October 6, 2018
Earlier today President Trump delivered impromptu remarks to the press pool as he departed the White House for a rally in Topeka Kansas. The remarks were ahead of the senate vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Tag Archives: Asst. AG John Lausch
Final Vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh – Senate Livestream and Discussion…
October 6, 2018
Republican and Democratic Senators speak on the senate floor about their decision for their vote to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Debate should end at approximately 3:30pm when the final vote to confirm Judge Kavanaugh will be held.
UPDATE: Vote Video Added
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With YEA-50, NAY-48 : The Senate has just voted to confirm President Trump’s nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to be Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
Fox News Livestream – RSBN Livestream Link – Alternate Livestream Link
The View of American Politics from Afar
Armstrong Economics Blog/Civil Unrest
Re-Posted Oct 7, 2018 by Martin Armstrong
COMMENT: This business with Trump and the media is quite amazing when seen from a distance. I read posts from people who can not see past what they are believing. It’s as if the hate for Trump has become a Religion. A religious person will refuse to look at things from another perspective and this is what is happening in your country.
K (UK)
REPLY: Oh yes. It has been whipped up into a religious frenzy. What the media and the Democrats have overlooked is they have gone WAY TOO FAR and this is indeed becoming a religious quest and therein lies the danger for HUGE civil unrest. After the November elections, there is NO POSSIBLE WAY that either side will accept the results. This means historically the only solution becomes violence. The Media is so hateful of Trump because he has called them the fake news. But he has only stated what the majority believe and those in the media refuse to acknowledge. Most Americans cannot even name a nonbiased neutral news source! Gallup Poll now shows that 45% see a great deal of political bias in news coverage, up from 25% in 1989.
We are cascading into the War Cycle and believe me, this is NOT a forecast I even like to repeat. It is not something where I am warning people to reverse course or else, because there is no reversing this trend. We are a fly on the rear-end of an elephant with no shot of steering him in the right direction. We simply have to ride it out until the bloody end. Then 2020 lines up with complete economic chaos and the risk of a currency crisis with the beginning of pressure for a monetary reset – and of course they blame Trump if they have not figured a way to drag him out of office or pay a Mexican to assassinate him who is dying of cancer – remember Jack Ruby?
So all I can do is point out that this is not looking good. Understanding the trend is critical. That means you are not taken by surprise and you can at least prepare by taking some precautions. There in the UK, I had friends telling their children not to speak about BREXIT because people would call them racist and get extremely angry. I believe that this is just part of the Business Cycle as it comes into an end on a major wave. People know something is wrong so they are frustrated and lash out at all sorts of things because they do not understand that the system itself is starting to crumble from within.
How Deep is This Swamp?…
October 6, 2018
This outline is reliant upon: (1) intellectual honesty; (2) accepting what is, and not what we wish/hope to be; and (3) the welcomed challenge to prove it all wrong. Please, prove this analysis wrong – and if we can’t prove it wrong; not by hopes and dreams, rather by actual quantifiable evidence; then please provide possible solutions – quickly.
There are two facets, two recent researched stories, that paint a very disturbing scenario.
The first facet is a reality that Senate Security Officer James Wolfe was given, and leaked, a copy of the Carter Page FISA application on March 17th, 2017. This is important because it leads to context within the larger issue.
It is virtually guaranteed that James Wolfe received and leaked the FISA Application [SEE HERE]; however, not only was he not charged with the leak, not a single media outlet has taken the overwhelming evidence, reported on the leak – or questioned the DOJ or FBI about why Wolfe was only charged with lying to investigators in December last year.
Why? Why is that massive DC corruption story completely overlooked? What does that say about the fourth estate?
It would be entirely impossible for that story to be hidden if the DOJ, FBI, political system (within the Senate Intelligence Committee), and fourth estate were functioning correctly. Something is severely broken, and there’s no-one doing a darned thing about it.
