The Southern Poverty Law Center is assisting YouTube in policing content on their platform, The Daily Caller has learned.
The left-wing nonprofit — which has more recently come under fire for labeling legitimate conservative organizations as “hate groups” — is one of the more than 100 nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and government agencies in YouTube’s “Trusted Flaggers” program, a source with knowledge of the arrangement told TheDC.
The SPLC and other program members help police YouTube for extremist content, ranging from so-called hate speech to terrorist recruiting videos.
All of the groups in the program have confidentiality agreements, a spokesperson for Google, YouTube’s parent company, previously told TheDC. A handful of YouTube’s “Trusted Flaggers,” including the Anti-Defamation League and No Hate Speech — a European organization focused on combatting intolerance — have gone public with their participation in the program. The vast majority of the groups in the program have remained hidden behind their confidentiality agreements.
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WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND - Government Crimes and Corruption
February 28, 2018
February 27, 2018
Chuck Grassley Connects Dossier Dots
- Sen. Chuck Grassley is requesting an interview with lobbyist Adam Waldman
- Waldman emerged as a key figure in the Russia investigation
- Grassley posed 11 questions to Waldman regarding his connections with dossier author Christopher Steele
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee is requesting an interview with a Washington-based lobbyist who served as an intermediary between a Democratic senator and two key figures in the Russia investigation, dossier author Christopher Steele and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
“The nature and extent of the relationship between Mr. Steele, Mr. Deripaska, and you are of potential relevance to the Committee’s work,” Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican, wrote Monday to the lobbyist, Adam Waldman.
Waldman emerged earlier this month as a figure in the Russia investigation after it was revealed that he exchanged text messages last year with Virginia Sen. Mark Warner regarding Steele and Deripaska.
Warner is the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which is also investigation Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
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February 26, 2018
Devin Nunes Reminds Everyone How Obama Is Responsible For The Russian Threat
Rep. Devin Nunes sounded off at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Saturday on how former President Barack Obama allowed to Russia to gain prominence during his administration.
“We went through a whole European infrastructure consolidation process of military installations across Europe, abandoned a lot of abilities in the North Atlantic to track Russian subs,” Nunes said.
“We actually had the president of the United States, who said on a hot mic to the prime minister of Russia at the time, ‘Just tell Vladimir to wait after the election.’ That was President Obama who said that.”
“So who created this Russian threat? Who? It was the last administration that put us in this position,” Nunes said.
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“We went through a whole European infrastructure consolidation process of military installations across Europe, abandoned a lot of abilities in the North Atlantic to track Russian subs,” Nunes said.
“We actually had the president of the United States, who said on a hot mic to the prime minister of Russia at the time, ‘Just tell Vladimir to wait after the election.’ That was President Obama who said that.”
“So who created this Russian threat? Who? It was the last administration that put us in this position,” Nunes said.
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February 23, 2018
Le Pen At CPAC: ‘All I Want Is The Survival Of My Nation’
French nationalist Marion Marechal-Le Pen earned a warm reception at CPAC Thursday, despite numerous conservative pundits denouncing her appearance.
Le Pen mocked the criticism she was a “national socialist” and not a real conservative with the opening lines of her speech.
“Hello my fellow conservatives!” the 28-year-old National Front politician greeted the crowd. “I hope you see me as less terrifying than how the American media portrays me because it’s crazy. Yesterday, I was a fascist — today, I’m a socialist!”
The conservative crowd, for the most part, cheered for the niece of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, and little in her speech sounded out of place in a setting like CPAC. The younger Le Pen emphasized Franco-American friendship, her support for President Trump, her nationalist opposition to globalism and her social conservatism.
“French blood was spilled on American soil when our friendship began. Over two centuries later, here at CPAC we are once again standing side-by-side for freedom. This freedom is a gift. Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience,” Le Pen said of France’s long relationship with America.
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Le Pen mocked the criticism she was a “national socialist” and not a real conservative with the opening lines of her speech.
“Hello my fellow conservatives!” the 28-year-old National Front politician greeted the crowd. “I hope you see me as less terrifying than how the American media portrays me because it’s crazy. Yesterday, I was a fascist — today, I’m a socialist!”
The conservative crowd, for the most part, cheered for the niece of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, and little in her speech sounded out of place in a setting like CPAC. The younger Le Pen emphasized Franco-American friendship, her support for President Trump, her nationalist opposition to globalism and her social conservatism.
