A judge in New York on Tuesday dismissed the Democratic National Committee lawsuit against members of the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks, saying they were not legally liable for publicizing emails that Russian hackers stole from the party’s computer systems.
“The DNC has now had three chances to plead a viable complaint and it is not clear how the DNC could plead around the fundamental defects in the current complaint,” Judge John Koeltl said in his decision.
The DNC first sued the Russian government, Trump associates, WikiLeaks and several other individuals April 20, 2018, alleging a conspiracy to steal and disseminate emails 20,000 DNC emails WikiLeaks published July 22, 2016.
The special counsel’s office indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers in the hack July 13, 2018, but did not accuse anyone from WikiLeaks or the Trump campaign of helping steal the documents. Robert Mueller, the special counsel, also said prosecutors did not find evidence that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia.
Koeltl ruled that while the Russian government was behind the theft of DNC emails, Trump campaign associates and WikiLeaks “did not participate in any wrongdoing in obtaining the materials in the first place.”
Read the entire article
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND - Government Crimes and Corruption
July 31, 2019
July 30, 2019
Trump Supports Labeling Antifa A ‘Major Organization Of Terror’
President Donald Trump lent support to labeling Antifa a terrorist organization Saturday, calling the group a collection of “gutless Radical Left Wack Jobs.”
“Consideration is being given to declaring ANTIFA, the gutless Radical Left Wack Jobs who go around hitting (only non-fighters) people over the heads with baseball bats, a major Organization of Terror (along with MS-13 & others),” Trump wrote. “Would make it easier for police to do their job!”
It is unclear what prompted Trump’s remarks, but he appeared to refer to a resolution proposed earlier this month by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy to label Antifa a terrorist group.
“Antifa is a terrorist organization composed of hateful, intolerant radicals who pursue their extreme agenda through aggressive violence,” Cruz said when announcing the resolution July 19.
Read the entire article
“Consideration is being given to declaring ANTIFA, the gutless Radical Left Wack Jobs who go around hitting (only non-fighters) people over the heads with baseball bats, a major Organization of Terror (along with MS-13 & others),” Trump wrote. “Would make it easier for police to do their job!”
It is unclear what prompted Trump’s remarks, but he appeared to refer to a resolution proposed earlier this month by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy to label Antifa a terrorist group.
“Antifa is a terrorist organization composed of hateful, intolerant radicals who pursue their extreme agenda through aggressive violence,” Cruz said when announcing the resolution July 19.
Read the entire article
July 29, 2019
Trump Calls Baltimore ‘Disgusting, Rat And Rodent Infested Mess’
President Donald Trump is not a fan of Baltimore, or the Democratic lawmaker that represents much of the city in Congress.
In a series of tweets on Saturday, the Republican described the Maryland metropolis as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” that is “a very dangerous & filthy place.”
Trump went on the diatribe during an attack on Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings over the Democrat’s comments at a House hearing earlier this month with border patrol officials.
Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, erupted at acting Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kevin McAleenan during a hearing about the southern border July 18.
After McAleenan said government officials are “doing our best” to handle the immigration crisis at the border, Cummings went off.
Read the entire article
In a series of tweets on Saturday, the Republican described the Maryland metropolis as a “disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” that is “a very dangerous & filthy place.”
Trump went on the diatribe during an attack on Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings over the Democrat’s comments at a House hearing earlier this month with border patrol officials.
Cummings, the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, erupted at acting Department of Homeland Security Sec. Kevin McAleenan during a hearing about the southern border July 18.
After McAleenan said government officials are “doing our best” to handle the immigration crisis at the border, Cummings went off.
Read the entire article
July 26, 2019
Mueller Shot Down A Trump-Russia Collusion Theory That Wouldn’t Go Away
- Robert Mueller said Wednesday that a Slate story alleging illicit links between a Russian bank’s computer servers and the Trump Organization is inaccurate.
- A lawyer for the Clinton campaign and DNC provided information about the servers to Franklin Foer, the Slate reporter who published the now-debunked Oct. 31, 2016 article.
- The lawyer, Michael Sussmann, also shared information with FBI general counsel James Baker.
Former special counsel Robert Mueller said Wednesday he believes a controversial news report published before the 2016 election that alleged secret contacts between email servers for the Trump Organization and a Russian bank is inaccurate.
