Barr and Durham strike gold

Flopping Aces ^ | 10-21-19 | DrJohn

[Starman417]

Word comes down today of significant developments in the Barr/Durham investigation of how the Russia hoax was given birth. NBC reported that AG Bill Barr has greatly expanded his investigation and US Attorney John Durham wants to question a number of people in the IC:

WASHINGTON — A review launched by Attorney General William Barr into the origins of the Russia investigation has expanded significantly amid concerns about whether the probe has any legal or factual basis, multiple current and former officials told NBC News.

The prosecutor conducting the review, Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham, has expressed his intent to interview a number of current and former intelligence officials involved in examining Russia's effort to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including former CIA Director John Brennan and former director of national intelligence James Clapper, Brennan told NBC News.

Durham has also requested to talk to CIA analysts involved in the intelligence assessment of Russia's activities, prompting some of them to hire lawyers, according to three former CIA officials familiar with the matter. And there is tension between the CIA and the Justice Department.

It is speculated that Durham's investigation has evolved into a criminal one. Then the report adds something highly significant:

Justice Department officials have said that Durham has found something significant, and that critics should be careful.

John Brennan is sweating:

"I don't know what the legal basis for this is," Brennan said, calling the probe "bizarre."

So are others:

Greg Brower, former assistant FBI director for congressional affairs and a former U.S. Attorney, said it's not normal for a U.S. Attorney to conduct an investigation without an FBI referral of criminal allegations. That's the role of inspector generals, he said.

We've already seen the FBI bury crimes. Not this time. And there's more good news. The CIA weasels are lawyering up

[Connecticut U.S. Attorney John] Durham has also requested to talk to CIA analysts involved in the intelligence assessment of Russia’s activities, prompting some of them to hire lawyers, according to three former CIA officials familiar with the matter. And there is tension between the CIA and the Justice Department over what classified documents Durham can examine, two people familiar with the matter said.

Isn't that too bad. And there's even more good news.

Thanks to  the estimable Sidney Powell,Gen. Michael Flynn's attorney,  we know that the DOJ had possession of two phones owned by Josef Mifsud.

Lawyers for President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn claim the Justice Department is in possession of two Blackberry devices used by Joseph Mifsud, the mysterious Maltese professor who allegedly played a central role in the launch of the Trump-Russia investigation.

Sidney Powell, who took over Flynn’s legal defense a couple months ago, asked U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan, the presiding judge in the D.C. District Court case, to order the Justice Department to produce the “data and metadata” related to the two devices, according to a Tuesday court filing.

The phones were obtained by the Justice Department “very recently," Powell told the Washington Examiner, adding that Flynn's defense team requested this information from DOJ prosecutors Brandon Van Grack and Jocelyn Ballantine on Friday by email but have not received it.

And now they are in the hands of John Durham.

Thanks to @GregRubini on Twitter, we know a LOT more about those Blackberrys:

[madison10]

If this is timed perfectly for the 2020 election, it means Trump’s going for the DNC’s neck.

Visions of a lion with a donkey in his jaws come to mind.

[Bonemaker]

And they are on the verge of wrapping up the Pearl Harbor investigation.

[Charles Martel]

And wake me when Brennan is swinging from a gallows pole.

I'd prefer to be awakened just before they put the hood on him. Don't want to miss that part.

[mmichaels1970]

Where's the NBC bias, where's the NBC bias....

amid concerns about whether the probe has any legal or factual basis,

THERE it is.

[nikos1121]

Would these people be under oath when talking to Durham?

[sanjuanbob]

And wake me when Brennan is swinging from a gallows pole.
——————
That’s racist....implies lynching/s

[dsrtsage]

I hope my skepticism that anything ever happens turns out to be unwarranted, but I am doubtful

[Bonemaker]

“...claim the Justice Department is in possession of two Blackberry devices used by Joseph Mifsud..”

Which have mysteriously disappeared.

[txrangerette]

The IG Horowitz had apparently said what is happening now is vetting his report for security clearances vs redactions and it isn’t Horowitz who is allowed to do this vetting, it’s whomever normally vets for security clearances vs redactions in such matters. And Horowitz is hinting that a battle over THAT is all that remains re: the official release.

