SENATE JUDICIARY: Comey Testifies On FISA Renewal & Not The Ex Parte Russian Election Interference Origins

"I disagree with your preamble."

"I do not agree with your predicate."

James Comey

Whatever you do, do not tell them that all the information the committee seeks is already public.

Ssssshhh... "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending) at work...

#maytheheavensfall

Intel chief releases Russian disinfo on Hillary Clinton that was rejected by bipartisan Senate panel

Former top officials were aghast at the move by John Ratcliffe, the director of national intelligence.

The assessment claims that Hillary Clinton personally approved an effort during the 2016 election “to stir up a scandal against U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee.” | Jeenah Moon/Getty Images

Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe on Tuesday declassified a Russian intelligence assessment that was previously rejected by Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee as having no factual basis, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

The extraordinary disclosure, released to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) earlier Tuesday, rankled Democrats, who said the move effectively put Russian disinformation into the public sphere in order to boost President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims about the government’s efforts to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election.

“It’s very disturbing to me that, 35 days before an election, the director of national intelligence would release unverified Russian rumint,” or rumor intelligence, Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-Va.) told reporters.

And several former senior intelligence officials described Ratcliffe’s move as incendiary and irresponsible, given the manner in which he was publicly releasing unverified information that originated from a foreign adversary.

The assessment claims that Hillary Clinton, then a Democratic candidate for president, personally approved an effort “to stir up a scandal against U.S. Presidential candidate Donald Trump by tying him to Putin and the Russians' hacking of the Democratic National Committee.” But in his letter to Graham, Ratcliffe noted that the U.S. intelligence community “does not know the accuracy of this allegation or the extent to which the Russian intelligence analysis may reflect exaggeration or fabrication.”

The Senate Intelligence Committee issued five reports on Russia’s sweeping effort to meddle in the 2016 election to boost Trump, ranging across thousands of pages. The panel was made aware of that allegation early on in its investigation, and quickly dismissed it, the sources said.

“I’m very, very proud of the bipartisan work of the Intelligence Committee — three and a half years, five volumes — and that work speaks for itself,” Warner said.

According to Ratcliffe, former CIA Director John Brennan briefed former President Barack Obama on the Russian assessment, which included the allegation that Clinton approved the plan to tie Trump to the hack of the DNC after it was proposed by one of her foreign policy advisers.

Asked about Ratcliffe’s claims, Nick Merrill, a spokesperson for Clinton, said in a text message that the allegations were “baseless bullshit.“

Nick Shapiro, Brennan’s former deputy chief of staff at the CIA, said Ratcliffe “should be ashamed of his blatant politicization of his position.”

After receiving pushback against the declassified material, Ratcliffe said in a statement: “To be clear, this is not Russian disinformation and has not been assessed as such by the Intelligence Community. I’ll be briefing Congress on the sensitive sources and methods by which it was obtained in the coming days.”

Graham responded to his critics later Tuesday, saying that the veracity of the Russian intelligence assessment was irrelevant.

“I’m not saying whether it’s true or not,” Graham told reporters. “I’m asking Democrats, do you give a damn whether the FBI investigated it, or do you just care only about investigating Trump?”

When pressed on why he released the information even though it was unverified, Graham called it “the ultimate double standard.”

“They took the whole damn country through hell for two and a half years — and is it far-fetched to believe that the Clinton campaign would do something like this after Christopher Steele?” Graham said referring to the author of an unverified dossier of claims about Trump’s connections to Russia.

A former senior intelligence official said it was “a surprising choice to release this information — that is not new and that seems unconfirmed — now and in an unclassified letter,” adding: “I don’t know what good purpose is served.”

It has long been known that the Russians were trying to stir up false narratives about Clinton through similar avenues.

Another former senior intelligence official said Brennan would frequently brief Obama on Russia’s actions regardless of whether it was about Trump or Clinton, adding that Brennan also wanted to “demonstrate the extent of the U.S. intelligence community’s ability to collect against Russia.”

In recent days, Trump’s allies have been dripping out several disclosures related to the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, and other information aimed at denigrating Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Graham’s committee will hear from former FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday as part of that sweeping GOP-led probe. Graham also announced on Tuesday that former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe will testify before the panel next week. McCabe agreed to appear voluntarily, according to an aide. McCabe’s lawyer said earlier Tuesday that he was being denied access to his old files that he says are necessary for him to prepare for his testimony.

