Not The Bombshell I Was Waiting For

The NY Times sneak previews the long awaited IG report investigating the investigators. If we can believe the Times - IF! - there will not be fireworks:

Russia Inquiry Review Is Said to Criticize F.B.I. but Rebuff Claims of Biased Acts

A watchdog report will portray the pursuit of a wiretap of an ex-Trump adviser as sloppy, but it also debunks some accusations by Trump allies of F.B.I. wrongdoing.

WASHINGTON — A highly anticipated report by the Justice Department’s inspector general is expected to sharply criticize lower-level F.B.I. officials as well as bureau leaders involved in the early stages of the Trump-Russia investigation, but to absolve the top ranks of abusing their powers out of bias against President Trump, according to people briefed on a draft.

However!

More broadly, Mr. Horowitz’s report, to be made public on Dec. 9, portrays the overall effort to seek the wiretap order and its renewals as sloppy and unprofessional, according to the people familiar with it. He will also sharply criticize as careless one of the F.B.I. case agents in New York handling the matter and say that the bureau and the Justice Department displayed poor coordination during the investigation, they said.

At the same time, however, the report debunks a series of conspiracy theories and insinuations about the F.B.I. that Mr. Trump and his allies have put forward over the past two years, the people said, though they cautioned that the report is not complete. The New York Times has not reviewed the draft, which could contain other significant findings.

Hmm. Their source may well be a Resistance figure providing a generous gloss on this. I guess we see soon enough.

Comments

[Threadkiller]

Kabuki

[Narciso]

Just more trash:

https://mobile.twitter.com/seanmdav/status/1198095482905661440

[jimmyk]

I'm willing to wait for the actual report rather than take the NYT spin. But I do fear it will be a letdown.

[lurkersusie]

Covering his bases

Catherine Herridge
@CBS_Herridge
·
1h
The whistleblower reached out in October to the intel community internal watchdog to explain his or her contact with Schiff's staff, CBS News has learned.

https://cbsnews.com/news/trump-im

[Captain Hate]

Why expect the unfree press to stop lying?

[Dave (in MA)]

Modified limited hangout.

I'm sure it'll be a letdown, just like when Lois Lerner was found in contempt, but was allowed to announce that she was resigning to spend more time with her pension. Some low level schmucks might get some minor charges, but nothing along the lines of what the 4Ders are hoping for.

[Narciso]

Its like a mirror universe, they dial any inperfection on the right to elevwnry ans do their to cloud any impropriety from the deep atate

Fiona is actually proud we didnt send weapons to kraine but then she goes all soanish inquisirion ona two week delay.

[Narciso]

You saw alittle glimpse of the hatchet job the dem ig did on the va about a month back, and what the truth was.

[Dave (in MA)]

nonoay exoects the soanish inquisirion!

[Captain Hate]

I haven't listened to this in years

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i8O9khOFpTs

Nytol

[Threadkiller]

Hahahaha! Dave!!

[jim nj]

Thanks, DrJ, I didn't see a notice of a new thread, I'll bring over some of my willowed stuff.

[jim nj]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-pentagon-microsoft/amazon-files-lawsuit-contesting-pentagons-10-billion-cloud-contract-to-microsoft-idUSKBN1XX00M

The fight is on and of course Amazon will claim that Trump interfered in the award process.

https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-ny-summit-competitors-microsoft-google-2019-11

Amazon reportedly restricted partners at its New York conference from mentioning competitors like Microsoft and Google

That's not very friendly.

Posted by: jim nj | November 22, 2019 at 11:42 PM

[jim nj]

This is a truly bizarre story:

https://www.stripes.com/news/us/navy-veteran-found-in-his-dallas-area-apartment-had-been-dead-for-three-years-1.608206

First thing I thought of was didn't they notice he wasn't paying his rent? It was auto-paid tied to his bank account that received his retiremnent pay.

Posted by: jim nj | November 23, 2019 at 12:56 AM

[jim nj]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lebanon-protests-hezbollah/hezbollah-accuses-u-s-of-meddling-in-lebanons-crisis-idUSKBN1XW1YO

Yes, it's all our fault. Hezbollah had nothing to do with it.

https://time.com/5737584/trump-administration-military-aid-lebanon/

Trump Administration Withholding Over $100 Million of Military Aid to Lebanon

And the deep state can't understand why Trump won't do what they want.

"It came up in impeachment testimony by David Hale, the No. 3 official in the State Department, according to a transcript of the closed-door hearing released this week. He described growing consternation among diplomats as the administration would neither release the aid nor provide an explanation for the hold. “People started asking: What’s the problem?” Hale told the impeachment investigators."

