[Daily Caller] Key Department of Justice (DOJ) officials may escape being interviewed in DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s review of the FBI’s investigation of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a home-brew email server to do official government business.
Inspectors General only have authority to compel current government employees to comply with interview requests under the Inspector General Act, so they are unable to force testimony from officials like Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Peter Kadzik once they leave office along with President Barack Obama, potentially leaving Horowitz to deal with gaping holes in his review.
"Once they’re gone, the IG has no jurisdiction over them," former U.S. Attorney Joe DiGenova told The Daily Caller News Foundation Investigative Group.
Horowitz announced Thursday he is investigating whether DOJ and the FBI broke federal policy in handling the Clinton email investigation in the months leading up to the presidential election.
#5
I hope Obama pardons her, it's an admission of guilt without the trials that would make a martyr of her. Might be a clever way for him to look like a good guy while getting her out of the way during his post election career.
[INDEPENDENT.CO.UK] A former British ambassador to Russia played a key role in American intelligence agencies receiving explosive allegations about Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... and the Kremlin. Kinda makes you wonder why, dunnit?
The Independent has learned that US Senator John Maverick McCain ... the Senator-for-Life from Arizona, former presidential candidate and even more former foot soldier in the Reagan Revolution... spoke to Sir Andrew Wood, who served in Moscow as the UK’s head of mission for five years, about claims that the US President-elect was susceptible to blackmail over alleged sexual activity and that his team had colluded with Moscow during the presidential election campaign. Wood was the Brit ambassador to Moscow 1995-2000, which wouldn't seem to have an awful lot of overlap with either the Obama years or Trump's campaign.
John Major (Conservative) was the prime minister until 1997, followed by Labour third wayer Tony Blair. Are Britain's ambassadors senior bureaucrats-- therefore Guardian-reading Labourites -- or are they friends of the PM like so many American ambassadors, and therefore presumed to be members of the head guy's party?
The meeting took place at an international security conference in Halifax, Canada, last November, after Mr Trump’s victory. There, Mr McCain sought the advice of Sir Andrew, a highly respected retired diplomat, on a dossier which was put together by Remington Christopher Steele, a former MI6 officer, about Mr Trump and the Moscow connection. "Oh, Sir Andrew! Oh, wot shall I do? Oh, wot shall I do?" Is Remington Christopher Steele a super-spy or a dodgy dossier writer?
Mr McCain, the chair of the Senate armed forces committee, was so concerned by what he had heard that he personally met James Comey, the director of the FBI, after returning from the Canadian conference, and passed on the information. It formed part of a report about Russian interference in the US presidential election process which was presented to Barack Obama Republicans can come along for the ride, but they've got to sit in the back... and Mr Trump by the intelligence agencies last week.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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"All the members of our country club agree that"
#2
According to Sir Andrew's Wikipedia page, he spent his emtire career moving up the foreign office ladder, achieving a bureacratic knightship at the end. So definitely a member of g(r)omgoru's country club, and likely a pristine example in nature of what art presents in Yes, Minister -- of which that bit is only the first example.
#3
There, Mr McCain sought the advice of Sir Andrew, a highly respected retired diplomat, on a dossier which was put together by Christopher Steele, a former MI6 officer, about Mr Trump and the Moscow connection.
A 'former UK ambassador' just happened to bump into McCain did he ?
From the Telegraph: On Thursday Russia publicly accused MI6 of “briefing both ways” against Russia and Mr Trump and suggested Mr Steele was still working for the Secret Intelligence Service.
The Russian embassy in London used its official Twitter account to say: “Christopher Steele story: MI6 officers are never ex: briefing both ways – against Russia and US President.” Link
#4
The things I don't think of. It turns out entire seasons of Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister are available on YouTube. So we'll be able to avoid even more of the regular programming for a bit, as I ponder the task President Trump and his team will face. I hope defanging the union will be a first step, like Governor Walker did and Governor Kasich did not.
#5
Sir Andrew, I don't care what you think of Steele. You will bloody well attend the Halifax conference and have a good time. We'll be looking forward to your trip report.
The former chair of the Democratic National Committee confronted FBI Director James Comey on Friday during a classified intelligence briefing.
The confidential briefing was focused on the Russian hacking of Democratic Party organization which was geared toward tilting the election to Donald Trump’s favor. Democrats left the meeting angered and ’outraged’ earlier on Friday.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Shultz was forced to resign her post as chair of the DNC last summer amid the hacking scandal, told Comey that he should have come to her directly once the FBI was aware of the breach, just as he had done with other hacking victims.
Comey, who is described as being unflinching and defiant during the heated meeting, stuck to his guns claiming that the FBI had properly notified DNC officials of the hacking.
