Earlier today CIA Director John Ratcliffe announced he was declassifying an “Internal Tradecraft Review of 2016 Election ICA to Promote Analytic Objectivity and Transparency.” Obviously the CIA saying they are releasing something for the sake of “transparency” is a little funny.

The CIA review triggered by Director Ratcliffe was for the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that was conducted in the aftermath of the 2016 election. The ICA was also known as the “17 agency report” relied upon by those who pushed the Trump-Russia narrative.

Ever since the sketchy “Russian Malicious Cyber Activity – Joint Analysis Report” was originally released late December 2016 we identified both constructs, the ICA and JAR as a mostly political intelligence documents, created to justify a Russian narrative.

The Dec ’16 ICA was also the predicate intelligence report that preceded the December 29, 2016, Joint Analysis Report that claimed “Russian cyber hacking” in the election. Cumulatively the ICA and JAR formed the background for Barack Obama to expel 35 Russian diplomats.

None of this is new. CTH outlined these two corrupt Intelligence Community constructs in real time when they were released. {SEE HERE}. As time went on, and as the Clinton-Steele dossier was revealed, the 17 agency Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) grew even weaker.

In late October 2017 former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted the Clinton-Steele dossier was part of the Joint Analysis Report.   Eventually, our research indicated the dossier and the intelligence report were likely the underlying evidence behind the FISA Title-1 application (and subsequent renewals) for surveillance on Carter Page and by extension the Trump campaign.  All of that was proven to be accurate.

Now CIA Director John Ratcliffe provides an independent CIA review of their organizational action at the time the Trump-Russia narrative was created.  CIA Press Statement:

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In what is being billed as the largest single takedown of HHS fraud, today the DOJ announced indictments for a massive $14.6 billion Medicaid/Medicare fraud program operated out of the U.S and several foreign countries.

DOJ PRESS RELEASE – The Justice Department today announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss. The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.

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A horrible story.  A gunman started a fire in the mountains near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in order to bait firefighters to the area. Upon arrival to the area three firefighters were shot; two killed and other in serious condition following surgery.

Canfield Mountain is in Coeur d’Alene, which is in northwestern Idaho, about 30 miles from Spokane, Washington. The fire appeared to have been set as part of an “ambush,” and sheriff’s deputies took active sniper fire, Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said. Authorities said during a press conference that a man was found dead on Canfield Mountain with a gun nearby. That man is believed to be the shooter, Norris said. Briefing:

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Things are getting very interesting as the clock ticks toward the end of the USMCA trade agreement.

Almost no one is watching the USMCA element because it quietly exists only in the background of events. However, pay close attention to the ancillary stories because they will eventually merge with the end of the USMCA and two bilateral trade agreements between the U.S-Canada and the U.S. and Mexico later this year.

NATO funding and Canadian economic independence, and by extension the EU and China, comes into the northern agreement.  Border security and Mexican economic independence, and by extension immigration and China, comes into the southern agreement.  The strength of MAGAnomic policy flows directly through both.

In the quiet sphere, a few days ago Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a key player in the trade program, announced sanctions against three Mexican financial organizations that underline the influence of the Mexican cartels and the Mexican government. [Treasury Announcement Here]

“The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued orders identifying three Mexico-based financial institutions—CIBanco S.A., Institution de Banca Multiple (CIBanco) [ORDER HERE], Intercam Banco S.A., Institución de Banca Multiple (Intercam) [ORDER HERE], and Vector Casa de Bolsa, S.A. de C.V. (Vector) [ORDER HERE]—as being of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking, and prohibit, respectively, certain transmittals of funds involving CIBanco, Intercam, and Vector.  These orders are the first actions by FinCEN pursuant to the Fentanyl Sanctions Act and the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which provide Treasury with additional authorities to target money laundering associated with the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids, including by cartels”. (more)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is furious. “The Treasury Department hasn’t provided a single piece of evidence to show that any money laundering was taking place,” she said. “We aren’t going to cover for anyone, there isn’t impunity here. They have to be able to demonstrate that there was actually money laundering, not with words, but with strong evidence.”

