets at MSM at work trying to spin this. Talking about vindication of supposed paranoia of this flaccid clown of oligarchy, "they FBI spied on my campaign" rediculous right?
Of course, if that was not the honest to goodness truth he blabbermouthed.
FBI obtained FISA survelliance warrant based on a dossier ordered by and paid by DNC cronies aimed to support other candidate, Hillary in her presidential bid. By itself disqualifying FBI from any involvement in resolving the affair but withholding the information of who funded the dossier from FISA court makes it criminal, as FBI illegally obtained the warrant and spied on Trump campaign illegally.
In fact it is an ultimate proof of what was already disclosed, but why Dems shit in their pants is that it makes it not solely political but criminal case.
But make no mistake, Reps who knew all that FBI criminality a year ago and were silent until Trump gave away America to oligarchic friends in a form of tax scam laws he pushed, now they posturing as self righteous liars as they prepared to another farcical elections where interest of 99% is last on both parties agendas.
Posted by: Kalen | Feb 2 2018 19:20 utc | 11
Mr Trump has a Russian connection nad money laundering via Russian citizen , the FBI or any other agents has the right to spy and collect evidence , the time will tell.
Mr Trump has no respect for the office , bully , womanizer and disobeying the law of the USA and he will get got. If the Democrats , the press will stay on, he is done.
He spent all his life cheating on his workers , not paying his bills , again bully .
Posted by: Bobby | Feb 2 2018 19:26 utc | 12
The Democrats hate Trump but there is more than that going on. Look at the non-stop barrage of anti-Russia propaganda. The whole idea of the Steele dossier was to show a direct connection between Trump and Putin. Democrats don't want the memo exposed but nor do many Republicans. Russia is the main target.
Posted by: dh | Feb 2 2018 19:30 utc | 13
I recall SST having a discussion recently abiut the term "deep state," with Col. Lang railing against such a notion, or at least semantically favoring a different approach. Col. Lang has a great comment over there right now that this whole thing is starting to resemble the "Raft of the Medusa" scene where it is possibly leaning towards the implication of the CIA as well in trying to stop a Trump presidency. So, with that being said, and with a bonafide conspiracy being thrown into the light of the day, I have a few questions:
1) what was the motivation for all those involved? (It can't be merely political preference, because we know that there is so little daylight between the rethugz and the demoncrats)
2) what is the precedent for this kind of malfeasance in our DOJ and IC?
3) who was leaning on these various directors to collude against Trump?
I think signs do point to a deep state, whether semantically correct or not.
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Feb 2 2018 19:36 utc | 14
thanks b.. i agree fully and share your attitude towards trump and the republican agenda, but this is outrageous and i does indeed look like another investigation is warranted..
@6 ghostship...key word in your post - "unless"... requires an investigation to match this stupid russia witch hunt they have going on at present...
@14 nemesis calling.. 1) i think it was political preference, but on a significant level - hillary would have been at war with russia already... that is catering to the military and financial industry if nothing else..
2)and 3) don't know but seems just as worthy of some investigation similar to the one mueller is heading..
Posted by: james | Feb 2 2018 19:48 utc | 15
1. This is just a 'memo summary' of hundreds of pages of the actual report. The bottom of page 4 (last page) sets up the sequel...the heavy breathing going on between the FBI agent and his mistress. The minority (democrats) opposed this memo to prevent the knowledge of a greater conspiracy.
2. Through out the memo there is thread much worse than the democrat conspiracy against Trump. THE TOTAL FAILURE OF FISA COURT. Obviously, anyone of a certain power, can approach
this hapless organization and walk out with a 'warrant' to spy everybody!!!
Maybe we should wait until we hear the other side of the story before we get the pitchforks and light the torches. The republican have blocked the Democrat members of the committees from responding, but if the memo written by THE REPUBLICAN PARTY has errors there will be leaks regardless. If not then yes, let the witch hunt begin.
Posted by: BraveNewWorld | Feb 2 2018 19:54 utc | 17
John McCain doesn't want the memo released. He sees Putin's fingerprints all over it.
“The latest attacks against the FBI and Department of Justice serve no American interests ― no party’s, no President’s, only Putin’s,” McCain added. “The American people deserve to know all the facts surrounding Russia’s ongoing efforts to subvert our democracy, which is why Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation must proceed unimpeded. ..."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/sen-john-mccain-nunes-memo-175552422.html
Posted by: dh | Feb 2 2018 20:03 utc | 18
Yes, there's so much more to come. If you've been following Andrew Mercouris's analysis of the entire Russiagate affair, then you have an idea of what's next. Perhaps now we'll get a proper investigation into the Clinton Foundation and also the DNC's massive corruption and law breaking during the 2016 election. The biggest victim of this entire scam is the US citizenry, particularly the driving while blind Democrats still most unwilling to see their folly.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 2 2018 20:20 utc | 19
dh @18--
My answer to McCain: Russia hasn't done anything to subvert our democracy since it got the USA to provide the critical support for the creation of the Zionist state in Palestine; it's through that surrogate's capture of the federal government that's destroyed American Democracy with the knowingly active aid of people like you.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 2 2018 20:27 utc | 21
Totally clear: the intell agencies going back to the January 2017 "assessments," still the bogus foundation for "the Russians interfered with the election" I read in my local newspaper, is political crap. BIAS and corruption run through these departments to get rid of Trump. I am no supporter of Trump. But yes, Pelosi, McCain, Comey et al, versus your white-faced screaming about "constitutional crisis"--that yourselves and your ilk have generated--he needs to clean house. Intelligence agencies should operate according to laws and DISINTERESTED analysis, not as an Amerikan KGB.
Posted by: Sid2 | Feb 2 2018 20:29 utc | 22
[yawn...] Sorry, but the memo is a steaming, double nothingburger.
Rick: How can you close me up? On what grounds? Captain Renault: I'm shocked, shocked to find thatgamblingpolitical chicanery is going on in here! [acroupierlobbyist hands Renault a pile of money] Croupier: Yourwinningsbribes, sir. Captain Renault: Oh, thank you very much.
