Posted on 03/08/2018 4:00:36 PM PST by EyesOfTX
The Evening Campaign Update (Because The Campaign Never Ends)
I’ve been traveling this week, so I just noticed this myself this afternoon. In an interview with Fox New’s Shannon Bream Wednesday night, Attorney General Jeff Sessions dropped a bomb when, after asked about allegations that officials within the FBI and the DOJ had violated the FISA process in order to spy on the Trump Campaign, he said the following:
“I have appointed a person outside of Washington, many years in the Department of Justice (DOJ), to look at all the allegations that the House Judiciary Committee members sent to us; and we’re conducting that investigation.”
Wait, what? When did that happen? Why all the secrecy? What is this person’s name? What else might the person be looking at? Here are some thoughts on what the answers to those questions might be.
First, you have to look at this from Sessions’ point of view: He leads the DOJ, and thus the FBI as well. Having his own DOJ lawyers investigate the FBI and DOJ anti-Trump cabal’s abuses would present a clear conflict of interest, as I pointed out last week.
My bet is that he took this action after he became aware of potential FISA abuses shortly after he assumed office in March of last year. At that point, during his first briefing with DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz, he would have been made aware of the IG’s investigation into the FISA and other related matters, and thus would have become aware that he had a set of truly bad actors in his midst. That is likely something Sessions already suspected, since it had become obvious during his confirmation hearing that he had personally been under illegal surveillance, but a briefing from Horowitz would have confirmed that reality.
Sessions would not have wanted to formally appoint a special counsel at that time, because that is a very public act, one which requires the public identification of the person who was being named. Remember also that, at that time, Horowitz’s own investigation had only been up and running for a few months, meaning that some of the bad actors we know about today had not yet been identified, or had cases fully developed against them.
Formally appointing a special counsel at that time would have given all of these people the chance to either flee, cover their tracks, or even lawyer up before cases could have been fully developed. Remember that we have only begun to publicly find out people like Strzok, Ohr, Page, McCabe and Baker since the first of December. Remember also that the disciplinary actions taken against them have been designed to keep them close and controlled.
It is also very interesting to note that none of these and others who have been identified as bad actors have been quoted in the press at all. This is in direct contrast to James Comey, who went around leaking and singing like a jaybird for a few months after President Trump fired his sorry butt, and who is about to release a book next month.
This silence by the other bad actors most likely means one of two things: Either these people have lawyered up and are keeping quiet to protect themselves in preparation for being prosecuted, or they are actually cooperating with Horowitz and Sessions’ unnamed outside lawyer in their ongoing investigations.
The quote from Mr. Sessions is a clever reference to the fact that he has had an outside prosecutor working on all of this stuff for quite some time now. It is also most likely another move to set the stage for the impending release of IG Horowitz’s own report. Unlike Horowitz, this unidentified special prosecutor would have the power to convene a grand jury – and may have already done so – and quickly begin issuing subpoenas based on the recommendations contain in the Horowitz report.
Thus, Sessions next statement from the interview:
I am well aware we have a responsibility to insure the integrity of the FISA process. We’re not afraid to look at that. The inspector general — some think that our inspector general is not very strong; but he has almost 500 [employees], most of which are lawyers and prosecutors; and they are looking at the FISA process. We must make sure that it’s done properly, and we’re going to do that. And I’ll consider their request.”
He’ll not only consider their request, he’s had a special prosecutor preparing the playing field for quick action on those requests for months now.
Clever. Boom.
That is all.
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How is an outside investigator empowered to seat a grand jury? Are they federally deputized with that authority?
I was happy to hear it. I don’t usually watch that host in that time slot, but I wanted to hear what Sessions had to say.
I still feel he needs to be replaced, not because he is bad in any way, but because his recusal has hamstrung him to the Administration’s biggest need. Basically Rosenstein is the defacto AG. That doesn’t work. The President needs an AG with full and complete authority to exercise his complete job description.
No, I don’t want an AG who is a puppet of the President. He should be an independent enforcer. But what we have is a good man who is MIA 50% of the time due to his recusal. That is killing Trump. Sessions needs to resign and move to another Cabinet position and Trump needs a new AG with FULL power and authority to do his job.
Sessions is a good guy, just hamstrung by his decision to recuse himself. We can’t have Rosenstein running Justice.
