White House Sources: John Kerry’s Stealth Lobbying Backfired, Helped Kill The Iran Deal

The DC ^ | 5-8-2018 | Benny Johnson

[servo1969]

News of former Secretary of State John Kerry's alleged collusion with the Iranian government played a role in President Donald Trump's decision to scuttle the Iran deal, two White House sources with direct knowledge of the president's thinking tell The Daily Caller.

Trump announced he was pulling out of the deal Tuesday, just a few days after news broke that Kerry had been parlaying with Iran in an attempt to keep the deal alive.

A source inside the White House with knowledge of the decision process tells TheDC that the Iran deal was "done" when Trump found out about Kerry's lobbying behind the scenes. "Trump was headed that way but Kerry just took away any of the teeth of the detractors," the source said on background. "[Kerry's] bulls**t ultimately killed the deal."

Another source inside the West Wing confirms to TheDC that there was a frantic last-minute lobbying effort to keep the deal in place and that the timing of the Kerry news was "ironic." The source specifically blames Kerry's meddling in the process as a key decision point in the calculus for pulling out of the deal.

"It was by no means the reason [Trump] decided to pull out, but it certainly influenced the final decision," the source continued. "I mean, read the tweets."

President Trump attacked Kerry's actions on Twitter Monday, saying, "The United States does not need John Kerry's possibly illegal Shadow Diplomacy on the very badly negotiated Iran Deal. He was the one that created this MESS in the first place!"

Trump followed up, saying, "John Kerry can't get over the fact that he had his chance and blew it! Stay away from negotiations John, you are hurting your country!"

Both sources confirm that Kerry's actions hurt the lobbying effort by some in the West Wing to keep the deal in place.

The decision marks another crippling blow to Barack Obama's legacy by the Trump administration. The Iran deal was the cornerstone of Obama's foreign policy.

It was revealed late last week that Team Obama was working furiously to keep their legacy accomplishment afloat. Kerry was revealed to be actively working with his Iranian counterparts to salvage the Iran nuclear deal and undermine the current administration in a report published by The Boston Globe Friday.

According to The Globe, Kerry met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif multiple times over the last few months. He also reportedly met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, French President Emmanuel Macron and multiple members of Congress.

A Kerry spokesperson told Fox News, "Secretary Kerry stays in touch with his former counterparts around the world," and that he was working to make sure the tenants of the Iran deal "remain effective."

The report comes as the Trump administration is under intense scrutiny for allegations that the president's campaign colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 election. No evidence has yet been presented to support that claim.

Some legal scholars say Kerry's actions were a clear violation of the Logan Act.

The Logan Act states:

"Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both."

The Boston Herald has called for a full investigation into Kerry's actions.

Kerry defended his stance by posting a statement on Twitter Tuesday. He complained that Trump's decision "weakens our security" and "isolates us from our European allies and puts Israel at greater risk."

[hal ogen]

Decades-long traitor and general poofter kerry proves once again that he should be exiled after having his assets seized. What a worthless life he has lived.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

Why not repeal the Logan Act? Kerry should be in handcuffs. Why have a “law” if you don’t enforce it?

[Calvin Locke]

...but having Kerry go through his wife's fortune in legal fees would be great!

Technically, it would be "...go through 'his second wife's first husband's trust fund' generated income..." /Howie Carr

[Sir_Humphrey]

I do not believe that matters as we are not in a state of declared war with them. Because of that, I do not believe you can call that treason. Besides, he is now a private (albeit misguided) citizen who has no power to promise anything

[1Old Pro]

Kerry and Hillary did nothing good for our country.

[moovova]

So Kerry screwed-up his screw-up.

[Sir_Humphrey]

I dunno. How can one “negotiate “ if he has no power to do so? Why would Iran even talk to him if he has no power?

[Robert A Cook PE]

Kerry was in country in Vietnam 96 days- including leave, r and r, indicating and training. He was in Paris and Nicaragua negotiating with the communists longer than he was in Vietnam.

[Fireone]

Bingo!

[b4its2late]

John F’n Kerry was/is everything but stealthy.

[GregoTX]

Why not repeal the Logan Act? Kerry should be in handcuffs. Why have a “law” if you don’t enforce it?

As with all laws, they are not enforced if the violator is a high ranking democrat.

[WMarshal]

I’m not buying it. Trump was going to end the deal regardless of who was trying to salvage it. The idea that he was on the fence until Kerry stuck his nose in is ludicrous.

So you're saying that a former Obama administration cabinet official publicly sticking his ugly-ass mug where doesn't belong, actively trying to subvert the current administration, has no political repercussions? Human nature is the same in the schoolyard, the workplace, and in politics.

Face it, John Kerry is getting a beat-down for being a pompous prick, and a accelerating the death of the Iran “agreement” is the stick that Trump is beating him with.

[WMarshal]

Just undermining the credibility of Kerry, and the rest of the Obama alumni.

Deter foreigners from investing much in colluding with them - lower the market price for them as traitors who will sell out US interests. Make them radioactive as lobbyists.

Not only did they not come through with the desired result, but there is a downside risk of using them.

I couldn't agree more. President Trump, by swiftly killing the Iran “agreement” and laying a big part of the blame on Obama’s ugly minion, will go a long way towards making former Obama officials political kryptonite. The president has made the first cut to castrate Lurch and Zero.

[elpadre]

He violated the Logan Act when meeting with North Vietnam officials and Viet Cong during the Vietnam War.

[MarvinStinson]

It was revealed late last week that Team Obama was working furiously to keep their legacy accomplishment afloat. Kerry was revealed to be actively working with his Iranian counterparts to salvage the Iran nuclear deal and undermine the current administration in a report published by The Boston Globe Friday.

According to The Globe, Kerry met with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif multiple times over the last few months. He also reportedly met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, French President Emmanuel Macron and multiple members of Congress.

[photodawg]

Made this comment yesterday:
“Kerry lobbied the Iranians, the French, English, and Germans to keep the agreement in place without U.S. participation thereby making our pullout less impactful. If we impose sanctions but Iran, France, England, and Germany are still buying and selling oil and doing business we will not be effective in eliminating the Nuke program.
What Kerry did was Treason. Trump and Israel are now isolated and Europe, Russia and Iran are working together. IMO. Just my thoughts here, nothing concrete yet but lets watch the next few weeks and see what goes down.”

Here’s what went down today:

President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rohani to join France, Britain and Germany in sticking to the terms of their 2015 nuclear agreement, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the accord.

[politicianslie]

It was revealed late last week that Team Obama was working furiously to keep their legacy accomplishment afloat.

Hussein could care less about his "legacy."

Hussein was POTUS to screw the US and to work for Islam. Hussein is NOT a typical card-carrying murderous Muslim but he did work for an Islamic takeover of the world. It is what Muslims do, they lie and deceive to advance Islam.

Hussein knows that a nuclear Iran will kill millions in the west. The only good infidel is a dead infidel.

[lepton]

I dunno. Boarders are quite important.

[lepton]

It was a one-sided offer by Obama. It was never an agreement with Iran, nor was the US a party to it except as a temporary funding source.

[lepton]

Treason still exists outside of a declaration of war.