Yes, Dianne Feinstein has been around the corrupt Democrat system of politics for a long time, and yes, she has exhausted her usefulness. Also yes, this story is entirely apropos of how the DC professional political class works.

Yesterday, it was announced that Senator Dianne Feinstein is retiring. Essentially, the powers in control of the UniParty club system are clearing the way for Senator Adam Schiff, who will – not coincidentally – be maneuvered into position on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. However, the people around Feinstein forgot to tell her they were making a formal announcement.

WASHINGTON DC – Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said she did not know her office released a statement saying she will not seek reelection in 2024.

“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein, 89, said in the statement.

Later on Tuesday, reporters at the Capitol asked her about the announcement.

“I haven’t made that decision,” she said, according to Savannah Behrman of the National Journal. “I haven’t released anything.”

A Feinstein staffer then told her, “We put out the statement.”

“You put out the statement?” the senator replied, seemingly surprised. (read more)

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Independent journalist Matt Taibbi is looking for some additional research assistance [SEE HERE]. Specifically, after going a little deeper on the Twitter Files, Taibbi appears to be recognizing the visibility of the Fourth Branch of Government.  He now needs to package the truth of it, in a way his former tribe will accept.

As a consequence, Taibbi is looking for (1) a reporter or academic with experience researching government contracts, and/or the funding of NGOs or academic research institutions; and (2) an infographics designer, preferably with experience in areas like ecosystem mapping.

Taibbi is a solid and inquisitive research journalist. However, he is still averse to recognizing Chicago Jesus as the originator of the modern issues he is outlining.

The issue of not accepting the Obama network as the structure that underpins the modern political surveillance state is common, even amid the tribe of walkaways from the progressive system.

Give him time, he’ll find see it.

From his current mission as expressed: […] “For decades, our government at least loosely complied with legislation like the Smith-Mundt Act, which prohibits aiming at the domestic population any official propaganda “intended for foreign audiences.” However, gloves came off in recent years.

In a remarkably short time since the end of the Obama presidency, the U.S. government has funded an elaborate network of NGOs and think-tanks whose researchers call themselves independent “disinformation experts.” They describe their posture as defensive — merely “tracking” or “countering” foreign disinformation — but in truth they aggressively court both the domestic news media and platforms like Twitter, often becoming both the sources for news stories and/or the referring authorities for censorship requests.

The end result has been relentless censorship of, and mountains of (often deceptive) state-sponsored propaganda about, legitimate American political activity. In the Twitter Files we see correspondence from state agencies and state-sponsored research entities describing everything from support of the Free Palestine movement to opposition to vaccine passports as illicit foreign propaganda. Some of this messaging devolves into outright smear campaigns, with efforts to denounce the organic #WalkAway hashtag as a Russian “psychological operation” serving as a particularly lurid example. The Hamilton 68 story (about which more is coming) hints at this dynamic.

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David Sacks is a key advisor to Elon Musk and one of the principal aides to Musk during the purchase and subsequent takeover of Twitter by the billionaire entrepreneur.

There has been an ongoing debate about whether Elon Musk was aware of the U.S. government and intelligence community control over Twitter prior to the purchase; with many people saying there is no way that Musk could not know given the scale of the money involved, $42 billion and the due diligence that generally follows such transactions.

However, in this interview David Sacks explicitly states Mr. Musk had no idea how much operational control and influence the government and intelligence apparatus held over the platform prior to the purchase. [Video prompted to 06:15 segment]

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If Sacks is delivering an accurate assessment of the situation, then taking the issue one step further, it stands to reason that Musk has no idea what the core algorithmic code built into the platform actually consists of.  Additionally, as CTH has long outlined, then Musk has no idea about the data-processing subsidy arrangement that exists on the platform as an outcome of the partnership.

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… He still hasn’t identified the source code, the proverbial ghost in the machine, buried deep in the algorithmic code; however, Twitter owner Elon Musk has finally identified the agency within the U.S. government who spearheaded the creation.  The “Global Engagement Center” (GEC) of the State Dept.

The GEC mission is described as, “To direct, lead, synchronize, integrate, and coordinate U.S. Federal Government efforts to recognize, understand, expose, and counter foreign state and non-state propaganda and disinformation efforts aimed at undermining or influencing the policies, security, or stability of the United States, its allies, and partner nations,” (link).   However, when you overlay the expanded Dept of State mission that Obama delivered, transferring GEC intent to domestic operations, suddenly the background of Jack’s Magic Coffee Shop makes sense.  [Musk Tweet Link]

[Musk Tweet Link – GEC Center Link]

Readers here are so far ahead of the curve on this story, it’s kind of cool, funny, and yet frustrating at the same time.  Jack’s Magic Coffee Shop is all a wild conspiracy theory born from the oddly wired brain of some dude in the corner of the internet; until suddenly it’s not.

Factually, it has been staring at everyone since the operation began in 2011, yet no one was willing to believe it.  Apparently, Elon Musk is starting to realize what is inside the communication platform he purchased.

For several years, CTH has been outlining the relationship between DHS and social media.  Currently, the headlines are filled with stories about Twitter and revelations of censorship and government influence coming from the purchase of the platform by Elon Musk.  However, as I said from the outset of this new moment, I promise you things are not what they seem.

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The newly formed House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government has to narrow the focus and make a decision on which of the myriad of examples will best highlight the weaponization issue for the American people.

The U.S. government weaponization of the FBI is clear from the influence operations in elections, to the hiding of the Hunter Biden laptop, to the targeting of parents at school board meetings, to the entirety of what is evident in the Twitter files, domestic social media operations and even the FBI activity in the J6 events.

The FBI issues are widespread and clearly visible. However, only those who have followed the weaponization of the FBI realize the scale.  To the larger U.S. electorate, the FBI targeting remains unknown because the mainstream media has buried it.  Should the FBI weaponization be the primary target of sunlight?

This sets up the context for a monologue and interview by Fox News host Jason Chaffetz and members of the House Committee.  Two segments, first with Michael Shellenberger, then the segment with Harriet Hageman, Mike Johnson and Dan Bishop.  {Direct Rumble Link}  WATCH:

The next segment is with House representatives and committee members Harriet Hageman, Mike Johnson and Dan Bishop {Direct Rumble Link}

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This is not yet in the House Judiciary Committee website [SEE HERE]; however, according to a press release [SEE HERE], House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made appointments to the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government [pdf here].

Including the subcommittee Chairman, Jim Jordan (which is a surprise), it looks like the committee will contain a total of 12 republican representatives.

Darrell ISSA (CA), Thomas Massie (KY), Chris Stewart (UT), Elise Stefanik (NY), Mike Johnson (LA), Chip Roy (TX), Kelly Armstrong (ND), Greg Steube (FL), Dan Bishop (NC), Kat Cammack (FL) and Harriet Hageman (WY).  Overall, a pretty solid group with good legal outlooks.

[Source, House Speaker website]

I am surprised that McCarthy is making Judiciary Chairman, Jim Jordan, also the subcommittee chairman.  However, against the backdrop of McCarthy worrying the subcommittee is going to face massive scrutiny, having Jordan at the helm of it does make sense.  Also, with the Chair of the Judiciary able to trigger subpoenas, having Jordan as Chair of the subcommittee makes the subpoena aspect more expeditious. Oh, and hi guys.

There are likely to be five Democrats also assigned [per prior subcommittee authorization rules].

Dan Bishop and Mike Johnson are both strong judicial and courtroom litigators. Chris Stewart a little less so, more formal, but on contracts etc, still good.  Darryl Issa knows the narrow curves of the swamp from his former role as House Oversight Committee Chair, so that could be helpful.    Thomas Massie, a contrarian constitutionalist, and Elise Stefanik a solid strategist. Chip Roy, Kelly Armstrong and Greg Steube  are good street fighters. Harriet Hageman and Kat Cammack, newer but strong in their own right.  This is a pretty solid team.

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There is A LOT going on inside this story, and the pair of indictments only scratch the surface.

[WaPo – New York Times – ABC News]

According to the DOJ, “A former Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New York Counterintelligence Division [Charles F. McGonigal, 54, of New York City] and a former Soviet and Russian diplomat [Sergey Shestakov, 69, of Morris, Connecticut] were arrested Saturday on criminal charges related to their alleged violating and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and conspiring to commit money laundering and money laundering.

Interestingly, there are two sets of indictments.  The first is in New York related to the U.S. sanctions against Russia, specifically Oleg Deripaska  [SEE HERE].  The second is in DC related to money laundering, payments from Deripaska [SEE HERE].  The New York case is related to post retirement activity in 2021.  The DC case is related to activity when Charles F McGonigal was taking money from Russians, and apparently others, while simultaneously investigating Donald Trump, “from August 2017 and continuing through and beyond his retirement from the FBI in September 2018.”

It would appear, Main Justice in DC is concerned about the timeline and are structuring the money laundering prosecution to keep tight control in Washington DC, for the period when McGonical was a special agent in charge.   However, given the backstory of the players involved, and known 2021 FARA filings that hit on the organizations involved, the FBI and DOJ have known about this issue for quite some time, at least 18 months prior to the indictments today.

These indictments are a rabbit hole that runs sideways from the Trump-Russia collusion nonsense and includes the use of “contractors” in 2021 that McGonigal had to know from his time in the FBI counterintelligence operations.

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Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes appears on Fox News to discuss the release of Twitter File #14 which was centered around the legislative branch attempting to censor his “Nunes Memo.” {Direct Rumble Link Here}

The essence of Twitter File #14 was how the Senate Intelligence Committee, senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Warner (D-VA) along with House Intel Committee Adam Schiff (D-CA) pressured Twitter to remove content that supported the assertions of HPSCI Chairman Devin Nunes.  WATCH:

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You know things are squirrely when you find yourself listening to a rather unorthodox presentation of political events and agreeing with Russell Brand.

Someone shared this with me asking for my opinion.  The presentation is a little over-the-top, but the message conveyed is ultimately accurate; remarkably so.  WATCH:

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Comrades, history rhymes…

In his latest review of the Twitter Files, a supplemental to drive home the importance of what is visible – and what was kept hidden, Matt Taibbi focuses attention on the activity of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI), and how they monitored public comments on Twitter and gave instructions to the platform on what content should be removed and/or controlled.

Pause for a moment and think about that.

[SEE TWITTER SUPPLEMENTAL HERE]

The House Intelligence Committee, that’s the government of the United States folks, assigning staff to monitor Twitter conversation and remove or control public commentary. Using the justification of “national security interests”, Adam Schiff was telling a social media platform what content should be permitted to exist and what content should be removed.

The ‘Stasi’ used to monitor phone calls and conduct targeting operations based on intercepted communication.   In the modern era, the Twitter Files clearly demonstrate, with an unequivocal amount of evidence, that the United States Government was/is monitoring social media content and then dispatching FBI officers based on intercepted public communication.

This is the House Intelligence Committee doing this.  This is our taxpayer money funding this.

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