It’s all inside baseball, but for those who are watching the effort to rein in the Fourth Branch of government it is also quite interesting.
CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis (pictured left) has removed the acting CIA general counsel and put himself into the role until President Trump’s nominee Joshua Simmons can be confirmed by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Deputy Director Ellis, like DNI Tulsi Gabbard is a solid MAGA ally. Without knowing the reason for his decision to remove the CIA general counsel, the New York Times is not happy.
WASHINGTON DC – Michael Ellis, the deputy director of the C.I.A., has abruptly demoted a career lawyer who had been serving as the agency’s acting general counsel since January and installed himself in that role, according to people familiar with the matter.
[…] It was not clear what was behind Mr. Ellis’s taking personal control of making legal judgments for the agency while continuing to help lead it, but the move raised alarms among some current and former intelligence officials.
[…] The C.I.A. did not specifically address questions about what was behind the move and whether it raised conflict-of-interest issues. But in a statement, a C.I.A. spokeswoman, Liz Lyons, noted that Mr. Trump had nominated a State Department lawyer, Joshua Simmons, for the role. The Senate Intelligence Committee has scheduled a confirmation hearing for him on Wednesday.
“The deputy director is a highly respected national security lawyer and intelligence professional,” Ms. Lyons said. “This temporary arrangement was approved by career agency attorneys while the Senate considers President Trump’s nominee, Josh Simmons, for C.I.A. general counsel.
[…] a career lawyer who had been the principal deputy general counsel had been serving as the acting top lawyer for the C.I.A. His name has not been publicly released.
That lawyer has now been relegated to the role of a regular deputy — not fired — and Mr. Ellis has given himself the role of principal deputy, which automatically makes him the acting general counsel so long as the position remains vacant. (read more)
Some, very few – of which you are a select audience, may read this story and ponder what is going on. Again, all of this cuts to the core issue of a rogue Intelligence Community being confronted.
Remember, one of DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s first moves was to confront the National Intelligence Council inside the CIA and remove it. Gabbard then fired the NIC leadership, and it became obvious quickly she intercepted an NIC effort to undermine President Trump’s framework of Venezuela operatives Tren de Aragua De operating as a criminal terrorist organization. Soon thereafter, Gabbard removed the security clearances of 37 current and former officials – some from the CIA stable.
As that second scenario unfolded it became clear the CIA Directorate of Analysis was attempting to frame a narrative against Gabbard using a changed “covert status” for CIA operative Ms. Julia Gurganus, Senior Executive Manager – Europe and Eurasia Mission Center, Central Intelligence Agency. The CIA scheme didn’t work. DNI Gabbard declassified and released the CIA work product, and then later removed Gurganus security clearance. Julia Gurganus was the author of the false, corrupt and heavily weaponized 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment.
At each step of the IC confrontation, we can see CIA operatives intending to interfere.
Therefore, it makes sense for CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis to make a move inside the agency to ensure the general counsel is not part of the problem. Who can Ellis trust? Given the nature of what has unfolded, the answer is himself.
Why now?
Great question.
Two likely scenarios surface. First, former NSA John Bolton’s DOJ prosecution is likely to come down to a set of “classified” document determinations as defined by the CIA previously working with Bolton. If there is a Bolton indictment looming, Deputy Director Ellis needs to ensure no political defense postures are mounted from within.
The second issue is even bigger in consequence.
With China making bold trade and geopolitical moves simultaneous with President Trump’s focus being directed to the Israeli/Gaza conflict, there is one point of geopolitical leverage which can cut the Gordian knot – Russia.
If President Trump can pull Russia out of the gravitational field of China, things can quickly change. Bold changes within the U.S-Russia relationship, at such a tenuous time as this, would require a fully aligned CIA.
I need a bigger scorecard.
Much the same thought as well. Keeping all this straight and clear in the memory is a challenge to say the very, very least. This site is a treasure with the data and analysis.
Decided that the task presented to myself is to engage in the effort to send more help. Not all election contests present an opportunity, but clearly there are some. If only to take some of the obvious trash.
Choose the ones that most offend you and have “primary” vulnerabilities. They are committed to their endless needs for money and power. Make them worried about keeping it, but defeating some of their colleagues in selling out. Make the go-along-get-along of necessity more aligned with MAGA.
i WONDER WHO the KEEPER Of THE CHALK BOARD Is ? ( like Glenn Beck’s )
i AM a VISUAL Type; where i Work Out the Mental Gymnastics by Writing it down,
Drawing the Interconnections and Then Talking it thru with a TRUSTED Council.
” they ” ( the Evil Ones ) ARE THROWING a LOT OF $H1T At this Administration
from ALL DIRECTIONS –
At THE SAME TIME.
i PRAY for POTUS TRUMP and HIS WELL-BEING / OUR NATION’s WELL BEING.
BUT
“All right, they’re on our left, they’re on our right, they’re in front of us, they’re behind us…they can’t get away this time.” – Lewis Burwell Puller
Loved that he was known as “Chesty” Puller.
A real man with a “chest”!
Target rich environment!
“…Keeping all this straight and clear in the memory is a challenge to say the very, very least. This site is a treasure with the data and analysis…”
Indeed.