“French blood was spilled on American soil when our friendship began. Over two centuries later, here at CPAC we are once again standing side-by-side for freedom. This freedom is a gift. Freedom of speech, freedom of conscience,” Le Pen said of France’s long relationship with America.
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February 22, 2018
Shooting Survivor Quit CNN Town Hall After Refusing to Ask ‘Scripted’ Question
Colton Haab, a student who survived last week’s mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, refused to participate in a CNN Town Hall on Wednesday night after he was told to ask a “scripted” question.
Haab, a junior at the high school, told Fort Lauderdale ABC affiliate WPLG that CNN invited him to speak at the televised town hall in nearby Sunrise, Florida, and that he and his parents had dressed up for the occasion.
But CNN then told Haab he would have to read a question that CNN had prepared for him:
Haab: I expected to be able to ask my questions and give my opinion on my questions.
Reporter Janine Stanwood: But Colton Haab, a member of the Junior ROTC, who shielded classmates in the midst of terror, says he did not get to share his experience.
Haab: CNN had originally asked me to write a speech and questions, and it ended up being all scripted.
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Haab, a junior at the high school, told Fort Lauderdale ABC affiliate WPLG that CNN invited him to speak at the televised town hall in nearby Sunrise, Florida, and that he and his parents had dressed up for the occasion.
But CNN then told Haab he would have to read a question that CNN had prepared for him:
Haab: I expected to be able to ask my questions and give my opinion on my questions.
Reporter Janine Stanwood: But Colton Haab, a member of the Junior ROTC, who shielded classmates in the midst of terror, says he did not get to share his experience.
Haab: CNN had originally asked me to write a speech and questions, and it ended up being all scripted.
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February 21, 2018
Report: Congressional Investigators Struggling To Find Alleged Dossier Source
- Congressional committees have tried to track down Belarus-born translator Sergei Millian
- News outlets identified Millian as a source for some of the Steele dossier’s allegations
- He had at least some contact with one Trump campaign adviser
Congressional investigators are struggling to track down an alleged source for some of the most salacious claims made in the Steele dossier.
Congressional committees investigating Russian interference in the presidential campaign have tried for months to track down Sergei Millian, a Belarus-born translator who serves as chairman for a small trade group called the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce, ABC News reported.
Millian was identified by The Wall Street Journal, ABC News and The Washington Post in 2017 as the unwitting source for some of the dossier’s most jarring and unverified allegations, including that the Kremlin is blackmailing President Donald Trump and that members of the campaign coordinated with Russian operatives.
Millian is reportedly referred to as “Source D” and “Source E” — and described as a “close associate of Trump” — in the dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele.
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February 20, 2018
CNN Analyst Suggests Social Media Firms Are ‘Treasonous’ For Publishing Russian Ads
A CNN national security analyst suggested on Monday that social media companies are “treasonous” for allowing Russian trolls to use their websites to disseminate disinformation.
“In asymmetric warfare, words and disinformation are critical weapons…social media firms are aiding and abetting our enemies, providing them a firing platform,” wrote Mark Hertling, a retired lieutenant general who now works as a national security analyst for CNN.
“That could be called treasonous,” he added.
Hertling offered the comment in response to an article referring to the social media sites “tools” of Russia’s information warfare campaign.
A federal grand jury indicted 13 Russian nationals on Friday who created fake social media personas aimed at sowing discord among American voters. The operatives planted divisive political ads on Facebook and Twitter that were largely aimed at boosting President Donald Trump and criticizing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Some of the ads did support progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein.
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“In asymmetric warfare, words and disinformation are critical weapons…social media firms are aiding and abetting our enemies, providing them a firing platform,” wrote Mark Hertling, a retired lieutenant general who now works as a national security analyst for CNN.
“That could be called treasonous,” he added.
Hertling offered the comment in response to an article referring to the social media sites “tools” of Russia’s information warfare campaign.
A federal grand jury indicted 13 Russian nationals on Friday who created fake social media personas aimed at sowing discord among American voters. The operatives planted divisive political ads on Facebook and Twitter that were largely aimed at boosting President Donald Trump and criticizing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Some of the ads did support progressive candidates like Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein.
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February 19, 2018
Sessions: FBI’s Handling Of The Dossier ‘Will Be Investigated’
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Sunday that the Department of Justice is investigating whether the FBI submitted accurate information about the infamous Steele dossier in order to obtain a surveillance warrant against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
“Are you, sir, investigating the fact that the FBI used the dossier to get a wiretap against Trump associates and they did not tell the FISA court that the Democrats and Hillary Clinton paid for the dossier?” Maria Bartiromo, the host of Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” asked Sessions.
