Judicial Watch files FOIA request seeking information about Peter Strzok’s removal from Russia collusion investigation
Several months ago now Robert Mueller removed Peter Strzok from the special counsel which is investigating the Russian collusion scandal but had been mum on the reason why despite the Congress’s, and Judicial Watch’s, repeated requests for information.
We learned on December 3rd that Peter Strzok was removed because of political bias: he had been engaging in anti-Trump texts with his mistress. On December 13th we learned these texts included a reference to a meeting with Andrew McCabe in which an “insurance policy” was discussed that would guarantee Donald Trump would not become President. This was shortly before the now infamous Russian dossier was released, fueling speculation this was the “insurance policy” he was talking about.
Now Judicial Watch has filed a FOIA request seeking all the documents related to this story. Here is more:
Judicial Watch, a government watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the FBI for records about the reassignment of FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok, who was removed from Speical [sic] Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Trump-Russia collusion in the 2016 presidential campaign apparently because of anti-Trump and pro-Clinton texts he shared with his mistress, Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer who also briefly worked on the Mueller team.
“It is disturbing the FBI has stonewalled our request about the Mr. Strzok demotion for four months,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Why would Robert Mueller not be forthcoming with the details? The answer is obvious to me–it looks like the FBI and the Justice Department were colluding to stop Donald Trump and at the same time protect Hillary Clinton–and Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch has come to the same conclusion:
“One can only conclude the FBI and Justice Department (including Mr. Mueller’s operation) wanted to hide the truth about how Strzok’s and Page’s political biases and misconduct have compromised both the Clinton email and Russia collusion investigations,” said Fitton.
It looks like the Democrats were right all along: there was collusion during the 2016 election to change the outcome of the election…
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
John McCain associate subpoenaed in House Russia probe
It is now being reported here that an associate of John McCain, David Kramer, has been subpoenaed in the House Intelligence Committee’s probe of the Russian dossier. Here is more:
The House Intelligence Committee has issued a subpoena to an associate of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) over his connection with the controversial dossier containing unverified allegations about President Trump and his ties to Russia, The Hill confirmed on Wednesday.
Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) wants to talk to David Kramer, a former State Department official and current senior director at the nonprofit McCain Institute, about his visit to London in November 2016, a source familiar with the matter confirmed.
While in London, Kramer met with the dossier’s author, former British spy Christopher Steele, at McCain’s request, to view “the pre-election memoranda on a confidential basis,” according to court filings.
Kramer then flew back to the U.S. and delivered a copy of the memos to McCain, who then handed the documents to the FBI.
David Kramer has already met with the House Intelligence Committee and during that meeting he claimed he knew who the Russian sources used in the dossier were but refused to give up their names and this is why the subpoena was issued.
In the session, Kramer told House investigators that he knew the identities of the Russian sources for the allegations in Steele’s dossier. But when investigators pressed Kramer to reveal those names, he declined to do so.
Now, he is under subpoena. The subpoena, issued Wednesday afternoon, directs Kramer to appear again before House investigators on Jan. 11.
Everybody wants to know who these sources are for obvious, but different reasons depending on which side you are on, and this is an attempt to compel Mr. Kramer to give up the names although he could plead the Fifth.
I have a couple of questions myself which I do not hear the media asking: How did John McCain learn about the dossier? And why does one of his associates know who the Russian sources are?
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Sheila Jackson Lee ‘bumps’ woman from first class flight and then plays the race card
I do not know if any of you saw this story because of the busy Christmas weekend but apparently there was a mix up on a United Airlines flight. A woman, Jean-Marie Simon, purchased a first-class ticket on a flight to Houston however when she went to board the plane Jean-Marie Simon was informed she cancelled her flight. She claims she did not cancel the flight and United Airlines gave her an economy ticket. When Jean-Marie Simon boarded the flight she noticed Sheila Jackson Lee sitting in the seat she had paid for.
Needless to say Jean-Marie Simon was upset and caused a commotion, claiming she was bumped to accommodate the Congresswoman. To be fair we do not know if she was actually bumped to accommodate Sheila Jackson Lee or if there really was an unfortunate mix up which just happened to benefit Sheila Jackson Lee. I find it very coincidental that a United States Congresswoman just happened to be the beneficiary but let that go…
Sheila Jackson Lee is now attacking Jean-Marie Simon by basically calling her a racist and claiming she is the victim, here is more:
“Since this was not any fault of mine, the way the individual continued to act appeared to be, upon reflection, because I was an African American woman, seemingly an easy target along with the African American flight attendant who was very, very nice,” the Texas Democrat wrote in a post. “This saddens me, especially at this time of year given all of the things we have to work on to help people.”