Indictments, perp walks and criminal prosecutions is what I want!!
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xlnt
Yeah. Either the person is still in DOJ but lives outside DC ... or ... the person used to work for DOJ and lives outside DC. I suspect the latter but we'll see.
I know this is twisting your sarcasm on its head, but this is libertarian Nirvana. No government departments. It's perfect.
Government in Washington moves very slowly. But it does move. Sometimes it is worth waiting for. Let’s hope that it is.
“No, I don’t want an AG who is a puppet of the President.”
I do. The AG works for the President. If Trump wants to micro-manage every move the AG makes, that’s his prerogative.
That’s why we have elections.
Certainly many need to be abolished.
Regarding your take on Sessions.......
I agree. Sometimes one can assess more from what ISN’T said or done as opposed to the what is shouted from the rooftops. While Trump and Sessions both love this country, they communicate differently. Trump has no political motives, he only cares about fixing problems. Politicians are the opposite, thus the measured noncommittal speech and actions. Some here freaked out over every tweet because of the tone. Now that a year has passed and the world didn’t end, most are realizing that Trump angles for results, not feel-good unambiguous sweet talk. As for Sessions, he gets an A+ for integrity and courage (He stood by Trump as many fled). The only question was intelligence. Was Sessions aware of the obvious crimes? No one knew because he has been quiet. As you stated, stealth keeps the criminals in view, otherwise they scatter.
More often than not, the loudest voices have the weakest position. Look at Schiff. If Schiff had anything, the targets wouldn’t hear a peep. Likewise, the Benghazi, IRS, etc. hearings with Gowdy’s and Issa’s emotional sound bites, was just that, NOISE. Why? Because no one could do a damn thing about it, so they produced theater irritating both the left and right.
Personally I believe Sessions knows about the crimes (it is his wheelhouse and passion), I just hope he doesn’t let the bad actors off the hook.
There was another report about this about a week of two ago.
In theory, we are all on the same general side here at FR. But I've had trouble trying to converse with some of the folks who don't like DOJeff. However, you seem like someone able to reason, so I'll ask, politely:
What exactly do you mean by 'biggest need'?
I mean, hasn't Sessions been fearless and absolutely on fire policy-wise, making massive headway on Trump's campaign promises - in particular, immigration-related issues? Wasn't illegal immigration the 'biggest' promise?
As you mention, Session is a good man. He is the most honest, by-the-book guy in DC. Brave, loyal, fearless and very hardworking. It seems like some believe it is his job to be Trump's body guard or maybe a caped version of White House counsel or something. Which, of course, is not the case.
I trust Sessions 100% when he said it's the right thing to do to recuse since he was part of the campaign. I also look at the situation like an honest man too. Meaning, if the campaign did not collude (which seems painfully obvious), then no collusion will be found. If anything Mule is proving Trump innocent.
And I'm not as dumb as I look. I realize the Mule is on a fishing trip, process crimes and all that. Trump has balls, it's his defining quality. I assume he will use his power to pardon most if not all those who get rail-roaded during the Mules reign of error. Which would not hurt Trump, at all, with anybody but those who hate him already. Because he's done a great job showing what a bogus and biased investigation it has been.
It's possible I'm wrong, but otherwise I don't see how replacing the incredibly successful policy machine, DOJeff, would help. The next guy/gal couldn't possibly be more honest and loyal and brave and if he was, then he probably won't make it through the Senate.
What do you make of that type of thinking?
No it’s someone with the Justice Department NOW...just not working out of the DC Office.
Not everyone who works for the DOJ works in DC. There are offices in other states.
It’s very good they don’t fear him.
Means they are unprepared for what’s in their future.
The cult of Sessions haters is disgusting. They seem to derive some perverted sort of ego gratification by criticizing him in the most slanderous, offensive and nasty language they can come up with, and unless they are working closely with him, they HAVE NO FREAKING CLUE what he is or is not doing.
They make me want to puke.
Recusal doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any say or clout or decision making about who else does those investigations that he is recused from, just that he doesn’t personally do the work. AFAIK.
Who is responsible for no SP appointed to investigate Obama? Who is responsible for the SP investigation of Trump? In both cases the answer is the swamp bag man Sessions.
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