Monthly Archives: November 2018

Nov 22 2018

Trey Gowdy Launches Probe of Ivanka Trump Email Use…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 21, 2018 by

Retiring republican representative Trey Gowdy (U-DC) sent a letter to the White House asking for information on Ivanka Trump’s 2017 usage of her personal email to discuss government business.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee requests in his letter that White House chief of staff John Kelly provide information surrounding use of email that “implicates the Presidential Records Act and other security and record-keeping requirements.” Mr. Gowdy presents a December 5th deadline for a response.

(link to pdf)

Nov 22 2018

Alan Dershowitz Discusses President Trump Responses to Mueller Questions…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 21, 2018 by

Alan Dershowitz appears on Fox and Friends to discuss the issues within President Trump’s written responses to Special Counsel Robert Mueller; and additional legal perspective on the border asylum issues.

Nov 22 2018

Butte County Wildfire Update: Death Toll 81, Missing Persons 870, Lost Homes 12,637…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 21, 2018 by

The latest updates from Paradise, California, according to Butte County Sheriff and Cal Fire:

  • Two more bodies located Friday.  Death toll now: 81
  • Number of Missing Persons rises again to: 870  [list here]
  • Number of homes lost is now: 12,637
  • Number of commercial buildings lost is now: 483

Important video information below:

Nov 22 2018

Analysis of US Midterm Election


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics

Re-Posted Nov 22, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

 

The Blue Wave that the Democrats have been cheering is not impressive in the least. Everything appears to be within the projected parameters, but we are currently at 47% in the Senate. This suggests that we may not elect the Bearish Reversal. This warns that we have not yet broken down the political system and that the Democrats will do their best now to disrupt and obstruct the Trump Administration simply to win the 2020 Presidency for Hillary. This is being interpreted as negative economically by most and this indicated that we are more likely to see the USA turn more to the downside into 2020 with both economic and job growth. When we get the final numbers we will be able to provide the projection into 2020.

Nov 22 2018

Merz the Anti-Merkel Stands for Election to Replace Merkel in CDU


Armstrong Economics Blog/Germany

Re-Posted Nov 22, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

Friedrich Merz is the anti-Merkel who is standing for election in December to replace her as head of the CDU. Merz is also chairman of Blackrock there in Germany. He has been a German lawyer and politician of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). He served as a Member of the European Parliament 1989–1994, a member of the Bundestag 1994–2009, and as the chairman of CDU/CSU parliamentary group 2000–2002. In 2018 he announced his candidacy in the CDU leadership election in December 2018. Merz has described himself as socially conservative and economically liberal which means he is pro-business. He supports the European Union and NATO but sees the link to the United States as critical.

Meanwhile, Merz described himself as “upper middle class” yet he earns 1 million euros a year and has two private jets – not one. The rumor is Goldman Sachs is in its Crash & Burn mode for paying bribes and Blackrock will replace it as the most powerful financial institution in the world.

Nov 22 2018

Is the American Court System Hopeless? Acosta of CNN Should Be Banned & Cannot have a First Amendment Right Legally


Armstrong Economics Blog/Rule of Law

Re-Posted Nov 22, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong; You are rather famous in legal circles and the fact it took the Supreme Court to agree to hear your case before they released you is indicative of the deep corruption in New York. This seems to be like the disgrace of Lord Bacon who took bribes from litigants. Do you think we will ever see sweeping changes to the legal system in the United States which is no longer trustworthy after that insane ruling in favor of CNN?

PJ

ANSWER: Trump’s argument that CNN was not banned, just Acosta and that CNN could send someone else. For the judge to declare that Acosta has a First Amendment right is one of the most absurd corrupt legal decisions you can possibly deliver. This decision calls into question the validity of the American court system and its inherent bias that infects the rule of law. Trump’s legal position was CORRECT. Acosta has ABSOLUTELY NO such First Amendment right to enter the White House. This ruling claiming it is a personal right of Acosta is nuts. Therefore, everybody reading this blog, including non-Americans, can all demand access at the White House for a press conference claiming they too have a First Amendment right. This decision is absurd and really there should now be demands that swarm the White House based upon that decision for it is stupid. CNN could have sent in another person. Acosta has NO personal right whatsoever or else we all do. It is judges like this who give lawyers a bad name. He should be impeached. If I were Trump, Acosta will be seated in the last row and he will NEVER get to ask a question since not everyone in that room get time to ask a question. Let CNN take that back to the court.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, not the freedom of Acosta to report.

Yes, there are times throughout history that there are sweeping rebukes of the corruption in the court system. One such time took place during 1621 when Lord Chancellor Francis Bacon, who was the highest legal judge/officer in the land, was accused of having taken bribes from those appearing in court before him. A process called impeachment, trial by parliament, was revived after a 150-year interval. Bacon was found guilty, dismissed from his job, fined and imprisoned in the Tower. Bacon was charged with 23 separate counts of corruption. He was sentenced to a fine of £40,000 and committed to the Tower of London. However, the imprisonment lasted only a few days thanks to the king and the fine was also remitted. Still, Parliament declared Bacon incapable of holding any future office or sitting in Parliament. He barely escaped degradation, which was the penalty of being stripped of his titles of nobility.

There have been plenty of incidents of corrupt judges in the past. Curiously, perhaps there is a 154.8-year cycle in judicial corruption. It will take more gathering of evidence to confirm it, but on the surface interestingly in 1926, there was such an incident. Illinois U.S. District Judge George English (D) was impeached for taking an interest-free loan from a bank of which he was a director. He resigned before his Senate trial for impeachment in 1926

Nov 21 2018

Brutal and Pragmatic Honesty – President Trump Releases Statement on Kashoggi and Saudi Arabia…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 20, 2018 by

President Trump, not necessarily the White House – but rather, President Trump, releases an absolutely pitch-perfect statement that encapsulates the myriad of interests that have sought to exploit, manipulate, leverage and utilize the murder of Jamal Kashoggi.

This entirely accurate and brutally honest statement by President Trump will drive the left-wing media, specifically WaPo, NYT and CNN, absolutely bananas:

The world is a very dangerous place!

The country of Iran, as an example, is responsible for a bloody proxy war against Saudi Arabia in Yemen, trying to destabilize Iraq’s fragile attempt at democracy, supporting the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon, propping up dictator Bashar Assad in Syria (who has killed millions of his own citizens), and much more. Likewise, the Iranians have killed many Americans and other innocent people throughout the Middle East. Iran states openly, and with great force, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” Iran is considered “the world’s leading sponsor of terror.”

On the other hand, Saudi Arabia would gladly withdraw from Yemen if the Iranians would agree to leave. They would immediately provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend billions of dollars in leading the fight against Radical Islamic Terrorism.

After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States. Of the $450 billion, $110 billion will be spent on the purchase of military equipment from Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and many other great U.S. defense contractors. If we foolishly cancel these contracts, Russia and China would be the enormous beneficiaries – and very happy to acquire all of this newfound business. It would be a wonderful gift to them directly from the United States!

The crime against Jamal Khashoggi was a terrible one, and one that our country does not condone. Indeed, we have taken strong action against those already known to have participated in the murder. After great independent research, we now know many details of this horrible crime. We have already sanctioned 17 Saudis known to have been involved in the murder of Mr. Khashoggi, and the disposal of his body.

Representatives of Saudi Arabia say that Jamal Khashoggi was an “enemy of the state” and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, but my decision is in no way based on that – this is an unacceptable and horrible crime.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr. Khashoggi. Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!

That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi. In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran. The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region. It is our paramount goal to fully eliminate the threat of terrorism throughout the world!

I understand there are members of Congress who, for political or other reasons, would like to go in a different direction – and they are free to do so. I will consider whatever ideas are presented to me, but only if they are consistent with the absolute security and safety of America. After the United States, Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producing nation in the world. They have worked closely with us and have been very responsive to my requests to keeping oil prices at reasonable levels – so important for the world.

As President of the United States I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm. Very simply it is called America First!

~President Donald J Trump

Good reads on the Kashoggi affair:

WHY? The Washington Post angle – read here

WHO? Kashoggi was a player for the Muslim Brotherhood – read here

Nov 21 2018

Report: U.S. Attorney John Huber Expected To Testify to House Oversight Subcommittee December 5th…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 21, 2018 by

Interesting report from The Hill today quoting an interview with Representative Mark Meadows.  According to the report U.S. Attorney John Huber is expected to testify to the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Reform about an investigation into the Clinton Foundation.

(Via The Hill) Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) said Tuesday that House Republicans plan to hear testimony on Dec. 5 from the prosecutor appointed by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to probe alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation.

Meadows, who is chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations, told Hill.TV’s “Rising” that it’s time to “circle back” to U.S. Attorney General John Huber’s investigation with the Justice Department into whether the Clinton Foundation engaged any improper activities.

“Mr. [John] Huber with the Department of Justice and the FBI has been having an investigation – at least part of his task was to look at the Clinton Foundation and what may or may not have happened as it relates to improper activity with that charitable foundation, so we’ve set a hearing date for December the 5th,” he told Hill.TV during an interview on Wednesday.

Meadow’s said the committee plans to delve into a number of Republicans concerns surrounding the foundation, including whether any tax-exempt proceeds for personal gain and whether the Foundation complied with IRS laws.

Sessions appointed Huber last year to work in tandem with the Justice Department to look into conservative claims of misconduct at the FBI and review several issues surrounding the Clintons. This includes Hillary Clinton’s ties to a Russian nuclear agency and concerns about the Clinton Foundation.  (read more)

Little is known of the original instructions by former AG Jeff Sessions to U.S. Attorney John Huber.  Prior to May 2018, many people -including myself- hoped he was brought in to review the unlawful conduct within the DOJ and FBI that was surfacing as an outcome of congressional oversight and IG reviewed evidence.  Unfortunately, as the IG report(s) were released in April and June 2018, those hopes were diminished.

Interestingly, the framework of the article today that outlines his upcoming appearance is written around the politics of the investigation of the Clinton review and not the legal aspects therein.  This could be a troubling indication because: (a) Huber wouldn’t be able to testify about an ongoing criminal investigation; and (b) this framework would infer DOJ officials (above Huber) have made a determination -or agreed with his determination- that no legal liability is possible within the matters Huber reviewed.

Of course, that’s just my initial take on the way this is all positioned – and not intended to deflate anyone who was hoping John Huber would generate some prosecutorial angle within a multitude of investigations he was possibly reviewing.

From the way the outline of Huber’s appearance is structured, it appears the extent of his investigative responsibility was limited to a review of matters related to Hillary Clinton that surfaced as an outcome of other inquiry – including matters reviewed by DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz as they related to Hillary Clinton.

Common sense and basic DOJ practice would then indicate: if Huber is testifying to congress he is not likely holding any indictments for material related to discussion within his testimony.

It looks like Huber testifies on December 5th, then quietly exits the overall picture.

It does not look like Mr. Huber was reviewing anything within “spygate” or the FISA abuse; and also did not likely have any involvement in the Andrew McCabe DOJ legal review and DC-based grand jury matters relating to Andrew McCabe.

Of course, I could be entirely mistaken in my analysis.

{insert hope here}

Nov 21 2018

DHS Secretary Nielsen Holds Press Briefing on Border Initiatives and “Migrant Caravan”…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 20, 2018 by

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen holds a press availability on border security, enhancements to the border zone, and the current status of the migrant caravan.

According to DHS Secretary Nielsen there are currently 6,200 Central American migrants in Tijuana with more than 2,000 in Mexico City, and thousands more in various stages of norther travel within Mexico.  Worth watching:

Nov 21 2018

President Trump Impromptu Presser Departing White House…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on November 20, 2018 by

President Trump delivered remarks to the media pool and answered questions as he and First Lady Melania departed the White House for Thanksgiving in Mar-a-Lago, FL.