Following the released transcript of Fusion-GPS Co-Founder Glenn Simpson’s testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee by Senator Dianne Feinstein, several media outlets have begun questioning the relationship between the FBI investigators, Glenn Simpson and dossier author Christopher Steele.
What we have discovered highlights the answer to those relationship questions; and also answers a host of other questions, including: Did the FBI pay Christopher Steele?  Yes, but now how media has stated.  Was the FBI connected to the creation of the Steele Dossier? Yes, but again, not the way the media is currently outlining.

The motive within the FBI/DOJ surveillance of the 2016 campaign of Donald Trump is simple. However, to understand how they did it – the story becomes more complex.  Some key background understanding is necessary.
♦First, to understand what took place in 2016 we must travel back to 2015 when Office of Inspector General (OIG) Michael Horowitz asked for approval to conduct oversight over the National Security Division of the Department of Justice; the DOJ-NSD.
In 2015 Inspector General Michael Horowitz was blocked by the Department of Justice from having oversight over the DOJ-NSD. In a lengthy response to the IG’s office [Full 58 page pdf HERE] Sally Yates essentially said ‘all DOJ is subject to oversight, except the National Security Division’.
♦Second, to understand how FISA is used within the intelligence community it is CRITICAL to understand that IC departments centered around National Security, such as the DOJ National Security Division, or the FBI Counterintelligence Division, may use the NSA database -and FISA enabled inquires- with considerably more leeway, and less restrictions on access and use.  In short, FISA “queries” from any national security department within government are allowed without seeking court approval.
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Earlier today President Trump held a roundtable meeting on prison reform. Participants included AG Jeff Sessions, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, Kansas Governor Brownback and several prison reform experts. Video and Transcript below:

[Transcript] 1:55 P.M. EST – THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And today we are going to be discussing the important topic of prison reform. I want to thank Attorney General Sessions, Governor Bevin of Kentucky, Governor Brownback of Kansas, and other prison reform experts who are here. We have the best in the country.
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Sarah Huckabee Sanders was joined by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for today’s White House press briefing.   WH Link

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CTH is working on attempts to confirm an absolutely stunning development in the ongoing saga of how the DOJ/FBI surveillance operation against Donald Trump was constructed in 2016 using illegal FISA “About Searches”….

CTH has been provided a key insider tip…. What CTH hopes to successfully outline will connect ALL THE BIG DOTS…

BEYOND BIGLY…

Mary Jacoby and Glenn Simpson – Fusion GPS

 

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

It can be difficult to see through the wording to understand the accurate story.  Sara Carter and Fox News are both confirming the DOJ and FBI used the Steele Dossier to get FISA-702 Data Surveillance Authority allowing them to spy on Trump campaign officials.
In the latest developments, as reported by Sara Carter and Fox News, the DOJ and FBI used the sketchy ‘Steele Dossier’ as the foundation for their FISA application. WATCH:

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Both Carter and Hannity use the term “FISA Warrants”, however in the interest of understanding, and accurately portraying what took place, it was not technically a “warrant” as we traditionally think about it.
A warrant implies advanced judicial approval to begin surveillance and collecting emails and phone calls etc.  Like a traditional Title III DOJ / law enforcement search warrant. But that’s not how FISA-702 works.
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Oh, go figure.  They re-cog-o-nized that all by themselves…
Yesterday CTH noted Princess Rainbow Sparkles was in Washington DC lobbying Washington State Representative Dave Reichert, Senator Jeff Flake, Senator Lindsey Graham, et al. Isn’t it funny how Canadian officials lobby U.S. representatives for their unique economic interests, but if a U.S. official stepped into Canada to lobby one of their members of Parliament,… yikes, heaven forbid. Foreign election conspiracy. I digress.

Reuters is reporting today that Canadian trade officials are increasingly convinced that President Trump is going to pull out of NAFTA.  The next round of negotiations is scheduled for the end of this month.  Half of the Canadian contingent thinks Trump will exit, the other half think the appearance of a pull-out is simply a negotiating strategy.
An official WH source “close to Trump” is attributing a statement to POTUS: “I want out”.
Ya think?  Scott Minerd, Global Chief Investment Officer at Guggenheim Partners, said “if Trump were to announce a NAFTA exit, the stock market would probably pull back by 5 percent or so, before advancing to new highs.”  He’s correct.
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Appearing earlier today on Harris Faulkner’s show Out Front, Ohio Representative Jim Jordan discusses the Steele Dossier and the Glenn Simpson testimony. House Judicial Committee member Jim Jordan is one of the few who seem to have their arms around the big picture.  (Twitter Video Link)

.@Jim_Jordan: “Top people at the FBI look like they had a plan to undermine the Trump campaign.” pic.twitter.com/b5YwY1fYnr

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 10, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
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This outline is intended to clear up some confusion and answer common questions about the 2016 DOJ and FBI Counterintelligence Operation against candidate Trump.  ie. “The Trump Operation”.

Deep Background #1 HERE – Deep Background #2 HERE

Today Byron York attempts to clear up some details about what congressional intelligence committee members have seen regarding the DOJ/FBI FISA-702 surveillance of Donald Trump.  However, the FISA information is commonly, and inaccurately, conflated with “Wiretap Warrants”.

As we have explained there were no Title III wiretap warrants against the Trump campaign. Title III warrants are the historic reference to the DOJ or FBI wiretapping a suspect to gather information.  Former DNI James Clapper has denied there were any Title III wiretap warrants issued.  James Clapper is correct.
♦Here’s where the verbiage used by media doesn’t match with what was occurring. The DOJ and FBI didn’t use Title III wiretaps, because the current system of NSA intercepting and collecting all electronic data is already one big global wiretap.
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