Tag Archives: James Rybicki

Mar 23 2018

If Computers Replaced Politicians – Could it Get Any Worse?


Armstrong Economics Blog/AI Computers

Re-Posted Mar 23, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: I really do not know what it’s gonna take for you to get the Noble Price for something. Your computer is amazing. The market crashes the week of the 19th. Here in NYC we have been buried in snow and even CNN has reported we have never seen this much snow in 130 years. Your computer should be put in charge of the government. It certainly couldn’t do a worse job. They Oprah could be President and everyone would be happy provided she cannot overrule your computer.

That’s my 2 cents from a snowed-in New Yorker

DR

REPLY: Deep Learning machines can indeed do a far better job than any human. They cannot be bribed and there is no bias. Even the voice programs learn that the word “live” is pronounced completely different based on the context: “Hell0; live from New York …” and “I live in Florida…” I bet if you put it on a teleprompter and a politician has to read it without practicing first, they will pronounce it like they “live” in Washington.

That is no0t a bad idea. I would actually consider working on such a project if it prevented politicians from economic tinkering and barred people like Larry Summers, the father of Negative Interest Rates, who will one day be known as the father of the Pension Crisis.

Perhaps you are correct – it can’t be any worse.

PS: Sorry, but I have been warning that the energy output of the Sun has turned down dramatically. Cheer-up! At least they are starting to sell long-underwear again. That too is cyclical. Don’t worry, we are not headed for the White Earth Effect. It’s just going to get colder into 2032. It has been 60s here in the Tampa area. So I didn’t move far enough South

Mar 22 2018

Giddy Up – DOJ Admits They Have a Grand Jury Empaneled in FBI and DOJ Investigation…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House  on March 22, 2018 by

Today chairman Bob Goodlatte sends a formal subpoena to the DOJ (Inspector General Michael Horowitz) for documents regarding the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server, potential abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility recommendation to fire former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

However, it’s not the subpoena that should make the news.  Pay close attention to the DOJ response.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) is one of the top three people throughout the entirety of congress with a comprehensive knowledge of the events surrounding the investigations of the FBI and DOJ. Chairman Goodlatte is one of only four people outside the DOJ who have read the full DOJ FISA application used for a Title-1 Surveillance warrant of Carter Page.

The House Judiciary Committee holds the primary statutory oversight over the U.S. Department of Justice. Additionally, Chairman Goodlatte is the congressional office working closest with DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz. In short, Goodlatte is the center of all ‘oversight’ information circling the investigations into the DOJ and FBI.

However, all of that said, even Chairman Bob Goodlatte doesn’t, and shouldn’t, know what criminal investigations are underway.  We’ve explained this dynamic of disconnect numerous times.  We really began emphasizing this when AG Jeff Sessions admitted he brought in a prosecutor from outside Washington DC to work with Inspector General Horowitz.

You can read the Goodlatte Subpoenas – HERE – along with the letter that accompanies his demand.   However, more important is the response from the DOJ as communicated by Fox News journalist Chad Pergram (emphasis mine):

(LINK)

Oh, what’s that?  Yes, the DOJ has to review the demand for evidence because release of those documents might conflict with ongoing Grand Jury information (evidence).  Yes, that means a Grand Jury is impaneled, exactly as we expected.

Yes, that also means there are “law enforcement actions” currently ongoing as a result of the prosecutor assigned to reviewing the evidence discovered by Inspector General Horowitz.

Are there still those who doubt?

There has been a great deal of consternation, directed toward AG Jeff Sessions surrounding the ongoing FISA abuse scandal and the larger issues of unlawful DOJ and FBI conduct in their political investigation of candidate Donald Trump. It is a matter of great division amid people who follow the details.  Yet there is overwhelming evidence he assigned a prosecutor to conduct a criminal investigation of the FBI and DOJ “small group” a long time ago.  Now we know, with certainty, a GRAND JURY is empaneled.

… I have appointed a person outside of Washington, many years in the Department of Justice to look at all the allegations that the House Judiciary Committee members sent to us; and we’re conducting that investigation. (read more)

Evidence of this prosecutor, and the Grand Jury, was also visible within the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. –SEE HERE– We’ve been talking about this since it became obvious someone was giving information to congressional investigators.

♦First, the question:  If Jeff Sessions has appointed a prosecutor to work with Inspector General Horowitz, why do congressional reps keep asking for a second special counsel?

The answer is a lot simpler than we might think: They don’t know.

