James Comey seems to be offering the Senate today a series of shrugs over troubling evidence of false evidence and possible Russian disinformation in the Russian investigation. Despite his signing off on secret surveillance, Comey is dismissing questions ...
...on the basis that he never knew of any of the memos indicating that the information in the investigation was false or even Russian misinformation. He was under a duty to confirm such facts. As someone who has billed himself as a strong leader, he is now portraying himself...
...as a passive player in these decisions. However, while he would not answer questions on the new evidence of possible Russian misinformation used by the FBI, he had no problem discussing new evidence on Trump's debt that might suggest Russian control over him.
After saying that he could not comment on the new evidence on possible Russian misinformation used by the FBI, Comey just had no problem is saying that he has read material on the Flynn case and give his conclusions on their meaning.
Comey did say that, knowing what he knows today, that he would not have signed off on the Page surveillance. That makes it unanimous with Yates and Rosenstein. Nobody now supports the surveillance request but no one takes real responsibility.
Comey just said that he was wrong to previously call the abuse of the FISA process as "nonsense." He said that he should not have had confidence in the process. However, he had no problem dismissing these concerns repeatedly and publicly until confronted with the evidence.
...Comey bizarrely just said that he was not sure if it was relevant that he should have been told that the subsource used for the Steele material was a suspected Russian agent even when he was briefed on the Steele material. He just signed the application.
...Comey previously in his book on "ethical leadership" criticized Trump and said “a leader needs the truth, but an emperor does not consistently hear it from his underlings.” That apparently does not apply to being informed that secret surveillance ...
...targeting aides of the opposing presidential candidate might be Russian intelligence disinformation. Even when being briefed on the Steele information, Comey said that he was not sure that he had to be informed of that fact before signing off on the FISA application.
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The acquittal of former Justice Department employee Sean Dunn today seems more like the result of jury nullification than deliberation. Dunn did not deny throwing his sandwich and hitting an officer in the misdemeanor case. ... foxnews.com/us/ex-doj-work…
...His counsel argued that it was all just free speech: "It was a harmless gesture at the end of him exercising his right to speak out." So now citizens can pummel officers with objects as an "exclamation point"?...
...The message will not only be heard by citizens in Washington but officers that in the District jurors will treat violence as free expression. This was not a serious assault, but it was worthy of a misdemeanor in my view...
Solicitor General John Sauer just began the Administration's argument on the Trump tariffs...
Sauer is getting hit hard on tariffs being an Article I power (with Congress) as opposed to an Article II power (with the President). Justices Kagan and Sotomayor are raising the issue...
...Sauer is doing a very able job with prior precedent and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). However, Justice Jackson is pressing on how IEEPA was meant to constrain, not expand, presidential authority...
Halftime is shaping up to be one of the most bruising periods in the next Super Bowl. After the NFL announced that Bad Bunny would do the show, there is a petition in opposition signed by tens of thousands and TPUSA is planning an alternative halftime show to pull away viewers...
...For NBC, a major boycott could freak advertisers who are paying a premium for spots around halftime. It is an interesting boycott tactic to pull away viewers to hit the bottom line for the network. What remains to be seen is whether the controversy will draw or deter viewers.
...The indictment recounts numerous alleged incidents of transmitting classified information to third parties as opposed to the removal of actual documents. Notably, Count 6 is described as the revelation of “intelligence concerning a foreign country’s interactions with an adversary; in quotation marks direct statement collected via intelligence source and methods on a foreign country.” This was allegedly Top secret information. It allegedly included foreign intelligence describing an adversary’s planned attack on a facility.”
...Count 9 is described as Av2 “reveals intelligence about future attack by adversarial group in another country.” It is rated at Top Secret/SI. Count 11 “reveals intelligence that a foreign adversary was planning a missile launch in the future.” Others concern covert programs by the U.S...
John Bolton is now reportedly indicted by a Maryland grand jury. The sealed indictment is believed to be based on his possession of classified documents...
...Fox is reporting 18 counts against Bolton.
Obviously, Maryland is a favorable jury pool, and Bolton may be comforted by the assignment of an Obama appointee as the judge. However, those can be superficial takes. Possession and mishandling claims can be viewed by jurors as cut-and-dry questions...
Larry Snelling, Chicago Police Superintendent, just denied the story on the failure of CPD to assist ICE agents. He states that CPD officers were present. However, there are also recordings of CPD orders not to go to the scene. The question is whether there was a delay in one or more of the calls...
...Those orders told officers to "stay put." There is also a recorded message that “Per the chief of patrol: Clear everybody out, we’re not responding over there." This comes down to the timeline. If these officers were told to stay put, the question is why and for how long...
...The calls indicated that federal officers were in peril. The usual response from law enforcement is overwhelming and immediate. Snelling insists that there are multiple calls that are being conflated. That is a fair point, but the question still remains these recorded calls...