Good or Bad for the Jews

"Good or Bad for the Jews"

Many years ago, and for many years, I would travel to Morocco to visit uncles, cousins, and my paternal grandmother. Some lived in Tangiers;...

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Comey Goes

It was just a matter of time. I think we all knew that sooner or later FBI Director James Comey would get the boot. I would speculate that had Hillary Clinton won the election, Comey would have been gone within a week to the cheers and applause of the same Democrats now moaning about Comey getting the Trump boot.

What was Comey's "crime"?

Forget the contradictory statements about the Russians, forget even, if you can, about the weird "investigation" into Hillary's home-brewed server, forget about WikiLeaks, also forget about Comey's lackadaisical attitude towards the leaking of classified information. All those are reasons to dump Comey, no doubt, but, I think Comey's greatest sin was that we all know who he is.

Most people would be hard-pressed to name an FBI Director since J. Edgar Hoover. That's how it should be. The FBI Director is meant to be a relatively obscure personage operating in that weird twilight zone intersection of fighting national and international crime and countering foreign espionage. The FBI Director should not, IMHO, be a media personality much less an obvious political actor, or at least, that's the way it was. The Director, I think, is not meant to be casting long shadows over our national elections with lengthy and, frankly, bizarre press conferences about ongoing investigations. It all went to his head, and he ignored his real duties. I have written before (here) that he simply made a mess of the FBI and its reputation,
The investigation of the Clinton Crime Family and, in particular, that of SecState Clinton's use of a private email server for classified information, and her use of the State Department as her and Bill's ATM leaves much to be desired. I, for example, cannot understand how an apparently morally upright and professionally competent Director, such as James Comey, did not go public with a resignation slammed down on the President's desk when Attorney General Lynch met "secretly" with Bill Clinton on that Arizona tarmac days before the FBI was to wrap-up its initial investigation into the Hillary Clinton email scandal. I do not understand how Comey could have made the public statement that he made on July 5 when he gave Hillary Clinton a pass on her scandalous, unethical, dangerous, and illegal use of a private server for official work. I do not for a second believe, despite what Comey said at the time, that nobody, including presumably Lynch, Obama, and the Clintons, knew Comey would recommend no indictment. I knew it the minute Lynch announced beforehand that she would accept whatever recommendation the FBI made. Right. Sure thing. Did Donna Brazile send you an email? 
The FBI leadership made a hash of the investigation into Clinton. It was such a hash, that, reportedly, Comey's desk received a large number of outraged letters of resignation from agents justifiably angry over what Comey had done. He needed an excuse to try to save his reputation, when along comes Huma Abedin's husband El Perverso Anthony Carlos Danger Weiner. Apparently, an investigation into his "sexting" with a minor girl revealed tens-of-thousands of emails on his computer which MIGHT have relevance to the original investigation into Hillary's emails. So, reboot: A public reboot via a vague letter to the Congress that requires a lot of reading between the lines.
As noted in that same October 2016 piece, the Democrats had a point when they started calling for Comey's head. We have even heard from Hillary Clinton that she now blames Comey for her loss of the election--wait, wait, I thought it was mysoginists, or white supremacists, or voter suppression, or Russia, or . . . . But now, well, yes, the same Dems then livid about Comey being in office, are now livid that he's out of office. Go figure . . .

President Trump did the right thing by booting Comey. Timing? There was never going to be a "good" time to take a major decision such as this one. If he had fired Comey the day after the inauguration would Dem outrage have been less? If he had fired him a year from now? Two years from now? If he had kept him in office? The OUTRAGE generator would have cranked out the same voltage--or to conjure a different image, the alligators get testy when you try to drain the swamp . .  .

I repeat, the President did the right thing. He now needs to pick a Director who will restore the FBI's reputation and effectiveness. Ironically, he might just have to pick a media star in order to counter the damage wrought by the last one.

38 comments:

  1. I'm guessing Rudy G. if he'll have it and can still do it regardless of age. Whoever it is had better be ready for the confirmation hearings. On a side note: Hey Mad what do you think about Trump approaching McCain for the job. I don't know if law enforcement is a prerequisite or not (like not being a lawyer but still be a Supreme Court Justice). Maybe just let it float out there and see McCain's reaction. Might be pretty funny.

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    1. James, "funny" is not a word I would choose. Rudy I could go with if he wanted the headache. By now he may prefer life in the private sector.

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    2. Whitewall,
      I was just thinking about how McCain loves to run his mouth as being the "true independent", if the rumor was floated what could he say? No? For what possible reason? Yes, then why?

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  2. Nah, then McCain would have to actually *do* something and not just bloviate in the direction of the nearest camera every time a reporter needs a "Republican" to say something bad about another Republican.

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    1. Polynices,
      Oh, you're right, but as I said above, I'd love to hear his reaction to a good rumor.

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  3. My candidate would be David Clarke. The Dems would have a HARD time not consenting, although they would trot out all the nasty things he has said about Dems over the past two years. But I think he has both the qualifications and the star power.

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    1. What do you consider to be the qualifications?

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    2. Sheriff Clarke has taken a position with DHS.

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  4. Dwan,
    You're probably right, but just to see the Dems hair stand erect on their heads turn snow white, and them do triple back flips how about Rogers?

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  5. The Dems really do think this the "moment", I don't think so, but Trump had better be wary of that sorry, lousy so called Republican congress going all soft on this. They need to have a lot pressure kept on them.

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  6. Well, Let us see. Comey was a Director of HSBC. A bank noted for involvement in the opium trade in its early days and more recently as a money laundering enterprise.

    Comey was always dirty.

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  7. It's been pretty clear to me that Trump wants low profile appointees in his government.
    Can plenty speculate as to why...
    - reader #1482

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    1. Low profile appointees.

      General H. R. McMaster, National Security advisor; Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State; General Jim Mattis, Secretary of Defence.

      You obviously have no idea of the backgrounds of these gentlemen.

      Davod

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    2. I didn't mean to speak about backgrounds or competency, I'm talking about straight media/celebrity profile.
      Nobody in the Trump administration comes near John Kerry or Hillary Clinton for name recognition. My theory is that Obama wanted "the big establishment people" working for him to show everybody that he was now 'the man'. I think Trump doesn't want a bunch of media sycophants competing with his agenda.

      - reader #1482

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    3. not claiming trump appointees are 'unheard of'... they're just not Kerry/Clinton/Clooney.. (oh wait.. clooney wasn't formally part of obama's cabinet..)

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  8. To replace Comey, Trump should find a Democrat with integrity (there must be one or two of them left, if not very many more) who has an appropriate and respectable record as a law-enforcement officer.

    And then watch the Democratic senators whose heads haven't already exploded as they try to cobble together their reasons to oppose that nominee...who, no matter what happens, they certainly will oppose.

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    1. Rubbish. They cannot be trusted. Trump needs to push though people he trusts. He has enough liberals advising him as it is.

      Davod

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  9. I'm beginning to suspect Comey wanted to be fired ... severance, book deals, speaking fees, a movie biog, etc. And besides, he now will be invited to all the beautiful-people cocktail parties ... held by those who hated him just last week. He is an oversized man with an oversized ego.

    I opt for Rudy.

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  10. Instead of Rogers (who I think would be good) I meant former NSA guy Mike Flynn.

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  11. I suspect that my father's generation would have said that Comey lacked "grip". (I don't know whether that usage is familiar in the US.)

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    1. Dear dearie, as we say here in the States, to those shaky types, who appear to be 'losing it', "GET A GRIP"!

      Curious tho, how your father would have defined 'lacked grip'?

      Moreover, I can see that Director Comey did in fact lose his traction, something that every gumshoe needs to stay on his feet, versus landing on his arse! (as they might say in 'Jolly Old')
      OW~~~

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  12. Another Democrat meme bites the dust. Acting FBI Director McCabe was just asked in the Senate Intelligence Committee if his agency had all the resources needed to pursue the Russian influence investigation. He answered an unqualified yes. The NYT will now have to spin back Comey's supposed request ...

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    1. Yes Mr. Potts, although its quite difficult to distinguish the Fake News organs, from the D'crat spin bites. Especially when the fakers, spinners, and playas too, are all Democrats, including Director McCabe and wife Senator McCabe, who were evidently bought for $675,000 in Democrat Party dollars by Terry McAuliffe as agent for his financiers the Clintons!
      On Watch~~~
      "Let's Roll"

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  13. You mean his Tweet about this twit, DRJ?

    Cryin’ Chuck Schumer stated recently, “I do not have confidence in him (James Comey) any longer.” Then acts so indignant. #draintheswamp

    — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2017

    Seems to me it's a well-aimed barb at Cryin'Chuck Shumer, which struck dead center, MOT, Middle of Tearducts, hence #draining the swamp - a crocodile tear at a time!
    OW~~~

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  14. Judge Janice Rogers Brown, or Miguel Estrata. I don't know if either are well suited to lead the FBI - only that they are not Democrats despite being members of Democrat favored minorities.

