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Taliban’s military commission chief killed in Helmand drone strike
Today's Headlines
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Page 6: Politix
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2 10:36 Abu Uluque [1] 
7 19:38 Frank G [2] 
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Page 4: Opinion
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-Lurid Crime Tales-
James Comey EXPOSED by Trey Gowdy - So Are You Gonna Lie to Our Faces?
Very lengthy video published 30 March 2017.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  While I'm delighted that he did, Gowdy really didn't have to expose Comey. The man's reptilian traits have been unilaterally confirmed by both political parties.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 7:18 Comments || Top||

#2  Sociopaths are quite facile and adept at lying.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 13:04 Comments || Top||


-Land of the Free
New Tape Of Eyewitness To Seth Rich Murder Emerges
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 06/13/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  I'd like to see Sessions open this up and have a real investigation. there doesn't seem like there is much interest on the part of local authorities or the DNC in this murder case. It seems that Inspector Clouseau has all but closed the case. How about even a smidgen of the Federal attention directed to the Treyvon Martin or Michael Brown shootings devoted to the Seth Rich murder?
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:40 Comments || Top||

#2  Sessions is kinda tied up at the moment testifying before Congress about all those meetings he had with the Russians. And as for Seth Rich, well, he was white.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/13/2017 10:36 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
GOP rep. dismisses Mueller probe: 'What the hell are we investigating?'
[The Hill] A Republican congressman dismissed the special counsel probing Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, calling the FBI probe a Democratic effort to undermine President Trump’s election victory.

During an interview with Fox News that came shortly after a report that the president may be considering firing Mueller, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) wondered aloud what, exactly, the counsel led by the former FBI director is investigating.

"This seems more like an effort to prosecute Donald Trump than it is to investigate," Duffy said to host Martha MacCallum. "And my concern, Martha, is what the hell are we investigating?"

Duffy’s comments come as Republicans such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) question Mueller’s ability to lead the probe, noting political donations of Mueller’s staff. In addition to investigating Russian election meddling, the probe is said to be looking into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials.
But Duffy called the investigation a "charade" that is an attempt to undermine the election results.

"Why are we going through this charade of an investigation when there’s no evidence that Donald Trump had anything to do with the Russians?" he asked.

"This is the Democrats’ effort to undermine the election results of last November 8 and get their net end result, which is Donald Trump out of the White House."

Chris Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax who has a close relationship with Trump, on Monday evening told PBS the president is considering firing Mueller.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff(D-Calif.) fired back at that report with a simple message to the president: "Don’t waste our time."

"If President [Trump] fired Bob Mueller, Congress would immediately re-establish independent counsel and appoint Bob Mueller," Schiff tweeted Monday evening. "Don't waste our time."
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 08:06 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "And my concern, Martha, is what the hell are we investigating?" Yes Martha, what the hell are we investigating?
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:25 Comments || Top||

#2  "Don't waste our time."

Why not? You're wasting ours.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/13/2017 11:02 Comments || Top||

#3  "So they call me Gestapo Mueller!?"

"To Be or Not to Be?" 1942
Posted by: borgboy || 06/13/2017 12:31 Comments || Top||

#4  Libby went to prison over an 'offense' unrelated to the Valerie Plame investigation.
Posted by: Glenmore || 06/13/2017 13:25 Comments || Top||


Swamp Fights Back: Mueller Hires Clinton Foundation Lawyer for Russia Probe
[Breitbart] The news comes on the eve of Attorney General Jeff Sessions testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committe on the Russia investigation. This follows a hearing featuring the testimony of fired FBI director James Comey before the same body.

Mueller -- who, on his appointment by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, took independent control of the investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 elections -- had a shadow cast on his impartiality when Comey, a one-time mentee of Mueller’s who suceeded him at the Bureau, revealed under oath that he deliberately leaked a potentially privileged memo to the press specifically to ensure the appointment of a special counsel.

The ploy worked. Rosenstein, who was handling the investigation because Sessions had already recused himself based on his involvement in the 2016 Trump presidential campaign, came under immense political pressure to appoint a special counsel. Mueller was quickly applauded as an impartial choice by voices across the political spectrum.

Since his appointment, he has made signals as to the criminal nature of his investigation, hiring Andrew Weissmann, the former head of the DOJ criminal division’s fraud section, and former Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben.

