Sunday Talks: John Dickerson -vs- Jay Sekulow


A transcript is available here for those who don’t want to hear the banter:

SEKULOW: The president issued that tweet on social media because of the report in the Washington Post from five anonymous sources none of which, of course, anyone knows about, alleging that the president was under investigation in this purported expanded probe.

The fact of the matter is the president has not been and is not under investigation. So this was his response, via twitter, via social media was in response to the Washington Post piece with five anonymous sources. And by the way John the five anonymous sources, they don’t even identify the agencies upon which these individuals reportedly worked. So the response there is clear and I want be really clear about this. The president is not and has not been under investigation.

DICKERSON: How do you know?

SEKULOW: Because we’ve received no notice of investigation. There has been no notification from the special counsel’s office that the president is under investigation. In fact, to the contrary. What we know is what James Comey said, the last thing we know is when he testified just a couple weeks back. That the President was not and is not a target of investigation. (more)

But, but…. Muh RUSSIA, RUSSIA…. RUSSIA...

“Trump Under Investigation Narrative” Begins Falling Apart – ABC: No Mueller-Trump Investigation…


Almost every intellectually honest political observer recognized the Washington Post report about President Trump being under investigation appeared manufactured on the thinnest of available anonymous precepts.

In the wake of the Post report, when Asst. AG Rod Rosenstein delivered an unanticipated press release stating not to trust media reports from “anonymous officials” all doubt was essentially confirmed.  There is no ‘there’ there; and President Trump was not/is not under investigation.  Just another failed media attempt by The Washington Post to undermine the administration, with a blend of partisanship designed to generate an ideological self-fulfilling prophecy.

Toward that end, and to put a final nail in that manufactured narrative coffin, ABC news correspondent Pierre Thomas  reported today that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is NOT investigating President Trump:

WASHINGTON – Special counsel Robert Mueller hasn’t decided whether to investigate President Trump as part of the Russia probe, according to a report on Sunday.

“Now, my sources are telling me he’s begun some preliminary planning,” Pierre Thomas, the ABC News senior justice correspondent, said of Mueller on ABC’s “This Week.” “Plans to talk to some people in the administration. But he’s not yet made that momentous decision to go for a full-scale investigation.” (read more)

Yes, that means the prior Washington Post report was entirely false; which makes that the eleventyth time CNN, The New York Times, or the Washington Post has run a report that was entirely false.  They know it, it’s not false by accident – it is false by design.

Just like the previous battle in the intelligence community, there is a battle between Black Hats and White Hats within the U.S. Justice Department’s (FBI and DOJ) unelected career bureaucracy; and the media is on the side of the opposition, the usurping black hat team.

If you read the Washington Post report claiming President Trump was under investigation for Obstruction of Justice by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, you will immediately note the first paragraph was framed specifically around “Anonymous Officials“. Again, tonight those same “anonymous officials” are mentioned in a Washington Post report claiming Jared Kushner is being investigated.

(Source Link)

There is a great deal of false and misleading MSM information; in addition to the layers upon layers of hand-wringing, speculation, and professional financially driven anxiety banter surrounding Special Counsel Mueller and his appointment by Rod Rosenstein.

All of the above said; and with a full appreciation for how the deep swamp creatures operate; and having watched the minutiae of how each element interacts with each additional element over multiple years; well, I just ain’t buying any of the popular talking points.

None of the chattering class punditry are taking a full accounting of the entire bigger picture within any of their arguments. In short, they’re almost all getting it wrong, because: A.) their emphasis is on the wrong syllable; and, B.) they keep positioning the media narrative as accurate in part or in total.

The media lies in multiple ways. Plausible deniability is a necessary ingredient in almost every media report. Those who operate within the DC deep state; those who scheme and benefit utilizing the manipulative outcomes of media, know exactly what to leak, when to leak, where to leak and who to leak, in order to present situations for their own interests.

Plausible Deniability. EXAMPLE (notice the shift):

Now it becomes “May”?

The DC “Black Hats” are intensely skilled in the dark art of creating self-fulfilling prophecies. Specifically because of this truism, almost all of the downstream reactions end up being pushed based on false assumptions. It is challenging to inoculate yourself from the deceptions; but it is also necessary otherwise you are susceptible to their infection.

Former FBI Director James Comey (and his entire former team) is steeped in the dark arts of self-serving deception. It is a character trait necessary for life at the top of the food chain in the deep swamp.

As such, the fully developed Comey persona is necessarily devoid of any cognitive genetic composition which would frame compassion for anything, or anyone. Comey Inc. looks out for their own best interests. FIRST. FOREMOST. and ONLY.

As we previously discussed – The risk represented by Robert Mueller is not connected to or about anything surrounding the Russian Conspiracy Narrative; the legal risk is within ‘the leaking‘ of classified intelligence information to undermine the administration, the potentially illegal ‘unmasking‘.

If we avoid all the shiny things, ignore the shell game and reset our frame of reference to the only illegal activity currently known, the leaking; the main illegal activity visible is the illegal leaking of classified intelligence information.

Despite his earnest efforts, there is clear and mounting evidence that former FBI Director James Comey was the primary source of leaked information to the media. The latest Washington Post report is yet another example. The reporter for the Post article is one of a limited number (25) people whom James Comey follows on Twitter.

The risk to Comey Inc. from his media leaking continues to explain everything James Comey Inc. has recently done, said, advanced and CONTINUES TO ADVANCE.

If the evidence of James Comey being the source of multiple FBI leaks reaches the primary artery of investigative sunlight, who inside that investigative and prosecutorial decision making process becomes the risk? Answer that question and you discover the angle Comey is playing to cut off their ability to hold him accountable.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Asst AG Rod Rosenstein et al are the people Comey Inc. need to worry about, isolate and control.

It is not coincidental that Comey Inc. are setting up the future action of these participants to be politically motivated.

James Comey’s layer of innuendo against Jeff Sessions is an obvious strategy toward that end. If Comey can frame Sessions as retaliatory against him, he would position any legal action as retaliation.

Anyone who is buying into the story of James Comey leaking the memos to his friend, Daniel Richman, to get a special prosecutor appointed is falling for the shell game constructed entirely by James Comey. More than likely this is the explanation he has already given to Robert Mueller, hence his motive to state within his testimony.

It is important to remember that James Comey told congress he previously met with Robert Mueller to discuss his testimony prior to appearing before congress.

James Comey admitted to this specific “leaking”, because the justification to ‘get a special counsel appointed‘ is the explanatory storyline James Comey wants to present in public.

The alternate reason for leaking, the political motives, are much more damaging to him.

James Comey benefits two ways from his explanation. First, he justifies terrible behavior through a prism of his honor could find no other way (his status remains). Secondly, he sets up special counsel Mueller as fruit of a poisoned tree leading to voices calling for Mueller’s removal. Win/Win.

Comey Inc. also benefits from calls by Comey’s political opposition to eliminate Robert Mueller who is investigating the leaking.

Don’t fall for it.

James Comey is no longer in control of the investigative inputs or investigative outcomes.

Those whom Comey has injured, namely Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Trump, are in positions where they can honestly and openly monitor the larger investigative inputs and follow the outcomes; they can also monitor the ongoing activity of Comey himself.

When someone of Comey’s inherent disposition is in a place like this, they initially seek to influence through direct contact (Comey talks to Mueller before testimony). However, when a professional distance is asserted, absent of an ability to engage in direct contact, the fall-back position for the manipulator is to influence the surrounding landscape (media an public opinion).

Never, ever, underestimate the severity or skill of a professional liar.

Never take anything Comey Inc. say at face value the way you would a disconnected observer. Liars lie, it’s what they do. Professional liars lie well, it’s what they’ve trained themselves to do.

If you accept the full hindsight of now identified FBI leaking, the greater likelihood is that Comey didn’t leak the memo to get Mueller appointed, he leaked the memo (May 16th) as an afterthought to cover for the leak mentioned by President Trump (May 12th), of a private conversation, that appeared in the New York Times on May 11th.

Remember, James Comey’s counter-intelligence investigation could have asked for a special counsel at any time. Asst. AG and Interim AG Sally Yates was part of that investigative leadership team. If Comey wanted a special counsel, Comey could have asked DOJ to appoint a special counsel any time he wanted.

He didn’t.

Comey didn’t request appointment of a special counsel because the special counsel would only prove there’s nothing there. However, fast forward to now and the real investigative risk is in being “a leaker”.

How quickly everyone forgets those admitted conversations by James Comey friend at Lawfare blog Benjamin Wittes:

“I did not know this particular fact, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. The principal source for the rest of this story is, well, me—specifically a long interview I gave to reporter Michael Schmidt on Friday about my conversations with FBI Director James Comey over the last few months, and particularly about one such conversation that took place on March 27 over lunch in Comey’s FBI office.” (link)

Benjamin Wittes admits that FBI Director James Comey specifically discussed with him the overall content of private communications with President Trump.

When you take the Wittes outline in conjuction with Comey’s admitted leaks to his other friend Daniel Richman, Comey is transparently in a position of being fingered as the source of multiple media leaks to NYT reporter Michael Schmidt.

That is the current risk for James Comey. The discovery that Comey was the leaker is the risk now represented by Robert Mueller and is inherent in Comey’s need to control the framework of his leaking activity.

James Comey was part of the political apparatus that constructed the “muh, vast Russian conspiracy” narrative and carefully nurtured it for over 8 months – even keeping congress in the dark on the entire matter. From James Comey perspective, the problem, the illegality, is now the leaking – NOT the original issue of the Russian election hacking narrative.

Remember, it was in FEBRUARY when the FBI (McCabe) went to President Trump’s Chief of Staff privately and told Reince Priebus there was no truth to media reports, based on FBI leaks, of FBI evidence showing Trump campaign officials involved with Russian officials regarding the 2016 election. It was all a complete nothingburger.

Details – On February 15th while discussing another issue FBI Assistant Director Andrew McCabe asked Reince for 5 minutes alone after the meeting. At the one-on-one meeting McCabe told Priebus the New York Times Russia and Trump campaign story was a “bunch of BS”.

Priebus asked McCabe if McCabe would be able to say that publicly and get the media off his back about a ridiculously false narrative. Asst. Director McCabe said he would check with his boss, FBI Director James Comey. Later, McCabe called back and said he couldn’t issue a statement about it.

reince-preibus-mccabe

Reince Priebus was simply asking for the FBI to give truthful information about the false reports to the public. The White House was asking Comey to deliver transparency.

Quote from the FBI to Priebus: “We’d love to help, but we can’t get into the position of making statements on every story”…

In hindsight, from current appearances, those February leaks (mentioned above) that drove the New York Times February report were actually leaks coming from James Comey.

Stop and think about it. McCabe was telling chief-of-staff Reince Priebus not to worry about a NYT report based on leaks coming (first, second or third-hand) from James Comey himself. Priebus asks McCabe for help, James Comey then tells McCabe the FBI cannot publicly refute the story which is based on Comey’s leaking.

If everyone associated with this line of inquiry can stop themselves from following the shell game constructed by Comey, and avoid the distractions he is laying down (Lynch), they’ll eventually find a way to point this out.

Thank You God, For Men. Real Men.


The_Creation_of_Adam26 God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild animals and all the creatures that creep along the ground.’

27 God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.

I had an experience this weekend that made me think about men, about masculinity. It seems manhood is under attack these days from many directions. Indeed, in my opinion, a part of what so offends so many people about President Trump, especially Hillary supporters, is his unapologetic masculinity. He is a man who knows his power and embraces it.

That being said (and I can’t believe I put it in here, knowing where it could lead) please don’t make this another political free for all. My point here is broader.

To all you guys out there, tough guys, whether you express that inner strength clad in a business suit or well worn jeans and work boots, please accept the appreciation and approval of those of us who celebrate who and what you are, and what you do. Every day in ways large and small, you go out and just get the job done. You don’t ask for approval, thanks, or cheers because it just wouldn’t occur to you, and you are too busy getting things done to stop for recognition. 

Lots of feminists have a problem with men. I believe they throw around terms like patriarchy,  which they probably never looked up in their Funk and Wagnalls. Some humans with an X chromosome, and a few without one, appear to be threatened by the reality of masculinity.

Get a grip chicks, if you are really okay with who and what you are, men are not a threat, but a gift, not competition, but complementary. If your “feminine power” must be derived from the destruction of the epic event of God’s creation, you are pathetic already and men have nothing to do with that failure, you own it.

I’m not even going to waste breathe here encouraging men to not allow women to define their masculinity. He who does that is already beyond my poor advice.

Men. All ages, sizes, colors, and other assorted variations. You were different from the moment of conception, and thank God for that. As a child you were faster, stronger, dirtier, and louder. You were often fearless while I stood beside you weighing the odds and assessing the situation. You climbed the tree while I looked for the ladder. You snuck out with the family car while I was cajoling dad for the keys.

In my day, back in the Dark Ages, as we grew into teens and young men and women, you actually appreciated my femininity and rewarded me with attention and admiration. Many of you were kind enough to open doors for me, walk alongside the curb beside me, and lift heavy objects before I tried to. You paid the bill for our dates, and if you ever wanted another one, you walked me to the door.

Because God is good, and loving, and gives us abundant graces and good things, in the early days of my womanhood, I fell in love with this wondrous creature God made from dust and clay. That right there ought to be a hint to us, man from dirt, earthy, strong, fundamental. But, I digress.

I married a man. A for real not apologizing for it man. He has muscles and strength and brawn and intelligence and toughness, a toughness that nothing in this world has ever even come close to breaking. Not even a little crack. Not once in all our years (41 Monday) has he ever even paused in the face of terrible trials and hardships. Now, I know him. I know that he isn’t a robot and he isn’t superman. Sure he’s had doubts, fears, and moments of desperation.

He never once, not one time, not ever considered giving in to them. On his shoulders landed the burdens that would have crushed me and our family without him. God alone knows the weight he bore. His faith was apparent and he led our family to church, led us in faith and worship. The kind that isn’t really so much talked about as lived.

So today, as we honor fathers, I just wanted to throw out a little appreciation for men. I pray that as the world turns and we learn from our mistakes, someday it is popular and honored for men to be men again. Soldiers, sailors, welders, business men, teachers, pipefitters, salesmen, truck drivers, nurses, doctors, lawyers, preachers, rabbis, priests. Fathers, husbands, sons.

Thank you God for making men. Thank you for making them in your image. If you, Father, are the model from which my husband was formed, I sure am going to be so happy to meet you. Thank you, for all the wonderful men you gifted us with, especially your Son.

Happy Father’s Day


 

Fatherhood is the job that pays the least in monetary terms and the most in benefit to the world, along with motherhood. When a man chooses to become a father, biologically or with his heart, he makes a commitment that is lifelong and its impact is to be felt longer than his own life, into the future of his children, grandchildren, and yes, even great grandchildren.

Through his steadfast presence, his wisdom (most of it on the job, but maybe lots of it gained from his own father), his protection, his teaching, his prayers, sacrifice, love, discipline, encouragement and pride he tempers and builds the character and lives of his children.

Today, in gratitude and love, we pause to thank God for His precious gift of fathers, modeled in His own image. For all of you, we give thanks, we pray, we love you. And please, keep up the good work dads, in your job that has no off days, but great benefits.