Andrew McCarthy at National Review provided the best legal analysis of the entire Russian collusion mess for the past two years and JK kindly provided a podcast link, located here, where McCarthy discusses the latest news on the Mueller report findings. It’s worth your time to listen to this, almost hour-long, discussion.
A clear explanation of the Mueller findings from National Review
Filed under General Interest, Politics
libertybelle diaries 
https://www.nationalreview.com/podcasts/the-mccarthy-report/episode-42-breaking-down-the-mueller-report/
Well now, JK, this in the NYTimes, LOL: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/19/us/politics/steele-dossier-mueller-report.html
Thanks, JK. I haven’t read the report yet – looked at the first page and started fuming at how one-sided the entire investigation into 2016 Russian “collusion’ efforts were in this investigation. The Russians have an easy time fueling divides when our own partisans operate believing their group of partisans are honorable and the opposing partisans are enemies to America. The Russians and America’s enemies don’t even work hard to incite these American partisans or get them to buy into wild disinformation about the other side.
And then we have our holier-than-thou journalists… “objectively” reporting the facts… What a basketcase America has become after decades of relentless spin information warfare polluting America news media.
I will listen to McCarthy though. At NR, David French wrote a rather moralizing piece about what a corrupting influence Trump is with his constant lying, trying to get other people to lie and expecting those around him to fall in line with his lies. It’s true, of course, but he fails to see that Trump and Hillary were the same corruption and along with all of that Obama peeps were abusing executive power trying to destroy Trump in 2016 too. You can’t ignore all of the corruption coming from the White House in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Trump wasn’t the only president involved in, to borrow the media’s fav. word, “unprecedented” levels of corruption to undermine the rule of law.
Two FBI criminal investigations into the Clintons got deep-sixed in 2016. And a spying investigation into the Trump campaign, coupled with a vast media spin effort to cast Trump as a Russian agent was aided and abetted by the Obama administration. Plus there’s that other Huma Abedin laptop investigation that Comey rushed, which smells like another “nothing to see here” cover-up effort.
French likes to go on and on, about how Trump is president, making his corruption and lies so dangerous, while he gives the Obama corruption and the Clinton corruption a pass. He doesn’t acknowledge that Trump wasn’t president in 2016, while all these other corrupt actions,undermining the rule of law, occurred.
If you need (or even want) LB, confirmation of all you’ve been working toward these many years – even though I’ve been telling you, you’re .. and have been, on target. See the spot featuring the FBI guy Kevin Brock segment. A mere fourteen minutes and forty-eight seconds of your day.
And I’ll say it again – Good Job LB.
https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/439686-rising-april-19-2019
JK, Thanks JK. I listened to the video clip and read the article. I’ve read just a small part of the first section of the Mueller report – lots of questions keep smacking me in the face about the Russian operations. However, I was writing a blog post on spin 101… again, when I saw your comment, lol.
Maybe LB, I can save you from having to (or desiring to) read the whole thing. I have read it but, alot of it either previously published or “apparent” if one has followed all the meanderings – and having, especially, followed McCarthy’s many explications, speculations etc.
Mind, in my saying “I’ve read it” isn’t meant to imply I’ve really done the second step (study) and certainly not the third.
Anyway LB, there’s this fellow by the name of ‘Bob’ I’ve gotten to “know” over on David’s site over a period of oh, maybe 28 or so months. Bright fellow, retired NASA engineer (don’t tell him I said any of this stuff!) I think maybe he’s got a life sorta like I do nowadays since I’ve become the equivalent of a IBM Selectric typewriter in a modern office setting – “an argue-er over small taters” kinda guy in easy English.
He and I carried on ‘a discussion’ I’m pointing you toward. Just skip over everything but the comments which lead with either ‘Bob,’ or ‘JK’ maybe take a look at one where the ‘Bob,’ is lacking but can be id’d by my having italicized its beginning [ie, Russia Russia Russia!].
And actually LB, the conclusion [self-understanding] Bob inadvertently led me to is a real one. ‘Real enough’ anyway to satisfy my needs. Insofar as just the Mueller Report is concerned. My concerns/fears of us wandering so far away from our Constitutional Republic’s “promises” continue unabated.
https://duffandnonsense.typepad.com/duff_nonsense/2019/04/in-which-i-worry-about-phil-carpenter.html?cid=6a00d8341c5caf53ef0240a454e894200c#comment-6a00d8341c5caf53ef0240a454e894200c
I read through those comments JK, very illuminating. A lot of “discussions” trying to talk to partisans go like that JK, lol.
