TheLastRefuge Profile picture
Aug 25 9 tweets 8 min read Read on X
Most have forgotten...

Back in 2017 when House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes was working to reauthorize the FISA legislation, Nunes wrote a letter to ODNI Dan Coats about this specific issue:

intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/… x.com/TheLastRefuge2…Image
There is little doubt the NSA database was used by Obama-era officials, from 2012 through April 2016, as a way to spy on their political opposition. Quite simply there is no other intellectually honest explanation for the scale and volume of database abuse that was taking place.

When we reconcile what was taking place and who was involved, then the actions of the exact same principal participants take on a jaw-dropping amount of clarity.

All of the action taken by CIA Director Brennan, FBI Director Comey, ODNI Clapper and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter make sense. Including their effort to get NSA Director Mike Rogers fired.

Russia-Gate, the Steele Dossier and even the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (drawn from the dossier and signed by the above) were needed to create a cover-story and protect themselves from discovery of this four-year weaponization, political surveillance and unlawful spying.

This is why President Obama was willing to push the Russiagate story with his activity in December of 2016 after the election.  Obama wasn’t only dirtying up President Trump, Obama was using Russiagate as a cover for the spying that took place using the NSA database.

Even the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel makes sense; Mueller was FBI Director when the use of the NSA database surveillance began. Aaron Zebly was his chief-of-staff.Image
The beginning decision to use FISA (702) as a domestic surveillance and political spy mechanism appears to have started in/around 2012. Perhaps sometime shortly before the 2012 presidential election and before John Brennan left the White House and moved to CIA. However, there was an earlier version of data assembly that preceded this effort.

Political spying 1.0 was actually the weaponization of the IRS.

This is where the term “Secret Research Project” originated as a description from the Obama team. It involved the U.S. Department of Justice under Eric Holder and the FBI under Robert Mueller. It never made sense why Eric Holder requested over 1 million tax records via CD ROM, until overlaying the timeline of the FISA abuse:

The IRS sent the FBI “21 disks constituting a 1.1-million-page database of information from 501(c)(4) tax exempt organizations to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” The transaction occurred in October 2010

washingtonexaminer.com/irs-send-massi…
Why disks?

Why send a stack of DISKS to Main Justice and FBI when there’s a pre-existing financial crimes unit within the IRS.

All of the evidence within this sketchy operation came directly to the surface in early spring 2012.

The IRS scandal was never really about the IRS; it was always about the DOJ asking the IRS for the database of information.

That is why it was transparently a conflict when the same DOJ was tasked with investigating the DOJ/IRS scandal.

Additionally, Obama sent his chief-of-staff Jack Lew to become Treasury Secretary; effectively placing an ally to oversee/cover-up any issues. As Treasury Secretary Lew did just that.

theconservativetreehouse.com/2014/12/04/a-t…
It would appear the Obama administration learned a lesson from attempting to gather a large opposition research database operation inside a functioning organization large enough to have some good people that might blow the whistle.

The timeline shows that a few months after realizing the “Secret Research Project” was now worthless (June 2012), the Obama administration focused more deliberately on a smaller network within the intelligence apparatus and began weaponizing the FBI/NSA database. 

If my research hunch is correct, that is what will be visible in footnote #69:Image
How this all comes together:

Fusion GPS was only not hired in April 2016 simply to research Donald Trump. As shown in the evidence provided by the FISC, the Obama administration was already doing surveillance and spy operations.

The Obama administration already knew everything about the Trump campaign and were monitoring everything by exploiting the NSA database.

However, after the NSA alerts in/around March 9th, 2016, and particularly after the April 18th shutdown of contractor access, the Obama FBI needed Fusion GPS to create a legal albeit ex post facto justification for the pre-existing surveillance and spy operations.

Fusion GPS gave them that justification in the Steele Dossier.

This is the merge of two interests. #1) Clinton's dirty oppo research trick (Trump-Russia); and #2) Cover for Obama's surveillance system.

The White House and the Clinton Campaign both had motive now to stimulate a Trump-Russia conspiracy.

