Well, this would have been a good question for Jeff Sessions to ponder three years ago, before he recused himself….
During an interview this morning with Maria Bartiromo, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions wonders now if there was ever a sufficient predicate for the Mueller investigation to begin. [Video prompted to 03:00 – WATCH]
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A terrific outline by Stephen McIntyre today [see here] provides a great place for CTH to outline the importance of the Wolfe leak and how far-reaching the consequences became in the reporting of the DC media.
McIntyre revisits how the FBI put together the Carter Page FISA application; and specifically highlights how parts of the application are purposefully built by the FBI using the Steele Dossier to fabricate something that doesn’t exist. The issue pointed out by McIntyre surrounds the designation for Steele’s primary sub-source.
By now everyone is aware the Steele Dossier was essentially just an assembly of loosely connected data points, innuendo, gossip and outright disinformation. The sketchy dossier was, in essence, a file of tenuous opposition research that was assembled under a fraudulent premise of a valid intelligence gathering process.
The Steele dossier underpinned the FISA application. The dossier, and the fabricated story within it, was used to get the FISA application. As a result of the way the FBI officials specifically used the dossier to shape the FISA application evidence, the application itself is filled with misinformation.
Because the dossier lies, which transferred to the FISA application, have collapsed under scrutiny, the FBI defenders shifted to calling the underlying fraudulent information “Russian disinformation.” This, they hope, will be their tenuously collapsing escape narrative; which needs to hold-up long enough to get rid of President Trump.
Ms. Maria Bartiromo interviews Senator Lindsey Graham, yet again, about the surveillance coup effort and the recent documents released in the Flynn case. Once again, Senator Graham claims he will use his position as Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman to initiate an investigation of those in the DOJ and FBI who have continually lied to the FISA court, the U.S. judicial system (various judges), and the America people.
Bartiromo calls Graham out on his lack of action; however, once again Senator Graham hides behind an “ongoing investigation.” This “I’m not going to interfere in an ongoing criminal matter” is the exact same excuse Graham used previously in: (1) the Mueller investigation; (2) the Horowitz investigation; (3) the IG review of the FBI FISA abuse; (4) the IG review of Andrew McCabe; (4) the IG review of Comey’s memos; and now the Durham investigation into the origins of Obama’s political targeting and Flynn.
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I will keep repeating this until the Hope-Porn sellers catch up. Graham cannot, and will not, take any investigation action within the Senate because senators were involved in the FBI/DOJ and Intelligence Community operations. His own chamber, and the Senators on his own committee, were participants in the schemes.
[John McCain, Richard Burr, Dianne Feinstein, Mark Warner, Lindsey Graham, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, and every person sitting on the SSCI know what happened and who was participating. The SSCI controls who is allowed to be CIA Director, NSA Director, FBI Director, Director of National Intelligence and Intel Community Inspector General. The nominees must pass through this committee. Senator Burr and Senator Warner are the Chairman and Vice-Chair respectively. Both blocked Ratcliffe.]
The recently unsealed documents in the Flynn case provide some key information to fill in a timeline that shows exactly why incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn needed to be removed by the pre-existing Obama intelligence community. WATCH:
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You might note the recent releases from internal FBI documents surround three specific phases of activity, representing individual blocks of time, amid a longer timeline:
(1) The transition period. A set of actions in December 2016 through early January 2017; which includes the FBI deciding to stop the investigation of Flynn (FARA-Russia) January 4th; and the apoplexy of the FBI to continue it.
(2) The immediate days of the Trump administration; and the need for the FBI to target Flynn on January 24, 2017, surrounding a Logan Act violation.
(3) The assembly of an FBI narrative following the January 24th interview; which includes the planning by the FBI for how to write up the Flynn interview notes culminating on February 15th.
Fox Business Host Lou Dobbs outlines some stunning information about the recently released FBI documents and how they align with President Obama’s involvement.
Additionally, General Mike Flynn’s defense counsel, Sidney Powell, gives her perspective on the release and what it could mean for their case. Additionally, Ms. Powell discusses a rather odd order from Judge Sullivan to stop the defense from submitting further evidence in the case until the DOJ attests there is no evidence left to deliver.
