Senator Chuck Grassley is not happy with the DOJ and FBI refusing to turn over documents and material surrounding the investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. After more than a year of requests, and after several weeks of current specific requests, Senator Grassley sends a pointed letter (full pdf below) to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Grassley smells something suspicious:
If the facts are inconsistent with the plea agreement, that would be an entirely different kettle of fish.
The Department’s reply to my May 11, 2018 letter seeking information about the circumstances surrounding Lt. General Michael Flynn’s reported conversations with the Russian ambassador and FBI records related to those conversations is insufficient. The letter only recounts a series of publicly known facts about Lt. General Flynn’s plea agreement and relies on improper excuses in refusing to provide the requested information. The Committee requires this information to fulfill its Constitutional function and its charge under Senate Rules to conduct oversight of the Department of Justice.
First, as you know, some of that information was first requested on a bipartisan basis before your confirmation. The Committee has waited patiently for much more than a year for the criminal inquiry related to Lt. General Flynn to conclude. It has been more than five months since his guilty plea. Thus, there is no longer any legitimate reason to withhold facts from the Senate about the circumstances of his conversations with the Russian ambassador and his FBI interview.
Second, the Department’s letter erroneously suggests that complying with Congressional oversight would result in “the reality or the appearance of political interference” in a “pending criminal prosecution.” There is no pending prosecution. The guilty plea was more than five months ago.
The Department’s letter describes in detail what everyone already knows. Lt. General Flynn admitted to the Statement of Offense with the able assistance of counsel. All that remains is for Lt. General Flynn to be sentenced. Simply disclosing facts to the Committee could not possibly “interfere” with the case at this late date, assuming those facts are consistent with the representations that prosecutors arranged for Lt. General Flynn to swear to in federal court.
If the facts are inconsistent with the plea agreement, that would be an entirely different kettle of fish. (more pdf link)
Emmanuel from France arrived in Canada two days ahead of the G7 so he could connect with Justin from Canada and plan a unified strategy against U.S. President Trump’s economic position. Not kidding, they really did. Like a plan. Serious. No Joke.
Individually they feel insecure, so Justin and Emmanuel formulated a plan to create an economic G6 unity effort to defend against Godzilla Trump. [Who remained in DC holding meetings with Shinzo Abe to talk about C-VID and North Korea] Yes, while Justin and Emmanuel were discussing how to throw whines and cheese at Trump, President Trump was planning how to defend the world from nuclear proliferation.
Then something funny happened. After deep talks about C-VID were settled, Godzilla Trump looked up and saw the two giggling kids trying to tie the string from the perched water bucket to the door handle.
President Trump always looks for the opportunity to emphasize the looming caricature people create of him. It serves his interests; and he enjoys playing cat and mouse with his opposition. So Looming Trump stealthily walks up behind the kids right before dropping the bowling ball on the floor. BOOM:
Too funny.
You see, after spending day #1 with Justin, Emmanuel was feeling inflated and over-confident, so he transmitted this for the world to see:
Oh, so that’s the plan. Isolate President Trump and feed the media a “6+1” strategy that enhances a narrative that President Donald Trump stands alone.
Oh, CNN and the U.S. media will love it…. they think.
OK, Got it.
So Emmanuel has a plan for the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan to stand against U.S. President Trump.
In order for Emmanuel and Justin’s plan to work, they need the U.K., Germany, Italy and Japan to go along with it.
Italy and Japan?
Emmanuel, feeling inspired…. continues:
… oh, I think I hear ‘freedom fries’ coming over the horizon.
It’s just too funny. The back-story is too funny. You see, Emmanuel and Germany’s Angela Merkel refused to even engage in any discussions of an E.U. / U.S. trade agreement while the potential for U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs were possible. Secretary Wilbur Ross has been trying to talk trade with the EU for months. They have refused to discuss.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told President Trump the EU wouldn’t discuss any trade deals while the Steel and Aluminum tariffs were pending.
So President Trump removed the “pending” component, and told Wilbur Ross to just make the tariffs begin.