A more controversial pick of Mueller’s was former prosecutor and WilmerHale partner Jeannie Rhee. In 2015, according to Politico, she performed work for the Clinton Foundation, defending it from FOIA requests related to Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

These developements have raised some red flags on the right. For example, Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Fox News, "This is going to be a witch hunt."
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 03:11 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Another Swamp.
Posted by: Ulomock Throlugum7646 || 06/13/2017 5:01 Comments || Top||

#2  This reeks.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:26 Comments || Top||


Gingrich: ‘Congress Should Now Intervene and Abolish the Independent Counsel'
[Breitbart] Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Sunday in an interview on New York AM 970 radio show "The Cats Roundtable" that it was very clear that former FBI Director James Comey hated President Donald Trump after he made it known he leaked memos.

He also urged Congress to act to abolish the independent counsel established by the Department of Justice to investigate alleged ties between the 2016 Trump presidential campaign and Russia.

Gingrich told host John Catsimatidis, "The more amazing thing I thought that Comey did that I think is going to have a lot of repercussions is Comey admitted publicly, in fact, boasted about it, that he had deliberately leaked ... in order to set up the pressure to get a special, independent counsel. And I think that is an astonishing statement."

"[I]t’s very clear that Comey hates Trump," he continued. "I think Congress should now intervene and should abolish the independent counsel because Comey makes so clear that it’s the poison fruit of a deliberate manipulation by the FBI director leaking to the New York Times to deliberately set up this particular situation. I think it is very sick."
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 01:53 || Comments || Link || [0 views] Top|| File under:

#1  This council should either recuse themselves or be dismissed. The level of bias and contempt for Trump is over the top.

Can Sessions be reinstated as DOJ reversing his recusal since Trump wasn't being investigated?

Loved the Maxine Waters snark
Posted by: Jan || 06/13/2017 2:19 Comments || Top||

#2  The Russian LIE is to get a Independent Counsel against a duly elected president by the DC Establishment. It worked. They are now trying to find something to move on to next.

In the meantime President Obama is waiting in DC a few blocks over...

It doesn't matter to them that Pence may become the President, because compared to Trump, the Establishment considers Pence a pushover.
Posted by: Ulotle Glaish6296 || 06/13/2017 3:00 Comments || Top||

#3  Soetoro living in D.C. must surely be the political equivalent of a herpes diagnosis.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 7:24 Comments || Top||

#4  Let the dependent council thingee run its course. Leave it to anti-Trump Ryan and dishrag McConnell to stamp it out. Let the voters see what's going on. Meanwhile, Trump should push conservative judges and cut regulations.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 06/13/2017 8:10 Comments || Top||

#5  They should... but they won't.

This way they keep getting their 15 minutes of fame for their voters and maybe some juicy kickbacks as well.
Posted by: DarthVader || 06/13/2017 9:03 Comments || Top||

#6  Absolutely, they should abolish the Special Counsel--it is a huge waste of time and money.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:17 Comments || Top||

#7  Moreover, if one is looking for "Fairness", it is under "F" in the dictionary.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:18 Comments || Top||

#8  The republicans want him out as bad as the dems. He represents the people, not special interests. This coup, by the people, to take DC back is being met with great resistance, attacks from the left, and passive aggressive behavior from the right. They are fighting against Trump for their very existence and all the greed and corruption that comes with it. If a special counsel against Obama was all republicans the world would be coming apart right now. But our so called republican leaders are remaining silent, like the greedy cowards they are.
Posted by: 49 Pan || 06/13/2017 10:15 Comments || Top||

#9  They are now trying to find something to move on to next.

Well, yeah, being as how there's really no evidence of Trump/Putin collusion. But they got all these investigations going so they're still hoping to find something...anything.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/13/2017 10:44 Comments || Top||

#10  I believe some Republicans in Congress are bending over so far backwards to appear unbiased that they have their heads up their asses. The others are basically Democrats at this point, and I hope Trump stumps against a number of them in the primaries.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 06/13/2017 11:08 Comments || Top||

#11  In other times, and other places, this'd be called a witch hunt.
Posted by: Bobby || 06/13/2017 13:29 Comments || Top||

#12  Congress should.....actually pass funding bills, on time. Since they can't do that, its reason to exist basically is over. It's all show, no substance.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 06/13/2017 14:17 Comments || Top||


Special Counsel Robert Mueller Filling Staff With Democrat Donors
Posted by: junkiron || 06/13/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [1 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Mueller has a difficult job in the personnel area.