The story in question, which was published by Slate, has been a source of much debate since it was published on Oct. 31, 2016. It alleged that a Russian bank called Alfa Bank had a secret line of communication with President Donald Trump’s real estate company, the Trump Organization, possibly for the purposes of collusion.
A lawyer for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Clinton campaign provided information about the alleged server connection in September 2016 to Franklin Foer, the Slate reporter who published the report. Michael Sussmann, the lawyer, also shared information with The New York Times and the FBI’s general counsel.
Read the entire article
July 25, 2019
Mueller Refuses To Settle Mystery Surrounding Maltese Professor Accused Of Lying To FBI
Former special counsel Robert Mueller refused to answer questions in a House Judiciary Committee hearing Wednesday about Joseph Mifsud, a mysterious Maltese professor accused of lying to the FBI in the special counsel’s report.
Mueller’s report characterized Mifsud as having ties to Russian nationals, and said that he lied in FBI interviews in February 2017 about his interactions in 2016 with Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.
But while Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2017 to lying to the FBI about his own interactions with Mifsud, the professor somehow escaped charges of his own.
Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan pressed Mueller for information on Mifsud, but the former FBI director repeatedly declined to discuss the issue.
“Why didn’t you charge him with a crime?” Jordan asked Mueller of Mifsud.
“I can’t get into internal deliberations with regard who would or would not be charged,” Mueller said.
Read the entire article
Mueller’s report characterized Mifsud as having ties to Russian nationals, and said that he lied in FBI interviews in February 2017 about his interactions in 2016 with Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos.
But while Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2017 to lying to the FBI about his own interactions with Mifsud, the professor somehow escaped charges of his own.
Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan pressed Mueller for information on Mifsud, but the former FBI director repeatedly declined to discuss the issue.
“Why didn’t you charge him with a crime?” Jordan asked Mueller of Mifsud.
“I can’t get into internal deliberations with regard who would or would not be charged,” Mueller said.
Read the entire article
July 24, 2019
Democrats Planning Media Blitz to Accompany Mueller’s Testimony
House Democrats are launching an aggressive media campaign on Tuesday to accompany former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony on Capitol Hill Wednesday regarding his investigation into alleged Russian collusion and obstruction, according to a report.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office has turned Mueller’s 448-page report — which found no criminal conspiracy with Russia and declined to make an assessment on obstruction — into a six-page document highlighting what they consider to be its most damning findings, The Hill reported.
The six-page document, dubbed “Exposing the Truth,” will be distributed Tuesday to Democrat lawmakers to guide their “outreach to voters,” according to the outlet.
“Members will go home and have to engage their constituencies on what’s next — how do we hold this president accountable?” a leadership aide told The Hill. “So we put it all at their fingertips.”
The memo was coordinated between Pelosi’s office and the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, where Mueller will testify for a total of five hours.
Read the entire article
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office has turned Mueller’s 448-page report — which found no criminal conspiracy with Russia and declined to make an assessment on obstruction — into a six-page document highlighting what they consider to be its most damning findings, The Hill reported.
The six-page document, dubbed “Exposing the Truth,” will be distributed Tuesday to Democrat lawmakers to guide their “outreach to voters,” according to the outlet.
“Members will go home and have to engage their constituencies on what’s next — how do we hold this president accountable?” a leadership aide told The Hill. “So we put it all at their fingertips.”
The memo was coordinated between Pelosi’s office and the House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, where Mueller will testify for a total of five hours.
Read the entire article
July 23, 2019
Mueller’s ‘Pit Bull’ Offered Ukrainian Oligarch A Sweet Deal To Provide Dirt On Trump
Andrew Weissmann, who served as one of Robert Mueller’s top deputies on the Russia probe, offered a Ukrainian oligarch a sweetheart deal in 2017 in exchange for information on President Donald Trump, according to a new report.
In July 2017, Weissmann, who has been labeled Mueller’s “pit bull” because of his aggressive prosecutorial style, met with attorneys representing Dmitry Firtash, an energy magnate who was indicted on bribery charges in 2014, reports The Hill.
The story cites sources familiar with Weissmann’s offer and defense memos written in meetings with the prosecutor.
One of the defense memos said that Weissmann claimed he could “resolve the Firtash case” by withdrawing charges against the oligarch, who has since been ordered extradited to the U.S. from Austria.
“The complete dropping of the proceedings … was doubtless on the table,” a Firtash defense memo reportedly says.