The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was among those on the right who spotlighted Tuesday’s disclosure, writing on Twitter: “The Russia hoax was Hillary’s plan, and the Obama-Biden White House was briefed on it.”

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The Legal Geniuses Of House Judiciary & Senate Homeland Security Are Still Trying To Figure Out How The Mueller Probe All Started

Whilst Jim Jordan and his merry band of "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending) in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee struggle with the understanding that they already know the origins of the Mueller investigation, the Senate Homeland Security is about to subpoena all your favorite, outlandish characters, and a few who are not, like My Memo Man, who shall commence to bearing false witness, under sworn oaths, in the public record, but, hey, what do I know?

I know Mittens knows.

Why not tell Lil' Jim how it all started.

#maytheheavensfall

Senate Republicans approve subpoenas for ex-Obama officials on Russia probe origins

Democrats are decrying the investigation as election-year politics meant to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation.

WASHINGTON – The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Thursday authorized the issuing of nearly three dozen subpoenas of Obama administration officials as part of Senate Republicans' investigation into the origins of the FBI and special counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and the Trump campaign.

The Judiciary Committee, meanwhile, met to consider more than 50 additional subpoenas, but postponed action until next week.

Republicans on the panels are looking into flaws in FISA application process, the “unmasking” of Trump campaign and transition officials, including ex-national security adviser Michael Flynn, and the FBI’s investigation of the Trump campaign more broadly — actions that President Donald Trump has collectively dubbed “Obamagate” and dismissed as a "hoax" and a "witch hunt."

“There are times when extraordinary situations require action whether or not we all agree,” Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said. “The conduct we know that occurred during the transition should concern everyone and absolutely warrants further investigation.”

Democrats are decrying the investigation as election-year politics meant to rewrite the narrative of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, which concluded that while the Trump campaign did not conspire with the Russians, it had numerous contacts with Russians and, in some cases, welcomed their assistance.

“I’m disappointed that our committee is once again meeting to discuss a partisan investigation,” said Homeland Security ranking Democrat Gary Peters of Michigan. “I’m concerned about the timing of this investigation that did not become a priority until we entered into an election year.”

Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a statement that he refused to attend the meeting out of frustration that the committee is “trying to score political points and help a president in an election year.”

While 35 subpoenas were authorized by the Homeland Security Committee along party lines, Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio and Mitt Romney of Utah expressed reservations. Romney said he continues “to be concerned that this is politically motivated.”

The Homeland Security and Judiciary committees are considering issuing subpoenas for former CIA Director John Brennan, ex-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former FBI Director James Comey, former Obama chief of staff Dennis McDonough, former national security adviser Susan Rice and ex-FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page.

The Judiciary panel is also considering subpoenas for current FBI Director Christopher Wray and former Justice Department officials, including former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and ex-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

Judiciary member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, asked Democrats on the panel to consider how they would feel if the situation were reversed and the Trump administration were looking into the former Vice President Joe Biden's presidential campaign.

"Pause for a second and imagine how you would feel if Donald J Trump was doing exactly what Barack Obama and Joe Biden did," Cruz said. "So right now, are you guys copacetic with Trump putting wiretaps on the Joe Biden presidential campaign? Everything cool if Trump has the FBI send in agents wearing wires to the Joe Biden campaign? That's all good?"

On Wednesday, former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testified before the Judiciary Committee as part of its probe. He said in hindsight he would not have approved a FISA warrant for Trump campaign official Carter Page, but continued to defend the Mueller probe

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Modern Human Trafficking: Michigan Attorney General Intervenes In Elder Guardianship Asset Forfeiture Case, But Not Child Welfare

If you think this is an egregious situation of personal inurement, by a public official, who just so happens to preside over the case which was referred to her husband, wait until you see what goes on in child welfare.

This is the latest trend of transferring corporate parental rights for asset forfeiture.

Caring Hearts may not be a foreign corporation, but the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is, where the Michigan Catholic Conference is the foundational cornerstone of chattel law in Michigan.

The only difference between an elder probate case and a child welfare case is that you can fraudulently bill Medicaid in Child Welfare, because no one cares.

Wait, I almost forgot, foreign corporations are taking over the guardianship business because there are no civil rights in privatization.