If you hire a Trump donor it is a potential conflict. Besides that, a fair number of Trump donors wouldn't accept the position.

If you hire a Clinton Donor it is technically not a conflict of interest since Clinton gains nothing if Trump is found to have done something wrong.

Ideally you would hire people with no donation history but that limits the potential recruitment.
Posted by: lord garth || 06/13/2017 6:34 Comments || Top||

#2  The country is overrun with lawyers. Why in hell would you hire anyone with even the hint of a Clinton connection? Surely a few could have been found somewhere who have no political connections. If not, hire one with democratic leanings and one with republican. Issue them both pistols.

Furthermore, why does anybody need to be hired? Detail a few old 'grey beards' lawyers from the justice department.

Mueller's involvement in this fiasco brings a foul smell.

Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 7:14 Comments || Top||

#3  assuming you agree with the premise that this is a process and practice investigation, then you are unable to use most lawyers because their work in torts, estates, etc. isn't the same thing.

Hiring retired govt workers (I think that's what you mean by greybeards) is actually a very good idea but I think there are documents that retired FBI lawyers sign that would get in the way of this. Also, a lot of retired people do not want to go back to work, especially investigating something that seems so full of vapor.
Posted by: lord garth || 06/13/2017 8:09 Comments || Top||

#4  Is there really anything to investigate? Comey said three times Trump wasn't under investigation and only brought special prosecutor in (through shady methods) when he was fired.

Comey was fired because he told Trump three times he wasn't under investigation but refused to tell the media and thus remove the cloud over the Presidency, a treatment that was very different than the way he treated Clinton.

So the nation will pay for a witch hunt because of a disgruntled employee.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 06/13/2017 8:27 Comments || Top||

#5  Disgruntled and backed by partisan hacks willing to tear the nation down if necessary to injure the President.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 06/13/2017 8:27 Comments || Top||

#6  What rjschwarz said, "a witchhunt." Its purpose is to distract from the previous admin's criminality. There is no need to have a Special Counsel since the whole Russian collusion is made-up B.S....unless its focus is the criminality of the previous admin. Trump was elected by people outside Washington for a reason---to clean up the mess. All this is Donk hijinks. Don't give them an inch and charge on. Personally, I'd like to see General Sherman charging through Washington, D.C. full bore.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:15 Comments || Top||

#7  I'd say Mueller should recuse himself but that's the kind of thing an honest man would do.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/13/2017 10:47 Comments || Top||

#8  Rather ham-handed of the Deep State in appointing this wrecking crew. Fire Mueller, and tell the Dems to pound sand.
Posted by: Rex Mundi || 06/13/2017 11:20 Comments || Top||

#9  Wait, I'll bet on the Donald against the Washington elites: after all, these people only think themselves Mafia - but the Don was in construction business.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 06/13/2017 11:39 Comments || Top||

#10  swampy mc swampface
Posted by: newc || 06/13/2017 11:43 Comments || Top||


Democrat Sherrod Brown Under Fire for Inaccurate Claim that Breitbart, Bannon, Gorka Anti-Semitic
[BREITBART] Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio finds himself in serious political trouble after he inaccurately accused Breitbart News Network and chief White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon of being anti-Semitic last week. Bannon is the former executive chairman of Breitbart News.
If they repeat a lie often enough it becomes Dem truth.
Posted by: Fred || 06/13/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  His constituency in the Buckeye is angry redhead parking lot guy who said on camera that 9/11 victims got what they deserved. Ohio can best be imagined as North Korea in the heartland...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 06/13/2017 10:43 Comments || Top||

#2  But, at least, they are racist, right?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 06/13/2017 11:43 Comments || Top||

#3  Love the graphic. Originally the cover of a magazine titled Adventure dated June, 1957. It was reprinted on the cover of the June 1961 issue of Epic magazine. And now it has found its way to Rantburg. I don't know who the artist was but the painting looks very well-rendered. I don't think it is Norman Saunders. Maybe Mort Kunstler or Norm Eastman?
Posted by: Scooter McGruder || 06/13/2017 14:00 Comments || Top||

#4  Sherrod's claim ought to be worth a libel suit.
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 21:43 Comments || Top||

#5  Ohio can best be imagined as North Korea in the heartland...

Huh?
Posted by: trailing wife || 06/13/2017 21:55 Comments || Top||

#6  I don't think it is Norman Saunders. Maybe Mort Kunstler or Norm Eastman?

Norman Rockwell from his Wild Years phase, before he gave up the whiskey.
Posted by: SteveS || 06/13/2017 22:38 Comments || Top||


Government
Obama Program Made $729 Million in Erroneous Payments to Doctors
[Free Beacon] An Obama administration program to encourage the use of electronic health records made over $729 million in erroneous payments, according to a new audit.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also paid dead doctors for enrolling in its program, the audit, released by the agency's inspector general Monday, revealed.

"From May 2011 through June 2014, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services paid an estimated $729 million in Medicare electronic health record incentive payments to eligible professionals who did not comply with Federal requirements," the inspector general said. "In addition, it paid $2.3 million in inappropriate electronic health record incentive payments to eligible professionals who switched incentive programs."

The incentive programs were created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly known as the stimulus package, signed by former President Barack Obama in 2009.
Posted by: Besoeker || 06/13/2017 00:00 || Comments || Link || [2 views] Top|| File under:

#1  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also paid dead doctors for enrolling in its program, the audit, released by the agency's inspector general Monday, revealed.

Where did the $729m end up?
Posted by: JohnQC || 06/13/2017 9:33 Comments || Top||

#2  Nothing like a little stimulus program to bump up the national debt.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 06/13/2017 10:38 Comments || Top||

#3  Bribes to get them to accept the new electronic health records (which probably have all sorts of back doors for Obama era intelligence gathering).
Posted by: rjschwarz || 06/13/2017 11:05 Comments || Top||

#4  I wonder how many of the 'doctor/donors' were of Central Asian origin?
Posted by: Skidmark || 06/13/2017 11:18 Comments || Top||

#5  $729 million yields how much in kickbacks? Or, am I thinking Clintons, because O & Co are not that sophisticated?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 06/13/2017 11:35 Comments || Top||

#6  Page 5 of this document might be a start.
Posted by: Mullah Richard || 06/13/2017 13:10 Comments || Top||

#7  Probably only Dem-oriented Car dealerships doctors
Posted by: Frank G || 06/13/2017 19:38 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
19[untagged]
8Islamic State
4Hamas
3Taliban
3al-Shabaab (AQ)
3Govt of Iran
3Moslem Colonists
2Govt of Syria
2Govt of Pakistan
2Haqqani Network
2Houthis
2Govt of Saudi Arabia
1Maute group (IS)
1al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
1Abu Sayyaf (ISIS)
1Baloch Liberation Army
1Arab Spring
1Palestinian Authority
1al-Qaeda
1al-Nusra
1Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (IS)

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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
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Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Tue 2017-06-13
  Taliban’s military commission chief killed in Helmand drone strike
Mon 2017-06-12
  London Police Chief: Terror Victims Show How Diverse We Are
Sun 2017-06-11
  Libyan group says it has freed Gaddafi son Seif al-Islam
Sat 2017-06-10
  Islamic State claims it killed two Chinese in Pakistan
Fri 2017-06-09
  Nearly 70 dead in Al-Shabaab attack on Puntland military base
Thu 2017-06-08
  Syrian government, rebel forces fighting in Aleppo
Wed 2017-06-07
  Iran's parliament and Khomeini mausoleum attacked by gunmen
Tue 2017-06-06
  Shaboobs go into that good night softly after attempt to raid KDF camp
Mon 2017-06-05
  Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE sever ties to Qatar over 'terrorism'
Sun 2017-06-04
  20 die in funeral attack in Kabul
Sat 2017-06-03
  BREAKING: Terror attacks reported at, around London Bridge
Fri 2017-06-02
  ISIS-loving Air Force vet gets 35 years at weepy sentencing
Thu 2017-06-01
  Philippines hotel on lockdown after suspected ISIS attack
Wed 2017-05-31
  Kabul Blast in Diplomatic Area Kills 80
Tue 2017-05-30
  Puntland sentences Five militants members to death


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