Russiagate: Flogging the Flynn Affair

A rather large collection today, starting with some new developments in the matter of Gen. Michael Flynn. First, Judge Sullivan not only appointed a special prosecutor, a former anti-Trump judge to prosecute the case in the absence of the DOJ, which has decided to drop the case based on ample evidence of prosecutorial misconduct, he went ahead and set a date of July 16 for new oral arguments. He's apparently just making up the laws as he goes along. Sundance at CTH, Flynn Judge Grants Amicus Request for Oral Arguments – Defense Attorney Sidney Powell Reacts…

In turn, Flynn's lawyer, Sidney Powell filed for a writ of mandamus, a request for the DC Circuit Court to step in and force him to drop the case, and, in fact, force him to step down from it. Greg Re at Fox, Flynn attorney files emergency appeal to shut down Judge Sullivan's orders, boot him from case. Sundance, Flynn Defense Files Request for Appellate Court Intervention… has the petition,

Within the request Flynn’s defense requests the DC Appeals Court to order district court judge Emett Sullivan to: (1) grant the Justice Department’s Motion to Dismiss; (2) vacate its order appointing amicus curiae; and (3) reassign the case to another district judge as to any further proceedings.

NewNeo recalls the Dreyfus affair, J’Accuse: Judge Sullivan marches on and invents his own judicial procedures. Josheph Duggan at AmGreat, The Firehose of Falsehood Hits Flynn, Gorka, and King Capt. Ed at Hot Air digests Turley: Sullivan’s Attempting To Subject Flynn To “Mob Rule”; Powell Files Appeal

Ace, Michael Flynn Asks Appeals Course to Do Its Duty and Dismiss His Case, and Furthermore, to Remove the Lawless Lunatic Emmet Sullivan from the Case

The DOJ has declined to prosecute; the executive's power to charge a crime, or to not charge a crime, or to withdraw the charge of a crime, is plenary -- complete, unlimited -- and cannot be questioned by another branch of government.

There is nothing to do here but take the minor ministerial step -- a step without judgment or consideration; literally just stamping a form -- and dismissing a case.

But the lawless tyrant Emmet Sullivan refuses to do so, and is contriving to create his own illegal private executive branch to file new charges against a man he has previously accused of treason, with absolutely no evidence or reason to support this charge at all.

Except that: Sullivan did not like being contradicted.

Some suspect that Sullivan is attempting to delay dismissing the case until the election, hoping that the Biden Justice Department will give this crazed monster a chance to violate further a man who's only guilty of not being sufficently deferential to a lunatic and an incompetent.

This man is plainly incapable of acting as an impartial judge in this case, or, in fact, any other. He should be impeached and removed from the bench altogether.

He should be compelled to take a Mental Acuity Test to prove he is still of sound mind.

But short of that, he certainly should be removed from this one . . .

Via Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.19.20 , Victory Girls: State AGs File Brief Supporting Dismissal Of Flynn Case

The other new revelation is the the somewhat mysterious after-the-fact CYA letter the Susan Rice wrote to herself during Trump's inauguration, in which she emphasized that Obama met with her and Comey and told them to proceed by the book has been fully declassified, and it was written with regard to Gen. Flynn. Ace, Senator Ron Johnson: Please Declassify Susan Rice's Strange, Defensive-Lawyering "By the Book" Email, Acting ODNI Ric Grenell: All Right, Here You Go! "What madness is this? A member of the IC who actually complies with Congressional demands for transparency? Ric Grennell is no True Conservative!!!" Update: Declassified Rice Email Released.  Catherine Herridge DEVELOPING: Declassified Rice email documenting WH meeting 1/5/2017 obtained 

I think this is getting a lot more attention than it deserves, but it does strongly suggest that at least Rice was well aware that the FBI and the intelligence community were stretching their bounds by investigating Flynn the way they did and that Obama was definitely in the loop. Via the Wombat's In The Mailbox: 05.19.20, Power Line: Explosive Rice Memo Declassified. Brooke Singman at Fox,  Declassified Susan Rice email shows Comey suggested 'sensitive' info on Russia not be shared with Flynn. At Politico Republicans seized, Trump administration declassifies full Susan Rice email sent on Inauguration Day

Republicans have seized on the document as potential evidence that the outgoing president had ordered the FBI to spy on the new administration, as Trump has alleged. And they have raised questions about the "unusual" nature of Rice memorializing the conversation in an email to herself, suggesting that in warning Comey to proceed "by the book," Obama was implying that top law enforcement officials had done the opposite.

Sundance, Susan Rice Memo Declassified and Released – Confirms Discussion About Flynn as Subject of FBI Investigation…, Bonchie at Red State, Infamous Susan Rice Email to Herself Finally Declassified, Deals Directly With Michael Flynn

Jerry Dunleavy, WaEx, Republicans bypass FBI director seeking testimony from agents central to Flynn saga. They want Priestap and Pientka to testify. Greg Re at Fox, 'Where is Christopher Wray?' GOP lawmakers say FBI director ignoring them -- and push ahead for key interviews. Ace, Jim Jordan: Where The Hell Is Christopher Wray While the FBI He Supposedly Leads is Exposed as a Criminal Enterprise?