Trying to explain complex stuff to folks with modern attention spans is challenging. .. And that assumes the whole truth is known and too often we don’t. If we have learned anything from recent decades, it might simply be:
“Not everything is as we were told..”
Most people are not hardwired to grapple with national politics, no less solving the world’s problems. They are content to take direction and maintain the status quo.
Those who would much prefer to view their world as safe and predictable have no yardstick by which to measure a bull in a China closet like President Trump.
The global reaction to this man has been nothing short of overwhelming. For the faint of heart, MAGA is simply an anomaly to be put to rest so they can go back to their comfortable Bread and circuses.
It is what it is. If they can’t come along for the ride of a lifetime, at least we can relegate them to obscurity where they can do minimal damage.
My attention span is fine and it is still very challenging to keep up !!!!
If the US would make friends with and trade with Russia—that would be a powerhouse on its own. Russia has always wanted to be REALLY recognized by the US. And they should be our ally.
Almost ever time that the NY Times is unhappy, I am very happy.
New York Times is a RAG.
Battling two white commies, propaganda source NYT, about white priviledge and LGBTQ.
Both illiterate and rabid America is BAD zombies.
FACTS DO NOT MATTER! There is no middle ground.
They’ve been the same all the way back to Duranty.
The only difference is that PDJT has exposed them.
He has exposed them or caused them to expose themselves, mostly with the truth.
Yes, indeed, that’s the case.
Rule #1-If the NYT is unhappy it is a good thing for we the people.
From some reason deep down I want to know why?
I don’t know if we’ll ever find out, but what was the trigger point? My best guess is around the time of the Income Tax and Senators by popular vote within the state. Then constant pecking at the machine.
Reagan was the reset but Bush I (who, like in my opinion tried to have him killed and when that failed, the Iran-Contra issue, Bush as President brought in another CIA product: William Barr as AG to clean-up Bush I involvement)
Bush I and Clinton were BFF’s and set a course for the NWO, Clinton flipped California, in my opinion, by creating vote “fraud” operations (ballot harvesting, voting rules changes, etc all combined to flip). Bush I + Perot votes crushed Clinton in CA during the 1992 Presidential election, the last time it went red was in 1988.
I’m sure Cheney and Bush I CIA cronies took 9/11 as the next catalyst.
Then Obama used the financial crisis and the “security” framework after 9/11 to become the “fly on the wall” in order to keep things going in the NWO direction.
I think tech people are generally independent leaning, valuing freedom but once infiltrated and a certain mindset desired then tech becomes a powerful tool for evil to accelerate reaching the NWO goal.
I think Kennedy was a patriot in general aligned with Nixon but for social issues – they were both taken out.
Johnson, from Bush I’s Texas, was forced upon Kennedy.
Reagan, a Kennedy Democrat, was left by the Democrat paper and maintain anti-communism and fiscal conservatism, he was attempted to be taken out: shot and then Iran-Contra.
Trump a Kennedy-Democrat and Reagan-Republican with strong nationalist views: Impeached many times, attempted assassination attempts.
Reagan and Trump have divine protection in my opinion.
“With China making bold trade and geopolitical moves simultaneous with President Trump’s focus being directed to the Israeli/Gaza conflict, there is one point of geopolitical leverage which can cut the Gordian knot – Russia.”
The Middle East is such a distraction; praying for peace there for multiple reasons.
China is vulnerable internally, as was the Soviet Union, back in the day. It has serious economic problems and a population that is growing more restive even as it shrinks. For whatever reason, we are constantly led to believe that China is a roaring, invulnerable powerhouse. Of course, that’s what we were always told about the USSR–until suddenly it wasn’t.
China’s biggest supporter is the American Consumer. As long as we are dependent on them to manufacture ours retail goods, we are implicitly papering over the CCP out of their centralized economy mess.
We know Communism is the worst at economic planning, because the central government misallocates relative to citizen demand. All that rah rah that China is best at long term planning is garbage. It builds what bureaucrats want, for jobs programs to keep citizens busy, not what the economy demands. Entire cities of commercial buildings sit vacant, a time bomb larger that the US commercial vacancy crisis, which the central government will have to bail out. And as soon as food supply narrows, the 1% who are running China are at risk of revolt. You think American elite are bad? Just look at the numbers.
We had China forced on us by our own leaders so they could profit from China. For years I was able to avoid ‘made in China’ and then I couldn’t because our political leaders exported most of our domestic manufacturing and jobs to China with their policies.
On point. Still working to avoid any purchase of China made. If at all possible simply deny myself the item. Harder and harder, as “Made in Vietnam” has now made a constant appearance — all those factories suddenly appearing there — cough,cough.
It took us over 10 years to clear out all those “Dominoes” we were fighting in Vietnam and SEAsia and lost lots of hero brothers and sisters doing it. The billionaires have now moved in with their tennis shoe factories, made billions more and shared it with the Washington DC politicians who thought they did good! (Spit!).
Your comments are well taken. I have read that some portion of “made in Vietnam” are really proxy companies of the PRC. I have written to several companies about their responsibility to be fiscally sensitive to the “country of origin”.
