Tag Archives: Tom Donohue

Apr 4 2020

Oh My, Interesting Ramifications – FISA Court Requires DOJ/FBI To Provide Names of Targets Within Corrupt Surveillance Applications…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on April 3, 2020 by 

Things are getting interesting, potential ramifications are growing, as the FISA Court responds to the latest information from the DOJ Office of Inspector General (OIG).

After a review of 29 FISA applications, from eight FBI field offices, the OIG informed the FBI and DOJ that none of the surveillance applications were compliant with the Woods procedures. Meaning zero applications had FBI evidence to support the validity of the claims within the FISA warrants.  That’s a very big problem if those FISA warrants were used to gather evidence used to prosecute the 29 targets of the applications.

In a FISC order released today [pdf here] presiding Judge James Boasberg is ordering the FBI to identify who those targets were; and asking the DOJ to explain what they did with the evidence gathered as a result of the fraudulently obtained FISA warrants.  Big.

[pdf here]

If evidence obtained by execution of a fraudulently obtained warrant was used in the prosecution of any of those targets; there’s a possibility those cases will be reopened.

Considering the twenty nine applications from the OIG go back to 2015, there’s a lot of potential for some downstream consequences not only for those 29 applications, but also for all FBI FISA applications with a similar level of neglect.

In the issue of the Carter Page application the DOJ and FBI were already looking into how far the ripple effects carried.  The FBI was already undertaking a ‘sequestration effort’ to identify the fruit of the poisonous tree; and the results are still unknown.

This order from Judge Boasberg essentially expands that type of review upon another 29 applications and demands the DOJ identify to the court who were the targets.  The court can then, on their own, look and see if any of those U.S. persons were prosecuted in court.

This is a hot mess…. And it is far from over.

You can read Boasberg’s order HERE.

BACKSTORY – The OIG began reviewing FISA applications from eight field offices (the proverbial “rank and file”). The OIG selected 29 FISA applications from those field offices over the period of October 2014 to September 2019. Additionally, every field office and the DOJ-NSD generate internal “Accuracy Reviews”, or self-checks on FISA applications; so the OIG inspected 42 of the accuracy review FISA files to determine if they were compliant.

The results were so bad the IG produced an interim memorandum to the DOJ and FBI [pdf link here]. Within the 17-page-memo the IG notifies Attorney General Bill Barr and FBI Director Chris Wray that all of the claimed FISA processes, in every field office, are grossly deficient, and in most cases there is zero compliance with FISA standards. The IG memorandum is presented before the IG even looks at the specifics of the non-compliance.

Below is the report/memorandum. Additionally I am summarizing the stunning top-lines identified by the IG memo:

  • The IG reviewed 29 FISA applications, surveillance warrants, used against U.S. persons.
  • The 29 FISA applications were from eight different field offices.
  • The FISA applications were from Oct/2014 through Sept/2019.
  • All of the FISA applications reviewed were approved by the FISA court.

The ‘Woods File’ is the mandatory FBI evidence file that contains the documentary proof to verify all statements against U.S. persons that are contained in the FISA application. Remember, this is a secret court, the FISA applications result in secret surveillance and wiretaps against U.S. persons outside the fourth amendment.

♦ Within the 29 FISA applications reviewed, four were completely missing the Woods File. Meaning there was zero supportive evidence for any of the FBI claims against U.S. persons underpinning the FISA application. [ie. The FBI just made stuff up]

♦ Of the remaining 25 FISA applications, 100% of them, all of them, were materially deficient on the woods file requirement; and the average number of deficiencies per file was 20. Meaning an average of twenty direct statements against the target, supporting the purpose of the FISA application, sworn by the FBI affiant, were unsubstantiated. [The low was 5, the high was 63, the average per file was 20]

♦ Half of the FISA applications reviewed used Confidential Human Sources (CHS’s). The memo outlines that “many” of applications containing CHS claims had no supportive documentation attesting to the dependability of the CHS.

♦ Two of the 25 FISA applications reviewed had renewals; meaning the FISA applications were renewed to extended surveillance, wiretaps, etc. beyond the initial 90-days. None of the renewals had any re-verification. Both FISAs that used renewals were not compliant.

But wait… it gets worse.

The DOJ and FBI have an internal self-check mechanism. The DOJ National Security Division (DOJ-NSD) chief counsel, and the chief counsel for every FBI field office are required to conduct an “Accuracy Review” of selected FISA applications. One per field office (25 to 30 field offices),which are also sent to DOJ-NSD (main justice) for general counsel inspection.

Keep in mind, these “accuracy reviews” are known in advance, so the FBI has all the time in the world to select the best FISA file for review. Additionally, I surmise the OIG wanted to inspect the “accuracy review” FISA’s because they would show the best light on the overall system itself. The OIG was looking for the best, most compliant, product to report on.

However, when the OIG inspected 42 of these Accuracy Reviews, the IG identified that only three of them had accurately assembled documents (Woods File) supporting the application. The error rate within the files self-checked was over 93%.

So the best FBI files are selected to undergo the FBI and DOJ-NSD accuracy review. The accuracy review takes place by FBI legal counsel and DOJ-NSD legal counsel. However, the IG finds that only three FBI applications in the accuracy reviews were compliant.

The error rate in the files undertaken by the internal accuracy review was over 93% (3 compliant out of 42 reviewed). These were the FISA files with the greatest possibility of being accurate. Let that sink in…

Here’s the OIG Report/Memorandum:

Apr 1 2020

Rank and Vile – DOJ Inspector General Identifies 93 Percent Non-Compliance Within FISA Review – Issues So Bad IG Presents Interim Report Before Reviewing Details…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 31, 2020 by 

After the DOJ Offfice of Inspector General (OIG), Michael Horowitz, presented his December 2019 findings of the FISA application used against U.S person Carter Page, the gross deficiencies and intentional fraud were so extensive the IG said he was going to review a sample of FISA applications to identify if the fraud and abuse was widespread.

The OIG began reviewing FISA applications from eight field offices (the proverbial “rank and file”).  The OIG selected 29 FISA applications from those field offices over the period of October 2014 to September 2019.  Additionally, every field office and the DOJ-NSD generate internal “Accuracy Reviews”, or self-checks on FISA applications; so the OIG inspected 42 of the accuracy review FISA files to determine if they were compliant.

The results were so bad the IG produced an interim memorandum to the DOJ and FBI [pdf link here].  Within the 17-page-memo the IG notifies Attorney General Bill Barr and FBI Director Chris Wray that all of the claimed FISA processes, in every field office, are grossly deficient, and in most cases there is zero compliance with FISA standards.  The IG memorandum is presented before the IG even looks at the specifics of the non-compliance.

Below is the report/memorandum.  Additionally I am summarizing the stunning top-lines identified by the IG memo:

  • The IG reviewed 29 FISA applications, surveillance warrants, used against U.S. persons.
  • The 29 FISA applications were from eight different field offices.
  • The FISA applications were from Oct/2014 through Sept/2019.
  • All of the FISA applications reviewed were approved by the FISA court.

The ‘Woods File’ is the mandatory FBI evidence file that contains the documentary proof to verify all statements against U.S. persons that are contained in the FISA application.  Remember, this is a secret court, the FISA applications result in secret surveillance and wiretaps against U.S. persons outside the fourth amendment.

♦ Within the 29 FISA applications reviewed, four were completely missing the Woods File.  Meaning there was zero supportive evidence for any of the FBI claims against U.S. persons underpinning the FISA application.  [ie. The FBI just made stuff up]

♦ Of the remaining 25 FISA applications, 100% of them, all of them, were materially deficient on the woods file requirement; and the average number of deficiencies per file was 20.  Meaning an average of twenty direct statements against the target, supporting the purpose of the FISA application, sworn by the FBI affiant, were unsubstantiated.  [The low was 5, the high was 63, the average per file was 20]

♦ Half of the FISA applications reviewed used Confidential Human Sources (CHS’s).  The memo outlines that “many” of applications containing CHS claims had no supportive documentation attesting to the dependability of the CHS.

♦ Two of the 25 FISA applications reviewed had renewals; meaning the FISA applications were renewed to extended surveillance, wiretaps, etc. beyond the initial 90-days.  None of the renewals had any re-verification.  Both FISAs that used renewals were not compliant.

But wait… it gets worse.

The DOJ and FBI have an internal self-check mechanism.  The DOJ National Security Division (DOJ-NSD) chief counsel, and the chief counsel for every FBI field office are required to conduct an “Accuracy Review” of selected FISA applications.  One per field office (25 to 30 field offices),which are also sent to DOJ-NSD (main justice) for general counsel inspection.

Keep in mind, these “accuracy reviews” are known in advance, so the FBI has all the time in the world to select the best FISA file for review.  Additionally, I surmise the OIG wanted to inspect the “accuracy review” FISA’s because they would show the best light on the overall system itself.  The OIG was looking for the best, most compliant, product to report on.

However, when the OIG inspected 42 of these Accuracy Reviews, the IG identified that only three of them had accurately assembled documents (Woods File) supporting the application.  The error rate within the files self-checked was over 93%.

So the best FBI files are selected to undergo the FBI and DOJ-NSD accuracy review.  The accuracy review takes place by FBI legal counsel and DOJ-NSD legal counsel.  However, the IG finds that only three FBI applications in the accuracy reviews were compliant.

The error rate in the files undertaken by the internal accuracy review was over 93% (3 compliant out of 42 reviewed).  These were the FISA files with the greatest possibility of being accurate.  Let that sink in…

Here’s the OIG Report/Memorandum:

Mar 29 2020

Dr. WHO and the Clintons


How did State Department view this fraud at the Global Fund?

Lee Cary image

Re-Posted from the Canada Free Press By  —— Bio and Archives—March 29, 2020

Dr. WHO and the ClintonsNote: Pictured above is Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO.) He is the first WHO director-general who is not a medical doctor.  He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Community Health from the University of Nottingham, and a Master of Science (MSc) in Immunology of Infectious Diseases from the University of London. From 2005-2012, he was Ethiopia’s Minister of Health.

Batman and Robin wade into the Swamp to out the Clinton Foundation

On March 23, 2019, this site posted an article entitled “Batman and Robin wade into the Swamp to out the Clinton Foundation”. The picture below is of two men swearing to tell the truth before a hearing of the House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Government Operations, on the afternoon of December 13, 2018.

These two are the “Clinton Foundation Whistleblowers”.

Only one Democrat House member showed up to ask questions—the appointed Democrat “delegate” from the District of Columbia. There weren’t enough people in the audience to field a baseball team.  It was the last Republican-led meeting of the subcommittee before the Democrats took control of the House. The chair, Rep. Mark Meadows, would later become President Trump’s Chief of Staff.

The witnesses were (right) John F. Moynihan, Principal, JFM & Associates, Compliance Advisory Group and (left) Lawrence Doyle, DM Income Advisors, Managing Partner. Think of them as bounty-hunter forensic accountants wading through the financials of the Clinton Foundation. If they can document tax fraud, they’re entitled to a percentage of the money owed to the government. And they believe they have sufficient documentation assembled.

Lawrence Doyle and John F. Moynihan

Oversight of Nonprofit Organizations, A Case Study on the Clinton Foundation

Doyle’s expertise comes from Wall Street where serious numbers-crunchers work.  Moynihan’s from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), where experts in uncovering money-laundering search.

The title to their presentation was “Oversight of Nonprofit Organizations, A Case Study on the Clinton Foundation”.

