President Donald Trump is under intense fire for congratulating Russian President Vladimir Putin on his election — an election widely denounced as a sham. Putting aside the propriety of an American President congratulating an authoritarian figure (who is accused of interfering with his own election), the most notable element in the story was a leak that said Trump’s national security staff not only warned him not congratulate Putin but included in his briefing materials in all-capital letters the warning “DO NOT CONGRATULATE.” The speed of the leak is astonishing even by the measure of the Trump Administration. It appears that the leaks may have occurred within minutes of the call. Chief of Staff Kelly is reportedly irate with the leak and for good reason.
This leak is only the latest example of the work of staff close to Trump to get damaging information out into the press. The lethality of these leaks is also unprecedented. These leaks are clearly designed to seriously undermine Trump and some seem intended to push Trump toward impeachment or indictment. This means that Trump is working closely and daily with people who are actively seeking his demise. I can not recall a president in a similar position.
This leak seemed to be virtually immediate. It was fast, lethal, and calculated. It triggered various members, including Republicans, to denounce Trump’s decision and also led to a truly painful press conference with Sarah Sanders.
Like his decision to invite Russians into the Oval Office after the Comey firing (with Russian but not American photographers), Trump’s decision to congratulate Putin is baffling. He must have realized that it would fuel speculation over his relationship with the Russians and seeming reluctance to confront Putin.
I share the negative view of Trump’s decision to congratulate Putin. However, I do not see how this White House can function with this level of leaking from his close advisers. This is not the usual type of leaks that we have seen from the White House and it is not “deep state” actors. These are likely his appointees who are secretly working for his demise even at the risk of a criminal charge. The motivation is not clear but multiple people appear to have taken on a mission of either alerting the public of problematic conduct or hastening the end of this presidency. Since these are people who were affirmatively selected by the President or his closest aides, it is a remarkable role to take on after only a year of governance.
This evening, the Daily Beast reported that hacking during the time that DNC e-mails were leaked (info. provided to Wikileaks) has been identified as occurring at GRU headquarters on Grizodubovoy Street in Moscow.
Since the DNC refused to let the proper authorities investigate it demonstrates the DNC’s lack of concern over US security matters. Maybe they are more concerned about American citizens finding out how they handle their affairs than the Russians being able to tap into our most important secrets.
Republican Nunes shut down the House investigation. Republican Erik Prince held the fundraiser for Rohrbacher.
Washington Post- “Facebook had a closer relationship than it disclosed with the academic (Alexandr Kogan) it called a liar”
We’ll see where the investigation into Cambridge Analytica leads (conservative funders -Mercer family).
“Republican Nunes shut down the House investigation.”
There are beginnings and ends. To you, there is no end until your opponent ends up dead or in a gulag. Actually, the committee is moving on to investigate other problems. The problem they were dealing with was associated with the FISA warrants.
Summary:
* Andrew McCabe confirmed that no FISA warrant would have been sought from the FISA Court without the Steele dossier information.
* The four FISA surveillance applications were signed by, in various combinations, James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Sally Yates, Dana Boente, and Rod Rosenstein.
* The FBI authorized payments to Steele for work on the dossier. The FBI terminated its agreement with Steele in late October when it learned, by reading an article in Mother Jones, that Steele was talking to the media.
* The political origins of the Steele dossier were known to senior DOJ and FBI officials, but excluded from the FISA applications.
* DOJ official Bruce Ohr met with Steele beginning in the summer of 2016 and relayed to DOJ information about Steele’s bias. Steele told Ohr that he, Steele, was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected president and was passionate about him not becoming president.
McCabe’s employment with the FBI has been terminated. Further investigation of McCabe and the others is ongoing by other departments. Steele is being more closely investigated. Ohr has been demoted and the DOJ is being sued for records involving Ohr and Steele along with all the records that involve this case. Americans deserve transparency of government so such government records should be released to the American people.
There is a reason Trump’s people don’t seem to be loyal to him. It sure as Hell isn’t because he himself carries himself wit dignity and honor.
Why do I get the feeling there would just be a lot of slapping and hair pulling?
https://m.imgur.com/t/funny/Xnm2A
Rosie,..
– I think we could have a pay-for-view smoker in the Rose Garden.
10 rounds, conventional rules boxing match between
“Donald the Destroyer” Trump and “Crazy Joe” Biden.
All proceeds to go for deficit reduction.😉😄
The small world of D.C.- Huffpo reports that before joining Cambridge Analytica (3/2016 to 2/2017), a current special assistant to the Commerce Secretary worked at a company that later merged with a Koch-funded data non-profit. Huffpo cites as sources, a FOIA request, the staffer’s Linked In page and a Politico article from 2014.
What is your point?
BTW- The Center for Media and Democracy posted a new list of ALEC lobbyists and legislators, at its site.
BTW doesn’t get us any closer to your point. I don’t know why I even bother to ask. You don’t have a point. Your random mixture of names and slogans are meaningless.
Allan for heaven’s sake stop engaging with her. She is a total nutcase, and won’t ever answer a straight question. She only succeeds in ruining the thread discussion with her endless repeated droning about other people having more money than she does. Pitiful, really.
FFS, Most of the discussion on this blog is pure junk so these little engagements with Linda are meaningless when one views the blog in that fashion. Why would you even bother to make such a comment?
There are a whole bunch of nutcases on this blog. I like to study nutcases. Before I came here I didn’t have that much contact with such people in this type of environment so I think I will continue as I have been doing despite the fact that I know the discussion leads nowhere.