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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Lawyers who once supported the targeting of firms representing Republicans are now adopting a truly Shakespearean pose as champions of free speech and free thought. For many Republicans, it is about as convincing MacBeth claiming to be a pacifist. thehill.com/opinion/civil-…
...Lawyers like Randall Eliason donated to the Lincoln Project and defended targeting of firms taking Republican causes, noting that “these mega-law firms are also big businesses. Like any business, they can be held accountable by the public — and by their other customers.” Now...
...Now, Eliason is appalled by Trump’s effort “to sanction law firms for doing nothing more than representing clients Trump doesn’t like.” In fairness, the distinction between boycott campaigns and government actions is legally important. However,...
The transcript of President Trump's ABC interview will quickly be raised in the Abrego Garcia case. Trump said that he could get Garcia back, but does not want to do so. The judge can now use that admission as proof of a violation of the order to facilitate his return...
...Trump stated “I could. And if he were the gentleman that you say he is, I would do that.” He did add: “I’m not the one making this decision. We have lawyers who don’t want to do this, Terry. … I follow the law. You want me to follow the law. If I were the president that just wanted to do anything, I’d probably keep him right where he is.”...
...The Court upheld the order of "facilitation" but conspicuously failed to define what that meant. However, whatever "facilitate" may mean, counsel will argue that absolutely nothing is unlikely to meet the definition...jonathanturley.org/2025/04/16/jud…
The Supreme Court appears ready to reverse the Fourth Circuit and rule for the parents in the Mahmoud v. Taylor matter. The question is how. Some of us are hoping that it will not just declare that this is a violation of religious freedom but to affirm parental rights...
...The Court once gave a full-throated endorsement parental rights in Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925). It should do so again, but some justices may not be ready to go that far...
...Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was particularly active and argumentative in challenging the counsel for the parents. However, the most concerning statement was when she declared that parents “can choose to put their kid elsewhere”...
Justice Thomas led questioning in Mahmoud v. Taylor to confirm that the school was requiring the use of the book at least five times a year while refusing to allow families to opt out...
...Eric S. Baxter (representing the parents) is getting close questioning from Justice Sotomayor whether "the mere exposure" to these books is a real "burden."...
...Justice Sotomayor portrayed the books as merely depicting same sex marriages and other imagery. Her colleagues just pushed back, including Alito, who said that the book "has a clear message" and cannot be portrayed as mere exposure to same sex marriage...
Fox just broke a criminal referral against Letitia James over alleged fraudulent housing loan filings. The filings include allegedly false representations that an out-of-state residence was her principal residence and other dubious claims...
...I reviewed the referral before going on Fox tonight. It took me less than a minute to find cases prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. 1014 for false claims of principal residences and the other allegations...
...For James, the irony is crushing. She previously prosecuted Trump for everything short of ripping a label off a mattress. She emphasized that Trump was ultimately responsible for any filings made in his name or that of his company...
After the arson at the home of Gov. Shapiro, I was deluged with emails due to my past writings on the rise in leftist violence. One writer seemed to gloat about a conservative arsonist and asked why "no morally superior comments about that? At the risk of being a buzz kill...
...USA Today is reporting that Cody Balmer was a critic of both Biden and Trump and had a particular hatred for Shapiro. That does not mean that violence does not come from far-right groups. It has and is equally disgraceful...usatoday.com/story/news/inv…
...Indeed, we still do not know much about Balmer's motivation and this certainly appears to be political violation. He appears deeply disturbed and his life was falling apart...