♦ Accepting that dysfunction leads us into the more recent issue:
The details and circumstances surrounding the plot to smear Judge Brett Kavanaugh, through the use of Ms. Christine Blasey-Ford, by a group of politicians, political operatives and former DOJ/FBI officials.
[SEE HERE].
However, don’t get caught up in the weeds. For now just look at the bigger picture.
Think about the known names and positions for a moment.
•Ms. Christine Blasey-Ford (academic psychologist and life-long best friend of a former career FBI agent); •Ms. Monica Lee McLean (former 24-year career DOJ/FBI insider); •Mr. Michael Bromwich (former DOJ inspector general and career DOJ/FBI official); •Mr. David Laufman (former CIA, and DOJ-NSD Asst. U.S. Attorney General); •Ms. Debra Katz (political operative and legal counsel with deep DNC attachments); •Senator Dianne Feinstein (ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee); and the myriad of media allies (Mayer, Farrow) and political operatives who each played a role in the scheme.
Again, skip the weeds. Just look at the big picture.
The smear campaign against Judge Brett Kavanaugh didn’t just involve a small team of connected insiders; their enterprise carried across multiple institutions, the legislative branch, political operations and the media. This SCOTUS smear campaign was a major effort consisting of multiple organizations (inside and outside of government) and multiple people, and it took considerable planning and coordination to execute.
Now, apply your own intellectual honesty here….
Do you really think that all of those elements described above would even consider going after a supreme court nominee with a baseless lie if they thought they would get caught?
Think about it.
What level of risk would have to exist in order to begin constructing such a fraudulent scheme? Who/What would be the “risk elements” under consideration?
To begin constructing this effort the architects would need confidence that all elements normally functioning within oversight, which under normal circumstances could catch them in the system process, were under control.
That level of confidence is beyond normal hubris.
The people working this scheme would need very strong confidence in pre-existing institutional control within the system of the DOJ, the FBI, the Senate Judiciary and the media apparatus – writ large.
If they thought the current Department of Justice or current Federal Bureau of Investigation was not under their control, or not able to be influenced by their control, they would never begin.
If they thought the current DOJ or current FBI were functioning, they would never even begin to construct such a scheme. It just wouldn’t happen; because they wouldn’t think they could: (A) pull it off; and (B) avoid accountability if caught.
In addition, they would have to believe the politicians within the Judiciary Committee and their political allies in total could operate to assist without scrutiny or questioning. Also, they would need to have confidence the Fourth Estate (media) was entirely on their side and no opposition would exist to present a risk from investigative exposure.
All of those elements would be needed in forethought in order to begin constructing the extensive plot against Judge Kavanaugh. If they didn’t have confidence in the status of those institutions they would never begin.
If we accept the premise: if they thought they would/could get caught they would never begin, then we must accept a more disconcerting reality.
They began because they had no risk of getting caught. The current institutions are corrupt.
Adding what we know about the James Wolfe outcome to the current Kavanaugh plot, and what stands in front of us is an entirely corrupt set of institutions providing no law, no order, and absolutely no oversight. Abject FUBAR.
Again, big picture. This means the current DOJ, current FBI, current Senate-side of the legislative branch, and current media apparatus are entirely dysfunctional.
All of these corrupt people, including all those connected to the DOJ/FBI plot against the Trump administration, must have some confidence there is no operational function larger than the corrupt elements they control within it.
The Kavanaugh plan was not hatched in 2016, or even in 2017. This plot was executed in the past few weeks.
This means all of those corrupt elements are *CURRENTLY* in place. Without those elements currently in place, Ford, McLean, Bromwich, Laufman, Katz, Feinstein, the media, Lawfare and all those involved, would never have attempted their ploy.
Now, as stated in the introduction – prove me wrong. Please… Because the mid-term election is only one month away.
