Posted on 01/25/2018 11:43:18 AM PST by markomalley
What happens when federal agencies accused of possible wrongdoing — also control the alleged evidence against them? What happens when they’re the ones in charge of who inside their agencies — or connected to them — ultimately gets investigated and possibly charged?
Those questions are moving to the forefront as the facts play out in the investigations into our intelligence agencies’ surveillance activities.
There are two overarching issues.
First, there’s the alleged improper use of politically-funded opposition research to justify secret warrants to spy on U.S. citizens for political purposes.
Second, if corruption is ultimately identified at high levels in our intel agencies, it would necessitate a re-examination of every case and issue the officials touched over the past decade — or two — under administrations of both parties.
This is why I think the concerns transcend typical party politics.
It touches everybody. It’s potentially monumental.
This week, the FBI said it was unfair for the House Intelligence Committee not to provide its memo outlining alleged FBI abuses. The committee wrote the summary memo after reviewing classified government documents in the Trump-Russia probe.
The FBI’s complaint carries a note of irony considering that the agency has notoriously stonewalled Congress. Even when finally agreeing to provide requested documents, the Department of Justice uses the documents’ classified nature to severely restrict who can see them — even among members of Congress who possess the appropriate security clearance. Members who wish to view the documents must report to special locations during prescribed hours in the presence of Department of Justice minders who supervise them as they’re permitted to take handwritten notes only (you know, like the 1960s).
What most people don’t know is that the FBI and Department of Justice already know exactly what Congressional investigators have flagged in the documents they’ve reviewed, because three weeks ago the Senate Judiciary Committee sent its own summary memo to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Department of Justice Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. The committee also referred to the Department of Justice a recommendation for possible charges against the author of the political opposition research file, the so-called “Trump dossier”: Christopher Steele.
The head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Republican Charles Grassley co-authored the memo with fellow Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. Grassley says it’s important for the public to see the unclassified portions of the memo. But unlike the House, which can release the memo on its own (and is taking steps to do so), Senate rules require permission from the Department of Justice — the possibly offending agency — approve or declassify the memo. And that’s reached a snag.
According to Grassley, the FBI is blocking the release of the unclassified sections of the Senate memo by falsely claiming that they contain classified information.
“It sure looks like a bureaucratic game of hide the ball, rather than a genuine concern about national security,” said Grassley in a speech on the Senate floor yesterday.
Grassley also pointed out that agencies accused of possible improprieties are the ones controlling the information. It’s the FBI who may have misused the unverified “dossier” opposition research, allegedly presenting it to a secret court as if it were verified intelligence.
“[FBI] Director [James] Comey testified in 2017 that it was ‘salacious and unverified’,” said Grassley. “So, it was a collection of unverified opposition research funded by a political opponent in an election year. Would it be proper for the Obama administration — or any administration — to use something like that to authorize further investigation that intrudes on the privacy of people associated with its political opponents? That should bother civil libertarians of any political stripe.”
Democrats and many in the media are taking the side of the intelligence community, calling the Republican efforts partisan. House Democrats are said to be writing a counter-memo.
“We need to produce our own memo that lays out the actual facts and shows how the majority memo distorts the work of the FBI and the Department of Justice,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, the lead Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.
Meantime, the Department of Justice has officially warned the House Intelligence Committee not to release its memo. It's like the possible defendant in a criminal trial threatening prosecutors for having the audacity to reveal alleged evidence to the judge and jury.
This is the first time I can recall open government groups and many reporters joining in the argument to keep the information secret. They are strangely uncurious about alleged improprieties with implications of the worst kind: Stasi-like tactics used against Americans. “Don’t be irresponsible and reveal sources and methods,” they plead.
As for me? I don’t care what political stripes the alleged offenders wear or whose side they’re on. If their sources and methods are inappropriate, they should be fully exposed and stopped.
p
yep and we are way behind , proven by the fact this stuff is happening..Trump may be our last hope before losing the country to the new world order thing, aka anti christ introduction
It’s sad to know we now have a press that stands with the powerful and elite AGAINST the American people.
#DisbandTheFBI
***
No, prune the bad wood at the top and leave the good guys.
Don’t forget that there’s a new sheriff in town.
I am sure his religion has nothing to do with it. Let’s leave that stuff out of the argument.
“What happens when federal agencies accused of possible wrongdoing — also control the alleged evidence against them? What happens when they’re the ones in charge of who inside their agencies — or connected to them — ultimately gets investigated and possibly charged?”
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Exactly right. If they don’t have to follow the laws, why should we? Or is that what they want, i.e., chaos on the streets?
These mf’s need to hang. ALL of them irregardless of political persuasion.
The swamp is deep, dark and full of all kinds of critters
Nope. Bernie did what he was supposed to and was rewarded with a water front home. Pretty cheap, if you ask me.
This corruption IS the obama corruption. Holdovers that should’ve been handed their walking papers 1-20-17.
Yep. This whole thing is strictly to protect obama
Maybe not, but it is a dandy excuse for "clean cops" to reinvestigate Fast and Furious, Uranium One, and a host of other crimes we know about that Obama, the corrupt FBI, and corrupt Justice Department. Not to mention Hillary. If this goes well, "Because you'd be in jail" may not be just a clever retort.
Who could complain about that?
Not me. I’d add in a few more to that list too.
Who is the law enforcement arm of the deep state?
What is their job?
What service does the DOJ provide the deep state?
What if both agencies were run by the shadow govt
Where is the center of the center of the shadow govt?
What role does the State department play?
Who controls the deep state?
The corrupt FBI is only the arm of the enemy.
Rise up fallen fighters.
Rise and take your stance again.
Who is Bob Marley?
B
:)
Yep. Host of others I can’t even remember...I think Trump and maybe even Sessions know what they are doing. Jury’s still out on Sessions though, in my book.
I have asked others to hold off on Trump on other matters, so I guess I have to be fair by holding off on my criticism of Sessions.
Haven’t been too willing to give him more time, criticizing him heavily after the first of the year.
Not much would make me happier than seeing me proven wrong to do that, and him proven to be one of our best Attorney Generals.
Yea. I’m the same on Sessions. He may turn out to be worth a F after all...We will find out very soon, is my thinking.
“According to Grassley, the FBI is blocking the release”
“Department of Justice has officially warned the House Intelligence Committee not to release its memo.”
PDJT can release it. He’s already approved it.
FBI and DOJ can go screw themselves.
I sure hope so, and even more that I was wrong about him.
New Q drop in last hour: https://qcodefag.github.io/
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