“Let me tell you, every FISA warrant based on facts submitted to that court have to be accurate,” he replied.
“That will be investigated and looked at, and we are not going to participate as a Department of Justice in providing anything less than a proper disclosure to the court before they issue a FISA warrant. Other than that, I’m not going to talk about the details of it, but I tell you, we’re not going to let that happen.”
Sessions did not provide additional detail about the investigation, which has been urged by Republican lawmakers.
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“Are you, sir, investigating the fact that the FBI used the dossier to get a wiretap against Trump associates and they did not tell the FISA court that the Democrats and Hillary Clinton paid for the dossier?” Maria Bartiromo, the host of Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” asked Sessions.
“Let me tell you, every FISA warrant based on facts submitted to that court have to be accurate,” he replied.
“That will be investigated and looked at, and we are not going to participate as a Department of Justice in providing anything less than a proper disclosure to the court before they issue a FISA warrant. Other than that, I’m not going to talk about the details of it, but I tell you, we’re not going to let that happen.”
Sessions did not provide additional detail about the investigation, which has been urged by Republican lawmakers.
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February 16, 2018
CIA Argues The Public Can’t See Classified Information It Has Already Given To Favored Reporters
Intelligence officials can selectively release classified information to trusted journalists while withholding the same information from other citizens who request it through open records laws, CIA lawyers argued Wednesday.
In a motion filed in New York federal court, the CIA claimed that limited disclosures to reporters do not waive national security exemptions to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies frequently deny records requests on the basis of protecting sensitive national security information, one of nine exemptions written into the federal FOIA law.
The case stems from lawsuit against the CIA by New York-based independent journalist Adam Johnson, who had used FOIA to obtain emails between the agency’s public information office and selected reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and The New York Times. The emails the CIA provided to Johnson were redacted, leading him to question why he was not allowed to see the same information that had been given to uncleared reporters.
Johnson challenged the redaction in court, arguing that the CIA, once it has selectively disclosed information to uncleared reporters, cannot claim the same information is protected by a FOIA exemption.
The judge in the case appeared to find Johnson’ argument compelling. In a court order last month, Chief Judge Colleen McMahon of the Southern District of New York said FOIA laws do not authorize limited disclosure, to favored journalists or otherwise.
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In a motion filed in New York federal court, the CIA claimed that limited disclosures to reporters do not waive national security exemptions to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies frequently deny records requests on the basis of protecting sensitive national security information, one of nine exemptions written into the federal FOIA law.
The case stems from lawsuit against the CIA by New York-based independent journalist Adam Johnson, who had used FOIA to obtain emails between the agency’s public information office and selected reporters from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and The New York Times. The emails the CIA provided to Johnson were redacted, leading him to question why he was not allowed to see the same information that had been given to uncleared reporters.
Johnson challenged the redaction in court, arguing that the CIA, once it has selectively disclosed information to uncleared reporters, cannot claim the same information is protected by a FOIA exemption.
The judge in the case appeared to find Johnson’ argument compelling. In a court order last month, Chief Judge Colleen McMahon of the Southern District of New York said FOIA laws do not authorize limited disclosure, to favored journalists or otherwise.
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February 15, 2018
DOJ Official Bruce Ohr Hid Wife’s Fusion GPS Payments From Ethics Officials
Bruce Ohr, the Department of Justice official who brought opposition research on President Donald Trump to the FBI, did not disclose that Fusion GPS, which performed that research at the Democratic National Committee’s behest, was paying his wife, and did not obtain a conflict of interest waiver from his superiors at the Justice Department, documents obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation show.
The omission may explain why Ohr was demoted from his post as associate deputy attorney general after the relationship between Fusion GPS and his wife emerged and Fusion founder Glenn Simpson acknowledged meeting with Ohr. Willfully falsifying government ethics forms can carry a penalty of jail time, if convicted.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) hired Fusion GPS to gather and disseminate damning info about Trump, and they in turn paid Nellie Ohr, a former CIA employee with expertise in Russia, for an unknown role related to the “dossier.” Bruce Ohr then brought the information to the FBI, kicking off a probe and a media firestorm.
The DOJ used it to obtain a warrant to wiretap a Trump adviser, but didn’t disclose to the judge that the DNC and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign had funded the research and that Ohr had a financial relationship with the firm that performed it — which could be, it turns out, because Ohr doesn’t appear to have told his supervisors. Some have suggested that the financial payments motivated Bruce Ohr to actively push the case.
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The omission may explain why Ohr was demoted from his post as associate deputy attorney general after the relationship between Fusion GPS and his wife emerged and Fusion founder Glenn Simpson acknowledged meeting with Ohr. Willfully falsifying government ethics forms can carry a penalty of jail time, if convicted.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) hired Fusion GPS to gather and disseminate damning info about Trump, and they in turn paid Nellie Ohr, a former CIA employee with expertise in Russia, for an unknown role related to the “dossier.” Bruce Ohr then brought the information to the FBI, kicking off a probe and a media firestorm.
The DOJ used it to obtain a warrant to wiretap a Trump adviser, but didn’t disclose to the judge that the DNC and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign had funded the research and that Ohr had a financial relationship with the firm that performed it — which could be, it turns out, because Ohr doesn’t appear to have told his supervisors. Some have suggested that the financial payments motivated Bruce Ohr to actively push the case.
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February 14, 2018
DNC Refused To Comply With Dossier-Related Subpoena, So BuzzFeed Sued
BuzzFeed News sued the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Tuesday to force the release of information that the news outlet hopes will help it defend against a lawsuit related to the Steele dossier.
BuzzFeed is seeking digital information that could shed light on the cyber attacks against the DNC during the presidential campaign.
The news outlet faces three separate lawsuit related to its publication of the dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele and financed by the Clinton campaign and DNC.
The suit against the DNC seeks information that could help defend against a defamation lawsuit filed by Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian tech executive accused in the dossier of using his web hosting companies to hack into the DNC’s computer systems.
Gubarev denies the allegations and has argued that BuzzFeed failed to verify the dossier before publishing the report in January 2017. Steele, a former MI6 officer, has acknowledged in a London court, where he is being sued by Gubarev, that the information about the tech executive had not been verified.
“As part of the discovery process, BuzzFeed is attempting to verify claims in the dossier that relate to the hacking of the DNC,” BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenhal said in a statement. “We’re asking a federal court to force the DNC to follow the law and allow BuzzFeed to fully defend its First Amendment rights.”
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BuzzFeed is seeking digital information that could shed light on the cyber attacks against the DNC during the presidential campaign.
The news outlet faces three separate lawsuit related to its publication of the dossier, which was written by former British spy Christopher Steele and financed by the Clinton campaign and DNC.
The suit against the DNC seeks information that could help defend against a defamation lawsuit filed by Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian tech executive accused in the dossier of using his web hosting companies to hack into the DNC’s computer systems.
Gubarev denies the allegations and has argued that BuzzFeed failed to verify the dossier before publishing the report in January 2017. Steele, a former MI6 officer, has acknowledged in a London court, where he is being sued by Gubarev, that the information about the tech executive had not been verified.
“As part of the discovery process, BuzzFeed is attempting to verify claims in the dossier that relate to the hacking of the DNC,” BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenhal said in a statement. “We’re asking a federal court to force the DNC to follow the law and allow BuzzFeed to fully defend its First Amendment rights.”
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February 13, 2018
Intriguing Links Emerge In GOP Led Dossier Investigation
The Republican-led investigation into the infamous anti-Trump dossier has recently revealed several intriguing links between Christopher Steele, lawyers, lobbyists, Democratic politicians, a former State Department official, and a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin.
Most of the revelations come thanks to Sen. Chuck Grassley. The Iowa Republican released a letter in January that cited the names of several political operatives and lawyers who had not previously been linked to the dossier Steele wrote while on the payroll of the Clinton campaign and DNC.
And Thursday, a batch of text messages leaked to Fox News revealed that Steele used a back channel to communicate with Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Oleg Deripaska, a Russian aluminum magnate who is allied with Putin, is party to several of the connections. The billionaire has also worked closely in the past with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
The Steele connections are being investigated by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The implications of the contacts remain to be seen, but they are worth watching as the investigation into the dossier goes on.
Lobbyist back channel between Warner and Steele
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Most of the revelations come thanks to Sen. Chuck Grassley. The Iowa Republican released a letter in January that cited the names of several political operatives and lawyers who had not previously been linked to the dossier Steele wrote while on the payroll of the Clinton campaign and DNC.
And Thursday, a batch of text messages leaked to Fox News revealed that Steele used a back channel to communicate with Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Oleg Deripaska, a Russian aluminum magnate who is allied with Putin, is party to several of the connections. The billionaire has also worked closely in the past with former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
The Steele connections are being investigated by the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Grassley chairs, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. The implications of the contacts remain to be seen, but they are worth watching as the investigation into the dossier goes on.
Lobbyist back channel between Warner and Steele
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February 12, 2018
Holder Says Trump Obstructed Justice: How Ironic — And Flat Out Wrong
Former Attorney General Eric Holder, Obama’s self-described “wingman,” made headlines recently by regurgitating Democrats’ fanciful claim that President Trump has obstructed justice. “If one looks at the dismissal of James Comey and the reasons why the president told Lester Holt he did that . . . and a variety of other things, I think you technically have a case of obstruction of justice,” Holder opined. This vapid political posturing serves as a vivid reminder that Obama did not name Holder to the nation’s top law enforcement post because of his (non-existent) lawyering skills or legal acumen. Instead, Holder “earned” the position because he is a loyal errand boy of the Democratic Party who “facilitated the most unjust presidential pardon in American history” for Bill Clinton.
It is the height of hypocrisy for “the first sitting attorney general and first sitting Cabinet member in U.S. history to be held in criminal and civil contempt of Congress by both Democrats and Republicans” to accuse anyone else of corruptly obstructing justice. As Obama’s wingman, Holder shamelessly politicized the DOJ and “did everything he could to evade [congressional] oversight responsibilities by misleading, misinforming and ignoring members of Congress and its committees.” But the aspiring presidential candidate’s recent statements reflect liberals’ desperate attempt to cheat Trump out of the White House since they could not beat him fair and square in an election. Unfortunately for liberals, the notion that Trump obstructed justice by firing a confirmed leaker like Comey cannot withstand legal scrutiny.
In response to questioning from Holt on whether the Russian investigation had influenced his decision to fire the former director, the president clearly explained that, “I just want somebody that’s competent…. [Comey’s] not. He’s a show boater.” Trump also noted that the FBI was “in turmoil” thanks to Comey’s poor leadership. Ironically, before Comey’s firing, Democrats overwhelmingly agreed with Trump. After Trump’s election, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said of the FBI director, “I do not have confidence in him any longer.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also expressed the view that “Maybe [Comey’s] not in the right job.” And liberal Senator Dianne Feinstein “took perhaps the strongest shot at Comey,” declaring that his conduct was “appalling.”
Holder fails to explain how the president broke the law by firing an incompetent government employee who Republicans and Democrats alike agreed had engaged in appalling conduct. Nevertheless, he and other liberals are cynically exploiting the fact that Trump also stated that “this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.” But the fact that Trump wanted to fire Comey because he is an incompetent showboat and the fact that Trump believes the “Russia thing” is a witch hunt backed by sore loser liberals don’t add up to obstruction of justice no matter how desperately Democrats—and their media allies—try to spin the facts.
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It is the height of hypocrisy for “the first sitting attorney general and first sitting Cabinet member in U.S. history to be held in criminal and civil contempt of Congress by both Democrats and Republicans” to accuse anyone else of corruptly obstructing justice. As Obama’s wingman, Holder shamelessly politicized the DOJ and “did everything he could to evade [congressional] oversight responsibilities by misleading, misinforming and ignoring members of Congress and its committees.” But the aspiring presidential candidate’s recent statements reflect liberals’ desperate attempt to cheat Trump out of the White House since they could not beat him fair and square in an election. Unfortunately for liberals, the notion that Trump obstructed justice by firing a confirmed leaker like Comey cannot withstand legal scrutiny.
In response to questioning from Holt on whether the Russian investigation had influenced his decision to fire the former director, the president clearly explained that, “I just want somebody that’s competent…. [Comey’s] not. He’s a show boater.” Trump also noted that the FBI was “in turmoil” thanks to Comey’s poor leadership. Ironically, before Comey’s firing, Democrats overwhelmingly agreed with Trump. After Trump’s election, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said of the FBI director, “I do not have confidence in him any longer.” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also expressed the view that “Maybe [Comey’s] not in the right job.” And liberal Senator Dianne Feinstein “took perhaps the strongest shot at Comey,” declaring that his conduct was “appalling.”
