Well, I read it. The whole thing. Cover to cover. Also watched the Senate Judiciary hearing from gavel to gavel. Whew!
That IG report is a remarkable document. It's well worth reading despite its somewhat turgid, even lugubrious, writing style. Everybody should read it.
I found it disturbing in the extreme. It confirms what many of us had thought (see here, for example) about what has happened to the FBI in the last few years. Read it; you don't need me to tell you what the report states about how the FBI engaged in a massive criminal conspiracy (yes, conspiracy) to take down candidate and later President Trump. Forget all that media spin about the report exonerating Director Comey, and the finding that the investigation into Trump and Russia was legal and proper. Rubbish. The report is a wrecking ball; the Dems and their buddies don't know what to do about it except spin, spin, spin and shout "Impeachment!" The report, and Horowitz at the hearing, clearly stated that the FBI lied to the FISA court in order to obtain warrants on Carter Page and sent contacts, at times wired, to talk to Trump campaign personnel--obviously in hopes of entrapping them. The FBI did all sorts of inept and even criminal actions to nail Trump. It's in the report.
I am more and more impressed by Senator Graham. I had grown quite skeptical of him and his association with the increasingly weird and late John McCain. It seems that once freed of McCain's shadow, Graham has blossomed into a feisty, straight-talking and effective warrior for conservative causes, and, with Senator Cruz, one of Trump's most powerful defenders. His opening address to the Judiciary Committee today was a masterpiece. It was more powerful than anything I could have written. Watch it!
More later . . .
I agree.
ReplyDeleteSome think what ought happen is an extended ... something or other however that "theater" might work. At the same time declaring, "Let there be a trial."
Let us recall how a trial proceeds:
The Prosecution presents its case and if, however it's presented a jury of whatever capacity - except that it to be "average citizens" - and yet the Prosecution presents nothing but, forgive me Mr. Amselem, bullshit - that's that right there.
Enough time has been wasted.
I'm not particularly fond of Senator Graham but what he's saying is the correct path.
End this farce.
JK
I watched Senator Graham's opening statement. Quite damning and filled with evidence of a conspiracy for charges of sedition, but I am sure it will get zero coverage outside of Fox. The Media are just whistling past the graveyard here. Oh, wait that isn't my surprised face....
ReplyDeleteIf the warrant was obtained illegally, all the evidence is " Fruit of the Poisonous Tree ", and unusable in court.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the whole thing yet. I've actually started from the end and am working my way back to the beginning - I learned to avoid executive summaries decades ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's a horribly damning report. Too many "I don't recalls", stuff like "the agent didn't think it pertinent so didn't include it in the report to the deputy attorney general" with the DAG responding that if he'd known then it would have been included in the FISA application - are we really supposed to believe the case agents deceived their superiors?
Even if you grant the FBI enough slack to approve the first application the FISA apps should never have been renewed.
Worst of all is the takeaway that there's no reason it can't all happen again: promising training and threatening performance reviews isn't even a slap on the wrist!
Unless, perhaps, the current FBI director is given the boot and someone more motivated to clean house is appointed. General Flynn, perhaps?
Solomon2
DeleteWorst of all is the takeaway that there's no reason it can't all happen again: promising training and threatening performance reviews isn't even a slap on the wrist!
It happens every year, and has been happening for decades. The FBI has always operated like this. Nice to see some conservatives on the progressive side for once.
One Brow, some conservatives were pissed off when the FBI got Scooter Libby locked up for remembering something different from what an FBI guy remembered, based on the FBI guy's interpretation of his own handwritten notes. The amazingly advanced technology of tape recorders somehow not being available to FBI agents way back in the early 2000s.
Deletehttps://doctorweasel.wordpress.com/2019/03/30/fake-news-lingers/
Doctor Weasel,
DeleteHopefully, you will be just as pissed off when this happens to people who are not rich, white men.
In many ways Graham does appear to have improved without the apparently-corrupting influence of his friend. But then again if my understanding of things is correct, he's had the power *since day one* of this shampeachment farce to call witnesses into the senate to testify. He could have had Schiff or Hunter or Page or anyone else he wanted come testify under HIS authority, where he sets the rules instead of the rules set by the House and its current leadership.
ReplyDeleteWhy has he not done so? Does he honestly think getting a second version of the questioning would actually hurt? When Jordan cross-examines a rumorblower or witless-witness, he devastates them. With proper phrasing the questioning could be very effecting in counteracting the narrative. And if he has any sense at all in choosing his witnesses properly, same story. Unless he feels he's not up to that job then I don't see how it hurts... but maybe there is a way.
I don't understand why he thinks he "has to wait" for *anything*, not the IG report, not Durham, not the articles, not anything at all. Some people claim he knows he does not and is choosing to wait anyway, but we cannot possibly know this for sure. Odds are he truly does think he has to wait... but if so, why?
Since you lived in this world you are more likely to actually *know* rather than guess. DOES he actually "have to" wait? If not, any guesses as to why he is?
Brexit!
ReplyDeleteI have this sinking feeling that the Dems will vote harvest their way to a narrow victory and all the efforts at transparency will be jettisoned down the memory hole. The Deep State will emerge into their ready waiting ambassadorships, and the criminal enterprise will continue. At that point, Barack Obama will only be addressed as The Propet Obama, peace be upon him.
ReplyDeleteGraham was tied to the hip of John McCain. The same John McCain who helped distribute the dubious Steele Dossier. He's always been a uni-party snake.
ReplyDeleteThere have not been any "good employees" in either the FBI or the DoJ since AT LEAST Whitey Bulger.
ReplyDeleteExecute every one of them for their treason. Then put their heads on pikes around the Beltway. Pour encourager les autres!!!
It is an agenda. Obama could not pull it off so he settled.for setting the table for the expected Hillary Ascension.
ReplyDeleteThe goal destroy the 2nd amendment,assisted by the fbi and government intelligence agencies. The FBI currently obstructs freedom of information requests from judicial watch.
Virginia's proposed gun confiscation laws,in violation of va Constitution,and the u.s. constitution,is what was expected Nationwide from Hillary.