Mike Pompeo Could Stop Robert Mueller in His Tracks (lib pearl clutching)

Foreign Policy ^ | 10/27/17 | Barbara McQuade

[Be Careful]

Does the CIA have the right to deny special counsel Robert Mueller access to Russia-related information relevant to his investigation into the 2016 U.S. presidential election? And if so, should we be worried that CIA Director Mike Pompeo would seize on that right to protect President Donald Trump?j

The Washington Post recently reported that Pompeo has distorted the intelligence community’s findings regarding Russian interference in the election. Pompeo stated that the intelligence community concluded that Russian meddling did not affect the outcome of the election. In fact, a report released by the intelligence community in January “made no judgment” on whether Russian interference affected the election, according to former Deputy CIA Director David Cohen, stating the question of outcome was outside the scope of inquiry by the intelligence community. Instead, the report disclosed that Russia leaked stolen emails and used social media to disrupt political discourse. The report concluded that Russia sought to help elect Donald Trump by sowing discord and harming public confidence in the American electoral system.

Maybe Pompeo made an honest mistake when he claimed Russian meddling did not affect the election’s outcome. But Pompeo’s comments could be an effort to spin the report in a way that minimizes its findings. Other reports have indicated that Pompeo issued a directive in August that those working on the Russia investigation at the CIA report directly to him.

This is a troubling sign for someone with as much power as Pompeo has as CIA director. Because Mueller’s investigation is at its core a counterintelligence investigation, Pompeo, a former Republican congressman from Kansas, could have extraordinary influence

[ballplayer]

The Russians didn’t leak Hillarys and Podestas emails,Assange did and he says the Russians were not the source,but he hinted strongly that Seth Rich did and he worked for Hillary and he was shot dead.
Now check out one of those emails from podesta that he would like the person who is leaking those emails to be made an example of.
Has he been investigated for being involved in Richs murder?
Why not?

[uncbob]

Whatever
The Russians didn’t WRITE those emails

[RitaOK]

Poor Barb. Another Utopian gets prickly when threatened by constitutional possibilities. These loons have no coping skills for anything they deem political to go any other way but their way.

The Constitution, in their myopic eyes, should be looked upon as a recipe, inexact, with ingredients to be adjusted at will, or shelved until which time it suits the occasion to pull it out.

America First is is an unimaginable concept and they have no experience with such a thing. Defending our president through constitutional machinations is even more repellent.

[Sgt_Schultze]

If the Russians “stole” Hillary’s emails, then they had information which could be held over her as extortion. Given that Russians literally bought HRC through donations to her family slush fund and payments to her horndog husband, there was only one candidate whose election would benefit Russia - HRC’s.

[Sacajaweau]

One "certified" leaker is Comey....and we also know that he doesn't leak "to the public" himself but passes it off to leak.

Anyone notice that McCain has been really quiet...and that Hillary keeps insisting part of the vast right wing conspiracy.

Here's her mistake. That the DNC paid for it from HER funds is a new twist....and so...she's lying.

[exDemMom]

The report concluded that Russia sought to help elect Donald Trump by sowing discord and harming public confidence in the American electoral system.

Which only demonstrates the political leanings of whoever came up with this conclusion. Russia already got huge favors from Hillary in pay-for-play schemes--Russia even got Hillary and Obama to compromise national security on its behalf. Therefore, it makes no sense whatsoever for Russia to go all out to help the election of someone who is, by all evidence, honest and straightforward, and who became fantastically rich through his own honest efforts (meaning he can't be bought).

[Bobalu]