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Judicial Watch: Records Show DOJ Effort To Craft Response To Reports On Rosenstein Wearing Wire,...
Judicial Watch ^ | September 11, 2019 | Tom Fitton/Staff

Posted on 09/11/2019 10:55:43 AM PDT by jazusamo

‘Thanks! Hopefully we are being successful, and the reporters are having difficulty finding anybody to comment about things’ – Rod Rosenstein

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today released 14 pages of records from the Department of Justice showing officials’ efforts in responding to media inquiries centering on talks within the DOJ/FBI allegedly invoking the 25th Amendment to “remove” President Donald Trump from office and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein offering to wear a “wire” to record his conversations with the president.

The records show that, following a September 21, 2018, report on Rosenstein suggesting he would wear a wire to secretly record Trump and his discussions on using the 25th Amendment, Rosenstein sought to ensure the media would have “difficulty” finding anyone in the DOJ to comment and a concerted effort within the DOJ to frame the reporting as “inaccurate” and “factually incorrect.”

The records show DOJ officials had also discussed characterizing Rosenstein’s reported offer of wearing a wire to record Trump as merely “sarcastic.”

Additionally, the records show DOJ Public Affairs officer Sarah Isgur Flores, after conferring with other top DOJ officials and Rosenstein’s office about her email exchange with New York Times reporter Adam Goldman, waited 12 hours to forward the email exchange to DOJ Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker. Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had referred to Whitaker as the president’s “ eyes and ears ” in the DOJ.

Judicial Watch obtained the records through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to three separate FOIA requests dated September 21, 2018 ( Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:19-cv-00388)). The lawsuit seeks all written and audio/visual records of any FBI/DOJ discussions regarding the 25th Amendment and plans to secretly record President Trump in the Oval Office.

The records obtained by Judicial Watch include a September 21, 2018, email from Assistant U.S. Attorney (DOJ/NSD) Harvey Eisenberg to Rosenstein informing the DAG that Washington Post reporter Ellen Nakashima had called inquiring about a New York Times report on the 25th Amendment/wire discussion, Rosenstein responds: “Thanks! Hopefully we are being successful, and the reporters are having difficulty finding anybody to comment about things. [Remainder of email redacted.]” Apparently in response to the redacted portion of Rosenstein’s reply, Eisenberg responds, “I’m aware. Besides letting you know, [redacted]. My best to you and the family.” Rosenstein replies, “I don’t mean about me. [Redacted.]”

The emails also detail the DOJ’s response to the initial story as it was being prepared by the New York Times. On September 20, 2018, the Times’ Goldman emails DOJ’s Flores that he and fellow reporter Mike Schmidt were working on a story and wanted a DOJ response to certain questions, including that at a May 16, 2017, meeting of senior federal law enforcement officials, Rosenstein offered to wear a “wire” to record his conversations with Trump. “He also said McCabe could wear a wire.”

In a second request for comment, Goldman alleges that in a separate conversation between Rosenstein and McCabe, they discussed using the 25th Amendment “to remove President Trump” and “Rosenstein said that he may be able to get (then-Attorney General Jeff) Sessions and Kelly to go along with the plan.”

In a third request for comment, Goldman said he’d learned that Rosenstein in a May 12, 2017, conversation at the DOJ Command Center “appeared ‘upset’ and ‘emotional’ over the Comey firing.”

In a fourth request for comment, Goldman said that in a May 14, 2017, conversation with McCabe, “Rosenstein asked McCabe to reach out to Comey to seek advice about appointing a special counsel. McCabe believed that was a bad idea.”

In a fifth and final request for which he sought DOJ comment, Goldman wrote, “Rosenstein considered appointing (former Deputy Attorney General) Jim Cole as the special counsel.”

On Sept 20, 2018, Flores forwarded the Goldman email to “Annie” and “Bill” — apparently White House Deputy Counsel Annie Donaldson and White House Communications Director Bill Shine — telling Donaldson, “Boss calling Don re the below – if you think appropriate, share with Don [presumably referring to White House Counsel Don McGahn]”. She tells Shine, “We’ve sent a response from the DAG that’s below and had someone in the room dispute the ‘wire’ part noting the dag was being sarcastic.” She then includes the DAG response, which reads, “The New York Times’s story is inaccurate and factually incorrect. I will not further comment on a story based on anonymous sources who are obviously biased against the Department and are advancing their own personal agenda. But let me be clear about this: based on my personal dealings with the President, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.”

Shine thanks Flores and asks her to “share with Elliott ASAP.” Flores responds that if Shine is directing her to share with Elliott, “I don’t think I know who that is referring to.” Flores sent that response at 10:09 PM on September 20, but Flores waits until 10:00 a.m. the next day to forward the entire exchange to DOJ Chief of Staff Whitaker, saying: “Should have sent this to you last night.”

In a mostly redacted email exchange on the evening of September 20, 2018, shows the efforts of officials in the Public Affairs and DAG’s office to produce a response to the impending news article. DOJ Official Bradley Weinsheimer forwarded to Flores the “DAG response” to the allegations in the article, saying “DAG has cleared this, which is what we just discussed.” He then provides the official DAG response about the allegations over Rosenstein wanting to invoke the 25th Amendment against Trump as being “inaccurate and factually incorrect.” Deputy Attorney General’s office official Ed O’Callaghan responds, “Think good.” The rest of his response is redacted under (b)(5) – deliberative process.

In the final draft of the official DAG response approved by O’Callaghan, the statement is changed from “Based on my dealings with the President, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment” to “Based on my personal dealings with the President, there is no basis to invoke the 25th Amendment.”

