Closing arguments wrapped up on the trial of Igor Danchenko, the primary source who delivered fraudulent information to Christopher Steele for transmission to the FBI.  The jury now has the case and it’s likely they will not convict.

When you accept the FBI knew the Steele Dossier was a fabricated assembly of political dirt against Trump, the trial of Danchenko becomes more about the FBI corruption than lies by the defendant.   How can the same DOJ who willingly and willfully benefitted from the lies, now turn around and prosecute the liar.   Hillary Clinton lawyers providing the defense for Danchenko used this angle to criticize the prosecution in closing arguments.

(Via CNN) […] Danchenko lawyer Stuart Sears said prosecutors brazenly cast aside information that “doesn’t support their narrative that he’s a liar.” Sears pointed out how Durham turned on his own witnesses after they provided evidence that helped the defense.

“The special counsel attacked them mercilessly,” Sears said. “They attacked the credibility of the very witnesses they called in here, because they didn’t say what they wanted them to say.”  Sears added: “The government’s own evidence in this case proves that the defendant is not guilty.”

Durham’s team urged jurors to convict Danchenko on Monday, telling them to “look at his own words” in emails from 2016 that they believe prove that he later misled the FBI about his ties to a possible dossier source.  “You didn’t check your common sense at the courthouse door,” prosecutor Michael Keilty said. “You need to use it.”

(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

(more…)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

(more…)

When it rains, it pours.

At the same time as Hurricane Ian decided to make life a challenge for Southwest Florida residents, the PayPal controversy erupted that blindsided the Treehouse.

As most of you know PayPal has been the primary processor for financial contributions to the Treehouse to help pay for a wide variety of site costs including server hosting, data processing and container costs, proprietary commenting systems, site engineers, software licensing fees etc.

As it directly relates to our conversation CTH has never had an issue with PayPal, even during our site deplatforming from WordPress/Automatic.  However, that said, the initial terms of service changes that PayPal announced, then retracted, that begin November 1st was beyond ridiculous.  It is not surprising that everyone was shocked at the proposed change in terms, and many want an alternative.

Moving forward, the critical issue for CTH extends beyond the actual processing of financial support and into the sphere of privacy.  One of the reasons CTH costs so much to operate is the foundational stance we take on user engagement and privacy; it’s not something I can ever, or will ever, compromise upon.

Almost all funded websites contract payment and subscription services to third party providers.  CTH does not like the security window this approach creates.  If we need to switch financial processors, now is the time to use this opportunity to close any security vulnerability.

(more…)

Appearing with Jonathan Karl for an interview Dr. Anthony Fauci now claims his advice had nothing to do with the closings of schools during the government response to COVID-19.

This pontificating pustule of political pomposity has the nerve to claim all of his COVID-19 dictates and recommendations from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) were not responsible for what he calls unanticipated “deleterious effects” to students and young people.  WATCH: 

.

The full interview is below:

(more…)

After CNN’s Dana Bash failed in her effort to make Arizona Republican Candidate Kari Lake look bad in an interview, Lake’s opponent Katie Hobbs came on the broadcast.  The difference between professional Kari Lake and the up-talking nonsense of Katie Hobbs is stark.

This is the first time I have watched Ms. Hobbs during a broadcast election interview, and it does not come as a surprise to see CNN not upload the outcome onto their YouTube channel for additional attention and replay.  Hobbs is a complete ideological idiot, and I don’t say that lightly.  How this woman is even being considered to become a governor is beyond my comprehension.  Seriously, WATCH:

https://youtu.be/ppxZCPDTqqY

,

Who in their right mind would consider this a qualified candidate for governor?  Good grief, the only example this compares to is that 2007 Ms. Teen USA nonsense.  Hobbs even sounds like her. Yikes.

(more…)

John King’s ex wife on CNN, narrative engineer Dana Bash, was well prepared to target Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake on Sunday.  However, with a solid foundation grounded in pragmatic common sense, Mrs Lake eviscerated the effort of Ms. Bash.   Kari Lake continues to impress.

Dana Bash began the interview with a constructed strawman argument about how Kari Lake as governor would address the Joe Biden inflation crisis.  Kari Lake swatted the issue away with a strong policy position to eliminate state rental tax and taxes on groceries in Arizona.  Bash didn’t expect it, and never quite recovered. WATCH: 

.

(more…)

Rumble CEO @Chris Pavlovski and Rumble Video Creator @SteveWilldoit stepped up in a major way to help survivors of Hurricane Ian today by sending a convoy of 12 travel trailers and generators into Southwest Florida to support a dozen displaced families.  This is a blessed contribution to the recovery effort.

The convoy traveled to Fort Myers where they will be transferred to a dozen families who have lost their homes, providing a temporary housing solution that is much needed.  Just an awesome job by the Rumble Video company and a content creator for the platform.

Thousands of people are displaced from their homes in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island.  There isn’t an empty hotel room within 100 miles of Lee County as families struggle to find housing.

There are tents set up in parking lots in the South Fort Myers area as temporary shelters for those unable to find alternative housing.  This type of private sector support is very much needed and appreciated.  Rumble is headquartered in Longboat Key Florida, and CEO Chris Pavlovski extends his belief in civic stewardship with generous support for those families most severely impacted by the recent storm.  Awesome Job.  #FloridaStrong

Video of the convoy arriving, below:

(more…)

Appearing for an interview with Dave Rubin, the founder of Locals and a major conscript of the branding and image shaping effort behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Megyn Kelly gives Mr. Rubin the bitter pill of truth. {Direct Rumble Link}

Within this excerpt, Mr. Rubin struggles through the five stages of grief following Kelly’s red pill delivery, eventually stabilizing his emotion by accepting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis can still deliver good political outcomes for the state.   It’s a very interesting dynamic to watch for a few reasons.

First, because Megyn Kelly has first-hand experience with the power of the MAGA attachment to the atypical America-First leader.  Second, because Kelly’s truthful statements cut against the objective for why Rubin was recruited by DeSantis Inc.  WATCH:

.

(more…)

This might be the most important outline to understand this whole sordid mess…

During the Friday testimony of witnesses put on the stand by Special Counsel John Durham, there were two key witnesses, FBI Analyst Brittany Hertzog and FBI Special Agent Amy Anderson.  Both witnesses testified they were part of the Mueller investigative team with a primary mission to investigate the claims in/around the Christopher Steele dossier.  [See Technofog Substack for transcript excerpts HERE]

The testimony of FBI agent Anderson and FBI analyst Hertzog (about their role in the Mueller probe) leads to one inescapable conclusion, Robert Mueller lied to congress when he testified the special counsel did not investigate Chris Steele, the Steele Dossier, Fusion GPS and/or Glenn Simpson.   Mueller claimed it was “outside my purview.”

While Anderson and Hertzog are tied to the case against Igor Danchenko, it appears the primary purpose of their being called as witnesses in the trial is not about Danchenko.  It appears John Durham presented them for testimony to ‘gently‘ and ‘diplomatically‘ expose the corrupt intent of the two-year Robert Mueller investigation.  However, before getting all excited about Durham exposing Mueller be aware: There’s an outrage trap in here!

To fully comprehend the dynamic, we first need a background context, then a review of the witness statements, then an understanding of the outrage trap.

(1) Background Context:

AFTER originally interviewing Danchenko in January and February 2017, in March the DOJ/FBI then reinterviewed him before refiling the second FISA renewal in April.   With Danchenko on their payroll they FBI did not need to worry about him undermining the Trump-Russia narrative or speaking the truth about the dossier.  This approach protected the fraudulently obtained title-1 surveillance warrant.  The surveillance warrant was renewed in April.

AFTER Robert Mueller is appointed special counsel in May 2017, with Danchenko on the FBI payroll and under control.  When Danchenko is interviewed on June 15, 2017, he is being interviewed as part of the Mueller operation. Special Counsel Robert Mueller and Andrew Weissmann now submit the FISA application for another renewal on June 29, 2017.  The fraudulently obtained title-1 surveillance warrant was again renewed.

(more…)