Today is an important anniversary for former intelligence chief James Clapper. No it is not his marriage anniversary or conventional milestone. Clapper can celebrate the running out of the statute of limitations on his alleged perjury before Congress — five years and Clapper is now beyond the reach of the law.
I recently wrote a column on the approaching anniversary and how it reaffirms the widely held view that powerful people in Washington are immune from laws used against the rest of society.
Clapper appeared before the Senate to discuss surveillance programs in the midst of a controversy over warrantless surveillance of the American public. He was asked directly, “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions, or hundreds of millions of Americans?” There was no ambiguity or confusion and Clapper responded, “No, sir. … Not wittingly.” That was a lie and Clapper knew it when he said it.
Later, Clapper said that his testimony was “the least untruthful” statement he could make. That would still make it a lie of course but Clapper is a made guy. While feigned shock and disgust, most Democratic leaders notably did not call for his prosecution. Soon Clapper was back testifying and former president Obama even put Clapper on a federal panel to review the very programs that he lied about in Congress. Clapper is now regularly appearing on cable shows which, for example, used Clapper’s word as proof that Trump was lying in saying that there was surveillance of Trump Tower carried out by President Barack Obama. CNN and other networks used Clapper’s assurance without ever mentioning that he previously lied about surveillance programs.
News organizations now regularly feature Clapper who has denounced Donald Trump and members of his government, as discussed in an earlier column.
It is the latest chapter in America’s Animal Farm as average citizens are criminally charged with small discrepancies in statements to investigators while people like Clapper and David Petraeus and Sandy Berger are protected from serious repercussions for alleged criminal acts.
Orwell wrote the fanciful account of a farm society of animals at the end of World War II during a period of authoritarian power and government propaganda. The farm government proclaimed equality of all animals but, as the pig Squealer explained, “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Of course, none of our politicians is nearly as open and honest as Squealer. There will be no sign proclaiming the different treatment of the governing and governed classes. They prefer the barnyard to return to its previously sleepy existence once the offender has been put away. That is why Clapper’s anniversary is a point of celebration in the Beltway as a reaffirmation that, in Washington, “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
The Clapper caper !
Is that what Marie Antoinette said?
Why didn’t The Orange One’s Justice Dept. Do something about it. ?
I hope someone, holds this guy accountable fir ALL the lies, he spews, DAILY.!
Yeah, fire Sessions.
Why don’t you do that? What is holding you back you got so much information and proof? All it takes is the guts to walk into a court, file the charges and pay the fees Whats a matter no scrotes?
“Not wittingly.” They did it unwittingly, or else without wit. How witless of them.
Clapper!!
Call him Clapper!
What kind of people call him Clapper?
Fat kids, skinny kids…
Kids who climb on rocks….
etc
And what’s with TWO MIke Rogers?
Nunes closed the House Committee investigation into Russia w/o interviewing 4 Trump associates who are under indictment by Mueller. A GOP member of his own committee, admitted the Committee has no credibility.
Mendacity at every turn.
If Mueller has some super secret information that Trump is a Siberian candidate then I’m sure he’ll let us know. Otherwise, there is no evidence of Trump being a traitor. Critical thinking isn’t your thing.
Can you prove all of that Comrade? Of course not. Say! Did your programmers skip the country. Quality of BS has gone down hill fast.
I think after a while due to all of these former top security people retiring, we will start seeing some buzzer terrorist like threats that only one vendor can supply our government with the solution.
Pick your favorite old spook fogey company to support. BAE Systems, The Chertoff Group. What’s next
The Clapper Cooperative for Strategic Risk Management?
We’re doomed.
This despicable thug should be spending the remainder of his sorry life behind bars in Leavenworth.
Or SuperMax.
He is among the worst offenders of Washington, DC, for his lies to Congress and against the American people. He served almost no useful purpose, and like his comrade, John Brennan, was an affront to the word, “intelligence.”
He makes me disgusted to call myself “American.”
HRC staggering through India running her stupid mouth. What a loser!
“after Bernie was screwed.”
Based on the Democratic convention it appears Bernie liked it.
Allan, I don’t forgive Bernie for getting behind her – but I give him credit for awakening people politically who were asleep. And who knows if the Clinton cabal threatened his grands.
Agree.
If Bernie could be threatened he shouldn’t ever be considered for the Presidency. He lost the credibility of his followers by caving into HRC.
I hear you. This has occurred to me as well. Bernie has a long history of compromise (some quite constructive, some quite infuriating depending on one’s POV) and yet would he be able to stand his ground in that great bully pulpit of the POTUS, not to mention before the Senate and Congress and our great but sometimes too great MIC?
But I’ve changed for I see no one, not a one, who is perfect under scrutiny, and indeed most who I consider deeply flawed.
Allan, if Bernie had been threatened personally I think he would have carried through, but his family is another matter. When Tulsi Gabbard stepped down as DNC vice chair she quite clearly said she was not afraid of the Clintons. So that indicates to me that threats were made. And his followers are fully woke and carrying on. Bernie always said it wasn’t about him.
Bernie is not my candidate, but watching him through the years wouldn’t give me great confidence if he was. Even where I agree with Bernie I see that he doesn’t show an intellectual side that would make his policies complete.
Trump has done better than I expected and demonstrates backbone and steadfastness.
Trump is not my candidate so much like you and Bernie, I don’t see things in the same way. But there have been places where Trump has gained my respect and that nowhere more so than his agility in agreeing to meet with Kim Jong Un. Win, loose or draw – to me – just the meeting itself is a remarkable break through. I don;t see how it can succeed on either side, but at least as it stands now, it represents more than anyone else has managed to accomplish thus far. I also give huge credit to south Korea’s Moon Jae-in for quietly brokering this. In any event, you might be equally surprised by some of Sanders victories were he to do the equally unthinkable as Trump to the powers that be, become president.
Brooklyn, I think in terms of policy, not politics. Therefore, I recognize Trump will not always meet my expectations. I believe in free trade, but I also believe in the American worker and believe that the American worker and America have been scr-wed in our trade negotiations of the past (not always). I didn’t think before and don’t think now that Trump will significantly deviate from a relatively free trade policy, but there will be changes that might scare those that believe in free trade no matter what our trading partners do. I don’t agree with some of the things Trump said about health care long ago. I am not enthusiastic about the tax policy and his view of the death tax. I can go on and on, but he is logical and measured in what he does so things are not as drastically different from what I want to see. I accept a compromise as long as America and the working families are left in a better place.
We have to recognize the realities on the ground so compromise is essential. Bernie has some good thoughts about certain things that are wrong, but his policies aren’t well thought out and if his desires were followed I think America and its people would be badly hurt. He has very little finesse. Trump has a lot of finesse, but it seems to go over the head of many people.
Obama was a disaster and Hillary who I believe is a crook and has been from the time she was the First Lady of Arkansas would be a disaster as well.
I am willing to look at all the facts, but it appears the divide is so great that all too many wish to only provide rhetoric absent fact. Linda is a good example of that type of person, but she also lies when she thinks she can get away with it.
Gibbard saw the writing on the wall and turned Independent while she still could. those inddependent folks wil be able to pick u the pieces
That sucked. That and Warren. I cringed for weeks just thinking of it.
That is the type of people they are.
BB – now the DNC is turning to the Deep State for candidates
Disgusting. The DNC is moribund. Why can’t they get that simple message and get back in their casket?
(music)
Happy Birthday to you!
You belong in a zoo!
You look like a monkey….
And smell like one too!
From someone on twitter:
As a former smoker, I think the analogy of treating a vote for Trump the way we treated smoking is apt: I understand why you started, how you got hooked, why it seems pleasurable. But it’s not good for you, it’s a disgusting habit, and it’s time to stop.
Same could be said for the nutjobs who actually said “I’m With Her” and thought putting Slick Willie and Crooked Hillary back in power was even remotely a good idea. Been there, done that. Fortunately America said No! Go Trump!
Hmmm. Fail
Hmmm hey suze Q, go scream at the sky some more and keep a tissue handy to dab the foaming drool gathering in the corners of your mouth.
Hmm, I think that would apply to the lifelong Dims who Demexited en masse after Bernie was screwed.