There is something profoundly sanctimonious about Benjamin Wittes and fired FBI Director James Comey sitting under a the banner of “Lawfare” and pontificating about the need to save beloved “institutions of government”.  Even the terminology “Lawfare” describes the intentional use of the legal process to wage ideological war against your enemies; in this example, political enemies.

In this soundbite captures from a Brookings Institution symposium break-out session sponsored by Benjamin Wittes and the Lawfare Blog, Wittes interviews James Comey about the threats posed by the sunlight of House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes.

.

The Lawfare group is mentioned several times in text messages between corrupt FBI Agent Peter Strzok and DOJ Special Counsel Lisa Page.  The group of like-minded, politically motivated, lawyers was used frequently by Lisa Page to frame arguments within their investigative endeavors during the Clinton exoneration and Trump investigation.

Accordingly, recently resigned FBI Chief Legal Counsel James Baker announced after his departure he was going to work for Wittes at Lawfare.  Birds of a feather.. etc.

(more…)

Kimberley Strassel expands on her Wall Street Journal piece raising the question of whether the FBI used human intelligence which included placing a mole within Trump’s 2016 campaign.

.

Trey Gowdy follows up Strassel, quickly dancing the Potomac Two-Step WATCH:

(more…)

Interesting new developments in the growing story of the FBI and DOJ conducting a surveillance operation against candidate Trump in 2016, to include the use of an FBI and CIA informant.

Contrary to previous reporting, representative Peter King (R-NY) reveals that yesterday Devin Nunes and Trey Gowdy were not allowed to see the originating documents during their visit with the DOJ and FBI officials.   Representative Trey Gowdy (U-DC) reluctantly admitted moments ago, the statement by Peter King was true.

The DOJ refused to allow Nunes & Gowdy access to the “EC” (electronic communication) document that initiated the FBI counterintelligence operation.  Instead, Nunes and Gowdy were given an opaque description of the EC process; and told to come back next week if they wanted to talk more.

Additionally, Peter King reveals the DOJ and FBI are manipulating President Trump, and tricking him to believe declassifying information would endanger sources.  WATCH:

(more…)

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley has just dropped a sunlight grenade into the prosecution of Michael Flynn with a jaw-dropping request letter (full pdf below) to FBI Director Christopher Wray.  [Judiciary Link Here]

Within the letter Chairman Grassley outlines a prior briefing from fired FBI Director James Comey to the Senate Judiciary Committee, and contrasts the false presentations of Comey -regarding Michael Flynn- against recently known evidence.

Additionally, Grassley is requesting: ♦the transcription of the phone call(s) intercepted by the FBI between Flynn and Russian Ambassador Kislyak; ♦the FD 302’s written by the FBI in their interview with Michael Flynn; ♦and testimony from Special Agent Joe Pientka, likely the second FBI agent who was partnered with Peter Strzok for the Flynn interview.

The name of the second FBI agent was previously unknown, and it’s likely Chairman Grassley outed the name for a very specific reason.  This is a BIG shot across the bow.

Previously the Justice Department was refusing to provide any information to the committee pertinent to Grassley’s requests, citing the ongoing investigation. However, the Senator is now outlining his request against the backdrop of the Judge in the Flynn case demanding the Special Counsel turn over all exculpatory information.

(more…)

Critical Update – Critical Update – Critical Update

Those who are watching the NAFTA negotiations must pay close attention to the activity in the past 36 hours.  There is a key video at the bottom.  First the backdrop:

As most are aware the NAFTA fatal flaw, the “loophole”, surrounds Mexico and Canada structuring their economic manufacturing policy -and trade deals- through the exploitation of a back-door into the U.S. Market. Understanding this key issue is paramount to understanding President Trump’s approach therein.

Remove the NAFTA “loophole” and there is no longer an incentive for U.S. manufacturers to locate their operations in Mexico or Canada. However, the removal of this loophole also means China, ASEAN nations and the EU lose the same incentive.

There have been hundreds of billions of previous investment by multinational corporations in Mexico and Canada.  Every dollar spent was intended to continue this exploitation.

Then came Trump.

In terms of investment size and scale of manufacturing, the auto-sector is perhaps the primary industry attempting to position themselves to avoid any reversal of the NAFTA scheme; and it is a self-interested economic scheme. In the short term there are billions at stake; in the longer term there are trillions within the equation.

(more…)

•On July 31st, 2016 the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation against the Trump campaign. They did not inform congress until March 2017. •At the beginning of August (1st-3rd) 2016 FBI Agent Peter Strzok traveled to London, England for interviews with UK intelligence officials. •On August 15th, 2016 Peter Strzok sends a text message to DOJ Lawyer Lisa Page describing the “insurance policy“, needed in case Hillary Clinton were to lose the election.