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  15. My take, as a lawyer. In part, echoes Diplomad: part 1 (little too long for one post)


    1) Any claim Comey did the take down of Hillary to protect integrity of FBI or to let public know the truth doesn't work. If either were his motives, he would have gone to logical conclusion of his presentation and recommended prosecution. DoJ and Obama would have been stuck figuring out how to ignore that.

    2) Whole thing is self-contradictory. He set up investigation intentionally so there could be no prosecutions (partisan, compromised-McCabe in charge, investigators limited as to what they could ask, immunities given, permission to destroy computers given, etc. etc). Why bother doing that -i.e., protecting Hillary - then going out publicly and trashing her in a way most calculated to damage her politically? That's schizophrenic. I can make no sense of Comey's actions. He certainly wanted to take down Trump and protect Hillary by setting up a sham investigation that could not prosecute anyone. Yet he publicly laid out a perfect indictment of Hillary, totally publicly trashing her, only to conclude, never mind. Huh?

    3) If facts were such that no reasonable prosecutor would have prosecuted (outright lie, but that's what Comey claimed), then he had no business going through Hillary's misdeeds in public. Rule is: if there is to be no prosecution, case is not discussed in public. If there was no crime, what business did he have publicly scolding - heck, trashing - her? His job is investigating crimes and recommending prosecution if he finds evidence of one, not scolding people whose behavior he dislikes if there is no crime.

    4) Glaring conflicts of interest. Comey doesn't talk about his brother working for consulting firm used by Clinton Foundation and that his brother works on Foundation matters. He put in charge of investigation guy, McCabe, whose wife took $750,000 from Terry MacCauliffe, one of Clinton closest friends/advisors/benefactors. Money was for failed Senate run, so wife had political ambitions. $750,00O not chump change, so wife (and/or McCabe) had close relationship with MacCaullife.MacCaullife was likely to get high position in a Clinton Administration. So wife (and or McCabe) to get a job? If Comey clean, don't these conflicts of interest seem odd? These two things alone should be huge scandals and are enough to fire Comey. I believe he himself also has worked for something Clinton-connected, but I may be wrong about that. Odd Congress and conservative media have not spent any time on conflict of interest.

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  16. Contnuation of comment above

    There's much more to make me believe Comey is a snake. Most glaring just happened last week. His testimony that he doesn't inform Congressional overseers of investigations as he is supposed to. I.e., He operates in no chain of command. Then fact, he paid someone for info who was working for Clinton oppo research. Why? He wasn't investigating Trump. Also his story that he advised Bush Admin. certain proposed Bush reg was unconstitutional, but Gonzalez and Card took it to a hospitalized Ashcroft's sick room to have Ashcroft sign it anyway. Comey rushed over and stood as looming presence as Ashcroft (Comey not saying a word) declined to sign it. Awfully dramatic, and I don't believe it. But whether or not it's true, given Ashcroft never signed order, what was point of telling story except to make Bush staff look bad and him look good? (And that's exactly why he told it. To tell Obama he was "independent" to get FBi job. ) And was he right or was the Harvard-educated, very smart lawyer Gonzalez right? There may have been a difference of opinion - there often is on legal interpretations. (The sentence "Reasonable men can differ" is used very frequently in legal matters. Think about Supreme Court decisions. There are always dissenting opinions.) If there was a reasonable interpretation by Gonzalez that order was constitutional, was it Comey's place to impose his opposite interpretation it wasn't?

    ----------

    Right now on TV, acting Director McCabe is testifying how wonderful Comey is and how, no, Bureau employees hadn't lost confidence in Comey. Is anyone going to ask him about his MacCauliffe/Clinton ties and why he led an investigation where he had such a glaring conflict of interest?




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    1. That about sums-up the immediate veil of conspiracy Msher. What's missing, are all of those 'other shoes' McCain says are yet to fall, including his too, I suspect! Will the planned progressive Islamo-Marxist coup~~chimera become overtly visible to us before it evaporates? Seems apparent that Valerie Jarrett's shadow government exercise failed to predict the muscle and blowback that President Trump could and would generate, when he smelled the 'Rats in the basement! Now let's see if BO and his 14 cars full of handlers and protectors will be enough to keep him and his collaborators out of harms way?
      On Watch~~~
      "Let's Roll"

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    2. To OW

      I am more concerned about what Congressional Republicans are doing and will do. Dems do not have power to take down Trump. Congressional Republicans do.They are sabotaging Trump in every way possible. If they give into demands for special prosecutor, then I would assume they are going to collude in an impeachment.

      Incidentally, I forgot one thing in ny list of Comey being a snake. Note to Diplomad. I made a comment in a previous thread about Scooter Libby being prosecuted when Richard Armitage leaked Valerie Plame's name. Guess who the DoJ official was who picked a close frriend of his to be the special prosecutor. Yep, one James Comey.

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    3. ..."If they [Cong.GOP]give into demands for special prosecutor, then I would assume they are going to collude in an impeachment." - Msher

      The BIG problem for the GOPe will be the time window. Any anti-Trump political heat generated by the #never Trump "collusion" will be blazing in the minds of Trump's Army of supporters! Then come the mid-term primaries, too soon to recover, there will be hell to pay at the ballot box for RINOs and other pretenders! Exactly when 'The Trump Team' will need to sharpen the point of their spears to engage the progressive enemy in the 2020 Presidential Campaign!
      On Watch~~~
      "Let's Roll"
      P.S.
      Yes, I read some about Comey's dirty deeds. Even Andy McCarthy doesn't have much good to say about him, other than that they shared some of the same primordial prosecutorial muck as they evolved, or took the path most traveled and devolved into ranking membership in the slithery Democrat shyster-hood! OW~~~

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  17. https://www.antiwar.com/blog/2017/05/10/ron-paul-comey-fired-now-fire-the-fbi/
    Ron Paul: Comey is fired, fine, now reform the FBI.It isn´t a "good" organisation anymore, look at its track record.
    As Ron Paul is one of the few I trust I listen to his opinions. He is here supporting Trump when Trump tries to "drain the swamp", including the swampy FBI. And I agree with "msher" above, Comey is a snake. Of the swamp-dwelling kind.
    SwL

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  18. The totally incomprehensible stupidity that this whole russian 'hacking' crap is over the leaking of truthful facts about the Hillary campaign.... if the reverse had happened, the entire media would be talking about how "source doesn't matter, the facts matter". There wouldn't be even a remote call for any kind of investigation into anything.
    Also funny that those same people who were loving Assange, Snowden, Manning, and Greenwald, are now calling for the apprehension of all of them.
    "Wait, I'm not supposed to get THAT end of the stick."
    If only silly leftists weren't so dangerous.

    - reader #1482

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    1. I feel ya #1482~~~
      There is a part of the survivor within that keeps saying, why don't they disinfect the gene pool while they're draining the swamp, but then I realize, the Democrats are committing political suicide everyday, and drowning themselves in their own cesspools, voila, no need for intensive wetwork from US, YET! OW~~~

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    2. Found this over at Cold Fury #1482 though you'd get a chuckle outta this: OW~~~

      . . . 'But that’s not how the inside-the-Beltway folk see it'
      "Well, naturally not. They’re incapable of seeing anything other than a curtain of purest blood-red when it comes to anything Trump says, does, or attempts.

      And that’s the beauty of it, see. He’s got the Beltway cattle in full stampede now, and in true bovine fashion they’re lowing and bawling in confusion and fear as they run they know not where just as hard and fast as their spindly legs will carry them. May their hysteria continue to blind them to the reality that they’re being carefully driven…right off a cliff.

      May they continue to find themselves unable to contain their raving madness, and may the sane population see it unleashed in all its repellent pathos. And may that stupid, ignorant, stupid, incompetent, stupidstupidSTUPID swine Trump continue to run rings around their asses, until their options are reduced, literally, to: A) shit, or B) go blind.

      Two scoops of ice cream, instead of just one. My God, it’s like Watergate, or the Holocaust, or something. Clearly, the man is unfit to be President.

      Heh. I’ll say it again: Most. Fun. Presidency. EVER.

      (Via Ace)"

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    3. Certainly all this bellyaching about "I would've won, if not for those meddling facts that leaked out!" reinforces my vote.

      It's like the catholic church having a convention on priest molestation of children only to ask the question: "How do we get the kids to stop telling?" h/t southpark

      - reader #1482

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  19. Trump should have had a list of people that he wanted resignations from ready for January 21st. Comey should have been on that list. Flood the zone and get all the outrage out in one fell swoop.

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    1. Will, Such a strategy so early in the transition was probably what the shadow government anticipated, and was prepared for. As it is, the Potus and his team have piled up wins, with little to no resistance, or political cost, unless one believes in Fake News!
      The deadly cancer which has riddled the USA will require intensive treatment for many years to come... Let's hope that all America loving people, begin to see the light and join in the righteous fight! OW~~~
      "Let's Roll"
      http://www.lyrics-youtube.com/lyrics/scotland-the-brave-pipes-drums-hd-PSH0eRKq1lE

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  20. Danke, L'man!
    Read it, a tad salty, but on point, just the way aha aha I like it! OW~~~

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