That’s why the FBI small group, which later transitioned into the Mueller team, were so strongly committed to and defending the formation of the Steele Dossier and its dubious content.

The Steele Dossier was a tool needed to get a FISA Title-1 warrant. That warrant became the cover and justification for a pre-existing surveillance operation.

The Steele Dossier (a Clinton construct) becomes the investigative virus the FBI wanted inside the system. For the White House, the subsequent Title-1 surveillance warrant served a different purpose.

To get the virus into official status, the DOJ-NSD used the FISA application as the delivery method and injected it into Carter Page.

The FBI already knew Carter Page; essentially Carter Page was irrelevant, what they needed was the FISA warrant and the Dossier in the system.

The White House wasn't watching closely because they wanted Clinton's dirty trick to succeed. The White House was watching to see if the shield for their spying operation could benefit from it.Image
Fusion GPS was hired by Hillary Clinton to research Trump; however, the Obama administration was already doing surveillance and spy operations, using FBI contractors. The FBI needed Fusion GPS to give them something, a plausible justification for already existing surveillance and spy operations.

Fusion-GPS gave them the justification they needed for a FISA warrant with the Steele Dossier. Ultimately that’s why the Steele Dossier was so important; without it, the Obama administration was naked with their NSA database abuse.

Investigating ‘Russiagate’, as dirty and unseemly as it was, takes you to a place where politics infected the DOJ/FBI and every participant carries plausible deniability.  However, investigate the 2016 illegal surveillance of Donald Trump’s campaign via the NSA database and all of that activity can never be justified.

If you understand the distinction above, then you start to realize why John Solomon is focusing on Russiagate.  Beware the person who picks up the flag at the front of the parade, for they are likely steering the crowd for a reason.

If DNI @TulsiGabbard focuses on the known FBI surveillance of the GOP candidates in 2016, by focusing on how FBI contractors exploited access to the NSA database to conduct political opposition research, then suddenly the entire story takes on a simpler to understand context.

The Obama administration was spying on people using their access to NSA metadata. It's a very simple narrative to understand.Image
Declassify the Rosemary Collyer 99-page FISA report and outline the FBI contractors doing the surveillance.

Stop focusing so much attention on Russiagate, it’s the shiny thing fraught with plausible deniability. 

Focus instead on declassifying and releasing the real story of how the NSA database has been used to conduct political surveillance for over a decade.

Obama conducted full spectrum political surveillance and spying operations exploiting the NSA database from 2012 to 2016.

All republican candidates, politicians and political opposition were under surveillance.

THAT is the BIG STORY that will shake up DC.Image
This also explains why FBI Public Information Officer Mike Kortan was telling @jsolomonReports there was no "there" there on Trump-Russia.

From Kortan's official FBI position, the Trump-Russia story was silly. The FBI looked at it and it was nothing. However, in the background what Kortan did not know was the alternative motive for the Trump-Russia story.

The people in the FBI who were participants in the exploitation of the NSA database for spying operations, were ultimately the same FBI people who promoted the Clinton dirty Trump-Russia story.

Two factions inside the FBI. One official faction, represented by Kortan, and one unofficial faction with a vested interest outside the parameters of official FBI duty.

x.com/realDonaldTrum…

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More from @TheLastRefuge2

Aug 23
1. Former National Security Advisor John Bolton is a well-documented neocon, who operates inside the business model of selling U.S. foreign policy influence for personal gain.  His activity mirrors that of former Senator John McCain in many regards.

John Bolton sold his access, contacts and ability to influence policy to the highest bidder. In DC parlance they call that a “consultant.” When the consulting is contracted for a specific foreign national interest, the title shifts to “lobbyist.”  That was his job, and all of Washington DC knows it.

Washington DC operates on this business model; the entire system will be soft to criticize Bolton, and many will likely defend him.Image
2. The FBI raid on his residence and office has led to a considerable amount of speculation.  However, as some background details start to come out, it appears CIA Director John Ratcliffe provided FBI Director Kash Patel with specifics on the international travels and efforts of Bolton.

That CIA referral has led to an FBI investigation under the auspices of potential violations of the espionage act, where Bolton would have leveraged current or prior classified intelligence information as part of his influence business.