Recently there has been a great deal of interest in the origination OF the 2016 FBI counterintelligence operation, and how the FISA court was later used to gain Title-1 surveillance warrant against U.S. person Carter Page; part of that operation.

The current line of inquiry surrounds the originating “EC” or “electronic communication” that was generated by CIA Director John Brennan and passed on to FBI Director James Comey. The EC initiated the FBI Counterintelligence Operation.

Specifically, House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes has asked about a redacted name within the “EC”, which has led to the DOJ and FBI claiming to release the name would compromise the individual.

All of these inquires, and refusals, center around the origination authority for the FBI Counterintelligence operation. The origination led to the FISA warrant. Remember that.

Chairman Nunes sent Main Justice a classified letter asking questions. DOJ responded saying they would not comply with providing information (letter)  The Washington Post claimed Nunes was looking for information on an FBI/DOJ ‘source’: “a U.S. citizen who has provided intelligence to the CIA and FBI.” Additionally, this “source” was later also described by WaPo as a witness for Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation.

(more…)

The current issue is the DOJ and FBI refusing to comply with a previous letter sent by Chairman Devin Nunes to Jeff Sessions requesting information pertinent to ongoing review of potential FISA abuse.

Chairman Nunes sent Main Justice a classified letter asking questions. DOJ responded saying they would not comply with providing information (letter below). The Washington Post claimed Nunes was looking for information on an FBI/DOJ ‘source’:

“Top White House officials, with the assent of President Trump, agreed to back the decision to withhold the information. They were persuaded that turning over Justice Department documents could risk lives by potentially exposing the source, a U.S. citizen who has provided intelligence to the CIA and FBI, according to multiple people familiar with the discussion and the person’s role.”  (link)

Additionally, this “source” was later also described as a witness for Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation.

(more…)

Unfortunately for CNN’s narrative engineers, it’s back to the drawing board ahead of the 2018 mid-term elections.  Russia, Russia, Russia and Porn-Stars, Porn-Stars, Porn-Stars just ain’t selling no more…  If only Comrade Stormy was Russian – ::heavy sigh::

.

According to their own CNN polling (full pdf below), despite their earnest engineering efforts, when considering issues for the upcoming mid-term elections – there’s less interest now in Russia-Russia-Russia/Sexual Harassment nonsense, than there was three months ago.

(more…)

Michael Avenatti is the sketchy lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels.  Following a similar approach deployed by Fusion-GPS, in a rush to spread rumors and accusations Avenatti has pushed stolen documents from Treasury Department filings to his allies in the media.

The documents appear to come from frequently submitted bank filings and treasury notifications known as Currency Transaction Reports (CTR’s), and Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR’s).  SAR’s and CTR’s are compliance forms filed by organizations who engage in financial services.

Every organization from mortgage providers, to international financial institutions, to local U.S. main street banks, all the way to Western Union and convenience stores who generate money orders, are required to file CTR’s and SAR’s as part of the Treasury Department Banking Secretaries Act; a law requiring anyone engaged in financial services to assist government agencies in detecting and preventing money laundering.

At some point every person reading here has likely had a report filled out by a financial provider, submitting their details within a financial transaction, filed with the Treasury department. You never know about it, because it’s part of compliance reporting.

Somehow the sketchy lawyer for Stormy Daniels obtained a list of treasury filings attached to the name Michael Cohen; the same name as President Trump’s lawyer. It is likely someone within the Treasury Department, or the DOJ with search access to the Treasury Department, leaked this list to Michael Avenatti in an effort to assist his dubious motives.

Unfortunately, at least two of the people Avenatti is now accusing of scurrilous financial transactions are not the same Michael Cohen the dubious lawyer is seeking to attack.  One is a Canadian Michael Cohen, the other is an Israeli Michael Cohen; both have financial transactions in the United States.  The latter just sending his brother money.

This is what happens when you put names in search engines within government records.  There are always multiple people with the same name.  You might remember the wrong Michael Cohen was identified in the Steele Dossier as traveling to Prague, part of a similarly intended and motivated accusation.

(more…)

President Trump delivers remarks at the beginning of a cabinet meeting today. Several topics are covered including the safe return of three American detainees from North Korea; and the upcoming summit.

[Transcript] 11:37 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Okay, thank you very much. We have a lot of things happening, as you know. But last night was a very big night for the Republican Party. Every candidate that we wanted won, and they did very well. There was tremendous enthusiasm.

And with the economy going so strong and so good with all of the things that are happening, including a tremendous foreign affairs picture. If you look at what’s going on with so many different elements, including the fact that, right now, flying back are three, what they were calling “hostages.” We call them “fine people.” Three really fine people. Seemed to be healthy.

(more…)