Internal Notes Show Divergence Between Obama, FBI On Whether Russia Helped Trump

Sat, 09/22/2018 - 12:30

Newly released FBI communications from January, 2017 confirm that the Obama administration ignored the FBI's stance on whether Russia tried to help Donald Trump win the 2016 election, and that former FBI agent Peter Strzok was worried that the White House would misconstrue their conclusion, reports The Hill's John Solomon.

On Dec. 10, 2016, the FBI received an inquiry from a reporter about whether the FBI was uncertain about the emerging conclusion that Russia was trying to help Trump win. The reporter intended to report that FBI counterintelligence was “much less emphatic than the CIA about Russia intent.”

Strzok weighed in to help the FBI press office address the reporter’s question, an email that has now captured congressional investigators' fancy because it states clearly the FBI couldn’t distinguish that any one of three possible motives drove Russia’s meddling.

“The specific point I made was we did not have information to differentiate what their ultimate goal was,” Strzok emailed, adding that then-Director James Comey told Senate Intelligence something similar.

“In other words, the activity is one-sided and clear but we can’t say the sole and primary purpose was specifically intended to help someone, hurt someone else or undermine the process. The reality is all three,” he wrote. -The Hill

It's also clear that the FBI's upper echelon was concerned over sharing information with the White House and then-Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, over fears that it might result in political abuse.

“He, like us, is concerned with over sharing. Doesn’t want Clapper giving CR cuts to WH. All political, just shows our hand and potentially makes enemies,” Strzok wrote to FBI lawyer Lisa Page on Jan. 3, 2017, relating a conversation he apparently had with then-Assistant Director William Priestap, the top counterintelligence official in the bureau.

Investigators aren’t certain yet what “CR cuts” refers to. Some, though, think it could be a reference to “classified raw” intelligence, such as the unverified Steele dossier or possible intercepts. Others wonder whether it could refer to budget cuts in a "continuing resolution" though no such budget was pending at the time. Whatever the case, the political distrust of colleagues is clear. “WH,” of course, refers to the White House.

“Yeah, but keep in mind we were going to put that in the doc on Friday, with potentially larger distribution than just the dni,” Page texted back. Strzok answered back, escalating his concerns: “The question is should we, particularly to the entirety of the lame duck usic with partisan axes to grind.” "USIC" is an acronym for the United States Intelligence Community. -The Hill

The FBI's assessment is in stark contrast to the official intelligence assessment from the Obama administration released on January 6, 2017 which declared: "We also assess Putin and the Russian Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him."

What's more, the National Security Agency (NSA) only had "moderate confidence" that Putin was trying to help Trump win, and the House Intelligence Committee concluded that they couldn't validate Putin's intentions either.

In January, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) revealed a "jaw-dropping" email written in May 19 of 2017 from Strzok to his mistress, FBI lawyer Lisa Page - which reads: "You and I both know the odds are nothing. If I thought it was likely, I’d be there no question. I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern that there’s no big there there."

When asked by the DOJ Inspector General what he meant by that, Strzok said that he couldn't be certain that there was a "broad, coordinated effort" to hijack the election.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general asked Strzok shortly before he was fired from the FBI what he meant by that text, and he offered a most insightful answer.

Strzok said he wasn’t certain there was a “broad, coordinated effort” to hijack the election and that the evidence of Trump campaign aides talking about getting Hillary Clinton dirt from Russians might have been just a “bunch of opportunists” talking to heighten their importance.

REAF MORE: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-22/internal-notes-show-divergence-between-obama-fbi-whether-russia-helped-trump

Aught Ohhhhhhhhh

A Path To War? China Cancels US Trade Talks As 'Skirmish' Escalates

Fri, 09/21/2018 - 23:05

Following a surge in Chinese, European, and much of the US equity markets this week amid hopes that the so-called 'trade skirmish' was less 'war-like' than expected, China just dropped an early Saturday morning (local time) tape bomb that is sure to resurrect 'trade war' talk.

After President Trump slapped a fresh round of tariffs on Chinese goods, targeting 10 percent duties on $200 billion of goods; the two camps were scheduled to meet in order to dial back tensions. As we noted earlier in the week, China had 'downgraded' the team with a mid-level delegation from China due to travel to the U.S. capital to pave the way for Vice Premier Liu’s visit.

READ MORE:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-21/path-war-china-cancels-us-trade-talks-skirmish-escalates

China Summons US Ambassador Over Sanctions Scandal

Sat, 09/22/2018 - 12:46

China's foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador on Saturday to lodge an official protest over the sanctions imposed by the United States against a Chinese military organization for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles, state media reported. The announcement came just hours after a Chinese defense ministry spokesman called on the US to "immediately revoke the sanctions or "bear the consequences."

Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang, summoned US Ambassador Terry Branstad and "lodged solemn representations over US sanctions against (the) Chinese military", the Foreign Ministry said in a brief online statement, and added the following:

Zheng Zeguang pointed out that the US action to impose sanctions on Chinese military agency and official on the ground of relevant military cooperation between China and Russia severely violates basic norms governing the international relations. Such mean behavior is a blatant hegemonic act. The China-Russia military cooperation is normal cooperation between two sovereign states, and the US side has no right to interfere. The US act has severely harmed the state-to-state and mil-to-mil relations and affected the cooperation in international and regional affairs between China and the US. The Chinese side will take every necessary measure to firmly safeguard its national interests. We strongly urge the US side to correct its mistake immediately and withdraw so-called sanctions. Otherwise, the US side will have to bear all the consequences.

China's central military commission also summoned an acting military attache at the U.S. embassy on Saturday night over the sanctions. The Chinese side also decided to immediately recall commander Shen Jinlong, who is in the United States for an international maritime force meeting, CCTV reported.

READ MORE: https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-22/china-summons-us-ambassador-over-sanctions-scandal

Guess we're downgrading the war stuff to scandal?

James Woods Suspended From Twitter Over Satirical Meme That Could "Impact An Election"

Sat, 09/22/2018 - 11:30

Outspoken conservative actor James Woods was suspended from posting to Twitter over a two-month-old satirical meme which very clearly parodies a Democratic advertisement campaign. While the actor's tweets are still visible, he is unable to post new content.

The offending tweet from July 20, features three millennial-aged men with "nu-male smiles" and text that reads "We're making a Woman's Vote Worth more by staying home." Above it, Woods writes "Pretty scary that there is a distinct possibility this could be real. Not likely, but in this day and age of absolute liberal insanity, it is at least possible."

According to screenshots provided by an associate of Woods', Twitter directed the actor to delete the post on the grounds that it contained "text and imagery that has the potential to be misleading in a way that could impact an election."

In other words, James Woods, who has approximately 1.72 million followers, was suspended because liberals who don't identify as women might actually take the meme seriously and not vote.

In a statement released through associate Sara Miller, Woods said "You are a coward, @Jack," referring to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. "There is no free speech for Conservatives on @Twitter."

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-22/james-woods-suspended-twitter-over-satirical-meme-could-impact-election

Twitter has a warped sense of humor

>>3139552

Nice!

UPDATE: Christine Ford’s Unhinged Attorney Is Wearing Radical Socialist Power Fist T-Shirt at anti-Trump Protest (VIDEO)

by Jim Hoft September 22, 2018

In the past week anti-Trump activist Christine Ford accused Judge Brett Kavanaugh of groping her over her swimsuit sometime around 36 years ago at an unknown place. The three men she accused of being present during the incident have all vehemently denied her accusations.

Ford picked at least two far left attorneys to represent her and top Democrat advisers helped her plot her strategy to stall the process and smear Judge Kavanaugh.

Ford and her attorneys continue to delay the process in hopes of ending Kavanaugh’s confirmation process. According to Tucker Carlson, Democrats know if they delay the Kavanaugh vote for another week his confirmation process will be over.

Yesterday video was revealed of Ford’s far left Attorney Debra Katz talking to reporters at an anti-Trump rally in Washington DC.

Daily Caller caught the wild-eyed attorney at an anti-Trump White House protest spouting off “resist” garbage to the cameras.

Now this…

If you take a closer look at attorney Katz she is wearing a radical Socialist power fist T-shirt.

Over it. Don't want to hear from the socialist globalist using Kavanaugh to pitch their globalist indoctrination for the low IQ masses

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/09/update-christine-fords-unhinged-attorney-is-wearing-radical-socialist-power-fist-t-shirt-at-anti-trump-protest-video/

Husband: Christine Blasey Ford Had Issues with Not Getting “The Attention or Respect She Felt She Deserved”

by Kristinn Taylor September 22, 2018

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford wanted to flee the country for New Zealand when Judge Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported Saturday. This was based on an interview with her husband Russell Ford. Blasey Ford has made an uncorroborated accusation that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her decades ago at a drunken high school pool party. Kavanaugh denies her charge as do the two other mentioned witnesses.

Russell Ford also told the Post his wife had issues with not getting “the attention or respect she felt she deserved.”

When Donald Trump won his upset presidential victory in 2016, Christine Blasey Ford’s thoughts quickly turned to a name most Americans had never heard of but one that had unsettled her for years: Brett M. Kavanaugh.

She didn’t always get along with her parents because of differing political views,” Russell said. “It was a very male-dominated environment. Everyone was interested in what’s going on with the men, and the women are sidelined, and she didn’t get the attention or respect she felt she deserved. That’s why she was in California, to get away from the D.C. scene.”

In contrast to Blasey Ford’s claim that a hazy uncorroborated accusation of a bad few minutes at a drunken high school party decades ago in which her clothes stayed on and she wasn’t beaten or raped will not allow her to be in the same country or Senate hearing room with Kavanaugh, Juanita Broaddrick managed to stay in the same debate hall in 2016 with Bill Clinton decades after she says–with corroboration–that he brutally raped her.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/09/husband-christine-blasey-ford-had-issues-with-not-getting-the-attention-or-respect-she-felt-she-deserved/

We call a woman like this high maintenance