Yes, I realize what *could* happen as a result, but we all know - deep down - it will not. And is any of this really news to anyone here? The opinion of the House Intelligence Committee expressed in this memo are just that. Getting the US Department of Justice (hyuck!) to prosecute or convict someone - anyone - from the ruling class or the FBI based on the memo or underlying documents is just too much of a stretch for my tin foil hat. Yeah, I know... it will be different this time [sigh...]
All things considered, I'm probably better off worrying about surface wind patterns in Minneapolis during the Super Bowl false-flag nuke (as verified on Twitter). There's a better chance of that happening then 'justice in DC'.
Posted by: PavewayIV | Feb 2 2018 20:32 utc | 23
Very interesting that when finally I get to read the memo there is nothing in it "about national security" and it's all about hiding your corruption and improper procedures according to the law and blustering to save your own sorry ass.
Posted by: Sid2 | Feb 2 2018 20:34 utc | 24
No 22 it's not a nothing burger except in that we've known for months what it reveals, finally confirmed. The US public can now see evidence of bias systematically ignored by top positions in intelligence.
Instead of critique from alternate press like M of A, which is all we had previously, now we've got confirmation from an official government source. No wonder they're hopping around with white faces screaming about themrussians Nunes and Ryan.
Posted by: Sid2 | Feb 2 2018 20:41 utc | 25
John @ 5: This smear campaign initiated by the Democrats against Trump's election campaign surely goes far beyond the Watergate scandal.
"...It probably broke several laws ..."? I daresay the US Constitution and possibly Carter Page's Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights were trashed several times over. Potentially the eavesdropping on Page was done with the intent of using the information gained to get him to testify against Trump and his advisors in a future court case, and that information having the potential to be used against Page himself.
Fourth Amendment:
"Protection from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized."
Fifth Amendment:
"No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation."
What B describes is no less than democracy being subverted.
Posted by: Jen | Feb 2 2018 20:44 utc | 26
If the FBI wasn't spying on DT and his cronies, they sure as hell should have. Hell, they spy on everyone else, why not the worst bunch of crooks ever assembled? They've been robbing the working classes since day one, and only plan to accelerate the process, through legislation to further enrich their cronies in the 1%. Bend over labor, social security and medicare are next. Emoluments clause anyone?
Posted by: ben | Feb 2 2018 20:49 utc | 27
@b your coverage one year ago of the Dodgy Steele dossier was quite thorough. This partisan Nunes memo can't bear scrutiny as it delivers Repub talking points only. The Mueller investigation will go forward, Trump will not fire him with Watergate as backdrop. My take on the event …
Late summer 2015, the Washington Free Beacon, funded in part by billionaire Paul Singer, had engaged Fusion GPS to dig up dirt on Trump.
On the emoluments clause:
https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/12/economist-explains-2
Posted by: ben | Feb 2 2018 20:57 utc | 30
Feinstein - Schiff, letter demanding Twitter and Facebook produce evidence of Russian account holders duplicating ("amplifying") #ReleaseTheMemo messages. [h/t Cat]
From the letter ...
The response from Facebook fails to indicate whether the company has conducted any analysis of the issue we raised concerning possible Russian-affiliated attempts to amplify calls the release a misleading, classified memo written by Republican staff on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (an online effort we will refer to broadly as the #ReleaseThe Memo campaign). And as more fully described below, Twitter inexplicably confined its response to "original content" and neglected to answer the question whether Russian sources were actively engaged in promoting the #ReleaseThe Memo hashtag, as illuminated by the Hamilton 68 dashboard of the German Marshall Fund.
Haha ... so the American neocons are now hiding under the hashtag #GMF doing the dirty work for the Clintonites of the Democrats? See my new series of diaries on this topic, just finished today ...
ben @25--
The FBI was too busy protecting one of the biggest crooks in the world--HRC--and thus didn't have time to spy on DT.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 2 2018 21:00 utc | 33
@Jen "What B describes is no less than democracy being subverted."
Always wonder how many years this false definition of one man, one vote and "democracy" in America is upheld? Gerrymandering ... poor distribution of voting booths ... blockade of voter registration ... partisan SoS for each state determining the final tally.
Like their banks, the US powers that be may well decide their political mess is too big to fail.
The US will go to war with itself, if those involved in the conspiracy first to subvert the election and then against their president, are charged and convicted.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Feb 2 2018 21:08 utc | 36
>>>> PavewayIV | Feb 2, 2018 3:32:49 PM | 22
Sorry, but the memo is a steaming, double nothingburger.
It might be for Democrats and Clintonists, but to Trump's base and other "deplorables", it will steady the troops and get them marching through the polling stations in support of Trump for the mid-terms. The Democrats are going to struggle to increase their representation. In the meantime the Democratic Party will do nothing about voter suppression by the Republicans, which really won the election for Trump, because they're convinced that Russiagate is for real, that Trump will be impeached and then Clinton will be raised on to her throne by a thousand angels surrounded by massed cherubim and seraphim, to be annointed and crowned Queen Hillary 1.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Feb 2 2018 21:10 utc | 37
karlof1 @ 31 said: "The FBI was too busy protecting one of the biggest crooks in the world--HRC--and thus didn't have time to spy on DT."
Absolutely!! Just to clear the record. Everything I said in my 25, applies to ALL the past enabler "puppets for the empire"..
Including Obama..
Posted by: ben | Feb 2 2018 21:11 utc | 38
@15 james
It might just have been political preference. But break the law and leave a trail just so a Clinton could get in instead? Trump was always going to fund the military, so no worry there from the MIC. So what gives?
Posted by: NemesisCalling | Feb 2 2018 21:11 utc | 39
Democratic talking points:
February 1 2018:
Releasing the memo endangers the United States and its vital intelligence service. It is an assault on our beloved FBI. Releasing the memo is treason!
February 2 2018:
The released memo is a nothing burger. Everything described in it is totally normal. Nothing to see here. Pass on.
Oui
In the real world,
Report: American Accounts — Not Russian ‘Bots’ — Behind #ReleaseTheMemo Trending
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/01/23/rreport-american-accounts-not-russian-bots-behind-releasethememo-trending/
These people are INSANE, dems and MSM have lost it and since they own public opinion in the west they will bury this asssault on democracy and on the president of the U.S.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 2 2018 21:15 utc | 41
Here we go,
Mccain: Putin benefits from the memo,
John McCain: FISA Memo Serves no American Interests, Only Putin’s
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/02/02/john-mccain-fisa-memo-serves-no-american-interests-putins/
Posted by: Anon | Feb 2 2018 21:22 utc | 42
Anunnaki @ 30: Thanks for the "memo" link.
Suggested reading for all interested..
Posted by: ben | Feb 2 2018 21:22 utc | 43
All the indications are that this is just phase one. The DoJ IG report comes up next, that could go much deeper and wider. We will see.
Posted by: JohninMK | Feb 2 2018 21:22 utc | 44
Question for b. Can you not see that DT's interest in Detente with Russia, is based totally because of his business interests, not because he believes in world peace?
Posted by: ben | Feb 2 2018 21:28 utc | 45
>>>> ben | Feb 2, 2018 3:49:34 PM | 25
Emoluments clause anyone?
Bit behind with the trolling, the courts have already tossed the emolument cause actions.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Feb 2 2018 21:34 utc | 46
I just skim read b's take which is factually 100% correct. I can't stand here and say Isreal's are stealing land in the west bank and call this a nothing burger at the same time. This scandal goes to the Obama Whitehorse. It has too. DOJ and FBI have weekly meetings with the President. Besides the FISA warrant, they conspired to let off Clinton from the 'grossly negligent ' handling of classified using intelligience information. So after Burning Bernie to get the Democratic nomination 'she' thought lets do it to the Presidential election and when I am in I will cover this all up and reward my conspirators.
I am NOT reading the comments because it would tailor my thoughts regarding many contributors, which in the main (in international relations ) I agree or keep close for further evaluation.
Posted by: col | Feb 2 2018 21:39 utc | 47
If anything, the citizenry should be very concerned
about this distractive event. Those who read the
Constitution and Declaration of Independence and
we're able to read between the lines, do know that
there are not two inherently different parties
constituting what goes for a Democratic Republic.
These two 'parties' are nothing but two sides of
the same coin - the coin is called "Plutocracy"
and it is the purpose it serves.
Expect an event that people would revolt against,
provided they would have the foreknowledge and
capacity to comprehend it.
Both camps only answer to their corporate owners.
This is the corporatism Mussolini hailed and
implemented. It is moot to bicker about how long
this has been going on, but one should be aware
we're it will lead.
Sitting in a Mall, waiting for my number to be
called up, I am listening to rap music coming
from the speakers that contain MLK speech.
The "I have a Dream" rap in the hallways of
commerce.
The U.S. regime is preparing for WWIII, because
too many people believe it must be done now,
before it will be 'unwinnable', due to the
increasing capabilities of the generated
'enemies'.
The true public enemy number one is the U.S. regime.
It will start a nuclear conflagration, because it
believes it will come out on top. 200 million
Americans and three billion useless eaters will be
worth it.
Posted by: nottheonly1 | Feb 2 2018 21:40 utc | 48
@46 nottheonly1,
That's what a democratic republic IS. Hamilton and Madison believed in oligarchy and they designed the USian system to implement it.
Anyone who wouldn't hang, draw and quarter the Founders today is a traitor to the people.
Posted by: Jonathan | Feb 2 2018 21:59 utc | 49
Those who see the Memo affair as indicating that the police powers of the FBI in this case have been egregiously misused and that the Dept of Justice has of recent vintage some rotten apples at the top are seeing the wealth of US corruption through rose coloured glasses. This is mild stuff, compared to much of what has been going on inside the US, let alone outside the US, where serial mass murder via wars of aggression based on lies is business as usual. Check out A Noble Lie documentary for a taste of the indigenous cesspool the FBI has been making and mired in. As far as the torture enabling war of aggression ignoring D. of (in)Justice., they have presided over much that is far worse than enabling and covering up a FISA memo based on bs.
However, there is the stuff of comedy here. The sequence of events: Roughly speaking, goes like this: Hillary Clinton, war criminal, thief, liar extraordinaire, etc., had the Democratic nomination stolen for her ahead of the people's actual preferred candidate, Bernie Sanders. She was then supposed to be shoehorned into the presidency no matter what the vote, and despite a prodigious effort to steal the election, Trump, billionaire businessman, the deplorable people's choice won. During the election campaign Hillary was reduced to green screen 'virtual' enthusiasm and hiring actors to pretend enthusiasm at her campaign rallies while Trump spoke to actually present and cheering overflow audiences.
Nearly all MSM gave uncritical adoration to Hillary and predicted that she would win in a cakewalk.
Hillary's “If that bastard gets in we'll hang....” may metaphorically turn out to be more or less appropriate.
Then an attack began on Trump, the people's choice, by his fellow Republicans and by Democrats, by global mass media, by sundry high profile personages around the world. And this demonizing was unprecedented in US internal history. The 'Russia did it' narrative was then concocted to hobble Trump, denigrate him, take blame away from the Democrats, etc, and this surreal pathetic charade has continued unrelenting in much US mass media. The 'nothingburger' was inflated and milked for all it was worth.
Meanwhile the Clinton Foundation involvement in massive crimes has been exposed to much light of day; Hillary broke gobs of national security laws, colluded with the Russians, but somehow this reality did not resonate like the chimerical Russia Trump fiction for the D. of J or FBI. Clinton crimes boring; Trump non-crimes riveting!
Paul Craig Roberts has offered words to the effect that major US institutions are all corrupt and dishonesty is now their default position. Memo-gate is merely the tip of the proverbial cesspool. Another bit of humour in this is that a 'probe' that is nominally seeking to expose what has been going on between Trump and those damnable Russians has produced a rather banal something burger relating to Trump's enemies. The FBI does evil-crime lots of the time. But in this case the subtext of a salacious master-mistress compulsive massive interchange woven with politics has made the banal rather spicy, titillating....
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Feb 2 2018 22:11 utc | 50
@16 ger.. sure looks that way to me as well..
@23 sid2.. thanks for the link @20... after reading it, i too have to agree with you in all that.. ever since 9-11, the bullshite about national security has gotten way out of hand.. maybe it was bad before, but it got way worse after..
@31 karlof1.. good line there, lol... thanks...
@37 nemesis calling.. well, it does seem partisan to me.. perhaps the usa political system has become so polluted it has effected much more, including any oversight or objectivity on why a dossier or fisa warrant is being offered or provided..
@40 anon.. if i never heard from or about mccain ever again - it would be a blessing..
@41 ben... what is your response to b@ 38 then?
@45 col.. agreed..
@46 nottheonly1.. fully agree, as depressing as that is..
although fisa was created in 1978, these are the major amendments that have taken placed on it more recently.
USA PATRIOT Act October 26, 2001
Protect America Act of 2007
FISA Amendments Act of 2008
USA Freedom Act June 2, 2015
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Intelligence_Surveillance_Act
Posted by: james | Feb 2 2018 22:16 utc | 51
BREAKING: FBI USED FAKE STORY TO SPY ON TRUMP
Almost everything in the FISA abuse memo was already revealed in an article by British disinformation agent Louise Mensch on November 7, 2016. Mensch claims that the October 2016 FISA application was based on internet traffic between a Trump mail server and Russian Alfa Bank. That may be true, but the mail server story is as bogus as the Steele Dossier.
EXCLUSIVE: FBI ‘Granted FISA Warrant’ Covering Trump Camp’s Ties To Russia - Heat StreetTwo separate sources with links to the counter-intelligence community have confirmed to Heat Street that the FBI sought, and was granted, a FISA court warrant in October, giving counter-intelligence permission to examine the activities of ‘U.S. persons’ in Donald Trump’s campaign with ties to Russia.
...
In June, when the first FISA warrant was denied, the FBI was reportedly alarmed at Carter Page’s trip to Moscow and meetings with Russian officials, one week before the DNC was hacked.
HeatStreet no longer exists, but the above is linked to an archived copy.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Feb 2 2018 22:34 utc | 52
Spying on Carter Page did not start on October 21, 2016, the day of the FISA application. He was no longer part of the campaign, and besides, he was alerted to the surveillance by the November 7th Heat Street article, making the whole point of secret surveillance moot.
What the FBI wanted is retroactive access to his older communication. NSA is known to store all electronic communication, including - it is widely believed - internal U.S. communication. What the FISA approval does is remove the compartmentalization between low level NSA operatives (or robots and contractors) who can access the raw data and high-level intelligence agents and agencies.
Posted by: Petri Krohn | Feb 2 2018 22:56 utc | 53
Congress could already easily indict Trump on the most blatant and egregious charges of conflict of interest and violations of the Emoluments Clause. They are not about to. Point of the Mueller investigation is to present a body of incontrovertible evidence of collusion with a foreign power to influence an election. And to do so in a manner that will force congress to act or appear to be in collusion itself.
Point of this highly redacted memo is to discredit the FBI and its investigation and allow them to ignore its findings.
Posted by: ralphieboy | Feb 2 2018 23:04 utc | 54
Ray McGovern has a good summary posted at Consortium News. His summary of the main points is borrowed from Pat Lang's blog. Unfortunately, his conclusion is likely correct: "The Media Will Determine What Comes Next."
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 3 2018 0:09 utc | 55
@ 51 said: "Point of this highly redacted memo is to discredit the FBI and its investigation and allow them to ignore its findings."
IMO, correct, but also IMO, we have DT no matter what he does. He's just the latest puppet in the corporate empire's long list of sycophants and enablers. The captains of industry, and finance, the real " deep state" have found their consummate puppet in one DT, and they'll use him to the hilt, no matter his behavior. Through monopolistic mergers they now control all the leavers of power in the empire. Workers, please bend over.
Posted by: ben | Feb 3 2018 0:21 utc | 56
77,744 Deplorables in three rust belt states upset the apple cart. This memo is just a tiny one rolling down the street. It was only outed to counter to the ongoing corporate media and intelligence community coup to dump Donald Trump. It is a nothing burger compared to not jailing Wall Street Crooks or the Clinton Foundation pay to play scheme but it still got the Democrats and Senator John McCain in a tizzy. The scapegoating of Russia across western media indicates that the whole shebang is a big deal. This signals the end of democracy. So few voters will not be allowed to challenge the global supranational monopoly. The winner of the current spat between opposing groups of oligarchs will determine who rules in the Twilight of the American Empire.
Posted by: VietnamVet | Feb 3 2018 0:22 utc | 57
@51 What was "highly redacted" in the memo?
The memo showed that FBI carried out a secret police operation for political purposes that amounted to subverting the democratic process, by attacking one candidate for President and helping the other.
Right after the memo is voted by Republicans to be released, a trainload of the Republicans in question encounters a massive truck on the train tracks, which appears to be an attempted derailment and mass murder/injury.
There is some serious deep state shit stirring.
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Feb 3 2018 0:41 utc | 58
@Jonathan #47
It is very painful to observe the indifference
of the population, not only here, but in vassal
states as well.
If people would, or could only remember that it
has always been this way. No matter what one
regime does, the next is certain to pardon the
perpetrators of the previous criminals. Tricky
Dick comes to mind, and more recently the absolving
of war crimes of Dim Son by Obama, because "we need
to look forward" to be able to forget the crimes
committed by regime #43.
All this grey noise is now to make sure that the
war crimes of regime #44 are also forgotten. With
regime #45 now being busy to distract the already
overwhelmed citizenry, one cannot but conclude,
that even those who appear to be informed, are
missing the essential goal of the grey noise.
Busy to make sense of the details of the grey
noise, like counting the salt and pepper parts
of it, while not seeing the Qui Bono iceberg
that remains invisible to the surface.
It is the dilemma of our 21st century lives, that
even with adequate and truthful information, we will
still be unable to see the forest for the trees.
IMO, resignation is not an answer to this assault
on our remaining cognition. The question is, as
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe asked so eloquently in
'The Sorcerer's Apprentice', how to get rid of the
powers one has called upon to be secure in one's
Nation, to be safe and free in one's home.
It should be clear by now, that the ghosts we called
upon are now running the show and we don't know how
to rid ourselves from them now. No Master around to
tell us.
Posted by: nottheonly1 | Feb 3 2018 1:05 utc | 59
>>>>> ralphieboy | Feb 2, 2018 6:04:56 PM | 51
Point of the Mueller investigation is to present a body of incontrovertible evidence of collusion with a foreign power to influence an election.
What evidence? None of the claims in The Steele dossier have been verified and Christopher Steele has admitted he has lied about the dossier, so that's much of that "evidence" gone. As for the January 2017 dossier compiled by seventeen hand-picked analysts from three agencies, there really is nothing there
Point of this highly redacted memo is to discredit the FBI and its investigation and allow them to ignore its findings.
What I really can't get over are the Clintonists who like to think they are progressive (but aren't) who are intent on defending the FBI, DoJ, CIA, NSA, and other repressive parts of the Washington Regime, because they can't accept that the blessed Hillary lost because of her vicious history, corrupt policies and arrogant campaign among other reasons. Instead they falsely blame collusion between Trump and Putin because they are wimps who won't confront the Republicans over voter suppression which was far more influential.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Feb 3 2018 1:09 utc | 60
The Clinton campaign violated campaign finance law:
Hillary Clinton's Campaign Wasn't Honest About Paying for Trump Dossier, Watchdog Says
The Washington-based Campaign Legal Center (CLC) said in a Wednesday complaint to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that Hillary for America and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) broke campaign finance law by trying to hide payments related to the dossier, which included graphic, unproven claims about the current president's sexual habits.
Posted by: Tobin Paz | Feb 3 2018 1:22 utc | 61
Another theme here is the great temptation to use the proliferation of peeping tom surveillance technologies for personal gain, including political gain.
What the FBI and DOJ has done by enabling political surveillance - against a candidate for president and then the newly elected president - on the basis of dishonest info for FISA court, amounts to sedition and treason. Whether justice will be done, we'll have to see.
The 'watchers' - via Snowden etc - are extremely busy and ambitious and rich in toys, but it turns out they are also capable of great mistakes and great crimes, and that the very amazing technology to spy and record can be used to spy on and record the - 'officials', the 'authorized'. We have a rapidly evolving surveillance environment - unprecedented - whereby spying in traditional terms - as in spies - has become supplanted by technology designed to spy. But 'normal' people can take pictures, record, run drones etc to watch the watchers, and there is also the everpresent possibility of traitors in their midst - that some of the bosses in the NSA or CIA etc can be 'betrayed' - this becomes especially tempting/likely when the public image of said agency begins to smell rotten, and they appear to be subverting society.
Memo-gate could be the means by which a great deal of unravelling of rot happens; could see now an avalanche of lawyers ploys, and public entertainment and perhaps .... awakening.
Uranium one and Weiner's laptop 'treasure trove' are among many subjects that can hardly be kept from some kind of legal process, and things connect, and the web grows, with the 9/11 false flag potentially waiting in the wings, with its internal police state 'justification', its foreign wars of aggression 'justified'.
Posted by: Robert Snefjella | Feb 3 2018 1:36 utc | 62
John McCain, now there's a piece of work, a guy who's "aware" of threats to the USA, like a political rival (Trump) for example. (So it's not only Democrats.)
Jan 10, 2017: . . CNN has also learned that on December 9, Senator John McCain gave a full copy of the memos (i.e "dossier") -- dated from June through December, 2016 -- to FBI Director James Comey. McCain became aware of the memos from a former British diplomat who had been posted in Moscow. But the FBI had already been given a set of the memos compiled up to August 2016, when the former MI6 agent presented them to an FBI official in Rome, according to national security officials. here
Now Jan 10, 2017 is important because on that day (1) Obama delivered his farewell speech which was then covered by Fox News and (2) CNN devoted its post-speech time not to Obama but to disclosing, explaining and discussing the infamous dossier, a slam-bang last-ditch effort to torpedo Trump's inauguration scheduled for ten days later.
and now: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Friday delivered a subtle but stinging rebuke to House Republicans over their move to release a classified memo alleging misconduct at the FBI, urging President Donald Trump and other Republicans to stop "manufacturing partisan sideshows" that benefit Russia.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 3 2018 1:59 utc | 63
And yet Agent Orange along with all the cunts from his party and total pricks from the other one, have just voted through and signed an upfraded FISA.
As Jeffrey StClair pointed out:
"Of course, the Republicans were really serious about exposing domestic spying abuses by the FBI, they would have released the Nunes Memo before voting to expand warrantless spying under FISA."
It's only neccessary to point this out because some of the comments in this thread contain the foul odour of the big lie, there are some ninnies who imagine this evidence of total egocentricity and corruption in DC reinforces their asinine partisan self deception.
Supporting, speaking out for, or voting for any of these cunts, pricks and arseholes is only going to cause further disaster.
Given that these low lifes have constructed the system in such a way that it is impossible for any other political grouping to succeed at the voting con, combined with a reality of amerika where thus far, insufficient people are actually starving - yet, I'm waiting for the putsch, the military coup which will because it is likely to garner a big chunk of support from the ignorati, make amerika even more of a shithole than it is now.