For an enhanced appreciation of what follows, you might open the link to the March 23, 2019 post, and skim the article. It puts what follows into context.

Set-up: On March 27, 2020, the “Clinton Foundation Whistleblowers”—as they describe themselves—tweeted a multi-instalment thread that is consolidated below into a straight copy format, without editing. The full content of their tweet is in italics:

“Clinton Foundation Whistleblowers, (Doyle-Moynihan): In light of our current public health crisis, I expect we will be hearing more from/about the World Health Organization (WHO) and the need for more global government funding a la a new Global Fund. Stay with me. This gets good: 

The current head of WHO is a Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, formerly the head of the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia, a speaker at the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative, and named chair of the board of the Global Fund in July 2009.

Tedros Adhanom’s tenure as board chair of the Global Fund

The Global Fund is an independent Geneva-based financing entity launched in 2002 to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The US government provides 1/3rd of its funding totalling $18B to date since inception. 

Not widely known or broadcasted is the fact that the Clinton Foundation and Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (an unauthorized and unapproved program by IRS codes) has been a sub-recipient of Global Fund money (Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative Indonesia Independent Progress Report pages 8, 9, 11, 25, 51). 

During Tedros Adhanom’s tenure as board chair of the Global Fund, the organization gets rocked by claims of fraud and misappropriation of funds. The US House Committee on Foreign Relations drafts a report “to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to correct and prevent the misuse of Fund resources.” (page 6/10) The Congressional report and other reviews minimize the size of the fraud and misappropriation of funds. 

Others with a more discerning eye had a more critical take. “A full 67% of money spent on an anti-AIDS program in Mauritania was misspent, the investigators told the fund’s board of directors. So did [sic] 36% of the money spent on a program in Mali to fight tuberculosis and malaria, 30% of grants to Djibouti” (source)   

Who was minding the purse strings of USAID which was the source of funds that went from the US State Dept to the Global Fund at this juncture? Documents we sourced from the State Department show that none other than Secretary Hillary Clinton herself over saw the USAID funds. 

 

At the same time the Clinton Foundation and Clinton HIV/AIDs and Clinton Health Access Initiative were collecting millions in fees

How did State Department view this fraud at the Global Fund? From a letter we sourced written by the Government Accountability Project on April 22, 2016, we learned: “this documentation strongly indicates an irregular and improper collusion between the Global Fund” and the State Department in Washington that cost U.S. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in the succeeding years. It is tantamount to fraud. 

At the same time the Clinton Foundation and Clinton HIV/AIDs and Clinton Health Access Initiative were collecting millions in fees, the Global Fund and also other recipients of Global Fund money who,  in turn, were donors to the Clinton Foundation (classic money laundering). These donors include the governments of Dominican Republic, Rwanda, and Lesotho. Where was the State Department IG while all this was going on? Oh, yes, that’s right there was no IG for the State Department during HRC’s tenure. How does that happen? Perhaps the same way a Secretary of State sets up a secret server. Rule of law, anybody? (Source)  

So when you hear from @BillGates and the World Health Organization @WHO and the Global Fund @GlobalFundand a host of others about WHO leader Tedros Adhanom, and for another version of the Global Fund to battle coronavirus, please retweet this thread.” [End Quote]
Below is the up-dated US Tax Court docket in the case of “Lawrence W. Doyle & John F. Moynihan v. the COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE.

The takeaways are these: (1) The Whistleblowers’ case is moving through that court system, although with sloth-like speed; and, (2) Batman and Robin are intrepid investigators on a mission that should give the Clintons pause.

For those who would like to track our Clinton Foundation Whistleblower case v IRS in the US Tax Court, check this link: United States Tax Court: Docket No.: 004865-19W..

 

Mar 24 2020

What Happens to the Money Politicians Raise After they Drop Out?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics

Re-Posted Mar 23, 2020 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: What happens to the money politicians raise and then they drop out? Do they keep it?