Exactly! This! People wanted cheaper and cheaper stuff so they have more stuff. American manufacturing could not compete with the cheap labor in China. When I would point out to people that even though we may be saving $20 – $30 on say, a toaster, or a microwave, or $200 on a lawnmower, etc. it is short-sighted to see it will cost us dearly in the long run. Well, we have arrived at the long run. There is and has been a cost to the middle class, the decimation of manufacturing in the USA. President Trump was wise to start with items critical to national security first, but with the bulk of manufacturing sent to China, we have a LONG way to go to bring it back here. In addition, Sundance has frequently noted that while all of our manufacturing was being offshored, we were told by our greedy, shortsighted politicians and political pundits/economists that we would hence forth be a service economy so we would make up for the loss of manufacturing with expanding services. Well, low and behold I am in the service economy and guess what! India, (and other countries) are soliciting DAILY AND IN MULTIPLE WAYS TO TAKE OVER OUR SERVICE! of course they will “provide our customers with the same care, excellent customer service, etc. that we currently provide our customers AND “AT A FRACTION OF THE COST”! Imagine that, now are service industry is up for grabs, and even though we are not considering, nor would be ever consider off-shoring our service, some of the formerly local services we have engaged with have and I now deal with someone who speaks broken English from half way around the world. Go figure. No wonder they want to push a universal basic income, we won’t have anything for anyone to do in the USA.
The service economy they imagined had two classes: The Best and Brightest (them) running the world, and those doing menial tasks for The Best and Brightest who were too soft to do manual labor. If the Americans were not willing to work for the Best and Brightest, under terms dictated by them, they would import immigrant peasants to do the lawn care and child care they needed.
A middle class who made a decent living manufacturing things or building things could be replaced by offshoring factories and importing immigrants to build houses.
The Best and Brightest told their kids to go to college and become “managers” of other people, as they were. Definitely NOT to work with their hands or backs that would always be soft and weak.
A byproduct of this is an unemployable cadre of young people with a hundred thousand dollars of student loan debt due to worthless degrees and unwillingness to work in the trades or do service work. Maybe that is why Uber and Door Dash were invented, to give them something acceptable to do that didn’t get their hands dirty?
Door Dash and Uber….The products of the Obama takedown. Americans are innovative…….so said Putin at the time. He knows the PTB were trying to take us down.
Americans need to go on a diet…..get your extra …whatever …phone computer….meds….and crush China. Don’t buy their junk.
My kingdom for a Homedics happy head massager? I guess I can live without that junk.
or be too strenuous
I often ask “service suport” what country that they are in, and, humorously, when you inquire about whom you are speaking with, the answer is often something like “Bob”. The Philippines are often used for service centers because they are 12 hours behind EST and because English is a “second language” there, and many citizens there speak better English than some of our high school “graduates”.
Actually twelve hours ahead not behind.
I speak good English, no? No!
Being hearing impaired and listening to phone calls via Bluetooth through hearing aids, it is hard to understand what some dialects and accents are saying. So, No!, you do not speak good English.
In my opinion; Cheap Big Corporate American businessmen would sell their own mothers just to save a Nickel, which is why I have developed such a very strong dislike for big companies.
I think this, that you correctly opine:
“…we won’t have anything for anyone to do in the USA…”
…is only the step in the lefty plan just before this:
“…we won’t have anyone in the USA except us and our slave class…”
🎯
China was forced on us by our lawmakers working hand in glove with Wall Street, enabling the export of our manufacturing base. Wall Street was and still is working hand in glove with the globalist, which has no loyalty to any nation state.
back to main street.
China was forced on us by Kissinger and Nixon. AND took us off the gold standard. I really tire of hearing what great diplomatic achievements he had. Nixon was subpar in IMHO.
Hey Everyone wanna hurt wall street….move your retirement….I think it’s time to invest in the US . Wall Street is in jeopardy anyway.
Did the Dems know of this china move in advance…thus the shutdown?
Red China Joe or someone else in his tribe probably got a tip off.
I only take exception to the point you make of China risking revolt from within. Not a new theory at all…when you keep the population at near starvation level you are in total control….it’s a matter of survival. It’s when the general population is well fed they start having the “energy and interest” to demand more. So, you can be assured the elite in China will make certain that doesn’t happen.
Good point, and one that is periodically reinforced throughout history. It is a lesson learned as a by-product of the first Soviet pogroms and grain theft engineered by Lenin in the 1920’s. He admitted it was not intended that the grain “collection” have that result but it was a nice consequence. Stalin took note and used it later in the 1930’s to literally starve out any left-over Ukraine loyalists, and any inclination to obstruct or protest The State. With Stalin it was intentional & has been codified since.
How’d that work out for Hong Kong?
Hong Kong was developed into a capitalist Mecca by the British, until the turnover in 1997. Since then, China’s CCP has expanded its control, leading to riots in 2019 that were crushed by the CCP in 2020 while we were all freaking about COVID. Britain is complaining the Chinese are in violation of the turnover agreements, as if they expected China to actually abide.
That’s a decent explanation, but I still don’t see the Chinese revolting any time soon. Having been there and throughout Asia, the temperament of Asians, including the Chinese, is very different than Westerners. They are more subservient, docile, introverted. Yes, they rioted in ’19, but it was squelched. I think it will be a long time before they rise in any successful way.