“But in the spirit of this season and out of the sincerity of my heart, if it is perceived that I had anything to do with this, I am kind enough to simply say sorry,” Jackson Lee continued. “But as an African American, I know there are too many examples like this all over the nation.”
This attack is totally baseless and way out of line: Sheila Jackson Lee does not know this woman or what is in her heart. Sheila Jackson Lee, who as a person who benefits from Congressional privilege, has no idea how frustrating a situation can be to an ordinary American who is just trying to travel over a long holiday weekend and she owes Jean-Marie Simon an apology for making such an assumption.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Sunday, December 24th open thread: ‘Twas the Night before Christmas/Merry Christmas Everybody’
In changing up slightly a couple of traditions here at America’s Watchtower I have combined the two videos I usually share in separate posts on December 24th and Christmas Day. First, here is the video I always share on Christmas Eve. It is called ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas–a Soldier’s Poem:
And here is “Merry Christmas Everybody” as sung by The Cure in 1987:
But lest we forget what this day is really about:
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:11-14 KJV)
Merry Christmas and may God bless you all.
Jeff Sessions orders investigation into Barack Obama’s Hezbollah drug trafficking scandal
An under-reported story from last week was the report that Barack Obama allowed Hezbollah to continue trafficking weapons and cocaine in order to secure the Iran nuclear deal, knowing that some of the cocaine was coming into the United States. You can read more about that story here.
We finally have a Jeff Sessions sighting, it is being reported here that he has ordered the Department of Injustice to investigate this alleged scandal. Here is more:
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered the Justice Department to dig into allegations in a POLITICO report that a series of potential drug prosecutions related to the pro-Iranian militant group Hezbollah were abandoned as the Obama administration pressed to strike a deal with Iran over its nuclear program.
Sessions indicated that he was troubled by allegations that Project Cassandra — the Drug Enforcement Administration’s drive to target Hezbollah’s foray into drug trafficking — ran into high-level roadblocks that stymied many of the cases agents wanted to bring as well as efforts to get suspects extradited from overseas to the U.S.
“Operations designed to investigate and prosecute terrorist organizations that are also fueling that drug crisis must be paramount in this administration,” Sessions said in a statement released to reporters Friday evening. “While I am hopeful that there were no barriers constructed by the last administration to allowing DEA agents to fully bring all appropriate cases under Project Cassandra, this is a significant issue for the protection of Americans. We will review these matters and give full support to investigations of violent drug trafficking organizations.”
Here is what Senator Ben Sasse had to say:
“I’m encouraged that the Justice Department recognizes that this is important and I hope that they will swiftly provide answers,” he said in a statement. “Terrorists don’t get a pass to exploit drug addiction here at home and use American dollars to fund their global violence.”
If these allegations are true this is a major scandal and hopefully we will get some answers.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Suspected FBI leaker and James Comey confidant James Baker reassigned by Christopher Wray
The heat is being turned up on the FBI and the Department of Injustice with the revelations that they might have been colluding with the Obama regime to stop Donald Trump from gaining the Presidency.
Yesterday Rand Paul called for a special counsel to investigate this matter and today we are learning about a shake-up within the FBI. It is being reported here, in a typical long holiday weekend news dump, that Christopher Wray has reassigned James Baker. Mr. Baker was a James Comey confidant and is also reportedly under investigation for leaking.
Here is more:
James Baker, the FBI’s leading lawyer who was a confidante of fired FBI Director James Comey, has been reassigned from his post, as the agency’s top personnel are under high scrutiny.
Baker told colleagues he will assume different duties for the bureau, the Washington Post reported.
Baker oversees the bureau’s Office of General Counsel, and has received such awards as the George H.W. Bush Award for Excellence in counter-terrorism in 2006.
In July, Circa News’ Sara Carter reported FBI General Counsel James A. Baker and, “close confidant” of former FBI head James Comey, was allegedly under investigation for leaking classified information to the media.
The explosive claim came amid heated discussions about leaks coming from disloyal staffers from within the Trump White House.