MH

ANSWER: Actually, they use to pocket it, tax-free of course. Did you ever wonder why CEOs of Goldman Sachs take high ranking positions and then leave? Due to the conflict of interest laws, they must sell their stock to take the job. Because they MUST sell their stock, it is tax-free.

With respect to politicians, they’ll often put their leftover funds toward their next race. If they choose not to run, they have to abide by the same FEC rules. However, prior to 1993, U.S. Representatives who took office before January 8, 1980, were allowed to keep any leftover campaign cash when they retired. Politicians were also spending millions in campaign donations on personal items like clothing, jewelry, artwork, personal travel, and dry cleaning. These corrupt practices of Congress were exposed so they passed a law negating this custom for the House; the Senate already had provisions in place so this wouldn’t happen.

Nevertheless, politicians usually find a way to make that cash still work for themselves often under state laws, which differ significantly from federal rules. For example, Chris Christie won reelection as New Jersey’s governor in 2014. He then used the excess money to cover the legal fees racked up during the Bridgegate scandal.

The FEC guide also tells us the money could be refunded to donors, spent on gifts (or “donations of nominal value”) to non-family members, moving expenses after leaving office, home security for officeholders, and work-related “travel expenses for a federal officeholder and his or her accompanying spouse and children,” although a 2007 law puts some restrictions on that. Interestingly, campaign cash can also be used prior to the election to pay candidates a salary – but not to incumbents, and it’s capped at the lesser of what they made last year or what the office they’re seeking pays.

Politicians routinely break the rules. There are no criminal penalties for that on their part. Obama was fined the most for taking illegal money than any politician in history. As long as they can claim some justification, they can use the money tax-free.

The only way to clean this up is to eliminate donations. The reelection cost should be covered by the government

Mar 17 2020

What Happens when the People are Confronted by a Government Financial System that Crumbles before their eyes?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Gov’t Incompetence

Re-Posted Mar 16, 2020 by Martin Armstrong

Congress has been out to breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The national debt keeps growing reaching around $23 trillion, yet Congress as an institution points fingers across the aisle toward the other party to always find a scapegoat. Both parties share the blame and neither party is ever interested in even discussing the problem no less listen to any possible solution. Congress is literally out of order. It is just broken and is beyond repair.  Congress passes measures to make it sound like they are addressing the problem, but when it actually impacts spending, like the spending caps, they suspend the measure quietly behind the curtain. Congress refuses to confront the issue of debt and politicians simply run always promising more goodies if you vote for them.

In health care, the issue of surprise medical billing (SMB) has become a top issue. Congress has, yet again, gotten it wrong. The solution for Congress is to push for price controls that will end up short-changing doctors and limiting choice for patients. Physician groups have been pointing out that the solution being proposed “could lead to market consolidation and artificially low payment rates.” The problem was created by insurance companies, yet the doctors and patients are paying the price. Nobody will address the insurance companies or the pharmaceutical industry. They always get special treatment.

The #1 lobbyist is the US Chamber of Commerce which spent a staggering $94,800,000 on lobbying in 2018. The National Association of Realtors spent $72,808,648 on lobbying in 2018. The Open Society Policy Center, of billionaire George Soros who seeks to buy politicians, spent $31,520,000 in 2018. The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America is a trade association for drug manufacturers. They spent $27,989,250 on lobbying in 2018. The Chicago-based American Hospital Association spent $23,927,842 on lobbying efforts. The United States health insurance giant, Blue Cross, spent $23,604,221 on lobbying in 2018. Alphabet, which is the parent company of Google, spent $21,740,000 on lobbying in 2018. The American Medical Association spent $20,417,000 on lobbying in 2018. Telecommunications giant AT&T spent $18,529,000 on lobbying in 2018. Boeing aircraft manufacturer spent $15,120,000 on lobbying in 2018. Then there is the National Association of Broadcasters which spent $14,170,000 in 2018. You don’t have to guess which party got the lion share.

The only way to ever address the crisis we face in debt and government is a clean-sweep with term limits. If it is one-time and out, then we get to call lobbying what it really is – an anti-capitalistic system of rebranding the age-old practice of bribery.

We are facing the ultimate collapse of the government because they will not address the problems. The Democrats continue to run with promises of freebies without any sense of how the system functions and never addressing the crisis in debt. Both parties simply see this system as never-ending. What we face is going to be a major shock when the public is confronted by a system that crumbles before their eyes. What comes after that is the real question: Freedom or Authoritarianism?

 

Mar 17 2020

DOJ Drops Rosenstein and Mueller’s Nonsense Case Against Russian Company Concord LLC…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 16, 2020 by 

Almost everyone who researched the substance behind Rod Rosenstein and Robert Mueller’s heavily promoted Russian indictments knew the underlying claims were centered on the thinnest of evidence.

A few Facebook memes were used to accuse Russian company Concord LLC of violating FARA and FEC election laws.

In July,2018, Robert Mueller asked a federal judge in Washington for an order that would protect the handover of voluminous evidence to lawyers for Concord Management and Consulting LLC, one of three companies and 13 Russian nationals charged in a February 2018 indictment. They are accused of producing propaganda, posing as U.S. activists and posting political content on social media as so-called trolls to encourage strife in the U.S.

Indeed, to an incurious media, a Russian catering company posting Facebook memes might sound like a good justification for a vast Russian election interference prosecution; however, when Concord & the accused Russians show up in court and request to see the evidence against them, well, the prosecutors might just have a problem.  It’s that problem that dogged the Mueller prosecution since 2018.   Today, predictably and finally, the DOJ dropped the nonsense case (full pdf below):

Here’s the Full Filing:

.

The prosecution was always just a farce.  The ridiculous Russian indictments were only created to give some sense of validity to a premise that did not exist; and to allow the Robert Mueller investigation to continue operating when there was never a valid justification for doing so.

This was perhaps the biggest shell game operation, with a non-existent pea, using the DOJ and FBI to give the impression that something nefarious had happened; when factually the ‘Russian Conspiracy Narrative’ was all just one big hoax upon the American people.

The purpose of Robert Mueller was to create something, find anything, that would lead to their political allies being able to remove a sitting president.  Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein participated in that hoax for those intents….

This purposeful fraud has yet to be addressed.

Techno Fog@Techno_Fog
 · 

Wow.

The DOJ moves to dismiss the charges against the Russian Company (Concord) who conducted the alleged “information warfare against the US”

The troll case will be dismissed w/ prejudice.

How embarrassing for Team Mueller.

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Techno Fog@Techno_Fog

You can read the full Motion here:https://www.scribd.com/document/451950605/US-v-Concord …

This case has been quite entertaining. Concord attorney Eric Dubelier has, at time, run circles around Special Counsel and DOJ lawyers.

Starting with his claim that the DOJ “indicted the proverbial ham sandwich.”

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Techno Fog@Techno_Fog
 · 
Replying to @Techno_Fog

Because it’s quarantine time, here are Dubelier’s greatest hits in the Concord case.

In which Dubelier calls Special Counsel Jeannie Rhee a liar.

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Techno Fog@Techno_Fog

Concord lawyer Dubelier returns the Concord summons to Special Counsel Rhee because it doesn’t comply with the Federal Rules.

Dubelier: I find it disturbing that “you are already behaving in a manner that is inconsistent with the practices of the DOJ”

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Techno Fog@Techno_Fog
 · 
Replying to @Techno_Fog

Sidebar: the Concord case was EXCEEDINGLY dangerous because the DOJ twisted the law to fit these defendants.

The alleged illegal activities: Concord interfered with the FEC’s ability to determine whether “statutes were violated.”

