There are multiple stories today about the declassification of three footnotes from within the DOJ IG report on the Carter Page FISA application. Many voices are calling the declassification of those three footnotes “bombshells”, and “the beginning of the great reveal“; however, that’s not accurate. [Neither Is This From Congress] Exactly the opposite is true… the release today is purposeful misdirection.
Everyone seems to be overlooking the obvious… Why were these footnotes classified four months ago when the report came out? Who classified them? There are no protected “sources or methods”; and the only reason for the redactions was to protect the corrupt interests of the DOJ.
With that said, I find no reason to celebrate the un-redaction of redacted information that should never have been classified in the first place. Factually, the information revealed by the footnote declassification was already well known. Worse still, the interpretation of the information within the footnotes is propaganda, purposeful ‘misinformation’.
Additionally, if these declassified footnotes are an example of a new DOJ shift to allow sunlight; as in: some newly discovered interest in truthfulness; then why are the Lisa Page and Peter Strzok text messages still redacted? Why is the Susan Rice memo on inauguration day still redacted? And, more importantly, more tellingly, why is the DOJ still hiding the ‘scope memos’ that authorized Mueller’s investigation?
Nope. What was released today was an example of the state moving in a very specific way to protect itself. I’ll explain after we first review what happened today: [h/t Catherine Herridge]
Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson wanted four footnotes declassified (unredacted) from the IG report on FISA: fn-302, fn-334, fn-342* and fn-350.
Footnote 342 is still fully redacted; however the others were mostly unredacted today.
♦ Footnote 302 Before
Footnote 302 After
♦ Footnote 334 Before
Footnote 334 After
♦ Footnote 350 Before
Footnote 350 After
As a result of the declassification, the media and congressional takeaway is this:
The “central and essential” evidence used to justify invasive surveillance of an American citizen in the FBI’s probe into Russian interference was, itself, an example of Russian interference, according to once-secret footnotes declassified at the urging of two U.S. Senators. (link)
According to these interpretations, which are fully supported by the DOJ and FBI, the former administration officials were duped, tricked, into believing Russian disinformation that was seeded into the Chris Steele dossier.
That interpretation is the official U.S. Government position.
That interpretation is also pure nonsense. Here it is again:
[…] The footnotes reveal that, beginning early on and continuing throughout the FBI’s Russia investigation, FBI officials learned critical information streams that flowed to the dossier were likely tainted with Russian Intelligence disinformation. But the FBI aggressively advanced the probe anyway, ignoring internal oversight mechanisms and neglecting to flag the material credibility concerns for a secret court. Despite later intelligence reports that key elements of the FBI’s evidence were the result of Russian infiltration to undermine U.S. foreign relations, the FBI still pushed forward with its probe. (more)
That is not just a wrong interpretation; it is an intentionally wrong interpretation.
That interpretation comes from interests of the U.S. government, all sides; and it is intended to help protect and insulate the institutions of U.S. government.
The truth is the CIA and FBI worked to plant disinformation in the Steele dossier. The CIA/FBI did not get duped by Russian Disinformation. The CIA/FBI knowingly and willfully solicited Russian disinformation to be channeled to Chris Steele.
The current DOJ, current FBI, and current political class (both parties), do not want to reveal that U.S. intelligence agencies worked with Russian actors to seed disinformation into the Steele Dossier that could then be laundered and returned to the U.S. intelligence apparatus for exploitation – via political surveillance – using FISA.
- FACTS – In addition to working in collaboration with Fusion-GPS and Nellie Ohr (CIA), Christopher Steele was simultaneously employed by Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. Our current DOJ and FBI are well aware of this; so too is congress.
Oleg had hired Christopher Steele at the same time Steele was working with Nellie Ohr and Fusion GPS to write the Trump dossier. [LINK] Also WATCH: