Collusion Never Dies!

Byron York presents a history of the Trump/Russian collusion charge. Byhis telling it rose during the summer of 2016 from the fog of the Clinton campaign, aided by briefings about the Steele dossier given to Clinton campaign officials.

In the days leading up to the Democratic convention, the Clinton campaign and its allies in the press saw Russia as a potentially valuable weapon for attacking Trump. On July 20, the New York Times' Andrew Rosenthal wrote a column headlined "Is Trump Obsessed With Putin and Russia?" Two days later, Rosenthal's Times colleague Paul Krugman wrote a piece entitled "Donald Trump, the Siberian Candidate" in which he asked, "If elected, would Donald Trump be Vladimir Putin's man in the White House?"

That same day, July 22, Wikileaks released emails from the Democratic National Committee. Two days later, on the 24th, Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook went on television to claim that not only was Russia behind the hack — that was later proven true — but also that the Trump campaign was in league with Russia.

"Donald Trump changed the Republican platform to become what some experts would regard as pro-Russian," Mook told ABC News, referring to a just-published Washington Post story that reported, incorrectly, that Trump aides had weakened the portion of the GOP platform regarding Russia and Ukraine.

"He has praised Vladimir Putin," Mook continued. "It's troubling."

What did Mook know and when did he know it? Steele's info was being passed to him or his team:

According to Russian Roulette, the book by reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn, Steele sent the first installment to Fusion GPS in June 2016. Fusion, in turn, "gave Steele's reports and other research documents to Elias," according to a Washington Post account. And Elias briefed the Clinton campaign.

"We were getting briefings that were put together by the law firm with information," Mook recalled in an interview with CNN in late 2017. "So our internal team was presenting information, our lawyer was presenting information, you know, and we — and we sort of learned things in pieces."

So as Clinton and her aides pushed the collusion narrative, with the help of an enthusiastic press, campaign officials were also being briefed on the newest, freshest allegations from Steele.

The problem, of course, was that the allegations were not true. Steele also gave his reports to the FBI, which tried to verify them "line by line," according to former FBI general counsel James Baker. It did not succeed. Nearly three years later, the Mueller report failed to corroborate any of the dossier's serious allegations. It was wrong at best, a fraud at worst.

Hmm, so Team Clinton was peddling false anti-Trump info they had, through cutouts, bought from Russian government sources. Troubling? Troubling!

And what about Steele's information? John Solomon of The Hill has more bombshells:

Multiple witnesses have told Congress that, a week before Trump’s inauguration in January 2017, Britain’s top national security official sent a private communique to the incoming administration, addressing his country’s participation in the counterintelligence probe into the now-debunked Trump-Russia election collusion.

Most significantly, then-British national security adviser Sir Mark Lyall Grant claimed in the memo, hand-delivered to incoming U.S. national security adviser Mike Flynn’s team, that the British government lacked confidence in the credibility of former MI6 spy Christopher Steele’s Russia collusion evidence, according to congressional investigators who interviewed witnesses familiar with the memo.

We should wait patiently for the Inspector General report on this but it certainly seems that Team Clinton and the DoJ were colluding with Russia (based on their use of the term vis a vis Trump) or were duped by the Russians. Certainly, the Russian scheme to spread chaos and confusion exceeded expectations.

 

 

Comments

[Neo]

US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as 'molecules of freedom'

Press release from department said increasing export capacity is 'critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world'

[GUS]

Of course Miss M, Kevin Corke is an UNCLE TOM, who was planted to protect POTUS DJT. How dare a black man upstage the FULL COMMIES and do the job of a JOURNALIST.

[Threadkiller]

Jr still struggling to say Mueller and his dad had a 30 year romance.

Donald Trump Jr.

@DonaldJTrumpJr

1h

Mueller Just Proved His Entire Operation Was A Lawless Political Hit Job thefederalist.com/2019/05/29/mue…

https://thefederalist.com/2019/05/29/mueller-just-proved-his-entire-operation-was-a-political-hit-job-that-trampled-the-rule-of-law

[Narciso79]

Compared to Boehner or Charlie cheetah hes only got a light tint.

