A rather interesting New York Times article describes life in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) now that interim Director Mick Mulvaney is leading the agency. Actually, one of the more interesting aspects is how congressional defenders of the CFPB have claimed the workforce is non-partisan, yet for some mysterious reason the mostly Millenials are described as using coded messaging.

Keep in mind, these are presumably college educated young professionals:

New York Times […] Some employees, including a few of the bureau’s top officials, have welcomed their new leader. Others, pointing to Mr. Mulvaney’s earlier hostility toward the agency and its mission, are quietly resisting. One small group calls itself “Dumbledore’s Army,” according to two of the people who were familiar with their discussions. The name is a reference to a secret resistance force in the “Harry Potter” books.
An atmosphere of intense anxiety has taken hold, several employees said. In some cases, conversations between staff that used to take place by phone or text now happen almost exclusively in person or through encrypted messaging apps.

(more…)

More evidence of the institutional bias amid the top-tier of the FBI and DOJ surfaces today when Judicial Watch receives emails sent from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s top deputy Andrew Weissmann to former DOJ head Sally Yates.
On the night Acting Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates refused to uphold the President Trump travel and VISA restrictions Andrew Weissmann (pictured below) praised her insubordination and thanked her for undermining the President:

(email pdf link)

Sally Yates was fired that night for her refusal to defend the administration travel and VISA restrictions.  Andrew Weissmann is the top deputy for Robert Mueller’s current Russian Election Conspiracy investigation.
(more…)

You hired a man who developed a life of very specific skills.  A man who knows how to use those unorthodox skills to generate intensely competent results.  Relax, enjoy them…

.
Two thoughts:  Oh, POTUS is enjoying this; and the pine-cone-on-his-chair-look on Flake’s face is, well, priceless.  Also, remember that NAFTA prediction about timing, strategic patience, etc.? Well…
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate everybody coming in.
We had some very late nights getting the tax-cut bill to conference. Last was very smooth, and I think we’re going to make it so that it comes out very beautifully. I call it “the mixer.” It’s a conference where everyone gets together and they pick all the good things and get rid of the things they don’t like.
But it’s a fantastic bill for the middle class. It’s a fantastic bill for jobs and for companies wanting to bring back massive amounts of money into our country. It’s really — I view it more than anything else, is it’s a tremendous bill for jobs and for the middle class.
(more…)

Facing increased scrutiny for his financial settlements with harassment accusers, Democrat Representative John Conyers states he is retiring from congress.  According to lawyers speaking on behalf of Conyers, his retirement is effective immediately.
(Via CBS) [John Conyers (D-MI)] has announced Tuesday that he is retiring and has endorsed his son, John Conyers III to run for his seat. Conyers’ lawyer confirmed that the retirement is effective immediately.
“My legacy can’t be compromised or diminished in any way by what we’re going through now. This too shall pass,” said Conyers on a local Michigan radio station Tuesday morning.
He added, “I want you to know that my legacy will continue through my children. I have a great family here and especially in my oldest boy, John Conyers III who incidentally I endorsed to replace me in my seat in Congress.”
(more…)

Deputy Head of Counterintelligence – FBI Agent Peter Strzok is either the hardest working politically-biased FBI investigator in the history of the agency, or he’s being set-up as a scapegoat.
Consider:  •Peter Strzok was the lead FBI agent in charge of the 2015/2016 Hillary Clinton email investigation. •Agent Strzok was one of a small group who actually interviewed Hillary Clinton. •Agent Strzok was also the person who interviewed Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills, granting them immunity. •Agent Strzok created the wording for the Comey/Clinton exoneration
•Strzok was the counterintelligence investigator for the 2016 ‘vast Russian conspiracy’, narrative. •Agent Strzok was also the FBI contact person to receive the Russian Dossier and interview the author Christopher Steele.
•Agent Peter Strzok was then hired by Robert Mueller to lead the FBI investigative efforts into  the “Russian Election Collusion/Conspiracy.” •Agent Strzok was the person who interviewed National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
•Agent Strzok was then removed from the Mueller Team after the anti-Trump/pro-Clinton content of his internal communications were discovered by the ongoing Inspector General investigation.
The structure of this narrative surrounding Peter Strzok is discussed by Tucker Carlson:
(more…)

OK, before going further, we need to step back and take a look at how deeply enmeshed Deputy Head of Counterintelligence FBI Agent Peter Strzok was to this entire FBI investigative enterprise.

•Peter Strzok was the lead FBI agent in charge of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. •Agent Peter Strzok was one of a small group who interviewed Hillary Clinton. •Agent Strzok was also the FBI contact person to receive the Russian Dossier and interview the author Christopher Steele.  [Remember, Hillary Clinton’s team paid Christopher Steele (via Fusion GPS) to create the dossier.] •Agent Strzok was the primary counterintelligence investigator for the ‘vast Russian conspiracy’, narrative.  •Agent Strzok was then hired by Robert Mueller to lead the FBI investigative efforts into  the “Russian Election Collusion/Conspiracy.”  •Agent Strzok was removed from the Mueller Team after the anti-Trump/pro-Clinton content of his internal communications were discovered by the current Inspector General investigation….

