Memo Reading for Nonpartisans

[DCPatriot]

Memo Reading for Nonpartisans
By Kimberley A. Strassel


The White House looks set to release the House Intelligence Committee memo on 2016 government surveillance abuses, which means the attacks on the document by Democrats, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the media are going to get wilder. To help navigate through the spin, here’s a handy guide for what to look for, and what to ignore:

• Rationale. Did the FBI have cause to open a full-blown counterintelligence probe into an active presidential campaign? That’s a breathtakingly consequential and unprecedented action and surely could not be justified without much more than an overheard drunken conversation or an unsourced dossier. What hard evidence did the FBI have?

• Tools and evidence. Government possesses few counterintelligence tools more powerful or frightening than the ability to spy on American citizens. If the FBI obtained permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Trump aide Carter Page based on information from the Christopher Steele dossier, that in itself is a monumental scandal. It means the FBI used a document commissioned by one presidential campaign as a justification to spy on another. Ignore any arguments that the dossier was not a “basis” for the warrant or only used “in part.” If the FBI had to use it in its application, it means it didn’t have enough other evidence to justify surveillance.

Look to see what else the FBI presented to the court as a justification for monitoring, and whether it was manufactured. Mr. Steele and his client, Fusion GPS, ginned up breathless news stories about the dossier’s unverified accusations in September 2016 in order to influence the election. The FBI sometimes presents news articles to the court, but primarily for corroboration of other facts. If the FBI used the conspiracy stories Mr. Steele was spinning as actual justification—evidence—to the court, that’s out of bounds.

• Omissions and misdirection. What else did the FBI tell the court? One would presume the bureau did its due diligence and knew Mr. Steele ultimately worked for the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee. The FISA court puts considerable emphasis on the credibility of sources. Did the FBI inform the court of the Clinton connection? Or did it lean on the claim that the Fusion project was originally funded by Republicans? Such a claim might diminish the partisan stench. But it would also be a falsehood, since the dossier portion of the project was purely funded by Clinton allies. And if the FBI didn’t bother to ask who hired Mr. Steele or Fusion, that’s a scandal all its own.

more at:  http://www.wsj.com/articles/memo-reading-for-nonpartisans-1517530297

[Jazzhead]

Just read this article this morning on the train coming in to work.   Superb piece, that deserves a bump.

Someone described the stakes very well the other day -  the FBI appears to have protected Hillary, and then when her opponent shockingly defeated her,  decided to frame him.   If that's the truth, and I pray it is not, then dismiss the leadership of the whole kit and kaboodle, or acknowledge that the deep state has won. 

[aligncare]

Dan Bongino, former secret service and congressional hopeful, was guest hosting for Levin last night and had a cool way of laying this all out.

Took about an hour and a half, but he detailed every “coincidence” that remarkably happened as things were unfolding and as events started getting away from the principal players. It was a fascinating journey.

I’d venture that no one could have written this story plot into a novel, at least not one set in the United States!

[skeeter]

Dan Bongino, former secret service and congressional hopeful, was guest hosting for Levin last night and had a cool way of laying this all out.

Took about an hour and a half, but he detailed every “coincidence” that remarkably happened as things were unfolding and as events started getting away from the principal players. It was a fascinating journey.

I’d venture that no one could have written this story plot into a novel, at least not one set in the United States!

Agree, he did a great job.

It was impossible to listen to his presentation and not come away with the impression that this is a very very big deal.

[jpsb]

Agree, he did a great job.

It was impossible to listen to his presentation and not come away with the impression that this is a very very big deal.

Yes DOJ/FBI framing a sitting president is a very big deal.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Yes DOJ/FBI framing a sitting president is a very big deal.

Yes, yes it is!

[aligncare]

This memo should crystallize events so much so that even the most partisan of democrats will have to concede.

[LMAO]

This memo should crystallize events so much so that even the most partisan of democrats will have to concede.

You’re quite the optimist

[aligncare]

You’re quite the optimist

Can’t help it, I’m a Trumper. Comes with the territory.  ^-^

[LMAO]

Can’t help it, I’m a Trumper. Comes with the territory.  ^-^

The only way even the most partisan Democrat would concede on this if it became clear that resisting would hurt their election or re-election  chances

Expect a lot of spin, fake outraged, and even some media help  with their cause in the meantime

[massadvj]

I think the use of FISA to secure wiretap authority against political enemies was part of a larger scheme by the Obama administration to utilize all intelligence assets to spy on political enemies.  When you combine this with Valerie Jarrett's unmasking all conversations between Trump operatives and foreign entities, plus the Strzok texts, I don't see how you can conclude anything but that our worst fears about government abuse of surveillance authority have been realized.  And by the very people who were most vociferous in opposing the Patriot Act.

The evidence of systematic politicization of the intelligence community by Obama is way stronger than the evidence of "collusion."  Yet still no outrage from the ACLU or the privacy-obsessed left.  Curious.  Not.

