Below is my column in the New York Post on the response of Secretary of State Antony Blinken to allegations that he was the original source for the Russian disinformation claim behind the Hunter Biden laptop. I wrote previously that Blinken is struggling to avoid the look of a “made man” who earned his bones in the Biden Administration. Things are now likely to get worse after a U.S. senator added an alleged false statements charge to Blinken’s controversies.
Here is the column:
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is claiming the political version of the immaculate conception.
In a Fox interview, Blinken suggests that he is free of blame in the creation of the 2020 letter from former intelligence officials claiming that the Hunter Biden laptop story was likely Russian disinformation.
Despite the primary organizer of the letter naming him as the Biden campaign adviser who first raised the claim, Blinken insists that he remains without sin.
All of the letter signatories are taking the same position.
No one is at fault in one of the most calculated false stories ever planted in the midst of an election cycle.
That would be hard enough to believe, but it’s not even the only lie Blinken is accused of telling in relation to Hunter Biden.
Blinken is also facing questions over allegedly false statements made to Congress related to Hunter Biden.
He claims he never emailed Hunter, when messages on the president’s son’s laptop show he did.
Let’s start with the letter.
With an enabling media, Joe Biden was able to use it to dismiss the evidence of possible influence peddling and criminal conduct on the laptop.
During the presidential debate, an irate Biden cited the letter as proving that the laptop story was “garbage” and part of a “Russian plan.” He added that “nobody believes” that the laptop was real.
Media and social media companies then buried the story, including some like Twitter banning its discussion before the election.
In the close election, the false story worked to negate a damaging scandal of corruption involving millions of dollars from foreign sources, including some involving figures associated with foreign intelligence.
After the Republican takeover of the House, former acting CIA Director Michael Morell was called before Congress to give a statement.
When pressed on how this letter came about, Morell reportedly did not hesitate: Blinken.
He said Blinken was “the impetus” of the false claim.
Morell then organized dozens of ex-national security officials to sign the letter claiming that the Hunter laptop story had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.”
On Monday, Blinken told Fox News State Department correspondent Benjamin Hall that “with regard to that letter, I didn’t — it wasn’t my idea, didn’t ask for it, didn’t solicit it. And I think the testimony that the former deputy director of the CIA, Mike Morell, put forward confirms that.”
Morell said that it was Blinken who “triggered” his interest in crafting the letter. So perhaps Blinken is trying to dance on the semantic pinhead of being the impetus as opposed to the “solicitor” of the claim. Morell did not appear to have any doubts or hesitation after speaking with Blinken and quickly assembled an array of experts to make the false claim. Morell admitted to Congress that one of his goals was “to help then-Vice President Biden in the debate and to assist him in winning the election.”
So it turns out no one is at fault. Not the “trigger,” not the organizer, not the signatories, not the media. Indeed, maybe it is the public for being chumps in buying this scam.
Blinken is facing a more serious question raised by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who declared that Blinken told “boldface” lies when he testified under oath to Congress in 2020 on the controversy. Johnson said that Blinken said he never emailed Hunter Biden.
Yet emails between the president’s son and Blinken were recently disclosed. They suggested that the two were in communication in 2015 while Blinken was working in the Obama administration and Hunter was on the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma.
Johnson stated on Fox’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that “we know that he lied boldface to Congress about never emailing Hunter Biden. My guess is he told a bunch of other lies.”
There are also emails that suggest that Hunter communicated through Blinken’s wife, Evan Ryan, who now serves as Biden’s cabinet secretary.
We still need more details on the underlying facts, but, if true, the allegations could constitute both criminal and impeachable offenses. Blinken reportedly made these statements as part of the process leading to his confirmation. If he lied, it could constitute making a “materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation” to Congress under 18 US 1001.
If Blinken lied or committed perjury, it could also constitute an impeachable offense. One complicating issue is that this did not technically occur while in office but in pursuit of that office. Moreover, there may be other statements since becoming secretary of state.
Of course, during the Clinton impeachment, the question of whether perjury constitutes an impeachable offense was raised. When I testified at the impeachment hearing, I maintained that it clearly does meet the standard of a “high crime and misdemeanor.” In my view, it did not matter the subject matter.
Others, like Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe, were equally certain that perjury did not meet that standard in the Clinton case.
The fact is that cabinet and high-ranking officers have often been accused of false statements without facing impeachment or even prosecution.
Ironically, the letter includes one notable example.
Former National Intelligence Director James Clapper during the Obama administration was accused of perjury before the Senate but was not sanctioned by the Democrat-controlled Senate or the Obama Justice Department.
He later signed the Hunter Biden letter.
That history may be reassuring for Blinken.
However, whatever the outcome, Blinken has some explaining to do and one thing is clear: There is nothing immaculate about the Hunter Biden scandal.
Jonathan Turley is an attorney and a professor at George Washington University Law School.
Israeli Whistleblower With Info On Biden Corruption Disappears In Cyprus After Saying Biden Regime Wants To ‘Bury Him’
https://amgreatness.com/2023/05/05/israeli-whistleblower-with-info-on-biden-corruption-disappears-in-cyprus-after-saying-biden-regime-wants-to-bury-him/
Growing Pushback Over BlackRock In Ukraine: “Taxpayers Pay The War Bills, Private Firms Get The Profits”
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/growing-pushback-over-blackrock-ukraine-taxpayers-pay-war-bills-private-firms-get-profits
Maria Bartiromo’s “Sunday Morning Futures” on FNN was always a good venue for announcements. While last Sunday’s turn was on Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), today Chairman James Comer (R-KY) found more evidence poitns to Joe Biden’s involvement in family business dealings. Stay toon until Wedenesday’s presser.
If the material to present is as explosive and damning as a very excited James Comer proclaims: Why wait until Wednesday?
[1] https://www.foxnews.com/media/maria-bartiromo-speaks-exclusively-rep-james-comer-investigation-into-biden-family
Chuck Grassley Demands DOJ Cough Up Document Over Criminal Scheme Involving Joe Biden
” Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley is demanding transparency from an agency with no interest in transparency. ”
https://thefederalist.com/2023/05/04/chuck-grassley-demands-doj-cough-up-document-over-criminal-scheme-involving-joe-biden/
Russia Hoaxers Clapper, Brennan Will Answer To Weaponization Committee For Letter Calling Hunter Biden Laptop ‘Disinfo’
https://thefederalist.com/2023/05/04/russia-hoaxers-clapper-brennan-will-answer-to-weaponization-committee-for-letter-calling-hunter-biden-laptop-disinfo/
James Clapper Can’t Stop Lying
” He knew exactly what he was doing. ”
By: David Harsanyi February 14, 2023
https://thefederalist.com/2023/02/14/james-clapper-cant-stop-lying/
Those who didn’t completely sleep through the ’20 election campaign, might remember
* Hunter Biden Laptop Investigation started with an assessment by FBI supervisory intelligence agent Brian Auten in 8/20. According to Senator Grassley’s investigations FBI assistant special agent in charge of the Washington field office, Timothy Thibault, ordered the matter closed without providing a valid reason as required.
* Senators report [1] “Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The Impact on U.S. Government Policy and Related Concerns” (9/23/20) included a $ 3.5M wire transfer from Baturina to RST labeled as “Consultancy Fee” on 2/14/14.
* This was preceded by a letter (7/13/20) from DEM leaders like Pelosi, Schiff & Schumer falsely tied investigation to Russian disinformation.
* On 8/6/20 FBI agents Bradley Benavides & Nikki Floris briefed Senators and falsely labeled the investigation as advancing Russian disinformation.
* Some days after NYP broke the story [2] and days before 1st presidental debate, POLITICO published intel later, signed by 50+ securities, among them
* James (Jim sic!) Clapper: Director DNI (8/9/10-1/20-17)
* John Brennan: Director CIA (3/8/13-1/20/17)
* Michael Morell: Deputy Director CIA (5/6/10-8/9/13)
Leon Panetta: Secretary of Defense (7/1/11-2/26/13)
* Jeremy Bash: Chief of Staff & senior advisor to Leon Panetta
As these Obama stalwarts are no mere babe in the woods, their goal was to influence how Americans vote in ’20 election, Biden’s statement in the debate made Chris Wallace happy:
“Look, there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what this, [President Trump’s] accusing me of is a Russian plan. They have said this — this has all the characteristics — four — five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s saying is a bunch of garbage. Nobody believes it except him and his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”
[1] https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FD/FD00/20230209/115294/HHRG-118-FD00-20230209-SD012.pdf
[2] https://nypost.com/2022/03/18/intelligence-experts-refuse-to-apologize-for-smearing-hunter-biden-story/
Dirty politics interfering in an election.
The Left’s Response: “But…but…but… Ukraine, white supremacy and the climate emergency!”
[…] white supremacy […]
Joe Biden is labeled as a decent family man from Irish heritage. Four years ago, the time he outlined three core values of his presidential campaign:
* Reclaiming the soul of the nation;
* rebuilding the middle class, the backbone of America; and
* uniting Americans.
On his final strech of his campaign launch, the Senator from MBNA explained in Phili:
“I believe America is always better just best when America is acted as one America. One America. One America maybe a simple notion, but it doesn’t it doesn’t make it any less profound. This nation needs to come together. It has to come together, folks.”
On other occasions he talked about “Return Day,” where all came together after the elections, eat ox sandwiches and bury a literal hatchet to signify the end of the campaign. He outlined his ultimate solution to any political or social problem: It should involve heavy doses of consensus, compromise, and moderation by both Democrats and Republicans. Temperament is valued above ideology; civility above principles. Or in his words
“We need a little more of the Delaware Way. We got to make it more the American way and it’s lost. Our politics has become so mean, so petty, so vicious that we can’t govern ourselves, in many cases, even talk to one another. It can’t go on like this, folks.”
Biden also liked to back up his claim that one of his greatest strengths was to “bring people together.” He referenced Senators James Eastland (“He never called me ‘boy,’ he always called me ‘son.’”) & Herman Talmadge (“We got things done”). Not everyone was happy the he referenced these two Democratic Senators from MS & GA as examples of people who brought unity to the country.
I wonder if he can still remember it today
On a seperate note: Former CIA Director John Brennan (5/11/23) and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper (5/17) will appear before “Weaponization” House panel in behind-closed-door interviews. Together with Leon Panetta, Michael Haydn & Michael Morell, Brennan and Clapper were two of the most well-known signatories on the infamous statement that 51 former intelligence officials issued in 10/20, which cast doubt on a NYP story about about the Biden family’s business dealings
Blinken at the time was serving as a paid senior adviser to the Biden presidential campaign, and Biden later relied on the misleading statement in 1st presidential debate on 10/22/20:
“Look, there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what this, [President Trump’s] accusing me of is a Russian plan. They have said this — this has all the characteristics — four — five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s saying is a bunch of garbage. Nobody believes it except him and his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”
Blinken is a member of an unusual group of refugee families along with Marek Garland (the A.G.), Myorkis, George Soros, Madelaine Albright, and others. They are unusual in their obsession to gain power over other people – millions of other people here in America. They should be impeached, purged, deported and/or rejected, in my opinion. Also, this issue points to the dangers of establishing agencies with centralized power – such agencies like the Fed Education Dept should be dismantled & scrapped as a dangerous invitation to form an authoritarian government here.
Button – the same group includes freedom-loving prominent figures such as Ben Shapiro, Andrew Klavan, Ludwig von Mines, and Barry Goldwater to name a few. They are a high performance group, so they what they do, they do in a big way. Thus, they gave us the Frankfurt School (bad) and the Austrian School (good). There is a mix of good and bad, just like with any other group of people.
Let’s hope that he will be taken to task for the not so immaculate deception. He was not forthcoming in the interview on Fox earlier this week.
And let’s also review marbury vs madison…wasn’t the entire or deal about who would be secratary of state with the seal?? And the court said ‘geeze’ it’s a property righht? Or something like that? That is wasn’t there a property right instead he president could give such property right to the commission (seal) of the sos. As Secretary of state seal? Now how could the seal be property right? ? Unless since our founding the role of so s had its own property rights? Have our laws or Rico laws ever said no? We have failed since marbury to enact proper laws! It doesn’t take ai to conclude…..the “tradition” of America is to give sos specially treatment. So sos blinken get special traetment..?
No he got to tell lies just like Hillary as did as sos. ..until we make laws that hammer home the sos…..they can really act with impunity….after all it’s a ” property right” too for them! No they govt face our l laws too! Jesus we do f have a king who demands feilty….we have the people….nd we are sick of sec of state liars. But we don’t have those laws all we have is a property right to the position!
And frankly I can’t wait for the courts decision about the Minnesota takings case. Because it’s always been presumed property rights. Now the court is asking price and prove your property rights really….meanwhile their entire rubric of power is based on a property right!! For the sos seal! Which is federal! Yet they found then so long ago a property right….from where? Except from the feds! Yet today they are fixing to act like property can only come from the states. I’m pretty sure that notion will cause so much instability stAtes won’t matter much more. The quicken to civil war would be a decision that private property don’t matter. Which is essentially what they’d say about equity! As they’re say federal law on property is surpluos…it’s up to states. Then states have those wars. They’d be fools in the face of marbury vs madison to undermine. Property rights. Unless their goal is total destabilization of america!
I wonder if Hillary Clinton has figured out [?],
They don’t need Her anymore.
They (the Deep Powers) have Their WAR now.
They’re all ‘expendable’ to the Mission.
-Dumbasses-
I think Hillary Clinton realized her political power and influence was over the day after the 2016 election when she gave a pubic concession speech and was solidified further when she attended Trump’s inauguration and congressional lunch.
Agree to a bit with that, I feel she stepped back into the Shadows. Given the ‘condition’ of this Dem. Administration, She’s been working behind the scenes, as Biden is the Front.
It seems to Me that the Head of the Department of State [Secretary of State – Frm Sec.. H.R.C.] has become much more important than that of a President. The superiority of that overarching position as it relates to the connections to the Other Departments (CIA, FBI, DHS, ….) , is quite powerful.
Hillary knew that and used it. Hence the Wild Goose Chase of Immaculate Deception of the past years.
Alas I hope We have seen the last of this fiasco, but I very much doubt that.
I don’t know if the entire transcript has been released. I was quoting from an excerpt, not the complete transcript.
So…no one is at fault, and no one will be held accountable, for falsely claiming the Hunter laptop scandal was Russian disinformation, which helped Joe Biden get elected.
Just like no one was held accountable for claiming Donald Trump was a Russian Manchurian Candidate, which undermined his entire presidency. Hillary Clinton paid a disgraced British spy to fabricate a claim that Donald Trump was working with the Russians, for an October Surprise.
Nothing ever happens to these people.
Every election cycle, the Republicans are going to be accused of either working for the Russians, or having a sex scandal, while the mainstream media and political activists in current or former positions of authority rush to hide Democrat wrongdoing until after the election.
We’re just another Banana Republic now. No, actually, it’s worse. We’re a Banana Republic with a gay cruise line for a Navy, complete with drag queen recruiters so our sailors can go out there and dazzle the Chinese and Russian adversaries. The Navy Seals must be absolutely having fits. Perhaps they’ll get a drag queen story hour for team building, or they can just dance it out.
Karen S: just HOW many times do you need to be corrected about actual FACTS? Joe Biden got elected because most Americans preferred him to a pathlological lying narcissist with no leadership kills. No one said Trump was a “Manchurian Candidate”–but it has been proven that his campaign colluded with Russian hackers to cheat his way into office, which is how he “won” despite losing the popular vote. Read the REPUBLICAN Senate Committee Report, since I know you have been conditioned to disbelieve the Mueller Report. Trump had to cheat to get into office, because he is repulsive to most Americans. That’s why he never got even a 50% approval rating, it’s why he lost in 2020 and will lose in 2024. It is absurd to think that anything on the Hunter Biden laptop would have swayed the election–what crimes by Joe Biden have been proven? Can you name even one or produce proof? It’s more of the indoctrination by alt-right media to argue that Trump would have won but for the Hunter Biden laptop being suppressed.
