Sunday, January 12, 2020

Some Sunday Russiagate

Not too much. Hot Air cites the NYT on the response of the FBI to the FISA court. They're happy, so you shouldn't be. FBI Apologizes To Court For Surveillance Of Carter Page, Pledges Fixes, but Margot Cleveland at Da Fed insists The FISA Court Is Complicit In The FBI Abuses It’s Raising Cain Over
While the IG’s 478-page report includes many damning details, the following passage indicates that the FISA court abdicated its responsibility of providing “an external check on executive branch decisions to conduct surveillance” in order “’to protect the fourth amendment rights of U.S. persons.” This paragraph describes how the government described their sources to the FISA court . . .
From Scott Johnson at PL, We now know: The Kris cross
David Kris served as Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice under President Obama and Attorney General Holder. He drew on his prestige as a former senior official in the Department of Justice to disparage Rep. Devin Nunes in his exposure of the FBI’s misconduct in the Russia haox and assure anyone who would listen to him that all was in order. He is an apologist for FBI misconduct who gives the Department of Justice Inspector General report on the FBI’s FISA misconduct the stupidly credulous reading that absolves the FBI of political bias in the matter.

Who better than Kris to serve as amicus curiae to the FISA court to help it assess the government’s response to Judge Collyer’s December 17 order. That is what new FISA court presiding judge James Baosberg did late yesterday afteroon in this order. As Jack Paar used to say, I kid you not.

Well, I’m no friend of the court. My reaction is that the FISA court has to go.
It may have outlived it's usefulness.
Sundance at CTH notes that the FBI is (still) Protecting and Hiding Sketchy FBI Agent Joseph Pientka?…. Pientka (reportedly) was the second agent in the room when Strzok ambush interviewed Gen. Flynn, and appears to have been an active participant in the fraud on the FISA court. But FBI director Wray has subsequently promoted Pientka and transferred him to San Francisco, while keeping his name fully redacted on all document releases. Why?
“Putting this into context – the FBI/Christopher Wray has been keeping Pientka from the public spotlight and Congressional inquiry since 2018.“… and it would appear the FBI is adamant about keeping Joseph Pientka as far away from uncontrollable public questioning as possible.

Why?

I should note there are no easily identifiable non-corrupt motives.
Sundance also wonders if President Trump Has Forgotten The Declassification Material He Delayed then Deferred?…  and provides a long list of material he'd like to see. Come on, Barr. Erik Ericson calls it The Obama Administration's Guerrilla War.

Sundance presents President Trump Interview With Laura Ingraham….



Bloomberg has anonymous sources who say U.S. Probes If Russia Is Targeting Biden in 2020 Election Meddling, who need Putin when Biden Says To Coal Miners: Learn To Program. Industry Spox Responds (Karen Townsend, Hot Air).

AP notes, Pelosi to send impeachment to Senate for historic trial, while Axios says Trump’s new danger: Witnesses. Funny, because all the previous witness ended up supporting Trump. "Guest Author" at Political Insider has Trey Gowdy Saying Removing Trump is Not Democrats’ Goal–They Have a More Devious Plan.

Tom Maguire at JOM has Media Q & A
Helpful headlines:

Question from Bloomberg News:
Impeachment Standoff May Be Near End With Pelosi Allies Stumped
(Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers expect House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will soon end her delay of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial without any notable concessions from Senate Republicans, leaving her allies stumped about her strategy in the three-week standoff.
Answer from David Brooks:
Trump Has Made Us All Stupid

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