Reading all the professional political chatter from both wings of the uniparty bird about the DOJ position on the Trump raid in Mar-a-Lago, something sticks out to me that readers here will relate to, but others, likely not so much. Consider this written to all the reasonable and intellectually honest people.
You see, there is an actual mechanism that is being ignored by members within the professional DC silos and the DC ‘outrage’ stenographers. I was reminded of it when reading the professional obfuscation in the Wall Street Journal as they outlined how Merrick Garland “weighed the raid on Mar-a-Lago for several weeks” prior to August 8.
Technically there is a mechanism for executive branch conflict resolution that involves actual transparency, not the political talking points of the illusion of transparency. However, when the Fourth Branch of Government was created, the conflict resolution measure that provides oversight and escape from accusations of unequal application of law was dispatched. It was dispatched because, well, the unequal application of the law was the intent.
What I am talking about is the legislative branch oversight mechanism known as the Gang-of-Eight. Whenever the executive branch runs into a conflict that involves sensitivity within an issue they define as “national security,” the executive branch is supposed to use the tool of the legislative branch to extricate themselves from the conflict.
Quite simply the DOJ/FBI could have briefed the Go8 on the nature of the sensitive ‘national security’ issue, and this bipartisan briefing to both democrats and republicans removes Main Justice from the appearance of political impropriety. If, later on, the nature of their investigation is ever questioned, Main Justice (the representatives of the executive branch) have the shield of telling the American public that congress was notified.
That is essentially the intent of the Gang of Eight construct. Leaders and key officials within both parties are informed of ongoing investigative activity that involves the national security of the United States. That’s the mechanism for the DOJ and FBI to avoid the appearance of political targeting.
On March 20, 2017, we saw for the first time how the newly weaponized DOJ and FBI had intentionally and purposefully begun to stop that notification process as part of their intentional effort to politically weaponize the justice dept. {link}
In that March 2017 hearing, former FBI Director James Comey was asked why the FBI was investigating President Trump for the past eleven months (April ’16 origination), revolving around a Trump-Russia collusion investigation, and not informing congress about the potential national security compromise.
James Comey justified the targeting operation and lack of notification by saying, “because of the sensitivity of the matter(?)” while looking uncomfortable & surprised with the question from representative Elise Stephanik.
The outlook of unilateral authority without oversight lies at the heart of the Trump-Russia collusion and targeting problem. The lack of transparency, and failure to follow the required briefing schedule to congress, was as subtle as a brick through a window, showcasing the political intents of the FBI and DOJ under the Obama administration.
The FBI and DOJ (executive branch) cannot operate unilateral political targeting operations and simultaneously permit oversight (legislative branch). That was the issue spotlighted in the answer from James Comey.
Unfortunately, what Comey outlined was the central issue DC politicians, including republicans, needed to avoid admitting… And so, they pretended the admission by James Comey didn’t exist, brushed it away under the cloud of media assisted outrage on other matters, and just moved on.
In the current dynamic of the DOJ/FBI -vs- Donald Trump Mar-a-Lago raid, we see an almost identical scenario. Not surprisingly we also see identical action from the DOJ/FBI in not briefing the Gang of Eight about the post-election Trump investigation. It becomes clear the DOJ National Security Division is intent to avoid any transparency if they were held accountable for following the checks-and-balances.
Obviously, the DC stenographers (MSM) will avoid pointing out this issue; and obviously the right wing of the DC UniParty (republican leadership) will avoid mentioning how this conflict resolution mechanism exists. However, their willful blindness doesn’t negate the fact the mechanism does exist.
If AG Merrick Garland and FBI Director Chris Wray wanted to avoid what Wray has previously called, “even the impression of impropriety,” the DOJ could simply have briefed congress on the issues and challenges related to President Trump and their perceived problem with classified documents.
The reality of Main Justice not seeking to avoid their conflict, stands as a stark reminder how they consider the mechanism of oversight as a risk to their intent.
The absence of congressional notification is evidencing how the targeting by Main Justice is political.
(Wall Street Journal) […] Mr. Garland now faces a more momentous decision that will further sharpen an already unprecedented and politically fraught situation: whether to pursue charges against Mr. Trump or any of his allies over their handling of the records at issue and their interactions with Justice Department officials seeking to retrieve them.