View image on Twitter

Techno Fog@Techno_Fog

Anyway, what was some of the illegal activity?

Bad memes posted by fake Facebook user “Bertha Malone”

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Techno Fog@Techno_Fog
 · 
Replying to @Techno_Fog

Concord lawyer Dubelier never let up.

From a 10/2018 hearing: “The real Department of Justice” never would have brought this case.

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Techno Fog@Techno_Fog

Mocking Mueller’s legal theories (partially via Tweetie Bird):

“‘Give a man enough rope and he will hang himself,’ the Special Counsel just did so.”

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Mar 16 2020

After Being Discovered Wasted and Naked in a Hotel Room With a Gay Male Escort and Bags of Crystal Meth, Andrew Gillum Says He Will Withdraw From Public Life…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 15, 2020 by 

It was only a matter of time before the familiar “entering rehab” and “apologize to my family” excuse was trotted out by former Florida gubernatorial candidate and CNN contributor, Andrew Gillum.

After being discovered naked in a hotel room with an overdosed gay male escort and three bags of crystal meth next to the bed, Andrew Gillum says he is withdrawing from public life to deal with “deeper struggles”. Go figure:

TALLAHASSEE — Andrew Gillum said he would withdraw from public life, closing a chapter in his career that took him from the peak of Florida power to a Miami Beach hotel room where he was found inebriated with a man suspected of overdosing on crystal meth.

“This has been a wake-up call for me,” the former Tallahassee mayor said in a written statement Sunday. “Since my race for governor ended, I fell into a depression that has led to alcohol abuse. I witnessed my father suffer from alcoholism and I know the damaging effects it can have when untreated. I also know that alcoholism is often a symptom of deeper struggles.“

“I will be stepping down from all public facing roles for the foreseeable future,” he wrote.

Gillum said he would enter a rehabilitation facility. He apologized and asked for privacy.

The one-time gubernatorial candidate will give up the reins of Forward Florida, a political committee he founded to register and motivate voters to defeat President Donald Trump in the battleground state.

He also is stepping back from CNN, where he was paid commentator, a gig that made him a familiar face in the living rooms of voters.

Gillum’s friends say he’s been withdrawn from them, too, as he grapples with the destruction of his career and the challenge to his marriage. (read more)

Mar 13 2020

Amid Ongoing Fight FISA Will Lapse – McConnell Hopes to Assemble Vote Next Week, But Trump May Veto…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 12, 2020 by 

The House Rules Committee previously released the text of proposed changes to FISA (full pdf).  The “deal” is intended to reauthorize the FISA “business records provision”, the “roving wiretap” provision, the “lone wolf” provision, and the more controversial bulk metadata provisions [Call Detail Records (CDR)], all parts of the Patriot Act.  However, key Senators and President Trump say not enough being done to change it.

The current FISA authorities expire on March 15th; it looks like they will lapse as Mitch McConnell tries to regroup for a possible vote next week.  McConnell was forced to delay consideration past the expiration date after Senators Mike Lee (R), Rand Paul (R) and  Ron Wyden  (D) said they would object.

WASHINGTON DC – President Trump told Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Thursday that he does not support a House-passed surveillance bill— raising fresh questions about the fate of the legislation.

A spokesman for Lee confirmed the conversation and that the president told the Utah Republican that he does not support the House legislation. Officials speaking for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lee and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have been working to kill the House bill, including urging Trump to veto it if it reaches his desk, over concerns that it does not go far enough to reform the court associated with the Freedom Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). (read more)

The House legislation, negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, supports the requests of AG Bill Barr and would renew several provisions the FBI claims vital to fighting terrorism.

The House legislation updates the three expiring surveillance provisions, including one that permits the FBI to obtain secret court orders to collect “business records” on subjects in national security investigations. The main purpose of this section is researching Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) violations. Using the FISA process for anyone suspected of FARA violations is a bucket of deep state horse-poo. It’s essentially an excuse for surveillance of anyone in DC.

