Disturbing follow-up to this story; and, well, this doesn’t speak too highly of Capitol Hill Security:
WASHINGTON – […] The U.S. Capitol Police Board is conducting an internal investigation into how someone without a press credential – and on a watch list – was able to slip into the secure area and get so close to the president. This was a monumental f—up,” a senior congressional security source told Fox News.
The U.S. State Department consists of the most entrenched group of life-long professional political bureaucrats in any sector of the government. The scope of the mindset really comes to the surface within leaks from inside the Deep State machine that became the basis for a Politico article today. You really have to read it to fathom the scope of elitism.
The article, and the sentiment carried from within the bureaucracy which frames the construct, highlights the level of indignation within the agency toward President Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as they carry out foreign policy objectives. The article contains a State Dept. quote which thoroughly encapsulates the mindset therein:
“We are implementers of policy decided by Tillerson and his team,” one veteran State Department official concluded.
Oh, the horror. The career officials within the State Department are reduced to being “implementers” of foreign policy instead of being able to construct the policy on their own.
Yes, in essence, they are complaining about having bosses.
[Via Politico] A leaked State Department document is alarming diplomats and others who say it shows the accumulation of power among a small and unaccountable group of senior aides to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
The chart, obtained by POLITICO, illustrates the growing influence of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, which traditionally has served as an in-house think tank but which Tillerson heavily relies upon for day-to-day decision making. Critics already complain that the office — led by Brian Hook, a powerful Tillerson aide not subject to Senate confirmation — accepts too little input from career diplomats, and the chart, which lays out a method to craft foreign policy, shows no explicit role for them.
In the 48 hours since the Washington Post outlined the financial backing for the Christopher Steele “Russian Dossier” as the Hillary Clinton campaign and DNC, the Democrat apparatus writ large has been trying to obfuscate and distance themselves from it. Yesterday Clinton campaign Spokesman Brian Fallon denied his knowledge of the campaign financing Fusion GPS for the commissioned dossier contract.
Today, in the latest laughable attempt at dodge-ball Hillary Clinton is now stating she didn’t know her campaign was paying for it:
(NYT) […] Officials from the Clinton campaign and the D.N.C. have said they were unaware that Perkins Coie facilitated the research on their behalf, even though the law firm was using their money to pay for it.
Even Mrs. Clinton only found about Mr. Steele’s research after Buzzfeed published the dossier, according to two associates who discussed the matter with her. They said that she was disappointed that the research — as well as the fact that the F.B.I. was looking into connections between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia — was not made public before Election Day. (read more – link)
The reason the financing of the dossier is ultimately so relevant is because it shreds the entire narrative that the Russians were trying to help candidate Donald Trump.
A strong, heck, even a moderate application of common sense would accept that the dossier was created to undermine candidate Trump, to the benefit of Hillary Clinton, and the publication of the generally refuted and debunked material post-election was only intended to undermine the presidency of Donald Trump.
(more…)
Earlier tonight Fox Business News host Lou Dobbs aired an exclusive interview with President Trump. The content of the interview is exceptionally broad and wide ranging on all the pertinent issues currently occupying headlines. WATCH:
First, do not think the Washington Post is ever going to frame a damaging article against the Clinton’s or DNC; it is beyond their inherent ideology to do so. Therefore the motive of any media expose’ must be kept in mind.
Second, while the article itself states the Clinton Campaign and the DNC paid Fusion GPS to contract Christopher Steele, the researcher and dossier author, the article also tries to lend some credibility toward the content therein. This is another possible angle.
Third, the judge in case of the congressional subpoena into Fusion GPS bank records -to discover the funding of the dossier- gave Fusion GPS until Friday of this week to work out an agreement with congress that would eliminate the need for a judicial decision. It is entirely possible this WaPo article was advanced by a risk averse Fusion GPS in order to dilute the need for the bank record inquiry. No doubt the bank records would contain far more information than just the Clinton Campaign and DNC.
Fourth, with #3 in mind, and considering this report is from within the Washington Post, there is a strong possibility the other finance mechanisms for the dossier might include the U.S. government (FBI and CIA). Additionally likely – knowing the WaPo has a history of defending, and working on behalf of, the intelligence community.
