President Trump broke with the Department of Justice last week by calling for the release of a four-page “FISA memo” purportedly summarizing widespread surveillance absues by the FBI, DOJ and Obama Administration, reports the Washington Post.
The President’s desire was relayed to Attorney General Jeff Sessions by White House Chief-of-Staff John Kelly last Wednesday – putting the Trump White House at odds with the DOJ – which said that releasing the classified memo written by congressional republicans “extraordinarily reckless” without allowing the Department of Justice to first review the memo detailing its own criminal malfeasance during and after the 2016 presidential election.
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The decision to release the memo ultimately lies with congress.
Somehow WaPo knew that Kelly and Sessions spoke twice last Wednesday – once in person during a “small-group afternoon meeting” and again that night over the phone.
Trump “is inclined to have that released just because it will shed light,” said a senior administration official who was speaking on the condition of anonymity to recount private conversations. “Apparently all the rumors are that it will shed light, it will help the investigators come to a conclusion.”
The memo, written by staffers for House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), was made available for all Congressional House members in mid-January for viewing in a secure room. Lawmakers who have seen the document have called for its release to the general public, as it is said to contain “jaw dropping” revelations of extensive abuse of power and highly illegal collusion between the Obama administration, the FBI, the DOJ and the Clinton Campaign against Donald Trump and his team during and after the 2016 presidential election.
“I have read the memo,” tweeted Rep. Steve King (R-IA), adding “The sickening reality has set in. I no longer hold out hope there is an innocent explanation for the information the public has seen. I have long said it is worse than Watergate. It was #neverTrump & #alwaysHillary. #releasethememo.”
“It is so alarming the American people have to see this,” Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan told Fox News. “It’s troubling. It is shocking,” North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows said. “Part of me wishes that I didn’t read it because I don’t want to believe that those kinds of things could be happening in this country that I call home and love so much.”
Immediately #ReleaseTheMemo #FISAMemo & ALL relevant material sourced in it. Every American needs to know the truth! We wouldn't be revealing any sources & methods that we shouldn't; only feds' reliance on bad sources & methods.
— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) January 19, 2018
Meanwhile, The Washington Post is spinning Trump’s desire to release the memo as yet another example of the President’s “year-long attempts to shape and influence an investigation that is fundamentally outside his control,” pointing to reports that he wanted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller III last summer (which Trump denies). WaPo also points to Trump’s complaints over Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for not properly supervising the Mueller probe, and the President’s alleged comments to former FBI Director James Comey demanding loyalty and asking him to back off the investigation into former National Security advisor Michael Flynn, who was fired for misleading Vice President Mice Pence over his contact with Russians.
In other words, Trump has been resisting an active investigation which has yet to prove any collusion, and which has experienced significant mission creep into the personal finances of the Trump team – and The Washington Post is spinning it as Trump once again interfering with an investigation.
So now the President is calling for the release of the four-page FISA memo, which will reportedly put an end to the Russia investigation while quite possibly setting the stage for the criminal prosecution of those involved in trying to frame Trump.
That said, the Washington Post article appears to be nothing more than an exercise in pearl clutching over Trump’s demands for loyalty – as the paper notes that nothing the President has done is likely to lead to criminal charges.
To prove obstruction of justice, Mueller would have to show that Trump didn’t just act to derail the investigation but did so with a corrupt motive, such as an effort to hide his own misdeeds. Legal experts are divided over whether the Constitution allows for the president to be indicted while in office. As a result, Mueller might seek to outline his findings about Trump’s actions in a written report rather than bring them in court through criminal charges. It would probably fall to Rosenstein to decide whether to submit the report to Congress, which has the power to open impeachment proceedings.
As Trump faced growing questions about everything from his June directive to fire Mueller to his more recent grousing about Rosenstein, the White House was largely silent. In response to several specific queries, White House spokesman Hogan Gidley offered a written statement that addressed few of them. –WaPo
“The president has been clear publicly and privately that he wants absolute transparency throughout this process,” Gidley said in the statement. “Based on numerous news reports, top officials at the FBI have engaged in conduct that shows show bias against President Trump and bias for Hillary Clinton. The president has said repeatedly for months there is no consideration of terminating the special counsel.”
So future leaders of the free world take note; you’re not allowed express dissatisfaction when a federal agency allegedly colludes with the previous administration and an establishment candidate to rob you of an election using unverified evidence from Russian officials; it is also frowned upon to have a problem with a kangaroo-court witch hunt launched to push the invented narrative.
The President controls the DOJ…Replace Sessions if he won’t release it…
Typo or Freudian slip?
