Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[hack]

Hey that's enough to build anywhere from 0.0005% of the wall to maybe even twice that amount!

[Ghengis Jon]

Hack - you seen the movie Vice? I'm going to see it tomorrow - advertised as savage satire - wondering if you had a hand in the screenplay.

[hack]

I'm almost certain that whatever it is won't be enough to satisfy my hatred, but I'm definitely going to see it.

[froot loops]

[hack]

Geez it just hadn't occurred to me...

[Ghengis Jon]

Shocking. Who'd a thunk it.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Saw an interesting discussion about this by an NBC analyst who is a retired FBI agent. He was asked if the FBI can legally undertake a counterintelligence investigation. His answer was an unequivocal yes and the investigation is usually undertaken based on "fruits" from other ongoing criminal and counterintelligence operations and investigations. He was then asked about Guliani's assertion or question, where's the report if such an investigation were undertaken. The analyst said Guliani's question indicated a lack of understanding of these kinds of investigations. There is never a report. These kinds of investigations are conducted secretly, for obvious reasons, and the outcomes, if appropriate are used to pursue criminal charges or, more likely, to inform policy makers on current or future planning, e.g., the State Department might be informed of an outcome so that they could frame an appropriate public or private response.

It really is revealing that DJT's activities or those of his associates prompted this counterintelligence undertaking. We don't know the outcome and won't know it. But it is damning for sure. The optics are terrible for Trump. Does not matter what came of it, what activities prompted the investigation or who was told what.

[hack]

Should be recalled that when he started yammering in 6/16 about him asking Russia if they had more of Hillary's emails, the FBI said they'd be looking into it. I suspect that intelligence gathering by the FBI predates that by a while, but it's hard to imagine that the state's security apparatuses weren't kicking in by that summer. This is a guy who visited the Soviet Union in the 80s, found a wife from a place behind the Iron Curtain, and had already been on record along with Don Jr. talking about financing sources from Russia. And it's been clear for years that his real-estate sales were in part a money-laundering option for the buyers. That's far more than enough to get the American intelligence community interested. It's great to get things like this on the record officially, so the NYT here is just doing its job, but really and truly this ought to be a no-shit-Sherlock development.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Agree with your no shit Sherlock assessment. I think it was mentioned in the interview I saw this morning on this subject that it is unusual for such an investigation to be undertaken with the central figure being a sitting US President. I don't know if its historic.

The problem for the American public is that the implications that a sitting President's dealings with a foreign adversary - in this case Russia - was undertaken as a national security issue are not going to be framed in the kind of context it needs to be framed in to get them to push their congressional representatives to undertake impeachment proceedings.

I wonder what the Foreign Intelligence Committee knows about this? Probably something. I wonder what the purpose of releasing this information at this particular time? I don't think it is political although it will be interpreted as such by Trump and his base. Is it a prelude to more damaging information involving Trump's relationship with Putin and the Russian government? I wonder what the Mueller Investigation report will reveal with respect to the info were talking about this morning and whether or not the Mueller Report will become public when it is finally released?

Interesting times.

[hack]

We're cursed to live in them. What I want to know is what the people who know better yet enthusiastically participate really think about the future shape of the country. McConnells and Ryans, etc.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Never gets old

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Ghengis Jon]

Say the Mueller report is immediately classified to prevent public disclosure and Bill Barr puts up obstacles to unredacted Congressional review. Since the public position of the dems is to wait until the report before considering impeachment proceedings, would such shielding have a legal foundation for obstruction?


I'm beginning to suspect that impulsive Trump is holding off the phony national emergency declaration, not because he knows the courts will not support the action, but because he believes something else is coming down the pipe, probably from Mueller. Needs an ace up his sleeve to move the news cycle focus.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Mark Meadows cheering for Trump to begin the seizure of private property and greatly expand the Presidency's executive power tells you all you need to know about how sincerely the House Freedom Caucus believes in 'limited government'

[froot loops]

Their definition of compromise is you give me something or I kill the hostage.