A decision to bring charges in the matter against Mr. Trump or any of his allies would thrust the Justice Department deeper into a political environment in which the former president’s supporters and Republican lawmakers are already accusing Mr. Garland and the department of overreach.
[…] Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sent letters Monday to Mr. Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray seeking documents and communications related to the search. While the department is unlikely to agree to that request while the investigation is ongoing, such scrutiny would likely only intensify if Republicans gain control of Congress in November.
Justice Department officials have defended the Mar-a-Lago search as a necessary step approved by Mr. Garland himself. People familiar with the Justice Department’s approach have said a primary goal of the search was to ensure the security of highly sensitive national-security documents after the Trump team didn’t relinquish them and amid concerns that the security of the material at Mar-a-Lago had been put at risk. (more)
Now, now… As I recall, according to poor Lyin’ Jim Comey, they don’t have to tell anyone anything. That was just a suggestion, not a requirement.
And I forgot the best part.
Sometimes we like to keep it tight within the Executive Branch…
Keepin’ it tight. Keepin’ it real. The one with the best story wins.
OK Wyoming and Alaska, YOU’VE STILL GOT TIME !
WYOMING, today you get rid of the traitor Liz Cheney
Vote for Trump endorsed HARRIET HAGEMAN
Polls open from 7am – 7pm Tuesday August 16th
Do this for your brothers and flood the zone, it’s happening everywhere.
Scum of the earth is not allowed in the U.S. government anymore.
ALASKA, Lisa Murkowski is trash and she’s working with the democrats to rig the Election – GET RID OF HER !
Vote for Trump endorsed KELLY TSHIBAKA and SARA PALIN
Polls open from 7am – 8pm Tuesday August 16th
Kelly Tshibaka said the best way to manage the “ranking system” is to just go in and vote for the person you want like in a real election and don’t bother ranking people. Go in and vote for Kelly Tshibaka and Sara Palin and be done with it.
How DO they “score” a ballot, where it only shows 2 selections, and NOT 4?
NOT disqualified? If so, then the “instruction” to “rank you top four favorites” is more like a “suggestion”.
And, it SIMPLE! I LIKE THAT. Says “take your rank system and SHOVE it!
Reminds me, I was fuming over a hit piece by Lara Ingram, “maybe it’s time to turn the page on Trump, if we can find someone who has his same policies.” Sounded to me like a rah rah cheer for DeSantis.
Don’t think it was well recieved. At all!
Over on citzens free press.
YES. Read her drivel this morning and almost lost my breakfast. I basically told her to shut her piehole. 😡
Yes, the lame attempt to advance Desantis has been on simmer, for months and recently moved to the frontvof the stove, its the GOPe play.
Just as they are doing, once again, the legal/ national security bogus attack on him.
“Someone LIKE Trump, but without his ‘baggage’ ya know? c’mon man!”
A major initiative, they spent a lot of energy on, falling flat.
DeSantis needs to stay in Florida. He’s NOT ready for the Big Times.
Besides, we need Trump to totally kick over the apple cart in his 4 remaining years, then DeSantis can come in and totally right the ship. We need an angry Trump to stare down and defeat those who have turned this country into rubble.
My thinking exactly!
He’s doing such a great job here we don’t want to let him go! Charlie Christ is in the wings! (gag!)
She was the witch that set up the fake interview with Arizona Karrin Robson without letting it be known that she was a personal friend. Hers and the establishment pick went down in flames when Karri Lake won the primary.
if these frauds keep pushing DeSantis like they are even if Trump is eliminated I will vote for Ronny when pigs fly.
Ingram, Tricker, Hannity, Bannon, Levin, the whole lot got so rich off the backs of stupid republicans. Disgusting.
I would leave Bannon off that list.
Completely agree!!!!
Why BANNON is the worst of the crew. And he is owned by the CCP guy Mike Guo.
“Cause we’re taking down the CCP!”
That Steve Bannon?
Troll who obviously doesn’t listen to the show.
What do you expect from someone still hanging with FOX.
This is why I hate ppl like Lara. These Conservatives are often very quick to throw one of their own under the bus due to too much heat coming from DEM. They always use the excuse that X candidate is damaged. They do not realize or have very short memories. It doesn’t MATTER which candidate it is. DEM will find something to hate on GOP with a passion
Ingram is a paid shill. Just like Tucker, Hannity, Levin and all the rest. Drivel, just evil drivel.