The article refers to “Vice President Mice Pence”
DOJ response = CYA
Ignore those people at DOJ. They are not your friends.
The Politics of Distraction:
Was the NY Times story about Trump’s desire to fire Mueller purposefully leaked……
>>>>>use of the word ‘leaked’ implies actual occurrence
>>>>>an invented narrative = look, a squirrel
The truth is always somewhere else
Last I saw, “these people” worked for the American Citizens and everything they did/do is/was our property and thus we can see it.
Fucking quaint idea I know.
Michael Moore unglued. Hahaha!
———————–
Donald J. Trump has proven himself to be completely unfit for office, a threat to our country, and an imminent danger to the world. He is not well; he is a malignant narcissist and an active sociopath. And because he holds the codes to fire nuclear weapons, he is a singular threat to humanity,” he wrote.
Moore, with Mark Ruffalo, Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie Perez and Cynthia Nixon are headlining the Hollywood-filled New York event and MoveOn.org is fundraising off it. Trump gives his address to Congress on Tuesday.
Here is Moore’s note for MoveOn.org:
Dear fellow MoveOn member,
Donald J. Trump has proven himself to be completely unfit for office, a threat to our country, and an imminent danger to the world. He is not well; he is a malignant narcissist and an active sociopath. And because he holds the codes to fire nuclear weapons, he is a singular threat to humanity.
This situation is a nightmare. And the only reason that things aren’t FAR WORSE than they already are is that millions of us have come together to engage in our democracy, resist, and organize.
But our problems go far beyond one sociopath president. The mission that we are on and the work that we must do is to tear down the rigged system that produced Trump in the first place. We must imagine the America that we want to live in. We must create the post-Trump America.
And this is actually possible: The fierce, determined Resistance movement that began after Trump’s election could create an avalanche at the polls this November. Together, we can stop Trump and the GOP and begin the work of creating the country that we imagined.
That’s why I’m doing everything I can, including taking part in the People’s State of the Union on Monday—a high-profile, energizing event the night before Trump’s State of the Union address. And I hope that you will do everything you can, too.
So here’s my request to you: If you can swing it, will you chip in to MoveOn—to help provide the resources needed to empower regular Americans to pool our strength against the extraordinary challenges ahead and win back power this November?
Click here now to chip in $3—or whatever you can afford—and you’ll help support MoveOn’s work to lead the Resistance all the way to the polls. And as a way of saying thank you, MoveOn will enter you into a contest for an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the People’s State of the Union event in New York City!
I’m joining Mark Ruffalo, Common, Whoopi Goldberg, Wanda Sykes, and Cynthia Nixon, as well as inspirational grassroots leaders and progressive organizing champions and MoveOn for the People’s State of the Union event in New York City on Monday, the day before Trump gives his State of the Union speech in front of Congress. And maybe you can join us there, too!
Together, we will show that bully in the White House that we aren’t going away. In fact, we’re only getting stronger, and we’ll be marching to the ballot boxes this fall.
Click here to chip in $3—or whatever you can afford—to support MoveOn’s work to help lead the Resistance, and you’ll be entered into the contest for an all-expenses-paid trip to the People’s State of the Union event in New York City.
The past year has taught us that we can’t sit back and hope that this will all go away.
And we cannot pretend that removing one individual from power will cure what ails our nation.
No; it’s an all-hands-on-deck fight for our country and our democracy. Everybody’s gotta step up!
Thanks for all you do.
–Michael Moore
Michael Moore and ilk … it is why we can’t have a nice country.
There will NEVER be unity in America again, as long as scum like him and his ilk are alive. Pray for his immediate demise.
I don’t see how this can possibly end well.
I see dead people. Everywhere.
7,000,000 dead people.
Stucky, I have a question for you.
Would you be able to pull the trigger?
We know that an entire generation of ghetto-minded young people have been damaged beyond repair due to terrible parenting resulting from LBJ’s Great Society. We know they can’t be rehabilitated because, well, LOOK AT THEM and look how they act and, by the way, SMELL them. Would you be willing to pull that trigger?
They are a disease upon the world, these young people with no morals, no adult supervision and no limitations on their behavior. Twelve-year-old mothers pushing baby strollers at the mall joining into the fight? Fourteen-year-old baby daddy outside selling meth or crack to other hopeless dregs of society.
Why not?
