The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), who track GDP  -and-  U.S. Labor Department (DoL) Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), who track wage growth, have released the initial sets of analysis for Quarter 1 of this year (Jan-March).   The first quarter growth in GDP comes in at 2.3%.  [Most estimates initially expected 2.0% or slightly less.]

CBS – […] It’s common for economic growth to slow in the first quarter and then accelerate later in the year. Still, the January-March increase was better than expected: Economists had foreseen a 2 percent annualized rate. In the current quarter, economists expect growth to surpass 3 percent.

The 2.3% first quarter result puts 2018 on track to achieve President Trump’s targeted growth rate: over three percent combined growth for the full year.   Due to seasonal fluctuations the first quarter is historically the weakest for GDP growth.  The second quarter will likely rebound well above 3.5% as the historic Q1 -vs- Q2 trend shows above.

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Earlier today the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) released their final report on Russia Active Measures (full pdf below). House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes issued the following statement today:

“The Intelligence Community has finished its declassification review of the House Intelligence Committee’s Russia investigation final report. Given the substantial public interest at stake, the Committee is publishing the redacted version we’ve received. However, we object to the excessive and unjustified number of redactions, many of which do not relate to classified information. The Committee will convey our objections to the appropriate agencies and looks forward to publishing a less redacted version in the near future.”  (LINK)

There are some initially revealing aspects to the release including: revelations that DNI James Clapper was a leaker to CNN about the Steele Dossier content and Presidential Briefing [SEE HERE]; and that Former Dianne Feinstein staff raised $50 million after the election to continue funding Fusion-GPS and Christopher Steele [SEE HERE]  Likely much of that money was used to pay journalists and continue the Muh Russia narrative.

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Absolutely stunning remarks today from North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un.  Not only do both Kim Jong-un (North) and Moon Jae-in (South) discuss peace, but the DPRK actually goes the full-way-forward toward a unified Korean peninsula.  Jumping ju-ju bones, these remarks are absolutely gobsmacking.

Kim Jong-un remarks begin at 09:00 of video below.  MUST WATCH:

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This is incredible. Not only does Kim Jong-un commit to a fully denuclearized Korean peninsula, but also the ending of all hostilities; the end of the Korean war; and stunningly the process to begin entering a phase for a completely unified North and South Korea.

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Remarks by President Trump and German Chancellor Merkel earlier today in the Oval Office.

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Former FBI Director James Comey strategically, and intentionally, showed up 20 minutes late for a scheduled live interview with Fox News Bret Baier thereby limiting the amount of time available for questions.

There are two segments to the interview.  The first segment is 20 minutes long. In the first segment James Comey showcases his forward-moving legal defense strategy.  Comey outlines that he was kept in the dark, and did not know, about almost all of the central elements within the actions taken by those under his leadership.  WATCH:

Segment two below:

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An interesting discussion this morning on CNBC with White House economic adviser  Larry Kudlow beings to highlight the principal purpose of his forte’.

President Trump is the first U.S. president who came to the table of economic policy with a plan of action that is uniquely his own.  POTUS doesn’t need “advisers” to frame possible policy, he already has the program mapped out; POTUS needs ‘advisers” who are not actually “advisers” per se’ but rather a sales-force to explain and advance his program agenda to the world markets as the policies are implemented….

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…Because this is such a substantial shift from historic reference, President Trump’s unique position of actually creating the economic policy must be emphasized and continually repeated.  It’s not Kudlow creating the policy; these are President Trump’s policies.  The granular details are carried out by U.S.T.R Lighthizer, Commerce Secretary Ross, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin.

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Noted in this interview is discussion that a new batch of text messages between FBI agent Peter Strzok and DOJ/FBI lawyer Lisa Page have been sent by the DOJ to the State Department. Understanding the public and congressional release process, this would indicate the DoS needs to sign-off on potential classified information within the texts.

Often, amid our frustration, we forget there’s an actual process for releasing information; it’s not simply a matter of current DOJ or FBI officials trying to block the release.  I will bet a donut the next batch of Page/Strzok messages outline some connective tissue to DoS.

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FBI Director James Comey appears on CNN tonight and digs himself deeper into legal jeopardy.   Remember as you watch this answer, on March 20th, 2017, while still officially FBI Director, Comey testified to congress a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign began in July 2016.

In an effort to attempt to obfuscate his current legal and professional malfeasance in leaking information, via his leaks to the media, Comey insists he did nothing wrong.  However, Comey also states that it would be a violation to leak “information about an ongoing investigation.”

As Comey describes his leaking of his notes from a conversation with President-elect Trump, he conveniently avoids the contradicting fact that President Trump was a person within the investigation the FBI was conducting.  WATCH:

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Comey states that “leaking” is releasing the “content within an investigation.” If Anderson Cooper would have been faster on his feet, he would have asked Comey: how is it OK for him to distribute evidence, and leak the substance of an internal document, that is part of an ongoing investigation?

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Andrew Breitbart famously said: “politics is downstream from pop culture“.  Boy, do I wish Andrew were alive today to see President Trump, Kanye West and even Kim Kardashian-West fold the political universe onto itself and create a new MAGA reality.

Even the mere possibility of removing the currency and value within identity politics is driving the far-left absolutely bananas. The activist ‘democrats’ are beyond apoplectic.  This Winning is funny stuff.

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After congressman Jim Jordan made mention of this issue last Sunday people started asking questions. Fox News Catherine Herridge details how Daniel Richman held special access privileges to the FBI, as an outcome of former FBI Director James Comey authorizing his friend as a “Special Government Employee” or SGE.

(VIA FOX) […] The professor, Daniel Richman, confirmed the special status in response to an inquiry from Fox News, while referring other questions, including on the scope of his work, to the FBI.

“I did indeed have SGE status with the Bureau (for no pay),” Richman wrote in an email.

Richman emerged last year as the former FBI director’s contact for leaking memos documenting his private discussions with President Trump – memos that are now the subject of an inspector general review over the presence of classified material. Sources familiar with Richman’s status at the FBI told Fox News that he was assigned to “special projects” by Comey, and had a security clearance as well as badge access to the building. Richman’s status was the subject of a Memorandum of Understanding.  (read more)

Wait, let’s look at something here. From the article the benefits included: “Sources familiar with Richman’s status at the FBI told Fox News that he was assigned to “special projects” by Comey, and had a security clearance as well as badge access to the building. Richman’s status was the subject of a Memorandum of Understanding.”

A few paragraphs later, this: “Richman’s portfolio included the use of encrypted communications by terror suspects.”

Oh my. Well, well, well… You see what’s being described here. There’s only one way to gain access to “encrypted communications” and that means having access to the FBI and NSA database.

Accepting he obviously had such access…. what would be the probability that Daniel Richman was one of these?

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