Michael Flynn’s attorney Sidney Powell appears on Fox Business with Maria Bartiromo to provide an update on the latest documents showing the innocence of her client.
As Ms. Powell noted, yesterday afternoon Judge Sullivan ordered Powell to stop any further filings with the court until the DOJ affirms they have presented all evidence to her. Sullivan doesn’t want the drip, drip, drip, of damaging documents.
Devin Nunes appears for an interview with Lou Dobbs to discuss his perspective on the latest stunning revelations around the Flynn case. Nunes outlines the importance of looking at the big picture and also considering how the same FBI that was investigating Flynn was purposefully leaking to allies in the media.
Nunes is pretty fired-up in this interview about the scale of corruption the recently released documents highlight.
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FARA was always the way the Obama Administration IC apparatus, writ large, would legally justify political surveillance. [FARA = FISA] Hence Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, knowing purpose of DOJ-NSD, who ran FARA/FISA operations, would not allow an inspector general.
This is why Flynn had to be removed at all costs.
Obama-era political surveillance was being done through the intelligence apparatus (including FBI contractors) since 2012; with FARA as a justification for FISA abuse when needed. Flynn’s mere existence in the administration would have exposed that background surveillance network.
This afternoon Judge Emmet Sullivan unsealed an additional 11-pages of documents showing more background information about how the FBI was targeting former National Security Advisor General Michael Flynn. [Court pdf Here] Also embedded below.
The release today is even more revealing than the handwritten notes released last night; and specifically President Obama’s “by the book” statement on January 5, 2017, takes on an entirely new light. They may not realize it yet, but this release implicates Obama.
(L-R) Peter Strzok, James Comey, President Obama, Andrew McCabe and Bill Priestap
Within the release we discover an “Electronic Communication” or “EC” from the Washington FBI field office recommending to close the FBI investigation of General Flynn on January 4, 2017, due to “no derogatory information.” However, FBI Agent Peter Strzok immediately responds to the FBI team [main headquarters] saying: “don’t do it yet’… and the plot unfolds.
There are FBI codenames within the release that need some explanation prior to review:
Crossfire Hurricane (CH) is the overall investigation that began in July 2016
Crossfire Typhoon (CT) is George Papadopoulos.
Crossfire Razor (CR) is Michael Flynn.
Cross Wind is still unknown. [Could be a person, or a subset of the case]
Let’s take a walk through the information starting with the FBI electronic communication.
Jim Jordan appears on Fox News to discuss the unsealed documents released yesterday showing the FBI “small group” framing a case against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
Rep. Jordan rightly puts the recent release into context by asking why Robert Mueller and Chris Wray did not bring out this exculpatory information. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team knew Flynn was framed. Rod Rosenstein knew Flynn was framed. Chris Wray and Dana Boente knew Flynn was framed. Yet no-one did anything. WATCH:
Michael Flynn’s defense attorney appears for a brief interview with Sean Hannity to discuss the recently unsealed documents showing FBI strategic planning to target Lt. Gen Flynn prior to their interview on January 24, 2017. WATCH:
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A few notes of caution. Don’t fall into the outrage trap; the DOJ will certainly justify the FBI notes as a valid discussion on investigative strategy, nothing more.
Second, Bill Barr did not appoint Missouri Attorney Jensen in an effort to support General Flynn. AG Barr was ordered by the FISA court to review every case and all evidence that touched upon the fraudulent Carter Page FISA application. Be careful about projecting a motive onto Bill Barr around these revelations. Without the FISC sequestration review order; the DOJ/FBI may not have moved to re-review the Flynn files.
Lastly, despite the known corruption within the existing FBI leadership {outlined here}; and we can now add the FBI hiding these documents for 3 years; AG Bill Barr continues to pour effusive praise upon current FBI leadership. That reality of Barr’s very public praise doesn’t reconcile Bill Barr having a good intent around these corruption matters.