I noticed Zero Hedge was used as a link by someone and I’ve noticed a lot of Trump supporters also quote zero hedge frequently now. I suspect zero hedge is a Russian front operation. from various stuff I read a while back. I treat it like Wikileaks. Drudge ditched Red State during the election, when Red State refused to go Trumpian and replaced it with a link to Zero Hedge.
David used the Zero link LB, heh heh, that’s probably the only place he knows of to pull a CNN quote.
Thanks, JK, that was very interesting. Guess, I wasn’t paying attention closely enough, because that’s the first I heard about the Chinese compromising the Clinton server, that Strozk was informed of that three times, and that Clapper refused to do a damage assessment. Very strange behavior, if true, for people entrusted to protect American officials from hostile foreign cyber attacks.
I expect there are plenty more bombshell revelations to emanate from that Clinton family server. None of the Huma Abedin answers, which the media and Comey recited about why she was backing up all those emails onto the Weiner family laptop make sense. The “poor, hapless Huma had no idea they were backing up onto her laptop” makes no sense – she didn’t become Hillary’s personal organizer by not keeping close tabs on details. Hillary was reported to have gone through 13 blackberries while Sec. of State that she “misplaced” or that her aides took hammers to, which leads me to believe she’s disorganized and careless.
Another tidbit I gleaned from reading through the FBI Notes was Huma was also the one who controlled the SCIF in the Clinton residence – she was the one managing that too…
Very happy you got from the vid what I’d hoped you would. I was kinda worried that, when you heard him mention working “for Trump” you’d just pass by the really important point – that being by my lights (and Schindler’s made a point of [nearly] the same thing) having analysts and lawyers running the IC and Bureau is a serious mistake. “Operators” because of the very specificity of the way they must go about the way they learn ‘stuff’ they realize they’re working under constraints of limits [rules of US law & rules of engagement; Geneva conventions specifically].
Analysts and lawyers on the other hand, owing to the way they’re trained (“antiseptic” schools and university learning and then straight into, more or less an office environment) never having worked *dicey situations* just figure they can “look in the books” for exceptions to the rules and then simply bend ’em to fit the situation. Convenience comes up in alot of the conversations one hears when listening in on the conversations analysts and lawyers often have.
Not however, a word I ever heard once whenever operators speak.
Clapper’s, Comey’s, and especially Brennan’s hesitancy at being audited should be understood in that context.
I felt it probably better, though I’m figuring once I add the clarification you will already realize you know it, and know it in your gut.
Thing about analysts and lawyers is, and its above so I won’t repeat it, anyway they spent their early adulthoods in, like I said, “antiseptic environments.”
I know I need not spell this out LB so – You remember the circumstances of your standing, raising your hand and swearing to “Support and Defend”?
Lifelong civilians my Friend, as I’m certain you also know in your gut lack a certain “something” and no matter how idealistic and well-intentioned they may well be, no matter how “good” they are at the beginning they’ll have never known that “certain feeling” of standing at the very beginning of adulthood and, “throwing away childish things.”
I know you know what I speak of.
https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-fbi-admits-hillary-clinton-emails-found-in-obama-white-house/
Well, this is getting even more interesting, JK. Sorry for not responding earlier – another one of our old dogs had to be put to sleep this afternoon, so I haven’t felt like following much. politics.
Some ‘pre-Trump’ review:
https://warontherocks.com/2014/09/congress-can-fix-dhs-but-needs-to-fix-itself-first/
https://20committee.com/2014/12/19/reforming-cia-an-insiders-view/
https://20committee.com/2015/04/03/obamas-militarization-of-cia/
(I list those only because I mentioned above in a parenthetical ‘Schindler’ making a similar point. I rather doubt he’d write the … hell even express the same points these days.)
Schindler joined the #Resist effort as soon as Trump was elected, He seems to have bought into every negative Trump rumor and news that circulated. He’s just like so many Trump followers, who gloss over all of Trump’s corrupt actions and totally appalling behavior. Not ready for writing a blog post about the Mueller report yet, but I still believe my NeverTrump/NeverHillary position was the morally right choice. They are both willing to trample any rules to get their own way.
I’m still in the first part of the Mueller report and what strikes me is Trump, his lying son and his circle of confidantes were more than willing to conspire with Russia, imo. The only reason they didn’t was because the Russians didn’t decide to conspire with the Trump folks. Same corruption as the Clintons, who would peddle any influence they could for monetary or political gain. I firmly believe, Hillary merged her State Dept. emails onto Bill Clinton’s personal foundation server, so they could coordinate their pay-to-play business for the foundation with her State Dept info.
The weird part for me was the FBI reportedly had several ongoing criminal investigations into the Clinton Foundation in different states, so the head honchos had to know all about that and there they were sitting on the Bill Clinton’s personal foundation server, that they had acquired with the email investigation. I wonder why the FBI didn’t try to search the server (actually 2 servers, the initial one Bill Clinton had set up and then the upgraded one, they replaced that one with, once Hillary and Huma Abedin were running State Dept traffic through the family Clinton Foundation server?
None of the FBI actions, at the highest levels, during 2016 makes sense to me.
I disagree somewhat with your assessing, “The only reason they didn’t was because the Russians didn’t decide to conspire with the Trump folks” … I think rather the reason no colluding (cooperating/conspiring) happened was because the campaign team was incompetent to accomplish such a thing.
Far as the bureau’s (and the IC … excepting NSA, let’s remember Admiral Rogers taking two actions – not signing onto that thing the MSM kept repeating, “17 intelligence agencies all agree” and then, after the inauguration; going into the Oval Office and advising the new President “Houston we have a problem”)
Anyway, where the Bureau and the Agency, were and are concerned, the chiefs – not the indians – would not have fared well, and here I come back to an Arkansas use – Those folks, boys and girls, would not fare well in Judge Parker’s Court.
I pray Colonel Shaffer holds true.
Or resigns in disgust. Very publicly.
I think Barr gets it. But, I suspect, Barr hasn’t a clue what all’s been instituted since the Patriot Act.
I suspect there’s a whole heap of mess that these IG investigations and looking into the Obama peeps’ efforts to use executive power make the two FBI criminal investigations into the Clintons go away in 2016, dispose of the Weiner laptop problem, use the powers of the executive branch to aid the Clinton campaign spin effort by casting Trump as colluding with Russia.
Somehow, the Clintons always get away with everything and Obama seems immune from media even hinting he and his administration did anything corrupt, so I am not optimistic there will be any real accountability, unless there’s some underlings they can throw under the bus to take the fall.
Oh my Lord LB, I’m truly affected.
Her “Ladyship” and I were earlier today discussing our Emergency Fund with me objecting to us buying paint (for the ceilings) until next month however, our dog “Agee” having an appointment tomorrow morning (beagle, bluetick, labrador … etc mix – maybe funny to you, first time we took him to the vet I asked, “What’s your best opinion to his breed?” Vet gave him a good look-over, asked us to turn him around, show his teeth some other steps then, very serious like announced, “My best guess is this is a dog.”
Anyway, there was some [slight] disagreeing whether the paint expense was necessary or sumpin’ resembling at which point I got asked of, “Well, do you think we can afford spending whatever it takes for Agee?”
I responded, “Of course. He’s a member of the family.”
And I’m aware you got “other stuff” which, probably complicates …
You just do as you can
(On the offchance LB, you’re at a deficit when I lapse onto a Arkianese.)
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?search=1&entryID=1732
That name sounded familiar, lol. Quite a colorful bio there.
Above you’ll recall me mentioning Clapper, Comey, and Brennan avoiding an audit? And your noting you had some “surprises” (Col. Shaffer)?
“Somehow, the Clintons always get away with everything and Obama seems immune from media even hinting he and his administration did anything corrupt, so I am not optimistic there will be any real accountability, unless there’s some underlings they can throw under the bus to take the fall.”
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-state-department-employee-pleads-guilty-conspiring-foreign-agents
That is a hopeful sign, JK, but I’ll be reassured when some of the big name corrupt actors are held accountable.
Well … because that was a FARA violation and … the name “Podesta” has come up in close relation to the Manafort FARA conviction … Time will tell of course.
Disagree with this analysis somewhat. I agree with his analysis of the FBI, but Trump as an outside the Beltway warrior misses that Trump was part of the NY celebrity/Dem elite – welcome everywhere in top Dem circles, due to his being a long-time donor to Dems.
All the top Dems, including the Clintons knew Trump well. Bill Clinton and Trump were golfing buddies. What Trump wasn’t was considered a threat to Hillary winning in 2016 and his outlandish campaign style made him the perfect vehicle for Bill Clinton’s winning triangulation strategy, which they implemented as the Pied Piper strategy with all their media friends.
