More indications of the growing financial exit to avoid the predictable response from totalitarian moves by Beijing.  [Backstory – Backstory] Now we see reports growing of mass financial moves out of Hong Kong, as billionaires see the looming shadow of Red Dragon closing in…

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Some Hong Kong tycoons have started moving personal wealth offshore as concern deepens over a local government plan to allow extraditions of suspects to face trial in China for the first time, according to financial advisers, bankers and lawyers familiar with such transactions.
One tycoon, who considers himself potentially politically exposed, has started shifting more than $100 million from a local Citibank account to a Citibank account in Singapore, according to an adviser involved in the transactions.
“It’s started. We’re hearing others are doing it, too, but no-one is going to go on parade that they are leaving,” the adviser said. “The fear is that the bar is coming right down on Beijing’s ability to get your assets in Hong Kong. Singapore is the favoured destination.”

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Earlier today President Trump hit back against a ridiculous media and political narrative that in a series of tweets:
The example of Mark Warner is particularly poignant. In 2017 Senator Mark Warner was texting with lawyer/lobbyist Adam Waldman about setting up a covert meeting with British intelligence operative and dossier author Chris Steele.  Waldman is a lobbyist/lawyer with a $40,000 monthly retainer to represent the U.S. interests of Russian billionaire Oleg V. Deripaska.
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HPSCI ranking member Devin Nunes appears with judiciary committee member Mark Meadows to discuss today’s HPSCI hearing, corruption within the DOJ/FBI, and the current NYT story about AG Bill Barr questioning the CIA construct of the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment.
Notice in Mr. Nunes statements: “corrupt rank and file“? {CURIOUS}; also Fusion GPS and the FBI operating on “parallel tracks“? {CURIOUS x 2}  Additionally, from Rep. Mark Meadows we hear this:

“We are now getting a lot of whistle-blowers” … “people who knew this was wrong are coming forward now” …

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Also from Nunes, confirmation that Rosenstein’s original scope memo was based on empowering/authorizing Weissmann and Mueller to investigate (ie. ‘utilize’) the dossier manufactured by Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson, Nellie Ohr and Christopher Steele.
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The New York Times has a report this evening surrounding U.S. Attorney John Durham questioning CIA officials about the origination of the Trump-Russia investigation.
However, a closer look at the substance underneath the NYT reporting and it doesn’t actually look like Durham is questioning the CIA about the investigation itself; rather it appears he is questioning the CIA about how they came to the conclusions within the January 7th, 2017, Intelligence Community Assessment, or ICA.

(New York Times) […] Mr. Barr wants to know more about the C.I.A. sources who helped inform its understanding of the details of the Russian interference campaign, an official has said. He also wants to better understand the intelligence that flowed from the C.I.A. to the F.B.I. in the summer of 2016.

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This is excellent news.  Last week Michael Flynn fired Covington & Burling LLP as his legal counsel.  Today it is being reported that Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn has hired former U.S. Attorney Sidney Powell.

This is an excellent development as Sidney Powell is one of the few legal advocates with a firm grasp on the surrounding dynamic.  Additionally, Mrs. Powell is smart to the tricks and corrupt tactics of Andrew Weissmann and the assembled crew of Robert Mueller.
It will likely take several weeks for Powell to review the case file (must be rather large), and given the background of corrupt FBI activity, hopefully Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn and Sidney Powell can mount an offense.
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Inspector General Horowitz is doing a FISA review based on the Carter Page application. However, if Michael Horowitz has started looking deeply into the DOJ National Security Division (DOJ-NSD), via their historic use of FARA definitions to submit Title-1 surveillance warrants against U.S. persons…. well, there’s a strong possibility such an IG investigation would take much longer than expected.
Additionally, if the Obama DOJ-NSD was using the appearance of FARA violations as the predicate for FISA warrant authority (now seems likely); and that sketchy predicate was the basis for keeping all OIG oversight away from the NSD (again, likely); then the entire political system in/around Washington DC would be opened as a target for surveillance.
Anyone targeted under such a sketchy legal predicate for lobbying violations, would unknowingly be carrying their Title-1 surveillance virus into every interaction.  The downstream ramifications are almost beyond imagining….

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White House Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Kevin Hassett squares-off against Fox Business crew on trade tensions with China, the state of the U.S. economy, the outlook for Federal Reserve policy and his upcoming departure from the White House.
Steve Forbes is disconnected from the reality of what happens with tariffs on China. Beijing first responds to off-set the tariff by lowering the value of their currency, and/or subsidizing the targeted products. There is no price increase to U.S. consumers (check inflation).

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Apparently President Trump was watching the segment, and had a word for Maria Bartiromo, Dagan McDowell, Steve Forbes and Stuart Varney:
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Judicary Chairman Jerry Nadler constructed a political hearing to kick-off their impeachment narrative and fuel their base.  In an effort to create the appearance of hearing credibility the plan was to use testimony from former Nixon White House Counsel John Dean.  The plan failed, miserably…  Dean was showcased for what he is, a political prop for the left-wing base of MSNBC moonbats.
Committee members Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz spotlight the ridiculous positions of Mr. Dean by highlighting his ideological history and presenting questions which showcase the absurdity of it all.  First up, Jim Jordan:

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Following Mr. Jordan, representative Matt Gaetz: “the ghost of Christmas past“….
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Responding to a request from Chairman Jerry Nadler, Attorney General William Barr has sent a letter (full pdf below)explaining the scope of the DOJ review of intelligence activities in the 2016 presidential campaign.  According to the letter AG Barr says the review is “broad in scope and multifaceted,” and includes examining actions by US and foreign intelligence agencies, “as well as non-governmental organizations and individuals.”
Here’s the letter:

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Today the House Judiciary Committee led by Chairman Jerry Nadler officially begins the House Impeachment Hearings.  Yes, these are impeachment hearings; they are just being presented under other names in an effort by Democrats to avoid the political fallout from holding impeachment hearings. They’ll get away with it because: (1) U.S. media are on their team; and (2) Leadership Republicans are idiots (and many also on the ‘D’ team).
The hearings will be broadcast live and -by design- carried on most media outlets. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Jerry Nadler, having planned the approach for several months, name their impeachment kick-off event:

“Lessons from the Mueller Report: Presidential Obstruction and Other Crimes”

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[John Dean Testimonial embed below].
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