>The Swamp Today
>Timelines Change.
>Tuesday, July 26, 2022
TY swamptoday anon
For posting this daily in text format.
Good for the archives.
>ICYMI
With timestamp
and linked article
GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley alleges widespread effort in FBI, Justice Dept to downplay negative information about Hunter Biden
By Catherine Herridge
Updated on: July 25, 2022 / 8:04 PM / CBS News
"Highly credible"whistleblowershave come forward to a senior Senate Republican alleging a widespread effort within the FBI to downplay or discredit negative information about President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, according to letters reviewed by CBS News.
"The information provided to my office involves concerns about the FBI's receipt and use of derogatory information relating to Hunter Biden, and the FBI's false portrayal of acquired evidence as disinformation," GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley wrote FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland on July 25. "The volume and consistency of these allegations substantiate their credibility and necessitate this letter."
Grassley, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the whistleblowers alleged that legitimate streams of information and intelligence about the president's son were characterized as likely disinformation or prematurely shut down leading up to the 2020 presidential election.
CBS News first reported in April that more than150 financial transactions involving either Hunter or James Biden's global business affairs were flagged as concerning by U.S. banks for further review. CBS News previously reported the U.S. attorney in Delaware has been investigating potential tax fraud, money laundering and foreign influence peddling.
President Biden has said he has confidence his family did the right thing, and he was not involved in the business dealings of his son and brother.
A spokesperson for Delaware U.S. attorney David Weiss declined to comment on whether he was aware of whistleblower allegations that credible reporting about Hunter Biden was allegedly labeled misinformation by the FBI and whether these allegations had been factored into his probe.
In the correspondence, Grassleycited a 2020 FBI intelligence assessment that was "used by an FBI headquarters team to improperly discredit negative Hunter Biden information as disinformation." He continued, "Based on allegations, verified and verifiable derogatory information on Hunter Biden was falsely labeled as disinformation."
InOctober 2020, one month before the election, "an avenue of derogatory Hunter Biden reporting was ordered closed" by a senior FBI agent at the bureau's Washington Field office. An earlier letter from Grassley identified the agent as Timothy Thibault.
"[T]he allegations provided to my office appear to indicate that there was a scheme in place among certain FBI officials to undermine derogatory information connected to Hunter Biden by falsely suggesting it was disinformation," Grassley claimed.
>and linked article
He said whistleblowers from federal law enforcement came forward to his office after a May 31 letter he had written noted a"pattern of active public partisanship in his then public social media content," in reference to Thibault.
In that May 31 letter, Grassley also accused Thibault of likely violations of "[f]ederal laws, regulations and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) guidelines."
"Whistleblowers have reported to me, that although the FBI and Justice Department maintain policies dictating specific standards requiring substantial factual predication to initiate an investigation, Thibault and other Justice Department and FBI employees failed to comply with these requirements."
The letteralso singled out Justice Department official Richard Pilger,identified as the director of the Election Crimes Branch within the Justice Department's Public Integrity Section, who, along with Thibault, were alleged to be "deeply involved in the decisions to open and pursue this investigation," an apparent reference to a probe recently opened into the Trump campaign.
Grassley told Wray and Garland "the opening memo you approved," included media reporting citing research from a "liberal non-profit" when a full investigation of a political nature requires "a heightened factual basis."
Grassley continued, "In light of these allegations, I remain very concerned that political bias by a select group of Justice Department and FBI officials has infected the Justice Department's and FBI's usual process and procedure to open and pursue high-profile and politically charged investigations."
In addition to requesting records from the FBI and the Justice Department by Aug. 8, Grassley complained about the way the bureau and department are being run.
"Attorney General Garland and Director Wray, simply put, based on the allegations that I've received from numerous whistleblowers, you have systemic and existential problems within your agencies," Grassley wrote. "You have an obligation to the country to take these allegations seriously, immediately investigate."
The FBI said it had received the letters but declined any further comment.
Asked for comment on the letter, Justice Department said it had received the letter, declined to comment further, and did not refer CBS News to any counsel for Pilger.