It’s Laura Ingram, not Lara.
Looking back at the many years I watched FOX, then stopped in 2020 because of its obvious campaign bias, it’s now apparent, FOX is a training ground for Swamp Stenographers.
Yes, that includes you, Lara. You & your ilk are better than anything Hollywood has cranked out in decades. And like Hollywood, you’re exposed.
Trump’s strength is not his ‘policies’. It’s his ‘exogenousness’ to the levers of beholdenness by virtue of self-financing and pre-existing celebrity cache.
In a sense, like a true CEO, Trump can choose any policy path he deems fit, subject of course to certain unavoidable political considerations.
If you believe Trump’s inclinations lean largely to the People (and against the system), then this policy latitude is to be welcomed.
Western political leadership has evolved (devolved?) into vetted administrators hand-selected from above, which is to say, they are not organic leaders in any substantive sense.
Trump is a Madisonian revivalist, a ‘wise fool’ who insists the written Constitution is still operable, which we know it really isn’t.
Yeah, it really is still operable, and its’ basic principles need to be expanded some to accommodate the “times” and continue to keep the moral compass it provides to citizens who still believe in America. It covers the basic rights simply and effectively. Since when have we become ashamed of America???
Laura is a total disappointment. The chip on her shoulder is hard to ignore.
Even as a citizen of the great state of Florida and an ardent DeSantis supporter, that piece by Laura Ingram was not well received!
The raid was telegraphed by the fake shredded notes in the toilet tweets. I believe those tweets went out a few days before the raid.
The whole thing is such an obvious setup that the discussion of it undermines the truth of the matter. We see the same weasels parroting “Nuclear!!!!” who ran the Russia collusion hoax 24/7 for years… knowing full well what they were doing.
Next step is to disqualify Trump from running for the office of President, I expect that to drop next Monday the 22nd.
They should not be allowed to dictate the story simply because of the incredulous nature of the lies they are telling.
It’s time we start telling a different story while showing our scorn for the weasels in DC and Media by turning our backs to them and leaving their things (our attention) outside our homes.
Reporter Maggie Haberman…..nervous??? She should be.
The Communist Regime can’t stop President Trump from running.
Stephen;
how do they disqualify Trump from running? The only qualifications are he be at least 35 years of age, a citizen of the US and has been a resident of the US at least fourteen years. Those facts would have been used to stop him from running the first time if they could have. You can also forget Section three of the Fourteenth Amendment since there was no insurrection on January 6th.
A tweet by Jack Posobiec reminded me of something the other day. Apparently, he worked for Pennsylvania Congressman Weldon during the Able Danger controversy. Recall Weldon stated that he saw documentation that the Able Danger program — an apparent predecessor to the NSA database and 702 searches — had identified Mohammed Atta as either a known terrorist generally or specifically AQ before he crashed American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. There was a great deal of discussion of the use of super computers to track individuals electronically and that in some manner this tracking had identified Atta as a national security threat, but nothing was done.
When he last ran for reelection, Weldon was the recipient of an FBI investigation and a highly publicized raid just three weeks before election day, which led to his loss. He was also targeted by the SSCI and Senator Feinstein for investigation concerning the 2016 Presidential election. In both instances, his alleged ties to Russian interests formed the basis of the investigation. Sound familiar.
https://news.yahoo.com/report-ex-pennsylvania-rep-curt-060818948.html
Is it possible we’re not dealing solely with the coverup of domestic electronic political surveillance since the interagency memorandum of understanding of 2012, which would explain the intensity of the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration, but also the national security apparatus’s terrorism failures before the weaponization of the Patriot Act, which would implicate both the Clinton and Bush administrations? This would also explain why the Gang of 8 has been completely ineffective in preventing clear abuse of the Patriot Act and the NSA database.
Bottom line, the Gang of 8 and the FISA court have proven to be wholly inadequate to protect the 4th Amendment rights of ordinary Americans, particularly since this alleged need for foreign intelligence and surveillance powers has proven utterly ineffective (10 known terrorists having recently come across our southern border by invitation of the Biden administration). We have sacrificed liberty for security and have gotten neither. The Fourth Branch will continue to represent that they need the capacity to electronically surveil ordinary Americans to protect us from foreign terrorists, while ever increasingly targeting those very ordinary Americans as domestic terrorists.