…and today we discover that Deputy Head of Counterintelligence, FBI Agent Peter Strzok was the person who interviewed National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn on January 24th, 2017.  An interview, that blindsided Flynn because there was no advanced notification…. And an interview that was the basis for the recent Robert Mueller charging of Flynn.
Good grief, it’s no wonder why the FBI desperately tried to control a pending IG release by advance-scripting a narrative, via leaks to the New York Times and Washington Post.
If FBI Agent Strzok can be shown to have conflicting political and institutional bias, then every aspect of the investigation he was involved in comes into question… and Agent Strzok is at the EPICENTER of every angle, within every aspect, of EVERY investigation.

SARA CARTER – A supervisory special agent who is now under scrutiny after being removed from Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel’s Office for alleged bias against President Trump also oversaw the bureau’s interviews of embattled former National Security advisor Michael Flynn, this reporter has learned.

(more…)

Prior to boarding Marine-One en route to Utah for a speech on national monuments, President Trump spoke briefly to the Press Corps on the South lawn of the White House. [Transcript Below]:

[Transcript] THE PRESIDENT: We’re going to Utah. We’re going to be doing something that the state of Utah and others have wanted to be done for many, many years. It will be one of the great, really, events in this country in a long time. So important for states’ rights and so important for the people of Utah. And I know a lot of you are coming out with me. We’ll have plenty of time to talk.
(more…)

Did you know the DOJ has been investigating the FBI for 11 months…. wait, what?

Hold-up on the criticism folks.  Three important statements today from the DOJ, FBI and OIG indicate there have been ongoing investigations and reviews of conduct within the upper tiers of leadership within the Department of Justice and the FBI.
Given the nature of the leaked IG investigation to the Washington Post and New York times; surrounding apex investigator and deputy head of counterintelligence at the FBI Peter Strzok; and accepting the direct approach of President Trump in his tweets toward that revelation; and adding the layer of Intel Chairman Devin Nunes threatening to file ‘contempt of congress charges‘; there is every indication something is about to break – very soon.

(L-R) Attorney General Jeff Sessions – FBI Director Christopher Wray

“[The allegations] if proven to be true, would raise serious questions of public trust. I look forward to receiving the Inspector General’s report. We will ensure that anyone who works on any investigation in the Department of Justice does so objectively and free from bias or favoritism.”
“My job is to restore confidence in the Department of Justice in all aspects of our work and I intend to do so. As such, I have directed that the FBI Director review the information available on this and other matters and promptly make any necessary changes to his management and investigative teams consistent with the highest professional standards.”
~ Attorney General Jeff Sessions
“When the FBI first learned of the allegations, the employees involved were immediately reassigned, consistent with practices involving employee matters.”
~ FBI Spokesperson

Here’s the critical OIG statement:
(more…)

Those who have traveled the deep weeds will know the Washington Post is the primary and historic defense media for the Intelligence Community (IC).  That backdrop is CRITICAL to understanding this story.

The Washington Post is quick to the presses ahead of congressional intelligence committees discovering the specific content of communication between the lead FBI agent on Robert Muellers team… that led to an Inspector General investigation… that led to Mueller firing the top FBI agent from the team.
Again, for EMPHASIS, this Washington Post report is specifically trying to get out ahead of the story to defend Mueller and the FBI.

FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok (above left box), was the deputy head of counterintelligence at the FBI.  He was the tip-of-the-spear in the Clinton email investigation assigned by James Comey.  FBI Agent Strzok was part of a very small special team, called the “skinny team”, tasked with investigating Hillary Clinton.  Agent Peter Strzok was one of the few people who actually interviewed Hillary Clinton.
Additionally, this year agent Peter Strzok was personally selected by Special Counsel Robert Mueller to be the TOP FBI AGENT in charge of the investigation into collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian collusion conspiracy.
However, as a direct outcome of an Inspector General investigation into Peter Strzok, it is just coming to light that text messages and written communication between Strzok and an FBI lawyer named Lisa Page will show a strong bias to clear Clinton and against Trump.
Behind the communication, Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page were having an affair.  Strzok and Page communicated with each other about their disdain and hatred for Donald Trump while they were key members of the Muller investigative team.
(more…)

President Trump sends antagonistic media into spastic fits, and pearl-clutching circle-running, with a single tweet about Michael Flynn.  Epic:

Praetorian professional punditry immediately jump into their “he can’t” routine, filled with protestations about poor judgement and the risk of commenting on an on-going investigation, and such… blah, blah, blah…  However, what seemingly never crosses their mind is that: A) Everything asserted is 100% factual; and B) When there’s nothing to hide, there’s no risk.  D’oh, dummies.
There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the President-Elect’s Transition Team talking to any foreign government, or any official within any foreign government. Ever. Period.  Actually, that’s exactly what transition teams are supposed to do; they reach out and receive information from foreign government officials as the starting point to communication with a new administration.
(more…)