If those former DOJ and FBI insiders thought Jeff Sessions, Rod Rosenstein, Chris Wray, David Bowditch, or any official inside the current DOJ and FBI, was a risk to them – they would never have begun such a transparent scheme.
So where does that leave us?
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Discusses Kavanaugh Nomination….
October 6, 2018
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appears with Laura Ingraham to discuss the Senate nomination process of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Left Goes Literally Crazy for Kavanaugh
Boom – Signal Flare From Sarah Palin…
October 5, 2018
In response to Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski voting *not* to advance the supreme court nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, Sarah Palin sends the following tweet:
Do it, Sarah.
Long term CTH readers will well remember how Tea Party candidate Joe Miller was backed by Sarah Palin when he stunningly defeated Lisa Murkowski during the republican primary in 2010. However, Murkowski would not accept the primary defeat and the entitlement-minded incumbent ran as a write-in candidate, and enlisted the assistance of democrats in Alaska to retain her seat in the general election.
The Tea Party was furious at the level of elitist refusal to accept the primary defeat in 2010, and Senator Murkowski has been a thorn in the side of conservatives ever since.
In a further slap to the face for the base of the movement, when Murkowski returned to the Senate as a successful write-in candidate, the 2011 professional republican apparatus, the Decepticons, never held her accountable for her insufferable self-interest. Instead the GOPe, through then minority leader Mitch McConnell, allowed Murkowski to return to the same committee positions she held before rebuking the will of the republican electorate.
Murkowski’s vote today to block advancing nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh is yet another exhibition of her ideological self-interest.
If Sarah Palin decides to challenge Murkowski, there is a very strong likelihood Mrs Palin would be successful in finally ending this painful chapter in conservative politics.
Do it Sarah; we’ve got your six!
Thug Life…
Report: Ford’s FBI Friend, Monica McLean, Pressured Witness To Modify Testimony and Statement…
October 5, 2018
If you thought it was sketchy that Ms. Christine Blasey-Ford’s life-long best friend was a recently retired FBI agent and DOJ official, Monica McLean {Go Deep}; and if you thought it was sketchy that McLean and Ford were together on July 30th when Ford was writing a letter to Dianne Feinstein, likely making the friend Ms Ford’s “handler” for the operation against Kavanaugh; then it’s even more sketchy today with a report that McLean was pressuring witness Leland Keyser to shape her statements and testimony to the FBI.
According to the Wall Street Journal the FBI has text messages from Ms. McLean to witness Ms. Keyser, directing her to modify statements more favorable to Ms. Ford.
WASHINGTON – A friend of Christine Blasey Ford told FBI investigators that she felt pressured by Dr. Ford’s allies to revisit her initial statement that she knew nothing about an alleged sexual assault by a teenage Brett Kavanaugh, which she later updated to say that she believed but couldn’t corroborate Dr. Ford’s account, according to people familiar with the matter.
Leland Keyser, who Dr. Ford has said was present at the gathering where she was allegedly assaulted in the 1980s, told investigators that Monica McLean, a retired Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and a friend of Dr. Ford’s, had urged her to clarify her statement, the people said.
[…] On Thursday, a day after sending to the White House the report on its investigation into the allegations against Judge Kavanaugh, the FBI sent the White House and Senate an additional package of information that included text messages from Ms. McLean to Ms. Keyser, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Oh, and McLean’s attorney is…. wait for it,….. David Laufman.
Ms. McLean’s lawyer, David Laufman, said in a statement: “Any notion or claim that Ms. McLean pressured Leland Keyser to alter Ms. Keyser’s account of what she recalled concerning the alleged incident between Dr. Ford and Brett Kavanaugh is absolutely false.” (continue reading)
If there was any doubt the “small group” of connected DOJ and FBI officials were behind the use of Ms. Ford, you can put that doubt away now that Ms. Ford’s handler, Monica McLean, has enlisted David Laufman as her legal defense.
They’re not even trying to hide it any more.