Weissmann, who served as chief of the Justice Department’s criminal fraud section before joining the special counsel’s team, claimed that prosecutors were looking for information on Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and were also exploring links between Trump’s real estate firm and Felix Sater, a real estate developer who worked with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen on a failed effort to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Read the entire article
In July 2017, Weissmann, who has been labeled Mueller’s “pit bull” because of his aggressive prosecutorial style, met with attorneys representing Dmitry Firtash, an energy magnate who was indicted on bribery charges in 2014, reports The Hill.
The story cites sources familiar with Weissmann’s offer and defense memos written in meetings with the prosecutor.
One of the defense memos said that Weissmann claimed he could “resolve the Firtash case” by withdrawing charges against the oligarch, who has since been ordered extradited to the U.S. from Austria.
“The complete dropping of the proceedings … was doubtless on the table,” a Firtash defense memo reportedly says.
Weissmann, who served as chief of the Justice Department’s criminal fraud section before joining the special counsel’s team, claimed that prosecutors were looking for information on Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and were also exploring links between Trump’s real estate firm and Felix Sater, a real estate developer who worked with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen on a failed effort to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Read the entire article
July 22, 2019
House Republicans Want Nellie Ohr’s Oppo Research Of Trump’s Family: Report
- House Republicans are requesting Nellie Ohr’s research into President Donald Trump’s family members, according to Fox News.
- Ohr, whose husband is a top DOJ official, testified Oct. 19 that she conducted open-source research into Trump’s family while working as a contractor for Fusion GPS, the firm behind the Steele dossier.
- Republicans are reportedly interested in what role the Ohrs and Fusion GPS played in the Russia probe.
House Republicans are reportedly seeking documents from former Fusion GPS contractor Nellie Ohr related to her research into President Donald Trump’s family, including his wife and children.
During a congressional interview Oct. 19, 2018, Ohr said while she worked for Fusion GPS, the firm behind the infamous Steele dossier, she compiled open-source research on the travels and business activities of Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, and Trump’s wife, Melania.
Read the entire article
July 19, 2019
Judge Nearly Throws Out Case Against Former Michael Flynn Associate On Trial For Alleged Turkish Lobbying
- A judge in Virginia stopped just short of tossing out charges against Bijan Rafiekian, a former associate of Michael Flynn’s on trial for allegedly lobbying covertly for Turkey.
- Judge Anthony Trenga said prosecutors presented “very speculative” evidence against Rafiekian, who was an executive at Flynn’s intelligence firm.
- Trenga ultimately decided to allow the trial to continue.
A federal judge Thursday came close to throwing out charges against a former Michael Flynn business partner on trial in Virginia, saying the government had presented “very circumstantial” and “very speculative” evidence during its presentation of the case.
Speaking after prosecutors wrapped up their case against former Flynn associate Bijan Rafiekian, Judge Anthony Trenga said there were “substantial issues” with the government’s evidence, The Washington Post reported.
Rafiekian, a former executive at Flynn’s firm, Flynn Intel Group (FIG), is on trial on charges that he acted as an unregistered foreign agent of Turkey, and that he conspired to do the same. Both charges are felonies.
Read the entire article
July 18, 2019
Details Emerge Of Mystery FBI Spreadsheet That Kept Track Of Steele Dossier
- FBI investigators maintained a spreadsheet that kept track of individual allegations made in the infamous Steele dossier.
- The spreadsheet reportedly noted many of the allegations were either inaccurate or unverified.
- Former Rep. Trey Gowdy has previously alluded to the spreadsheet, saying it showed the FBI also used a longtime Hillary Clinton ally to corroborate some of the dossier’s claims.
According to Gowdy, the spreadsheet laid out every assertion made in Steele’s 17 memos, with any evidence uncovered to support or rule out each claim.
Gowdy said the spreadsheet included links to news reports to corroborate some of Steele’s allegations. The spreadsheet also included a reference to Sidney Blumenthal, a longtime Hillary Clinton fixer who was involved in spreading a second dossier alleging various misdeeds by Donald Trump.
Read the entire article
July 17, 2019
Judge Blocks Roger Stone From Posting On Facebook, Instagram Until After His Trial
A federal judge prohibited Roger Stone from using several popular social media sites, ruling Tuesday that the longtime Trump confidant violated the terms of a court-imposed gag order.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Stone cannot post on social media, including on sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, until after his trial, which is scheduled to start in November.
