When Attorney General Merrick Garland made the appointment [2-pg pdf] of Special Counsel Robert Hur (a deep swamp defender), CTH outlined the reasoning: “Essentially it looks like AG Merrick Garland is appointing a special counsel, because (a) he has to deflect political criticism given the issues and the growing scale; and (b) because a special counsel appointment will now throw the bag of “a current investigation” over any efforts from the Republican House of Representatives to investigate the office of the presidency.”
Today, in a responsive letter to inquiry from House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, exactly as anticipated, the DOJ triggered the latter justification as a reason not to comply with legislative oversight.
WASHINGTON DC – […] Carlos Felipe Uriarte, the assistant attorney general for DOJ’s office of legislative affairs, sent a Monday letter to House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), pointing to Garland’s Jan. 12 selection of special counsel Robert Hur to investigate Biden’s apparent mishandling of classified information as the key reason why the DOJ was limiting its sharing of information on the Biden saga.
[…] “Your letter … requests non-public information that is central to the ongoing Special Counsel investigation,” the assistant attorney general told Jordan on Monday. “The Department’s longstanding policy is to maintain the confidentiality of such information regarding open matters. This policy protects the American people’s interest in the evenhanded, dispassionate, and effective administration of justice. Disclosing non-public information about ongoing investigations could violate statutory requirements or court orders, reveal road maps of our investigations, and interfere with the Department’s ability to gather facts, interview witnesses, and bring criminal prosecutions where warranted.” (more)
Mr Hur served as U.S. Attorney from 2018 to 2021 as the chief federal law enforcement officer in Maryland. Before serving as U.S. Attorney, Mr. Hur served as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. from 2017 to 2018. Hur is a deep swamp protector.
It’s all a farce, a dual system of justice right in front of everyone who is paying attention.
The appointment order is two-page pdf, which is essentially the initiating scope of authorization for the special counsel to follow. [Link to pdf]
The Robert Hur appointment order is interestingly worded to encompass the origination of the John Lausch “initial investigation”, we have not seen any documents associated with that initial appointment on November 14, 2022.
Additionally, the appointment order seems to limit the investigation to only records discovered in two locations, “the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the Wilmington, Delaware, private residence of President Joseph R Biden, Jr.” The next part “any matters that arose from the initial investigation,” again puts the emphasis on the John Laush original investigative authority as given by AG Merrick Garland.
Hur was appointed to throw a bag over the issue and stop a GOP congress from gaining access to the documents.
Jordan’s office quickly responded today.
“Our Members are rightly concerned about the Justice Department’s double standard here. After all, some of the Biden documents were found at a think tank that has received funds from communist China,” Jordan spokesman Russell Dye told the Washington Examiner. “It’s concerning, to say the least, that the Department is more interested in playing politics than cooperating.”
someone wrote someone a “letter”…… deja vu
Sounds like a constitutional issue to me!
Good point, take it to the Supremes.
DOJ-NSD is not subject to judicial oversight. Congress has no standing.
What DOJ-NSD oversight are you talking about? Then VP Biden already committed numerous felonies regarding his possession and storage of classified documents in addition to potential money laundering activities for profit including his son and possible other congressional members. Sure seems like a double standard here when Trump’s so-called possession of classified documents, which the Presidential Records Act gives him the legal right to have, was splashed all over the MSM with no “special investigation” blackout. Me thinks you’re a little biased (politicized?) here.
The DOJ-NSD is conducting the investigation on the matter. The DOJ-NSD is ALSO not subject to congressional oversight. There are literally dozens of posts on here where Sundance discusses this at length.
They park these investigations in the NSD precisely BECAUSE congress cannot touch their activities.
No court would hear a challenge made by Congress. The NSD’s position is literally carved out of, and placed adjacent to, the Constitution.
So long as the DOJ-NSD’s investigation is “ongoing”, there is literally nothing anyone can do, including AND ESPECIALLY the Republican leadership in the House.
Likewise, I suspect that Nancy Pelosi handed the NSD all the J6 footage on her way out of the speakers’ chambers.
Likewise, i ALSO suspect that the Republicans are well aware of this, and their get tough act is failure theater.
you act like this is the end –
something must be done
what is it
win the senate.
