Russiagate Rowing on One Ohr

Some real news from Da Caller, Nellie Ohr: Ukrainian Lawmaker Was Fusion GPS Source

A member of the Ukrainian parliament accused in his home country of interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election was identified in congressional testimony in October as a source for opposition research firm Fusion GPS.

Nellie Ohr, a former contractor for the Washington, D.C.-based Fusion GPS, testified on Oct. 19 that Serhiy Leshchenko, a former investigative journalist turned Ukrainian lawmaker, was a source for Fusion GPS during the 2016 campaign. “I recall … they were mentioning someone named Serhiy Leshchenko, a Ukrainian,” Ohr said when asked who Fusion GPS’s sources were, according to portions of Ohr’s testimony confirmed by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

Ohr, whose husband is Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, testified that she was not aware of Leshchenko’s source information, but that she knew he was providing information to Fusion GPS, where she worked between late 2015 and the 2016 election.
. . .
Nellie Ohr’s testimony is the first time that a foreign government official has been linked as a source for Fusion GPS, which is best known for its work on the anti-Trump dossier alleging that President Donald Trump and his campaign conspired with Russian operatives to influence the 2016 campaign.

With $1 million in funding from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign, Fusion GPS hired former British spy Christopher Steele to investigate Trump’s ties to Russia. While that investigation was unfolding, Fusion GPS dug up dirt on Trump, members of his campaign and his family.

Leshchenko was a prominent media presence during and after the 2016 campaign, leveling allegations against Manafort and making it clear that he sought to portray Trump as a “pro-Russian candidate.” “A Trump presidency would change the pro-Ukrainian agenda in American foreign policy,” Leshchenko told the Financial Times days after publicizing the black ledger on Aug. 14, 2016. “For me, it was important to show not only the corruption aspect, but that he is [a] pro-Russian candidate who can break the geopolitical balance in the world.”

Ironically, given Fusion GPS’s investigation of Russian meddling in the election, Leshchenko himself was found to have illegally interfered in the 2016 election. On Dec. 11, 2018, a court in Kyiv ruled that Leshchenko’s release of information about Manafort “led to interference in the electoral processes of the United States in 2016 and harmed the interests of Ukraine as a state.”

So foreign sources and Fusion GPS is also behind the Manafort charges? We knew Glenn Simpson had a hard on for Manafort.

Sundance at CTH, AAG Whitaker and DHS Secretary Nielsen Present 2018 Election Report…

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announce they have submitted a classified report on foreign influence in the 2018 mid-term election to administration officials: [link]

[…] Throughout the 2018 midterm election cycle, the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security worked closely with federal, state, local, and private sector partners, including all 50 states and more than 1400 local jurisdictions, to support efforts to secure election infrastructure and limit risk posed by foreign interference. Efforts to safeguard the 2020 elections are already underway.
Although the specific conclusions within the joint report must remain classified, the Departments have concluded there is no evidence to date that any identified activities of a foreign government or foreign agent had a material impact on the integrity or security of election infrastructure or political/campaign infrastructure used in the 2018 midterm elections for the United States Congress. (more)

Think that will satisfy the Democrats? Rushbo, Deep State Driven Nuts: Trump Still Standing

And I don’t know if you have heard this. This was just a brief little news flash that happened at about 10:15 today. And let me read it to you in its entirety. “U.S. Justice Department and Homeland Security department conclude there was no material impact from foreign interference on the 2018 elections. Joint statement to follow.”

Does anybody think that after the Democrats win the House that the Russians are gonna have had anything to do with it? Of course there was no Russian interference when the Democrats win! Of course there wasn’t any collusion when the Democrats win!

And notice they put the statement out here, “Justice Department,” which would include the FBI and “Homeland Security.” Granted, these are Trump’s executive departments — executive branch, cabinet-level areas. But they’re putting out the statement that they’ve looked. They’ve looked really hard! They went and they talked to Mueller. They’ve talked to Weissmann. They’ve talked to all these investigators. “Do you see any evidence the Russians tried to tamper with the 2018 election?”

Nope! Nope! Not a shred, in fact. Not a shred. Not even a suspicion. Not even down there with Brenda Sykes. Not one bit of concern about the Russians interfering materially or impacting the 2018 election. Somebody sent me this after I had seen it. “Man, man…” I’m convinced that they misread it and saw 2016 when it says 2018. So I wrote back. I said, “No, no, no. This is 2018, and what did you think, that they’re gonna be running around saying the election was fraudulent after the Democrats win it?”

Isn’t it amazing how the Russians, after so wildly succeeding in 2016…? I mean, look at what they did. They got Donald Trump elected president! Look at how they outsmarted the smartest of the smart in the Washington-and-New York deep state. They were so successful, they were so amazingly deeply able to penetrate the American electoral system that they just didn’t even try two years later. Isn’t that amazing? But that is what they are asking us to believe.

On one hand, Mueller probe filings raise prospect of more indictments (Da Hill) and on the other, Mueller prosecutor leaves team in latest sign investigation is winding down (CNN). Both can be true, but I'm still betting Mueller is sucking a government paycheck in addition to his pension well up towards the 2020 election.

The Peacock screams Trump takes a swipe at Mueller investigation in the SOTU speech, and Pelosi whines that  Trump’s Gripe About Investigations An “All-Out Threat,” Or Something  And that's how we know the accusations hurt.

Sundance at CTH, Another Inspector General Investigation Outlines FBI Corruption – Another DOJ “Declined Prosecution”

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) completes another investigation of an FBI Supervisory Special Agent finding unlawful and unethical conduct. Unfortunately, despite the findings, the DOJ again declines prosecution.

Worth noting: Robert Mueller and Andrew Weissmann prosecuted Michael Cohen for fraudulent mortgage documents; the exact same activity the DOJ has declined prosecution for against this FBI Supervisory Special Agent…. Two-tiered justice.

If it was the intention of FBI Director Christopher Wray and/or AAG Matt Whitaker to eliminate corrupt behavior within the leadership ranks of the DOJ/FBI; and if it was their intention to rebuild public confidence, this would not be the approach . . .

They really hate to prosecute their own. And speaking of Mikey, Politico reports that Michael Cohen's testimony before House intel panel delayed "In the interests of the investigation" according to the exopthalmic Adam Schiff. Put it off much longer, and it will have to be done in an orange suit. And maybe that's the point.

And speaking of Adam, CNN hopefully announces that House intelligence chair announces sweeping investigation into Trump's finances and Russia. He's desperate to find that Russian collusion at the end of the rainbow.

"He's just a political hack trying to build a name for himself," Trump said in the Roosevelt Room Wednesday after announcing his new nominee to be World Bank president. "It's called presidential harassment and it is unfortunate."

That too.