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WSJ Columnist: This Is When The Deep State Felt They Got The Green Light To Defy Trump
Townhall.com ^ | 10-17-19 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 10/17/2019 3:45:38 PM PDT by DeweyCA

The moment acting Attorney General Sally Yates decided to defy President Trump concerning his executive order on immigration that the media erroneously dubbed the Muslim ban, you saw the vestiges of what we now call the Deep State. It’s the cadre of government workers who are working against the Trump administration in the shadows. They hate the president and will do anything to push back at all costs. It also doesn’t help that there were oodles of Obama holdovers when Trump was inaugurated in 2017.

Anyway, the point is that there is ample evidence that there is a deep state working against the Trump White House. Its members are not really known to the public, and The Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley Strassel details how this anti-democratic club is a cancer to the country in her new book “Resistance at All Costs: How Trump Haters are Breaking America.”

Strassel notes that former CIA Director John Brennan and fired FBI Director James Comey are some of the folks used as examples of deep state antics. Their conduct was less than honorable; Comey’s was worthy of termination, which Trump promptly did in May 2017. The Department of Justice’s inspector general report makes that quite clear. Yet, she notes these are political appointments that are subject to scrutiny and can be removed.

The proper Deep State is made up of those who work in secret, are not known to the public, and are virtually impossible to fire. We’re in the swampy bureaucracy on this one, and they’ve caught a nasty algae bloom in the form of Trump Derangement Syndrome, causing them to infest and rot the very institutions that they work for and have sworn to uphold in their oaths as civil servants. They work for us. Their duty is to serve the country, not act like Dumbledore’s Army working to sabotage policies the American people wanted with the 2016 election results. I know, please forgive the Harry Potter reference, but it seems it’s the only book the Left has read in the last 10-15 years.

Strassel notes that the Fort Sumter moment for this band of undemocratic clowns was when Yates defied Trump. She did it, so should we—and alas, this is where we are in this town (via WSJ):

Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates became acting attorney general on Mr. Trump’s inauguration and Loretta Lynch’s resignation. A week later, the president signed an executive order restricting travel from seven Middle Eastern and African countries. Ms. Yates instructed Justice Department lawyers not to defend the order in court on the grounds that she was not convinced it was “consistent” with the department’s “responsibilities” or even “lawful.” She decreed: “For as long as I am Acting Attorney General, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the Executive Order.”

Mr. Trump fired her that day, but he shouldn’t have had to. Her obligation was to defend the executive order, or to resign if she felt she couldn’t. Nobody elected Sally Yates.

The Yates memo was the first official act of the internal resistance—not only a precedent but a rallying cry. Subordinates fawningly praised her in emails obtained by Judicial Watch. “You are my new hero,” wrote one federal prosecutor. Another department colleague emailed: “Thank you AG Yates. I’ve been in civil/appellate for 30 years and have never seen an administration with such contempt for democratic values and the rule of law.” Andrew Weissmann—a career department lawyer, then head of the Criminal Fraud Division and later on the staff of special counsel Robert Mueller—wrote: “I am so proud. And in awe. Thank you so much.” Ms. Yates set an example to rebels throughout the government: If she can defy the president, why can’t I?

That mentality fed the stream of leaks that has flowed ever since. The office of Sen. Ron Johnson, chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, made a study of Mr. Trump’s first 18 weeks in office. It found the administration had “faced 125 leaked stories—one leak a day—containing information that is potentially damaging to national security under the standards laid out in a 2009 Executive Order signed by President Barack Obama. ” Nearly 80% focused on the Russia probe, and many revealed “closely-held information such as intelligence community intercepts, FBI interviews and intelligence, grand jury subpoenas, and even the workings of a secret surveillance court.” Unauthorized disclosure of classified information is a felony.

Employees also started using social media to “resist.” A National Parks Service employee had already used an official Twitter account to troll Mr. Trump, passing along a post that showed side-by-side comparison of the crowd at Mr. Trump’s inauguration and the larger one at Mr. Obama’s. Around the time of the Yates firing, someone in the Pentagon set up the Twitter account @Rogue_DOD, on which was posted a damaging opinion piece about Trump and internal documents about climate change. A former employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up @viralCDC, with the description: “The unofficial ‘Resistance’ page of the CDC.” Its pinned tweet read: “If they choose to make facts controversial, the purveyors of facts must step into the controversy. #ScienceMarch #resist.”

