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The Intellectualist Profile picture
@highbrow_nobrow
Sep 23, 2020 • 9 tweets • 3 min read • Read on X
1. Attorney General William Barr was slated to receive an award at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday for his “exemplary Christlike” behavior, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
mavenroundtable.io/theintellectua…
2. “At the virtual breakfast, Attorney General William Barr will receive the NCPB's Christifideles Laici Award (Faithful Christian Laity), named after the apostolic exhortation on the laity by Pope John Paul II.” (NCR)
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3. The NCPB website says the award was created in 2019 "to help highlight these good works and those who serve the Church so well."
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4. “Prominent Catholics who disagree that Barr deserves such an award are citing the federal government's decision to reinstate the federal death penalty, which is opposed by Pope Francis and the U.S. bishops, in July.” (NCR)
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5. Rev. Michael Bryant, a Catholic priest and former prison chaplain, noted that “that five men have already been executed and two more will be killed, one on the day before the breakfast and another on the day after,” NCR wrote.
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6. Sister Helen Prejean tweeted: "I raise my voice in fervent opposition to the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast's scandalous offer of an award to Attorney General Barr for his 'exemplary Christlike' behavior."
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7. The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests called the move "shocking, incomprehensible, and scandalous,” adding that “executions are clearly not pro-life.”
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8. They also pointed to Barr’s involvement in the forcible removal of peaceful protesters from Lafayette Park earlier this year in order for President Trump to stage a photo op with a Bible at nearby St. John’s Episcopal Church.
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9. Critics also noted the timing of the award, which comes just ahead of the November election.
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More from @highbrow_nobrow

The Intellectualist Profile picture
Apr 6
Chronicle of Recklessness: Donald J. Trump and the Jeopardization of U.S. National Security (Part III)

Infiltrations at Mar-a-Lago Highlight Security Gaps and Unseen Risks

The incidents of infiltration at Mar-a-Lago, most notably involving Inna Yashchyshyn and Yujing Zhang, spotlight a pattern of lax security under Donald Trump's administration, reflective of a broader, reckless approach to national security. This disregard is not a general lapse but a direct consequence of the atmosphere Trump cultivated, where the protocols designed to safeguard sensitive environments were often sidelined.

Yashchyshyn's audacious entry into Mar-a-Lago, under the false identity of a Rothschild heiress, and her interactions with key political figures, including Trump himself, underscore the absence of rigorous security measures. Such breaches, facilitated by an environment where verification and vetting processes were evidently insufficient, are emblematic of Trump's casual approach to securing potentially vulnerable spaces.

Similarly, Yujing Zhang's incident, wherein she was found carrying multiple electronic devices, some initially suspected to contain malware, further exposes the depth of security shortcomings during Trump's tenure. Her unauthorized access, equipped with tools for potential cyber espionage, underscores not just a physical security failure but a profound cybersecurity risk—a risk that emerged from a culture of negligence toward national security concerns.

This pattern of security lapses, marked by Zhang's arrest and the potential for cyber threats, underscores a concerning disregard for the complexity of security threats faced by high-profile venues associated with political figures. It reflects a broader trend of Trump's administration's approach to national security: a disregard for established protocols and a predisposition toward recklessness that compromised the safety and integrity of not only Mar-a-Lago but potentially the nation.

Trump’s Unique Unsuitability For Any National Security Role

Trump's Recklessness with Classified Information Relating to CIA Assets

While there is no direct evidence tying former President Donald Trump to the death of CIA informants, substantial evidence exists illustrating his reckless handling of classified information concerning CIA assets and the secrets surrounding them. This behavior has sparked significant concern among intelligence and national security professionals about the potential compromise of critical sources and the implications for US intelligence capabilities.

In an unprecedented top-secret cable sent to all CIA stations and bases worldwide, American counterintelligence officials highlighted the alarming trend of informants being captured, killed, or compromised.

This cable, which reviewed dozens of cases over recent years, marked a rare admission of the challenges and dangers faced by CIA operatives and their sources in hostile environments. Adversarial intelligence services, especially in nations like Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan, have intensified efforts to neutralize the CIA's human intelligence assets, often turning them into double agents.