The Dems were promoting Trump in the primary – to the tune of billions in free media. Fox News wasn’t the only cable news network running Trump primary rallies in their entirety.
What the Clintons and other top Dems can’t stand is not that Trump was an “outsider”, it’s that their carefully constructed spin strategy backfired and Trump won.
Trump really doesn’t care about Republicans or conservative causes – he is still obsessing over getting his old liberal friends in the media and in Dem circles to give him the respect and recognition he believes he deserves. That is who Trump wants to notice him – not the blue collar working class peeps. In a heartbeat, Trump will betray Republicans and his base if the cool people on the Left make overtures to embrace him or bow and kiss the ring.
He isn’t there to drain the swamp either, because if he was he wouldn’t be trying to corrupt every process he touches, while his inner circle tries to rescue him from disaster.
Sorry, someone who tries to get subordinates to lie to investigators is not someone anyone should trust to be an agent of fighting public corruption.
I agree the anti-Trump resisters have been deranged in their efforts to destroy Trump, but Trump as some noble warrior against the Swamp creatures is absurd.
If trump gets reelected – more corruption will follow, not more ethical government. Trump and the Clintons are the same corruption.
Only intended to illustrate ‘operators’ have a totally different take on the means by which investigations are initiated and prosecuted (meaning, carried out).
Given the implicit message in your recent posts LB, you might get a post out of this:
https://warontherocks.com/2019/05/the-new-age-of-propaganda-understanding-influence-operations-in-the-digital-age/
Thanks, JK. My husband had a doctor’s appt. this morning and we just got done with that, so now I’m going to read this article. Btw. Joe Biden dropped another megawatt Dem SPIN bomb this morning egging on impeachment. The Dems are in full spin attack mode.
Listening to Repubs though, I don’t know if the Congressional Republicans & WH are even aware the Dems are launching a major spin effort and Barr isn’t the main target – Trump is.
Smearing Barr is only part of the mission. Lindsey Graham and others were on TV after that hearing blabbing about “It’s over,” while Dems, with their media friends were on a carpet-bombing mission, with Hillary, now Biden in front leading the effort.
This time around, unlike the Kavanaugh smear campaign, where they tried to corrupt American foundational principles spinning “guilty until proven innocent”, it seems they are going to corrupt and water down the meaning of “high crimes and misdemeanors” to mean just “immoral”. They are downplaying the importance of “criminal conduct” and hyping “morality”. This way they can spin Trump actions of lying to be immoral and therefore impeachable, even if they don’t have evidence of any obstruction that meets a legal threshold.
Trump, being unable to plan anything beyond his reactionary guerilla spin attacks, as he explodes watching MSNBC and CNN trashing him, will play right into their hands by acting more and more CORRUPT and IMMORAL… He should ignore most of their crap, focus on doing his job and most all ACT PRESIDENTIAL, but he will sink further into the gutter, as they escalate their spin attacks. Plus his FOX spinners and Twitter spin commandos will follow his lead and become total Trump SPIN berserkers…
I did read this article, JK, and am thinking about writing a blog post on this subject.
You’re right of course, “he should ignore” but, and just my analysis from watching the last two years, isn’t as much ‘he won’t’ but rather, he can’t. My meaning being small ‘c’ constitutionally he isn’t built so that he won’t, its because, he can’t.
And, funny you type to me “Barr isn’t the target” because, and I have to think its really a purely coincidence type of thingy but, earlier this morning Up2L8 and I (don’t know I ever told you he lives just 35 miles from me. Funny how that worked out too, at the beginning of my Navy overseas service he was nearing his retirement and while I was surface Ups was submarines. “We met” weirdly enough on a local newspaper website comment section when I chanced to include an operational code onto some article and thus we struck up a “conversation.” Too I – or he – mentioned seeing a certain VA doctor which we both had in common. So common in fact that the very first time we laid physical eyes on each other was in that doctor’s waiting room.)
Anyway, Ups and I were talking on the phone earlier today and he made a similar observation, so very similar, in that, he used exactly the same words, “Barr isn’t the main target.” But his conclusion was just the least bit different from what you’ve said, he said rather, “What the Dems are doing is pure misdirection.”
I suppose its the difference between being a ‘Navy thang’ and an ‘Army thang.’
Still. This has been a weird day.