The town of DC is so corrupt, Jordan should go off on a tangent. These special prosecutors are just covering the big fish. As Sundance writes, give out immunity to the small fries, it will lead to bigger fish. Let the AG appoint a special prosecutor on them all. Turn it into a full-blown shit-show for all the world to see. Start with FJB’s bro, Mitten’s son in law, or whomever, Sherryl Atkinson would be happy to oblige, the list is endless. It just take courage and guts. Oh, and an honest temperament to actually want to get to the truth. That may be the problem.
Offer to defund them and take away their authority .
That’s when we get attacked by terrorists and they hang it around the Republican Party’s neck for all times.
Unfortunately our moves are limited at this time. We would have to win overwhelming majorities plus be able to purge the agencies over an extended period of time before any progress could be made.
As Sundance has pointed out many times, the Democrats got started on this in earnest around 2010 and have been using the security clearance process to put their loyalists into all the positions that are levers of power. They have a 12-15 year head start on us, and are literally always 10 moves ahead of us.
Yes, we have been chasing our tails for many decades now.
As SD has stated, the Congress people should then get on every available media and announce the decision, what it means, how it came to be and that solution ms are needed to this issue. Sunlight is the best disinfectant
I’ve seen no indication that congresspeople are against this status in any significant numbers.
“The DOJ-NSD is conducting the
investigationcoverup on the matter”The only way this stops is when DOJ-NSD is disbanded. For that, someone with cojones will have to be in charge, and even then, it’s a stiff task. It could be Trump, if he has the right advisors, but I don’t know who else is capable of it, or even interested in it.
Again, the basic question is what investigation? If the documents are classified Biden committed numerous felonies and should be prosecuted. If the documents are not classified, then they are viewable. Can’t have it both ways. It seems like the current wave of do-called investigations are in name only and designed to prevent legitimate investigations.
They CREATE what are basically “umbrella” investigations, that are very broadly defined so that they can stick anything they want into that investigation.
When Rosenstein was the de facto head of the DOJ, he never once raised an objection to any attempt to move anything into the then Mueller special counsel investigation.
Now there are several ongoing special counsel investigations they can park stuff in.
Once a matter is folded into one of these ongoing investigations, it is beyond the reach of Congress and will never see the light of day, unless the DOJ unilaterally decides to do so.
Again, Congressional oversight or not the classified documents in the mentally challenged one’s possession pre date his time as POTUS and therefore his possession and storage of said documents are in violation of the law and constitute a federal felony. All that needs to be verified is that the documents are indeed classified and if the same standard is used as in the DJT FBI raid then the MSM reporting is the standard of which their so-called confirmation took minutes to perform. So, if Joe isn’t convicted, then the documents must not classified and therefore be made available for public consumption. Otherwise, let us just call all these DOJ-FBI investigations for what they actually are – cover up, harassment or both. But in reality they serve no legal Constitutional based purpose.
And I’m not biased at all, I’m just telling you what the law is on this.
What law? Cite it.
How the heck did you come up with that?
From careful reading of this website over many years.
Sundance discussed this at length, as recently as Saturday. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2023/01/28/deep-triggered-the-cia-and-intelligence-community-are-very-worried-about-the-house-subcommittee-on-federal-government-weaponization/#more-242690
Congress has oversight in every branch of government.
. . . except the DOJ-NSD.
how did this happen?
They control their funding and authorization .
Kash Patel explained to Bannon on War Room today… all the committees have the power to “ put a fence around funding” ..it has been done before …maybe not total defunding but a bottle neck to slow down some.. 🤔
🇺🇸💪😀👍
You left off the CIA. No one on earth has oversight over them.
Their funding is illicit as well.
Cool. Then they don’t need money and Congress can sequester funds to withhold.
McCarthy had to agree to this to get his precious speakership.
B.S.
As in “We the people” have no standing over the Fourth Branch.
Yeah because the system works!
The DOJ carved out an exception to oversight for its National Security Division, and has consistently refused any attempts at oversight, and Congress went along with it without objection. And so now it is.
That doesn’t make it a law.