The cable underscored several issues that have compounded these risks, including poor tradecraft, a tendency to trust sources too readily, underestimating foreign intelligence capabilities, and hasty recruitment of informants without sufficient consideration of counterintelligence dangers. These practices have endangered the lives of sources and jeopardized the integrity and effectiveness of US intelligence operations.

Moreover, Trump's history of mishandling classified information was further underscored by the discovery of documents marked "HCS" (Human Intelligence Control System) among those removed from Mar-a-Lago. HCS documents contain sensitive information that could potentially identify CIA informants.

Such materials demand the highest levels of protection due to the grave risk of compromising these sources. The inclusion of HCS-marked documents among the classified materials mishandled by Trump's administration illustrates a profound disregard for the protocols designed to safeguard America's most vital intelligence assets.

The implications of Trump's actions extend beyond immediate operational setbacks. The broader concern lies in the potential erosion of trust and confidence among current and potential intelligence sources.

The knowledge that sensitive information is not being adequately protected can deter individuals from cooperating with the US, thereby diminishing the CIA's ability to collect vital intelligence. This erosion of trust undermines the foundation of human intelligence operations and poses long-term challenges to national security.

While direct consequences, such as the death of CIA assets, cannot be conclusively attributed to Trump's actions, the indirect effects of his cavalier approach to handling classified information relating to CIA informants are profound.

The compromise of human intelligence sources not only endangers individual lives but also weakens the United States' intelligence-gathering capabilities, with far-reaching implications for national security.

Trump Would Reveal Intelligence When He Felt Like It

Throughout Donald Trump's presidency, there was a pronounced hesitancy among intelligence officials to share sensitive information with him, primarily due to concerns over his lack of self-control, which could result in inadvertent disclosure of classified information.

This concern was not unfounded; reports highlighted instances where Trump, either through misunderstanding or disregard for the confidentiality protocols, shared or blurted out secret information. This pattern of behavior led to an atmosphere of caution among those responsible for briefing the President, as they feared his unpredictable nature could lead to grave consequences for U.S. national security.

Trump's approach to handling classified information was marked by a departure from established protocols, raising alarms at various levels of the U.S. government's intelligence and national security apparatus.

His casual attitude towards sensitive intelligence not only created operational challenges but also posed unique dangers to national security, to the extent that there was hesitation to share vital intelligence with him. This reluctance was driven by a recognition of the potential harm that could arise from the mishandling or unauthorized disclosure of classified information.

Instances where Trump's handling of classified information came under scrutiny include his decision to share highly classified intelligence with Russian officials in 2017 and to tweet a declassified satellite image of an Iranian military site in 2019. Such actions not only demonstrated a disregard for the protocols governing the handling and dissemination of classified information but also raised questions about the criteria used to determine what information was deemed shareable or declassifiable.

Trump’s Focus of Intelligence: The Personal and Prurient

Donald J. Trump's presidency starkly deviated from the norm in many respects, particularly in his handling of intelligence and national security matters.

This deviation was not just procedural but deeply personal, aligning more with the sensibilities of tabloid consumption than the grave responsibilities of presidential leadership. Trump exhibited an unusual fascination with the personal affairs and private lives of others, especially those in positions of power. His predilection for such information mirrored the voyeuristic tendencies often catered to by publications like the National Enquirer rather than any strategic interest in national safety.

This interest was vividly illustrated in Trump's focus on the sex lives of prominent figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Republican Senate candidate Josh Mandel. Information concerning Macron was notably discovered at Mar-a-Lago, and Trump openly discussed unverified and salacious rumors regarding Mandel's personal life, describing it as "fucking weird."

These fixations were emblematic of a broader pattern: Trump's engagement with intelligence often sought out the lurid and scandalous, diverging significantly from the expected focus on security threats and geopolitical dynamics that typically occupy presidential attention.

Trump's approach to these matters was less about the safety of the nation and more about gathering material that could be used for personal amusement or to wield influence within his inner circle.

His interest in such gossip—far removed from the purview of national security—suggested a leadership style that was more concerned with the power dynamics and scandals of the wealthy and influential than with the sober realities of governing and protecting a country.

This inclination towards the private and prurient details of others' lives not only marked a departure from traditional presidential conduct but also raised concerns about the prioritization of personal entertainment over the essential duties of national defense and intelligence.

In sum, Trump's presidency underscored a unique danger to the principles of national security: a commander-in-chief whose fascination with the sensational details of powerful individuals' lives overshadowed the imperative to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information.

This shift in focus—from the national to the personal—challenged conventional expectations of presidential responsibility and highlighted the unique vulnerabilities introduced by a leader whose interests aligned more closely with tabloid narratives than with the safeguarding of national interests.

In Closing

Throughout Donald J. Trump's tenure as President of the United States, his administration was characterized by unconventional approaches to national security and intelligence, which have stirred considerable debate and concern.

While direct evidence linking Trump to the compromising or deaths of CIA assets is absent, a constellation of incidents and attitudes during his presidency paints an alarming picture of disregard for the sanctity and security of classified information, raising questions about the indirect consequences of his actions on national security.

The exfiltration of a highly valuable Russian asset, a direct result of concerns over the individual's safety amidst Trump's handling of sensitive information, serves as a stark illustration of the potential risks to intelligence operatives' lives and the integrity of intelligence operations.

This action underscores the critical importance of protecting sources, a principle seemingly at odds with the cavalier attitude displayed by Trump towards classified material.

Adding to the concerns, the discovery of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, including those detailing information about human intelligence assets, further exemplifies the security lapses prevalent during Trump's time in office and beyond. Such mishandling of sensitive information not only poses immediate risks to the sources involved but also jeopardizes the broader intelligence network that underpins national security.

Moreover, Trump's comments in a Fox News interview, suggesting a belief in the potential to monetize classified intelligence, reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of classified information.

This perspective is not only erroneous but also dangerous, suggesting a commodification of national security assets that could undermine the foundational principles of intelligence gathering and sharing.

While there is no known evidence directly tying Trump to the deaths of CIA assets, the cumulative impact of these incidents—coupled with a perceived lack of respect for the protocols and ethics governing classified information—casts a shadow over his administration's legacy in terms of national security.

The implications of these actions, both known and yet to be fully understood, underscore the paramount importance of adhering to established security protocols and treating intelligence with the utmost care and respect to safeguard the lives of operatives and the security of the nation they serve.

Bibliography

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Barnes, Julian E., and Mark Mazzetti. "Classified Material on Human Intelligence Sources Helped Trigger Alarm." New York Times, August 26, 2022. .

Barnes, Julian E., Michael C. Bender, and Maggie Haberman. "Trump’s Tastes in Intelligence: Power and Leverage." New York Times, September 1, 2022. .

Barnes, Julian E., Adam Goldman, and David E. Sanger. "C.I.A. Informant Extracted From Russia Had Sent Secrets to U.S. for Decades." New York Times. Published Sept. 9, 2019. Updated Sept. 17, 2019.

Barnes, Julian E., and Adam Goldman. "Captured, Killed or Compromised: C.I.A. Admits to Losing Dozens of Informants." The New York Times, October 5, 2021. Updated October 7, 2021. .

Bensinger, Ken, Miriam Elder, and Mark Schoofs. "These Reports Allege Trump Has Deep Ties To Russia." BuzzFeed News. January 10, 2017. .

Blake, Aaron. "The Ugly Story of Trump and Jamal Khashoggi Is Confirmed." The Washington Post, February 26, 2021. .

Borger, Julian. "Trump Boasted He Had 'Intelligence' on Macron's Sex Life." The Guardian, August 31, 2022. .

Broadwater, Luke. "Trump Received Millions From Foreign Governments as President, Report Finds." New York Times, January 4, 2024. .

Brumfiel, Geoff. "Trump Tweets Sensitive Surveillance Image Of Iran." NPR, August 30, 2019, 4:22 PM ET. Photographed for NPR on January 17, 2019, in Washington DC. .