>Timothy Thibault
Sen. Grassley Demands Probe Into Partisan Social Media Posts by FBI Official
sen chuck grassley speaks with reporters before a vote
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
By Brian Freeman | Wednesday, 01 June 2022 10:49 AM EDT
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Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley is demanding Justice Department records concerning the work history of senior FBI officialTimothy Thibault, as well as an investigation into his actions, after revelations of Thibault's apparent political bias on social media, Grassley's office announced.
Department guidelines forbid employees from even giving the appearance of bias, but Thibault, who oversees often highly sensitive public corruption matters that involve political figures, engaged with and amplified partisan content on social media, sometimes even under the label of his official job title.
Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote to DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz demanding an investigation into Thibault for potential violations of these regulations, according to the Washington Examiner.
Grassley also sent letters to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray that declared a preliminary deadline of June 14 for them to share documents about Thibault,including probes he has supervised since 2015.
Grassley wrote that "his actions present a grave risk of political infection and bias in his official decision-making process, creating serious questions with respect to oversight of investigative matters under his purview," emphasizing that "Thibault's social media postings, comments, and 'likes' … demonstrate a pattern of improper commentary related to, for example, ongoing FBI investigations including those under his purview."
Grassley provided numerous examples of social media posts that he said "call into question Thibault's ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of an FBI agent objectively and without bias. His social media posts require investigation into what, if any, Oversight Department leadership has done to ensure that investigative decisions under his charge have not been infected with a political bias."
The FBI did not comment on Grassley's specific accusations but did say all employees are held to exacting standards.
"Without commenting on any specific personnel matters, all FBI employees are held to the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct," the bureau said in a statement. "Any allegations of misconduct are taken seriously and referred to the Inspection Division."
>Timothy Thibault
> https://web.archive.org/web/20200414035403/https://www.amcham.hu/committee/governance-and-transparency
Governance and Transparency
Mission
Our mission is to improve the governance and transparency as well as boost competitiveness, entrepreneurship and sustainability in the private, non-profit, and public sectors by engaging the next generation of leaders and the trainers of those future leaders.
Overview
The G&T Committee engages leading stakeholders in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including academia, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and other players by promoting best practices in the areas of Governance, Transparency, Integrity, Ethics and Entrepreneurship. This Committee’s major first work is titled AmCham’s Position Brief No. V: Good Corporate Governance as a Pillar of Hungarian National Competitiveness. The G&T Committee has forged a strong partnership with academia and helps provide these educators (at their request) needed content for their classrooms including practical business presentations and discussions, real-life case studies and networking possibilities. This Committee also leads AmCham in its promotion of best practice entrepreneurship (and hence innovation) that is considered a key factor for increasing Hungary’s competitiveness. It seeks to spark the entrepreneurial spirit in future generations, to highlight best practices, and to build a better future generation of leaders in Hungary. This Committee continuously and actively monitors and comments on new government legislation, regulations and policies. It also cooperates with other AmCham Committees and Policy Task Forces, such as finding solutions to the challenges of innovation and creating a more competitive workforce.
Main actvities and achievements 2018
Projects
Academic Engagement – Nearly every year the G&T Committee seeks to reinforce its direct dialogue with academia. Either special workshops are organized with a focus on a specific topic or professors are invited to attend otherwise standing conferences or events. As professors seek content from and partnership with the business community for their classroom, this Committee created regional real world-based case studies that are used to educate the next generation of Hungarian leaders.
Private sector and government engagement –The G&T Committee encourages and facilitates a dialogue on integrity and transparency in both the public and private sectors. The Committee holds an annual conference on integrity issues. This year’s event titled Managing the Fallout: How to Mitigate the Negative Impact of a Scandal had opening remarks delivered by David Cornstein, U.S. Ambassador to Hungary, who lauded the importance of Corporate Compliance experts in advising business leaders.Keynote speakerAngela Crawford, Chair of Litigation for DLA Piper’s Miami office followed. She gave a unique “Eye of the Beholder” perspective of corporate employees engaged in corrupt practices, highlighting how offenders are often surprised at what seemed like “a small price to pay” has rather serious consequences for both the company and the individual.FBI Supervisory Special Agent, Tim Thibault, was also Keynote speaker. He played a significant role in the investigation of former Congressman William J. Jefferson and other individuals and presented a fascinating insider overview of this case. He also shared his thoughts on the social “hidden costs” of corruption including in such high-profile cases. The event also featured a panel discussion.