Emmanuel from France arrived in Canada two days ahead of the G7 so he could connect with Justin from Canada and plan a unified strategy against U.S. President Trump’s economic position. Not kidding, they really did. Like a plan. Serious. No Joke.
Individually they feel insecure, so Justin and Emmanuel formulated a plan to create an economic G6 unity effort to defend against Godzilla Trump. [Who remained in DC holding meetings with Shinzo Abe to talk about C-VID and North Korea] Yes, while Justin and Emmanuel were discussing how to throw whines and cheese at Trump, President Trump was planning how to defend the world from nuclear proliferation.
Then something funny happened. After deep talks about C-VID were settled, Godzilla Trump looked up and saw the two giggling kids trying to tie the string from the perched water bucket to the door handle.
President Trump always looks for the opportunity to emphasize the looming caricature people create of him. It serves his interests; and he enjoys playing cat and mouse with his opposition. So Looming Trump stealthily walks up behind the kids right before dropping the bowling ball on the floor. BOOM:
Too funny.
You see, after spending day #1 with Justin, Emmanuel was feeling inflated and over-confident, so he transmitted this for the world to see:
Oh, so that’s the plan. Isolate President Trump and feed the media a “6+1” strategy that enhances a narrative that President Donald Trump stands alone.
Oh, CNN and the U.S. media will love it…. they think.
OK, Got it.
So Emmanuel has a plan for the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan to stand against U.S. President Trump.
In order for Emmanuel and Justin’s plan to work, they need the U.K., Germany, Italy and Japan to go along with it.
Italy and Japan?
Emmanuel, feeling inspired…. continues:
… oh, I think I hear ‘freedom fries’ coming over the horizon.
It’s just too funny. The back-story is too funny. You see, Emmanuel and Germany’s Angela Merkel refused to even engage in any discussions of an E.U. / U.S. trade agreement while the potential for U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs were possible. Secretary Wilbur Ross has been trying to talk trade with the EU for months. They have refused to discuss.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told President Trump the EU wouldn’t discuss any trade deals while the Steel and Aluminum tariffs were pending.
So President Trump removed the “pending” component, and told Wilbur Ross to just make the tariffs begin.
…. When POTUS Trump says “look forward to seeing them tomorrow“, that’s codespeak for this:
You see, the “trade ministers” might have drawn up a G6+1 statement, but that’s the trade ministers. Emmanuel might convince the trade ministers of the G6 to go along, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the actual leaders of Italy, President Sergio Mattarella, or Japan, PM Shinzo Abe, will go along with Emmanuel’s G6+1 plan.
Oh, the G7 is looking like so much fun.
Pommes frites, anyone?
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You see, the “trade ministers” might have drawn up a G6+1 statement, but that’s the trade ministers. Emmanuel might convince the trade ministers of the G6 to go along, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the actual leaders of Italy, President Sergio Mattarella, or Japan, PM Shinzo Abe, will go along with Emmanuel’s G6+1 plan.
There are visible economic indicators today that positive U.S. MAGAnomic results are overwhelming the voices of purchased political leaders trying to sell a narrative of doom around President Trump’s tariff proposals and reciprocal trade reset. A key point is the U.S. stock market growth amid tariff, trade and NAFTA withdrawal discussion. As CTH has discussed the eventual trade outcomes appear baked into the latest market analysis.
Bolstered by election results showing increased momentum for team MAGA, and decreased likelihood for a Democrat wave, the overall economic news -and factual corporate bottom line results- are flooding the zone with optimism. Amid the strong foundation for U.S. investment and economic growth, the reciprocal trade strategy is no longer heavily feared. Simply put, the ‘America First’ policies are working.
Not only are Trump’s economic policies working (jobs, wages, investment growth), but they are gaining massive momentum as analysts begin to quantify the possibilities of expanded economic growth well beyond the -formerly outrageous- 3% GDP target. The ceiling is being raised faster than the winnamins can be digested.
Amid this U.S. MAGAnomic environment, threats of counter-tariffs by Mexico, Canada and the EU are as useless as feathers in a hurricane:
(Reuters) […] EU members have given broad support to a European Commission plan to set 25 percent duties on up to 2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion) of U.S. exports in response to what is sees as illegal U.S. action. EU exports that are now subject to U.S. tariffs are worth 6.4 billion euros. (link)
Consider the EU $3 billion tariff threat against this:
On a $20 trillion economy 3% growth = $600 billion in economic expansion.