Sure it does. Even when the court looks at these things they are going to give wide deference to Congress’ actions (or, as in this case, its decision not to act).
So if the IRS didn’t audit me last year, they can never audit me again, cuz I carved out an exception. This is silly.
Congress made the DOJ and also can control it . If the will was there they could with the right votes . Shut down every damned alphabet agency and impeach every judge . That is the fact so they can also reign these bastages in now !
I have seen no indication that Congress has a problem with this. Congress (as an institution) are ALLIES with the intelligence agencies.
They just ran a coup together in 2020.
This is completely different than carved out an exemption. This is “willful indifference” totally different. ie. they allow it to happen. Not that they have no power to stop it.
I do not see any statute mentioned here. Have they codified the practice?
It’s not in a statute. The DOJ makes the argument consistently in court pleadings, and it is accepted.
That’s right they did something to that effect in the closing days of the Obama administration that lady that was the heroine of the left
Sally Yates and Lisa Monaco are the figureheads most closely associated with the policy. Also Susan Rice.
Doing it this way is “by the books”.
Trust me, it’ll be 2025, if by then, before we see anything.
“Policy” not US Code or even a Swamp CFR
My suggestion:
I hope they do both IMMEDIATELY
Glenn
This!^^^^
Yes! And per Sundance’s outline make sure communication outlets are engaged. Descriptions of subpoenas and editorials presented as to why and what may be found.
It’s not because of lack of understanding that communication outlets are not engaged. They are VERY engaged, at suffocating the message before it gets out.
With a little sniffing around you are going to find that the FBI had minders (plural) at EVERY news / opinion publication of any significant reach.
Kustie, Go back and read what SD proposed in his outline of recommendations for committee on weaponization of government. I am assuming SD has channels of communication that may be trusted to push through.
I’m just saying that calling your newspaper or whatever WILL NOT WORK. President Trump had the biggest bully pulpit in the world, and he was utterly and completely powerless against this.
That wasn’t my suggestion to contact regular media outlets. We know what they are.
Incorrect, he was not powerless.
The problem is that he didn’t use the actual authority he had as CIC and in the name of “ national security “ ( which it was ) to arrest and then prosecute the criminal cabal.
Take umbrage and feign outrage at me all you want but the fact is he choked.
He allowed them to box him in with fake Russia, Russia, Russia, he allowed them to lock everyone down for the fake pandemic and he allowed them to steal the election.
These are the facts as they happened.
I couldn’t command the military to do anything but he could….and didn’t.
And by the way, I’m still pro Trump for you that can’t accept the reality of this.
He would have been impeached in a new york minute for obstruction of justice if he did any of those things ostensibly under his power.
Once it’s an “ongoing investigation”, it is beyond anyone’s reach.
Please…as if they could impeach a President that would have used his lawful authority to protect this nation.
The “they” that you speak of would have been thrown in jail for their provable corruption with the rest of the coupe plotters.
LOL Trump “allowed himself” to get RUSSIA!!! hoaxed?!
Please!
Go back and reread what I said.
Your snark is unwarranted and only proves you lack comprehension.
Ha, they could use a bait and switch!
Yet his army grew. Go figure.
That is what the Tyre Nichols distraction is about. That and the open border, and the tanking economy and current recession, and taxation by inflation by purposely killing energy our independence, and taxes, and…
That’s uncle karl
Marx or Rove…..Oh hell, what’s the difference? 🤮
When did the Executive branch investigating itself trump the oversight authority of the Congress, a co-equal branch of the government? Oh yes, when the Congress allowed partisanship to frame it as part of the problem and a possible threat to justice. Think Adam Schiff.
Congress’ inability to police itself, its allowing of the malfeasance of the likes of the serial liar/leaker Schiff, and the reprobate Barney Frank before him, has effectively neutered its ability to oppose the Executive branch on what should be the home field of the peoples’ representatives – the review of how our government is operating.
Why would you capitalize schiff and frank and not PRESIDENT Trump?
He used trump as an adverb. Not a noun.
verb actually I think.
President Trump isn’t mentioned anywhere in that post.
Gee, they had no problem with TELEVISED, JOINT (HouseAND Senate) hearings on Watergate, WHILE there were “ongoing criminal investigations” and such Hearings DID NOT in any way, impede Prosecutions, as people went to prison.
This is a BOGUS excuse, by which I mean it has no valid rationale or reasoning.
CONGRESS has ITS Constitutional responsibilities, and that includes OVERSIGHT hearings, to insure Legislative intent is bring carried out, and to explore areas where new legislation needs to be written, or existing legislation modified.
Congress can’t do its job, meet its Constitutuonal requirements, without having hearings, and the”muh, ongoing Investigations” argument is without merit or legal basis.
They say it “could” have the following negative effects.
Well, yes and the sun COULD explode tomorrow, making this all moot.
As in Watergate, the prosecutors can work WITH the committee, to insure that Justice isn’t compromised.
Instead of just saying “No”, and Jordan andCo. shouldn’t put up with it, and should go to Court, and issue subpoenas.
As Kash Patel rightly has written – “Government Gangsters”. He’s got around 40 agencies reviewing his book to keep it from going public. He says this won’t deter it’s release. We’ll see. Supposed to be next month.
Of course they are not going to cooperate. Why would they? To be expected.
Is the reason for the “Special Counsel”?
Please Pray for The Gateway Pundit – We Are Releasing Documents in Coming Days that Reveal Numerous Criminal Acts by the President and His Son Hunter!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/please-pray-gateway-pundit-releasing-documents-coming-days-reveal-numerous-criminal-acts-president-son-hunter/
I expect GWP to either get raided by the feds or knocked offline by their service provider before they release any documents. You could throw the Hoft brothers into J6 jail on espionage charges and the matter won’t even hit the courts before the 2024 election.
Telegraphing their future moves was a dumb mistake.
Can’t figure out why so many do that (telegraph).
They have plenty of time to get all the de-platforming, shadow-banning and defensive talking points out so that when/if the story ever drops, literally nobody but us will ever hear about it.
Spot on. All they did was give the feds time to prepare the 3 am SWAT raid and alert no-ratings CNN to tag along.
And of course, have GP’s internet service provider manufacture a reason to kick them off the internet.
They basically advertised that they are in possession of classified documents, which is a serious felony without proper security clearance.
Even if they eventually would beat the charges, the feds could EASILY knock them offline for years and seize all their servers. Just from that one post.
No. What TGP has are emails from Hunter Biden’s laptop, not the actual classified documents themselves.
If they arrest anyone at TGP then they’d have to arrest Biden.
The FIBs and the DOJ won’t bring that much attention to the issue, they prefer to think of the corrupt media doesn’t publish it then no one will know.
Let’s wait and see what this actually is first. I read a great deal of “click-bait”, I believe it’s called. Headlines to grab your attention and then…pouf, nothing really there.
I would hope that the Hoft’s consulted multiple attorneys in order to make sure they could release whatever they are claiming they have. Evidently many people saw the contents of the HB laptop before it was given to authorities (Guliani, the computer store employee, etc) Given that Wray hid this information for a long time, who’s to say how many doj/fbi criminals saw this as well?
Where do you see the classified documents statement you claim they made?
They don’t have to exist for the FBI to raid GWP.
this tik tok drama is annoying
Think of it as a drip, drip of a breaking damn. Ukraine is failing, the vaxx is falling apart, energy is falling apart, the economy, etc. Lots of plates in the air, it’s coming.
Why announce, just do
Invite Garland to answer questions before the house. When he enters the chamber have the Sergeant at Arms arrest him for Contempt of Congress and placed in the House Jail. Then wait.
The House infrastructure that would be tasked with carrying all that out are loyal to the Democrat Party (Capitol Police etc.).
RINO defeatism.
I’m just saying that attempting to do what VibeMan suggested will be successfully stymied at all steps.
The House Sgt at Arms answers to the Speaker.
And the SAA may leak to the DOJ what the game plan is beforehand.
DOJ has nothing to do with it
So you have a crystal ball?
No, I’ve just seen this movie many many times.
Start the firings! There’s a new sheriff in town!
His real last name is Garfinkle.
I’m looking for John Galt.
… yes… it’s a dictatorship…
Only if you allow yourself to be dictated to.