Sundance, Devin Nunes Discusses Criminal Referrals and Perspective of Susan Rice Memo…



And speaking of Rick Grenell and unmasking the unmaskers, Sundance reports that the Senate Intelligence Committee Confirms John Ratcliffe – Now Moves to Full Senate Vote…. No rush, I'm happy with Rick! and Zeroing-In: Grassley and Johnson Ask DNI Grenell for Declassified Unmasking List in 2017 – Timing Relates to NSA Database Exploits… Politico whines Lindsey Graham seeks broad authority to subpoena former Obama officials "Those who could be targeted include Loretta Lynch, James Clapper and John Brennan, among others." Chuck Ross at Da Caller, Lindsey Graham Sets Vote To Subpoena Comey, Brennan And Dozens More In Oversight Of Crossfire Hurricane. Alex Nitzberg at JTN, Sen. Lindsey Graham announces Judiciary Committee will vote on subpoena authorization.  Still awaiting upgrade to Lindsey 3.0. Ace, Under Pressure From Conservatives Who Are Not Being Funded By His Getalong Gang Corporate Friends, Mitch McConnell Announces That He Will Get Answers on Russiagate, "Oh, I totally believe this."

Whew! Hold on, I think we're half way done! Hugh Hewitt at WaPoo says ‘Obamagate’ is here to stay

Al Sharpton asked me this on his Saturday cable news show: “What is ‘Obamagate?’ ”

“The intentional interference with the peaceful transition of power,” I responded.

I explained that the American tradition of peaceful transition of power is the “glory of the Republic.” The central charge of the many for which “Obamagate” is shorthand: Senior members of the administration of President Barack Obama made efforts to cripple President Trump’s ability to govern via unconstitutional methods throughout the transition and even into the first three years of his term.

Zerlina Maxwell, opposite me on Sharpton’s virtual set, characterized the term “Obamagate” as a racist talking point.

Matthew Walter at Da Week, whines about  'Obamagate' and the end of scandal. Nothing to see here, just Obama being Obama. At Da Caller, Anders Hagstrom reminds us how Obama Officials Said On TV That Trump Colluded With Russia — They Said Otherwise Under Oath, while the Daley Gator thinks The number one thing to remember about the Russia hoax……… is that "The Democratic mouth pieces that lied, repeatedly on MSNBS, and CNN told investigators very different things about Trump and Russia, and “collusion”" David Horowitz at Front Page calls them Acts of Treason. They certainly did give aid and comfort to our enemies. Including the media, as Chuck Ross at Da Caller details in How The FBI Used ‘News Hooks’ To Advance The Trump-Russia Probe. David Krayden at Human Events worries that If America Does Not Deal With the Deep State It May No Longer Be a Free State. What if we're not free now, and just haven't realized it yet.

OAN, President Trump: ‘Surprised’ AG Barr Won’t Look Into Obamagate, he doesn't have to. He has Durham to do it. A little more accurate headline from Capt. Ed Trump: I’m Surprised Barr Won’t Go After Obama And Biden. Tom Maguire at JOM takes on the MSN attitude If They Don't Indict, It's Alright! "Is it possible Obama presided over an abuse of power, even if it was not criminal? The firebrands at NPR led with more or less that possibility . . . "

AG Barr: "As long as I'm Attorney General, the criminal justice system will not be used for partisan political ends." pic.twitter.com/jOke4yYRPS

— The Hill (@thehill) May 19, 2020

Ace, Trump Tells Senators: My Three Oldest Children Were All Unmasked By Obama and His Minions On Inauguration Day. Now about Hunter Biden in Ukraine and China . . . Matt Margolis at PJ Media, Leaked Audio of Joe Biden’s Ukraine Call Prove ‘Quid Pro Quo’ Over Shokin Firing

It has long been known that Joe Biden admitted to the quid pro quo already, we have video evidence of him bragging about it, but newly leaked audio posted to YouTube tells us that Biden pushed for the ouster of Ukrainian Prosecutor General Shokin, despite there being no evidence of wrongdoing against him.

“Yesterday I met with the General Prosecutor, Shokin,” then-Ukrainian President Poroshenko is heard saying on the call.

“Yes,” Biden acknowledged.

Poroshenko continued, “And despite the fact that we did not have any corruption charges, we don’t have any information about him doing something wrong… I special asked him to resign…”

Poroshenko then explained that despite the fact Shokin had the support of parliament, that he was able to get Shokin to give a statement of resignation, which he provided to Poroshenko an hour later.

“Great,” Biden said.

“This is my second step of keeping my promises,” said Poroshenko.

“I agree,” Biden replied.

Insty, QUID PRO JOE?

 Breaking news in Eastern Europe that Ukrainian parliament member Andrii Derkach released audio recordings purportedly revealing secret conversations between former Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko and Joe Biden. The audio purported has Biden saying, among other things, that:

“And now that the new Prosecutor General is in place, we’re ready to move forward to signing that one billion dollar loan guarantee.”

So far, nothing from the western press, and some Russian outfits are already using the “doctored tape” argument. Let’s see if the tape is legit.

Breitbart, House Democrats Tell Supreme Court They May Impeach Trump Again by 2021. I'm beginning to think they don't like him very much. I saw Dana Perino on the Five call it Impeachment Infinity, that they were going to continue at it forever, because it worked out so well for them last time.

And a blast from the Russiagate past via RCI, Investigative Issues: Erik Prince Sues The Intercept for Alleging Proposed Alliance With Russians

Erik Prince, founder of the global security firm Blackwater USA, is suing the investigative news site The Intercept for defamation over an April 13 article headlined “Erik Prince Offered Lethal Services to Sanctioned Russian Mercenary Firm Wagner,” his lawyer said on Tuesday.

The article claimed provocatively that “[a]ny business relationship between Prince and Wagner would, in effect, make the influential Trump administration adviser a subcontractor to the Russian military.”

The lawyer, Matthew L. Schwartz of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, told RealClearInvestigations that Prince had “no choice but to defend himself” after having repeatedly “turned the other cheek as publications, The Intercept first among them, have smeared him.”

“This story was different,” the lawyer continued. “The Intercept accused Erik Prince of being a criminal and a traitor based on dishonest and biased anonymous sources that it made no effort to corroborate.”

Filed under "suits I want to succeed but probably won't."