FBI gave #RonJohnson defensive briefing in 2020 warning he was being targeted by Russia to spread disinformation on Biden.
What did he do?
He considered it “completely useless and unnecessary”
With his usual paranoia, he thought FBI briefing was a trick
2. And then, worse of all, Johnson continued to use his office to act as a conduit for the Russian disinformation campaign to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.
4. Ron Johnson in his own—self-incriminating—words:
“I suspected that the briefing was being given to be used at some future date for the purpose that it is now being used: to offer the biased media an opportunity to falsely accuse me of being a tool of Russia despite warnings.”
5. Worth recalling this is not a partisan issue.
Fellow Republican Senators—including Richard Burr and Marco Rubio—warned Johnson that he was using his congressional powers in a way that could aid the Kremlin’s efforts.
2/ A premise of SCOTUS opinion is that POTUS has "conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority" over the Justice Department.
This should unsettle Americans, regardless of party.
Take a gander at what that means in Chief Justice Roberts' own words.⤵️
3/ Potential effects for aggrandizement of power in executive branch.
Listen to @marty_lederman spell out potential implications for congressional legislation for DOJ (Roberts having sub rosa overruled/cast aside Morrison v. Olson, a 7-1 decision by Chief Justice Rehnquist).
2/ Report by Director of Economics at Yale's @The_Budget_Lab @ernietedeschi:
Analyzes the risk of a "‘black swan’ event outside of the realm of US experience, such as ... military intervention in domestic politics" with profound impact on US safe harbor investment premium.
@The_Budget_Lab @ernietedeschi 3/ "It is also reasonable to assume mass deportation of millions of migrants, the demolition of departments and agencies, and many other planned autocratic-leaning policies risk producing similar [black swan] results."
Breaking: Trump admitted to probation officials he has a gun in Florida
Convicted felon possessing firearm =felony
Indicted person receiving firearm in interstate commerce =felony
Condition of release for Trump in DC , FL, GA is not committing a felony cnn.com/politics/live-…
2/ Donald J. Trump condition of release in District of Columbia:
"IT IS ORDERED that the defendant's release is subject to these conditions:
The defendant must not violate federal, state, or local law while on release."
3/ Florida arraignment:
THE COURT: Subsection B requires the release to be subject to the condition that the person not commit a federal, state or local crime during the period of release .... I assume the Defendant, former President Trump, has no problems with that condition?
MR. BLANCHE: I assure you he does not, Your Honor.
Explaining why bill to sanction #InternationalCriminalCourt would damage US national security
“I come before you today a combat veteran, a supporter of the American Servicemembers Protection Act, a longtime supporter of Israel's security...”
2/ Congressman Crow outlines several pieces of recent congressional legislation and U.S. government support for the vital work of the International Criminal Court including on #RussianWarCrimes in Ukraine, #Darfur, Cote d’Ivoire, #Myanmar, the #DRC, and elsewhere.
3/ "The ICC’s largest funders are amongst our closest allies -- the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, and Japan. This bill puts us at serious risk of being forced to sanction many of our closest allies and partners, including: 30 out of 31 of our NATO allies; 6 of out 9 major non-NATO allies who have obligations to the Court like Argentina, Australia, Japan, Jordan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea."