Joseph Mifsud, Maltese Man of Mystery

Right wing conspiracists are hanging their hat on Joseph Mifsud and I welcome the company! Eric Felten, writing for Real Clear Investigations, leads with the Cong. Jim Jordan questioning about Prof. Mifsud at the Mueller hearing, so let's include that video. From Mr. Felten, excerpting Jordan/Mueller:

“Did you interview Mifsud?”

“Can't get into that.”

“Is Mifsud Western intelligence or Russian intelligence?”

 “Can't get into that.”

That’s an awfully consequential question to be outside the special counsel’s purview, one consequential enough to be worth asking until an answer can be found.

Lee Smith, also writing for Real Clear Investigations, provided lots of background on Mifsud last May 2018. My fave from that article: Mifsud denies being an MI6 "agent", which fans of the genre (but not all legacy journalists) understand is quite different from being an MI6 "asset".

And the latest hook is the failure of Mueller to charge Mifsud with false statements, even though Mueller had no problem indicting unreachable Russians in Lenningrad and other Americans closer to home. Why so shy about the guy whose interactions with Papadopoluos ostensibly triggered Crossfire Hurricane? Who knows? One day Mifsud may be singing a song under the bright Congressional lights and we'll be reading about the Maltese Canary.

But do let me highlight a problem faced by Mueller and noted by Mr. Felten: charging both Papadopoulos and Mifsud with false statements may have been challenging:

Not so, said Mifsud in February 2017 when FBI agents interviewed him in the lobby of a Washington hotel. As Mueller recounted it in his report, Mifsud “denied that he had advance knowledge that Russia was in possession of emails damaging to candidate Clinton, stating that he and Papadopoulos had discussed cybersecurity and hacking as a larger issue and that Papadopoulos must have misunderstood their conversation.” The special counsel blamed Papadopoulos’ dissembling for disabling the FBI agents’ ability to get the goods on Mifsud: “The false information and omissions in Papadopoulos's January 2017 interview undermined investigators' ability to challenge Mifsud when he made these inaccurate statements.”

Maybe Mifsud was telling the truth. After all, the evidence to the contrary is supplied by someone who has done (a very little) time in jail for telling federal officials falsehoods. Which would at least explain why the special counsel did so little to pursue the professor. Having wrung a confession out of Papadopoulos for false statements about Mifsud, the special counsel’s team may have anticipated the difficulty they would face basing accusations against Mifsud on Papadopoulos’ say-so.

 

Comments

[Buckeye]

I don't know what would be worse, Moooch on the ticket, or the GOP Establishment showing up to "help" Trump.

Whatever happened to those plans to buy JOM Island??

[sbwaters]

Do not count Andrew Cuomo out. He is busy polishing his credentials.

[henry]

Another refinery?

CNBC Now @CNBCnow
15m

Developing: Large fire at Exxon Mobil's Baytown, TX facility; no injuries reported at this time.

https://twitter.com/CNBCnow/status/1156605285865349120

[Narciso]

When you've lost jen rubin

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2019/07/wapo_trumphater_dismayed_by_cnns_embarrassing_lack_of_professionalism_and_showmanship_in_debate_coverage.html?fbclid=IwAR1IWb3QjfBEV-YXpUpTdyzpAdHjciLIT6VWkvvcPrqlHXr83YA5nNdILgM#.XUGim6ibzKA.facebook

[rich]

Posted by: Buckeye | July 31, 2019 at 12:51 PM

embrace 'and'?

pretty sure she gets in to protect zero's maladministration and the trash gope will send in assets to sabotage the campaign.

ryan hired crowdstrike ... just let that sink in.

[Tom R]

Marianne Williamson was accidentally correct. The "dark psychic force" is called Progressivism.

https://nypost.com/2019/07/30/new-age-marianne-williamson-is-breakout-winner-of-democratic-debate/

The key problem afflicting America, in Williamson’s view, is a “dark psychic force” that is weaving a racial divide. It is the cause of white nationalism. That racial divide is causing an “emotional imbalance” that is interfering with human thriving. And this betrays the purposes of the founding fathers, who brought America into being to allow us all to have “possibilities.”

[Narciso]

Its grand mal insanity:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/right-on-brigade-exposes-its-own-prejudices-6b3gxvff2

Yes he opened the pandora box years ago.

[henry]

vid at link:

Trump War Room @TrumpWarRoom
4m

Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings in 1999: "This morning I left my community of Baltimore, a DRUG INFESTED area" where people are "walking around like zombies."

https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1156611903231352833

[Buckeye]

ryan hired crowdstrike ... just let that sink in.

I heard that. And the horse he rode in on.

[MissMarple3]

I have been thinking about money ever since I found out about that 16 billion that went to Baltimore and the fact that nobody was tracking finances at HUD.

What if Trump has been paying attention to the money for a long time and knows approximately how much has been stolen? What if he has an idea about how much has been wasted?

I just think he is not one to let excessive waste and fraud continue. Lynn Patton was sure asking pointed questions about where all the money went on Fox a couple of days ago.

How much would the national debt be lessened if all of the waste, thievery, bribery and skimming went away? What about giving Planned Parenthood all that money only to have them "donate" to the politicians who vote for funding them, a sort of kick-back.

I am sure there are all sorts of arrangements like that, not only to do with social issues but arms contracts, construction costs, etc.

Trump can't stand to see things working inefficiently. The ice rink he watched for years without it functioning drove him nuts (that's in The Art of the Deal). The government has probably bugged him for a long time.

I will bet we are into an interesting span of time now. It's very enjoyable to watch.

[Buckeye]

I have been thinking about money ever since I found out about that 16 billion that went to Baltimore and the fact that nobody was tracking finances at HUD.

That was just one year. Been going on year after year, and lots of cities, not just Baltimore.

Your grandkid's tax dollars at work.

[Melinda]

MM-

Forensic audits were announced during his transition, with little coverage. Some caught the news, then, but no one has seen the results as of yet, except what Mulvaney already has covered.

Puerto Rico/Hurricane Maria certainly was an example of budget accounting.

[Narciso]

Tater is scared:
https://mobile.twitter.com/alimhaider/status/1156611907291365376

[Buckeye]

Well we are 30 minutes from the Fed rate announcement supposedly.

If the past is any indication, will probably go over like a fart in church.

[Narciso]

Yes the Oracle must speak or else the kraken will awaken or something

[Buckeye]

Powell is supposed to 'splain it at 2:30

[jimmyk]

More on what I mentioned yesterday, probably behind the paywall:

The revisions show that employee compensation rose 4.5% in 2017 and 5% in 2018—some $4.4 billion and $87.1 billion more than previously reported. The trend has continued into 2019, with compensation increasing $378 billion or 3.4% in the first six months alone. Wages and salaries were revised upward to 5.3% from 3.6% in May year over year. And in June wages and salaries grew at an annual rate of 5.5%, which is a rocking 4.1% after adjusting for inflation.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-99-get-a-bigger-raise-11564529382

They write almost as if people needed to hear this from the government. Presumably Americans know their own situation, and probably were rolling their eyes at the older data that didn't reflect reality.

[Jane]

I'm waiting for the Barr disclosure.

[JohnH]

TK, regarding the variable pool pump, I just had to make the decision when replacing my main pump (the joys of pool ownership). Pretty easy for me based on the length of my pool season in WI, the amount of time I plan to maintain ownership of the house and the large price difference. 16 yrs ago I would have gone with variable if they had been available. I do run my pumps 24/7

For you in CA, I would imagine a longer season and higher electric rates make it a sensible choice.

[Melinda]

Jimmy-

FYI, Canadien PPI dropped to a -9.2% YoY drop. So tariffs are realigning global financial engineering, aside Fedmanship.

[Dave (in MA)]

I don't know anything about variable speed pumps, but my filter is 27 years old and still working fine, but I wish evil thoughts toward whoever invented a tank that requires removing 15 bolts to open it up any time I need to do any work on it.

[henry]

I see a lot of begging for a rate cut.

The Wall Street Journal @WSJ
16m

#WSJWhatsNow: The Fed readies its first interest-rate cut since 2008

[Melinda]

(Industrial Material Price Index)

[clarice]

Surprise:https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/337588/
Attkisson on polling jiggering.

[Melinda]

0.25 cut.

They did it to stay ahead of global deflation.

[henry]

Melinda, they shut down balance sheet reduction early as well.

[Melinda]

Two months early, but it was expected.

[Tom R]

Melinda @ 1:24

Do you have any inside info from whatever it is you do in the finance industry that allows you to give a ballpark estimate to how extensive the corruption in Baltimore is?

What percentage of that $16 billion do you think can be proven via audit that it was properly spent on what it was supposed to get spent on, such as infrastructure?

[Dave (in MA)]

...and the DJIA nosedives.

[Extraneus]

Is that why the markets are yawning?

[jimmyk]

CNBC tries to spin the Fed decision: "The Fed’s credibility is at stake as it looks to cut rates under pressure from a vocal president"

[jimmyk]

Markets are yawning because it was exactly as anticipated, and the statement is a nothingburger.

[henry]

where's the big reveal?

[Melinda]

I took the "global" mention in the opening as "new material".

[Gentlejim]

#twoweeksxinfinity for the big reveal

It’s the same thing I’ve heard from those above me at the pd. “I’m retiring in 2 years.” I heard that from one guy for 8 years, another for 7, and yet another for 5. Two weeks is nothing.

:)

[Captain Hate]

If nothing is declassified today, Joe DiGenova is being badly played by someone.

[D]

CH:
Agreed.
Have you recovered from your wonderful trip to Alaska?

[Porchlight]

They write almost as if people needed to hear this from the government. Presumably Americans know their own situation, and probably were rolling their eyes at the older data that didn't reflect reality.

Everyone knows their own situation, but it can be hard to measure where one is against the broader trends.

For example, if you work in the public sector, your compensation is likely to be fairly well fixed (mine is). And if you changed jobs (hopefully for better pay elsewhere) you can't measure how you might have done if you stayed in the same job.

[Porchlight]

Meant to add this to the 2:40 -

I'm for maximum reporting on all this good news for obvious reasons. Let's face it, most people don't delve beyond the headlines, if the MSM even allows them to see any good news in the headlines.

[Manuel Transmission]

Beer carbs: I have a single data point. A HS/college bud of good Viking stock was always fit up through his mid-20s when he came back to AZ. In his new home he put one of those keg fridges on his screened in back porch. He proceeded to put on about 40 lbs. His fine engineering mind put 2+2 together and he quit all together. Got rid of the extra weight fairly quickly.

[Gentlejim]

if the MSM even allows them to see any good news in the headlines.

Posted by: Porchlight | July 31, 2019 at 02:42 PM

I had no idea Porchlight was a comedienne.

[D]

MT:
Best way to lose weight- eat less. Don’t install a beer frig.

[D]

Porch:
I no longer watch network news or Messnbc or CNN.
Nothing but propaganda media.

[Jane]

Market starting to come back.

[jimmyk]

I took the "global" mention in the opening as "new material".

New but not a surprise. That's been the chatter for a while. I think they don't want our rates to be so far above the rest of the world's.

Porch@2:42, I agree with that, though I've only seen it reported by the WSJ. But people probably know not just their own paychecks but what's going on in their industry or city. NY not doing so well given Cuomo and DeBlasio are in charge, but the flyover country probably better (except Illinois).

[Jane]

Didn't Digenova imply today was going to implicate a bunch of Obamabots? (I don't have Alzheimers but my memory really sucks.) Maybe they are being arrested.

[MissMarple3]

ALERT!!!

https://abc57.com/news/fbi-conducting-investigation-at-south-bend-housing-authority

That would be Mayor Pete Buttigieg's Housing Authority.

[Captain Hate]

maryrose, I'm still in a good mood other than toward United and O'Hare if that's what you mean.

[MissMarple3]

Buzz Patterson‏ @BuzzPatterson · 10m10 minutes ago

Someone just tried to defend the Pelosi CoDel by telling me it was a stop on the way to Ghana. After 35 years of flying all over the world, I can assure you Venice is NOT on the way to Ghana.

[Melinda]

How else can you lunch at Harry's?

Jeez....I thought that was obvious...

[henry]

seems the WH p[icked up jimmyk's point here:

The White House @WhiteHouse
2m

Wages increased 42% MORE during President Trump's first two years in office than they did in 2015 and '16.

"This refutes the claim by liberals that the economy has merely continued on the same trajectory since 2017 as it was before." 👀

West Wing Reads: 45.wh.gov/8V3xFi

[jimmyk]

I agree MM. Even if there's a stopover in Europe it's more likely to be Frankfurt, Rome, London, or Paris than Venice. They must think we're idiots.

[jimmyk]

On the markets: The stock market didn't "tank" until around 2:30, though the Fed announcement was earlier.I'm not sure what caused it to drop, but it's recovered about half of its loss.

[Porchlight]

Biden back out to a 12 point lead per Nate Silver. Tonight's debate should be interesting. I don't think Harris is going to have as easy a time putting ole Joe back on his, um, heels.

[Porchlight]

Sure, jimmyk, broadly speaking I guess most people who are paying attention have a good idea of how their industry is faring.

Then you have my CFP SIL in CA who thinks that the Trump bull market is absurd speculation rather than reflective of any actual economic good news.

Brainwashed is brainwashed, sadly.

[MissMarple3]

The only financial news I saw was P&G having to take an $8 billion on Gilette.

Oh, and the unrest over in Hong Kong.

[MissMarple3]

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/455553-ocasio-cortez-says-marginalized-communities-have-no-choice-but-to-riot

She is a menace. And any publication (including The Hill) is irresponsible for publishing that statement, especially in a headline.

[Buckeye]

I'm not sure what caused it to drop, but it's recovered about half of its loss.

Powell's charming personality:)

[Melinda]

Powell presser comment that no one should look for a new lengthy cycle from the Fed, then the selling Sadz struck.

[Melinda]

Not that any bots would be trading off of the headlines or anything....

[Melinda]

South Bend Housing Authority offices raided, for those scoring at home.

[jimmyk]

Makes sense, Mel, I didn't catch the presser. But yields blipped up too.

[Melinda]

Some Eye-Talian bonehead on CNBC is saying this is all about the $ Index and defending a weak dollar and not accepting alternative views, at the moment. Please return to your regularly scheduled show....

[Pinandpuller]

Who has two thumbs and likes rumors?
👍This Guy👍

@realJeffreyP

RUMOR--In order to get the news out quickly I am reporting it as a rumor because that is what it is at this point. There are several astounding pieces to this story. We received a tip late this afternoon that Nancy Pelosi was spotted dining with a former Mexican elected official this past weekend at the Ristorante Antica Sacrestia in Venice, Italy while on travel using an apparent cover story about a "Ghana/U.S. Army" trip. The report is from a reliable source who is also in disbelief at the news. The news is extraordinary because it appears that Emma Coronel, wife of the recently convicted drug kingpin, Chapo Guzman, posted selfies in Venice on the exact same date and then deleted the selfies a few hours afterwards.

[Pinandpuller]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop taking Melatonin.

[MissMarple3]

With 18,162 votes cast in the Daily Kos poll, the winner of the #DemDebate:
60%-Sanders
28%-Warren
6%-Buttigieg
2%-Williamson
0-1%-everyone else

====================
Grabbed this off Twitter. If Sanders gets the nomination, Trump will eviscerate him.

[Pinandpuller]

I hope George Lucas and Katy Perry sue Marianne Williams over Dark Force.

[MissMarple3]

From new Emerson Poll- Percent of each candidate's supporters making more than $100,000/year:

Buttigieg: 37%
O'Rourke: 30%
Warren: 20%
Biden: 18%
Harris: 18%
Yang: 18%
Sanders: 4%

[Melinda]

Some ZH posts on Jay Powell:

https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1156643343797018625?s=21

https://twitter.com/zerohedge/status/1156641514560348160?s=21

So it’s messy.....

[MissMarple3]

A poll released earlier this month reported Mayor Pete Buttigieg has 0% African-American support. It’ll take more than calling Trump a racist to fix that, writes @wjmcgurn https://t.co/U3HTlK2Mab

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) July 30, 2019

Link goes to a WSJ story.

[Pinandpuller]

Stefan Molyneaux has been trolling millennial feminists about having babies while they are young and careers later. That Sex in the City lady was just looking back at her life and regretting not having kids recently, for instance.

Those bitches are going out of their minds. One of the primary counter arguments they employ after “FU” is “Women are smart, we know about reproduction and our bodies so STFU.”

Really? Why is there still such a thing as abortion, if your so smart?

[MissMarple3]

Melinda,

I am left to conclude Powell doesn't know what he's doing.

[Pinandpuller]

Are the Four Horse Ladies in Venice on their way to Israel?

[Melinda]

I took the presser as mostly not for public digestion and that he's talking past us.

[MissMarple3]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump · 8m8 minutes ago

The Prosecutors who lost the case against SEAL Eddie Gallagher (who I released from solitary confinement so he could fight his case properly), were ridiculously given a Navy Achievement Medal....

....Not only did they lose the case, they had difficulty with respect to information that may have been obtained from opposing lawyers and for giving immunity in a totally incompetent fashion....

....I have directed the Secretary of the Navy Richard Spencer and Chief of Naval Operations John Richardson to immediately withdraw and rescind the awards. I am very happy for Eddie Gallagher and his family!

[Tom R]

Democrats have raised getting dead people to vote for them to an entirely new level.

https://freebeacon.com/politics/tlaib-donor-has-been-dead-for-10-years/

[clarice]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/u-s-has-intel-osama-bin-laden-s-son-heir-n1037236?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

[jimmyk]

I didn't listen to the whole thing, but it seemed to me he was just trying to say that for the moment it's a one-off thing, and they'll monitor over the next seven weeks. I doubt very much they'd raise it back up, because that would be like admitting a mistake. But he's saying the next move, whenever it is, is just as likely to be up or down. I just think that if they move at the next meeting it will be down. Otherwise they'll leave it alone.

[Buckeye]

Powell: "I'll show Trump! How dare he challenge our independence!"

MarketBots: "We know butt hurt when we see it."

[clarice]

https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/31/robert-mueller-defy-court-order-stop-lying-russian-companies/
Time to get him for contempt of court for continuing to peddle against the judge's order that Concord was working with the Russian govt.

[MissMarple3]

https://dailycaller.com/2019/07/31/ben-carson-interview-trump-baltimore-critics-media/

Carson says Trump's critics will come around when they realize he is trying to help the community.

[Extraneus]

I wondered why the Republicans didn't accuse him of contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions. Can I do that if I'm ever called to testify?

"This is one of those areas which I decline to discuss."

[lyle]

Good luck with that, Clarice @ 4:35. As if...

[Tom R]

Dang the Astros just thumped the Red Sox and Yankees at the trade deadline. Getting Greinke to go along with Verlander and Cole is a formidable 1-2-3 punch.

[clarice]

Concord will surely make such a motion to the court, lyle.

[Captain Hate]

Judge Friedrich should come down hard on that goof and make him play the Uncle Leo defense.

[Captain Hate]

Mueller finally getting a legal punishment based on a scam indictment that was expected to be ignored by the accused would be extremely satisfying.

[lyle]

I’m sure you’re right, my dear. But Big Bad Bob is an untouchable. Hence, no contempt charge will be forthcoming.

Now, you’ll have to excuse me, I need to up my anti-cynicism meds at the moment. 😉

[James D.]

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/455553-ocasio-cortez-says-marginalized-communities-have-no-choice-but-to-riot

Well, they could stop electing power-hungry, crooked, race-hustling socialist jackasses to run their cities and represent them in congress. That’s a choice, too.

[jimmyk]

Althouse has been getting royally fisked all day today for her dimwitted defense of Snopes for "fact-checking" the Babylon Bee. Kind of fun to see that train wreck in slow motion.

https://althouse.blogspot.com/2019/07/snopes-however-was-not-content-with.html

[lyle]

make him play the Uncle Leo defense

He’s clearly up to the task, Capt.

[Buckeye]

Trump didn't waste any time pounding Powell.

[Captain Hate]

Outhouse doesn't strike me as a comedy club frequent flyer.

[James D.]

How on Earth did someone as muddleheaded and incoherent as Althouse ever get a job as a law professor?

[jimmyk]

I do give Althouse credit for graciously tolerating all the well-deserved abuse she gets, in contrast to the loon prosecutor, say, or Cahrlse Jhosnon. And as libs go, she's pretty smart about Trump.

[Captain Hate]

She is remarkably tolerant of everyone pointing out when she steps in it.

[Porchlight]

jimmyk, thanks for that Althouse link.

She is deficient in the humor department, more just kinda dumb. She seems actually ignorant of the fact that Ilhan Omar tosses off anti-Semitic slurs on a routine basis.

[lyle]

A belated brava for this gem, Porch:

bovinus ex machina

😂

[MissMarple3]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump · 29m29 minutes ago

What the Market wanted to hear from Jay Powell and the Federal Reserve was that this was the beginning of a lengthy and aggressive rate-cutting cycle which would keep pace with China, The European Union and other countries around the world....

....As usual, Powell let us down, but at least he is ending quantitative tightening, which shouldn’t have started in the first place - no inflation. We are winning anyway, but I am certainly not getting much help from the Federal Reserve!

[Extraneus]

Whenever I see "Note to Snopes: It’s the Babylon Bee, so this is satire — or is it?" at Instapundit, I consider whether I should stop reading Instapundit.