“I’ve twice given you the benefit of the doubt,” Jackson said in a court hearing in Washington, D.C., according to CNN. “The goal has been to draw maximum attention.”
A grand jury indicted Stone on Jan. 24 on charges that he made false statements to Congress regarding his discussions with associates about WikiLeaks. He was also indicted on charges that he attempted to intimidate a witness, left-wing comedian Randy Credico, ahead of his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee.
Read the entire article
Judge Amy Berman Jackson said Stone cannot post on social media, including on sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, until after his trial, which is scheduled to start in November.
“I’ve twice given you the benefit of the doubt,” Jackson said in a court hearing in Washington, D.C., according to CNN. “The goal has been to draw maximum attention.”
A grand jury indicted Stone on Jan. 24 on charges that he made false statements to Congress regarding his discussions with associates about WikiLeaks. He was also indicted on charges that he attempted to intimidate a witness, left-wing comedian Randy Credico, ahead of his testimony to the House Intelligence Committee.
Read the entire article
July 16, 2019
U.S. State Dept. Sinking Trump’s ‘Safe Country’ Asylum Program, Says Guatemalan Official
A high-ranking Guatemalan government official told Breitbart News that the U.S. Department of State in that country is working with leftist organizations to allow President Donald Trump’s proposed “safe country” asylum agreement to die. President Trump is seeking agreements with Mexico and Central American countries to help slow the surge of migrants attempting to exploit loopholes in the U.S. asylum system.
A high-ranking Guatemalan government official spoke with Breitbart News under the condition of anonymity about the plans being negotiated between Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and U.S. President Donald Trump to house so-called asylum seekers who have illegally crossed the U.S. border from Mexico. The proposed agreement would allow asylum seekers from any country to be sent to Guatemala for asylum. The proposal and a meeting scheduled for Monday between the two presidents has been postponed, Breitbart News reported.
“We hope the meeting will happen,” the Guatemalan official told Breitbart News in a phone interview, “but it won’t happen now.” A constitutional court in Guatemala placed an injunction against President Morales’ government from entering into the agreement, Sara Carter reported. “The court has acted against the constitution,” the Guatemalan official continued. He explained the Guatemalan courts are packed with leftist activists.
The official also blamed the U.S. State Department in Guatemala for “not doing anything to salvage the agreement.” He said State Department officials will frequently push to get agreements approved but have not done so in this case.
Read the entire article
A high-ranking Guatemalan government official spoke with Breitbart News under the condition of anonymity about the plans being negotiated between Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and U.S. President Donald Trump to house so-called asylum seekers who have illegally crossed the U.S. border from Mexico. The proposed agreement would allow asylum seekers from any country to be sent to Guatemala for asylum. The proposal and a meeting scheduled for Monday between the two presidents has been postponed, Breitbart News reported.
“We hope the meeting will happen,” the Guatemalan official told Breitbart News in a phone interview, “but it won’t happen now.” A constitutional court in Guatemala placed an injunction against President Morales’ government from entering into the agreement, Sara Carter reported. “The court has acted against the constitution,” the Guatemalan official continued. He explained the Guatemalan courts are packed with leftist activists.
The official also blamed the U.S. State Department in Guatemala for “not doing anything to salvage the agreement.” He said State Department officials will frequently push to get agreements approved but have not done so in this case.
Read the entire article
July 15, 2019
Democrats Delay Mueller Hearing to Allow More Time for Questioning
House Democrats announced Friday that Robert Mueller’s public hearing planned for July 17 would be delayed until July 24 to allow more time for questioning.
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff issued a joint statement regarding the decision, adding that Mueller had agreed to the delay.
They wrote:
The House Judiciary Committee will convene on July 24 at 8:30am with Special Counsel Mueller testifying in public for three hours. After a brief break, the House Intelligence Committee will convene for additional public testimony beginning at 12:00 pm. All members — Democrats and Republicans — of both committees will have a meaningful opportunity to question the Special Counsel in public, and the American people will finally have an opportunity to hear directly from Mr. Mueller about what his investigation uncovered.
Reports state that two hours had been allotted for the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Committee to question Mueller about the contents of his 448-page report regarding so-called “Russian interference” during the 2016 election. The report was given to Attorney General William Barr for review in April.
Read the entire article
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff issued a joint statement regarding the decision, adding that Mueller had agreed to the delay.
