President Trump is delivering remarks today at the 91st Annual Future Farmers of America Convention and Expo in Indiana, following a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that has left an unknown number of victims.
This is a video of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) explaining what in politics is a tactic to smear someone with false allegations to destroy an opponent. They call it the “wrap-up smear” and it is clearly what they did to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. By no means is this limited to just Democrats or what they did to Kavanaugh. They use this tactic all the time against people as well as specific legislation.
This tactic comes from law. If I put you on the witness stand and then ask you when was the last time you beat your spouse, you will now be on the defensive and the entire mindset will be that you beat your partner. Even if say your wife comes forward and says you never beat her, they will say of course she will say that because she lives in fear that you will beat her if she says the truth. This is how you destroy someone’s credibility and when done in a Senate hearing, they have scared not merely Kavanaugh, but his entire family for life. His 10-year old daughter will have to confront that allegation for her entire life. People remember Kavanaugh for that hearing alone. It does not matter what the truth might be – he is now guilty and scared for his entire life.
That is how the “wrap-up smear” works in politics and they will ALL use this tactic. It is by no means limited to just Democrats. It is the standard operating procedure.
Terrific article written by Lee Smith at Real Clear Investigations today highlighting a competing leverage dynamic between President Trump and DAG Rod Rosenstein. One of the reasons the outline is valuable – is specifically because Smith accepts the information ‘as it is‘, as it appears to be, and not as he would wish it to be. [Read Here]
The result of Smith’s investigative research assembles a compilation of recent events, and discussions from sources within congress, and seems to parallel our own research and most likely conclusions therein. In summary: there is an ongoing politically motivated ‘battle over leverage‘ between President Trump and Rod Rosenstein.
We have discussed this leverage issue extensively. However, Smith brings forth a new aspect in the form of the recently filed position of the Rosenstein DOJ as it relates to the declassification of FISA documents. This new information introduces the position of Rosenstein as likely political ‘push-back‘ against the president and declassification.
As Smith notes the recent DOJ filing infers any attempt to declassify material within the FISA application is tantamount to “obstruction” of the Mueller investigation:
In the 178-page court document, DOJ officials said they had “determined that disclosure of redacted information in the Carter Page FISA documents could reasonably be expected to interfere with the pending investigation into Russian election interference.”
In other words, Rosenstein’s DOJ position is any attempt to declassify the Page FISA documents is interference or obstruction of the Mueller investigation.
This likely Rosenstein/Mueller position is important because it strikes directly at the heart of the declassification conundrum previously outlined. {Go Deep}
Previously we discussed how White House lawyers were very tentative about following President Trump’s declassification request on the basis that two agencies of the executive branch (FBI and DOJ) could, with political motive and intent, advance the argument that President Trump was interfering with the investigation.
In August and September 2018 the issue was: what would happen if the DOJ and FBI refused to follow the directive from the President?
The answer is not legal, it is political. {Go Deep}
After several weeks of internal debate, in late August/early September the White House seemed to reconcile the legal and political declassification minefield through a view the President’s position to declassify was: the executive branch fulfilling an oversight request from the legislative branch, ie. congress:
As we noted at the time (Sept. 17, 2018) – The president (WH counsel) is referencing “committee requests”, this is critical because it removes the legal conflict (executive self-interest) within the release; and makes the request a function of legislative branch oversight.
[Additionally, and importantly, the request also called for all of the prior Page/Strzok text messages to be released without redactions.]
However, this decision to declassify also set the stage for a discussion between DAG Rod Rosenstein and President Trump. Four days after the initial announcement; on September 21st, the President reversed course.
After a conversation between President Trump and DAG Rosenstein the president withdrew the declassification request, and announced that Rosenstein had “agreed to” address the underlying congressional concerns within the pending Inspector General report on FISA abuse:
The IG report on FISA abuse is now anticipated to encompass and have reviewed: (1) pages 10-12 and 17-34 of the June 2017 application to the FISA court in the matter of Carter W. Page; (2) all FBI reports of interviews with Bruce G. Ohr prepared in connection with the Russia investigation; and (3) all FBI reports of interviews prepared in connection with all Carter Page FISA applications.
At the time we could see how this move gained President Trump political leverage toward the eventual disclosure of the truth. However, until the recent DOJ court filing, we did not know the likely position DAG Rod Rosenstein held in the September 21st conversation.
With the DOJ release, and the overlay of the sourcing from Lee Smith, we now have a better understanding of Rosenstein’s DOJ leverage. A threat, veiled or overt – it matters not, against the President under the auspices that any declassification would be considered obstruction of justice by Special Counsel Robert Mueller:
…“disclosure of redacted information in the Carter Page FISA documents could reasonably be expected to interfere with the pending investigation into Russian election interference”…
[…] “The obstruction trap was built into the special counsel,” a congressional investigator told RCI, speaking, like the two other sources in this article, only on condition of anonymity. “If Trump fires Mueller, or Rosenstein, or declassifies documents [embarrassing to the FBI] it’s likely to bring an obstruction charge.”
And that would mean double jeopardy for Trump. “Obstruction is the instrument the Democrats are likely to use to impeach Trump if they win the House,” said the congressional source.
The upshot is that the president will likely hold off on declassification, at least until after the midterms in November, and congressional investigators are likely to be stymied, at least for now, in their quest to expose what they call Obama-era surveillance abuses. (read more)
For all intents and purposes Rod Rosenstein and Robert Mueller are joined in fate over the Russia probe. DAG Rosenstein hired former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel in part due to the recommendation of FBI Legal Counsel Jim Baker and FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. The Mueller probe was a shield and a sword.
Robert Mueller was carefully selected by James Baker and Andrew McCabe, and hired by Rod Rosenstein therein, specifically to cover for the DOJ and FBI activity that preceded the firing of James Comey. From the corrupt small group perspective Mueller’s role had two essential aspects:
♦(1) Create an investigation – Just by creating the investigation it is then used as a shield by any corrupt FBI/DOJ official who would find himself/herself under downstream congressional investigation. Former officials being deposed/questioned by IG Horowitz or Congress could then say they are unable to answer those questions due to the ongoing special counsel investigation. In this way Mueller provides cover.
♦(2) Use the investigation to keep any and all inquiry focused away from the corrupt DOJ and FBI activity that took place in 2016, 2016, 2017. Keep the media narrative looking somewhere, anywhere, other than directly at the epicenter of the issues.
In both of these objectives the Mueller special counsel has been stunningly effective. From the White House position, the special counsel has been frustratingly effective in their protection of a false narrative around ‘muh Russia’.
DAG Rod Rosenstein has also been protecting Mueller, and defending the integrity of his hiring decision, using using the same false Russian narrative when needed {Go Deep}.
Now we can get a better idea of how Rosenstein leveraged the threat of ‘obstruction’ by Mueller to deep the declassification material hidden. This is new and important.
So long as the Mueller probe exists, the prior corrupt FBI and DOJ conduct remains hidden. One of the more important intentions of the probe is to do exactly that. This Mueller outcome also protects DAG Rosenstein from sunlight upon his involvement in creating the probe under false pretense.
This also explains why the extent of Andrew McCabe’s legal issues have been stretched-out and obfuscated. The DOJ decision-maker on McCabe is not Jeff Sessions; he is recused. The decision-maker is DAG Rosenstein. So long as McCabe is protected, Rosenstein is also safe from scrutiny. It’s a vicious circle.
Everything is the political games of DC. Rosenstein leverages Trump (passively) with Mueller’s threat of obstruction. Additionally, by gaining the delay, Rosenstein protects his own interests (actively) with the outcome of McCabe.
However, President Trump ultimately controls the validity of the IG report, If it doesn’t contain clear evidence of the abuse that fingers McCabe and the usurpers the declassification documents will. DAG Rosenstein is likely hopeful he can navigate long enough to see the IG report identify McCabe as the central suspect in the operation. Then Rosenstein will have a fall-guy for his duplicity in the scheme; he will say he too was conned by Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and possibly James Baker.
To pull this off, Rosenstein needs to keep Mueller around as a shield until the IG report comes out. Hence, Rosenstein tells Trump to wait on the declassification until Horowitz finishes his report; and leverages Mueller’s threat toward that end.
Trump knows, absent an obstruction angle, he is no longer under Mueller’s sword of Damocles. The president’s decision to delay the declassification is akin to moving the chair from under it. Additionally, President Trump can also validate the IG FISA report findings with a release of the classified information upon completion.
In the familiar world of the Potomac Two-Step the outcome makes sense. Robert Mueller files a final report to Rod Rosenstein justifying the existence of the Special Counsel probe (the severity of the anti-Trump report depends on the outcome of the midterm).
Around the same time Rosenstein uses the IG report to file criminal corruption charges against Andrew McCabe. The pound of flesh is delivered and everyone else is extracted pending what McCabe does next.
For Team Clinton, Andrew McCabe is the fall-guy; who he might also possibly take down in is a matter of prior relationship building and DC horsetrading. To understand the difference between Team Clinton and Team Obama – SEE HERE
Nothing likely touches Team Obama (Lynch, Comey, Rice, etc.)
President Trump delivers impromptu remarks as he leaves the White House for a MAGA rally in North Carolina. Most of the questions and comments were directed toward today’s arrest of Cesar Sayoc for mailing IED’s to opponents of the president.
With the midterm elections just 11 days away, President Trump heads to Charlotte, North Carolina for a MAGA rally in the Tar Heel state. The venue is Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, NC and the Anticipated start time is 7:00pm EST with pre-rally speakers earlier in the schedule.
The Commerce Department, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), has released the first estimate of the third quarter GDP growth for June, July and August 2018 (full pdf below). The rate of economic growth in Q3 is estimated at 3.5%, exceeding most forecasts of slightly more than three percent. The second quarter growth was 4.2%.
“Defying ‘conventional wisdom’ once again, 3.5 percent growth is the latest sign that the Trump economy continues to surge,” said Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “The President’s actions from deregulation to tax reform have supercharged the American economy, driving it to new heights.”
Overall the 3.5% growth is exceptionally strong. To see the data bolstering a positive future forecast I would draw attention to Table 2 (lines 43 through 49) and the analysis for net impact over Exports/Imports. The heavy import number delivered a net subtraction of 1.78% from GDP growth; that’s a result of a large increase in imported durable goods [likely anticipatory holiday inventory buildup].
As you can imagine from your own shopping experiences, durable goods inventories generally climb in the third quarter as companies increase inventory in preparation for holiday sales in quarter four. The growth in the buildup of this inventory is significantly higher than historic trend; this means companies are forecasting strong consumer demand for goods in Q4, the holiday season.
Further support for a booming Q4 purchase prediction can be found in the current 4% growth of consumer spending. With wages growing (3.8% avg), and with an incredibly strong jobs market, people are making large purchases with confidence. Additionally, price data in the current GDP report shows inflation at a 1.6 percent annualized pace.
Add it all up and you can see the reason for companies to boost inventory ahead of a very strong holiday season. The middle class drives the MAGAnomic economy. Workers are getting paid more and being taxed less; our paychecks are bigger.
Simultaneously inflation is low (prices not increasing), so the net is more disposable income to make purchases, combined with confidence in wages/jobs allowing people to spend more.
Bloomberg – The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.5 percent pace in the third quarter as consumers opened their wallets, businesses restocked inventories and governments boosted spending, marking the strongest back-to-back quarters of growth since 2014.
The annualized rate of gains in gross domestic product compared with the 3.3 percent median estimate in a Bloomberg survey and followed a 4.2 percent advance in the prior three months, according to Friday’s report from the Commerce Department.
Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 percent of the economy, unexpectedly accelerated to a 4 percent increase — the best since 2014 — while the 0.8 percent gain in nonresidential business investment was the weakest in almost two years. In two volatile categories, inventories provided the biggest contribution since early 2015, while the drag from trade was the largest in 33 years. Government spending rose by the most since 2016. (read more)
Here’s the full BEA report. [Table 2 is on page 8]
Earlier today President Donald Trump delivered remarks during a meeting of young black leadership at the White House. The speech follows two years of ongoing administration initiatives to support black and minority communities [See Here].
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen discusses the supplemental U.S. military troops being added to DHS border personnel ahead of the expected Central American border invasion force.
Additionally Secretary Nielsen discusses the recent wave of politically motivated Acme fake pipe-bombs.
Trump administration considers travel ban-like order for Mexican border
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering an executive action that could use travel ban-like authority to block certain asylum seekers at the Mexican border, sources familiar with the…
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley sent a criminal referral to the DOJ today surrounding Creepy Porn Lawyer Michael Avenatti and claims from the accusers he brought forth. Hours later,…. all of a sudden NBC, the primary advocacy media for Avenatti and his accusers, starts publicly questioning the details of their interactions?
In a late-evening publication of NBC News Investigations, journalists Kate Snow and Anna Schecter outline the contradictions between Creepy Porn Lawyer and two female accusers Avenatti put them in contact with.
In a transparent effort to retain credibility, the face of NBC, Chuck Todd, now claims Avenatti “mislead” the NBC reporters. It needs to be emphasized here that none of these contradictions were discussed by NBC during the controversy around the Kavanaugh confirmation. They kept quiet about it when it mattered.
NBC […] In the second statement, the unidentified woman said she witnessed Kavanaugh “spike” the punch at high school parties in order to sexually take advantage of girls. But less than 48 hours before Avenatti released her sworn statement on Twitter, the same woman told NBC News a different story.
When asked in the phone interview if she ever witnessed Kavanaugh act inappropriately towards girls, the woman replied, “no.” She did describe a culture of heavy drinking in high school that she took part in, and said Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge were part of that group.
[…] According to the second woman’s declaration that Avenatti provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee, she said: “During the years 1981-82, I witnessed firsthand Brett Kavanaugh, together with others, ‘spike’ the ‘punch’ at house parties I attended with Quaaludes and/or grain alcohol. I understood this was being done for the purpose of making girls more likely to engage in sexual acts and less likely to say ‘No.’”
[…] But reached by phone independently from Avenatti on Oct. 3, the woman said she only “skimmed” the declaration. After reviewing the statement, she wrote in a text on Oct. 4 to NBC News: “It is incorrect that I saw Brett spike the punch. I didn’t see anyone spike the punch…I was very clear with Michael Avenatti from day one.” (read more)
Earlier today President Trump delivered remarks to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the 1983 Beirut marine barracks bombing. For many CTH readers the images of the attack that killed 241 U.S. servicemen are forever seared into our memory. The bombing was one of the most horrific events during the terms of President Ronald Reagan.
Joining the President today to commemorate the anniversary were families of the fallen and those who survived the October 23rd, attack by Iranian backed Hezbollah terrorists.
President Trump was also joined in remarks by Secretary of Defense James Mattis who was the casualty notification officer for Rhode Island victims in the aftermath of the explosion. The prayer toward the end of the formal remarks is quite touching.
[Transcript] – East Room – 6:26 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) That’s fantastic. Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you very much. A lot of spirit in this room. (Laughter.) A lot of spirit. For good reason.
We’re gathered together on this solemn occasion to fulfill our most reverent and sacred duty. Thirty-five years ago, 241 American service members were murdered in the terrorist attack on our Marine Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. It was a very sad period of time. These are great, great people.
Today, we honor our fallen heroes and pledge that their blessed memory will never die, but live instead in the hearts of our grateful nation forever.
We are joined by, and for, todays observers. And I’d like to introduce some of the outstanding people in our government, and some that are outside of our government, starting off with Secretary of State Pompeo. (Applause.) Mike? Where is Mike? Stand up, Mike. (Applause.) Thank you. Great job. And he’s been doing a lot of traveling. A very well-traveled man, aren’t you, Mike? Huh?
Secretary of Defense Mattis. (Applause.) Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer. (Applause.) Thank you. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford. (Applause.) Hi, Joseph.
Army Chief of Staff General Mark Milley. (Applause.) Mark, thank you. Thank you, Mark. Commandant of the Marine Corps General Robert Neller. (Applause.) Robert.
Commandant of the Coast Guard Admiral Karl Schultz. (Applause.) And Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Ronald Green. Ronald. (Applause.) As well as my Chief of Staff, and a beloved Marine — he loves the Marines — John Kelly. John. (Applause.)
And much more important, a great wife and a great mother: Karen. Please stand up. Karen Pence. (Applause.) Great woman. Great man. Great woman. Thank you very much. Thank you everybody.
And thanks to the French Ambassador to the United States, Grard Araud, for being here. Grard. Where are you, Grard? Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you very much. I just spoke to your President. I just spoke to President Macron, and he’s doing well. He sends his regards. (Laughter.)
I also want to recognize two very special retired Marines who led with extraordinary valor in the wake of the Beirut terrorist attack: Colonel Tim Garrity and General Al Gray. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, General Gray!
THE PRESIDENT: See that? They all love you.
We are also truly thankful to have with us the veterans of Beirut, who really — I mean, this is an incredible group. I’m going to ask you to stand. You courageously survived that terrible October day, and you have made your First Duty to Remember. Please stand. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: We love you, Mr. President!
THE PRESIDENT: Such incredible spirit. I see hugging and kissing. I think it’s fantastic. That’s — that’s what love is, right? That’s real love. That’s the kind of love we like. That’s beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Great, great people.
Most importantly, we’re joined by the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Please stand. Please. (Applause.) Wow. Wow. That’s great. That’s really great. Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you very much. That’s great. Incredible.
To every Gold Star Family: Today, we pay tribute to the heroes you knew and loved. We grieve and mourn by your side. And we honor the immortal sacrifice of 241 heroes who gave their lives for our freedom. Thank you for being here very much.
In 1983, roughly 1,800 Marines were in Beirut to keep the peace in a nation torn apart by civil war. Terrorists had bombed the U.S. Embassy earlier that year, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans.
For the 300 Marines stationed at the Beirut Airport, the morning of October 23rd arrived like any other. The Marines on guard stood there and at their post; others slept peacefully in their bunks — until suddenly, and without warning, a truck driven by a terrorist crashed through the fences and barricades, and into the lobby of the Marine Barracks.
At 6:22 a.m., the terrorist detonated the equivalent of 1,200 pounds, commonly known as 12,000 pounds — that’s a lot, and it’s terrible — of explosives, killing 3 American soldiers, 18 American sailors, and 220 United States Marines. That was a horrible moment.
Minutes later, another truck bomb took the lives of 58 French paratroopers. It was the single deadliest day for the Marines since Iwo Jima.
The attack was carried out by Hezbollah, which Iran was instrumental in founding a year earlier to advance its radical agenda, and remain its main patron today. And we are doing a big number on Iran today, in case you havent noticed. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: God bless you, Mr. Trump!
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I’ll tell you what — they’re not the same country they were when I took office, I will tell you that. (Applause.) They’re rioting in their streets. Their money has collapsed. Their lives are a lot different. And they’re not looking so much for the Mediterranean. When I took office, they were looking for the Mediterranean. They were going to take over everything. Now they want to survive. Whole different deal, folks. It’s a whole different deal.
No terrorist group other than al Qaeda has more American blood on its hands.