[Bigun]

I think the use of FISA to secure wiretap authority against political enemies was part of a larger scheme by the Obama administration to utilize all intelligence assets to spy on political enemies.  When you combine this with Valerie Jarrett's unmasking all conversations between Trump operatives and foreign entities, plus the Strzok texts, I don't see how you can conclude anything but that our worst fears about government abuse of surveillance authority have been realized.  And by the very people who were most vociferous in opposing the Patriot Act.

The evidence of systematic politicization of the intelligence community by Obama is way stronger than the evidence of "collusion."  Yet still no outrage from the ACLU or the privacy-obsessed left.  Curious.  Not.

@massadvj

Obama politicized EVERYTHING in Washington for political purposes and I think we will eventually find that it was ALL orchestrated straight out of the WH by none other than one Valarie Jarrett.

[truth_seeker]

I think the use of FISA to secure wiretap authority against political enemies was part of a larger scheme by the Obama administration to utilize all intelligence assets to spy on political enemies.  When you combine this with Valerie Jarrett's unmasking all conversations between Trump operatives and foreign entities, plus the Strzok texts, I don't see how you can conclude anything but that our worst fears about government abuse of surveillance authority have been realized.  And by the very people who were most vociferous in opposing the Patriot Act.

The evidence of systematic politicization of the intelligence community by Obama is way stronger than the evidence of "collusion."  Yet still no outrage from the ACLU or the privacy-obsessed left.  Curious.  Not.

--Free Speech Movement UC Berkley in the 1960s, has turned 180 degrees, to suppressed speech on campuses, thanks to the left

--Gleeful release of classified Pentagon Papers, has turned 180 degrees supporting suppression of tis FBI material

The truth is, the left haven't even the slightest political philosophy legs to stand on.

(How supremely ironic, film with Streep and Hanks, about this very topic. Pentagon Papers)

[massadvj]

@massadvj

Obama politicized EVERYTHING in Washington for political purposes and I think we will eventually find that it was ALL orchestrated straight out of the WH by none other than one Valarie Jarrett.

I don't know that we will "find it out" definitively.  I hope so, but I have my doubts.  The deep state protects its own.

It could very well end up a stalemate between Mueller and Trump.  Trump leaves Hillary, Obama and the deep state alone, and Mueller backs off on his investigation.  In that scenario, everything stays hushed up.  By releasing this memo I think Trump is basically letting it be known that he is willing to take everyone else down with him, and that has to be making a lot of Democrats nervous and willing to bargain.  We'll see how it shakes out.

[Bigun]

I don't know that we will "find it out" definitively.  I hope so, but I have my doubts.  The deep state protects its own.

The deep state needs blowing up!

[massadvj]

The deep state needs blowing up!

It does, but Trump is all about the "deal."  He may or may not find it to be in his interest to blow it up.

[INVAR]

It does, but Trump is all about the "deal."  He may or may not find it to be in his interest to blow it up.

And/or be handed an offer he cannot refuse.

Anyone who thinks anything substantial is going to be done about this whole deal, is delusional ignorant about how deep and endemic the corruption goes.

This will not be the last coup attempt made against those the Oligarchy wants to destroy.

These are the death throes a corrupt Republic goes through before succumbing to whatever replaces it.

[Bigun]

And/or be handed an offer he cannot refuse.

Anyone who thinks anything substantial is going to be done about this whole deal, is delusional ignorant about how deep and endemic the corruption goes.

This will not be the last coup attempt made against those the Oligarchy wants to destroy.

These are the death throes a corrupt Republic goes through before succumbing to whatever replaces it.

@INVAR

You may well be right but I PRAY you are not.

[INVAR]

@INVAR

You may well be right but I PRAY you are not.

History is not a kind guide to where we now find ourselves.

In fact, it's downright frightening.

[Sanguine]

Dan Bongino, former secret service and congressional hopeful, was guest hosting for Levin last night and had a cool way of laying this all out.

Took about an hour and a half, but he detailed every “coincidence” that remarkably happened as things were unfolding and as events started getting away from the principal players. It was a fascinating journey.

I’d venture that no one could have written this story plot into a novel, at least not one set in the United States!

I listened to that.  Bongino laid out all the "coinkidinks" very clearly.

[Sanguine]

History is not a kind guide to where we now find ourselves.

In fact, it's downright frightening.

Yes, I'm afraid you are correct.

[aligncare]

Remember me? I’m the optimist and I think Trump is all about protecting America. That means he believes that sunlight is the best disinfectant and that nothing will be swept under the rug, not by Donald Trump in any event.

For a man who has achieved so much, Trump is at a point in his life where his love of country trumps any self interest. He’s not in this for the money. His business has already lost nearly 40 percent in value since he became president.  Now, it’s about giving back to the country that is the greatest experiment in self governance in human history. Trump gets that.

[INVAR]

I really wish you Trump acolytes would give the Trump worship a rest.  It's nauseating and unAmerican.

[Jazzhead]

I really wish you Trump acolytes would give the Trump worship a rest.  It's nauseating and unAmerican.

Oh, shut up.

[INVAR]

Oh, shut up.

You're welcome to attempt to make me shut up.