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This is an interesting insight when overlaid with what you know about foreign government and their influence operations within U.S. politics.

Michael Doran is director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East. As a professional political insider, this consulting business model is party based on the currency of access to key policymakers, staff and advisors.

In this podcast with Bari Weiss the discussion is about Israel and the attack on Iran. Both Weiss and Doran are aligned with the interests of Israel and very supportive. However, in describing President Trump’s position toward Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu there is an interesting moment when Doran explains how foreign governments lost access and influence; essentially, when spying became more difficult. [Reference point 28:51]

In part, Secretary of State/National Security Advisor Marco Rubio restructured the National Security Council, and when he did that “Europeans and those in the Middle East” lost their ability to “plug-in” to their contact sources. The “cultivated sources” they used were no longer in place.  It’s only about a minute on that aspect, but revealing when you consider influence operations and the push to war.  WATCH:

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This is weird.

According to direct reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune, after his arrest Vance Boelter who went on a murdering rampage targeting key political officials told the FBI that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz hired him to kill U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

MINNESOTA – In a rambling, conspiratorial letter addressed to the FBI, alleged assassin Vance Boelter claimed Gov. Tim Walz instructed him to kill U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar so that Walz could run for the U.S. Senate, according to two people familiar with the contents of the letter.

The letter is the clearest evidence yet of Boelter’s mindset after the targeted violence against Minnesota politicians last week. It is incoherent, one and a half pages long, confusing and hard to read, according to two people familiar with the letter’s contents. It includes Boelter alleging he had been trained by the U.S. military off the books, and that Walz, who is not running for Senate, had asked him to kill Klobuchar and others.

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As President Trump is known to say, “don’t make it complicated.”  Just look at things as they are, as they present themselves to be, and ask the most obvious questions.

Consider Antifa.

Portland — Antifa try to use a dumpster as a battering ram against the gate protecting an ICE facility but are repelled by federal agents who shoot pepper balls at the masked insurrectionists. Video by @FrontlinesTPUSA: pic.twitter.com/A8Gud9zzx3

— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) June 19, 2025

How can a group within America openly threaten police, use violence against police, throw Molotov cocktails, bricks and explosive fireworks at police.  Use batons, shields, bats and physical violence against police and federal law enforcement; destroy vehicles, set cars on fire, destroy property, trash and block the streets and create chaos…. Completely without being stopped?

It doesn’t matter where it is happening, that’s irrelevant.  Think plainly and simply.

How does any individual or group get to do this without being arrested?

It doesn’t make sense… unless….

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The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another crawled to SWAT police officers in surrender Sunday after they located him in the woods near his home.  Vance Boelter was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder.

Boelter is accused of posing as a police officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette; both injured at their residence about 9 miles away.  Boelter’s capture brings an end to a nearly two-day search.

The dramatic flair in presentation; a combination of DOJ-Community Relations Service choreography and federal/state political emphasis amid the trained participants; has become too much. The dramatic effect is losing value now. The public has become increasingly numb to it.   WATCH:

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Apparently, the prior narrative that everything was fine, there’s nothing to see here, just didn’t work.  As footage of looting, arson, violence and riots against law enforcement continues to highlight the false presentations of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom, the mayor has now declared a local state of emergency – with an immediate 8:00pm curfew, starting tonight.  WATCH:

The same people burning cars, breaking into businesses, destroying property and throwing objects at law enforcement, are suddenly going to adhere to a curfew!  Huh, imagine that.

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During an appearance on Fox News (Hannity, #93) Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the violent thug who was throwing bricks at law enforcement vehicles (video below fold) has been identified by the FBI. Bondi notes in the interview the FBI was executing a search warrant on his house as she appeared. WATCH:

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