Respectfully, there is another way of looking at Asian culture. It seems people focus more on the individual doing what they can to improve their situation aside from what the government does. Another way of saying this is people get busy and work. They also strongly support family members.
An example is the focus on education and using education to advance. Along those lines, Asian students are encouraged to choose professions that help them advance. Another example is starting businesses. The word I would use is enterprising.
Additionally, consider Tiananmen Square. That was a large-scale organized revolt that would have changed China and the world had not the Communists been willing to commit mass murder of a generation’s leaders to retain power.
I agree with the introverted description, but not the word docile. Maybe subservient isn’t a stretch, but I think what people do is to focus on what they can do to better themselves and their families.
One other thought is that Asian culture as a generality seems to produce ruthless government leaders, for example the Chinese, North Korea, and also North Vietnam during the war and the Khmer Rouge. People realize the vicious consequences that might ensue to punish open rebellion.
I totally agree with all you’ve said so excellently. Maybe things have progressed with the younger generation more than I realize since I was there over 30 years ago. It will take a massive, triggering event for an en masse uprising, in my opinion, and I don’t think we are there, but what Xi did yesterday vis trade tariffs could unravel in a most unexpected way and result in unexpected internal economic consequences, not to mention the constant floodings in recent time. We’ll both be watching with interest.
Imperial Japan
The difference is:
China has built the most powerful combined industrial and scientific infrastructure in the world as the US/EU have declined.
And continues to build, as the US/EU continue to decline.
The USSR faced a post-WWII US flexing its peak industrisl and scientific power. That was an entirely different situation.
China has problems but it will force its hive to deal with the problems.
Back to the article subject: All signs imply that the CIA is acting to steer the decline of the US/EU axis to diminished totalitarian states managed by the CIA as veiled satrap, as it saw decades ago the decline could not be stopped.
Gordon Chang has some good insights into China and it’s internal problems.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/biography/Gordon+G.+Chang
He lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for almost two decades, most recently in Shanghai, as Counsel to the American law firm Paul Weiss and earlier in Hong Kong as Partner in the international law firm Baker & McKenzie.
JMO but internally China’s economy is struggling …Big Time…..Xi must do something now…..This is the reason….the same reason our elites try and drag us into war, this is why Xi is acting now. His people are about to revolt. We as citizens must prepare to do without china products. I suggest if you need something like parts or major purchases do it now. Stock up on meds also. We are at war with China it is official.
Seeing a piece of artwork in progress is amazing.
Like a tapestry; orderly on the face, but complex behind.
‘Deputy Director Ellis, like DNI Tulsi Gabbard is a solid MAGA ally. ‘
Translation:
“Deputy Director Ellis, like DNI Tulsi Gabbard, is an apparent MAGA ally. But the IC is all about deception, appearances can be deceiving, and MAGA itself is a concept serving the longer-term Plan managing the decline of the US to an authoritarian component of the coming New World Order headed by China.”
Fixed it for you.
BS
The PRC will run the world if it’s allowed to do so, just as the USSR would have. It isn’t really up to China. It’s up to us, and there are, as usual, some strong domestic forces that consciously do not act in our best interest.
Your name says it all.
I have, at times, wondered if they (the dark powers that be) are allowing MAGA to have a run, for a time, to keep us busy, pre-occupied, distracted thinking we are making changes, all while strengthening their positions toward an authoritarian one world order. Look at the progress they have quietly made….AI, algorithym control, control of all search engines, massive data centers, drone technology, etc. Etc.
Don’t forget poison death shots. But we know how it all turns out in the end, thanks be to God.
Hogwash.
Bullsh*t.
Assume you have source material with links to support you comment. Please provide if you can….
Good short answers here.
How’s this:
“Thank you for your CONCERN on this matter.”
Ok. That made me laugh. Thanks
With Godspeed and the strength of a lightning bolt may this CIA and for the branch of government be stopped in its tracks and law and order brought back to this great nation. We need a miracle and I believe with the team Donald Trump has assembled it can and will happen!Pray for those who wish for the best of America and for all those who are against us be pushed out and brought to justice!
“I will splinter the CIA into a thousand pieces and scatter it into the winds.”
— John F. Kennedy
Sadly, that never happened. That’s what the CIA did to him instead. Horrible.
Better late than never.
“Have more than you show, speak less than you know” I have always thought was sage….and life preserving…advice.
And, it caused his assassination. His error was announcing it and not just quietly making it happen.
Russia’s alignment with China was directly due to the ridiculous sanctions placed on Russia in an effort to destroy them economically. I believe that President Trump understands this, and also understands Putin’s ‘Russia First’ agenda. And I also believe that these two men are more closely aligned than we have been led to believe.
Barring them from SWIFT had major consequences.
I remember Sundance going to Russia.
Saying it was harder to leave America than it was to get in to Russia.
“Michael Ellis, the deputy director of the C.I.A., has abruptly demoted a career lawyer”
“career lawyer” is a pretty big clue.
He looks like James Comey. Just sayin’.
So how tall is he?
I thought he looks more like Matt Gaetz.
“Rein in,” not reign in. I know it’s picky, but there really is a big difference. “Reign in” is essentially meaningless in this context.
I think spell check occasionally does us in.
It’s “Spell Wrecker,” not “Spell Checker.”