The legislative branch of the government doesn’t know what the criminal investigations are of the executive branch of government; AND AG Jeff Sessions has repeatedly said his intention is to restore the proper, appropriate and professional standards of the U.S. Department of Justice.  (ie. no talking about criminal investigations)

Within this specific investigation there is a triple role.  ¹A DOJ Inspector General conducting an internal investigation; ² Appropriate congressional oversight; and ³ the collection of evidence that might also be used in criminal indictments.

Within the IG collection of evidence there are two competing issues:  #1) Evidence of misconduct and political bias (shared openly with congress and oversight); and #2) evidence of illegal activity (retained from congress to preserve integrity of evidence for later used in criminal proceedings); this is where the “outside DC prosecutor” comes in.

Which brings us to point #2

♦Accusations of DOJ hiding evidence from congress.

Several congressional representatives have stated the information about Judge Rudolph Contreras was not readily know because his association with Peter Strzok was redacted within text messages sent from DOJ to congress.  Therefore the DOJ is trying to hide damaging information.  That claim is not the correct framework/context.

Congress as a whole (reps, staff and investigators) can go to the DOJ and look at ALL unredacted text messages.  However, if congressional staff wish to take copies with them the copies must be redacted. Why?  Because, just like the Contreras issue within the Strzok and Page text messages, there’s a possibility specific texts are evidence of a crime.

Go back to December 2nd, 2017, when the first reports of the IG investigative findings were hitting the news media and you’ll note IG Horowitz said he has no issues with congressional oversight getting his investigative evidence with the approval FROM the DOJ.   In this example the “prosecutor”, working with Horowitz, has to make a determination if a potential criminal case would be compromised by allowing the release of specific information/evidence gathered by the Inspector General.

♦Lastly, where all this appears to be going.  It is not likely there will be a ‘second special counsel’ per se’.  With a prosecutor already working with Inspector General Horowitz that person already has a thorough knowledge of all the evidence.  As soon as the IG publishes his report, the prosecutor can begin subpoenaing witnesses.  And now we know there’s already a Grand Jury seated somewhere hearing the criminal evidence he/she has carved out from the overwhelming IG evidence as collected.

You and I might be frustrated with the pace of the activity for a myriad of righteous reasons.  However, we must also remind ourselves of the scale and scope of the corruption here that is inherent within the BIG PICTURE.  All of this was done on purpose.  None of this was accidental.

The prosecutor could, likely would, be having to outline the biggest political conspiracy in the history of politics.  It is entirely possible officials within the CIA, NSA, DOJ, FBI, State Department, ODNI, and national security apparatus along with the Obama White House, Clinton campaign officials, politicians, career bureaucrats and possibly judges are all entwined and involved.

Add into this likelihood the complicit ideological media who will go absolutely bananas about any single member of their team being indicted; and a better than average chance the media will follow instructions from their leadership and send tens-of-thousands of low-info sycophants into the streets in protest, and well… you see the picture.

The left only know one narrative: “Jeff Sessions is doing Trump’s evil bidding.” That’s it. That’s the drumbeat. 24/7/365 That’s the narrative pushed over and over.

Just look at the media reaction to Andrew McCabe’s simple firing, which Trump had nothing to do with, and think about what their response would be to indictments?

Resources:

♦Remember – Someone’s doing the Investigations and Interrogations – HERE

♦Jeff Sessions affirms IG looking at FISA Court Abuse and Illegal Representations – HERE

♦Jeff Sessions confirms appointment of “Federal Prosecutor” working with OIG Michael Horowitz – See Here

♦McCabe firing shows evidence of a Federal Prosecutor and Grand Jury – SEE HERE

Mar 21 2018

“Small Group” Leadership Andrew McCabe Coordinated Investigations of Incoming Trump Administration Officials…


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

Republican congressman from Arizona Andy Biggs. interviewed on Fox News today, begins to question the ongoing relevance and purpose of the Mueller investigation.

This interview happens at the same time ABC is reporting that fired FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe instructed his “small group” collaborators to investigate Attorney General Jeff Sessions in March of 2017.

Nearly a year before Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired senior FBI official Andrew McCabe for what Sessions called a “lack of candor,” McCabe oversaw a federal criminal investigation into whether Sessions lacked candor when testifying before Congress about contacts with Russian operatives, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. (read more)

It should be emphasized the timeline of this ABC report is in March, 2017.  At the time outlined all of the corrupt “small group” political operatives were still working diligently on utilization of their “Insurance Policy” against the incoming administration.  FBI Agent Peter Strzok, FBI Attorney Lisa Page, FBI Legal Counsel James Baker, along with FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe were coordinating the groups’ efforts.

Via ABC – […]  One source told ABC News that Sessions was not aware of the investigation when he decided to fire McCabe last Friday less than 48 hours before McCabe, a former FBI deputy director, was due to retire from government and obtain a full pension, but an attorney representing Sessions declined to confirm that.

Last year, several top Republican and Democratic lawmakers were informed of the probe during a closed-door briefing with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and McCabe, ABC News was told.  (read more)

Staying on this timeline, this period of 2017 (March, April, May) was when FBI Chief Legal Counsel James Baker (now removed) was working on putting together the ancillary “small group” team for alternate deployment onto the Mueller team.  Peter Strzok and Lisa Page were central characters in this ancillary, and specialized, group.

Strzok and Page were removed in July 2017, after Inspector General Michael Horowitz interceded and informed Robert Mueller of the blatant bias he had identified, along with the strong possibility of unlawful manipulation of their investigative intent.

The behaviors outlined by ongoing reports and research show the evolution of the “small group” objectives after the inauguration.

Mar 21 2018

Is Goldman Sachs to new Rothschilds?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Conspiracy

Re-Posted Mar 21, 2018 by Martin Armstrong

Many in Germany are up-in-arms over the appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel of Jörg Kukies who will become deputy finance minister in her new coalition government. Kukies will take over the responsibilities for financial markets and European policies at the Finance Ministry. Virtually every position in the key financial markets in Europe and American are all coming from Goldman Sachs. There is something seriously wrong. Such people do not leave the highest paying jobs to work for peanuts. There has NEVER been any investigation of former Goldman Sachs people who take strategic government positions and alter policy only to leave. Robert Rubin ushered through the repeal of Glass Steagall and the resigned. Hank Paulson saved AIG whose default would have taken down Goldman while he eliminated two top Goldman competitors over who there was the authority to bailout – Lehman and Bear. There was no authority to bailout an insurance company operating in London no less to skirt US regulation. Even the seizure of our company, Princeton Economics, was run by a court-appointed receiver who was a full-time board member of Goldman Sachs – Alan Cohen.

It would be very nice if someone si9mply conducted an investigation to see what perks these people collect after they leave government service. But why should anyone do that? Everyone in Washington and the Department of Just Us dream of getting a job at Goldman. Yet Goldman is going just too far. Their “former” people seem to be controlling the world financial system. Why is that so many people come from the same firm? Nobody will investigate because Goldman is simply one of the too big to jail and otherwise known as the Untouchable.

It seems like it’s only a matter of time before the conspiracy theories finally give up on bashing the Rothschilds and open their eyes to who really has the power to be a mover and shaker. When Goldman broke ground for its new building, just look at the politicians kissing ass from Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataky to Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton all right there with Hank Paulson. And people asked why Goldman donated to Hillary and not Trump when she pretended to be for the people and against bankers?

Mar 20 2018

Dangerous Shift – Serial Bombings In/Around Austin Texas Continue, Now Using Parcel Carriers…


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

UPDATE: 8:18 p.m. EST: The Austin Fire Department is reporting another package explosion with one injury in the 9800 block of Brodie. A hazmat task force is responding and crews are evacuating a building. (link)

Authorities are acknowledging a serial bomber in/around the Austin Texas area is shifting techniques.  The first four bombs were packages that detonated when opened or moved. A few days later another package bomb was detonated by an alarmingly well designed ‘tripwire’.  Today, a package bomb exploded at a Fed-X facility during shipment.

TEXAS – Austin’s police chief said Tuesday that, based off of the components of the package bomb that exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz, the explosion is connected to a series of violent explosions in the City of Austin that have killed two people and injured four others throughout the month of March. Sunset Valley police told KVUE’s Jenni Lee that it is believed that this package originated at a FedEx facility southwest of Austin on Brodie Lane.

Austin Interim Police Chief Brian Manley said Tuesday that the package that exploded in Schertz was bound for Austin. Another official onsite said it is not believed Schertz or San Antonio were the intended targets. Schertz is located southwest of Austin.

The blast on Tuesday, March 20, happened at a FedEx ground distribution center on FM 3009 Highway. Officials onsite said a woman reported ringing in her ears from the blast after the medium-sized package detonated on a conveyor belt, but sustained no injuries. (read more)

Police believe somebody sent the package to Schertz from a FedEx Office store in the Austin suburb of Sunset Valley.  This could lead to a break in the case because the office store has no drop-off option; meaning the person who mailed the package needed to go inside, and thus could be on the store’s surveillance video.