This horror really should be termed imperial karma - it happens to every empire one way or another, and while no one wants to see the inevitable increase in human misery, murder and mayhem that will ensue & some heartless types may look for a spot of schadenfreude, it is an essential step back down from being king arsehole. England is still languishing in the tail end of imperial karma the humiliations englanders enjoyed in the great european war and post-war decolonisation have caused a "lets make england great again" movement that is currently having a sixeable group of englanders lash out at their neighbours.
The amerikan experience will most likely be a lot more internally violent but may well be of shorter duration. After all in actuality it was only a 50 year empire, but unlike most previous nation states turned empire, amerika has little pre-imperial culture to fall back on. Right from the get go, from the moment the slave owners pushed out their oppressive constitution amerika has aimed for imperial status, but getting there has taken a lot longer than 'being there'.
The smart thing, inevitable thing really, is to split the malodourous shithole up unto many, much more human sized smaller nations. Some will likely evolve into societies a lot less toxic to life than the current cesspit.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Feb 3 2018 2:01 utc | 64
Speaking of McGovern, on the other side is an "intelligence" operative who is still faithful.--Paul Pillar, displaying a warped sense of democracy, with "The Damaging Decline of HPSCI (House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence)"
The release of Nunes’s memo by the committee would be a highly irregular disclosure of classified information, even if in slanted and summary form, for partisan purposes. . .Nunes and company are killing the most effective mechanism that American democracy has for ensuring that such a deep state does not arise and that such abuses do not occur." . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 3 2018 2:23 utc | 65
No surprises here that a good number of individuals used their appointed positions within the People's government departments and agencies to conspire in their own interests, seriously corrupting the people's institutions, perhaps irrepairably, in the process. And yet McCabe, sleaze ball that he is, hung on so he could collect a pension from the very public he pisses on. Well under law he may be entitled to that pension but also under law he is also entitled to receive in from behind the walls of Leavenworth along with a good many of his co conspirators.!
To me this whole Trump presidency is a nothing burger. The assassination of JFK, RFK, and MLk - "they" got away with it so we had the Vietnam War. Nixon scuttling the Vietnam talks and 4 more years of the Vietnam war. the FBI COINTELPRO. The October surprise of Reagan's election followed by iran Contra. The CIA continuing involvement in drug> inner city crack explosion decimating the black middle class. The Oklahoma City Bombing (following the setup of Ruby Ridge and Waco) to staunch the burgeoning militia movement. The first Gulf War and the following sanctions that killed 1/2 million children (SOS Albright "I think it was worth it"). The "They Allowed It To Happen On Purpose" first WTC bombing. The bombing of Yugoslavia with it use of depleted uranium. The inside (and outside Israel-Saudi Arabia) job of 9/11. The 16 year and continuing war in Afghanistan. The Weapons of Mass Destruction Nuremberg War Crime of the Iraq Invasion. Torture and rendition The destruction of Libya and Syria. the continuation of official murder that is the ever expanding Drone program and US special forces. As William Blum says. "It's enough to give imperialism a bad name".
Trump is just bad distracting entertainment. A different faction of the 1% fighting the previous faction. Meanwhile the looting of the world and the destruction of the environment goes on.
Posted by: gepay | Feb 3 2018 2:42 utc | 68
I forgot Operation Gladio using facists with the continuation using radical jihadis.
Posted by: gepay | Feb 3 2018 2:53 utc | 69
nottheonly1 @ 56 said:"All this grey noise is now to make sure that the
war crimes of regime #44 are also forgotten. With
regime #45 now being busy to distract the already
overwhelmed citizenry, one cannot but conclude,
that even those who appear to be informed, are
missing the essential goal of the grey noise."
Bingo!
The class war is over. The Trumps, Clinton's, Bush's and Obama's ilk, have served their masters well...The American people, well, not so much.
Posted by: ben | Feb 3 2018 3:33 utc | 70
gepay @ 64: Trump is just bad distracting entertainment. A different faction of the 1% fighting the previous faction. Meanwhile the looting of the world and the destruction of the environment goes on. 64 said: "
Yep!
Posted by: ben | Feb 3 2018 3:36 utc | 71
==> Posted by: PavewayIV | Feb 2, 2018 3:32:49 PM | 22
Many kudos for not letting hopes get too high.
Oh man this thing is a major fuck. Trump may be stupid, but he's brilliant stupid. This dinosaur will rise again. Unfortunately.
God only knows where this could go. But maybe the whole Demo/Repub Party will go to jail.
OK maybe not.
Get Strategic Hedge Simple Score Voting Today! (IRV / Rank Choice Voting is a corporate fraud) End this madness!
Posted by: blues | Feb 3 2018 3:54 utc | 72
we have to send them black folks to sweden and canada they lied when they said they was semite and white.
as for trump his wall is built over 300 ashkanazi in the whit house every day.
only when israel is mighty and the near middle east is year zero.
only when bbc simon scharma has written the revised old new old history of greater israel only then will we be free.
only when all these refugee have been removed from the oded yinon lands and sent to wales scotland and detroit can we have peace
Posted by: menechem golani | Feb 3 2018 3:57 utc | 73
Hm, weaponized IRS, weaponized State Department, weaponized Justice Department, weaponized FBI, quite a legacy.
Posted by: Shadyl | Feb 3 2018 5:15 utc | 74
b - Someone may have mentioned this above, but you should do more digging into this issue. McCabe's alleged statement to the Committee has been disputed by 2 people who were there. The original FISA warrant on Carter Page was issued long before th dossier was presented to the FBI. There is a lot of data that has not been disclosed and a close reading of the memo will show that there are a bunch of undocumented allegations and other errors.
I don't like for either side on this issue. I think they are all corrupt as all hell. The original allegations that the Russians hacked the DNC have been shown to be false and/or technically impossible, so no one has clean hands here. But this particular memo is, IMNSHO, an attempt to distract the public from whatever is going on with the investigation and to impair Mueller's credibility in the event he finds illegal activities. It is a dangerous attack on our institutions that may need reforming, but do not need to be destroyed.
Dig deeper.