The service members who died that day include brave young Marines just out of high school, accomplished officers in the middle of their military careers, and enlisted men who had served in theaters all over the world. But they formed one united military family, defending their nation, serving their fellow Americans, and wearing their uniform with dignity and pride. Such incredible pride.
Each of these heroes died as they lived: as noble warriors — they were warriors — whose hearts were filled with courage and whose souls were rich with love.
The United States Marines are often the first to deploy, the first into danger, and the first to fight.” And on that morning 35 years ago, they were among the very first to give their lives in the battle against radical Islamic terrorism — the battle that we are winning and we will win. (Applause.)
And I have to point out — and I can do this for General Kelly, General Mattis, and everybody here — that we are doing very well in our fight against ISIS. They are virtually knocked out entirely in Syria. In another short period of time, they’ll be gone, and also in Iraq and in lots of other places. We have stepped up the fight to a level that even General Mattis was very happy to get that order. Is that right, General? We’ve done a very strong number. (Applause.) Radical Islamic terror.
As Commander-in-Chief, I will always ensure that our service members have the tools, resources, equipment, support, and trust they need to protect this nation and to defeat Americas enemies with overwhelming force. No enemy on Earth can match the strength of our military or the might of our Marines. We will use every instrument of our national power to confront the sinister forces of terrorism.
That is one reason why last year I withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear disaster. (Applause.) On November 5th, all U.S. sanctions against Iran lifted by the nuclear deal will be back in full force — every sanction that we had on there originally, which would have — if they would have just left it a little bit longer, it would have been so much easier than what we’ve been through over the last number of years. All they had to do was leave it the way it was. It was eating them away. But we’ve started it all over again, and it will be just as good. Wasted time — and lives, unfortunately.
And they will be followed up with even more sanctions to address the full range of Irans malign conduct. We will not allow the worlds leading sponsor of terror to develop the worlds deadliest weapons. Will not happen.
Over the past year, we have levied the highest number of sanctions ever imposed on Hezbollah in a single year, by far. Just a few moments ago, I signed legislation imposing even more hard-hitting sanctions on Hezbollah to further starve them of their funds. And they are starving their funds. (Applause.)
We will target, disrupt, and dismantle their operational and financing networks — of which they had plenty; they don’t have plenty now — and we will never forget what they did to our great Marines in Beirut. We will never forget. (Applause.)
In the days after the attack, very brave General Al Gray traveled to more than 150 funerals of his beloved Marines who perished in the Beirut bombing.
On one of those trips, he arrived at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. There, he joined the hour-long funeral procession to transport a fallen Marine to his final resting place in a small town near Auburn, Alabama.
On that long drive, General Gray witnessed a sight that would stay with him forever. Throughout the entire journey — along both sides of the highway, for miles and miles of country road, as far as the eye could see – everyday citizens, who came by the thousands, were lined up to pay their highest respects. They were waving flags, holding hands, holding their hands also over their hearts, and standing in silent salute to our great fallen Marine heroes.
This outpouring of love and devotion was but a small measure of the eternal gratitude of our nation. In all of our history, no figure has ever lived with more grace and courage than the men and women who serve our country in uniform. They are Gods blessing to us all. They are God’s blessing. (Applause.) They are incredible, incredible people.
Each of the Gold Star families here today carries on the remarkable legacy of their loved ones. You care for your families, you serve your communities, you support one another, you persevere, and you overcome. And I know you very well: You win. You just know nothing but winning. I know the people — some of the people in this room, they just know how to win. And you keep the memory of our heroes alive.
So this evening, we pay tribute to your service. We honor your sacrifice. And we say, on behalf of all Americans, thank you. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for your devotion. Thank you for your love that is greater than life itself. And thank you for remembering us all what it means to live like our heroes: forever brave, forever strong, and always, always, always faithful.
Thank you once again. And God bless you. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you, folks. Thank you very much. Thank you.
I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
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