When I was a kid (around 11/12), a pack of feral dogs settled into a woodlot on our farm and my father handed me a shotgun and told me “come with me.” He told me to either stand in a certain spot and when I saw dogs running from the woods, start shooting OR he suggested I climb a tree if I thought I would not be able to shoot to kill. Some of them were just mangy curs, but a few were large enough to kill me, but since I stood my ground and shot as many of the couple dozen dogs as I could with my father picking them off as he pushed them toward me, we managed to rid our lives of the parasitical pack of dogs. I suppose PETA would arrest us now. We burned the carcasses of those that died. Some crawled off and were probably eaten by scavengers.
So, what if it were NOT mangy curs, Stucky? What if it were a pack of Keating Five types of Congress Critters making money hand over fist by taking money from bankers for favors? And, what if you were in a position to pull the trigger and put them out of business? The parasites in Congress who have absolutely no business making laws for the little people when they are stealing us all blind and have no intention of following their own laws, especially when it comes to accepting bribes. Would YOU pull that trigger?
Now, don’t answer in a way that will cause anyone to call Admin and ask for your address again. But, these hillbillies out here in flyover country, clinging to their guns and bullets, not only WOULD.
I think they will.
Maggie,
“these hillbillies out here in flyover country, clinging to their guns and bullets”
Thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment.
I know quite a few of those hillbillies, hell, I guess I am one!
I understand what you’re saying.
It is one thing to be an internet tough guy calling for the death of these libfuks …. a totally different thing to actually pull the trigger.
Short answer? I don’t know. But, I would like to think that I COULD if presented with the right opportunity (meaning, I have zero chance of getting caught).
Then again, I don’t even own a firearm. Then again, I recently murdered an innocent raccoon (busted his head open with a 2×4)… and felt pretty badly about it for a while afterward. Really.
Then again, a raccoon isn’t trying to destroy my life, my kid’s lives, and everything I hold dear!
I probably couldn’t kill a regyoulah libtard, like my seester. As you say, maybe they can’t help that they’re so fucked up. And killing a regyoulah libtard who has no real power over others … what’s the point?
But, a Fuktard like Michael Moore? I would like to think that I could pull the trigger …. HYPOTHETICALLY speaking. And even more so libfuk politicians like Pelosi, Schmucky Shumer, and ilk … again, hypothetically speaking. And I would certainly give aid and comfort to any American hero who actually did do the deed.
And there is nothing wrong with Praying To God that He have these people killed. Although, that doesn’t seem to be working. For the Good Word says where ever two or more are gathered in His Name that the prayers of such righteous ones will be answered. It ain’t working! Either I’m not righteous, or there aren’t even two other TPBers who want to see these fuckers dead.
Really? You can cold-heartedly and blood-thirstily murder an innocent raccoon for no valid reason what so ever, other than your desire to just kill, yet you can’t kill a total piece of shit like Michael Moore?? You should probably lie down on Mrs. Freud’s couch and discuss this with her…
C’mon, gimme a break.
That raccoon was not innocent. He was living in the attic … Gnawing away on wiring and insulation, and spreading his disease ridden shit all over the place. And he wasn’t paying rent! Fucken free shitter coon!
Also, I said I believe I COULD double tap that fucker Michael Moore. That’s my honest assessment. I’ve never killed a human being before. I’m thinking it’s got to be a difficult thing to actually do. At least the first time.
I want you to know I upvoted you and my vote counted for two. I just wanted you to know I am responsible for double the approval rating you might get from another TBP reader.
Just so you know.
Double D counts as a Double Vote? No surprise there whatsoever.
Thank Yeeeew.
Stucky, thanks for brining a little perspective, you can never realize how screwed the cabal is until you hear from the supporters, who twist themselves into ?, trying to impeach the President.
For the past several years I have been wondering why the political discourses of Hollywood celebrities should be of interest to anybody. Just what is it about their lives that make their views of interest? Only a bunch of sheeple would give a damn about the opinions of a fat slob with an oversized ego and mouth to match.
Democrats have described the memo as political talking points, misleading and flat out lies. Since when did fake shit cause the DOJ and FBI to claim the memo’s release could constitute a national security concern?
The president holds the authority to declassify anything that he chooses to. The Justice Department and Congress are guilty of over-reaching their authority.
http://uchicagolaw.typepad.com/faculty/2006/04/presidential_de.html
Clearly Rod Rosenstein has proven to be a “black hat”.
Iska- Yes. What else would anyone expect from Kenneth Starr’s White Water assistant? A cigar?
I am NOT a Donald Trump fan but I wish to God he could become uncharacteristically eloquent in exposing the dangers to all Americans that are likely revealed by this memo flap. I’m not holding my breath.
John Coaster- Since it is not being released, it makes one wonder if it may be in the interest of all parties involved not to release it. The damning information may implicate everyone, the FBI, the DNC, the RNC, the Justice Department, and the Trump administration.