Just a hint of what is to come with AI…
Spill chick knot grate
Sometimes I’m amezed at whut I write.
😉
The best part here is that humans can read what you both wrote, quite easily.
Can AI do that?
I only wish I had time to experiment with that.
Grok does a good job on out of context typos.
😂 I worked for a guy, President of the company, who majored in English. I would write down telephone messages for him when he was out of the office or unable to take the call, and would write down exactly every word the caller said and leave the messages on his desk.
Upon returning from lunch break would find some of those messages on my desk and my boss had corrected the phone messages as if I was being graded on a test.
Still laugh at the memories, my trying to be as precise as possible to relay the exact message and him taking the time to correct that caller’s use of English.
It probably been to your advantage to have made two copies of the messages. One as you said an exact rendition of the spoken message and then make or correct the message before your boss did showing initiative. We’re you promoted, quit, fired, or a drone.
I just laughed and went about my work.
Never ever make two separate records, liars do that usually one to cover their ass the other to make their boss or co-workers look like fools. He didn’t care, it was just in his nature, a nit-picker that at least kept his hand in the game of proper use of language when it came to writing the annual reports to shareholders, etc.
We were working with very crude people who’s every other word would get bleeped here as well as some of the most sophisticated investors from around the world and it was my job, when taking messages, to be accurate. One would never know which phrasing nuance could mean a deal is made or a strike is about to begin.
Also, should records get subpoenaed (it has happened a few times) one wants to be accurate and honest, saves time and quite often saves one from being added to lawsuits.
Yeah, an ingrained impulse in some. My late Mom was a teacher, strong in English, so I received plenty of quality instruction. I wasn’t as obscene as the boss you noted, but I would correct my employee’s emails at times.
That’s it, all one can do is laugh, and keep on being who we are.
Eye haet spel chek, eye reely doo.
The one that really drives me bonkers and is so bizarrely common is “loose” instead of “lose”, “looser” when they mean “loser”, etc.
You are so right, rite, write, wright, yet there’s only 1 left.
I’m surprised that the CIA even feels the need for career lawyers.
So they never get put under oath.
It’s encouraging to see so many Democrat dogs get neutered.
Yes, but be aware that a neutered dog can still bite you even though he can’t propagate.
I wonder how involved John Ratcliffe was in this decision.
My guess is that Mr. Ellis circumvented Ratcliffe to accomplish this.
Well done Mr. Ellis. Perhaps a well deserved promotion is in your future.
Putin has made it clear, he wants to deal with President Trump but has no trust in our rogue IC (CIA), POTUS will be gone in 3.25 years, but a rogue CIA will endure unless the house is cleaned right now. If the president can get Russia on board, help pull Brazil away from China, then the BRICS collapse as an assault on the dollar, there is a reason China is trying to upset the Apple cart of trade right now. Sundance, you see much and pull it together in a thought provoking way, thank you.
The multi-polar train has left the station. No going back now.
Putin and Trump have a great deal of respect for each other, as they both fight the demons of their own country. Putin could become our greatest European ally instead of the feckless, chicken Shiite EU that is marching headlong into Islamic dominance without a whimper. I pray that it occurs within the next 3 1/2 years and we as a people can embrace Russia as an strong association.
The Russian people and the Chinese people were our allies, they can be again! Reign in the CIA to encourage Putin, boycott Chinese goods to collapse the CCP economically. Yes, the timeline is NOW! If we lose the midterms then it’s only 15 months, not 3+ years
“but the move raised alarms among some current and former intelligence officials.”
This is how we know it’s good for MAGA and America First.
It was not clear what was behind Mr. Ellis’s taking personal control of making legal judgments for the agency while continuing to help lead it, but the move raised alarms among some current and former intelligence officials.
Maybe it was because you guys overthrew the President and shot him in the head.
Just spitballin’ here.
For a second, I thought you were referring to JFK.
History repeated…?😏
They wish.
It’s gone beyond habit into addiction.
the move raised alarms among some current and former intelligence officials
How nice that they have come forward.
Remove their security clearances.
Same ass-clowns that want their own world fiefdom instead of America first. Am looking forward to the downsizing of this agency and “retirements” being taken w/zero post consultant/advisor positions offered due to loss of security credentials.
It’s not a bug, it’s a feature.
I’ve noticed DNI Gabbard keeps a very low profile and is not often seen participating in press conferences, tv interviews etc. She’s behind the scenes getting it done. God bless her and keep her safe.
Wish that would rub off on Blondi Bondi
Lol, right?
If Pam Bondi went dark and was not seen or heard from for a week the pages here would be filled with “Where the he!! is Bondi?”.
I believe that is because we saw what Director Gabbard was doing behind the scenes when she declassified many documents highlighting the coup d’etat that we knew happened. She reported what she had found, released it in two or three public appearances and then went back to work.
Bondi on the other hand has a ratio of about 50:1 public appearances versus getting things done that we expected a Trump DOJ appointee to do. The more I see of her (which isn’t much cuz I can’t stand her delivery) the more I agree with other Treepers that she’s in over her head.
And now we have “negative stuff” coming out about her second in command, Todd Blanche who I thought was the guy we were counting on to get things done while Pammy swooned in front of Fox cameras.