These details come from a Jan. 31, 2017, Washington Post story, which reported that “180 federal employees have signed up for a workshop next weekend, where experts will offer advice on workers’ rights and how they can express civil disobedience.”

At the State Department, resisters organized a “cable” protesting Mr. Trump’s travel ban. It worked its way through dozens of U.S. embassies and ultimately had at least 1,000 signatures. The cable was part of a “dissent channel” that Foggy Bottom maintains to allow officials to disagree with policy, and it is meant to be confidential. The resisters made the letter public, bragging about the numbers of signers and anonymously slamming Mr. Trump.

So, you can see that Yates ignited a spark that set off this brushfire. The leaks, the dishonesty, the backstabbing, and the overall unhinged disposition of the professional Left in D.C. has caused damage to the country. Why should anyone trust these clowns? What’s the point of participating in the election process when its institutions are being corrupted by a self-righteous caucus of government workers who think they can quarterback policy they feel is right because of their paycheck? That’s the point Strassel aptly makes.

Strassel also exposes the idiotic nature of the Left’s argument against Trump. They think he’s illegitimate due to the Russian collusion myth, but moreover, the nauseating claim that it was Hillary’s time. Obviously, it wasn’t, which is why she’s a two-time presidential loser. Too bad—they don’t get to make that call. Their job, as Strassel noted, is to serve the government. Pass the memos and paper along and shut the hell up. If they can’t handle that, then resign. But alas, they won’t. They’re taking the ‘we need to burn the village to save it’ approach, which again exposes how insane and stupid this progressive warrior class has become.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: coup; deepstate; resistance; sallyyates; yates
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To: tired&retired

Everyone says “Deep State” to make these putzes sound intimidating, dark, mysterious.. they’re middle managers! Yeah, high-falutin’ titles aside, these people are the assistant managers at your local McDonald’s who couldn’t point to the fries so couldn’t make it any higher up the old ladder of success! End them!


21 posted on 10/17/2019 5:01:20 PM PDT by Retrofitted
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To: griswold3

Maybe the Dems will face defiance but remember the MSM is on their sign and will openly lie or not report the facts at all. There are a LOT of people who get their news from the MSM and they view the MSM as people of the highest objectivity and truthfulness.

We are in a great spiritual battle for our country. The father of lies seems to have the upper hand for now.

Pray — and fast if you are in good health.


22 posted on 10/17/2019 5:02:25 PM PDT by erkelly
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To: shelterguy

But Trump’s DOJ can arrest lawbreakers! Why aren’t they?


23 posted on 10/17/2019 5:03:49 PM PDT by erkelly
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To: erkelly

I met to say “side” not “sign”. My apologies.


24 posted on 10/17/2019 5:04:54 PM PDT by erkelly
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To: DeweyCA

The Swamp was NEVER remotely drained and the hires were just as swampy. I have no idea how a leader can function when the leader cannot trust anyone outside his own family and other select few. It’s really tragic for the President and America’s future.


25 posted on 10/17/2019 5:09:28 PM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: DeweyCA

[It also doesn’t help that there were oodles of Obama holdovers when Trump was inaugurated in 2017. ]


In a commercial environment, e.g. when Trump buys a hotel from Marriott, he doesn’t expect his new ex-Marriott employees to become spies for Marriott and start undermining him at every turn to benefit Marriott. I expect Trump’s seasoned political advisors told him to fire everyone hired by Obama. And I bet he ignored their advice. To his everlasting regret.


26 posted on 10/17/2019 5:14:54 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (My dad had a Delta 88. That was a car. It was like driving your living room.)
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To: Zhang Fei

hiring managers who will manage employees is the key. They president has broad powers to hire the top people. He left comey (for awhile) and rosenstein in and then we wonder why the FBI didn’t get cleaned top. Any president following one from different party faces this problem. After 34 months it’s pathetic to be claiming it’s still major problem.


27 posted on 10/17/2019 5:17:09 PM PDT by morphing libertarian ( Use Comey's Report, Indict Hillary now; build Kate's wall. --- Proud Smelly Walmart Deplorable)
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To: DeweyCA

All obama appointees should have been replaced immediately. You can bet that’s what the hard left will do when they get someone in that office again. Of course that will mean the end of the USA as we know/knew it.