Another provision, known as the “roving wiretap” provision, permits surveillance on subjects even after they’ve changed phones. So long as the subjects are “foreign” that’s no big deal. However, if the account owner of the phone is an American…. well, you can see the problem. Again, more sketchy stuff from the DOJ.

The third provision “lone wolf” allows agents to monitor subjects who don’t have ties to international terrorism organizations. This is where any American can be suspected, accused, and with no oversight have secret surveillance authorized by the secret court. The surveillance is retroactive; meaning the warrant allows the DOJ/FBI to find evidence to support the application for the warrant.  Sketchy.

I find myself in alignment with Rand Paul who says the laws should be changed so that *ONLY* foreigners can be targeted by FISA, and for all investigative issues involving Americans the DOJ/FBI should be forced to go to a traditional Title-3 Court to ask for a search warrant or surveillance. This approach is a more reasonable assurance for Fourth Amendment protection.

(Via Associated Press) […] Republicans had been aggressively seeking changes to the law since the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s campaign and Russia, while many Democrats already had concerns about government surveillance.

At the behest of those Republicans, the House compromise takes aim at some of the missteps the Justice Department has acknowledged making during the Russia investigation. Applications under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to eavesdrop on a former Trump campaign aide were riddled with omissions and missteps, according to an inspector general report.

The measure would require that officers responsible for FISA applications certify that the department has been advised of any information that could undercut or contradict the premise of the surveillance. In the Russia investigation, some of the information the FBI omitted from its applications cut against the idea that former Trump adviser Carter Page was a Russian agent, the watchdog found.

Page has denied that and was never charged with wrongdoing.

The bill also would institute criminal penalties and other sanctions for making false statements to the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which issues warrants to the FBI to eavesdrop on people it has probable cause to believe are agents of a foreign power. It would require the attorney general to approve in writing of an investigation if the target of the surveillance is a federal candidate or official.

Attorney General William Barr was involved in the negotiations with the White House and Congress, and he said Wednesday that he supports the bill.

“It is of the utmost important that the Department’s attorneys and investigators always work in a manner consistent with the highest professional standards, and this overall package will help ensure the integrity of the FISA process and protect against future abuses going forward,” Barr said.

But Barr’s support does not guarantee that Trump is on board. The president kept Congress guessing with a Thursday tweet that did not indicate how he would act. (more)

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Mar 12 2020

Judge Rejects Hunter Biden Attempt to Stall Deposition – Overall Case May Be Settled…


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 11, 2020 by 

Hunter Biden had attempted to use his fear of coronavirus in his attempt to avoid a deposition in a paternity and child support lawsuit against him.  However, Arkansas Judge Holly Meyer was having none of it.  [Ruling and order pdf]  The judge rejected all of the claims by Hunter Biden and told him to appear in court.

However, now that Hunter’s father, Joe Biden, is the presumptive Democrat nominee for president… it doesn’t come as a surprise to discover that early this morning a deal was reached to end the paternity and child support lawsuit.

Those who represent the interests of Joe and Hunter Biden have made a financial settlement agreement with lawyers for Ms. Lunden Alexis Roberts.

[pdf link]

As soon as the DNC Club decided to rally around Joe Biden as their nominee, the issues around Hunter Biden and his refusal to pay child support became an issue.   That’s why there is an agreement now to pay Ms. Lunden Roberts and Baby Roberts.

Mar 11 2020

FISA Deal – House Rules Committee Releases Text of FISA Agreement….


Posted originally on The Conservative Tree House on March 10, 2020 by 

The House Rules Committee is releasing text of proposed changes to FISA (full pdf below).  The “deal” is intended to reauthorize the FISA “business records provision”, the “roving wiretap” provision, the “lone wolf” provision, and the more controversial bulk metadata provisions [Call Detail Records (CDR)], all parts of the Patriot Act.

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(House Rules Link pdf)