The FBI has sent 350 special agents to Austin as well as extra bomb squads.

Let’s hope this serial bomber is caught quickly.

Mar 20 2018

Dangerous Shift – Serial Bombings In/Around Austin Texas Continue, Now Using Parcel Carriers…


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

Authorities are acknowledging a serial bomber in/around the Austin Texas area is shifting techniques.  The first four bombs were packages that detonated when opened or moved. A few days later another package bomb was detonated by an alarmingly well designed ‘tripwire’.  Today, a package bomb exploded at a Fed-X facility during shipment.

TEXAS – Austin’s police chief said Tuesday that, based off of the components of the package bomb that exploded at a FedEx facility in Schertz, the explosion is connected to a series of violent explosions in the City of Austin that have killed two people and injured four others throughout the month of March. Sunset Valley police told KVUE’s Jenni Lee that it is believed that this package originated at a FedEx facility southwest of Austin on Brodie Lane.

Austin Interim Police Chief Brian Manley said Tuesday that the package that exploded in Schertz was bound for Austin. Another official onsite said it is not believed Schertz or San Antonio were the intended targets. Schertz is located southwest of Austin.

The blast on Tuesday, March 20, happened at a FedEx ground distribution center on FM 3009 Highway. Officials onsite said a woman reported ringing in her ears from the blast after the medium-sized package detonated on a conveyor belt, but sustained no injuries. (read more)

Police believe somebody sent the package to Schertz from a FedEx Office store in the Austin suburb of Sunset Valley.  This could lead to a break in the case because the office store has no drop-off option; meaning the person who mailed the package needed to go inside, and thus could be on the store’s surveillance video.

The FBI has sent 350 special agents to Austin as well as extra bomb squads.

Let’s hope this serial bomber is caught quickly.

Mar 20 2018

Fired FBI Director Andrew McCabe Hugs James Comey Upon Exit…


RE-Posted from The Conservative Tree House on March 17, 2018 by

In an effort to protect himself from criminal indictment fired Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe centered his defense last night around politics. This is the same ongoing approach deployed by fired FBI Director James Comey.

Within the McCabe statement he attempts to hug Comey tightly:

… […]  The OIG investigation has focused on information I chose to share with a reporter [Devlin Barrett] through my public affairs officer [Michael Kortan] and a legal counselor [James Baker].

As Deputy Director, I was one of only a few people who had the authority to do that. It was not a secret, it took place over several days, and others, including the Director [James Comey], were aware of the interaction with the reporter [Devlin Barrett].  (read full statement)

Which begs the question, if the intent to shape a more favorable narrative for McCabe “was not a secret” then why did the resulting article quote only innocuous “according to FBI officials” citations as oppose to quoting the actual people delivering the information?

It should be noted in the October 23rd, 2016, WSJ article – the overall narrative being sold by Andrew McCabe through Mike Kortan, Lisa Page and Peter Strzok was the decision to drop the Clinton investigation rested entirely on James Comey.  In essence, FBI Asst. Director McCabe was attempting to distance his sketchy financial ties to Hillary Clinton from the decision to drop the investigation.

(link)

Here’s the backstory:

Prior reporting showed Asst. FBI Director Andrew McCabe -along with the entire small group- became aware of the Clinton emails on the Huma Abedin/Anthony Weiner laptop on September 28th, 2016.  Attempting to protect Hillary Clinton, text messages showed McCabe and crew withheld that information for several weeks until October 28, 2016, when congress was notified and a public statement was made by Mike Kortan and FBI Director James Comey.

♦In January of this year Senator Chuck Grassley released a series of text messages between Page and Strzok (full pdf here). Within the release there is a portion of messaging where Lisa Page is identified on the phone with “Devlin” (see page #5 – screen grab below):

[Peter Strzok is ‘INBOX’ and Lisa Page is “OUTBOX’]

The “Devlin” in question is former Wall Street Journal National Security reporter Devlin Barrett, currently with The Washington Post.  In the above cited text message exchange Lisa Page is on the phone with Devlin Barrett when the news of the Abedin/Weiner laptop Clinton emails was released.  “Mike’s phone is on fire” is referencing former FBI Public Affairs Director, Michael “Mike” Kortan.

♦However, simultaneous to this October 2016 FBI/Clinton investigation matter there was internal “small group” discussion about another controversial issue: the need for Andrew McCabe to recuse himself from the financial investigation of Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation.