As President Trump eloquently said, “I DON’T LIKE IT….I DON’T LIKE IT AT ALL!”
Blanche was supposed to be the firewall breaker in the Eastern District of Virginia DOJ, but has been found to be a foundation brick, with just as much stalling as those that have been fired. Let’s see how soon the rest of the indictments get pushed thru on the treasonous/seditious traitors we all know, and then find his replacement.
Agreed.
She’s “out there” for a purpose…wish some of the always negative posters would just consider that. And stop with the names!
Maybe DNI Gabbard doesn’t have the hundreds of outfits necessary* to appear on tv so often.
*As demonstrated by Pam Blondi.
Tulsi was military and gets things done. Bondi is a lawyer and does not know how to manage people or get things done.
Exactly!
Her past in her early days as Florida Attorney General keeps getting in her way, causing the distrust, as it should. She was a Jebbie Bush appointment at a very young age, and her actions during Trevon fiasco was a disaster. Give her a little more time, but if nothing changes she should be told to find other employment.
I’m sorry to say this, but she really doesn’t seem to have broad (wide-ranging) legal knowledge. One glaring example was how she continued to deflect Sen. Kennedy’s questioning a few days ago. He kept asking about the legal liability the wireless service providers might have by simply turning over subpoenaed phone records to the FIB (or Jack Smith’s team – or whomever it was that issued the subpoenas for GOP Senators’ cell phone records). She didn’t (or couldn’t) catch the ball. He kept tossing that ball, and all she could do was mumble about not being able to comment on pending investigations. But this line of questioning didn’t call for specifics on any “investigations”. His questions dealt with general legal theory. Any lawyer familiar with the subpoena deuces tecum process (subpoenas for records) is also familiar with what’s called “Notice to Consumer”. This requires the entity – or lawyer – issuing the subpoena to send notice to the third party that their records are being subject to discovery. That disclosure must be addressed on the subpoena itself.
Now maybe Fed doesn’t have this requirement – I never practiced in Federal Court. But its such a standard practice that I can’t imagine its not codified within the Fed Rules of Civil Procedure.
Bondi’s response to Kennedy (and there have been other instances I’ve picked up on where she hasn’t seemed particularly familiar with legal theory) was, imo, a glaring lack of knowledge which she emphasized with her awkward “I can’t comment” excuses.
On the other hand, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed her smack downs of the lying, corrupt DemonCrat pig senators’ ridiculous, laughingly absurd questions having zero relevancy to reasonable fact finding. She has no problem lobbing truth bombs at them – and in doing so she renders them impotent and they’re silenced by the burn. Its highly likely this is why PDJT likes her and keeps her around. She has a mouth on her and she isn’t timid. She’s well aware of their various ethical peccadillos they’ve believed are gone and buried. I was almost waiting to see if she was going to throw the “Standard Hotel” challenge to Shifty Shift. She didn’t, but these clowns have to wonder what she might throw at them the next time they fool around.
When it comes to some of the talking points about specific legal knowledge and theory on the fly…its better left to those with stellar academic achievement and results from being in the daily trenches of the courtroom. Again, imo.
it is way how it should be done……not daily/weekly show up on FOX…as bondi does..l
Had Blondi come out blazing from the start, like Tulsi did, we might have more confidence in her. Now, Blondi has to constantly try to prove herself, but she just doesn’t invoke our confidence, no matter what is now getting done. Tulsi made it on her own. Blondi is being propped up.
I have always been perplexed when people say things like “The world would be great if only women were in charge” or “I trust women far more than men”.
As if there is only one universal kind of “woman”? This conversation about Tulsi Gabbard and Pam Bondi proves my point….I would have voted for Margaret Thatcher in a heartbeat but never for Hillary Clinton, even though they are both “women”!
To paraphrase MLK, “someday, I hope that my gender will solely be judged by the content of their character and not by their chromosomes!”
Thatcher was great. Hag was bad. Wish they would quit with all designations and stick with merit!
Exactly!!!
At times, reading posts, I feel as though I’m back on the play ground in grade school. Pathetically immature.
Tulsi knows to stay out of the open to avoid snipers.
I completely missed PDJT’s TS tweet yesterday during the stock market meltdown.
What was that about?
Yes, but…
If the Senate approves the nominee, nobody is ‘acting general counsel’. And that is supposedly just days away.
And it is not like nameless is gone. If he is a problem, he can still act out.
So, maybe there is a problem in the Senate and nameless didn’t want to continue to do two jobs for many more months?
Or maybe this is to make it easier to get approval? Or to rush the approval?
And maybe there is something urgent that nameless was against so he was removed before the new guy arrives?
Yes, but the Slimes has to be unhappy about something. I mean seriously, what is news about ‘Man in temporary job is moved back to permanent job a few days early!’?
Maybe the permanent job needed him full time? Or maybe two jobs was too much for him?
Or maybe someone who does need removing is yanking the Slimes around by their Nose Ring, trying to make the innocuous look like Orange Man Bad?
Perhaps “nameless” was about to enable another nefarious operation…
Remind me again why we need an organization that destabilizes all
nations including our own.
If so, than they shouldn’t leave him to create more havoc.
But then, DOJ and FBI aren’t cleaning house either, so why should I expect cleanup on Aisle CIA?
And sorry, that task is impossible for me. Is it even possible to have a spy agency that doesn’t run amok destabilizing the world?
“… but the move raised alarms among some current and former intelligence officials.” If the infamous former intelligence officials are alarmed, according to the NYT, you’re over the target.
Would that be the intelligence officials who had their security clearances revoked?
Absolutely, with some still being employed.
They all have nefarious, illegal actions covered up in their volumous closets hidden that they want to stay hidden until retirement or death.
I’ll tell ya exactly what it means for the brain dead liberal shizheads at the journal….it means they are ferreting out the rats
“He solves complex problems”. IMO, Putin& Trump will partner to provide small modular nuclear reactors (SMR) across Africa. They will supply the fuel and remove the waste – the complete end-to-end deal to make Africa great….or at least energy sufficient. SMR will also help rural Russia.
Parts of Africa will gladly pay with rare earths. Think of the geo-political ramifications of a self-sufficent Africa.
they still building grass huts
Is the most abundant, cheapest building material the poorest nations have other than mud huts (lack of water for desert areas) Give them the ability with abundant, cheap power and see how progressive they can become.
Forget Africa, I would rather they built them here.
Build in both!!!
CIA General Counsel….
“This role involves ensuring that the CIA operates within U.S. law, executive orders, and applicable international frameworks while carrying out its national security mission.”
Care to venture a guess?
It is interesting that the name of the CIA principle deputy general counsel who was acting GC has not been publicly released. That person would have been a legacy from the Biden admin.
The CIA GC during the Biden admin: Kate Heinzelman (who resigned Jan 20, 2025)…the acting GC has been in place since then.
From 2009 to 2010, Heinzelman served as a law clerk for Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She later clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts at the Supreme Court of the United States. From 2012 to 2013, she served as counsel in the United States Department of Justice National Security Division. From 2013 to 2015, she served as Associate White House counsel and assistant to President Barack Obama. From 2015 to 2017, she served as deputy general counsel of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. After the end of the Obama administration, in 2017, Heinzelman joined Sidley Austin as counsel before becoming a partner in 2020.[3][4].
Weeding operation most likely – while Senate has been slow walking all appointments of matter. Also a signal that the temperature is going to be amped up.
NYT is insinuating that Ellis took over acting GC to control legal matters that might involve himself. No actual statement, of course, on the substance of that accusation.
Very good analysis. Thank you for the history lesson.
She is now suddenly a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School. That certainly didn’t take long.
If I didn’t know better it would almost be like Yale was already a proxy for the 4th Branch. /s/
https://law.yale.edu/kate-heinzelman
She did her undergrad and JD at Yale. An incestuous little club.
Groomed early for her future employment, probably an undisclosed contractor early in her career choices.
She did her undergrad and JD there. I wonder why she didn’t return to Sidley Austin, and enjoy a lucrative private practice? She had just made partner 6 months before joining Team Biden. You’d think they’d welcome her back with open arms…
Former CIA personnel have always been provided a safe, secure post service income, preferably with CIA affiliated IVY League schools or Silicon Valley Corporations. It keeps them in the loop, regardless of security clearances active/removal.
It gets even better. When Obama’s second term ended, Heinzelman went into private practice at Sidley Austin in 2017. This was a bone of contention during her confirmation hearings for CIA general counsel, as she had Chinese clients.
She became a partner in Jan 2020, but left this very lucrative partnership after just 6 months to work on Biden’s presidential campaign as “Director of Vetting”.
She has a LinkedIn account, which seems strange, given her positions:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-heinzelman-987170133
When Biden “wins” in 2020, she is rewarded with a return to office. From Jan 2021-July 2022, she is Chief Counsel to the AG. Turns out her new boss is her old boss, Merrick Garland. Biden then nominates her as CIA general counsel, an office she holds until Trump takes office.
When she appeared before the SSCI committee for her confirmation hearings, she brought…HER CHILDREN.
Here’s a short snippet, in which she repeatedly evades Tom Cotton’s questions concerning her role in going after parents who confronted school boards, and her role in failing to protect officers in the Portland riots:
As for those Chinese clients of Sidley Austin, take a look:
https://www.sidley.com/en/us/relationships-clients/
Here’s a copy and paste of a few that caught my eye:
Despite any <<cough, cough>> misgivings, Heinzelman was approved by the Senate, 50-41. Marco Rubio, bless his heart, voted NO.
I, too, suspect he was installed prior to President Trump taking office in January…..as insurance for democrats.
Maybe there is a very good reason why this GC position requires Senate confirmation. I don’t know. But it seems to me that there are way too many executive branch positions requiring Senate approval and probably a great many down inside the agencies could have that requirement removed without any adverse affect. It might actually be a positive, because it would remove uncertainty while the Senate just lazes along for months on end before they get around to confirming or not confirming. Just permit the President to appoint them and let them to get to work. Of course, the Senate will never go along with that because it would reduce their power over the Executive, but it is a power they all too often abuse.
Plus, since this GC position is filled with a lawyer and that person principally performs legal functions, why is the SSCI handling their confirmations instead of the Judiciary Committee, if that role actually needs Senate confirmation in the first place?
There is no doubt that the world’s two most natural, historical allies, would be US and Russia. That would raise a desparate wail from the usual European suspects.