Republicans keep losing elections because they don’t have a platform that appeals to most Americans–they are anti all abortions, which is counter to the sentiments of even most Republicans, they are banning books from libraries, they dictate what teachers are allowed to teach about slavery and race relations, they want to renegotiate Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits every year, so there can never be any financial certainty by those who depend on these benefits, they want to normalize prejudice against LGBTQ people, control the destiny of trans youth by second-guiessing their doctors and parents about what’s best for them, they want to roll back consumer and environmental heatlh protections, and, if they ever seized total power, they would waste taxpayer resources on an vengenance tour to try to exonerate Trump. They have no viable presidential candidate who can obtain a majority vote, so they’re plotting to seize and keep power by gerrymandering, manipulating the Electodral College, doing eveything possible to restrict voting by probable Democrats, and trying to prevent people convicted of crimes (most of whom are brown or black) from voting after they have served their sentence. They’ve even proposed raising the voting age to 35 because they are so unpopular among young people.
NUTCHACHACHA, are you actually Karine Jean-Pierre? Man, is she hard on the eyes. You know, one of the Ly sisters. First name’s Ug. God bless her.
GiGi
just HOW many times do you need to be corrected about actual FACTS? Joe Biden got elected because most Americans
were lied to repeated, about his Corruption.
Because the Media, Social Media, the FBI, CIA, DHS, and government funded NGO all illegally and unconstitutionally helped rigg the election in his favor.
Because Democrats abandoned the rule of law and violated election laws willy nilly.
Because Democrats engaged in a massive and illegal ballot harvesting scheme.
Frankly there was so much lawlessness, election rigging, fraud, censorship, “voter supression” by the left, that if the Voting machines were not rigged it is pretty close tot he only election fraud that did not occur.
“No one said Trump was a “Manchurian Candidate””
Actually left wing nuts have said exactly that.
“but it has been proven that his campaign colluded with Russian hackers to cheat his way into office”
The only collusion with Russians – was the Clinton Campaign.
“Read the REPUBLICAN Senate Committee Report”
I have – it does not say what you claim, and it is actually wrong on several points.
It is 2023 – not 2018. Alot has been learned since.
There is a reason that we are even more divided that in 2016 – because you, the left, democrats, have been caught in so many lies.
You accused Trump of lying – about what ? the collusion delusion ? Hillary Clinton ? The Witch Hunt ? The HB laptop ?
The Biden Syndicate corruption ?
I can list a long long list of major lies by the left, by Biden.
But I can not think of some consequential claim of Trump’s that proved false.
“since I know you have been conditioned to disbelieve the Mueller Report.”
No one is conditioned to disbelieve it. It is just the winny tome of some left wing fascists who went elephant hunting.
Did not get the elephant and wrote 400+ pages winning that it is not there fault they did not get the elephant.
Well it IS their fault.
They conducted an illegal investigation – entirely missed the ACTUAL crimes that were committed, and came up with nothing in the end.
Trump has been anally probed by just about every investigative body in the world and you have come up empty.
And STILL you keep at it.
You have destroyed trust in media, government, law enforcement, the courts.
People are no longer fearful we will become a soviet totalitarian state, they are trying to figure out how we escape from being a soviet totalitarian state.
“Trump had to cheat to get into office,”
Again evidence ? So far the only consequential cheating found in any federal election has been that of democrats.
“because he is repulsive to most Americans.”
Not nearly so repulsive as Clinton.
“That’s why he never got even a 50% approval rating,”
Biden is at 37%.
Rassmussen had Trump above 50% for more of his presidency than Biden.
Comparatively Trump’s approval ratting through out his presidency has been several points higher than Biden most of the time.
May 2, 2019 Trump 51%, May 2, 2023, Biden 46%
RCP has had Trump ahead of Biden for 2024 much of Biden’s presidency
“It is absurd to think that anything on the Hunter Biden laptop would have swayed the election”
And yet numerous polls of DEMOCRATS find that between 6-10% of democrats would have changed their vote, or not voted.
A 0.3% change in 3 states would have flipped the election.
So if those pols are off by a factor of 20 or 30 they still would have resulted in a Trump win.
If those polls are off by a factor of 10 – it would have been a Trump landslaide.
If they are off by a factor of 3 Trump would have won the popular vote.
“what crimes by Joe Biden have been proven?”
That is not the standard.
Biden is corrupt. That is obvious. All corruption is not a crime.
But all corruption is bad.
We have listened to the left rant bout the conduct of the supreme court – none of which is actual corruption.
But which justifies scrutiny.
I do not have a problem with saying those in our courts can not accept gifts. But you likely will have to amend the constitution to do so. I would be happy to do so, and to include those in the executive, and congress.
But absent having done so the conduct of the Courts is legal.
We can not say that for certain regarding Biden. There is ZERO doubt that the Biden family has accepted money form foreign adversaries. There is alot of doubt what that money was for. NO ONE is claiming it was a gift.
Further all of that meny was at the very least trading on the Biden Name – Not a crime, but immoral and unethical, and far more than and supreme court justice.
More troubling is that often the Biden payments relate to Biden’s role in government.
As an example more recently Joe re;leases oil from the SPR and Hunter made money brokering US SPR oil to China.
Is that a crime ? it may or may not be – to know we need to investigate.
We do not just stick our heads in the sand.
“Can you name even one or produce proof?”
The most recent leak from Delaware is that Hunter Will be charged shortly.
Might be false. All the Mueller leaks were false.
We also know that there is an IRS whisle Blower claiming Joe interfered in the Hunter Investigation.
If true that is a crime.
It true Garland lied under oath.
There is also an FBI WB claiming that the FBI has records of actual bribery of VP Joe Biden.
If True that is a very serious crime.
Are these true ? We shall see.
“It’s more of the indoctrination by alt-right media to argue that Trump would have won but for the Hunter Biden laptop being suppressed.”
None of this is about Trump. It is not even really about “trump would have won”.
TODAY the question is what is the extent of the criminal and immoral conduct of democrats in the election.
Is Election fraud OK if it did not change the outcome ?
Are Crimes not crimes just because they did not produce the desired outcome ?
“Republicans keep losing elections because they don’t have a platform that appeals to most Americans”
Nonsense. Most GOP platforms planks have 60-80% of voters supporting them.
Democrats win elections because they smear their opponents, because they create fear and anxiety.
Because they call everyone a nazi and a fascist and a racist.
Because it is self evident there is no lie too big and no immoral conduct too far if that will help win an election.
“they are anti all abortions”
They are not all anything, regardless the position is pro-life, and 90% of the country is pro-life to some extent.
“which is counter to the sentiments of even most Republicans,”
You do understand you just contradicted yourself ?
they are banning books from libraries,”
No they are age restricting books in schools. This is not the same.
Democrats are actually banning books.
“they dictate what teachers are allowed to teach about slavery and race relations”
That is literally governments JOB – to set curricula.
Should teachers teach anything they want ? Should they teach kids they can fly ?
There is a limited amount of time avaiulable to educate kids, and our system is FAILING to teach them the basics.
What good is it to teach Everyone about Slavery and Jim crow, if those same kids can not read or do basic math ?
The worst possible form of racism is to fail to teach minority kids what they need to work as adults.
Unless what you want is more drug dealers and more crime.
Slavery ended nearly two centuries ago. Systemic racism has been gone most of my life.
We have a minority VP, and had a black President. Of course Republicans had a native american VP 100 years ago.
“they want to renegotiate Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits every year,”
Whether you like it or not that is happening.
You can bury your head in the sand and watch the country go bankrupt.
Or you can try to address our problems.
“so there can never be any financial certainty by those who depend on these benefits”
There is no such thing as financial certainty.
YOUR policy is to lie to people and say there is.
” they want to normalize prejudice against LGBTQ people”
Nope.
“control the destiny of trans youth by second-guiessing their doctors and parents about what’s best for them”
Get Government out of this – and we will all be fine.
If you are LGBTQ today you have the Same rights as everyone else.
The confusion of those on the left – is that you seem to think that people have rights that they do not.
No one has the right to control the speech of others.
Do I have the right to say GiGI can not call reuplicans liars or Nazi’s ? Or to spread misinformation – which you do constantly ?
Of course not.
You do not have the right to force me to call you whatever you want. There is no right to your own pronouns.
Nor is there a right for a man to become a woman any more than a right for a man to become a kangaroo.
As a rule we do not stop people from engaging in delusions.
But we do stop people from teaching others delusions.
If your child thinks they can fly -0 do you let them jump off a skyscraper ?
By definition childhood is a time in which people beleive things that are not true and where adults protect them from life altering bad decisions. We do not allow kids to drink, to drive, to vote, to buy cigarettes, to buy pornography, to sign binding contracts.
to get tattoos.
When you are 18 you can do as you please with your body.
Children being angry at the limits adults place on them is the oldest story on earth.
Gig – “but it has been proven that his campaign colluded with Russian hackers to cheat his way into office,” Please tell me the specific facts – names, dates, and acts — that back up this statement. Do not simply say: “Look at the Republican Senate committee report.” State objective and verifiable facts. Given your breadth of knowledge in this area, it should be simple.
“they want to roll back consumer and environmental heatlh protections”
Correction – regulations – not protections. The market protects you, Tort law protects you.
regulations does not.
Can you cite a single instance EVER where a regulation disrupted a pre-existing trend ?
The environment. Health, etc have all been improving since long before the first regulation.
You can look at those trends and look at when regulation took effect and you can see no change in any trend line.
Because the regulation accomplished NOTHING.
“and, if they ever seized total power, they would waste taxpayer resources on an vengeance tour to try to exonerate Trump.”
If you had not behaved vilely you would not have to worry about vengeance.
Those in the resistance often took vengeance on Nazi collaborators after the War.
Was it OK to shave the heads of Nazi collaborators many of whom were responsible for other peoples deaths ?
“They have no viable presidential candidate who can obtain a majority vote”
Republicans have a deeper bench than democrats.
“so they’re plotting to seize and keep power by gerrymandering,”
You can not do that. Please learn basic math. First you do not get to gerrymander – unless you already ARE the majority.
Next, the more you try to amplify that majority through gerymandering the greater risk you have of being completely obliterated by small shifts in voters.
Lets just assume that you have a 51:49 popular vote majority in a state, and you gerrymander to win 75% of the house seats – this is quite difficult. Regardless, the next cycle voters swing 1% towards the other party – You could lose ALL of the house seats.
Jonathan: In his comment today (@10:20 M) Svelaz says: “Turley loves to gossip about political possibilities and portray them as serious truths that must be addressed”. You do use the qualifiers like “allegedly”, “suggest” and “if true” a lot when referring to Blinken’s statements–none of which is irrefutable proof of your claims. So is Svelaz right when he says you engage a lot of “gossip”?
I’m old enough to remember the most famous of the “gossip” columnists in the 1950s and 60s. -Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper. The latter had a readership of 35 million.. Hopper was a big supporter of HUAC and she named names–people she claimed were “Communists” in Hollywood. Hopper was a major proponent of the Hollywood blacklist.
Kirk Douglas related a confrontation between Hopper and Elizabeth Taylor that occurred at the premiere of Taylor and her husband Richard Burton’s film “The Sandpiper” (1965). At the premier Hopper openly complained that screenwriter Dalton Trumbo got screen credits for the film. Hopper had led the charge of blacklisting Trumbo. Taylor turned to Hopper and said: “Hedda, why don’t you just shut the f— up?” When Douglas hired Trumbo to write the screen play for “Spartacus” (1960) Hopper denounced the film. In a column Hopper said that “the script was based on a book by a Commie and the screen script was written by a Commie, so don’t go see it”. Hopper built her career by spreading unfounded claims about Hollywood personalities.
Now I would be the last to accuse you of following in the tradition of the Hollywood “gossip” columnists. I mean you are a noted conservative legal scholar who teaches law at George Washington University. Great credentials. Right? However, you do publish columns in the New York Post–a tabloid owned by Rupert Murdock– that spews out all sorts of unproven claims and conspiracy theories–“gossip” no one else will publish. But, no, I would never accuse you being today’s version of Hedda Hopper. No, I would not do that.
Dennis – do you miss the irony of your comment? You accuse Hedda Hopper of using guilt by association against Elizabeth Taylor (“you’re working with a Communist writer”) [which incidentally was true] and then you practice the same art against JT (“You write for a rag like the NYP”) [which incidentally is not a rag]. If you going to have a career in denunciation, you need to be a bit more consistent.
edwardmahl: What “irony”? You use quotes you apparently try to attribute try to me. Read my comment again. I never used those words! So misquoting me is the substance of your argument? And, yes, the NYP is a right-wing gossip “rag” owned by Rupert Murdock who just fired Tucker Carlson for nightly spewing out the same conspiracy theories as the NYP. If there is any “irony” it was in Carlson’s firing. Carlson was another modern day equivalent of Hedda Hopper. Except Hopper had 35 million readers while Carlson had only 3.2 million nightly viewers. Carlson was a piker compared to Hopper!
Dennis – the irony is that you slammed Hedda Hopper for using guilt by association but then used that same tactic yourself. Do you approve of guilt by association or not? I guess it depends on whom the target is. And, my “quotes” fairly stated the gist of your comments.
Dennis, if you are still upset about ACTUAL communists being outed then why have you no disdain for Adam Schiff saying he is holding PROOF of Russian collusion? Why no issue with Clapper, Brennan et al for saying that Russian collusion was real?
You can’t have it both ways, if you hate red baiting you should hate Russian baiting. Explain how Calling Tulsi a Putin lover is different from saying Trumbo was a commie.
Hey Dennis, this buds for you.
OT
THE MORALITY OF RATIONAL SELF-INTEREST
Communism is bad; its debt will exceed the wealth created by constitutional freedom, free enterprise and free markets.
– $32 trillion U.S. national debt
– $100 trillion U.S. unfunded liabilities
Atlas Will Soon Shrug
__________________
“Atlas Shrugged”
Ayn Rand’s stated goal for writing the novel was “to show how desperately the world needs prime movers and how viciously it treats them” and to portray “what happens to the world without them”.[8]
The core idea for the book came to her during a 1943 telephone conversation with her friend Isabel Paterson, who asserted that Rand owed it to her readers to write fiction about her philosophy. Rand disagreed and replied, “What if I went on strike? What if all the creative minds of the world went on strike? … That would make a good novel”. After the conversation ended, Rand’s husband Frank O’Connor, who had overheard, affirmed to Rand, “That would make a good novel.”[9]
Rand then began Atlas Shrugged to depict the morality of rational self-interest,[10] by exploring the consequences of a strike by intellectuals refusing to supply their inventions, art, business leadership, scientific research, or new ideas to the rest of the world.”[11]
– Wiki
“FBI has document alleging pay-to-play scheme involving Joe Biden, lawmakers allege”
“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
– William Casey, CIA Director 1981-1987
A couple of years ago there was a report of an analysis Hunter gave Burisma that read like a USG document rather than the superficial stuff that was Hunter’s usual communication.
Could it be that it was internal, perhaps classified, State Department analysis given to Hunter by Blinken? The email we have is, that Hunter had some things he wanted to clarify with Blinken. They subsequently met. It would be interesting to put the timelines together.
Lefty, Miranda Devine wrote about that particular email and it was damning. There was no way that Hunter Biden would have had the knowledge that he imparted in that email unless he was privy to his father’s classified documents. SICKENING!
It is clear that Blinken and all of Biden’s Admin including Biden and Harris are useless and lied to all. They are either total incompetents or trying to destroy the USA on purpose. The Congress should be in the process of impeachment of all at the moment.
Article 2, Section 4
The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors
George ‘Article2, Section 2’ .some might say that If even a fraction of Peter Schweizer’s excellent research as presented in his You Tube Documentary ‘Riding the Dragon’ is true.. re: the selling of US highly sensitive Tech to the CCP Military…’ ‘Treason’ would cover that…
Absolutely.
All the foregoing notwithstanding, as with the rest the surrounding controversies, the Charmin continues to roll out, and the the Fat Lady has yet to use it. We shall see, ultimately, who amongst this august company stands to pull the chain.
Regardless of who is responsible for the idea and completion of the discredited letter, it’s particular importance to then presidential candidate Joe Biden was made clear when he and his media used it repeatedly during the waning days of the 2020 election. If Biden had an interest for using it so did those who desperately wanted him to win the presidency have an interest procuring it for him. Blinken and Morell with political ambitions of their own were both admittedly among those who wanted Biden to win. Both are also fine tuned, well oiled, and crafty Washington D.C. operatives who know how to plot and scheme while keeping for themselves every politico’s best friend; plausible deniability.
Morell and Blinken would never have been so careless as to have Blinken direct, suggest, or insinuate that Morell put together a letter to be signed by 51 past and present intelligence officials that would favor a presidential candidate whose son had for so long been an embarrassment and cause for unwelcomed intrigue. While both men are too clever and well accomplished for that, they were, however, not clever enough to realize they each should not have been talking to the other. When Morell said in his testimony that Blinken’s call is what “triggered” his intent alone to procure the letter, it is also to be understood that Blinken knew exactly what his call might trigger. As everyone has at times experienced, much can be shared without any words being expressed.
That the Biden campaign in the person of Blinken had actually contacted Morell the former deputy director of the CIA — who served under Obama, wanted Biden to win, and had an opportunity to lead the CIA in a Biden administration — is in and of itself a scandalous revelation. The story has all the earmarks of the kinds of deceptions and nefarious intrigues expected from our federal government, and one that genuine journalists should always be investigating. What we are left with now is but just another reason so many Americans think the system can be rigged, the powerful elite are working in concert in ways we don’t know, and our intelligence agencies and powerful government officials are often protecting each other in ways we never see.
OT (WW III)
The constant critics of Trump on this blog and elsewhere often accuse him of having Kremlin sympathies for questioning the depth of our commitment to Ukraine. Today an assassination attempt was made on Putin, and a Kremlin spokesman said that a nuclear response might be made if another attempt succeeded. That is exactly how this conflict could turn into a nuclear war, even if no one in the White House authorizes such an action. Trump is right to be worried.
LOL! I wouldn’t call that an “assassination attempt”. It looks like a badly planned drone “strike”. I could have been orchestrated by one of Putin’s own men tired of the BS. It DID reveal that the Kremlin is not really prepared to protect itself against drones. They will now.
Have you ever been in the military?
It has been estimated that up to 20k people have been killed by our drone strikes in just four countries: Afghanistan; Somalia; Pakistan; and Yemen. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilian_casualties_from_U.S._drone_strikes It is not surprising that we are hated in so many countries. But our foreign policy establishment thinks its all about playing with toys. No skin off their noses.
edwardmahl,
We all have the right to be worried.
Could it be argued it was Putin opposition who launched the attack?
Sure.
Without evidence, it is pure speculation.
I would expect a response from Russia of the kinetic kind.
Playing WWIII/nuclear chicken is insanity of the worst kind.
@UpstateFarmer: We have no incontrovertible evidence from an unbiased source the veracity of which is beyond doubt that the incident actually occurred. The Russians merely say it did.
The Daily Mail has an image of a fireball over the Kremlin.
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/05/03/21/70528169-12043055-Pictured_A_fireball_is_seen_rising_over_the_Kremlin_after_an_all-a-20_1683144263985.jpg
“FBI file links Joe Biden to ‘criminal scheme’ per whistleblower”
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the FBI Wednesday for a file that a whistleblower said links President Biden to a “criminal scheme” featuring “money for policy decisions” during his vice presidency.
[…] it has come to our attention that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) possess an unclassified FD-1023 form that describes an alleged criminal scheme involving then-Vice President Biden and a foreign national relating to the exchange of money for policy decisions.[…] It has been alleged that the document includes a precise description of how the alleged criminal scheme was employed as well as its purpose. Based on the alleged specificity within the document, it would appear that the DOJ and the FBI have enough information to determine the truth and accuracy of the information contained within it. However, it remains unclear what steps, if any, were taken to investigate the matter.”
https://nypost.com/2023/05/03/fbi-file-links-joe-biden-to-criminal-scheme-per-whistleblower-comer-subpoenas/
Grassley/Comer letter to AG Garland & FBI Director Wray:
“The DOJ and the FBI appear to have valuable, verifiable information that you have failed to disclose to the American people. Therefore, Congress will proceed to conduct an independent and objective review of this matter, free from those agencies’ influence.”
https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2023-05/Grassley%20-%20Comer%20letter.pdf
“The subpoena requires the FBI to produce all specified FD1023 forms created in the timeframe identified in the attached schedule, along with all
accompanying attachments and other documents.”
https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2023-05/Comer%20Subpoena%20cover%20letter%20and%20Wray%20Subpoena%20050322%20%281%29_0.pdf
Charlotte Kingsdale: all 3 of your posts came from that lunatic hillbilly Marjorie Taylor Greene. The words “alleged” are peppered throughout. That hag filed articles of impeachment against Biden on Inauguration Day. She is a disgrace to America.
“all 3 of your posts came from that lunatic hillbilly Marjorie Taylor Greene”
No, they don’t:
1st link: NYP piece, 2nd & 3rd link: letters from Sen Grassley/Chairman Come to AG Garland/Directo Wray obtained by “Just the News”
In the meantime, more and more outlets reported about these matters, such as:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/whistleblower-alleges-fbi-doj-have-document-revealing-scheme-involving-biden-foreign-national
https://us.cnn.com/2023/05/03/politics/james-comer-chuck-grassley-fbi-documents/index.html
You are as obsessed by MTG as you are Trump. Get help Gigi. YOU have a problem.
This appears to be serious. The documents called for were any created or modified in June 2020 containing the name “Biden.” The allegations seem to be very specific. The date for delivery of the documents is May 10.
It is good to see the recourse to a subpoena immediately. That suggests that they believe they have something important.
“The documents called for were any created or modified in June 2020 containing the name “Biden.”
“FD1023 forms” is new, story not:
* Hunter Biden Laptop Investigation started with an assessment by FBI supervisory intelligence agent Brian Auten in 8/20. According to Senator Grassley’s investigations FBI assistant special agent in charge of the Washington field office, Timothy Thibault, ordered the matter closed without providing a valid reason as required.
* Senators report [1] “Hunter Biden, Burisma, and Corruption: The Impact on U.S. Government Policy and Related Concerns” (9/23/20) included a $ 3.5M wire transfer from Baturina to RST labeled as “Consultancy Fee” on 2/14/14.
* This was preceded by a letter (7/13/20) from DEM leaders like Pelosi, Schiff & Schumer falsely tied investigation to Russian disinformation.
* On 8/6/20 FBI agents Bradley Benavides & Nikki Floris briefed Senators and falsely labeled the investigation as advancing Russian disinformation.
* Two years later, prior to ’22 midterms, Grassley “is calling on the FBI to produce specific records in its possession indicating potential criminal activity in the Biden family’s foreign business deals. It remains unclear whether those FBI records […] have been shared with the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its ongoing criminal investigation into Hunter Biden.” [2]
[1] https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FD/FD00/20230209/115294/HHRG-118-FD00-20230209-SD012.pdf
[2] https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/fbi-possesses-significant-impactful-voluminous-evidence-of-potential-criminality-in-biden-family-business-arrangements
This is potentially a significant development. But there is a risk of over promising and under delivering.
“[…] there is a risk of over promising and under delivering.”
Sure & most likely there is! Eg: Is this whistleblower as credible as Eric Ciamarella?
As every coin has two sides: There are many insurance policies but also political landmines all around # 46. The story started at WH the time it was crystal clear that # 45 was ’16 GOP nominee.
But let’s go back to spring ’14 as Hunter Biden (and Devon Archer) joined the Board of Burisma: During the same time period, Joe Biden pressured the Ukrainian government to fire its lead prosecutor who was investigating wrongdoing at Burisma, raising questions from critics about whether this was related to his son’s position at the gas company. Father VP as Ukraine point man & son with a long history of drug and alcohol abuse (dismissal from the Navy Reserve) earning a fat check from this oligarch-owned Ukrainian gas company. Only “influence peddling” with a bad political optic?
Anyone with a political instinct that transcends the threshold of perception wonders: Why doesn’t the GOP focus its investigations on the most obvious and interrogate? My notion always leads to the question: To what extent are congessional Globalists/RINOS interested in finding out if then VP was compromised and/or if he and his family benefited from Hunters “humanitarian” activities?
Christopher Heinz, stepson of then Secretary of State John Kerry, co-owner of Rosemont Seneca emailed Kerry aides Matt Summers and David Wade [1]:
“Apparently Devon and Hunter both joined the board of Burisma and a press release went out today, I cant speak why they decided to, but there was no investment by our firm in their company.”
Citizens United President David N. Bossie who obtained this email by a public information request hoped that congressional oversight committees should be demanding answers to these two questions:
1. Why would Chris Heinz distance himself from Hunter Biden’s decision to join Burisma’s board in an email to John Kerry’s senior staff at the State Department?
2. What was then VP Bidens role in his son Hunter’s “humanitarian” work?
Remember: All this occured almost ten years ago. Did GOP subpoena Hunter Biden & Chris Heinz or anyone else familiar with this matters? What’s about money laundring? Why was Elena Baturina not sanctioned?
[1] https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/john-kerrys-son-cut-business-ties-with-hunter-biden-over-ukrainian-oil-deal
Free beer! Bud lite. Now the distributors are giving it away.
The claim of that substance being beer is fraud per se.
I have read some are refusing to take it.
Also read some beer outlets are canceling orders as they cannot move what Bud light they have on the shelves, taking up space.
This continues, AHB might just have to make the decision and “retire” Bud light.
ALISSA HEINERSCHEID
“Bud Light marketing exec behind Dylan Mulvaney partnership takes leave of absence: report”
The Bud Light senior marketing executive behind the controversial Dylan Mulvaney ad campaign has taken a leave of absence, according to a report. Alissa Heinerscheid, vice president of marketing for the popular beer, will be replaced by Budweiser global marketing VP Todd Allen, AdAge reported on Friday. Heinerscheid has led the brand since June. It’s unclear if her replacement will be permanent. The move comes as Bud Light and its parent company Anheuser-Busch have faced immense backlash for its partnership with Mulvaney, a transgender influencer who rose to fame chronicling her gender transition on social media. At the conclusion of Mulvaney’s transition she dubbed “365 Days of Girlhood,” the beer maker sent the activist custom-made can’s featuring her face, which she revealed in an April 1 Instagram post with the hashtag #budlightpatner. She later posted another video enjoying one of the beers in a bathtub. A day before Mulvaney announced the partnership, Heinerscheid was interviewed on the podcast “Make Yourself At Home,” where she discussed her work in transforming the Bud Light brand from its “fratty” and “out of touch” humor to a beer company that embraces inclusivity.
– New York Post, April 21, 2023
I hope they do. Then maybe companies will see that there are costs to virtue signalling.