I’m not directing this to a specific person but only noting that someone on this thread seems to be conflating Horowitz with John Durham.

For anyone, John Durham is Barr’s appointee to investigate the origins of the spying on Trump. Durham is a Connecticut U.S. Attorney with the strongest possible reputation and credentials for the job... . He’s the one who greatly expanded his investigation.

IG Horowitz is poised to issue his report into internal wrongdoing at Justice/FBI.

[Freedom4US]

When did they report this, in the last couple days?

[Yo-Yo]

There are two IGs in this mess.

Horowitz is the JOG OIG, and Atkinson is the ICIG.

Horowitz is the one investigating misconduct within the FBI on the FISA warrants, and Atkinson is the one that accepted the whistleblower complaint against Trump’s Ukraine phone call.

“You’se can’t tell the players without a program!”

[Yo-Yo]

Oops, autocorrect strikes again. Horowitz is the DOJ OIG.

[Freedom4US]

As far as I’m concerned anyone who has ever worked for government is under oath. They took an oath, and were sworn in.

Nobody ever got sworn out.

[duckman]

Don’t read this tripe any longer. It’s taking tooooo long to lock up some one.

[Cboldt]

DOJ-IG Horowitz is go-along, get-along guy.
IC-IG Atkinson is a law-breaking skunk, out to get Trump.
CIA-IG is a vacant post.
IG in general have the job of investigating internal malfeasance, and forwaring any evidence that comrises evidence of criminal activity to the DOJ for consideration.
Barr is Attorney General, top dog in DOJ.
US Attorney Durham works for AG Barr. Generally, US Attorney only work on cases where some other agency (usually FBI) has investigated and found probable cause of a crime. But Durham may have been tasked to investigate, in light of the fact that thte FBI is not a trustworthy investigator, and also in light of the fact that FBI was active in the coup. Can;t have the FBI investigate itself, that is a conflict of interest, and they will NEVER admit error.
At any rate, all the IG’s can be running cover-up, and that does not control what Barr directs.
Live on C-SPAN, hearing with FBI, Q by Rep. Lesko of Arizona to FBI is does Crowdstrike have the server? FBI doesn’t know.

[Cboldt]

-- I believe the whole thing leads back to Obama. Brennan, Crapper & Comey. --

It also involves State Dept, Congress, and foreign governments Australia, UK, and Italy.

No need for a ring-leader. These people are like terrorists, no need for centralized command, they know who the target is.

[Mouton]

Normal production of IG report: Any criminal referrals are made during the inquiry. When the field work raps up the draft report goes to the Agency head, in this case one and the same. He has options to make additions as he sees fit or responses. Then the report is issued. This it is on again it is off again crap is nothing but a slow walk...you either have it or you do not.

Regarding Barr doing the inquiry, the IG has no authority outside the country and his inquiry can only involve the DOJ. So, we have two things here. The DOJ IG is stalling. Barr is doing the CIA part of the inquiry which were I Brennan and if this is on the up and up, I’d be worried too. I get the feeling Barr wants to rap this around Brennan’s neck. Brennan’s comment that he may have been give bad intel is indicata this whole scheme was born from him with the nod of Ohaha. I don’t think Ohaha went to Brennan and said investigate Trump but he did approve of what was going on. Meanwhile chump Comey may not be a coconspirator but he is definitely an accessory after the fact as it relates to the CIA operation. He also obstructed justice with the Hitlery fiasco.

[wbarmy]

Think about the optics of people being frogmarched out of offices just before the 2020 elections. Unless I am badly misjudging Trump’s base, this would be one of the most electrifying elections ever in this country.

Maybe the ones for Washington’s successor and the Lincoln election were more important, but I am not sure if by much.

[Cboldt]

ICIG Atkinson is the one that knowingly broke the law. He said as much, citing controlling law, and stating he disagreed with it.

DOJ/OLC Slip Opinion re: jurisdiction of ICIG

C-SPAN, Niki Flores of FBI is not going to comment on whether extra-marital affair with co-worker is against FBI regulations. FBI is one rotten institution.

[ptsal]

Is Barr going after Horowitz???

Now, that would be an interesting twist.
The Inspector General has certainly been at the center of the action.