Holder fails to explain how the president broke the law by firing an incompetent government employee who Republicans and Democrats alike agreed had engaged in appalling conduct. Nevertheless, he and other liberals are cynically exploiting the fact that Trump also stated that “this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. It’s an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should’ve won.” But the fact that Trump wanted to fire Comey because he is an incompetent showboat and the fact that Trump believes the “Russia thing” is a witch hunt backed by sore loser liberals don’t add up to obstruction of justice no matter how desperately Democrats—and their media allies—try to spin the facts.
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February 9, 2018
Strzok May Have Used His Cell Phone In A SCIF, Himself Breaking Classified-Info Rules
Released texts between Peter Strzok, the FBI agent who ran the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email server, and his lover, FBI attorney Lisa Page, reveal the strong possibility that Strzok used his cell phone in a SCIF — a strict violation of protecting classified information.
Such a breach would compromise Strzok’s ability to probe Clinton for mishandling classified info and show a lack of awareness about security breaches, which is what he was tasked to investigate. The text messages that the Senate released Wednesday show that Strzok texted his mistress on Aug. 11, 2016, “We’re in Jims SCIF.”
SCIF stands for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, and it is where the most sensitive classified material is kept and story. SCIFs strictly bar all electronic equipment and require all people place their phones in lockers before entering.
The lead up to Strzok’s visit to “Jims SCIF” took place around meetings at the Department of Justice. Strzok said he had meetings at “DoJ at 4 then Baker 430.”
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Such a breach would compromise Strzok’s ability to probe Clinton for mishandling classified info and show a lack of awareness about security breaches, which is what he was tasked to investigate. The text messages that the Senate released Wednesday show that Strzok texted his mistress on Aug. 11, 2016, “We’re in Jims SCIF.”
SCIF stands for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, and it is where the most sensitive classified material is kept and story. SCIFs strictly bar all electronic equipment and require all people place their phones in lockers before entering.
The lead up to Strzok’s visit to “Jims SCIF” took place around meetings at the Department of Justice. Strzok said he had meetings at “DoJ at 4 then Baker 430.”
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February 8, 2018
FBI informant says Russians wired money in hopes of influencing Hillary Clinton in Uranium One ploy
An FBI informant connected to the "Uranium One" scandal said that Russian nuclear executives sent money to the United States in hopes it would influence the Obama administration and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to a report Wednesday.
In written testimony obtained by the Hill, the informant, Douglas Campbell, told Congress that Russian nuclear officials told him that Moscow hired American lobbying firm APCO Worldwide with a $3 million annual lobbying fee in hopes of influencing Clinton to "reset" U.S.-Russia relations while supporting former President Bill Clinton’s charity efforts.
“The contract called for four payments of $750,000 over twelve months,” Campbell explained. “APCO was expected to give assistance free of charge to the Clinton Global Initiative as part of their effort to create a favorable environment to ensure the Obama administration made affirmative decisions on everything from Uranium One to the U.S.-Russia Civilian Nuclear Cooperation agreement.”
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for APCO said that their work with the Clinton Foundation and Russia are not connected in any way and their work with Russia did not involve Uranium One.
A spokesperson for Clinton said that Campbell’s testimony is a distraction from the Trump-Russia investigation.
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In written testimony obtained by the Hill, the informant, Douglas Campbell, told Congress that Russian nuclear officials told him that Moscow hired American lobbying firm APCO Worldwide with a $3 million annual lobbying fee in hopes of influencing Clinton to "reset" U.S.-Russia relations while supporting former President Bill Clinton’s charity efforts.
“The contract called for four payments of $750,000 over twelve months,” Campbell explained. “APCO was expected to give assistance free of charge to the Clinton Global Initiative as part of their effort to create a favorable environment to ensure the Obama administration made affirmative decisions on everything from Uranium One to the U.S.-Russia Civilian Nuclear Cooperation agreement.”
When asked for comment, a spokesperson for APCO said that their work with the Clinton Foundation and Russia are not connected in any way and their work with Russia did not involve Uranium One.
A spokesperson for Clinton said that Campbell’s testimony is a distraction from the Trump-Russia investigation.
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February 7, 2018
Grassley-Graham Memo: Dossier Author Christopher Steele Lied to FBI, FBI Didn’t Tell FISA Court
Trump dossier author Christopher Steele lied to the FBI about his contact with Yahoo News, and the FBI misled a court to obtain a surveillance warrant on a former Trump campaign adviser, according to a less-redacted version of a memo by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
Their memo, which was released Tuesday evening after the FBI withdrew some of its previous redactions, also reveals a number of other bombshells, and backs up assertions made in the House Intelligence Committee memo.
A newly-unredacted portion of the memo says that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley, ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee Chairman Graham all saw the FISA warrant application and renewals for a surveillance warrant on Carter Page.
According to the memo, the FBI relied “heavily” on the Steele dossier, and also relied on “numerous” other FBI documents related to Steele, in order to get a surveillance warrant on Page in October 2016, and to continue surveilling him through 2017.
Then-FBI Director James Comey briefed Feinstein and Grassley in March 2017, and told them that the FBI had relied on the dossier “absent meaningful corroboration — and in light of the highly political motives surrounding its creation” because Steele himself was considered reliable due to his past work with the FBI.
The House Intelligence Committee memo asserted that the FBI had significantly relied on the dossier to get the warrant, but critics refuted that.
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Their memo, which was released Tuesday evening after the FBI withdrew some of its previous redactions, also reveals a number of other bombshells, and backs up assertions made in the House Intelligence Committee memo.
A newly-unredacted portion of the memo says that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley, ranking member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee Chairman Graham all saw the FISA warrant application and renewals for a surveillance warrant on Carter Page.
According to the memo, the FBI relied “heavily” on the Steele dossier, and also relied on “numerous” other FBI documents related to Steele, in order to get a surveillance warrant on Page in October 2016, and to continue surveilling him through 2017.
Then-FBI Director James Comey briefed Feinstein and Grassley in March 2017, and told them that the FBI had relied on the dossier “absent meaningful corroboration — and in light of the highly political motives surrounding its creation” because Steele himself was considered reliable due to his past work with the FBI.
The House Intelligence Committee memo asserted that the FBI had significantly relied on the dossier to get the warrant, but critics refuted that.
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February 6, 2018
Christopher Steele Fears Deposition Will Put Dossier Sources At Risk
Former British spy Christopher Steele is resisting efforts to face a deposition in a lawsuit over his infamous dossier.
Steele’s lawyers argued in a court in London that a deposition would put the former spy’s dossier sources at risk as well as endanger U.K. national security interests.
Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian businessman identified in the dossier, is seeking Steele’s deposition as part of a lawsuit against BuzzFeed News, which published the unverified document on Jan. 10, 2017.
The dossier alleges, among other things, that Gubarev used his tech companies to hack into Democrats’ email systems. He is also suing Steele in London, where the ex-MI6 agent is based.
Gubarev’s U.S. attorneys are asking to depose Steele for seven hours in order to find out whether he vetted his sources and the information in the dossier.
But Steele’s lawyers say that he is concerned that the deposition would “require the disclosure of sensitive intelligence information which would endanger UK national security interests and personnel,” Reuters reported.
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Steele’s lawyers argued in a court in London that a deposition would put the former spy’s dossier sources at risk as well as endanger U.K. national security interests.
Aleksej Gubarev, a Russian businessman identified in the dossier, is seeking Steele’s deposition as part of a lawsuit against BuzzFeed News, which published the unverified document on Jan. 10, 2017.
The dossier alleges, among other things, that Gubarev used his tech companies to hack into Democrats’ email systems. He is also suing Steele in London, where the ex-MI6 agent is based.
Gubarev’s U.S. attorneys are asking to depose Steele for seven hours in order to find out whether he vetted his sources and the information in the dossier.
But Steele’s lawyers say that he is concerned that the deposition would “require the disclosure of sensitive intelligence information which would endanger UK national security interests and personnel,” Reuters reported.
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February 5, 2018
The GOP memo proves the ‘deep state’ is real
Now that we know what the declassified House memo says about government misconduct, we also know what it means: The Washington swamp — the deep state — is bigger, more vicious and more dangerous to American liberty than even a cynic could have imagined.
Because of the memo and previous revelations, we know that swamp creatures are embedded in the top of the FBI and the Department of Justice. Some used their power to try to tip a presidential campaign based on their personal politics.
They conducted a sham investigation of the Democratic candidate and misled federal judges to spy on at least one associate of her Republican challenger.
To block exposure of their misdeeds, these officials falsely claimed that national security would be damaged. Add that despicable lie — issued in the name of the FBI itself — to their shameful records.
Thanks to the battle over the memo, we also know with 100 percent certainty that the mainstream media is part of the swamp. The efforts by The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others, to keep the memo from ever seeing sunshine were appalling.