They ruined Curt Weldon’s life after he revealed this
Thomas Paine (@Thomas1774Paine) revealed this in his book about the FBI
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-raids-home-of-congressmans-daughter/
They may have killed his son too
Mueller’s Illegal Wiretaps & FBI Raids Triggered Congressman’s Son’s Tragic Overdose Death from Opioids
https://truepundit.com/muellers-illegal-wiretaps-fbi-raids-triggered-congressmans-sons-spiral-to-opioids-and-tragic-overdose-death/
With the standard answer being “Wait for the next election.” it’s no wonder this crap continues.
People need to realize they control government if they so choose to act together, but getting more than a dozen to consider this is a wish never coming true.
Confidence is oneself, doing the right thing, challenging the evil that is the federal government, and most of all invoking our inherent right to choose our form of government.
However, I have no illusions in changing what there is, by myself or with others. There’s no Atlantic Ocean between the us and them. There’s no voyage to get here. There’s no time lag. There’s no foreign power to call upon.
What there is is the power each of us has and the message of truth to what is going on. 74 million voters and more coming is a force to build on. Sadly there’s only Trump who brings in the large crowds. Some of the others do make a good draw. There must be other ways to draw people to this struggle, and to publish information on how to organize for effective action. Gee wiz what could that be ?
Excellent point and well written as always.
I question the assumption of, well Sundance, regarding “who’s on top, congress or 4 th branch?”
Mitch is the only true power player in Congress; the rest are dilletantes, limelight hoggers, addicts of one sort or another or in combination, greed consumed or feeble.
Mitch has no aspiration to the ‘trappings’; no 20,000 freezer with $24/pint designer ice cream, and with no interest in limelight, no such interview.
He truly understands power, craves it, and I don’t see him sharing or yielding.
I think the 4th branch is his creation, and thru G of 8 and SSCI, he has it doing his bidding, not the other way around.
IMHO,..
I believe Foam Boy Rubio knew as well as the Democrats. The Democrats have been investigating this Saudi Trump thing since 2019.
The original exploration with the Saudis started with the Obama people back in 2012. Flynn, Kushner et al during the transition rekindling the deal in 2016 but keeping DoE and congress out of the loop. Combine that with the Gini Energy involvement and there is no way the Gang of Eight does not know what is going on at least unofficially. In my opinion.
These people gossip and spy worse than any small town high school clique.
The GAO report I posted in a different thread, in response to someone who didn’t think I understood US code, clearly shows Rubio was involved in requesting the report as it addresses him specifically.
GAO-20-343 US Saudi Nuclear Cooperation: Progress is Stalled
When I first heard the nonsense about Trump espionage I IMMEDIATELY thought about the ‘golden showers’ allegations at the beginning of Russia-gate. Allegations so damned out there that only a feeble-minded person could expect anyone to believe that nonsense.
You push an emotional button, an already existing “raw nerve” is best,…something you know will trigger a STRONG responce.
Fear is easiest to trigger, but ANY emotion will work.
“But the CHILDREN” for example for sympathy.
Once you trigger a strong (enough) emotional responce, the part of the brain that does critical thinking goes mute, and whatever idea is introduced immediately after, isn’t subject TO critical thinking, and so its accepted as factual.
Manipulation 101, used by con artists, since the dawn of man, and used in advertising, politics, whenever you want to manipulate someone.
We see it here, with many comments. Suppress your emotional responce to any comment, so your critical thinking can evaluate the comment.
“What are they SAYING here?
What would be the countervailing argument?
What makes sense?
What are they (possibly) trying to manipulate me into thinking or not thinking, or doing or not doing, and why would they DO that?”
It gets easier to spot the manipulation, over time.
Like excersising your muscles, makes them stronger.
I often ask myself ;
“Wheres the CON?”
The old Venetian oligarchy con game was described in Schiller’s Ghost Seer.
It is noteworthy that that this same“set” of people, ideas, and influence, based on the advanced use of underhanded tactics. moved to become the British Empire and later the American one.