Posted by: John Zelnicker | Feb 3 2018 5:19 utc | 75
Thom Hartmann on the "memo":
http://dl.thomhartmann.com/private/podcasts/2018_020218_thp-020218-hour2.mp3
Posted by: ben | Feb 3 2018 6:30 utc | 76
Unfortunately, criminal actions at the national political level are just political theater. In the age of identity politics and the deep division in the American society any trial would lead to a hung jury. This includes Hillary for treason, uranium gate, Libya, Clinton Foundation crimes etc. Likewise Israel gate and the continued collusion with terrorist states such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Israel, under the Trump administration along with self enrichment while president will go nowhere.
The best one can hope for is for a few government officials to lose their jobs and go one the talk show circuit. Call me cynical but all US institution are corrupt all the way down to the Red Cross, the March of Dimes and NPR radio.
Meanwhile Puerto Rico is mostly without electricity and any reconstruction will be contracted to Trump's Halliburton buddies. As for the great suffering and damage in Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Afghanistan it is just tough luck as America is unable and unwilling to pay restitution for the damage done.
blues@68 is right, however the deep state would never allow the people to actually vote this way.
Posted by: Krollchem | Feb 3 2018 6:36 utc | 77
Max Blumenthal and Ex-FBI Agent Coleen Rowley on the Nunes Memo.
Posted by: ben | Feb 3 2018 6:39 utc | 78
@8 Great time for a mass shooting.. Noticed how these became scarce since the elections?
Posted by: Lozion | Feb 3 2018 7:33 utc | 79
@Debsisdead | Feb 2, 2018 9:01:50 PM | 61
@ben | Feb 2, 2018 10:33:43 PM | 66
There is a German expression about what is
happening in Warshington, District of Criminals:
'Schmierentheater'
Which appears to be best translated with:
'Ham Acting'
The saddest thing though is that the citizenry
is divided into audience and statisticians, but
they have no say in the script.
Posted by: nottheonly1 | Feb 3 2018 7:45 utc | 80
Trump and especially repubublicans should really drain the swamp this time, why do they accept a partisan FBI a and foreign meddling (brittish agent steele) to plot against themselves like this? ITs time to actually DO something about it, its amazing how inactive and anti-trump the republicans are..
Posted by: Anon | Feb 3 2018 8:47 utc | 81
Lozion
They dont need masshotings, MSM, deep state, democrats along with the puppet media in europe, are already peddling Russia Russia Russia as a psyops campaign, and the naive gullible populations swalloning it along with their Trump hatred just like that. Corruption getting deflected in front of us just like that, scary.
Also there will be more stuff getting exposed:
Nunes: “This is just the first memo. There will be another one dealing specifically with the State Department’s role in all of this.”
https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2018/02/02/excerpts-and-full-video-of-bret-baiers-must-watch-interview-of-devin-nunes/
Posted by: Anon | Feb 3 2018 8:55 utc | 82
PavewayIV says:
Yeah, I know... it will be different this time [sigh...]
i've said it before, i'll say it again, you know, as just a little reminder...
every president in living memory has gotten away with treason.
Posted by: john | Feb 3 2018 9:14 utc | 83
@55,
we are getting a selection of facts that fit a narrative, not a collection of evidence on which to base a conclusion.
And the point of the memo is to cast doubt on not only on the Russia investigation, but on the FBI as an agency.
It is a case of
"Man throws baby out of window"
vs
"Man risks life to enter burning building to throw baby to rescuers waiting below"
It seems to be turning into Clinton, the Democratic National Committee and the Deep State vs Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee and the Russian State on the other.
Posted by: ralphieboy | Feb 3 2018 10:05 utc | 84
watching the talking heads on the teevee I find it quite amazing how they all completely avoid talking about the FISA process. all the fears us old conspiracy theorist had about NSA and wiretapping have been completely exposed as being very well founded.
these wise judges who are supposed to make a decision as to who can be spied upon are no more than rubber stamps. Why does no one ask the judge who approved the warrant why he did so? When the basis of this request was shown to be completely made up, why was no one brought up on charges of making false statements?
this is truly rotten, to the core. the fact that no one even brings it up is probably the worst part about it and surely ensures that it will continue.
Where can we find another Frank Church?
Posted by: dan of steele | Feb 3 2018 10:47 utc | 85
Related,
The FBI Is Setting Up a Task Force to Monitor Social Media
http://medium.news.kirkville.com/news/the-fbi-is-setting-up-a-task-force-to-monitor-social-media
The spying on not only Trump and alike but regular people that dont go along with the deep state neocon world view will get spied on and indicted on the same biased attitude by the spy organizations no doubt, 1984 is coming fast.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 3 2018 11:08 utc | 86
The US government is staffed and run by professionals whose careers span more than one Presidency. They are expected to maintain institutions and processes. These people are often specialists and cannot just be replaced with someone whose political views are more closely in line with the current administration.
Naturally they are expected to serve and obey the Chief Executive but they are also aware that the current one will not be the only one they serve in the course of their service.
That does not make them Deep State. It makes them civil servants.
America elected a President with no history of public service, and a history of private business that is generally unknown as he has declined to release his tax returns.
Posted by: ralphieboy | Feb 3 2018 11:30 utc | 87
ralphieboy 83
Well thats the definition of deep state, a group of people that whoever is president, they will run their course in the background doing what they want, because no one can stop them. You want to call them "Civil servants", that is what they themselves also want us all to believe and thus being abled to fool so many people.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 3 2018 11:46 utc | 88
Anon,
you make it sound as if their sole purpose is to propagate evil and pursue a dark political agenda. Their job is to run a government apparatus in the interest of the American people and not just one party or faction. There might be some such figures, but I believe that most of them are simply trained professionals doing their job to the best of their abilities.
Posted by: ralphieboy | Feb 3 2018 11:53 utc | 89
ralphieboy
Past years it has been obvious (probably going back decades) yes they have definately having their own agenda no doubt, from Russia, Israel, Palestine, Iraq, WMDs, Afghanistan etc, they definately have a dark agenda, not sure why anyone would even question that.