Nessel: Macomb County Probate judge's guardianship appointment violated law

A Macomb County judge violated state law when she appointed a guardian-and-conservator company that reaped financial benefits from the appointment, according to Attorney General Dana Nessel.

State Public Administrator Michael Moody, on Nessel’s behalf, argues in a legal document Friday that Probate Judge Kathryn George created a law violation by appointing Clinton township-based Caring Hearts of Michigan Inc. as guardian and conservator for Robert Mitchell and Barbara Delbridge last November, over a daughter and stepdaughter of the couple.

Caring Hearts hired Executive Care to perform the care for the couple, according to the state. Both companies are owned by Cathy Kirk. In addition, Caring Hearts employed the firm of her husband Robert Kirk -- Kirk, Huth, Lange and Badalamenti -- for legal services. The trio of companies share the same address on Hall Road, east of Romeo Plank Road.

Caring Hearts charged more than $250,000 for about six months of care.

George through a spokeswoman declined to comment Monday, referring the matter to court officials.

The Attorney General in the filing Friday seeks to intervene in the Probate case, saying that all prior transactions are “voidable” due to the arrangement.

The law in question says, the “Court shall not appoint as guard an agency, public or private, that financially benefits from directly providing housing, medical, mental health or social services to the legally incapacitated individual.”

Moody comments in the brief, “The intention behind this provision is to prevent conflicts of interest.”

“All of these financial transactions set forth in Caring Hearts’ Final Account are presume to be affected by a conflict between personal and fiduciary interests, and therefore voidable,” Moody adds.

Caring Hearts attorney Edward Nahat disputed Nessel's claims Monday, saying state attorneys misapplied the law and should not have sought to enter the case.

"The Attorney General's petition ... misapplied the statute to these circumstances and is over-reaching by trying to intervene in a case she shouldn't be involved in," Nahat said.

He said the law quoted by state lawyers applies to investments and housing transactions, neither of which Caring Hearts and Executive Services were involved.

He said George knew of the arrangement.

Nahat called Nessel's involvement "heavy handed," noting that it has drawn publicity.

He said Caring Hearts supports a review of the accounting and charges in the case.

"A remedy is already available to the family," he said. "They can get their own day in court. They don't need the Attorney General's help."

Probate Court in September 2018 instituted a policy that requires a company or fudiciary must reveal whether a person related to the company or fudiciary is performing a service for the fudiciary or company, according to John Brennan, deputy court administrator.

Brennan said he does not believe the relationships were disclosed in the Mitchell and Delbridge cases.

Expenditures will be reviewed over the next several months. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Jan. 10.

Nessel issued a news release on the matter Monday.

“It is absolutely incumbent on the courts to ensure that the state’s guardianship system is providing properly for the vulnerable and that the court-appointed conservators fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to those in their custody,” she said. “That does not appear to be happening in the case of Caring Hearts, which was appointed by Judge Kathryn George as guardian and conservator for Robert Lee Mitchell and Barbara Delbridge.”

Nessel added that the "Estates and Protected Individuals Code specifically prohibits certain financial self-dealing by the guardian with respect to the ward.”

Nessel announced in May that George was under investigation for her role in the case involving the couple following reports initiated by WXYZ-TV (Channel 7).

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget McCormack and Macomb Chief Judge James Biernat Jr. at that time of the announcement released a joint statement in support of the probe.

Family members of the couple said George should have appointed them as guardians and conservators to watch over the care and finances of the couple, both 70 or older and in declining health.

Mitchell’s daughter, Marcie, and other family members complained their visits were limited and that caregivers installed a 6-foot fence around the property near Hall Road and Van Dyke Avenue that blocked the vision of family members who resided next door. The said the couple were virtual prisoners in their home.

They also raised questions about the guardian and conservator company's spending from the couple's more than $2.5 million in assets.

Caring Hearts and Executive Services in early June withdrew from serving as guardian and conservator. Attorney Terry Gilsenan was named temporary guardian, and attorney Martin Brosnan was name temporary conservator.

On June 26, Judge Biernat, who had taken over the case, granted Marcie Mitchell guardianship over her father, Robert, and Anita Little gained guardianship over her sister, Delbridge.

The pair on Friday also were named conservators, although each has to file a bond and paperwork in order to take over.

Attorney Frank Cusumano said Monday he plans to file a legal action on Little's behalf "to unwind the transactions" involving Caring Hearts, Executive Services and the law firm.

"Anita Little wants to do her part to make sure that this activity does not occur and injure another family," Cusumano said.

The older couple are currently residing in a facility in Genesee County, closer Marcie Mitchell’s Clarkston home.

The case developed as Nessel has been vowing to crack down on elder abuse. She formed Michigan Elder Abuse Task Force earlier this year shortly after she took office. This summer, she conducted a statewide “listening tour” to hear complaints about elder abuse and complaints about Probate Court, which oversees will and estates of incapacitated and deceased individuals.

Robert Kirk last month was removed as a state Public Administrator for appointment to certain Probate cases.

George has served as a Macomb Probate Judge since 2003. More than a decade ago, George came under the scrutiny of state officials and removed as chief probate judge for her relationship with a now-defunct guardianship company, conflict with the second probate judge and dysfunction at the court.

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Cocktails & Popcorn: Sayoc Gets 20 Years For Threatening A Public Official - A New Sentencing Baseline For Being Mean To My Sweetie

It is not funny to wish death upon anyone, particularly my Sweetie.

Cocktails & Popcorn: When Snail Mail Attacks Go Horribly Wrong - Another Transposable Model Of The Legal Geniuses

Florida Man Who Mailed Bombs To Democrats, Media Gets 20 Years In Prison

Cesar Sayoc, the Florida bodybuilder and nightclub bouncer who mailed inoperative pipe bombs to prominent Democrats and media figures seen as critical of President Trump, was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a federal judge in New York on Monday.

Sayoc, 57, had been arrested in October 2018 and pleaded guilty in March to mailing 16 improvised explosive devices to 13 targets around the country, including 11 current or former U.S. government officials, in the weeks prior to the 2018 congressional elections.

"I wish more than anything I could turn back time and take back what I did," Sayoc told U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff. "But I want you to know, Your Honor, with all my heart and soul, I feel the pain and suffering of these victims."

Sayoc blamed his behavior on his mental illness and excessive use of steroids, adding, "I should have listened to my mother, the love of my life."

According to a statement released by U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman in March, Sayoc's intended victims were former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Cory Booker, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CNN, Robert De Niro, Sen. Kamala Harris, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former President Barack Obama, George Soros, Thomas Steyer and Rep. Maxine Waters.

None of Sayoc's devices exploded. At his sentencing hearing Monday, Sayoc said that although his homemade devices looked like pipe bombs, he did not intend for them to explode.

Sayoc's attorneys, all federal public defenders, argued that Sayoc was motivated by his obsession with Trump and his anger at Democrats, whom he blamed for the vandalism of his van, which displayed Trump stickers.

Rakoff concluded that the design flaws in Sayoc's bombs were intentional and indicated that he did not intend to actually harm his victims.

A sobbing Sayoc thanked the judge when he announced the 20-year sentence. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence.

Cesar Sayoc Pleads Guilty to 65 Felonies for Mailing 16 Improvised Explosive Devices in Connection with October 2018 Domestic Terrorist Attack

Sayoc Pleaded Guilty to 65 Felonies, Including Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Interstate Mailing of Explosives

Cesar Altieri Sayoc, aka “Cesar Randazzo,” “Cesar Altieri,” and “Cesar Altieri Randazzo,” pled guilty today to a 65-count Superseding Information in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.  In connection with the guilty plea, Sayoc admitted to mailing 16 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to 13 victims throughout the country, including 11 current or former U.S. government officials, and that he intended to use the IEDs as weapons and to cause injuries.  Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York, Assistant Director Michael McGarrity of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office and Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the NYPD made the announcement.

“Cesar Sayoc has admitted to acts of domestic terrorism that are repulsive to all Americans who cherish a society built on respectful and non-violent political discourse, no matter how strongly held one’s views,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “Our democracy will simply not survive if our political discourse includes sending bombs to those we disagree with.  I applaud the efforts of so many in our law enforcement community whose alertness and tirelessness led to the prompt arrest of the defendant before he was able to injure anyone, as well as those whose efforts led to today’s plea.”

“For five days in November 2018, Cesar Sayoc reigned terror across the country, sending high-ranking officials and former elected leaders explosive packages through the mail,” said U.S. Attorney Berman.  “Thankfully no one was hurt by these dangerous devices, but his actions left an air of fear and divisiveness in their wake.  Sayoc has taken responsibility for his crimes, and will soon be sentenced to significant time in prison.”

“This case shows that the FBI will be tenacious in pursuing all those who wish to intimidate those they disagree with by threatening violence,” said Assistant Director Michael McGarrity of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division.  “When it comes to identifying and stopping those who terrorize our communities, we won’t hesitate to bring the full force of our combined resources of the FBI and our partners.”

“Sayoc's crimes were intended to incite fear among his targets and uncertainty among the general public, leading to a significant deployment of various law enforcement resources in a nationwide search to find him,” said Assistant Director Sweeney.  “When called upon, our FBI JTTFs across the country—along with our partner agencies—did what we do best, working swiftly, and side by side, to bring him to justice.  Unlike most of our investigations, this case played out in plain view from beginning to end.  The announcement of today's plea is as good a time as any to remind the public that our JTTFs are working behind the scenes on a daily basis, in much the same way, to keep our communities safe.”

“The NYPD and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to keep New York City safe from threats of terror,” said Commissioner O’Neill.  “I commend the members of the New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Southern District of New York for their work in this case.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint, Superseding Information, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings: 

In October 2018, Sayoc mailed from Florida 16 padded envelopes, each containing an IED, to addresses in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Atlanta, and California.  Sayoc packed each IED with explosive material and glass shards that would function as shrapnel if the IED exploded.  Sayoc also attached to the outside of each IED a picture of the intended victim marked with a red “X.”  As Sayoc admitted today during his plea, he designed the IEDs for use as weapons and mailed them understanding that they were capable of exploding and causing injuries and property damage.  In alphabetical order, Sayoc’s intended victims were former Vice President Joseph Biden, Senator Cory Booker, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CNN, Robert De Niro, Senator Kamala Harris, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former President Barack Obama, George Soros, Thomas Steyer, and Representative Maxine Walters.  Between Oct. 22 and Nov. 2, 2018, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service recovered all of the 16 IEDs mailed by Sayoc.

The FBI arrested Sayoc in Plantation, Florida, on Oct. 26, 2018—less than five days after the October 22 recovery of the first IED, which Sayoc mailed to Soros in New York.  The FBI seized a laptop from Sayoc’s van, which contained lists of physical addresses that match many of the labels on the envelopes that Sayoc mailed.  The lists were saved at a file path on the laptop that includes a variant of Sayoc’s first name:  “Users/Ceasar/Documents.”  A document from that path, titled “Debbie W.docx” and bearing a creation date of July 26, 2018, contained repeated copies of an address for “Debbie W. Schultz” in Sunrise, Florida, that is nearly identical, except for typographical errors, to the return address that Sayoc used on the packages.  Similar documents bearing file titles that include the name “Debbie,” and creation dates of Sept. 22, 2018, contain exact matches of the return address used by Sayoc on the 16 envelopes. 

Sayoc’s laptop also revealed extensive Internet search history related to his investigation of the intended victims and his desire to injure or kill them.  For example, Sayoc conducted the following Internet searches, among others, on the dates indicated in 2018:

• July 15: “hilary Clinton hime address”
• July 26: “address Debbie wauserman Shultz”
• Sept. 19: “address kamila harrias”
• Sept. 26: “address for barack Obama”
• Sept. 26: “michelle obama mailing address”
• Sept. 26: “joseph biden jr”
• Oct. 1: “address cory booker new jersey”
• Oct. 20: “tom steyers mailing address”
• Oct. 23: “address kamala harris”

*                      *                      *

Sayoc, 57, of Southern Florida, pled guilty to four sets of charges related to each of the 16 IEDs:  (1) sixteen counts of using a weapon of mass destruction; (2) sixteen counts of interstate transportation of an explosive device; (3) sixteen counts of conveying a threat in interstate commerce; and (4) sixteen counts of the illegal mailing of explosives with the intent to kill or injure another.  Sayoc also pled guilty to using an explosive to commit a felony, which relates to felonies committed in connection with the use and mailing of all 16 IEDs.  A chart identifying the charges and maximum penalties applicable to Sayoc is below.