The Con exposed:
Schiller’s Ghost Seer, Intelligence Methods and a Global Citizenry
Thank you, Sundance, for keeping our reasoning skills sharpened. Love this quote from the WSJ article: “While the department is unlikely to agree to that request while the investigation is ongoing, such scrutiny would likely only intensify if Republicans gain control of Congress in November.”
…while the investigation is ongoing…and ongoing…and ongoing…and ongoing…
“bgininggg of the end, bginnnnning of the end,..”
The Espionage Act of 1917 did not intend to penalize ex-presidents’ possession of classified documents.
It could not have, because since George Washington left office presidential administration records were the private property of ex-presidents. The Presidential Records Act, that designated the federal government’s ownership of these records, was passed in 1978.
The PRA prescribes no criminal penalties for ex-presidents’ holding onto their administrative records. The Courts can issue orders for the records to be handed over to the National Archives. Subsequent failure to comply can generate criminal or civil contempt-of-court charges. Trump has violated no such court order.
Is is legally sound to use a non-criminal statute’s violation as a springboard to charge an ex-president with violating the Espionage Act, a law that was specifically not intended to be applied to ex-presidents’ holding onto classified documents?
Great point!
Similar to using an allegation of a “Campaign finance violation” as the predicste justification for unprecedented violation of Attorney Client priviledge.
Also an administrative issue, normally campaign pays a fine. Cohens office was raided, a/p priviledge pierced, under the rubric that the lawyer (Cohen) actively conspired with his client (PDJT) to commit a crime. Now, that IS a recognised exception to a/p priviledge; lawyers lose priviledge if they commit crimes with their clients.
But again, campaign finance violation is NOT a crime, hence whole thing against Cohen was bogus.
D’Souza was put in jail by the obama admin for “campaign finance violation.”
I am trying to remember a time in the past thirty years when the Federal Bureau of Investigations was not used in a weaponized manner against American citizens. It has only become more brazen in the past ten.
If sanity were to prevaol, yes. But, this is lawfare where, like all things leftist, the rule of law is twisted and contorted until it is unrecognizable
Have McConnell or any of the G of 8 actually been ASKED if they were aware of the MAL raid, and have they clearlycsaid they had not been briefed?
Even if they did deny it, there are ‘unnofficial’ briefings Comey could have had, or McConnell could give a wink wink assent to greenlighting either muh russia Insurance policy (which I think McConnell originated) or this latest.
In fact I think McConnell is “the coach” and Comey is “the Quarterback”, with special teams like Lindsey kicking fieldgoals, etc.
National security silo pretext, criminal prosecution silo result. A very clever workaround to 4th Amendment search and seizure protection. Probable cause is only barrier between the general warrant used against colonialists to investigate whatever they might find, and peoples’ right against unlawful search.
Excuse ME?
While I don’t always agree with our host, I spell out how and what I disagree with, and ‘my take’.
Please do likewise, and spell out what you think Sundance has posted in the past week or so, that you disagre with.
I may well agree, I may disagree.
Without an explanation, the second defining sentence of your post is too vague.
Exactly.
What is so annoying from the left. They throw out statements with no details, evidence, facts, basis, or facts — mere opinion and then just leave them sitting there as if they have just concluded something important.
Right, the very definition of a cheap shot.
What lies in the WSJ. We’ve all heard about the negotiations, the special lock put on the door, the complete cooperation– too bad lo-info’ers don’t know those things.
Anyone here still remember Marco Rubio’s promise to retire from politics after losing to President Trump in the Florida primary back in March 2016? Yet it is now the year 2022 and Marco Rubio is still a Florida Senator…
Because he’s so utterly mediocre, such a squish, such a cowardly, compromised loser…Who would give him a job in the private sector??
I wouldn’t.
The entire construction of the Gang of Eight was designed to keep the most senior, influential deep state operatives in the Gang….
Note from the very beginning in 1947: ” The members of the Gang of Eight may change with each election, but this group is always made up of the individuals who fill the same eight positions. They include the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate, as well as the committee leaders and ranking members of the Intelligence Committees of both of the House and Senate. This ensures that the group is made up of members of both major political parties, as well as members from both chambers of the legislative branch.” This insures that their numbers always include the most influential Deep State operatives from both “parties”. Nancy and Mitch have been among that number forever….