They wrote:
The House Judiciary Committee will convene on July 24 at 8:30am with Special Counsel Mueller testifying in public for three hours. After a brief break, the House Intelligence Committee will convene for additional public testimony beginning at 12:00 pm. All members — Democrats and Republicans — of both committees will have a meaningful opportunity to question the Special Counsel in public, and the American people will finally have an opportunity to hear directly from Mr. Mueller about what his investigation uncovered.
Reports state that two hours had been allotted for the Judiciary Committee and the Intelligence Committee to question Mueller about the contents of his 448-page report regarding so-called “Russian interference” during the 2016 election. The report was given to Attorney General William Barr for review in April.
Read the entire article
July 12, 2019
‘Spygate’ Professor Pulls Out Of Cambridge Spy Event, Organizer Says
Stefan Halper, the retired professor who allegedly worked as an FBI informant while making contact with the Trump campaign, will no longer appear at a spy forum to be held at the University of Cambridge later in July, according to the group that organized the event.
Halper was set to attend the International Security and Intelligence conference at Cambridge in what was to be his first appearance since he was identified in the press in May 2018 as one of the FBI informants who established contact with the Trump campaign.
Several former British and American intelligence officials, including the former head of MI6, and a former deputy director of the National Security Agency, are scheduled to attend the Cambridge event.
But the Cambridge Security Initiative, which is organizing the event, said Halper has backed out of the event for health reasons.
“Due to ill health, Professor Halper is unable to participate in the conference,” the site says.
Read the entire article
Halper was set to attend the International Security and Intelligence conference at Cambridge in what was to be his first appearance since he was identified in the press in May 2018 as one of the FBI informants who established contact with the Trump campaign.
Several former British and American intelligence officials, including the former head of MI6, and a former deputy director of the National Security Agency, are scheduled to attend the Cambridge event.
But the Cambridge Security Initiative, which is organizing the event, said Halper has backed out of the event for health reasons.
“Due to ill health, Professor Halper is unable to participate in the conference,” the site says.
Read the entire article
July 11, 2019
FBI Discussions About Carter Page Wiretap Were Stalled, And Then The Steele Dossier Came Along
- FBI investigators began discussing in August 2016 whether to obtain a surveillance warrant against Carter Page, The New York Times reported.
- The discussions stalled until Sept. 19, 2016, when the FBI’s Russia team first received reporting from Christopher Steele, the author of the Trump dossier.
- The report suggests the dossier played a crucial role in the FBI’s efforts to surveil Page.
The FBI’s core team of Russia investigators reportedly began discussing a wiretap of Trump campaign adviser Carter Page in August 2016, earlier than previously known, but were stalled amid bureaucratic handwringing until the infamous Steele dossier made its way to the bureau more than a month later.
That timeline of events, reported by The New York Times, indicates the dossier played an essential role in the FBI’s efforts to conduct surveillance of Page, as Republicans have said.
The report also shows investigators wanted to conduct electronic surveillance of Page even before he left the Trump team. Some Democrats and media pundits have defended the FBI’s wiretapping of Page because the initial warrant was not granted until Oct. 21, 2016, after he left the Trump campaign.
Read the entire article
July 10, 2019
House Intel Committee Witness Accuses Fusion GPS Founder Of Perjury
- Felix Sater, a real estate developer with past ties to the Trump Organization, alleged Tuesday that Fusion GPS founder Glenn Simpson committed perjury during Senate testimony.
- Sater made the allegation following testimony before the House Intelligence Committee.
- Sater pointed out that Simpson, who commissioned the anti-Trump dossier, also worked with Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who attended the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.
A witness who appeared before the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday accused the founder of Fusion GPS, the firm behind the infamous Steele dossier, of committing perjury during a Senate interview in 2017.
Felix Sater, a real estate developer who has worked with the Trump Organization, discussed the Fusion GPS founder, Glenn Simpson, while taking a break from a closed-door interview with the House panel.
Democrats sought an interview with Sater to discuss whether the Kremlin could have any leverage over President Donald Trump due to his business dealings in Russia. Sater worked closely with former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen from October 2015 through June 2016 on a failed bid to build a Trump-themed skyscraper in Moscow.
Read the entire article
July 9, 2019
Bill Clinton Distances Himself from Jeffrey Epstein
Former President Bill Clinton distanced himself on Monday from Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire financier and former donor who was arrested for child sex trafficking over the weekend.
Clinton, who has taken a lower public profile since the 2016 presidential race, issued a statement through his press secretary, Angel Ureña, claiming to know “nothing about the terrible crimes” Epstein is purported to have committed.
“President Clinton knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York,” the statement reads. “In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane: One to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation.”
The statement denotes that “staff, supporters of the Foundation,” and the former president’s Secret Service detail were along on “every leg” of those trips.” Fox News, however, reported in May 2016 that Clinton went on at least 26 trips aboard Epstein’s plane — the “Lolita Express” — between 2001 and 2003, according to flight logs from the Federal Aviation Administration. Listed as the destination for those trips were exotic locales like the Azores, Singapore, Brunei, Norway, and Russia, among others.
Read the entire article
Clinton, who has taken a lower public profile since the 2016 presidential race, issued a statement through his press secretary, Angel Ureña, claiming to know “nothing about the terrible crimes” Epstein is purported to have committed.
“President Clinton knows nothing about the terrible crimes Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to in Florida some years ago, or those with which he has been recently charged in New York,” the statement reads. “In 2002 and 2003, President Clinton took a total of four trips on Jeffrey Epstein’s airplane: One to Europe, one to Asia, and two to Africa, which included stops in connection with the work of the Clinton Foundation.”
The statement denotes that “staff, supporters of the Foundation,” and the former president’s Secret Service detail were along on “every leg” of those trips.” Fox News, however, reported in May 2016 that Clinton went on at least 26 trips aboard Epstein’s plane — the “Lolita Express” — between 2001 and 2003, according to flight logs from the Federal Aviation Administration. Listed as the destination for those trips were exotic locales like the Azores, Singapore, Brunei, Norway, and Russia, among others.
Read the entire article
July 8, 2019
Report: FISA Abuse Probe Gets Last-Minute Help From Key Witnesses
The Justice Department inspector general’s investigation into the FBI’s surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser has received last-minute help from multiple witnesses, Fox News reports.
Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz sought interviews with the witnesses early in his investigation into whether the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in its investigation of the Trump campaign, according to Fox’s Catherine Herridge.
The witnesses’ decision to cooperate comes as the 18-month long investigation is winding down. Texas Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe said last week after meeting with Horowitz that the investigation is complete, and that a report of the probe is being drafted.
The Fox News report does not identify the witnesses or say when they provided assistance to Horowitz’s investigation, which officially began March 28, 2018.
But one witness who works outside of the Justice Department and FBI began cooperating after Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to lead an investigation of the U.S. government’s surveillance activities against the Trump campaign, as well as the origins of the Russia probe, Fox’s sources said.
Read the entire article
Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz sought interviews with the witnesses early in his investigation into whether the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) in its investigation of the Trump campaign, according to Fox’s Catherine Herridge.
The witnesses’ decision to cooperate comes as the 18-month long investigation is winding down. Texas Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe said last week after meeting with Horowitz that the investigation is complete, and that a report of the probe is being drafted.
The Fox News report does not identify the witnesses or say when they provided assistance to Horowitz’s investigation, which officially began March 28, 2018.
But one witness who works outside of the Justice Department and FBI began cooperating after Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, to lead an investigation of the U.S. government’s surveillance activities against the Trump campaign, as well as the origins of the Russia probe, Fox’s sources said.
Read the entire article
July 5, 2019
Round-Up: Democrats Reveal They Dislike Celebrating America After All
The Democrat Party has been moving noticeably farther to the left, and President Trump’s pro-America policies and “Salute to America” celebration have driven many over the edge. There are countless examples of Hollywood figures, 2020 Democrats, media outlets, and businesses revealing their true colors.
Here is a handy list of notable entities and figures that have effectively turned on celebrating America.
Just days before Independence Day, Nike decided to pull its America-themed sneakers, featuring the Betsy Ross flag. Details on the decision were scarce, but it was later discovered Nike was responding to “concerns” over the symbolism of the early flag. According to the Wall Street Journal, Colin Kaepernick reached out to Nike following its decision and said he – as well as others – viewed it as an “offensive” symbol, citing the broad era of slavery.
As many pointed out on Twitter, the “controversial” flags served as a partial backdrop during former President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Read the entire article
Here is a handy list of notable entities and figures that have effectively turned on celebrating America.