And more:
FBI General Counsel James A. Baker is purportedly under a Department of Justice criminal investigation for allegedly leaking classified national security information to the media, according to multiple government officials close to the probe who spoke with Circa on the condition of anonymity. […]
Baker is a close confidant of former FBI Director James Comey, and recent media reports suggested he was reportedly advising the then-FBI director on legal matters following private meetings the former director had in February with President Trump in the Oval Office.
First reported by The Hill, former FBI James Comey is also accused of leaking classified information to the media.
More than half of the memos fired FBI Director James Comey wrote during his private conversations with President Trump have been determined to contain classified information.
Donald Trump came under heavy fire for claiming the FBI was “in tatters” but it now looks like he was right. This is beginning to get very interesting…
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Judge dismisses emoluments clause lawsuits against Donald Trump
Two groups filed separate lawsuits claiming that Donald Trump violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution by not divesting himself from his real estate properties and businesses. Today a Federal Judge threw out the lawsuits claiming the groups did not have legal standing because it is up to the Congress to make a decision on this issue.
Here is more:
A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a pair of lawsuits claiming that President Donald Trump’s failure to divest himself of his real estate empire and other business holdings violated the Constitution’s provision banning receipt of foreign “emoluments” while in public office.
U.S. District Court Judge George Daniels ruled that the two suits were fatally flawed because the plaintiffs failed to show injury directly related to the use of Trump’s properties by foreign officials and governments.
Daniels, who sits in Manhattan and is an appointee of President Bill Clinton, also said the issue was one that Congress should police, not the courts.
“As the only political branch with the power to consent to violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause, Congress is the appropriate body to determine whether, and to what extent, Defendant’s conduct unlawfully infringes on that power,” the judge wrote. “If Congress
determines that an infringement has occurred, it is up to Congress to decide whether to challenge or acquiesce to Defendant’s conduct. As such, this case presents a non-justiciable political question.”
He also said that even if foreign governments were patronizing Donald Trump’s establishments it would not be a violation of the emoluments clause unless Donald Trump was urging them to so so.
He also suggested that if foreign governments were patronizing Trump businesses as a result of his presidency, this wouldn’t amount to a violation of the emoluments clause unless the president encouraged them to do so to receive some benefit from the U.S. government.
The emoluments clause specifically gives the Congress the power to consent to emoluments from foreign states so I believe the judge got this one right. We can debate whether or not Donald Trump is ethically challenged by his decision not to fully divest himself from his business interests and that is most likely what the Democrats in the Congress will now do.
Of course with the Republicans in control of the Congress this is most likely not going to go anywhere but if the Democrats gain control of the Congress in 2018 they may push this issue. I expect this to become a campaign issue during the 2018 election cycle. I expect the possible impeachment of the President to be a major rallying cry in 2018 and I think this is one of the issues they will try to take advantage of.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Rand Paul calls for an investigation into Obama officials for colluding against Donald Trump in the 2016 election
With recent revelations about the FBI, the DOJ, and the Obama regime coming to light in recent days some Republicans are reportedly secretly meeting to build a case about improperly handling the Russian dossier.
Here is more:
A group of House Republicans has gathered secretly for weeks in the Capitol in an effort to build a case that senior leaders of the Justice Department and FBI improperly — and perhaps criminally — mishandled the contents of a dossier that describes alleged ties between President Donald Trump and Russia, according to four people familiar with their plans.
A subset of the Republican members of the House intelligence committee, led by Chairman Devin Nunes of California, has been quietly working parallel to the committee’s high-profile inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. They haven’t informed Democrats about their plans, but they have consulted with the House’s general counsel.
The people familiar with Nunes’ plans said the goal is to highlight what some committee Republicans see as corruption and conspiracy in the upper ranks of federal law enforcement. The group hopes to release a report early next year detailing their concerns about the DOJ and FBI, and they might seek congressional votes to declassify elements of their evidence.
I have written several posts about the alleged conspiracy to stop Donald Trump but I will only share what I believe is the most glaring example in this post and that is the tweet sent by Peter Strzok to his mistress where they discussed an “insurance policy” to stop Donald Trump during a meeting with Andrew McCabe. (Scroll through my posts and you will see how deep this goes.)
This goes beyond mishandling the dossier and enters the realm of an Obama regime conspiracy to stop Donald Trump. Rand Paul has now taken this to the next level: he is calling for an investigation into possible collusion to stop Donald Trump by high officials in the Obama regime, calling it worse than Watergate. Here is what he tweeted:
I assume he is talking about a special counsel here and with the mounting evidence over the last few weeks I could not agree more. The American people deserve to know whether or not the Obama regime was actively trying to interfere in the 2016 election.
Calling Jeff Sessions…
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Four companies announce they will be investing in their employees thanks to the GOP tax cuts
The Democratic party leaders are up in arms over the passage of the GOP tax cuts and many of them are claiming that companies are not going to invest in their employees but rather pay dividends to stock holders and horde the money for themselves. I have no doubt that many companies will do this however we are beginning to see some companies say they will be giving out bonuses and raising the pay of their employees because of the tax cuts.
AT&T announced they would be giving all employees a $1,000 bonus and will be investing $1 billion in the United States:
The telecom giant said in a press release on Wednesday that it would give more than 200,000 U.S. union members a special bonus of $1,000. The company also increased its capital expenditures budget by $1 billion in the U.S.
“Congress, working closely with the President, took a monumental step to bring taxes paid by U.S. businesses in line with the rest of the industrialized world,” CEO Randall Stephenson said in a statement. “This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs. In fact, we will increase our U.S. investment and pay a special bonus to our U.S. employees.”
Bancorp announced a new $15 an hour minimum wage for all employees as well as a $1,000 bonus while Wells Fargo announced they will also raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour and will give $400 million in charitable donations next year:
This should be good news for the Democrats because they support a national $15 an hour minimum wage but of course they are silent because they want the government to mandate it instead of leaving it up to companies to determine what they can pay, this takes control away from the Federal government and they do not like it.
Comcast has announced they will give employees a $1,000 bonus and will invest $50 billion in their infrastructure:
Sure this is only four companies at this point but hopefully more will be following soon, this could just be the beginning.
At this point I feel compelled to mention the comments made by Nancy Pelosi, who called this tax cut monumental, brazen theft. She assumes that government money is government money while forgetting that government money is actually the taxpayers’ money taken from the people. Giving some of the money back to the people is not theft of government money, it is simply returning to the people more of the money they rightly earned.
Taxation is theft but somehow the Democrats have convinced their voters that lower taxes is a bad thing.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
Top Republicans call for FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe to be fired
Andrew McCabe was scheduled to testify today in front of the House Intelligence Committee and as far as I know he did, although I have seen nothing reported about this. Even before his testimony some top Republicans were calling for him to be fired. Here is more:
Top Republicans are starting to pressure FBI Director Christopher Wray to can his deputy Andrew McCabe, who was set to testify before the House Intelligence Committee in a closed-door hearing Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley told reporters on Monday: “[McCabe] ought to be replaced. And I’ve said that before and I’ve said it to people who can do it.” Grassley clarified that he didn’t mean President Trump: “Trump ought to stay out of it. I think it’s a Christopher Wray job.”
Rep. Trey Gowdy, (R-SC), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, told Fox News a few days ago that he’d “be a little bit surprised if [McCabe’s] still an employee of the FBI this time next week.”
Andrew McCabe is beginning to feel heat after we found out in a tweet by Peter Strzok that Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, and Lisa Page had a discussion about an “insurance policy” to stop Donald Trump from being elected. Of course that “insurance policy” was likely the Russian dossier.
Here is more:
On Tuesday, Gowdy said the committee was planning to grill McCabe about the “insurance policy” against Trump winning the 2016 election that was referenced by FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok in a text message to his mistress Lisa Page on August 15, 2016.
“That is devastating, and we’re going to explore that at 2:00 p.m. today,” Gowdy told Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer on America’s Newsroom. “Andrew McCabe cuts across every facet of every investigation in 2016 that your viewers are interested in, from Secretary [Hillary] Clinton’s emails to the investigation into the Trump campaign,” he explained.
The text in question certainly makes it look as if the FBI was colluding to stop Donald Trump by using the Russian dossier as an “insurance policy.” At this point it should be remembered the Russian dossier was funded through Fusion GPS by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee and that Fusion GPS hired Christopher Steele, a foreign agent with ties to Russia, to stop Donald Trump.
If this meeting between Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, and Lisa Page in the Deputy Director’s office than he must be fired immediately because it does indeed look like there was collusion in the 2016 election after all.
malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium
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