The polished guardian of all things swamp sits down for the annual discussion of current terms with the self-appointed emissary of full-throated conservative thought. You can decide which is which.
Fox News host Maria Bartiromo interviews former Special Counsel Ken Starr surrounding the Mueller Trump/Russia investigation and the 36-page indictment surrounding Russian election interference. Ken Starr directs attention toward the OIG investigation by Michael Horowitz and the evidence of FISA court corruption.
This outline is mostly a repost because it hits on the central framework of an obvious dynamic being missed by almost everyone within the larger discussion.
On December 2nd, 2017 (not accidentally ONE DAY after Mike Flynn’s guilty plea was announced), part of the intelligence community –sources inside the investigative unit– outlined specific examples of DOJ/FBI political corruption. The revelations surrounded FBI Agent Peter Strzok, FBI lawyer Lisa Page and DOJ Deputy Bruce Ohr.
The month of December 2017 brought to light everything within the larger storyline of a corrupt domestic intelligence apparatus filing for a fraudulent FISA ‘Title-1’ surveillance application, and outlined the process of the DOJ and FBI spying on the Trump campaign. This entire enterprise was/is white-hats fighting back against corrupt black-hats.
In the aftermath, the FBI responded to media inquiry; and the DOJ responded to the revelations (December 3rd release) by specifically pointing attention to the Office of the Inspector General and Michael Horowitz (emphasis mine):
The January 2017 statement issued by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) announcing its review of allegations regarding various actions of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in advance of the 2016 election stated that the OIG review would, among other things, consider whether certain underlying investigative decisions were based on improper considerations and that we also would include issues that might arise during the course of the review.
The OIG has been reviewing allegations involving communications between certain individuals, and will report its findings regarding those allegations promptly upon completion of the review of them.”
~ Justice Department Office of the Inspector General (link)
For over three months there’s been an 800lb gorilla in the corner of the discussion desperately being avoided by an incurious corporate media.
In the fall of 2017 Fusion-GPS founder Glenn Simpson and Clinton-Steele Dossier author Christopher Steele were in frequent media stories. However, on December 2nd 2017 the first outline of previously invisible FBI Agent Peter Strzok and FBI Attorney Lisa Page hit the headlines.
Pete and Lisa were soon joined by other previous DOJ/FBI invisibles like Bruce Ohr, Nellie Ohr, Jim Rybicki, James Baker and ‘he-who-shall-not-be-named’. Eventually the ripple effect expanded to include David Laufman (DOJ) and Mike Kortan (FBI).
However, one thing has been brutally missing throughout the three months…. there’s been no media interviews or statements by anyone.
Additionally, in a rather odd dynamic there’s no appetite by any media to get any of the names on record,… for anything…. not.a.word. Not a single satellite truck outside any house. No-media knocking on doors for comment(s). No TV pundits seeking ‘exclusive’ interviews to set the record straight, etc. It’s as if everyone in the DOJ/FBI ‘small group’ is carrying an Ebola virus that destroys healthy narrative cells.
Last year President Donald Trump requested a national security Section 232 trade-investigation, to conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce and Secretary Wilbur Ross, specifically focusing on U.S. steel and aluminum manufacturing.
The discussion continued last week as President Trump met with a group of republican and democrat members of congress to talk about trade policy and focus attention on the lack of American steel and aluminum production. [The responses from the republican participants was very enlightening and disappointing.]
On Friday Commerce Secretary completed the industrial review and provided President Trump with trade recommendations to consider given the nature of the national security compromise. See Outline Here.
Recommendations of the Steel Report: Secretary Ross has recommended to the President that he consider the following alternative remedies to address the problem of steel imports:
- A global tariff of at least 24% on all steel imports from all countries, or
- A tariff of at least 53% on all steel imports from 12 countries (Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Egypt, India, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam) with a quota by product on steel imports from all other countries equal to 100% of their 2017 exports to the United States, or
- A quota on all steel products from all countries equal to 63% of each country’s 2017 exports to the United States.
Sometimes people who assemble information make wrong assertions; this is one such time. Unfortunately, Byron York’s assertion needs a quick deconstruction.
In a twitter reply today Mr. York makes a mistake in spreading false information that DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz is not investigating the DOJ/FBI corruption surrounding the “Trump/Russia Case”.
The fact is – the origination statement from the Office of Inspector General specifically says the review of DOJ/FBI politicization of their investigative authority is not restrained from following “other issues that may arise.” There’s a years-worth of evidence that IG Horowitz is running an investigation on two-tracks, here’s how:
WHITE HOUSE – Earlier today, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein announced indictments against 13 Russian nationals and 3 Russian entities for meddling in the 2016 Presidential election, which began in 2014 before the President declared his candidacy. President Donald J. Trump has been fully briefed on this matter and is glad to see the Special Counsel’s investigation further indicates—that there was NO COLLUSION between the Trump campaign and Russia and that the outcome of the election was not changed or affected.
President Trump says, “it is more important than ever before to come together as Americans. We cannot allow those seeking to sow confusion, discord, and rancor to be successful. It’s time we stop the outlandish partisan attacks, wild and false allegations, and far-fetched theories, which only serve to further the agendas of bad actors, like Russia, and do nothing to protect the principles of our institutions. We must unite as Americans to protect the integrity of our democracy and our elections.” (read more)
Mitt Romney made it official this morning, he is running for the Senate seat currently held by retiring Orrin Hatch.
FUBAR.
Mittens confirmed his plans Friday in an online video. Romney is the epicenter of anti-MAGA and has continued to be a favored son of the GOPe chamber of commerce republican apparatus. A failed presidential candidate with a severely vindictive disposition cloaked in parseltonue and decepticon skin.
Unfortunately, Romney is considered a heavy favorite for the Senate seat held by Orrin Hatch.
Moments ago FISA Court Presiding Judge Rosemary Collyer responded to the requests from the House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes and House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte. (full pdf’s below – #1 and #2)
There are nuances in each response specific to the statutory roles of each Chairman and the specific requests made by each committee. Reflected in Judge Collyer’s responses is a need for careful consideration of each unique request.
♦House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes holds primary oversight authority over the aggregate Intelligence Community (IC). Chairman Nunes has requested the transcripts from the FISA Court during the DOJ/FBI Title-1 surveillance application over their target, U.S. person Carter Page.
♦House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte holds primary oversight authority over the Department of Justice -including the FISA court- and has requested the actual FISA Title-1 application as submitted by the DOJ/FBI for surveillance of Carter Page.
Judge Collyer responds to both legislative branch chairmen from the position of “never previously receiving such requests.” There are separation of power challenges, but also an understanding inherent in the response to Chairman Goodlatte of the unique statutory oversight his committee holds.
For those following the increasingly curious case against General Mike Flynn, events took another unusual turn yesterday as Special Counsel Robert Mueller -with agreement from all parties- filed a motion for a protective order to seal documents. These are documents compelled on behalf of the defense, by Judge Emmet Sullivan, prior to sentencing.
On November 30th, 2017, Mike Flynn signed a guilty plea; ostensibly admitting lying to investigators. The plea was accepted by Judge Rudolph Contreras; who is also a FISA court judge. Six days later, December 7th, 2017, Judge Contreras “was recused” from the case without explanation. The case was reassigned to DC District Judge Emmet Sullivan.
The Contreras recusal always seemed sketchy. If the conflict existed on December 7th, wouldn’t that same conflict have existed on November 30th, 2017?
On December 12th, 2017, Judge Sullivan gave out a rather unusual set of instructions to Robert Mueller. The instructions included Sullivan telling Mueller to turn over to the Flynn defense anything that could be considered exculpatory:
[…] if the government has identified any information which is favorable to the defendant but which the government believes is not material, the government shall submit the material to the Court for in camera review. (link)
On January 31st, 2018, Robert Mueller requested a delay of sentencing pushing the sentencing phase into May of this year. And then yesterday, February 14th, 2018, Mueller asks for the information he is turning over to be sealed.