"Chuck Rosenberg." Wikipedia. Last modified January 16, 2024. .

Corera, Gordon. "Christopher Steele: Orbis Welcomes High Court Victory Over Trump." BBC News, February 1, 2024. .

Dilanian, Ken, and Jonathan Allen. "Trump Bodyguard Keith Schiller Testifies Russian Offered Trump Women, Was Turned Down." NBC News, November 9, 2017. .

Dorfman, Zach. "More than Two Years After Trump Tweeted a Classified Image of Iran, Former Officials Are Divided on Fallout." Yahoo News. December 17, 2021. .

Emmons, Alex, Ryan Grim, and Clayton Swisher. "Saudi Crown Prince Boasted That Jared Kushner Was 'In His Pocket'." The Intercept, March 21, 2018. .

​​Goldiner, Dave. "Mark Meadows says Trump left top secret Iran war plans on couch at Bedminster golf resort." New York Daily News. Published August 21, 2023, at 11:50 a.m. Updated August 21, 2023, at 10:00 p.m. .

Grant, Sarah, and Chuck Rosenberg. "The Steele Dossier: A Retrospective." Lawfare, December 14, 2018. .

Siddique, Haroon. "Russian sources disappeared after Trump declassified ex-spy’s evidence, UK court told." The Guardian, October 17, 2023. .

Helmore, Edward. "US investigates fake heiress who infiltrated Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort." The Guardian. Sat 27 Aug 2022 13.42 EDT. Last modified on Mon 29 Aug 2022 08.42 EDT. .

Johnson, Alex. "Chinese Woman to Be Deported for Trespassing at Mar-a-Lago." NBC News, November 25, 2019, 7:17 PM EST. .

Macias, Amanda, and Kevin Breuninger. "Trump says the US wasn’t involved in apparent launch pad explosion in Iran." CNBC. Published August 30, 2019, 3:35 PM EDT. Updated August 30, 2019, 6:22 PM EDT. .

Miller, Greg, and Greg Jaffe. "Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador." The Washington Post, May 15, 2017, 7:45 p.m. EDT. .

Porter, Tom. "Officials were reluctant to hand over sensitive intel to Trump because he would blurt out details, report says." Business Insider, September 2, 2022, 6:04 AM EDT..

Rawnsley, Adam, and Asawin Suebsaeng. "Trump Bragged He Had 'Intelligence' on Macron’s Sex Life. The FBI seized a document with 'info' on the French president during the Mar-a-Lago raid, and that has officials in both countries hunting for answers." Rolling Stone. August 29, 2022. .

Relman, Eliza. "Jared Kushner Reportedly Used WhatsApp to Chat with Mohammed bin Salman, Who May Have Used the Same App to Hack Jeff Bezos." Business Insider, January 21, 2020. .

Reuters. "Trump discusses Siberian wildfires, trade in call with Russia's Putin." Reuters, July 31, 2019, 11:00 PM EDT. Updated 5 years ago. .

Robertson, Lori, Robert Farley, D'Angelo Gore, and Eugene Kiely. "FactChecking Trump’s Rally, Fox Interview." . Posted on March 30, 2023. .

Sherman, Mark. "The 10 Instances of Possible Obstruction in Mueller Report." Associated Press, April 18, 2019..

Sheth, Sonam. "The US extracted a top spy from Russia after Trump revealed classified information to the Russians in an Oval Office meeting." Business Insider, September 10, 2019, 11:52 AM EDT. .

Sheth, Sonam, and John Haltiwanger. "'I Saved His A--': Trump Boasted That He Protected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after Jamal Khashoggi's Brutal Murder, Woodward's New Book Says." Business Insider, September 10, 2020.

Stempel, Jonathan, and Karen Freifeld. "Donald Trump Found Liable for Fraud in New York Civil Case." Reuters, September 27, 2023, 2:17 AM EDT. .

Suebsaeng, Asawin, and Jackie Kucinich. "Trump Fixated on ‘Fucking Weird’ Senate Candidate and His Sex Life." The Daily Beast. Updated Feb. 05, 2022. Published Feb. 04, 2022. .