Board Simulation – Besides our conventional case study we launched a second case study which focuses on an SME scenario. In this case, the debate at this privately held company’s board of directors emphasizes the dilemma faced by a formerly fully family-owned business now having to negotiate its future strategy with a venture capital investor. Family tensions complicate the debate, as do other considerations. This educational program serves as an important pillar of engagement between AmCham and academia. Both simulation cases were created at the request of Hungarian professors who lacked real-life case study teaching tools. The Committee is working on developing further Board Simulation cases with additional scenarios that would prove interesting from Corporate Governance and other standpoints.
Start Your Business – The Start your Business! program seeks to develop a stronger sense of entrepreneurship in Hungary Since its launch in 2012, more than 2,300 students and 13 universities in Hungary, and more abroad, have been reached through this program.
>He played a significant role in the investigation of former Congressman William J. Jefferson and other individuals and presented a fascinating insider overview of this case
Corruption case
Main article: William J. Jefferson corruption case
In the August 2005 raid, cash was found wrapped in aluminum foil and hidden in a box for pie crusts.
In mid-2005, an investor in the Louisville, Kentucky-based IT firm iGate pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and the payment of $400,000 in bribes to a public official — a then-unnamed member of the U.S. House of Representatives[27] later alleged to be Jefferson. In return for these bribes,the public official was alleged to have agreed to persuading the U.S. Army to test iGate's broadband two-way technology and other iGate products; influencing high-ranking officials in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon; and meeting with personnel of the Export-Import Bank of the United States in order to facilitate potential financing for iGate business deals in those countries.[27]
Based on these allegations, the FBI raided Jefferson's Congressional offices in May 2006. On June 4, 2007, a federal grand jury indicted Jefferson on sixteen felony charges related to corruption, including bribery, racketeering, conspiracy, money laundering, obstruction of justice and other offenses.[28] Jefferson was defeated by Republican Joseph Cao on December 6, 2008,[25] and became the most senior Democrat to lose re-election that year.[29]
In 2009, he was tried in Virginia on federal corruption charges.[30] On August 5, 2009, he was found guilty of eleven of the sixteen corruption counts.[31] On November 13, 2009, Jefferson was sentenced to thirteen years, the longest sentence given to a congressman for bribery or any other crime.
On March 26, 2012, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed Jefferson's conviction and sentence on ten of the eleven counts on which he was convicted.[32] The Court of Appeals vacated and remanded the conviction on one count of the indictment, involving alleged wire fraud, holding that venue on that count was improper in the federal court in Virginia.[32]
On April 20, 2012, U.S. District Court judge T. S. Ellis III revoked Jefferson's bail and ordered that he report to prison by May 4, 2012 to begin serving his thirteen-year sentence.[33] He reported as ordered at the BOP facility in Beaumont, Texas.[34] He was scheduled for release on August 30, 2023.[35]
Jefferson owed $5 million in legal fees and filed for bankruptcy.[36] On May 1, 2015, Jefferson was permanently disbarred by the Supreme Court of Louisiana.[37]
In the 2016 US Supreme Court case of McDonnell v. United States, the Court remanded the case to the lower court based on issues with the corruption charges against former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. The Justice Department has since dropped the case and will not prosecute again. Jefferson appealed and U.S. District Judge T. S. Ellis of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia threw out 7 of the most substantive of 10 charges against him on October 5, 2017: dropping convictions for "two counts of soliciting bribes, two counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering."[3]
The judge ordered him released while the government determined the sentence or plans for a retrial.[3] On December 1, the government and Jefferson agreed that (1) given Judge Ellis' ruling dismissing some of the counts, one of the three remaining counts also had to be dismissed; and (2) given the time Jefferson already served in prison as well as the expense involved in continued litigation, the parties agreed that if on resentencing Judge Ellis imposed a sentence of time-served, neither party would take any further appeals from Judge Ellis' decision in which he dismissed most, but not all, of the counts against Jefferson. Judge Ellis subsequently sentenced the former congressman to time served, having spent five and a half years of his initial thirteen-year sentence in federal prison.