Posted by: jim nj | November 23, 2019 at 02:02 AM

[jim nj]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/with-dollars-running-low-in-lebanon-atms-are-spitting-back-bank-cards-and-locals-are-panicking/2019/11/22/eb74eca4-0a22-11ea-8054-289aef6e38a3_story.html

Lebanon has a "dollarized" economy. US dollars are no longer flooding into the economy for many reasons. Hezbollah and the attitude of many ME nations toward them is part of it.

In the past a bail-out would have been forthcoming from SA or the UAE, but not now.

At this point anything that bolsters Lebanon, bolsters Hezbollah.

This is warfare by other means.

Posted by: jim nj | November 23, 2019 at 02:19 AM

[jim nj]

via Insty

https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2019/11/22/salvation-army-lgbt-backlash-poverty-gay-marriage-column/4269694002/

Salvation Army commander: Yes, we are faith-based charity. But we serve and love everyone.
Regardless of sexual or gender identity, we love and welcome all — the programs we offer prove it. Hate and misinformation puts that support at risk.

I remember after every hurricane that the Salvation Army provided better care at less administrative cost than the Red Cross.

The Red Cross always held back "dedicated" money for the next crisis, not the one the money was donated for.

[jim nj]

I mean, really, how much does the lbgtQwerty community contribute to worthy causes instead of self-promotion.

I mean their protests might make sense, but how many homeless shelters do they fund that will take in anybody, not just the anointed?

[jim nj]

The Red Cross vs. Salvation Army war has been going on since WWII. Most of the GI's who could testify are gone by now. The legacy is well known.

I'm not a fan of the Red Cross. When Hurricane Sandy hit NJ they were jolly on the spot with dinky useless blankets imprinted with their logo multiple times. Nobody needed them, but as souvenirs they had minor value.

T-shirts would have been better. "I got this Red Cross T-shirt when they had nothing else useful to me."

[jim nj]

also from Insty, with a warped sense of humor:

https://newwesthavens.com/2019/11/18/the-hordes-of-the-invisible/

Seattle.

[jim nj]

https://pjmedia.com/trending/expect-more-states-to-protect-kids-from-experimental-transgender-drugs-in-2020/

Aren't all these drugs off-label, meaning they haven't been tested for this usage?

[Pinandpuller]

Goats Mad:

@bretweinstein

Looks like Jesus is unironically trending. That's nuts. The jokes write themselves. Is there a competing hashtag for heretics?

If you want to assert Jesus’ importance as a moral philosopher, consider abandoning the magical claims. Those ideas are at cross-purposes in the 21st century.

Faith serves a purpose. Having one particular faith trend triumphantly on Twitter is not going to lead anywhere good.

It reinforces a dead-end. God is not looking out for us. We need to do that, and we’re doing a terrible job relative to the long term.

It would be very different if the hashtag had been “#JesusWasACoolDude” or something. What I saw trending proclaimed “#JesusistheSonofGod” or some other nonsense shibboleth that puts most of the world in an awkward spot. Golden-Rule vs. Onward-Christian-Soldier. See the problem?

[Pinandpuller]

The Red Cross will give you a cookie if you donate blood but they are terrible at keeping track of inventory.

[hoyden]

Jeez...just when you're in the kitchen getting your second cuppa and some breakfast chili,

THE WEEK IN PICTURES: NATURAL GAS EDITION

[hoyden]

There's more than a few good ones.

[hoyden]

The child nails it.

[hoyden]

Bet you can't post just one.

[hoyden]

What would Martha Stuart say?

[hoyden]

Asking the questions Liberals won't ask.

[hoyden]

Some folks are too clever by half.

[JimNorCal]

Don't any of you people sleep? :) :)

[hoyden]

Jim, I sleep between about 8 pm and 2 am. Haven't set an alarm clock in about 20 years.

jim nj, I read your link to the sailor dead in his apartment for 3 years. I'd put my over/under at between 24 hours and 3 days.

Today portends to be a pleasant intersection of good weather, trap shooting, and maybe some quality time with Athena.

[hoyden]

Today's life lesson: you can eat chili out of the cup you ate ice cream the night before but not visa versa.

[Buckeye]

The hottie with a gun picture was a let down today.

She is clearly already taken:)

[James D.]

I mean, really, how much does the lbgtQwerty community contribute to worthy causes instead of self-promotion.

Nothing. They contribute nothing to any worthwhile causes.