Feckless, cowards (as usual) now wanting to grab some control of the Gaza /Israeli Peace Council when they did absolutely nothing in defense of ADF/Israel for decades. Butt Out!!
Russia for 51st state, then Canada, then Greenland
I can only imagine what evidence including COMMS that Putin may have in his possession of all the crimes the DS committed in Ukraine which led to the last 10+ years of trying to cover them all up.
I hope Putin provides PT all the evidence and then PT and the world can see the truth and move toward normalizing via common sense and hones diplomacy, most of the world again.
I am waiting for that meeting, with prior communication with Tulsi outlining all Putin has relayed to her so that PDJT can declassify it all and bring it out in the open. Let the screaming begin!!!
I can only imagine what evidence including COMMS that Putin may have in his possession of all the crimes the DS committed in the USA which led to the last 20+ years of trying to cover them all up. Suppose the Rooskies not only got all of Hillary’s (et al) emails, but read them, too?
If the NY Slimes is not happy, I AM HAPPY!
Am being quietly optimistic in reading this.
For those entrenched inside the three-letter agencies, going to work where 8.0 earthquakes are becoming commonplace events in their work-a-day-world does explain the increasingly crazy conversations from the talking heads over on CNN and MSDNC and their daytime talk show host partners on The View.
Kate Heinzelman, appointed by the Biden adm in 2022 was replaced in January by “a career lawyer”, replaced by Micheal Ellis temporarily until Joshua Simmons can be confirmed by SSCI. Clear as mud. Hopefully, John Bolton doesn’t have too many buddies on the SSCI.
If the NYT doesn’t like it, they must be doing something right.
Sundance, I so appreciate your overviews and analysis.
It truly helps order & align these complex issues, helping my understanding immensely.
Thank you!
Sunny D’s the BEST
Straightforward read of the situation. Much appreciated.
Of course the WaPo is upset–they are the conduit of CIA’s propaganda.
My bad…it was the NYTimes noted, not WaPo.
Same girl, different dress.
Amazing stuff.
Great information.
May Director Gabbard and her allies continue to perform their missions with
Honor
Integrity
and
Courage.
And strong security forces protecting her.
What a gift “ a power greater than myself” gave me when TCTH came into my orbit.
What I did not know, or for that matter never really consider as being possible is quite “ sobering “
Great Stuff though, and
it appears all the more important now that President Trump was cheated out of 2020.
Cheers!
Nameless has a name, what is it?
Holy Cats!
The article says demoted. Demoted to what?
Not shredding or burn bag duty, that’s for sure.
The Corruption In Action needs to be completely rebuilt or crushed…
Rebuilding it seems an unlikely option….
Much like trying to rebuild a running engine…
Most likely to succeed would be to ELIMINATE it and replace it…whatever that it is….
Much like yanking the defective engine and REPLACING IT with something better….
NO MERCY!
<If President Trump can pull Russia out of the gravitational field of China, things can quickly change. Bold changes within the U.S-Russia relationship, at such a tenuous time as this, would require a fully aligned CIA.>
If Putin admitted to Trump he wasn’t assured Trump could gain full control of the gov, this may be Trump working towards that goal.
I see the real possibility of the finger of God working here. So much delicate finesse.
That this occurs just a few days before Ellis takes over suggests they are locking down a potential sabotage vector.
DOGE has yet to audit the CIA, Fed and NASA…. when are you going to expose the coverups and quadrillions of $ of waste fraud and abuse within these agencies my darling Noble Prize Winner (next year) President?
Maybe they did the audits and it isn’t published…yet.
I’m thinking it’s rooting the Uniparty out of control positions anytime you find them sabotaging things.
If the NYT hates it then I Love it!
3 more years isn’t enough.
President Trump has his plan and he is stinking to it.
What’s the likely reason the CIA didn’t want POTUS to get rid of Tren de Aragua?
my view is immigration was done by IC /Obama ites to have a ready jack boot squad when the take over goes down. They were not importing hopeful capitalist just wanting to chase the american dream.
JMO.
President Trump is starting to remove the rogue, intelligence gang member’s chairs from the reshaped battlefield, aka CIA General Council.
Expect to see more such moves from the DOJ/FBI/CIA.
MAGA / America First isn’t just our motto, it is our duty!
When are they going to end the CIA’s Operation Mockingbird program?
this is very good ….it hits.
This is sounding like we might have some fabulous outcomes and more winning. Go Trump! I really would love to see Russia pull back from China.
During the Clinton presidency it was said that Bill’s power-sharing deal with Hillary gave her the job of selecting appointees for many cabinet positions, particularly the General Counsels, who had control over basically everything that the departments did. Since they owed their jobs to her, this gave Hillary enormous power. That generation of GC’s is gone, but I bet the concept lived on. Like Joseph Stalin, the Dems are quite adept at controlling politics though placement of loyalists in key bureaucratic positions. Who appointed the acting CIA GC that Michael Ellis just returned to Deputy GC status? Ellis obviously does not trust that person to be in charge. Why trust him to be deputy?
This Trump post seems momentous…
https://x.com/kencen/status/1976800494321344986
If the NYT supported him, he needed to be booted!! Trump can’t clean out these agencies fast enough for me!!