28 posted on 10/17/2019 5:17:27 PM PDT by Boomer (Our melting pot has turned into a pressure cooker)
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To: Boomer

You people are part of the problem. There are 1,000 signatures somewhere showing defiance. . Every one of these folks need to be fired. Don’t just complain.


29 posted on 10/17/2019 5:29:01 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: tired&retired

And move the departments all over the country so that more are motivated to either resign or leave the DC swamp . . .


30 posted on 10/17/2019 5:39:19 PM PDT by Vigilanteman (The politicized state destroys aspects of civil society, human kindness and private charity.)
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To: tired&retired

Well he can’t do that without Congress’ approval and that won’t happen, so it won’t happen.


31 posted on 10/17/2019 5:44:50 PM PDT by Dave W
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To: justme4now

What ever happened with her...anybody know?


32 posted on 10/17/2019 5:59:13 PM PDT by V V Camp Enari 67-68 (Viet Vet)
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To: V V Camp Enari 67-68
I found two different stories.

The 'links' never seem to work when I post a comment in the same thread?

I'll post the links again, separately, below this post.

Secret Service Agent Who Decried Taking ‘a Bullet’ for Trump Helps Organize ‘Womxn’s’ March

https://freebeacon.com/issues/secret-service-agent-who-decried-taking-a-bullet-for-trump-helps-organize-womxns-march/

Anti-Trump Secret Service Agent Leaving With Pay, Pension

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/03/01/anti-trump_secret_service_agent_leaving_with_pay_pension_139615.html
33 posted on 10/17/2019 6:14:04 PM PDT by justme4now
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To: justme4now

https://freebeacon.com/issues/secret-service-agent-who-decried-taking-a-bullet-for-trump-helps-organize-womxns-march/

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2019/03/01/anti-trump_secret_service_agent_leaving_with_pay_pension_139615.html


34 posted on 10/17/2019 6:14:40 PM PDT by justme4now
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To: DeweyCA

Time for Yates to appear before the Sen. Judiciary Committee to explain her blatantly unethical/unprofessional conduct. Then take her right to jail for the next 10 years.

She corrupted DOJ to the point that the poison is still there today.


35 posted on 10/17/2019 6:19:00 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper

“She corrupted DOJ to the point that the poison is still there today.”

She advanced the corruption. It was inevitable that the DOJ and federal police state agencies would become horribly corrupt over time.

This is the sad story that has led to the demise of the republic; the rise of federal government power. But the truly insidious thing about the federal police state is that it’s essentially secret and independent.

When an organization is independent, there is no effective way to check its power which is the case today. When an organization is secret, there is no way to stop corruption.

Trump can’t really stop the corruption and abuse of power by these organizations, but I think at least he won’t go out of his way to enable them for the most part. Think of what a leftist government would do with these monsters.

That’s why we have to do everything now in our power to shame them, criticize them, refuse to cooperate with them and oppose the on juries.


36 posted on 10/17/2019 6:44:54 PM PDT by grumpygresh (Civil disobedience by jury nullification.)
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To: eartick

At this point _any_ Deep State coup plotter needs to go to jail.

Just one—to start.

One.

Is that too much to ask?


37 posted on 10/17/2019 6:56:32 PM PDT by cgbg (Vote Trump or you will _be_ Trump)
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To: cgbg

General Stinglaub goy fired by Carter for his comments. He had his 30 years in b4 going rogue. The secret service agent is entitled to her benefits. The only General who was not allowed to go quietly worked under Clinton. As the Kenyan said “That’s not who we are”.


38 posted on 10/17/2019 7:27:29 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: DeweyCA

Bttt.

5.56mm


39 posted on 10/17/2019 7:32:37 PM PDT by M Kehoe (DRAIN THE SWAMP! BUILD THE WALL!)
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To: DeweyCA
The moment acting Attorney General Sally Yates decided to defy President Trump concerning his executive order on immigration that the media erroneously dubbed the Muslim ban, you saw the vestiges of what we now call the Deep State.

It's hard to read an article that misconstrues the meaning of a word in the first sentence. "Vestige" means the remaining traces of an old order. Yet the Deep State is very much still with us, and has been transferred from one administration to another since the days of FDR, if not earlier.

40 posted on 10/17/2019 9:03:44 PM PDT by Albion Wilde (It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it. --Douglas MacArthur)
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