[henry]

Get woke, go broke:

step 1:

CNBC @CNBC
1m

Salesforce bans companies that sell certain types of guns from using its software

[Threadkiller]

Turley sees what the rest of us saw:

Nothing in the memos even remotely bars a special counsel from reaching conclusions on the basis of possible criminal charges. Indeed, the memos accept that the Justice Department needs to establish such evidence to preserve a record for possible later charges. That is why Mueller was told by his superiors that there was no policy barring him from finding criminal conduct, only the policy against indicting while the president is in office. Even if you twist the memos to suggest some prohibition to reaching conclusions on criminal conduct, that debate should have ended when his two superiors, the attorney general and deputy attorney general, told him there was no such policy and asked him to reach a conclusion.

His instructions and mandate were crystal clear. His position is even more nonsensical when you look at what he has already done. Mueller declared that “we concluded that we would not reach a determination one way or the other about whether the president committed a crime.” Yet, Mueller contradicted that statement when he declared that “if we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime we would have said so.”

So which is it? Mueller actually did reach a “determination one way or the other” on crimes related to collusion. In his special counsel report, he found that he could “not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.” In effect, Mueller ultimately came across as almost coquettish in his declaration that he would not make a clear finding of a possible crime but could not rule out criminal conduct by the president.

https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/446103-robert-mueller-no-questions-routine-is-absolute-nonsense

[Manuel Transmission]

Enjoyed the hell out of Leon. Saw him a couple times in Cowlumbus as well as at a nearly private session at our little community theater. Never took himself too seriously. Rumor had it that if you wanted him for a gig, there was some bar in Toronto that he had a seat at where the barkeep would hand him the phone.

[Porchlight]

That's pretty clear coming from Turley. Thanks TK for the link.

[Jane]

Exactly Fdcol63!

[Threadkiller]

You bet, Porch.

BTW, I apologize to you that my interactions with TomR have made this place an uncomfortable place to be. I am ignoring him now and I think that will be a big help.

Hope to see you here more. :-)

[henry]

In the weeks leading up to her 103rd birthday, a South Carolina woman recently offered her advice on living a long life: "Have a beer."

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/102-year-old-woman-says-drinking-beer-is-the-secret-to-longevity

[Sandy Daze]

I'm still in the camp that sez AG Barr is a high-quality draft choice by DJT.

Regarding the Horowitz & Huber reports, DeGenova said one day last week, just after DJT grated Mr Barr declassification authority, that the reason why, was because Wray, Coates, and to a lesser degree, Haspell, were all stonewalling any release of information. Huber's report, if released now, would be quickly overtaken by Barr's declassification, which will begin soon.

DeGenova said that Barr asked 45 for the authority to declassify, saying without such authority, he would not be able to get the information, and the Huber & Horowicz reports would be very incomplete.

Now, what do I know? I can only, for the most part, trust the comments of those I have learned to trust, based upon their history of credible reporting. In this case I trust DeGinova, and hence, I find and accept his explanation as plausible. Until such time I learn that DeGinova is a swamper (and I don't think he is), I will accept what he says.

DiGinova said to expect Huber's/Horowict's reports in about a month, which to my imperfect calculus is about the middle, end of June.

Barr has not yet disappointed me. I thought his handling of the SC report was well done.

What Mueller did yesterday, when you add it all up, at the end of the day, it must be said, was not a whole helluva lot. House dems are jumping up and down. What's new?

[Sandy Daze]

TK re your 300926 from the previous thread, and your 301236 a few posts above, permit me to say:

THANK YOU BIGLY

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
13m13 minutes ago

Very sad to hear the news on the passing of my friend, Senator Thad Cochran. He was a real Senator with incredible values - even flew back to Senate from Mississippi for important Healthcare Vote when he was desperately ill. Thad never let our Country (or me) down!

[Manuel Transmission]

Per Dave’ post that Leon was 127, here’s a link to his obit in Variety:

https://variety.com/2019/music/news/singer-leon-redbone-dies-at-69-1203229012/

As I said, he never took his own self too seriously.

[Sandy Daze]

BTW - while my fingers are unconstrained by any ongoing investigations (acknowledged or under seal),

I used the "Contact The Whitehouse" form yesterday to recommend

1. Coates be fired

2. Admiral Mike Rogers be hired as DCI
&
3. To express continued appreciation etc & etc

I know such notes probably going to a spam folder somewhere, but I felt better having done so.

MAGA

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump

If you can't right click:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D71BWgGWsAAKs4K.jpg

[Sandy Daze]

Just in case you have something to pass along:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
17m17 minutes ago

Just arrived in Colorado. Getting ready to deliver the commencement speech at the Air Force Academy graduation. Very exciting - probably will be broadcast live on TV. They want good ratings!

[Threadkiller]

My pleasure, Sandy.

[MissMarple2]

I thought that tweet I posted earlier was just a guy joking around. There realy is a new Rambo movie coming out in September. Trailer attached at the link.

Rambo contemplates his past to the tune of Old Town Road in the brand new trailer for Rambo: Last Blood. Watch it here: pic.twitter.com/vAiohuQDFW

— IGN (@IGN) May 30, 2019

[Dave (in MA)]

I'm so old, I remember the jokes in the '80s about them still making Rambo and Rocky sequels in the '90s.

[MissMarple2]

Dave,

Me too! That's why I was gobsmacked to see that trailer!

[henry]

so does Rambo do a sex change on himself this time?

[MissMarple2]

What looks to me like some important FISA stuff in this thread. Rulings by a judge, etc.

https://twitter.com/annvandersteel/status/1134138804959350784

[Dave (in MA)]

Sandy Daze | May 30, 2019 at 12:46 PM, there's no more flag@whitehouse.gov any more for reporting anything "fishy" (aka anything counter to Zippy regime propaganda)?

[hrtshpdbox]

Porch, any male employee who is divorced and who sought and won primary custodian rights. And that happens quite a bit.

[MissMarple2]

https://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2019/05/30/boo-and-yah-dennis-miller-has-the-perfect-question-and-answer-for-mueller-if-he-had-allowed-any-questions/

[Porchlight]

Thank you TK. :)

[GUS]

To all concerned. I agree with TK and numerous regulars here. My involvement with the TOM R, ruckus is my own fault and I'm finished being part of it. So sorry.

[Porchlight]

hrt, yes, but typically a parent seeks parental leave (unless there is a medical situation) when a child is born, which makes it less likely to be the guy doing the primary care.

After that, employees tend to use sick time/vacation days to care for kids, not parental leave. Unless I'm reading it wrong. How can they legally deny FML anyway?

[Dave (in MA)]

Sky Penis Update:
https://twitter.com/Oriana0214/status/1134136783258771456

[MissMarple2]

https://www.bizpacreview.com/2019/05/30/turns-out-journo-who-claimed-uss-john-mccain-was-covered-during-trump-trip-has-history-of-dubious-reporting-759986

[Rocco]

DiGenova on Huber, it's not good! Video at bottom of page.

Joe DiGenova, Former US Attorney, came out swinging against US Attorney John Huber claiming the investigation Huber is supposed to be conducting is a farce. Huber is supposed to be looking into Uranium One, an investigation that DiGenova is tied into because he represents a major player who has whistleblower information but Huber hasn’t even contacted him, which has Joe angry.

https://www.waynedupree.com/former-us-attorney-di-genova-rips-huber-hes-a-useless-appendage-whos-done-nothing/

[Porchlight]

I do see how JPM could have "fostered a culture" (in modern parlance) where men taking sick/vacation time for child care is routinely discouraged. Just not sure if "parental leave" in the tweet equals sick/vacation time.