Note: EU Tariff Feathers and U.S. Economic Hurricanes.
The best play for return-on-investment is INTO the U.S. Exactly as planned.
This MAGAnomic win shows up in narrowing trade deficits:
(Via PPD) The Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis said the U.S. trade deficit narrowed sharply to $46.2 billion in April. That’s down $1.0 billion from a revised $47.2 billion in March and far under the $53.1 billion monthly average of the first quarter 2018 (1Q).
The 3-month average goods and services deficit decreased $2.2 billion to $49.6 billion for the three months ending in April. Average exports increased $2.9 billion to $209.3 billion and average imports increased $0.7 billion to $259.0 billion.
The report indicates a big net-positive for second-quarter (2Q) gross domestic product (GDP), which the Atlanta Federal Reserve currently forecasts at a whopping 4.5%. (more)
This is the domestic background for President Trump, Commerce Secretary Ross, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to confront the aggregate trade issues with China, the EU and NAFTA.
As an outcome of the growth dynamic, the U.S. leverage carried into the trade-reset discussions is much larger than any threats made by opposition. President Trump is likely to have fun at the G7, though I can also see him taking a few share-the-wealth “lumps out.”
President Donald Trump granted clemency today for Mrs. Alice Marie Johnson, a week after Mrs. Kim Kardashian West advocated on her behalf during an Oval Office meeting with the President.
Mrs. Johnson, a 63-year-old great-grandmother is a first-time nonviolent drug offender who was given a life sentence without parole. She will be released from a federal prison in Aliceville, Alabama, where she has been serving her sentence since 1996.
White House – Today, President Donald J. Trump granted a commutation to Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old great-grandmother who has served almost 22 years in Federal prison for a first-time criminal offense.
Ms. Johnson has accepted responsibility for her past behavior and has been a model prisoner over the past two decades. Despite receiving a life sentence, Alice worked hard to rehabilitate herself in prison, and act as a mentor to her fellow inmates.
Her Warden, Case Manager, and Vocational Training Instructor have all written letters in support of her clemency. According to her Warden, Arcala Washington-Adduci, since [Ms. Johnsons] arrival at this institution, she has exhibited outstanding and exemplary work ethic. She is considered to be a model inmate who is willing to go above and beyond in all work tasks.
While this Administration will always be very tough on crime, it believes that those who have paid their debt to society and worked hard to better themselves while in prison deserve a second chance. (WH LINK)
National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow conducts a press conference to discuss the upcoming G7 summit in Canada; the pending North Korea Summit; and the current U.S. trade initiatives.
While no-one has yet to see the actual Inspector General Mike Horowitz report outlining how the DOJ and FBI handled the Hillary Clinton email investigation, the media are beginning to shape the narrative.
In a summary of Bill Priestap’s testimony, via The Hill, the narrative begins by focusing on James Comey: “Priestap “completely” backed up everything that Comey said, according to a source familiar with his testimony.” The narrative construct gains clarity with a report from ABC highlight James Comey as “insubordinate”:
(Via ABC) The Justice Department’s internal watchdog has concluded that James Comey defied authority at times during his tenure as FBI director, according to sources familiar with a draft report on the matter.
One source told ABC News that the draft report explicitly used the word “insubordinate” to describe Comey’s behavior. Another source agreed with that characterization but could not confirm the use of the term.
In the draft report, Inspector General Michael Horowitz also rebuked former Attorney General Loretta Lynch for her handling of the federal investigation into Hillary Clinton‘s personal email server, the sources said. (more)
Given the nature of the recent explanations as provided by the attorney for Andrew McCabe; and accepting the prior repeated assertions of FBI Director James Comey: “that was not my understanding”, we can begin to assemble the preferred narrative direction.
It would appear the media, and swamp proletariat, are attempting to cut off any potential damage to the Obama administration by placing a firewall atop James Comey.