Michael Bromwich is representing Ms. Ford, and David Laufman is representing Ms. McLean. The concentric Lawfare gang is working overtime, likely pro-bono.
It is beyond obvious now that Ms. Christine Blasey-Ford was not just some random ancillary high school acquaintance of Brett Kavanaugh; Ms. Ford appears to have been selected by a group of politically connected FBI and DOJ officials for the purpose of targeting Judge Kavanaugh.
All of these DOJ and FBI people are part of a tight network.
“Beach Friends”? Rohoboth Beach friends?
David Laufman was the Department of Justice – National Security Division, Deputy Asst. Attorney General in charge of counterintelligence, cyber security, counterespionage and export controls. He was inside the DOJ-NSD when the FISA application against Carter Page, and by extension the Trump campaign, was constructed, submitted and approved.
As most people are now aware the epicenter of the DOJ/FBI Clinton-Steele operation against candidate Trump stemmed from a collaborate “small group” effort of Main Justice officials within the National Security Division (John P Carlin – head); and officials within the FBI Counterintelligence Division (Bill Priestap – head).
David Laufman abruptly resigned from his DOJ position on Wednesday February 7th, 2018, without notice – citing “personal reasons.” {Go Deep} Mr. Laufman was one of the “small group” who interviewed Hillary Clinton, July 2nd, 2016, during the FBI email investigation.
Additionally, In his former DOJ-NSD position, Laufman would have held knowledge of the FISA “Title-1” surveillance program initiated on Carter Page and the “incidental” Trump campaign officials. Laufman would also have close contact with former Asst. Deputy Attorney Bruce Ohr; husband of Fusion GPS employee Nellie Ohr.
To see Ms. Fords life-long best friend, FBI agent and influencer, Monica McLean, now represented by Mr. Laufman would indicate even more evidence of the “small group” motive. Again, as previously presented, each of these DOJ/FBI officials are defending their interests -and controlling their risk exposure- from current congressional probes into the activity of a corrupt DOJ and FBI in 2015, 2016 and 2017.
- Background on Ms. Monica L McLean HERE
- Background on Mr. David Laufman HERE
These internecine relationships is likely why Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley sent a follow-up demand letter to the lawyers for Ms. Blasey-Ford, requesting additional information to include the communications between the legal team and the witnesses surrounding Ms. Ford’s claims:
[…] I urge you once again, now for the third time in writing, to turn over the therapy notes, polygraph materials, and communications with The Washington Post that Dr. Ford has relied upon as evidence.
In addition to the evidence I requested in my October 2 letter, in light of recently uncovered information, please turn over records and descriptions of direct or indirect communications between Dr. Ford or her representatives and any of the following: (1) U.S. Senators or their staffs, particularly the offices of Senators Feinstein and Hirono, other than your communications with me and my staff in preparation for the September 27 hearing; (2) the alleged witnesses identified by Dr. Ford (Leland Keyser, Mark Judge, and Patrick “P.J.” Smyth); and (3) Debbie Ramirez, Julie Swetnick, or their representatives.
It would appear that Senator Grassley can see the outline of the group who orchestrated the smear campaign against Judge Brett Kavanaugh; and he’s going directly to those who framed the campaign for answers….
[Transcript]
MITCHELL: The second is the letter that you wrote to Senator Feinstein, dated the — July 30th of this year.
MITCHELL: Did you write the letter yourself?
FORD: I did.
MITCHELL: And I — since it’s dated July 30th, did you write it on that date?
FORD: I believe so. I — it sounds right. I was in Rehoboth, Delaware, at the time. I could look into my calendar and try to figure that out. It seemed…
MITCHELL: Was it written on or about that date?
FORD: Yes, yes. I traveled, I think, the 26th of July to Rehoboth, Delaware. So that makes sense, because I wrote it from there.
MITCHELL: Is the letter accurate?
FORD: I’ll take a minute to read it.
Centinel2012 