[Tom R]

More global money laundering stuff from the organization that published the Panama Papers.

https://twitter.com/icijorg/status/1133870680120995843?s=21

[Tom R]

And another one

https://twitter.com/willfitzgibbon/status/1133722998534483969?s=21

[Tom R]

And a third one that has connections to the Clinton Foundation and Justin Trudeau.

https://twitter.com/dawsonsfield/status/1134134740775297025?s=21

[Threadkiller]

Eric Trump retweeted Lou Dobbs

@LouDobbs

17h

#DTS– @EricTrump: Mueller did a tremendous amount to divide this country. It wouldn’t take anybody 2 & a half years to say there is no collusion & obstruction. Our country is doing well on every front under @POTUS. All the Dimms can do is to put a clown show. #MAGA #Dobbs pic.twitter.com/ucftdu8pMf

[henry]

That's a no, make it a county of Maryland. next.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/house-to-hold-statehood-hearings-for-democratic-stranglehold-washington-d-c/

[Porchlight]

Thank you, GUS. :)

[Extraneus]

Hillary Clinton Jokingly Refers to Herself as “Madam President” During NYC Commencement Speech

“There may not be tanks in our streets, but make no mistake we are witnessing an assault on the rule of law.”

[MissMarple2]

Ben Owen
‏ @hrkbenowen

In Mueller's report he had a footnote on page 80, 81 saying Trump did not refund him $15,000 when he no longer used Trump's country club.

Does this seem petty to you?

Please RT.
==========================
Anyone know if this is true? Is this the business dealing Trump spoke about this morning?

[GUS]

No way ROCCO, I've been assured by "someone", that HUBER was THE MAN and that the end was near on a number of fronts. Seems all this "investigation" stuff is costly and never accomplishes anything.

[MissMarple2]

https://nypost.com/2019/05/29/jean-speedos-are-here-to-ruin-summer/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow

[Extraneus]

Here's the report in searchable format. There are no such footnotes on either of those pages, nor any reference to "country club."

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/04/18/us/politics/mueller-report-document.html

[Buckeye]

MM

I have heard the $15K membership fee discussed before.

Private clubs vary in the rules as it relates to membership fees, so without knowing the particulars of this club, no idea if Mueller got screwed.

Regardless, I can see Mueller pissing and moaning about it, and holding a grudge.

[henry]

It's a narrative now.

PJ Media @PJMedia_com
9m

Bill O'Reilly: Trump Called Me, Shared Mueller's $15,000 Golf Club Grudge

https://twitter.com/PJMedia_com/status/1134150094415118336

[Tom R]

Anyone hear about what’s going on with Andrew Gillum?

https://twitter.com/dawsonsfield/status/1134146347463000065?s=21

https://twitter.com/dawsonsfield/status/1134147322785517573?s=21

[Jane]

MM- re: the kid on AGT. Fox News at 6:00 actually showed part of that last night. I watched the whole thing just now and shed some tears.

[MissMarple2]

Thanks, guys!

So, it is a story but no footnote.

Appreciate the information!

[hrtshpdbox]

Porch, you're right, I wasn't considering it that way. I know when I worked at Amazon, which is non-union, males could take a certain number of weeks "maternity leave" if their spouse had a baby, and if both parents were employees they could split up the maternity leave however they chose.

[Porchlight]

I read awhile back that Mueller spent quite a lot of time and effort trying to get that money back, with no success. Pre-dating Trump's election. That was part of the conflict of interest Trump described (the other part was Mueller's desire for the FBI job he didn't get).

[hrtshpdbox]

“There may not be tanks in our streets, but make no mistake we are witnessing an assault on the rule of law.”
At which point a tank turned the corner and mowed Mrs. Clinton down.

[Threadkiller]

MM, about an hour ago Limbaugh said something about that being a footnote.

Who knows where the rumor started.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Initiation fees are very frequently NOT refundable. The monthly dues are due and payable at the beginning of the month and are generally not prorated and require 30 day notice to terminate membership.

At least around here for big and small CC.

Initiation fees are generally used for capital improvements v monthly fees for operating expenses.

[hrtshpdbox]

Miss Marple, the fees from the golf club is old news, but what I learned today is that (if I understood Rush right) Mueller joined the club in 1994, paid a 15k greens fee, resigned from the club in 2011 because he was moving from the area, and in his resignation letter asked for a refund from that fee paid 17 years prior. And was told he'd be put on a "waiting list to be refunded", from which I guess he never received anything. Anyway, that's how I understood Rush as I was driving around town.

[Jane]

That's what I heard too hrtshpdbox.

[Threadkiller]

According to this, the footnote can be found on pages 80 and 81:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/18/politics/mueller-trump-golf-club/index.html

[GUS]

Pooooooooor Boooooby Mueller, has to exist in the world of the unwashed non-government employed citizens too??? I found a can soup....CAMPBELLS in fact. It had expired 8 years ago. I brought it back to KROGER, and they refused to give me CASH.
Dear Booooby Mueller, can you give me advice???

[MissMarple2]

hrtshpdbox,

How could you ask for a refund for a fee paid 17 years before? I wouldn't have the nerve to do that.

[Tom R]

Lot of chatter going around about LTG Flynn lately.

https://twitter.com/knowita47918362/status/1134129426390835201?s=21

Last night Jon Solomon reported the Brit’s counterpart to National Security Advisor warned LTG Flynn about their concerns with the Steele dossier a few days prior to Trump taking office. That is new information.

[Extraneus]

My bad. It's there, p.80 in volume II.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyU1kfP7MJo

President at AF Academy, just getting ready to speak.

[henry]

That footnote is real? What a jerk.

[GUS]

But he seems like such a nice man. White hat and all.
HEY!!! Is this part of 5-D??? Now I get it, this was all planned back in 94.

[hrtshpdbox]

Miss M, I don't know how it would work (I've no experience at all in terms of golfing or country clubs).

[MissMarple2]

Extraneus,

Thanks for finding it! Wow!

[hrtshpdbox]

henry, I'm not sure how much coverage it gets, but it's in there - Mueller talks about Trump's call-out to Russia to find Hillary's emails as if Trump was serious. A humorless jerk.

[MissMarple2]

This morning President Trump said one of his greatest accomplishments will be revealing all of the corruption. I think so, myself.

[MissMarple2]

The President just said he will shake every single hand of the graduating class (which is about 1000).

HUGE cheer went up!

[hrtshpdbox]

Jane, hasn't Rush been great lately?

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--“There may not be tanks in our streets, but make no mistake we are witnessing an assault on the rule of law.”--

We're witnessing the law finally beginning to stir itself after it's been assaulted by the rule of men [and hideous, bloat-faced, cackling witches].

[Threadkiller]

Limbaugh is talking about this from Jon Solomon right now:

https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/446050-did-brits-warn-about-steeles-credibility-before-muellers-probe-congress

[hrtshpdbox]

Here's a searchable Mueller report, it's probably been posted here before:

https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=5955997-Muellerreport

[Sidwhite]

I just read the transcript of Mueller’s statement. I think we may be seeing a Clinton parsing craft. There are two different sentences that Mueller does not specifically tie together but everyone else (including FOX, MSM, JOM, and yours truly) have interconnected. He said that he reached no conclusion on obstruction. (Period) He then references statements in his report discussing the DOJ no indictment of president rule, (…and completely butchers it by incorrectly saying is in the constitution?)

The joint statement with Barr says there is no inconsistency in Bars testimony and his statement. The ONLY way that jives would be that the statemet of no decision on obstruction is not specifically tied to the no indictment of President rule.

Doubt Barr would publicly say that Mueller statements are "misleading"?

[Extraneus]

A humorless jerk.

More likely another dishonest hack who knew it was a joke but pretended not to.

[James D.]

Can someone explain modern technology and procurement of big-ticket military items to me?

A U.S. shipyard has cut first steel for the first in a new class of nuclear-powered ballistic missiles submarines. Huntington Ingalls Industries has begun construction of USS Columbia, lead ship of the class set to enter service in 2031.

It's now 2019. The submarine won't set sail until 2031 - 12 years from now.

Why on Earth should it take 12 years to build a submarine, even the first one of a new class?

We went from not being able to get a rocket off the launchpad in 1957, to Apollo XI in 12 years. Why can we not build a slightly better version of something that we've already got 50+ years working with, in less time than that?

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Trump: "It was a joke. Don't get your panties in a wad."

Meuller: "I don't get it." Walks off adjusting his tightie whities.

[hrtshpdbox]

LOL

[Threadkiller]

Jonathan Turley

@JonathanTurley

2h

The very first and purportedly only press conference by special counsel Robert Mueller had the feeling of a Mount Sinai moment for Washington this week. Indeed, his message seemed to be the same as that of Moses, which is have faith and do not question. thehill.com/opinion/judici…

[Narciso79]

In the event the earth ends before then, James d.

[Captain Hate]

Turley seems very pissed off at what Mueller's done.

[Narciso79]

I cant figure out why:

https://news.usni.org/2018/11/08/columbia-class-program-upping-oversight-of-vendors-components-to-stave-off-further-delays

[Threadkiller]

Indeed, CH.

[MissMarple2]

Captain Hate,

If so, I agree with Turley.

Meanwhile, someone at the AF Academy yelled "Four more years!" to the President, the Class of 2019 made him an honorary member, they are presenting him the Distinguished American Award, and they gave him a painting of planes flying over the Academy. (Couldn't see it too well.)

[Threadkiller]

Conflicted:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/william-barr-interview-attorney-general-says-mueller-couldve-decided-whether-trump-obstructed-justice-exclusive/

[MissMarple2]

I didn't know we had foreign students at the Air Force Academy.

[Threadkiller]

Is the sound on Limbaugh's show goofy for anyone else? It keeps clipping.

[henry]

This makes no sense to me.

CNBC @CNBC
58s

KFC is considering plant-based fried chicken but has no plans to test right now

[Narciso79]

Its soylent green and you know what thats made of,

[jimmyk]

Another bit of obnoxious BS in Mueller's presser that I haven't seen anyone mention is his claim that the Russian interference was designed to hurt "one candidate." He said that rather pointedly, and though he didn't specifically say Hillary, it was obvious what he meant. But I thought it has been pretty clear that whatever the Russians did it was not solely directed at hurting Hillary. That's on top of the fact that it had zero impact on anything.

[henry]

jimmyk, also Mueller's rat pack never examined the server (neither did FBI), so they have no actual evidence that the Russians were involved.

[Extraneus]

Havent you ever seen a chicken plant?

http://wpit.cachefly.net/tgp/2017/10/chicken-patties-vegan-food.jpg

[jimmyk]

To clarify, Mueller stated: "The releases [of private information] were designed and timed to interfere with our election and to damage a presidential candidate." He also repeated the assertions that the Russians were behind the Wikileaks material, which as far as I'm aware has never been demonstrated (given that the DNC servers were not inspected by the FBI).

[Narciso79]

No they dont, its like schrodingers evidence locker

[jimmyk]

henry and I are on the same wavelength.

[henry]

Ext, yes.

[jimmyk]

Questions that would have been asked of Mueller had he allowed them (and had there been any actual journalists as opposed to Dem shills):

1. Haven't you just violated, in this statement and your report, DoJ policy against casting aspersions on anyone not charged with a crime?

2. Weren't some of the ads paid for by the Russians designed to hurt Trump

3. How do you know the Russians were involved with the leaks of the DNC material when neither your team nor the FBI was able to examine the DNC server?

4. What kind of petty punk would ask for a refund of initiation fees to a country club after 17 years of membership?

And so on.

[Narciso79]

The concord catering case was based upon the crowdstrike attributions which were source for the report,