The Patriot Act, allowing unfettered surveillance of Americans, thanks George, was the single most egregious fraud ever perpetrated on freedom in America and enabled the coming to power of the Fourth Branch, which now dominates the American political landscape…..with no oversight and zero accountability.
Trust no one. Trust no one. Trust no one.
One of the Congressmen from the Intelligence oversight committee (I forget his name) has a terrific way to solve the DoJ refusal to publish the Affidavit, for secret reasons. He says that since his committee has oversight over the DoJ, the DoJ can let those on the Committee read the document in a SCIF. He wants to know why that won’t work? Me too.
“Work” FOR WHOM?? Us, P. Trumps supporters, his family, his rally attendees??
It would still be “secret” from us.
Richard Cranium much?
Hey….why yes, that is quite apropos.
They thought the J6 hearings would get people so riled up, the raid and arrest of PDJT would be the crescendo and climax and the people would cheer. No one cared about their show trial, and it has all backfired. Now the question is, how much damage will the useful idiots cause?
And you can’t spell. It’s Sundance.
Just posing a question here: What would they do if, say, 5-6 million of us flooded the Capital area and just refuse to move. For weeks if necessary? They wouldn’t have the room to jail us all and if they started killing us, what to do with the bodies? It COULD be done.
T Y, Sundance!
You’re a huge, welcome ray of Sunshine on this stagnating swamp.
Shine so hot & brightly, that the bog will dry, leaving crusts of former slime that break into cobbles when stepped on.
And we’re waiting to officially form the MAGA party why?
There would be more problems using the Espionage Act to prosecute Trump than any Comey ginned up about not prosecuting Hillary Clinton. I think the DOJ/FBI gang know a conviction outside of a DC court would be very difficult under the circumstances, particularly if Trump is not bluffing with the claim that the surveillance cameras were not turned off.
There is no separation of powers anymore. The cancer that is our elites is universally aligned in opposition to its host, our nation. As imagined by Hannah Arendt, the “Movement” is larger than governmental forms. Those in the movement, whether they driven by selfish ambition, delusions, or trapped by their own perversions, all work for the same ends; the annihilation of democracy and individual rights. Where they can enlarge and perpetuate their exalted positions in the very teeth of the interests in the people, their nation, or God.
Who are their friends in this world now? When the dollar crashes and enemies threaten, who will defend them? They suppose now that having eroded all content from our institutions, the law, the truth, and patriotism, the innocent people they have derided, persecuted, defiled, will yet answer the call? For them? They can print more of their friends. We’ll see how far that can take them.
Great point. Thanks again Sundance for bringing needed clarity to critical events.
I’m not sure Main Justice considers congressional oversight as a “risk to their intent.” They have the exact same goals as the Gang-of-Eight. It’s more likely that Garland discussed the raid with Mark Warner and got the go-ahead, with the caveat that they “never had this conversation.”
You seem to be assuming Comey was telling the truth. I suspect the gang of eight were informed and supportive of his actions. Their public verbal behavior shows their duplicity.
Any department, agency, administration, etc. that has the unilateral authority to prevent oversight/supervision and management is by definition uncontrolled. The outcomes here are obvious, immediate and catastrophic.
Rubio? Pleeze … https://nexttobagend.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-lady-in-red.html
If those papers had a security and sensitive content, then why were they ignored until now? President Trump would have had plenty of time to do something dastardly wrong with them if he had a mind to. He has had them in his possession for nearly 2 years. There is something fishy with this whole scenario.
The PRESIDENT has power to DECLASSIFY anything he says is DECLASSIFIED, and if he told them to DECLASSIFY and they did not, THEY are the traitorous scum. They disobeyed a direct order to cover their butts. This will be found out, and all TRAITORS to the US will FALL.
My conspiracy theory is that Congress requested the raid bc they didnt want to be embarrassed by the documents.
Admittedly, there may be a stronger case that someone provoked this on behalf of Clinton.
Best evidence for my theory though is that Congress invited Chris Wray in for public shaming over politicization in *advance* of the raid.
Secondary evidence is that Garland took the heat instead of letting Wray take it all as the cowardly Barr would certainly have done.
They’re trying to crucify Trump! Look at the presidents who’ve gone unscathed & should have been brought to trial for the heinous actions they’ve taken under the guise of ‘National Security’!