Obviously they dont run in the best interest of american people but their small partisan interest.
Who cares if the majority is "good people" when it is the few bad apples that run the show?
To iniate a surveillance witch-hunt, psyop op. against Trump based on unverified claims made by brittish agent and paid for the opposition party is not in the "best interest" as you claim, but corrupt and most likely unlawful.
Posted by: Anon | Feb 3 2018 12:03 utc | 90
Oh gee; huge surprise! NOT!!!
It's so serious as to be ludicrious.
Words utterly fail. After all these years?
Sorry; I just can't get too worked up over something so blatently obvious as to be theater.
Oh the drama; give it a rest and wake up!
Fuck all; we're lost...
Posted by: V. Arnold | Feb 3 2018 12:24 utc | 91
>>>> ralphieboy | Feb 3, 2018 5:05:57 AM | 80
the point of the memo is to cast doubt .... but on the FBI as an agency.
And the FBI as an agency isn't deserving of doubt?
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Feb 3 2018 12:44 utc | 92
And yet at the very. same moment, Donald Jr and Jared Kushner ("I was not in the same room!) have PUBLICALLY CONFESSED they colluded to obtain by money-laundered payment 'highly sensitive and classified informatiin' ( which they lacked security clearance for) against an elected US government official (Rodham) for the purpose of defrauding a national election (e.g. high treason) and the reason Kushner immediately bugged out for Tel Aviv, anticipating arrest that never happened, because Congress met IN SECRET to declare Donald Jr 'exculpated' of any wrong-doing.
Posted by: Chipnik | Feb 3 2018 13:28 utc | 93
84
I find it instructive (in a sad Leninist way, as Bannon would say), that these mushroom-head Trotskyists here on MoA so fervently embrace the 7D MAGA! Master and his 'horrible Deep State' trope, and those same MAGA! Cultists embracing the 'Deep State' meme, will screech like banshees if you point out that the 270° diving spiral 9G attack on the Pentagon, and pulling out at 560 knots only 20 feet above the deck, could not possibly be performed by a fully-loaded jumbo jet flown by an Arab who just failed his single-engine pilot checkflight. It was a Deep State Coup!
"Oh no!" they will shriek, pounding the desk with their shoe, "Oh, no, there is only Boxcutters and Yellow Cake! There is only Roses and Chocolates!"Lu,lu,lu,lu,lu!
"The secret is to tell a Big Lie (Nunes Memo), then repeat it incessantly until you round the corners of the square into a bullseye on the back of the Sheeple." Josef Geobbels.
Posted by: Chipnik | Feb 3 2018 13:43 utc | 94
Unless the Republicans screw this up, the democrats appear to have a serious problem.
So much effort was expended to prevent the memo being published and now the same people are saying it is nothing. Logic says otherwise.
Posted by: Kaiama | Feb 3 2018 13:54 utc | 95
I'm with b on this. Trump is winning and heads will roll for the role they played. I watched Friday's edition of PBS NewsHour this morning and was stunned by an official FBI declaration that the "FBI was given only a limited opportunity to review this material."**(1)
Gimme an effing break!?
Who, I want to know, has sufficient authority over the FBI to decide how much time the FBI needs to properly examine (and fact-check) s bundle of written evidence submitted to it? And why wasn't the FBI given a copy of its own. and/or why didn't the FBI make a copy whilst it had possession of the evidence?
i.e. Is the FBI independent or is it, like so many 'respected' US institutions, subject to the whims of unofficial entities?
**(1)The bold cite above is what appeared in print on screen.
The voice-over replaced the word "review" with "respond to".
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Feb 3 2018 14:01 utc | 96
84
The reason I point this out is because I come from a family of pilots who point out from their intimate knowledge that the Arab Pilot (TM) could not see the Pentagon directly below to initiate the turn, the AP would not have the training to override th 5° bank limit on the controls, and only a Jedi Master would be able to adjust bank, dive and rudder controls for a Pentagon HE STILL COULD NOT SEE, until pulling out at 560 knots, 20 feet above the deck, something even a trained carrier pilot couldn't achieve, then calmly slam into the exact location at the most heavily reinforced building on Earth, in a flying beer can, to penetrate four layers in, to where the Congressional investigation records were stored.
Then despite Y2K regulations in place for copying all those investigation records, sadly (again, in a Leninist kind of way) that hard-drive in a NJ data warehouse got 'accidentally erased'.
Now Let's Roll!! Lu,lu,lu,lu,lu.
Posted by: Chipnik | Feb 3 2018 14:03 utc | 97
Thanks chipnik for educating us on the "little" lie, the big one, as the rest of us deplorables know so well, being the whole "Russian collusion" nonsense.
And thanks Debs for wishing all of us Americans only the best for the future of our nation.
Posted by: morongobill | Feb 3 2018 14:24 utc | 99
In response to the comments #83-86...
What you're talking about is a bureaucracy, and this is why all large organizations–from churches to corporations eventually become corrupted.
Unfortunately all bureaucracies work well together because the are all inherently the same in the way they're organized. The folks who run the Microsoft bureaucracy are quite similar to those who run the Vatican's bureaucracy, who are quite similar to those who run the government's bureaucracy (regardless of government or political affiliation).
Look at what the DNC's bureaucracy was willing to do to help Clinton get elected...
I know he gets a lot of flack for one of this books, but Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's work The Gulag Archipelago will give a person the understanding of how dangerous large bureaucracies can be. Unfortunately, I think his book outlines how easily it is for a nation to become a police state... if nothing else the book might help you understand how all the bad happens...
peace
Posted by: David Shinn | Feb 3 2018 14:36 utc | 100
The comments to this entry are closed.
The gods must love Trump. Does it means that we need to prepare Obama Cell? This is very serious : collusion of state official and politics and since the evidences we fabricated, we may even prounounce the word 'conspiracy'.
Posted by: murgen | Feb 2 2018 18:31 utc | 1