"You let us down!" one Demcorat reportedly yelled to Comey during the tense exchange. Another Demorat said that "Essentially Debbie asked, how was it that the FBI knew that the DNC was being hacked and they didn’t tell her? He gave some bullsh‐ explanation, ’That’s our standard, we called this one, we called that one’ -- [she said] ’Well, why didn’t you call me?'"
The meeting left many Democrats even more critical of Comey, accusing hiim of applying a double standard in the agency’s approach to investigations involving President-elect Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton." Continues at link.
Kindly recall Debbie, that the FBI asked to examine the DNC servers and you refused. Repeatedly...
The hotlink within the CitizenSlant.com article leads to another Citizen Slant article, and a web search using a key paragraph in each only points back to these articles.
As I understand the DNC and RNC are something of well funded support organizations of special interest groups with little more 'official standing' than social convention.
As such, a call from the FBI would be like warning the Shriners their clown cars needed seat belts.
One more week. [REUTERS] A day after President-elect Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... encouraged supporters to "Buy L.L. Bean," a U.S. ethics watchdog on Friday warned federal employees they must not endorse products or companies.
The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) said on its official Twitter account: "All executive branch employees must refrain from misuse of position, including endorsements."
No mention of Trump was made in the tweet, and many rules for federal employees do not apply to the president. The ethics office has tweeted other reminders to employees this week, including one that federal gift restrictions remain in place during the upcoming inauguration.
The office's endorsements message drew attention on Twitter, though, because it came after Trump posted support for the Maine catalog retailer known for its backpacks and rubber-bottomed boots.
Activists had called for a boycott following reports that a member of the family that owns L.L. Bean contributed to Trump's campaign.
"Thank you to Linda Bean of L.L. Bean for your great support and courage," the Republican president-elect tweeted. "People will support you even more now. Buy L.L. Bean."
A front man for the ethics office declined to comment.
The office, created in 1978, wades through financial disclosures to help executive branch officials avoid conflicts of interest. It has drawn attention and some scrutiny for recent public statements about ethics issues facing Trump, who takes office on Jan. 20.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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" While Trump’s statements were offensive to women, they pale in comparison to the loud chorus of rappers’ filth and denigration of women that Michelle and Barack Obama have continually promoted, championed, wined and dined at the White House. And, while she has condemned Trump’s lewd remarks – including how “loving fathers are sickened by the thought of their daughters being exposed to this kind of vicious language” – the Obamas have hosted in the “The People’s House,” where their two daughters reside, rappers who obscenely rap about date rape and sexual predatory behavior." Paul Craig Roberts
#2
U.S. ethics watchdog on Friday warned federal employees
The President-Elect is an employee now, answering to their bureaucratic whims as well, how quaint.
#3
He's an employee of the People of the United States. His only sanctions are those determined by his employer (as witness by the previous 8 years of uncontrolled behaviors). Therefore, he is not subject to the opinion of the OGE* (anymore than "pay to play" endorsements from a former Secty of State).
Ethics? The office is an oxymoron after this current administration's long list of abuses; Contempt of Congress, lying to Congress, etc.
#7
Make some appointee the official mouth of Sauron so that whatever that appointee says/tweets is assumed to be the direct word of Trump and let the usual folks go into conniptions.
"A president can't say that!"
"He didn't, the mouth did!"
"We all know the mouth speaks for him!"
"Conspiracy much?"
[SPECTATOR.ORG] If the posturing was pure politics, it seems like stupid politics. First off, Senator Marco Rubio The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida... didn’t give John F. I was in Vietnam, you know Kerry Former Senator-for-Life from Massachussetts, self-defined war hero, speaker of French, owner of a lucky hat, conqueror of Cambodia, unsuccessful presidential candidate, and utterly failed Secretary of State... this difficult of a time and one could reasonably argue that Kerry’s behavior regarding the Vietnam war was disloyal or treasonous. Second, does Mr. Rubio want to start off with the new president from a position of hostility, and who is giving him this genius advice? Third, if he sets up a purely adversarial role now, how will later concessions look to his loyal fans? ... if any.
Taking Mr. Rubio literally, and assuming that he is genuinely concerned that we have a potential Secretary of State who doesn’t care about human rights ...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... , war crimes, and is a completely driven instead by profit, what did he expect Mr. Tillerson to say? Piss off, kid."
If Mr. Tillerson is morally obtuse, he’s not going to say anything bad about Putin or Soddy Arabia ...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face... n’s 10th century treatment of women. If, as is more likely, Mr. Tillerson sees this bad behavior but must negotiate with these world leaders and countries, he cannot say anything needlessly provocative either. Unlike Marco, he doesn't have to make a name for himself.