Just days before Independence Day, Nike decided to pull its America-themed sneakers, featuring the Betsy Ross flag. Details on the decision were scarce, but it was later discovered Nike was responding to “concerns” over the symbolism of the early flag. According to the Wall Street Journal, Colin Kaepernick reached out to Nike following its decision and said he – as well as others – viewed it as an “offensive” symbol, citing the broad era of slavery.
As many pointed out on Twitter, the “controversial” flags served as a partial backdrop during former President Barack Obama’s second inauguration.
Read the entire article
July 3, 2019
Oleg Deripaska Says He Hired Christopher Steele To Work On Research Project
- Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska said he previously employed Christopher Steele, the author of the Trump dossier.
- Deripaska said he hired Steele through his attorneys in London to work on an unspecific legal proceeding.
- Steele investigated the Trump campaign on behalf of the Clinton campaign and DNC.
A Russian aluminum magnate with close ties to Vladimir Putin said he hired Trump dossier author Christopher Steele to work on a research project related to a legal battle in London.
Oleg Deripaska told TheHill.TV that his attorneys hired Steele on retainer for the work.
“It was a research project to support one of the cases against me in London. My understanding [is] that lawyers trust him for some reason, and he was for quite [sic] time on retainer,” Deripaska told Hill opinion contributor John Solomon in the interview, published Tuesday.
Read the entire article
July 2, 2019
Rep. John Ratcliffe Says FISA Abuse Investigation Is Complete
Texas Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe said Monday that the Justice Department inspector general has finished his investigation into whether the FBI abused the surveillance court system during its investigation of the Trump campaign.
In an interview on Fox News, Ratcliffe said that he met in June with the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, to discuss the timing, but not the content, of the release of the report.
“He related that his team’s investigative work is complete,” said Ratcliffe, a Republican member of the House Intelligence and House Judiciary Committees.
“They are now in the process of drafting the report. I would expect that it will be a draft that will be completed in short order.”
Ratcliffe said that he does not expect that the report will be made public “any time real soon,” though he is hopeful it will be released before Congress breaks for its August recess.
Read the entire article
In an interview on Fox News, Ratcliffe said that he met in June with the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, to discuss the timing, but not the content, of the release of the report.
“He related that his team’s investigative work is complete,” said Ratcliffe, a Republican member of the House Intelligence and House Judiciary Committees.
“They are now in the process of drafting the report. I would expect that it will be a draft that will be completed in short order.”
Ratcliffe said that he does not expect that the report will be made public “any time real soon,” though he is hopeful it will be released before Congress breaks for its August recess.
Read the entire article
July 1, 2019
Obama-Appointed Judge Blocks Construction of Trump’s Border Wall
A federal district judge issued a permanent injunction on Friday blocking construction of President Donald Trump’s border wall, holding that it was illegal for his administration to spend current funding for that purpose. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will immediately appeal.
There are several ongoing lawsuits trying to stop the border wall. This case is before Judge Haywood Gilliam for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, who was appointed by Barack Obama. The left-wing Sierra Club brought suit in that court because it is currently one of the most liberal federal trial courts in the nation.
The Trump administration is reprogramming funds from Sections 8005 and 9002 of the National Defense Authorization Act to build the wall and provide security at the U.S.-Mexican border. The Sierra Club argued that the reprogramming of those funds violates federal law.
DOJ argued in court that “plaintiffs fall outside the zone of interests of § 8005 and thus cannot sue to enforce it,” and besides that, that the Defense Department “has satisfied the requirements set forth in § 8005.” Gilliam rejected those arguments.
He also held that § 8005 funds could be used only for “unforeseen military requirements” and that constructing the border wall did not qualify.
Read the entire article
There are several ongoing lawsuits trying to stop the border wall. This case is before Judge Haywood Gilliam for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, who was appointed by Barack Obama. The left-wing Sierra Club brought suit in that court because it is currently one of the most liberal federal trial courts in the nation.
The Trump administration is reprogramming funds from Sections 8005 and 9002 of the National Defense Authorization Act to build the wall and provide security at the U.S.-Mexican border. The Sierra Club argued that the reprogramming of those funds violates federal law.
DOJ argued in court that “plaintiffs fall outside the zone of interests of § 8005 and thus cannot sue to enforce it,” and besides that, that the Defense Department “has satisfied the requirements set forth in § 8005.” Gilliam rejected those arguments.
He also held that § 8005 funds could be used only for “unforeseen military requirements” and that constructing the border wall did not qualify.
Read the entire article
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)