Whereas Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe was a rogue element manipulating his subordinate officials entirely on his own; while FBI Director James Comey was oblivious to the corrupt conduct undertaken by the officials in/around/under his authority, and insubordinate to the customary procedures, professional responsibilities and chain-of-command.
That appears to be the current advanced narrative. Meanwhile we await the actual substance of the IG report into how the DOJ and FBI conducted the Clinton classified email investigation. .
Yesterday FBI Director of Counterintelligence E.W. “Bill” Priestap testified to a joint session of the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees.
The hearing was a matter of strong public interest. Mr. Priestap was questioned for approximately seven hours. However, journalist Olivia Beavers covering for The Hill dropped a detail that most, including myself, might find rather curious:
(The Hill) […] Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), however, said he felt that Priestap didn’t say anything that would indicate there was “political bias that motivated the Hillary Clinton email investigation.”
Priestap “completely” backed up everything that Comey said, according to a source familiar with his testimony.
Only three lawmakers — Jordan, Meadows and Krishnamoorthi — attended the hearing, which took place on the first day after a weeklong recess.
Priestap’s interview comes after the joint House investigation stalled for months after being first announced. (more)
Yes, despite the hearing being a joint session of both the House Judiciary and House Oversight committees only three congressmen, two republicans and one democrat attended: Jim Jordan (R), Mark Meadows (R), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D).
Not only did only three congressional reps attend, but Chairman Trey Gowdy and Chairman Bob Goodlatte did not attend.
What does that tell you?
We have previously noted the disconnected interest when we discussed how few congressional reps were going to the DOJ and/or FBI offices to actually view documents. Now we see one of the key and central figures in the DOJ and FBI conduct coming to Capitol Hill and only three Reps attend the hearing.
Could it be the vast majority, ie. UniParty, don’t want to know?
President Trump participates in the signing ceremony of the VA Mission Act of 2018, a bill that will introduce sweeping reforms to the Veterans Affairs healthcare system. Anticipated start time 12:15pm EST
One of the more fascinating examples of how the government prosecutors are looking for high profile cases to further personal careers rather than actually policing society to protect the people has been exposed by the sale of the Leonardo DaVinci painting of Jesus Christ. I previously reported that DaVinci’s 500-year-old painting, known as Salvator Mundi (Saviour of the World), is the only work of this artist in private hands. It was sold at Christie’s auction room in New York for a record $450 million – almost a half-billion back in November 2017.
It turns out, that the sale of this painting has ruined the theory of Federal prosecutors in New York City who actually spent more than a year building a case against a Swiss art dealer. That’s right, he was not even American. The theory was that the dealer was “improperly” putting mark-ups on the sale of dozens of masterworks to a Russian oligarch. Again, this is a sale by a Swiss dealer to a Russian. What does this have to do with New York City?
He arranged the sale of DaVinci’s Salvator Mundi for $128 million and secretly netted the dealer more than $40 million in markup profit. The prosecutors spent more than one-year interviewing witnesses and even issued grand jury subpoenas for records of the transactions. They managed to get a senior executive at Sotheby’s to help them on the theory that $128 million was overcharging for the work. The Sotheby executive was to be a witness in the case they were going to bring in New York City for criminal prosecution. Then the painting sold at auction for $450 million. Oops!
Well, so much for the “expert” at Sotheby’s who would have taken the stand and professed in his opinion a $40 million profit was outrageous and the painting was never worth $128 million. There goes “opinion” again! When it sold for $450 million, all the time and effort proved to be worthless. The prosecutors were paid by tax money to do what? Further their own careers? The dealer was Swiss and the buyer was in Russia. Just how does this even impact the United States? This is NOT the Roman Empire. A prosecutor in New York City has no such constitutional jurisdiction to police the entire world. Normally, the court would not entertain such cases. But the Southern District of New York is so steeped in corruption with its 93% conviction rate, judges have completely failed to do their constitutional duty and stop prosecutors from using the process to further their own careers.
Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) discusses FBI agent Peter Strzok’s involvement in the Clinton email probe and the Russia investigation; along with the anticipated DOJ-OIG report:
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This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
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