“It is remarkable that Judicial Watch has done more to investigate the DOJ/FBI’s discussions about overthrowing President Trump than the DOJ or Congress,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “These documents essentially confirm the coup discussions about wearing a wire when speaking with President Trump and plans to remove him under the 25th Amendment.”

###


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 25thamendment; coup; dag; declassification; deepstate; doj; eisenberg; fbi; fisa; impeachment; jamescomey; judicialwatch; jw; lisapage; mccabe; nytimes; peterstrzok; presidenttrump; robertmueller; rodrosenstein; rosenstein; spygate; tomfitton; trump; whitaker; wirewearing
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Bold lettering mine.
1 posted on 09/11/2019 10:55:43 AM PDT by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo
Full title: Judicial Watch: Records Show DOJ Effort To Craft Response To Reports On Rosenstein Wearing Wire, Invoking 25th Amendment
2 posted on 09/11/2019 10:56:36 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

Bookmark


3 posted on 09/11/2019 11:01:43 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: GOPJ; Diana in Wisconsin; ColdOne; Art in Idaho; Conservative Gato; ptsal; onyx; Tucker39; ...

Off the Wall Ping!

Contact to be added.


4 posted on 09/11/2019 11:01:46 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: jazusamo

Rosenstein was PDJT’s worst appointment. His background opinions should have been considered. Maryland? Bah! Trump deserved an “acting” AG (recused Sessions) who was on his side. Instead he had an enemy.


5 posted on 09/11/2019 11:10:03 AM PDT by Freee-dame (Best election ever! 2016)
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To: jazusamo
“These documents essentially confirm the coup discussions about wearing a wire when speaking with President Trump and plans to remove him under the 25th Amendment.”

I read this twice in the most I get out of it is that we have a reporter asking a series of damning questions but no admissions by anyone in the DOJ that proves the assertion quoted above. Am I missing it?


6 posted on 09/11/2019 11:18:12 AM PDT by nathanbedford (attack, repeat, attack! Bull Halsey)
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To: jazusamo

And that Sessions & Kelly may have possibly been involved as well. I honestly now am starting to entertain the theory that Sessions was a plant placed into the Trump Administration to thwart President Trump from looking into other issues that involved Democrats and coup conspirators that were against President Trump. IOW, enemies of the people.


7 posted on 09/11/2019 11:29:51 AM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: jazusamo

“Rosenstein said that he may be able to get (then-Attorney General Jeff) Sessions and Kelly to go along with the plan.”

What would make the Weasel think that? Previous conversations, especially with Sessions? deep state surveillance of the two? comments they made to other staffers?


8 posted on 09/11/2019 11:31:38 AM PDT by odawg
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To: jazusamo

We ALL need to send a check to JUDICIAL WATCH!!


9 posted on 09/11/2019 11:33:01 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Robert DeLong

YEP...sessions is DIRTY. !


10 posted on 09/11/2019 11:33:54 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: nathanbedford

“...but no admissions by anyone in the DOJ that proves the assertion quoted above. Am I missing it?”

It came out in sworn testimony before the House. I think it was McCabe.


11 posted on 09/11/2019 11:34:57 AM PDT by odawg
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MAGA!

Let’s keep this FReepathon moving and wrap it up, Folks!

Please bump the Freepathon or click above to donate or become a monthly donor!

12 posted on 09/11/2019 11:37:46 AM PDT by jazusamo (Have You Donated to Keep Free Republic Up and Running?)
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To: Robert DeLong

That’s what I think! If you analyze his actions/inactions that, to me, is the only logical conclusion! He was/is a deep state operative which is why he did nothing and recused himself!


13 posted on 09/11/2019 11:50:50 AM PDT by gr8eman (Only the mediocre are always at their best)
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To: nathanbedford

Well, they did basically admit to the “wearing a wire” discussion here:

‘She tells Shine, “We’ve sent a response from the DAG that’s below and had someone in the room dispute the ‘wire’ part noting the dag was being sarcastic.”’

Whether he was “being sarcastic” or not, that is an admission that someone in the room with him officially confirmed the comments.


14 posted on 09/11/2019 12:06:54 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: Ann Archy

We’ll, and Kelly possibly was, too. Why else would the DOJ perps think they might get him to aid them in their coup? We can’t help our looks, but Kelly always appeared to me to be capable of sinister plotting. Was he a plant, too? Did he finally resign when it became clear there was no dirt to find that could remove Trump?


15 posted on 09/11/2019 12:31:49 PM PDT by Tucker39 ("It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." George Washington)
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To: jazusamo

Rod: Deep state for life.
Jeff: Damn right.
16 posted on 09/11/2019 12:51:58 PM PDT by conservative98
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To: jazusamo

These people are scum.

Fortunately their arrogance is only exceeded by their stupidity and incompetence.


17 posted on 09/11/2019 12:55:37 PM PDT by rdcbn ( Referentia)
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To: Tucker39

Yes....hmmmm......


18 posted on 09/11/2019 1:13:56 PM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: nathanbedford

“I read this twice in the most I get out of it is that we have a reporter asking a series of damning questions but no admissions by anyone in the DOJ that proves the assertion quoted above. Am I missing it?”

that’s the way i read it too ... most of this was NYT reporter Goldman “saying” and “alleging” stuff ...


19 posted on 09/11/2019 2:03:52 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: jazusamo
Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had referred to Whitaker as the president’s “ eyes and ears ” in the DOJ.

It's interesting how Kelly names Whitaker rather than Sessions as Trump's man in the DOJ. This is a believable quote. Sessions didn't resign until 6 weeks later on Nov. 7.

20 posted on 09/11/2019 3:16:15 PM PDT by map
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