(Not individual gay people, who can be as generous or as miserly as any straight person, but the LGBTblahblahblaj grievance industry, which does nothing good except for the bank accounts of its leaders)

[James D.]

Pin @ 5:28

Wow, that guy is a first class asshole, isn’t he?

[Another Bob]

James, Pin, that’s your leader of the Intellectual Dark Web.

Completely overthinking his condescension.

[Another Bob]

Top on twitter asks interesting questions:

Where did The Squad disappear to?

Where did the immigrant caravans disappear to?

[KevlarKid]

Ordra Barkley and Bucky Barbara Stanwyck!

[Captain Hate]

RIP Gahan Wilson

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/postscript/the-beautifully-macabre-cartoons-of-gahan-wilson?

[MissMarple2]

Good morning!

This should be interesting:

https://www.theage.com.au/national/defecting-chinese-spy-offers-information-trove-to-australian-government-20191122-p53d1l.html

[KevlarKid]

Hot chili is groovy and easy. Even a jellyfish will tell you so. - takeoff on Jimi's classic utterance " Flotation is groovy and easy..."
-Dirty Mert, So. Bend, IN 1974

[KevlarKid]

The Squad has succumbed UTIs brought on by failing to disinfect their "new" DC apartments.

ewww.

[KevlarKid]

RIP indeed CH!

[MissMarple2]

George Papadopoulos
@GeorgePapa19
·
12h
Halper = CIA

Mifsud = CIA

Downer = MI6

The FBI doesn’t operate abroad. All these assets were meeting me in Rome and London. Brennan was running this.

[KevlarKid]

Do atheists hope they're right?

:D

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

DawsonSField@DawsonSField
·
Did Chuck Schumer just out the real Whistleblower?

Chuck Schumer@SenSchumer
· 7h
LTC Alexander Vindman and whistleblowers like him are patriots.

They are standing up for the Constitution they swore an oath to defend.

They don’t deserve these disgraceful attacks, and they must be protected from reprisals.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.conservativereview.com/news/giuliani-claims-us-embassy-william-taylor-blocking-visas-ukrainians-come-blow-schiffs-completely-fraudulent-investigation/

If this is true, someone needs to reign in the State Department.

[KevlarKid]

A media clip featuring Vindman urging his own porky ass out of the hearings i was reminded of Wile E. Coyote with that unexloded ACME rocket penetrating his dorsal region following the perpetual fail.

Chuck Schumer wags his finger in defense of your honor...what's in your wallet?

[MissMarple2]

https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/lindsay-kornick/2019/11/22/alt-history-series-all-mankind-lauds-feminist-icon

And who is the feminist icon?

Ted Kennedy.

[KevlarKid]

Where is Pompeo in all of this mitchygoss?

[KevlarKid]

Ted Kennedy: The LOIN of the Senate.

[MissMarple2]

Buck Sexton
@BuckSexton
·
Nov 21
Russia invaded eastern Ukraine, picked off Crimea, and shot an airliner out of the sky killing hundreds of civilians *WHILE OBAMA WAS PRESIDENT*

And none of that got 1/1000th of the attention or outrage from the media that Trump’s phone call with Zelensky has.

Seems legit
===========================================

I am pleased to say that Buck's comment here has been retweeted over 17,000 times.

[MissMarple2]

Kev,

I am wondering about Pompeo. too.

[MissMarple2]

https://twitter.com/Deffrow5/status/1198208906771734528

This is a thread looking at something the CIA posted, a picture of their library. I need more coffee to understand all of the comments, but thought some of you folks might find it interesting.

[Captain Hate]

Do atheists hope they're right?

I wish they'd all find out immediately; at least the mouthy ones.

[Another Bob]

Re. Pompeo, yeah his silence seems odd. But I’m not sure what he could say that would do any good.

Wouldn’t any attempt to criticize or punish be seen as “retaliation” or tampering? So stand aside and watch them hang themselves?

[Buckeye]

My bet is Bolton makes Trump's life miserable on purpose, and Pompeo unwillingly.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-releases/judicial-watch-obtains-strzok-page-emails-disputing-hillary-clintons-claim-that-she-never-received-nor-sent-any-material-that-was-marked-classified/

Judicial Watch
🔎
@JudicialWatch
JW obtained DOJ records revealing that after Hillary denied transmitting classified info over her unsecure email system, Peter Strzok emailed FBI officials citing 3 email chains “containing [classified] portion marks in front of paragraphs.”

[MissMarple2]

https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/22/impeachment-charade-proves-its-high-time-to-end-court-deference-to-biased-federal-agencies/

[MissMarple2]

https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/22/how-china-is-slowly-becoming-the-worlds-largest-imperialist-power/

[KevlarKid]

Dint Tillerson torch some Foggy Bottom dead wood prior to his graceless exit? Big Mike's running for Senate.... and then the CIC job in 2024?

[Captain Hate]

That worthless excuse for a Chief Justice, when he isn't sweating bullets about his personal choices for the FISA court being revealed as corrupt, should read that 8:19 to bone up on principles he willfully has forgotten.

[KevlarKid]

Communist China...still operates the Panama Canal...the Sri Lankan port and the formerly British port in Mombasa.... what's the diff between those acquisitions a Hitler's buildup of his Luftwaffe.

How many Western banks are in bed with those cockbags?

[KevlarKid]

so the NYT stating the FBI loya who falsified FISA crap, acted alone squirts baby oil all over the glass prior to IG testimony.

and the NYT focuses on the ridiculous notion of "political bias" and Crossfire Hurricane designs.

it's right there like so much spinach in Lisa Page's lovin chiclets!

[Another Bob]

Re. Pompeo being POTUS, a semi-unrelated thought occurred.

Assuming he wins in 2020 (not slam-dunk IMO), What sort of “coattails” will Trump have in 2024?

[KevlarKid]

Chief Poofter Roberts' credibility circles the drain. A witness in this chitshow now?

Problem drinking yet? Kickin back shots of Hornitos with the mutton-faced Latina...arriba, bitches.

what's the over under on Ruth Cadaver Jinzboyg btw?

[KevlarKid]

depends on POTUS' flexibility, ABob. LOL

[KevlarKid]

Add to that ABob, Trump's ability to cut foreign aid that's being kicked back to Democrat campaigns and Soros backed NGOS... Dems will be hurting. Clinton Family business is drowning 3 years after Trump's win.

[MissMarple2]

Another Bob,

Assuming that we can somehow wrest control of the narrative from the mainstream media, there is an issue that was covered on Tucker Carlson's show last night: student loans.

They are so onerous now that kids are not marrying or able to buy houses. Some are committing suicide over them.

There was a guy interviewed who had been the administrator and resigned, hoping to be appointed the senator from Georgia. He feels that Republicans need to re-do the law, perhaps completely abolish it, because the only ones who are benefiting from it are the colleges and those employed by them.

After listening to him, I think that this is an issue which could be used effectively to both solve a terrible problem and build good will for the practical=type politics of President Trump.

Why should kids sacrifice their futures in order to allow people like Elizabeth Warren to lead cushy life-styles and push their own brand of socialism? Why should kids go into crushing debt in order to get a degree that few employers are interested in? Why should we continue to allow an endless flow of money to colleges and universities from the government=enabled loan system?

I think this needs to be addressed.

[KevlarKid]

All right! Time for my Peloton session. Going for an hour today. It's putting my body, blood, sleep, and a whole lot else thru changes in 10 short days.

Check one out free for 30 days. Best birthday gift since....

[Captain Hate]

What sort of “coattails” will Trump have in 2024?

Depends on whether the RNC decides to listen to the base or the donor class. I'm doing my damndest to make sure people don't forget what happened post Reagan.

[MissMarple2]

Here is someone who knows more than NYT. @MattWhitaker46 knows what's in it and he agrees with @realDonaldTrump.

And he's not buying the validity of the leaks. pic.twitter.com/evIZO8syLE

— OK BOOMER⚙️THE LEAKS ARE REAL THE NEWS IS FAKE[4K] (@BOOMER4K) November 23, 2019

Video at link.

[Narciso]

Good grief, dark web indeed.

[MissMarple2]

Captain Hare, henry,

You guys will enjoy this story and pictures:

https://jonathanturley.org/2019/11/23/minnesota-man-arrested-for-dui-in-car-with-fake-license-plates-made-from-hamms-beer-box/

[MissMarple2]

Sorry, Captain Hate.

[JimNorCal]

Should we expect Horowitz' report to be, relatively, a letdown (Obama appointee, limited focus, narrow powers, etc) but expect AG Barr's followup to include significant indictments (Trump appointee, broad focus, can empanel a grand jury ...)?

If Barr indicts some should we expect that's it? Or will there be a roll up to higher placed offenders as plea deals are cut?

Surber: "no excitement without indictment", yes, seems right. But fun to speculate from time to time.

[henry]

Those fake license plates... that is a definite challenge to Florida man.

[James D.]

How many Western banks are in bed with those cockbags?

All of them?

[James D.]

MM @ 9:06

I’ve said it before. President Trump and the GOP should steal the issue.

Cancel all existing federal student debt immediately. End all federal involvement In student loans immediately. Tax university and nonprofit and foundation endowments immediately to at least partially pay for it all.

Yeah, it would be unfair to the people who paid their own way through school or paid off their loans, but it would buy a LOT of votes, put a lot of money back into the consumer economy right away, suck a ton of money out of the progressive financing machine, and unemployment tens of thousands of diversity bureaucrats and Vice-Deans of Equity and Inclusion and the like.

And if the Dems or media wanted to complain, what could they really say? Especially after they’ve hammered on for years (decades) about the horrible burden of student debt and how so many young people suffer so unfairly?

I don’t see the downside.

[Jim Eagle]

henry,

You kidding? Florida Man doesn't need license plates, real or fake.

[James D.]

Chief Poofter Roberts' credibility circles the drain.

Nope. He flushed it down the toilet several years ago and it’s now stuck in the bowels of a waste treatment plant somewhere.

[henry]

Good point JiB

[MissMarple2]

James d,m

I don't see a down side, either.

How much did Elizabeth Warren make teaching 2 classes at Harvard (pretending to be Native American) while using that position as a springboard to the US Senate? What is the average salary of a professor now vs. 30 years ago in current dollars? How many unnecessary employees do colleges now have?

And why is a system allowed to continue fleecing naive students and their unsuspecting parents?

[JM Hanes]

TM:

The Times could just as easily be describing the last Horowitz report, and unless the old leopard has changed his spots, that's probably not a bad template to use. Sort of like, "You don't have to read the report to know what's in it."

Jim, Sunny:

I must admit, I'm tired of all the speculation. I think the people who have been claiming there are blockbusters on the way are just as unreliable as the folks at the Times. We've had predictions of every stripe at this point. It's all all just irrelevant static till we actually see the report(s).

[MissMarple2]

Ed Roccanti
@EdRoc72
·
1h

It has become clear and obvious that the #DeepState is most angry that @realDonaldTrump
has upended their beliefs on American Foreign Policy. How dare The #President make decisions!
#FireThemAll
========================================
Another guy on Twitter said that this crew in DC and the embassies believe our foreign policy consists of shipping either money or weapons to various countries who do nothing to advance our national security.

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
2m
Adam Schiff will be compelled to testify should the Democrats decide, despite the fact that my presidential conversations were totally appropriate (perfect), to go forward with the Impeachment Hoax. Polls have now turned very strongly against Impeachment!

[Jim Eagle]

So, Trump in 1987 signs a copy of “The Art of the Deal” as Future President and sells at Auction for $1,500:)

[joan]

"The New York Times has not reviewed the draft, which could contain other significant findings."

Hmm, is correct! Though my skepticism is based on total lack of regard for 'The Paper of Record'.

Since when does the NYT print unbiased or truthful news about anything that has occurred since President Trump's campaign and/or election?

[joan]

"The New York Times has not reviewed the draft, which could contain other significant findings."

Hmm, is correct! Though my skepticism is based on total lack of regard for 'The Paper of Record'.

Since when does the NYT print unbiased or truthful news about anything that has occurred since President Trump's campaign and/or election?

[MissMarple2]

https://www.wpbf.com/article/neighbors-find-dog-behind-the-wheel-of-moving-car/29875948

[Narciso]

Ah adam goldman, charter member of the fusion club.

[Threadkiller]

We've had predictions of every stripe at this point. It's all all just irrelevant static till we actually see the report(s).

The purpose of the scattershot of dots and the stretched and twisted spaghetti that binds the random dots together (until another spilled bowl of spaghetti replace the worn and dried noodles of past theories) is to have a file so incomprehensible that when the "told you so" victory laps begin, it will be too heavy a task to challenge anyone otherwise. That is assuming that anyone, at that point, really wants to challenge someone whose actually goal has been self-congratulatory back patting.

[Threadkiller]

...whose actual...

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Atheists have taken the nothing-to-gain-everything-to-lose side of Pascal's wager.
Every day is race day to the eternal bookie and his method of collection is unpleasant, unavoidable and 100% effective.

[Narciso]

No its more like wikipedia entry,

[Narciso]

Curated and talk sections.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Lebanon is run by Hezbollah which is our sworn enemy and a wholly owned subsidiary of Iran. Hezbollah and therefore Lebanon are also enemies of our ally Israel.
Why should our enemies receive a single dollar of any kind of aid?

[Threadkiller]

Kabukipedia

[Narciso]

Yes thats what tony badran has been pointing out.