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Because of the memo and previous revelations, we know that swamp creatures are embedded in the top of the FBI and the Department of Justice. Some used their power to try to tip a presidential campaign based on their personal politics.
They conducted a sham investigation of the Democratic candidate and misled federal judges to spy on at least one associate of her Republican challenger.
To block exposure of their misdeeds, these officials falsely claimed that national security would be damaged. Add that despicable lie — issued in the name of the FBI itself — to their shameful records.
Thanks to the battle over the memo, we also know with 100 percent certainty that the mainstream media is part of the swamp. The efforts by The New York Times and The Washington Post, among others, to keep the memo from ever seeing sunshine were appalling.
Read the entire article
February 2, 2018
Strzok-Page Texts Show Concern With ‘Security/Monitoring Issues’
Text messages exchanged between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page show the two FBI officials discussing “security/monitoring” issues with FBI-issued cell phones, according to a letter sent Wednesday to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
“These phones suck as much as they do because of the program we use to capture texts, full stop,” Page, an FBI lawyer, said in an Aug. 2016 text message highlighted by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
In a letter to Rosenstein, Johnson signaled that he is expanding an investigation into current and former FBI officials’ use of non-government phones and email accounts.
Johnson asked Rosenstein in his letter to provide text messages and emails for 16 current and former FBI officials, including Strzok, Page, former FBI Director James Comey, former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former general counsel James Baker, former chief of staff James Rybicki, and several officials in the counterintelligence division and technology division.
Johnson’s investigation is running parallel to one being conducted by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
Horowitz uncovered texts between Strzok and Page showing that they frequently expressed anti-Trump and pro-Clinton bias while working on both the Russia investigation and Hillary Clinton email probe.
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“These phones suck as much as they do because of the program we use to capture texts, full stop,” Page, an FBI lawyer, said in an Aug. 2016 text message highlighted by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
In a letter to Rosenstein, Johnson signaled that he is expanding an investigation into current and former FBI officials’ use of non-government phones and email accounts.
Johnson asked Rosenstein in his letter to provide text messages and emails for 16 current and former FBI officials, including Strzok, Page, former FBI Director James Comey, former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former general counsel James Baker, former chief of staff James Rybicki, and several officials in the counterintelligence division and technology division.
Johnson’s investigation is running parallel to one being conducted by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz.
Horowitz uncovered texts between Strzok and Page showing that they frequently expressed anti-Trump and pro-Clinton bias while working on both the Russia investigation and Hillary Clinton email probe.
Read the entire article
February 1, 2018
Schiff Claims House Intel Republicans ‘Secretly Altered’ Spy Memo
California Rep. Adam Schiff claimed Wednesday that Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee altered a controversial surveillance memo after the panel voted earlier this week to release the document to the public.
In a letter to California Rep. Devin Nunes, the chairman of the committee, Schiff claimed that Democrats discovered on Wednesday that the classified four-page memo had been “secretly altered” prior to being sent to the White House for review.
“After reviewing both versions, it is clear that the Majority made material changes to the version it sent to the White House, which Committee members were never apprised of, never had the opportunity to review, and never approved,” Schiff wrote.
The Intelligence Committee voted along party lines on Monday to release the memo, which alleges that the FBI and Justice Department misled a federal judge in order to obtain a surveillance warrant in order to spy on Trump associates.
The White House is poised to release the memo on Thursday.
Schiff did not say what edits were made to the memo, and a spokesman for the House Intelligence Committee called the Democrat’s effort a “strange attempt to thwart publication of the memo.”
Read the entire article
In a letter to California Rep. Devin Nunes, the chairman of the committee, Schiff claimed that Democrats discovered on Wednesday that the classified four-page memo had been “secretly altered” prior to being sent to the White House for review.
“After reviewing both versions, it is clear that the Majority made material changes to the version it sent to the White House, which Committee members were never apprised of, never had the opportunity to review, and never approved,” Schiff wrote.
The Intelligence Committee voted along party lines on Monday to release the memo, which alleges that the FBI and Justice Department misled a federal judge in order to obtain a surveillance warrant in order to spy on Trump associates.
The White House is poised to release the memo on Thursday.
Schiff did not say what edits were made to the memo, and a spokesman for the House Intelligence Committee called the Democrat’s effort a “strange attempt to thwart publication of the memo.”
Read the entire article
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