Almost identically to former Senator John McCain, John Bolton was well known to intersect with the nation of Qatar as part of his operation.  Qatar has deep pockets and a long-identified influence operation throughout the middle east and the United States, sometimes playing all sides.

Qatar is also the playground for the CIA.

While it is yet unknown which nation and which activity Bolton was likely engaged in, the highest probability centers around the deepest pockets, which would also put Bolton on the CIA radar.Image
3. "The information that provided the basis for the warrant to search John Bolton’s home on Friday was based on intelligence collected overseas by the C.I.A., according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.

John Ratcliffe, the C.I.A. director, provided Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, with limited access to the intelligence. It involved the mishandling of classified material by Mr. Bolton, the people said.

The search of the home and office of Mr. Bolton, who was national security adviser during President Trump’s first term, was a major escalation of a long-running inquiry into whether he collected or leaked sensitive national security information, law enforcement officials said.

The nature of the intelligence collected overseas is not known. The F.B.I. obtained the search warrant after presenting evidence to a federal judge. Mr. Bolton’s office declined to comment.

The C.I.A. and F.B.I. regularly cooperate on counterterrorism investigations. It is unusual for the C.I.A. to so prominently provide information for a high-profile investigation of a former U.S. official."...

nytimes.com/live/2025/08/2…
Read 5 tweets
Aug 22
1) It's an interesting file release, albeit with little current criminal value all things considered (in total).

As I regretfully noted in 2018, all of the 2017 media leaks by Comey, McCabe and Baker *COULD* be justified (sketchy, but enough for plausible deniability and/or reasonable doubt) under the auspices of a counterintelligence operation being actively run by the FBI. [Remember, they're crooked DC f**kers]

Essentially: 'We're strategically leaking to judge the cause, effect and response from the investigative targets' as part of the overall operation etc. etc. Because this is an exceptionally unique investigation. blah, blah, blah...

Absolutely nothing will come of it, AND that cannot be emphasized enough; because in the final analysis, evidence released to John Solomon - is, by its nature - never going to be used in court proceedings. But here's some first review perspectives on the release anyway.

cc: @themarketswork @HansMahncke @Techno_Fog @almostjingo @ClimateAudit @TulsiGabbard
2) Reading between the lines....

March 22, 2017, was two days after James Comey's first testimony to the HPSCI on March 20, where he admitted publicly for the first time President Donald Trump was the target of an FBI counterintelligence investigation.

[Comey's 3/20/17 testimony was three days after SSCI Mark Warner and James Wolfe leaked the FISA to media. The intent was momentum for a special counsel. After the 3/17/17 FISA leak it made no sense for Comey to keep denying Trump was a target. Hence the admission on 3/20/17.

John Durham used in March 2017. That's new. A full two years before his name surfaced publicly via Bill Barr. The origin of the Durham weave? Interesting.

Assigned by Dana Boente 3/22/17 based on a criminal referral from [XXXXX] redacted?

[That redaction is likely 28/29 characters]

"House Intelligence Committee"? Possible fit.

Again, a review/context:

Sessions recused March 2nd
Nunes Presser March 16th
Wolfe/Warner leak March 17th
Comey Testimony March 20th

Then 👇Image
3. The now well-known "prohibited access files" in sentinel system, being used. Image
Read 9 tweets
Aug 20
Abandoned by his father to a troubled single mother; eventually raised by grandparents. He is then recruited from an Ivy league law school by shadow figures, a specific billionaire and a network of interests. He changes his name, writes a book about his life story, and with the support of the aforementioned – who eventually pays for the assembly of a strategic campaign influence network, becomes a Senator for 2 years before being quickly elevated into position in the White House.

Many people reading that paragraph would be familiar with the life story of Barack Hussien Obama.