There are different world views at play. I’m in the conservative camp who feels that it was wrong to foment civil war in Libya, that a tyrant friendly to America was preferable to civil war. I kinda sorta disagree, because Qadaffy was a nut. Lockerby sez he wasn't a friend of the U.S. The Berlin disco bombing sez he wasn't. He happened to be cowed by the Gulf War, but he wasn't the kind of fellow you could repose a lot of trust in.
Same goes for Egypt and the Soros-funded Moslem Brüderbund debacle. That since we committed to Iraq, we should leave forces there so a power vacuum wasn’t created. I thought it was terrible weakness to not put a defensive shield in Poland. It was stupid to not push the Castros harder. It was folly to fund and arm Iran. It’s plain evil to treat Israel as the enemy. I believe that's the governing phrase. We've seen Evil itself erupt, Nazis without the nifty uniforms. Any point of compromise is dwindling from view in the rear view mirror.
Strength does not have to mean constant tinkering and meddling. It can mean innovation, overwhelming power, and distinct but strategic uses of that power. That’s a big change from nation-fussing. It tends to be more, well, Reaganesque. Rhetorically strong, backed up with overwhelming military might, and less intervention. Way back then we thought democracy was possible in that part of the world. We've now proven it isn't, to everyone's satisfaction. Time to replace the old dictator with a new dictator, but it's not the sort of thing you announce up front. Now is the time to launch a program of quietly but ruthlessly undermining the Evil emanating from Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistain, and to recognize the potential neo-Ottoman Evil arising in Turkey...
Tillerson may be the more pragmatic, less interventionist type. Is that a bad thing?
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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Human rights are a wonderful thing. Tell it to any hetero male going to an American college.
#4
Senator Rubio's questions were legitimate for any prospective SoS . Mr. Tillerson's responses were measured and more than adequate for confirmation. Rubio's posturing during and especially after would indicate an agenda beyond advise and consent. Tillerson assuredly will wisely use this episode to his advantage in future negotiations with the regimes in question.
[NYPOST] The best thing that happened to Donald Trump ...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States... all week is that BuzzFeed published the raw Russia dossier about him.
It can’t be pleasant for anyone to see his name associated with hookers and a bizarre sex act in print -- the principle that all publicity is good publicity can be taken too far, even for Donald Trump.
But in the media’s ongoing fight with Trump, BuzzFeed’s incredible act of journalistic irresponsibility represented the press leading with its chin.
Trump thrives off of media hostility, and the more hostile -- and the less defensible -- the better. It allows him to portray himself as the victim of a stilted establishment. It fires up his supporters. It keeps the debate on terrain that is familiar and favorable to him -- whether or not he is being treated "fairly" -- and allows him to adopt his preferred posture as a "counterpuncher."
There are legitimate questions raised about how determined Trump has been to ignore evidence of Russia’s hacking operations prior to the election. BuzzFeed unintentionally did more to obscure and delegitimize these questions than Trump Tower could ever hope to. By publishing the uncorroborated dossier, BuzzFeed has associated the Russia issue with fantastical rumors and hearsay.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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It can’t be pleasant for anyone to see his name associated with hookers and a bizarre sex act in print
Even if it were true, eh?
Maybe it wasn't about sex.
#2
"It can’t be pleasant for anyone to see his name associated with hookers and a bizarre sex act in print" Charlie Sheen could not be reached for comment.
[DAILYWIRE] On Wednesday, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott was peppered with racially charged attacks from leftists who disapproved of his support, as a black man, for Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.
Sessions has been wrongfully slandered as a racist by the left, despite the fact that he's successfully prosecuted a murderous KKK member with the death penalty and helped to desegregate schools. In other words, if he's a racist, he's really bad at it. Of course, Scott's Sessions-backing sin is just an add-on to his other, greater leftist-deemed sin: being black while Republican.
But the senator with a target placed on his back by the "tolerant" left handled such vitriolic attacks like a boss.
For example, when one brave online warrior referred to Scott as a "house n****" -- a derogatory term used to describe black people who are supposedly submissive to the white man -- Scott replied: "Senate."
A classy, high road response and a one-word dagger rolled into one; the tweet instantly went viral. The senator was able to expose the leftist for their ignorance and racial hatred while avoiding an escalation of tensions with such a witty reply.
The tweet has since by deleted by the cowardly leftist, but a screenshot was captured by The Daily Wire, as seen below:
Scott was further attacked by Twitter leftists: "A White man in a black body: Tim Scott backs Jeff Sessions for attorney general," read one tweet.
Scott again replied with wit to knock-out the racist: "Is that like a Liger?" Scott answered, making a silly reference to the cult-classic Napoleon Dynamite.
Scott's grace and wit highlights in even more stark colors the intolerance of racist social justice warriors.
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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Tim Scott is Legend Here, how about where you are?
[OBSERVER] On a policy level, the widely-held (bipartisan) view is that Sen. Schumer is basically a non-entity. He has no new ideas. He has no major bipartisan legislative accomplishments. He is not a national leader on any one policy issue. He is an expert on nothing substantively.
He’s a front man at his core--a Pez dispenser of talking points. No one in politics cares more about media coverage than Chuck Schumer Senator-for-life from New York, renowned for his love of standing in front of cameras. Schumer has been a professional politician since 1975, when disco was in flower. Senate minority leader as of 2017. . This is an established fact.
The best training that a Democratic professional communicator can get is to work in the Schumer press shop, because it is outstanding training. It is also borderline un-survivable, as he goes through flacks rapidly.
Part of the reason it’s so demanding is that Schumer’s standard operating procedure in New York is to hold weekly Sunday pressers. While his colleagues and their staff members are with their families, in bed, or at church, Schumer is earning media this Sunday, next Sunday, and every Sunday after that for eternity.
He drives the news in New York. He drives the news nationally. He sets the agenda for the week.
But the job of Senate Democratic Leader is not a press job. That is just a small part of what the job requires, but it is far more comprehensive than that. You are your conference’s leader, and you are responsible for legislative strategy and outcomes. You want to grow your majority. You must heed the base, but also protect vulnerable members. You must find unity, wherever you can. In short, you must deliver.
With the results of the 2016 election behind us, Democrats have 48 Senators in their conference, more than enough to throw their weight around.
When the 60-vote Senate legislative threshold is needed, the Trump administration and the Senate GOP majority are going to need eight Democratic votes, and I believe that will be difficult in the early months.
However, man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them... Schumer has already made two significant mistakes:
1. He stood by former Senate Minority Leader Reid’s unwise and shortsighted use of the "nuclear option," which reduced the threshold for nominees and all judges (except the Supreme Court) from 60 votes to 51. I predict that this decision singlehandedly will result in confirmation of the entire Trump cabinet and in confirmation of the next generation of conservative judicial stars (or future Supreme Court nominees).
2. His complete lack of knowledge of how the Senate works was on display as the confirmation hearing timetable for Cabinet nominees was announced. Did he forget that the Majority sets the schedule? Senate Majority Leader McConnell outfoxed Schumer by loading up nominees on the same days, to divide and conquer Trump administration opponents and their media allies.
The Senate minority will keep trying to slow things down, but as the clock ticks, the ten Democratic incumbents up for reelection in states that Trump won will feel the heat.
Will they stick by a Democratic conference led by a press hound with no strategy? Or will they protect their own careers?
Posted by: Fred ||
01/14/2017 00:00 ||
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Things have changed Young man.
Obstruction is not going to gain you any parity with the Americans you schmuck.
Take a break from your fake moral crusade, and catch your breath. Your army of harpies and flying monkeys is decimated.
Your job is to not lose more seats next election, which you all will.
Silence is a virtue in front of overwhelming Nation.
#2
I'm just thrilled to have the organ grinder monkey Schumer as the Senate minority leader. While he is hopping up and down and screaming his little scream, it keeps proving the demoncrats have learned nothing from the past 6 years of defeats and will keep doubling down on stupid.
#5
When the 60-vote Senate legislative threshold is needed, the Trump administration and the Senate GOP majority are going to need eight Democratic votes, and I believe that will be difficult in the early months.
I guess this writer never heard of "the nuclear option", "deemed to be passed" or "pen and a phone".
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.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[INDEPENDENT.CO.UK] A former British ambassador to Russia played a key role in American intelligence agencies receiving explosive allegations about 
Sir Andrew, I don't care what you think of Steele. You will bloody well attend the Halifax conference and have a good time. We'll be looking forward to your trip report. 
The former chair of the Democratic National Committee confronted FBI Director James Comey on Friday during a classified intelligence briefing.
[REUTERS] A day after President-elect 
The diminutive 13-year-old Republican U.S. Senator from Florida...
[NYPOST] The best thing that happened to 
[DAILYWIRE] On Wednesday, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott was peppered with racially charged attacks from leftists who disapproved of his support, as a black man, for Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General.
Senator-for-life from New York, renowned for his love of standing in front of cameras. Schumer has been a professional politician since 1975, when disco was in flower. Senate minority leader as of 2017.