FBI warns of COVID-19 vaccine scams
As the United States approach closer to the approval of a Covid-19 vaccination, the FBI is warning Americans of potential vaccine fraud.Timothy Thibault, FBI Washington field officeassistant special agent in charge, told ABC News there could be issues in distributing the vaccine and scammers will use this to their advantage. According to EUROPOL, the European Union’s Law Enforcement arm, in Oct. they found a fake flu vaccine in Mexico and they worry the same will happen with the Covid-19 vaccine. Thibault mentions, bad actors will reach out to people who seem most vulnerable and may take advantage of their desperation to get the vaccine early. Thibault warned no Americans should have to pay for the vaccine and anyone telling them to do so is wrong.
Source: ABC News
> http://www.thebreezepaper.com/news-roundup/2020/12/9/news-roundup-121020
>Corruption case
>Main article: William J. Jefferson corruption case
> https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/pressrel/press-releases/attorney-general-holder-recognizes-department-employees-and-others-for-their-service-at-annual-awards-ceremony
Attorney General Holder Recognizes Department Employees and Others for Their Service at Annual Awards Ceremony
U.S. Department of Justice October 17, 2012
Office of Public Affairs (202) 514-2007/TDD (202)514-1888
WASHINGTON—Attorney General Eric Holder recognizes 282 department employees for their distinguished public service today at the 60th Annual Attorney General’s Awards Ceremony. Fifty-seven other individuals outside the department are also honored for their work. Hcheld at DAR Constitution Hall, this annual ceremony recognizes both department employees and others for their outstanding dedication to carrying out the Department of Justice’s missions.
“This year’s award recipients have made significant contributions across, and far beyond, the Department of Justice and helped to protect the rights, safety, and best interests of the citizens we are privileged to serve,” Attorney General Holder said. “I am grateful for the dedication and passion that these extraordinary public servants bring to their work, and I am honored to count them as colleagues.”
Attorney General Holder and Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole present the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—the department’s highest award for employee performance—to the team responsible for the successful prosecution of 10 New Orleans Police officers convicted of killing innocent civilians in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service is presented to members of the investigative and litigation team responsible for one of the largest police-misconduct cases ever brought by the Department of Justice. The evidence discovered by the prosecution team revealed that shortly after Hurricane Katrina, several New Orleans Police officers used assault rifles and a shotgun to shoot six innocent people on the Danziger Bridge, killing two and seriously wounding four others. In concert with supervisors and homicide investigators, the officers began a stunning cover-up. Ultimately, a jury convicted the defendants.
The 14th and final Distinguished Service Award is presented to team members for their exceptional contributions in connection with the landmark investigation and prosecution of former Congressman William J. Jefferson and his co-conspirators. The investigation, which commenced in March 2005 while Jefferson was a sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, culminated in the prosecution and conviction of Jefferson for bribery, honest services fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, andRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) violations. In November 2009, Jefferson was sentenced to serve 13 years in prison, the longest sentence ever imposed for a current or former member of Congress.
Award recipients include, from the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Hanly, Rebeca Bellows and Mark D. Lytle; Paralegal Crystal Griego; and Technical Assistant Jermaine M. Ragin; from the District of Columbia’s Appellate Division, Chief Roy W. McLeese, III; from the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson and David B. Goodhand; from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Deputy Chief Charles E. Duross and Trial Attorney Amanda Aikman (former); from the Criminal Division’s Appellate Section, Trial Attorney Stephan E. Oestreicher, Jr.; from the FBI, Special Agents John Longmireand Timothy R. Thibault;from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Special Agents Edward S. Cooper (retired) and Daniel T. Gallagher (retired).
The Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Law Enforcement recognizes outstanding professional achievements by law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice. Two Excellence in Law Enforcement Awards are presented this year.