Fifth, the sourcing within the Washington Post article is weak, vague and disingenuous with verbiage such as: “people familiar with the matter”, “according to those people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity”, “people involved in the matter“, etc. Notice how the term “matter” repeats. That familiar term is frequent throughout the article.
As to the substance:
(more…)
Sometimes there’s a level of irony that goes beyond the normal boundaries of ordinary irony and simultaneously creates a tear in the space-time continuum of DC hypocrisy; this is one such example.
Representative Frederica Wilson, a devoted member of the professional grievance club, has been at the epicenter of a story surrounding the death of Sergeant La David Johnson in Niger ever since Wilson politicized the bereavement call of President Trump, and the bereavement of Sgt. Johnson’s widow, her constituent, Myeshia Johnson.
Representative Wilson has also claimed she was unaware of why we are carrying out military engagements in Niger, and has called the mission “President Trump’s Benghazi“.
Given that level of expressed outrage it might surprise people to know that it was Representative Frederica Wilson who personally constructed H.R. 3383 / S.1632, joint House and Senate legislation that directs the State Department and Dept of Defense to execute military missions in Niger. Yes, in 2016 Wilson demanded military campaigns in the same place Wilson claims not to know about in 2017.
From her own 2016 press release:Washington, D.C.– In a long-awaited victory, the U.S. House of Representatives today by a voice vote passed H.R. 3833/S. 1632, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (D-Florida) and Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to help combat Boko Haram.
Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards took to the streets of Barcelona after the Spanish government announced they would dissolve the Catalonia Regional Government and hold new elections through an Article 155 declaration.
Article 155 allows Madrid to dissolve the Catalan regional government and force new elections, which Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says will take place within six months. The PM insisted the move would not result in a loss of autonomy for Catalonia, but hundreds of thousands of pro-independence Catalans have taken to the streets in Barcelona in protest.
(Via UK Express) Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s Cabinet in Spain met this morning to agree to roll out hardline rules to penalise the breakaway region and impose direct rule.
Elections could be held in just six months as the government seeks to oust all those involved in the “illegal” referendum – including Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont who could even face jail for his role in the crisis.
A Chinese central planner, Zhang Yong, the vice-head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), made a statement today (during the communist party congress) that carries much more significance than most people recognize.
The statement was made on behalf of communist China’s central planners and is directed toward what sectors of their economy they will focus investment (emphasis mine).
BEIJING (Reuters) – China will introduce measures aimed at guiding private investment into areas that have a higher growth potential, a senior official with the state planning agency said on Saturday.
China also would take steps to lower the investment threshold for private investors, said Zhang Yong, the vice-head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), during a briefing on the sidelines of China’s Communist Party Congress.
The manufacturing industry as well as the property market, which have been driving private investment, are now quite weak, Zhang said.
“Now we want to attract investment in sectors with growth potential such as subway projects.” (link)
Notice two key points: #1 forecast growth in manufacturing is seen as “quite weak”, and #2 they are shifting toward building their own domestic transportation infrastructure.
(more…)
When a business entity forms the largest and most important decision they make is who will lead the organization. That decision, beyond all other decisions, has the potential to destroy the business and long-term brand image of the entity.
The National Football League has destroyed itself. In a free-market system customers have the ability to turn away from any product or service against their interests.
Announced during a post-meeting press conference today, the N.F.L has decided not to enforce it’s own rules on player conduct. Instead the league will continue to let players kneel or sit during the national anthem without a penalty, capitulating to demands by the athletes for free expression but potentially further alienating fans who object to the protests and feel those expressions are disrespectful to the flag and the military.
Conversely, after the meeting with union representatives and players, the social justice league promised to support causes targeted by the protesting players, including reform of the criminal justice system and continued disparagement toward law enforcement officers.
(more…)
It should not be forgotten that President Obama’s National Security Adviser Susan Rice previously stated that Bergdahl: “served his country with honor and distinction.” Now today:
ABC – Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and misbehavior before the enemy via his attorney Monday.
Bergdahl, 31, was charged after he disappeared from his base in Afghanistan in June 2009 and was held in captivity by the Taliban until May 2014. A judge said Bergdhal’s maximum possible punishment would be life in prison, but he has not been sentenced yet. (read more)
