Well, well, well…. details from last week’s trip by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to the White House are now surfacing in multiple news reports.  Mark the date today, the media is exiting the ‘muh Russia’ narrative.

Deep-weeds-walkers, those who follow nuance carefully, will note that yesterday Jennifer Jacobs was given a question by POTUS Trump during the joint press conference with PM Shinzo Abe.  Jacobs asked President Trump if he would still consider firing Special Counsel Robert Mueller.  Not coincidentally, today Jennifer Jacobs reports that DAG Rosenstein informed the President he is not a target of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

The media walk-back begins…. left-wing partisans going bananas. Multiple simultaneous splodey heads happening:

(Bloomberg)  Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein told President Donald Trump last week that he isn’t a target of any part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Rosenstein, who brought up the Mueller probe himself, offered the assurance during a meeting with Trump at the White House last Thursday, a development that helped tamp down the president’s desire to remove Rosenstein or Mueller, the people said.

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Multiple media outlets are now confirming the DOJ Office of Inspector General, Michael Horowitz has sent the U.S. Attorney a criminal referral over the unlawful issues which led to the firing of FBI Asst. Director Andrew McCabe.

(Via CNN) The Justice Department’s inspector general has sent a criminal referral regarding former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to the US attorney’s office in Washington, according to a source familiar with the matter. A McCabe spokesperson, the Justice Department and US attorney’s office all declined to comment. (link)

In other words, Horowitz looked across the table and said: “start here John“.  The Washington Post provides more background on the referral, noting the actual submission happened “some time ago” (hint – HUBER).

(Via WaPo) The Justice Department inspector general referred its finding that former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe repeatedly misled investigators who were examining a media disclosure to the top federal prosecutor in D.C. to determine whether McCabe should be charged with a crime, according to people familiar with the matter.

The referral to the D.C. U.S. Attorney’s Office occurred some time ago, after the inspector general concluded McCabe had lied to investigators or his own boss, then-FBI Director James B. Comey, on four occasions, three of them under oath. (link)

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Earlier today President Trump traveled to the Joint Interagency Taskforce-South in Key West, Florida.  Those who have traveled to Key West will note they actually landed AF1 at the Key West airport; quite a remarkable accomplishment (video below).

The U.S. border interdiction activity, the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security in the South Florida Keys is an important part of the larger national security network.  President Trump visited the Naval Air Station at Key West, a strategic part of the Southern security network. Additionally, President Trump thanked those who work within the Joint Agency Task-Force.

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The Florida Keys are still recovering from last year’s Hurricane and the visit by President Trump is a huge morale boost for the recovery workers still on the ground and the tight knit communities rebuilding. These are great people, born with saltwater in their veins. Thousands lined the streets to cheer for POTUS Trump.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

The Trump campaign has announced a MAGA rally for Saturday April 28th in Washington, MI, the same night and time as the White House Correspondent’s Dinner 07:00 pm (EST). The rally venue is Total Sports Park, and doors open at 4pm EST.

Tickets Available HERE

Total Sports Park – 65665 Powell Road, Washington, MI 48095  Doors open 4:00pm and rally start time 7:00pm.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump hold a joint press conference at the end of their two-day bilateral summit in Mar-a-Lago. Anticipated start time 6:15pm EST

UPDATE: Video Added

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After a round of golf together earlier today President Trump joins with Vice President Mike Pence to host Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his delegation for a working lunch between close allies.  Japan is well positioned for a golden-trade-ticket. A joint press conference will follow later in the day.

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Led by Representative Ron DeSantis congress has sent a criminal referral letter (full pdf below) to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Federal Prosecutor John Huber.

The identified targets of the referral include: •former FBI Director James Comey; •former Asst. FBI Director Andrew McCabe; •former Attorney General Loretta Lynch; •former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; •current FBI Agent Peter Strzok; and •current DOJ Attorney Lisa Page (former Special Counsel to Andrew McCabe).

The identified reasoning for each of the referrals is outlined in the letter below.  However, the risk to James Comey is not simply contained within the letter, but also contained within the non-discussed fact that FBI chief-legal-counsel James Baker is a cooperating witness for IG Horowitz and Huber.

One of the lesser discussed aspects to the ongoing investigative overview is how a few key people, with direct and specific knowledge of the events that took place within the FBI and DOJ activity, remain inside the institutions as they are being investigated.

Those key DOJ and FBI officials have been removed from their position, yet remain inside with no identified or explained responsibility.

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Video from last night’s dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Lady Akie Abe, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.

It is not unusual for the Abe family and Trump family to drop formality and use informal terms/guestures during their meetings. The relationship between both families -including their children and grandchildren- extends well beyond the realm of politics; they are close personal friends.

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