The regular Obozo jam up!! Just have to defund them. 💁🏻♀️
Delenda est The Deep State,to borrow and modify a phrase by Cato the Elder
Looks like JJ is going to need to grow a pair. Who here thinks that will happen?
He will fold like a cheap Chinese suit.
Show him how
I would if I could.
I’d manhandle Garland all the way to a jail cell with cuffs on and then kick his corrupt rear end into the cell.
Make sure to use his head to open the cruiser door.
That’s funny Bruce. Nothing will be done by JJ…he’s another trey gowdy. All bark and no bite. he is one of the biggest disappointments in all of CONgress.
Once again we give the GOP power and they are feckless at wielding it. Our country is at the gates of hell.
Yep , those gates are as plain.as day for all to see with no problem.
Except they’re in the rear view mirror
just defund the motherf@ckers.
No way this is the same old same old. Not that there is any guarantee that this foray will bear fruit, but Jordan for sure knows what we know, and there is no reason he would pick a fight planning to go down with one punch. If it were merely theatrics, it would be very bad, totally and unnecessarily self-destructive theatre. Better to pretend to do something while actually doing nothing than something like this.
No, there has to be some kind of a plan here. We’re into the Return of the Jedi now. The Empire Strikes Back is over. Let’s see how it plays out.
I’m sure Jordan has his aw shucks we tried sound bites ready to go and is practicing them right now in front of a mirror.
Then why did he do it? To make himself look like an ass?
To move the ball forward and kill some clock.
Congressmen are very adept at pretending not to know things.
You have inside knowledge? You have the game plan from Jordan or his staff?
Tired of your defeatism. You are a klown.
It’s not defeatism. It’s acknowledgement that we’re barking up the wrong tree.
We control (barely) one house of congress. That’s it.
Because Republicans said they would.
Never said how hard they would follow up.
Now they can campaign and raise money on we need larger majorities.
I’ve seen no indication that the Republican party wants to be in the majority.
So, a bureaucracy within the Executive Branch is telling the Legislative Branch to go pound sand.
Congressman Jim Jordan’s next move will tell the entire world if we have three equal branches of government of if the Legislative branch has ceded all of its authorities to an agency within the Executive Branch.
Figure Rep. Jordan has about 24 hours to take that stand or anything else congress does will be a waste of time because they will no longer wield authority to do anything, leaving the Judicial branch to fend for itself, completing the coup.
just my opinion. Not holding my breath either.
Oversight and funding tips the Leg v Exec conflict.
Equal, but Leg enforces oversight with funding hammer.
So many cowards in congress.
Your opinion is shared. The legislature has been ceding authority for a long time and this might be its last chance to remain equal. If they have no power, the people have no power. It all becomes a giant charade, and the hunger games don’t appear to be far behind or choose your own dystopian nightmare. Top men are talking about feeding us crickets completely unaware or more likely in spite of the fact that we are completely capable of feeding ourselves if only they would get the f out of the way.
I would have Garland in every day for one question. Make him say it every day.
Throw sand. Daily.
Late May early June, budget/debt ceiling battle?
If the Ceiling is raised and a budget passed, you will know ‘again’ all you have seen the last month has been horse manure. And the talk of investigations special this and that is also horse chit!
We all knew it was coming, let’s see how aggressive Jordan gets now. The correct answer is nice try but we don’t accept that. Cut funding, issue subpoenas, go on a media blitz and make them comply.
Have the US Marshalls raid Garland’s home in the middle of the night, arrest him for contempt of Congress and have some CNN cameras there for good measure.
US Marshall’s service is under Executive Branch (Xiden) authority.
aw shucks. didn’t know that. oh well, it was a nice idea.
CNN would tip off Garland.
How is it that bastard democrats can give everyone the finger and say that they will not comply, without repercussions?
Because they have to. There’s no other option now that they’ve taken off the mask.
I do not even think The House needs the DOJ.
Because they are serious and because they mean to win.
Defund. Defund every effing office, bureau, department, agency, … defund everything. If recruits have to repay their signing bonuses for refusing the jab, Congress can defund everything … retroactively. Garnish Garland’s pay back to 1970.