However, that paragraph doesn't describe Barack H Obama. Nope, it is the right-side version of the exact same storyline, James David Vance.
On one side of the UniParty mirror we have an emotionally constructed political figure for the left.  On the other side of the UniParty mirror we have an emotionally constructed political figure for the right.  Each person, each emotional narrative, carrying the specific nuances to appeal to their wing of the UniParty audience.  However, both are following the same playbook.
JD Vance was born James Donald Bowman in Middletown, Ohio (August 2, 1984). He then changed his name to James David Bowman. He then changed his name to James David Hamel. Eventually, in 2014, notably after Yale Law School (class of 2013) and after marrying his wife Usha, now age 30, he changed his name to write a book.

It was 2014, that’s when JD Vance was born.

usatoday.com/story/news/pol…
Read 24 tweets
Aug 18
1/ To give you an idea of the scope of influence of Mary McCord as a key corrupt and unlawful DC functionary, consider what we can document.

♦ McCord submitted the fraudulent FISA application to spy on Trump campaign. Oct. '16

♦ McCord created the “Logan Act” claim used against Michael Flynn and then went with Sally Yates to confront the White House. Feb '17

♦ McCord then left the DOJ and went to work for Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler on Impeachment Committee. '18

♦ McCord organized the CIA rule changes with Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson. '18

♦ McCord led and organized the impeachment effort, in the background, using the evidence she helped create. '19

♦ McCord joined the FISA Court to protect against DOJ IG Michael Horowitz newly gained NSD oversight and FISA review. '19

♦ McCord joined the J6 Committee helping to create all the lawfare angles they deployed. '21

♦ McCord then coordinated with DA Fani Willis in Georgia. '21

♦ McCord was working with Special Counsel Jack Smith to prosecute Trump. '22

♦ McCord is now coordinating a Lawfare attack process against Donald Trump in term #2.

♦ McCord testified that AG Pam Bondi must recuse herself from investigating McCord. '25

♦ Joe Biden pardoned Mary McCord. '25Image
2/ DC – “Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and House Jan. 6 Select Committee has tapped Mary McCord, who once ran the Justice Department’s National Security Division, for representation in its fight to obtain former President Donald Trump’s White House records."

politico.com/minutes/congre…
3/ .."I am exercising my authority under the Constitution to pardon General Mark A. Milley, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the Members of Congress and staff who served on the Select Committee, and the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the Select Committee."...Image
Read 4 tweets
Aug 16
1) On March 6th 2009 then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton famously used a prop, "a reset button", to announce a new approach toward relationships between the United States and Russia.   Clinton presented the button to her counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Image
2) In an attempt to break the ice with Lavrov, Clinton handed him a makeshift "reset" button wrapped in a ribbon at the start of their meeting. Laughing, she told the foreign minister that "we want to reset our relationship" and "we will do it together."

Lavrov promised to keep the button on his desk, but pointed out that the Russian word written on it, "peregruzka," meant "overload" -- not "reset."

rferl.org/a/After_Meetin…Image
3) At the time many people warned the Obama Administration was taking a very naïve position if they collectively thought the Russians would in any way align with U.S. interests.

The reasoning for the caution was simple.

For two decades the general Russian political class had felt "the West" in a general sense, and the U.S. in particular, had been dancing in the end zone about the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Regardless of whether or not the Obama administration wanted to admit there was a resentment in place, it factually existed.

Then something funny happened... The U.S Embassy "cable leak" scandal.

theguardian.com/world/2010/nov…
Read 7 tweets
Aug 13
1. This is getting silly.

Here’s the timeline from an assembly of media reporting and investigative releases to congress.

Andrew McCabe was first interviewed about the media leaks in May 2017.  He denied. 

“A couple of months later” he was interviewed by Inspector General Horowitz, and he again denied. 

On July 20th of 2017 Inspector General Horowitz gained the Peter Strzok and Lisa Page text messages.

cnn.com/2018/03/30/pol…
2. May 2017 McCabe denies leaking for WSJ story to FBI investigators.

cnn.com/2018/03/30/pol…
3. July 2017 McCabe denies again; to Inspector General Horowitz.

July 2017 Lisa Page admits to Horowitz she was told to construct the Wall Street Journal story (Devlin Barrett, journalist).  This conflicts with McCabe's repeated denials.

foxnews.com/politics/2018/…
Read 7 tweets

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