Tait, Matt. "What are the Classified Documents in the Trump Indictment?" Lawfare, June 14, 2023, 3:00 AM. .

Taylor, Adam. "Trump has spoken privately with Putin at least 16 times. Here’s what we know about the conversations." The Washington Post, October 4, 2019. .

Thai, Xuan, and Rich Schapiro. "Chinese Woman Arrested at Mar-a-Lago Is Denied Bail." NBC News. April 15, 2019. .

Thrush, Glenn, Alan Feuer, and Maggie Haberman. "Documents at Mar-a-Lago Could Compromise Human Intelligence Sources, Affidavit Says." The New York Times, August 26, 2022. .

Tucker, Eric, Jill Colvin, Alanna Durkin Richer, and Lindsay Whitehurst. "Donald Trump Stored, Showed Off and Refused to Return Classified Documents, Indictment Says." Associated Press, June 9, 2023. .washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
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Chronicle of Recklessness: Donald J. Trump and the Jeopardization of U.S. National Security (Part II)

Chronicle of Recklessness: Donald J. Trump and the Jeopardization of U.S. National Security (Part I)
Read 5 tweets
The Intellectualist Profile picture
Apr 3
Trump: Would you rather have the Black president or the white president? I think they want the white guy.
He has always been a bigot.
If you’re not following us, please do. We would appreciate it. Thank you.
Read 4 tweets
The Intellectualist Profile picture
Apr 2
Chronicle of Trump's Lax Approach to National Security and Surge in Spy Deaths: A Comprehensive Timeline

The behavior of President Trump regarding national security has been marked by a series of incidents that highlight a significant disregard for the protocols designed to safeguard sensitive information and intelligence assets.

This pattern of behavior includes the mishandling of classified documents, actions that have potentially jeopardized intelligence assets, and a general laxity towards the security of classified records. Notably, the disclosure of sensitive information necessitated the extraction of a top spy from Russia, and a reckless tweet about satellite spying capabilities concerning Iran further heightened security risks.

Moreover, Trump's casual approach to handling classified records, particularly evidenced by incidents at Mar-a-Lago, has led to serious legal implications, including espionage charges. His remarks trivializing the importance of securing classified information, alongside comparisons to Nixon's financial benefits from document sales, only add to the severity of these concerns.

Despite the lack of concrete evidence tying Trump's actions to the surge in spy deaths reported in October 2021, the accumulation of these incidents underlines a troubling pattern of negligence. This pattern warrants a thorough examination for potential links to broader national security implications.

Although direct causality between Trump's national security stance and the reported increase in spy deaths remains unproven, the broader context of his tenure invites further scrutiny into the indirect impacts of his conduct on national security.

The infiltration of Mar-a-Lago by individuals with suspected espionage ties, among other security breaches, amplifies these concerns, suggesting that Trump's tenure may have indirectly influenced the safety and effectiveness of American intelligence operations.

Timeline:

May 10, 2017: Trump revealed highly classified information to Russians (Source: The Washington Post, "Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador").

July 31, 2019: Trump spoke with Putin about wildfires in Siberia and trade between their two nations, the White House said (Source: Reuters, "Trump discusses Siberian wildfires, trade in call with Russia's Putin").

August 3, 2019: Trump issued a request for a list of top US spies, raising concerns about the potential for exposing or compromising intelligence assets (Source: The Daily Beast, "White House Asks for List of Top Spies During Intelligence Shakeup").

August 30, 2019: Trump tweets a classified satellite photo of Iran (Source: NPR, "Trump Tweets Sensitive Surveillance Image Of Iran").

October 5, 2021: "CIA Admits to Losing Dozens of Informants" over the past few years, highlighting challenges in intelligence operations and potential compromises (Source: The New York Times, "Captured, Killed or Compromised: C.I.A. Admits to Losing Dozens of Informants").

August 26, 2022: Documents at Mar-a-Lago Could Compromise Human Intelligence Sources, as the Justice Department's search was spurred by the discovery that Trump had retained highly classified material (Source: The New York Times, "Documents at Mar-a-Lago Could Compromise Human Intelligence Sources, Affidavit Says").

March 27, 2023: In a televised interview, Trump discusses the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents he retained post-presidency, making comparisons to former President Nixon and implying a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the Presidential Records Act. Trump's claim that he had the right to take presidential records and his reference to an $18 million settlement paid to Nixon (which pertains to a different legal context and era) underscores a troubling perspective on the ownership and handling of classified information, suggesting that he intended to monetize them. (Source: , "Fact-Checking Trump’s Rally, Fox Interview".)

Bibliography

Barnes, Julian E., and Adam Goldman. "Captured, Killed or Compromised: C.I.A. Admits to Losing Dozens of Informants." The New York Times, October 5, 2021. Updated October 7, 2021. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Brumfiel, Geoff. "Trump Tweets Sensitive Surveillance Image Of Iran." NPR, August 30, 2019, 4:22 PM ET. Photographed for NPR on January 17, 2019, in Washington DC. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Helmore, Edward. "US investigates fake heiress who infiltrated Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort." The Guardian. Sat 27 Aug 2022 13.42 EDT. Last modified on Mon 29 Aug 2022 08.42 EDT. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Lawfare Staff. "What are the Classified Documents in the Trump Indictment?" Lawfare, June 14, 2023, 3:00 AM. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Miller, Greg, and Greg Jaffe. "Trump revealed highly classified information to Russian foreign minister and ambassador." The Washington Post, May 15, 2017, 7:45 p.m. EDT. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Reuters. "Trump discusses Siberian wildfires, trade in call with Russia's Putin." Reuters, July 31, 2019, 11:00 PM EDT. Updated 5 years ago. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Robertson, Lori, Robert Farley, D'Angelo Gore, and Eugene Kiely. "FactChecking Trump’s Rally, Fox Interview." . Posted on March 30, 2023. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Sheth, Sonam. "The US extracted a top spy from Russia after Trump revealed classified information to the Russians in an Oval Office meeting." Business Insider, September 10, 2019, 11:52 AM EDT. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Taylor, Adam. "Trump has spoken privately with Putin at least 16 times. Here’s what we know about the conversations." The Washington Post, October 4, 2019. Accessed January 31, 2024. .

Thrush, Glenn, Alan Feuer, and Maggie Haberman. "Documents at Mar-a-Lago Could Compromise Human Intelligence Sources, Affidavit Says." The New York Times, August 26, 2022. Accessed January 31, 2024. .FactCheck.org
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Corrections:

*Former President Trump
*Failed to add story to bibliography :
*Failed to add story to bibliography

*Trump’s recklessness affected U.S. national security interests directly and indirectly.

Additional context:

The Daily Beast reported that the motive behind the request for a specific list was not entirely clear, but it was believed to be tied to the White House’s effort to identify a temporary Director of National Intelligence. This action was widely interpreted as an attempt by former President Trump to politicize the United States’ intelligence apparatus. Such attempts were consistent with Trump’s previously demonstrated contempt and reckless disregard for the nation’s intelligence agencies, which directly and indirectly impacted U.S. national security interests.

Furthermore, former President Trump’s decision to declassify intelligence regarding his alleged ties with Russia, provided by a former British spy, led to severe consequences.

According to court documents, two Russian sources named in the declassified intelligence had not been seen or heard from following the publication. This action severely damaged the U.S. government’s operations in Russia and its ability to recruit new Russian sources. Trump’s handling of this sensitive information was described as truly shocking and arguably one of the most egregious breaches of intelligence rules and protocol in recent times.

Adding to concerns about Trump’s approach to national security, Trump tweeted a highly detailed image of an exploded rocket on a launch pad in Iran. The clarity of the image initially led experts to question its source. However, it was soon determined to have been taken by a classified U.S. satellite, USA 224, believed to be a KH-11 reconnaissance satellite. This disclosure, now formally declassified following a Freedom of Information Act request, underscored Trump’s cavalier attitude towards sharing sensitive U.S. intelligence.