I remember that Pelosi put some kind of “seal” on January 6th documents including the videos. Not sure how effective her seal will be but we will shall soon see.
Criminals love hiding incriminating evidence and criminals they all are. The sad thing is this tact seems to work more often than not, these days…
She gave the footage to the DOJ-NSD. I would bet my life on it.
Time to start defunding DOJ/FBI leadership like McCarthy said they would.
Perhaps the Congress should introduce legislation explicitly specifying that DOJ must comply with Congress.
Otherwise, “an ongoing investigation” is simply a bag. The DOJ is simply “the Fixer.” This “investigation” will simply continue for the next two years or more. The Department originally created by Congress is now superior to Congress, and to the People.
You’re policy is subordinate to Congressional oversight.
jim Jordon should send a stern letter…
Seriously, they should stop all funding for any special counsel in the DOJ. And then work their way up to through the rot infested Department.
Bagged and tagged, baby.
There is a reason NARA has flagged the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence as “threatening” to [Joe bidan’s] Democracy. These “elites” controlling the DOJ will be held accountable. Sooner than we may think. Never give in, never give up and never back down Jim Jordan. We the People WIN! Our soon to be realized Republic wins. America wins.
“It’s all a farce.”
No. A farce is meant to be improbable and humorous. This is neither.
How about pick some outlier innocuous something that has nothing to do with this. Just start investigating something. Make them tie everything into these. Some dog catcher in Kalamazoo who jay walked. Just investigate. Make them move.
Investigate DOJ going after parents of school kids who show up at school board meetings.
Investigate the DOJ who went after the right to life father who just got acquitted.
Investigate DOJ role in the censor of things thru Twitter. Hell, Elon would give you everything you want.
do the republicans have the will and the legal status to start defunding some of these agencies?
Nope…think about it. Out of all of CONgress, only 20 stood up for issues important enough to hold up votes for the SOTH. The R side of the UniParty will not upset the apple cart, or should I say the trough of money they are used to taking from.
More sternly worded letters. Cut the DOJ’s funding and you will get everything. Start with freezing their pensions.
Hold the entire department in contempt, and then send them to The Capitol Jail.
Begin impeachment of Garland and every other non-co-operating DOJ lawyer.
Will be interesting to see what, if anything, Jordan & co. do.
Come on Jim. like you didn’t read the Tea leaves? I sure hope this isn’t the end of it. There has to be a Plan B. I do believe the supeonas start flying now?
Which is why I believe they should have led with subpoenas rather than requests.
So then we start the ol’ DC two step and go to court for months. In a DC court system.
Where are the swamp rats clutching their pearls over national security?
Shouldn’t they want to know if POTATUS is compromised by the Chicoms?
No.
I must say that once again I am outraged. But I am getting really tired of being outraged.
Soon we will find out the backbone of Mr Jordan. Will he press the issue or fade into obscurity like the rooster head from the Carolinas?
They just do not care. The plan is working and it is always the Republicans who are obstructing.
the appointment order seems to limit the investigation to only records discovered in two locations
Translation – a search of the trove of documents at U Delaware will not happen and those documents will be ignored.
The house could cut off funding to the DOJ until they comply but they won’t because this is all just theater.
Wow that was Jordans big response……there has got to be something they can do . I think Kash had the solution with the threat to stop their paychecks…..looks like it’s within their arthority to do so but said it will take balls on their part. Interview on warroom if you want to check out was at the 5pm show today.
When the raid on Trumps office occurred, the perps took pictures, posted them online and other nefarious actions. Those actions should negate the arguments here. Frankly, the FBI should be arresting the malefactors, as only Trump in this issue had any authority. Since Biden had not a sintilla of authority, where is the FBI- arrest members of Department of Justice for interfering in a Congressional investigation.
Where’s the FBI? Same place they were when Beau Biden’s widow tossed Hunter’s handgun into the garbage can in front of Janssen’s Market (which is across the street from A.I. Dupont High School and thus in a gun free zone).
They protect one side now.
The Brown Shirt Army -Sturmabteilung SA.
Hate that cowardly leftist weasel Garland — pardon the redundancy…