FBI Chief of Staff James “Jim” Rybicki held the opinion that McCabe should recuse himself.  However, taking that action may have compromised McCabe’s ability to protect Hillary Clinton.  Lisa Page was the legal counsel to McCabe during these events and discussions, and didn’t see the need for a recusal or change of prior plans.

On October 23rd, 2016, Devlin Barrett again reported on a scoop:

“Scoop: McAuliffe PAC gave $467,500 to campaign of wife of senior FBI official who oversaw Clinton email probe” (link)

(Tweet Link) and (Story Link)

This October 23rd, 2016, “scoop” aligns with the internal text messaging discussion between Agent Peter Strzok and FBI Attorney Lisa Page who were discussing James Comey’s chief-of-staff James Rybicki recommending that FBI Asst. Director Andrew “Andy” McCabe should be recused from the Hillary Clinton investigation.

From the messaging the recusal was discussed mid-through-late October 2016:

00:52am …”if it’s a matter similar to those we’ve been talking about lately”…

The sourcing for the exclusive report by Devlin Barrett contained great details about the internal discussion on the controversy of Andrew McCabe and his financial connections to Clinton/McAuliffe.

We now know the leaks for the story were coordinated by Asst. FBI Direct Andrew McCabe, communications officer Michael Kortan; legal counsel James Baker, and likely provided by FBI lawyer Lisa Page and FBI agent Peter Strzok.  McCabe is also now saying that FBI Director James Comey was aware of what they were doing:

“Article is out, but hidden behind paywall so can’t read it,” Page texted Strzok on Oct. 24, 2016.

“Wsj? Boy that was fast,” Strzok texted back, using the initials of the famed financial newspaper. “Should I ‘find’ it and tell the team?” (link)

According to the New York Times article spin earlier this month: […] “The inspector general has concluded that Mr. McCabe authorized F.B.I. officials to provide information for that article, according to the four people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the report before it is published. The public affairs office had arranged a phone call to discuss the case, the people said. Mr. McCabe, as deputy director, had the authority to engage the news media.”

Again, the October 2016 “public affairs office” was Michael “Mike” Kortan.

IG Horowitz ultimately confronted McCabe about the leak story to Devlin Barrett via the  ‘small group’ (McCabe, Baker, Kortan, Page and Strzok) to the Wall Street Journal.

This is where McCabe was less than forthcoming about his involvement. Those misleading statements and lies by McCabe led to a referral by the Inspector General to the Office of Professional Responsibility.  The OPR recommended McCabe firing, AG Jeff Sessions fired him.

Worth noting – Mike Kortan is the same FBI official who released the previous unauthorized FBI statement about the Nunes memo: “grave concerns about material omissions of fact” etc.  A few days later Kortan was advised to resign by current FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Mar 20 2018

Why, How, Who – The “Big Picture” in Video Summary…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House  on March 19, 2018 by

Why – How – Who?

“WHY” – The first video highlights the historic backdrop of DOJ/FBI FISA court abuses:

.

“HOW” – The second video highlights the specific example of how the DOJ and FBI used false information to the FISA Court to secure a fraudulent ‘Title-1’ surveillance warrant:

.

“WHO” – The third video highlights who the primary players were within the scheme:

.

Mar 20 2018

Devin Nunes Discusses Andrew McCabe Firing…


Re-Posted from The conservative Tree House  on March 19, 2018 by

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) Chairman Devin Nunes appears for an interview with Sean Hannity to discuss the firing of Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe and ongoing investigative issues.

Chairman Nunes points out the HPSCI is not related to the Office of Inspector General report that flows through the oversight of  the Judiciary Committee (Goodlatte).  While there can be overlap, such as the FISA issues, Chairman Nunes oversight encompasses the intelligence community writ large, not specifically the FBI or DOJ.

Nunes’ primary intelligence oversight encompasses: DOJ-NSD, FBI-CoIntel, NSA, DoD (Pentagon), CIA, ODNI, and DoS (State).  The Chairman of the HPSCI is also the head figure within internal oversight for the Gang of Eight and the highest ranking member of legislative branch oversight over the intelligence apparatus of U.S. government along with the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mar 20 2018

Lou Dobbs Discusses McCabe Firing With Representative Jim Jordan…


Re-Posted from The Conservative Tree House  on March 19, 2018 by

Fox Business News host Lou Dobbs discusses the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, and all the downstream issues, with Congressman Jim Jordan: