All the Secrets of the Universe and Some Really Important Stuff Too!
Reviews of blog posts and other articles
Now here’s some comedy. Without the United States to foot the bill, the rich countries and the poor countries are at each other’s throats over why there won’t be anyone to hand out goodies to the freeloaders. Well, I guess the world will burn up very soon and polar bears will need sun screen.
https://news.yahoo.com/un-climate-talks-unraveling-face-failure-110423955.html
So sad, so very sad.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/474587-anti-impeachment-democrat-poised-to-switch-parties-reports
Does that mean a Democrat who won a seat in 2018 in a red state in a district that Donald Trump won by thirty points may be a little nervous about voting for his impeachment. I guess they have to choose between pissing off Pelosi or being booted out of office by your constituents. Looking at those choices, changing parties looks like the winning move.
Hopefully all red states will follow their lead.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/12/13/ohio_cracks_down_on_voter_fraud_141951.html
The numbers of individuals being prosecuted is small but if the consequences are broadcast it might prevent even worse abuses in the future when even small numbers will count.
In her recent post “William Barr Has Suddenly Become Chatty—and He’s Provided Quite an Information Dump” Sharyl Attkisson summarizes Barr’s recent interviews. It’s very well put together and even has some schedule info on Durham’s investigation (won’t end before Spring or Summer). If you’re interested in what Barr says here is a good summary.
Professor Charles Lipson wrote an article on Real Clear Politics called “Unraveling the Criminal Web at Comey’s FBI and Beyond.” In it he discusses the way that the FBI conspirators falsified the facts in the Carter Page and other Russiagate fishing expeditions in order to obtain FISA Court warrants and maintain them.
His opening sentence lays out what I also think is how this investigation is being handled:
“The way to unravel a criminal conspiracy is to begin with the weakest links, the ones already doomed by convincing evidence. Knowing they face serious jail time, these “weak links” have powerful reasons to cooperate with law enforcement. Flipping on their fellow conspirators is the best way, perhaps the only way, to lessen their own sentences.”
And then he pinpoints who that weakest link is:
“So, who are the weakest links as Durham’s investigation moves forward? One is surely Kevin Clinesmith, a lawyer in Comey’s FBI who is highlighted in the Horowitz Report (pages 186-190). Sen. Lindsey Graham mentioned those pages in his Tuesday press conference. In them, Horowitz presents evidence that Clinesmith not only altered official documents, he completely changed their meaning. The altered documents painted Carter Page as a foreign spy; the originals said there was no evidence for that. The exculpatory evidence was hidden from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Courts. The lies helped gain a secret warrant to spy on Page.”
The essay ends with some advice for Clinesmith and his associates:
“Clinesmith, for one, has compelling incentives to say who knew what and when. He was apparently caught red-handed changing official documents. His lawyer ought to be seeking ways to lessen the criminal consequences. The only way to do that is to come clean.
Anybody who worked with Clinesmith should be thinking the same thing. It would be good for them and it would be good for the country.”
This fellow Clinesmith sounds like he is in for a world of hurt. Will he flip on his buddies? Gee, I hope so. Man, I hope he gives up Comey.
Taibbi is a progressive through and through. But he’s actually a journalist! He’s honest about the lack of objectivity or even reality that the Left has embraced. Good for him.
‘Corroboration Zero’: An Inspector General’s Report Reveals the Steele Dossier Was Always a Joke
Here is the text of Durham’s reaction to I.G. Horowitz’s report:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 9, 2019
Statement of U.S. Attorney John H. Durham
“I have the utmost respect for the mission of the Office of Inspector General and the comprehensive work that went into the report prepared by Mr. Horowitz and his staff. However, our investigation is not limited to developing information from within component parts of the Justice Department. Our investigation has included developing information from other persons and entities, both in the U.S. and outside of the U.S. Based on the evidence collected to date, and while our investigation is ongoing, last month we advised the Inspector General that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.”
For me the informative statement is, “last month we advised the Inspector General that we do not agree with some of the report’s conclusions as to predication and how the FBI case was opened.” Durham has the evidence and he’s going to find out who will be forced to take responsibility for abusing the FISA mechanism. I wonder how soon the grand jury will be empaneled? My longer-term readers know I am a vindictive so and so. It would give me the greatest pleasure to hear that the lucky recipient of the Grand Jury’s attention decided to sell his fellow conspirators down the river. Is it too much to hope for some action as a Christmas present? Sigh. Time will tell.
But the bigger picture is how this will impact the Democratic Primaries, the Impeachment Fraud and the 2020 Election. Once again, I think we have to assume the Democrats are depending on the Media to downplay any negative impact from the investigation.
With respect to the primaries the biggest risk is for Biden. If the overseas investigation touches on the Ukraine crimes then he won’t be the Democrat candidate in 2020. I’m not sure Ukraine will actually show up in the investigation. We’ll have to depend on Rudy Giuliani and the Senate to play up that angle.
As far as the Impeachment nonsense, it’s clear that the Attorney General’s investigation (through Durham) is what really caused the impeachment decision. Possibly the Ukraine call was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Clapper and Brennan must be pretty scared. But the Impeachment will be finished off pretty soon because if they don’t start soon it’s going to knock the various Senators running for president out of the race. So possibly the investigation won’t get into high gear until the Senate exonerates the President. Waiting that long is really annoying so I hope it’s not the case.
Finally, with respect to the 2020 election, if the investigation uncovers a true smoking gun, e.g., if one of the mid-level or higher conspirators turns state’s evidence, then President Trump will win in a landslide and the Republicans will end up with sizable majorities in the Congress. If the investigation is only the normal trial of overambitious bureaucrats then the President will still win but more in line with his 2016 win.
So, let me end with an exhortation to Durham and Barr. Hey boys, get to work! Life is short and as one of my friends always says to me whenever I get excited about the Durham investigation, “it’s not enough unless they frog-march Comey and company out of their houses at 3am like they did to those poor guys whose only crime was they wouldn’t lie about Trump.”
The IG’s Russiagate Report has been published and is available
https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf
Two of the recommendations seem to point at who Durham will be starting with:
The Department’s Office of Professional
Responsibility should review our findings related
to the conduct of Department attorney Bruce Ohr
for any action it deems appropriate. Ohr’s
current supervisors in CRM should also review
our findings related to Ohr’s performance for any
action they deem appropriate.
The FBI should review the performance of all
employees who had responsibility for the
preparation, Woods review, or approval of the
FISA applications, as well as the managers,
supervisors, and senior officials in the chain of
command of the Carter Page investigation for
any action it deems appropriate.
The first recommendation is specific to Bruce Ohr.
The second one is for the Carter Page FISA team. Looks like those are the sacrificial lambs. Barr and Durham, go get ’em.
post script – Durham says he has more and better info than the IG:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/statement-us-attorney-john-h-durham
Go get ’em Mr. Durham!
post post script
And Barr also says “not so fast!”
Go get ’em Mr. Barr.
How can you beat this title? Vote For Me You Lying Racist!
David Catron had this article in the American Spectator. Well written, true and sardonically funny. What else do you need?
It’s always nice to see some numbers that confirm what you think is going on. Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan don’t seem to think Schiff is doing the country any favors.
https://amgreatness.com/2019/12/03/impeachment-is-backfiring-in-the-midwest/