Steven Aftergood, a specialist in secrecy and classification at the Federation of American Scientists, noted that Trump’s tweet shared some of the U.S. government’s most closely guarded intelligence on Iran, highlighting a troubling readiness to disseminate sensitive information publicly.

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The Intellectualist Profile picture
Feb 29
The techniques used by Fox News to manipulate its viewers are no different than those used by Joseph Goebbels.

Fox aims to keep its viewers angry by priming them with emotionally charged propaganda meant to confuse and undermine their understanding of reality. 1/5 Image
Fox and other propagandists have long sought to influence election outcomes by promoting mistrust of institutions and general cynicism about the role of government.

This cartoon captures how the Right has used propaganda for decades to promote their longterm interests. 2/5 Image
Fox exists to confuse and mislead Americans. It doesn’t exist to inform, it exists to misinform. 3/5 Image
Read 6 tweets
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Feb 21
🚨Fake GOP Witness Linked to Russian Kompromat Scheme Targeting High-Profile Americans

Uncovered documents disclose a Russian intelligence plot to amass kompromat at Kyiv's Premier Palace Hotel, implicating Smirnov in a conspiracy to manipulate U.S. political outcomes.

The operation's aim is to gather sensitive material on distinguished Americans for potential leverage in the 2024 elections, highlighting a calculated attempt to destabilize U.S. democratic processes.

**Details:**

- The Premier Palace Hotel in Kyiv, Ukraine, serves as the epicenter for Russian intelligence's kompromat operations, with Smirnov as a key informant.
- Smirnov's associations include:
- **Russian Official 1**: Described as an orchestrator of international assassination operations and progeny of a high-ranking Russian figure.
- **Russian Official 2**: A senior member within the Russian foreign intelligence hierarchy, holding discussions about the conflict in Ukraine.
- **Russian Official 4**: The overseer of the surveillance operation at the Premier Palace Hotel, which targets influential Americans for kompromat.
- Smirnov has promulgated fabricated stories, notably about Businessperson 1's supposed activities in Ukraine, to create kompromat for Russian intelligence use.
- These machinations underscore Russia's strategic efforts to infiltrate and potentially sway the U.S. electoral system.
- There is an expressed apprehension that Smirnov might abscond to preclude legal responsibility for his involvement in the kompromat dissemination.

t.co/6e8TyEYgJGImage
🚨In addition, the DOJ memo discusses a Russian intelligence operation focused on gathering compromising information (kompromat) on key U.S. figures.

The operation involves the interception of phone calls at a hotel, dubbed a "club," by Russian Official 4, who heads a specific unit within the Russian Intelligence Service. This kompromat is potentially earmarked for use in influencing the outcome of the 2024 U.S. election.

**Details:**
- **Russian Intelligence Operation**: Led by Russian Official 4, targeting a hotel used as a surveillance site to intercept calls from high-profile U.S. individuals.
- **Objective**: To acquire kompromat that could be deployed strategically depending on the candidates in the 2024 U.S. election.
- **Smirnov's Role**: As an informant, Smirnov relayed details of the operation to his FBI Handler and insisted on this narrative in a September 2023 meeting with investigators.
- **Potential Election Influence**: The gathered intelligence is part of a calculated effort to exert control over U.S. political dynamics through blackmail or public exposure.Image
The memorandum arguing for Smirnov’s detainment.

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
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The Intellectualist Profile picture
Feb 9
"We're gonna deport a lot of people, 10 million people and growing - anchor babies, their parents, their grandparents. We're gonna put kids in cages. It's gonna be glorious." @JasonSCampbell

- Mike Davis, The Article III Project. Ex-Gorsuch clerk.
There will be mass deportations, concentration camps, targeted violence against regime opponents, and the subjugation of American cities, via the Insurrection Act, if Donald Trump becomes president in 2024.

He and his family will never leave office again if he pulls off a victory in 2024.

These are the stakes.
nytimes.com/2023/11/11/us/…Image
Evil is real. When someone has hatred in their heart, they will seek the most vulnerable to prey upon. These are monsters. You cannot be a good person and be this glib about the destruction of people and families.
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