Counts	Charge	Penalties Per Count
1 – 16	Using a weapon of mass destruction	Maximum per count: life
17 – 32	Interstate transportation of an explosive	Maximum per count: 10 years
33 – 48	Conveying a threat in interstate commerce	Maximum per count: 5 years
49 – 64	Illegal mailing of explosives with intent to kill or injure another	Maximum per count: 20 years
65	Carrying an explosive during the commission of a felony	Mandatory minimum: 10 years to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed

The maximum and minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.  The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Rakoff on Sept. 12, 2019.

Mr. Demers and Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Mr. Demers and Mr. Berman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida, the District of Columbia, the District of Delaware, the District of New Jersey, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California and the Northern District of Georgia for their assistance in the investigation.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Emil J. Bove III, Jane Kim, and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney David Cora of the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

Sayoc Plea Agreement - 3-18-2019 by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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Cocktails & Popcorn: Matt Whitaker Is Back To Say Barr & Ratcliffe Are The Perfect Team - The Celestial Goddess Of The Woodshed Concurs

"TEVA, anyone?", said Herrington, the
Super Secret Agent Whistleblower.

Yes, John Ratcliffe is leaving Congress, the U.S. Judiciary Committee, to become the new Director of National Intelligence, replacing Dan Coats, to work with U.S. Attorney Bill Barr.

Yes, they make the perfect team because this is about trafficking tiny humans.

For those who do not remember, or simply do not like to click the links I provide to review what I have been presenting, here is a fun video on Ratcliffe and his work in trafficking tiny humans.

You can see how effective Ratcliffe was when it came to trafficking tiny humans by watching Gowdy's lovely facial expressions.

Trey knows all the stuff.

Matt knows lots of stuff, too.

Trump’s spy chief pick, Texan John Ratcliffe, accused of fudging role in 'Holy Land' terrorism case

WASHINGTON -- The North Texas Republican picked by President Donald Trump to be America's next intelligence chief is grappling with reports that he embellished his role in a high-profile anti-terrorism case he's cited as proof of his national security bona fides.

At issue is the extent of Heath Rep. John Ratcliffe's involvement as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. vs. Holy Land Foundation case, which ended in 2009 with officials at a Texas-based charity being found guilty of funneling money to the terrorist group known as Hamas.

While Ratcliffe has touted that he "convicted individuals" involved in the scheme, ABC News and NBC News this week cast doubt on that account.

Jim Jacks, one of the Holy Land case's lead prosecutors, also told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday that Ratcliffe "wasn't part of the trial team or the investigative team." Asked if it was accurate to say that Ratcliffe "convicted individuals" in the case, he said, "No."

In response to those reports, Ratcliffe spokeswoman Rachel Stephens clarified this week that the Texan, while serving as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, was appointed to investigate issues related to the mistrial that occurred in the case's first trial.

"Because that investigation did not result in any criminal charges, it would not be in accordance with Department of Justice policies to make further details public," she said, confirming a written statement provided to ABC News and NBC News.

Jacks, a former U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Texas, confirmed that depiction, explaining that Ratcliffe was "appointed to look into a collateral matter after the first trial" and that the assignment lasted for a "relatively short-lived period of time."

He added that he found Ratcliffe to be "very smart, a very good lawyer, just first-rate."

The dispute over the Holy Land case is no mere résumé dispute.

Ratcliffe, a three-term lawmaker, was already facing criticism that he lacks the experience to be Director of National Intelligence, given that outgoing spy chief Dan Coats and his predecessors came into the job with extensive national security and foreign affairs backgrounds.

That dynamic, along with Ratcliffe's standing as a Trump loyalist, could jeopardize his confirmation in the GOP-run Senate.

Some key Republican senators have so far offered muted reactions, with a few admitting that they were simply unfamiliar with the Texan's credentials. Some top Senate Democrats have already weighed in against Ratcliffe's nomination, casting him as a partisan warrior unfit for the job.

Several intelligence officials have also made clear their unease.

"Mr. Ratcliffe appears to be somebody who is more interested in pleasing Donald Trump," John Brennan, CIA director under President Barack Obama and a frequent Trump critic, said this week on MSNBC.

Stephens rejected those criticisms, pointing to Ratcliffe's experience as a federal prosecutor and then as a congressman serving on the House intelligence and judiciary committees.

"Ratcliffe opened, managed and supervised numerous domestic and international terrorism related cases," she said of his time in the U.S. attorney's office, adding that he "handled top secret, secret and confidential national security information as part of his daily responsibilities."

The Texan's allies have also defended his qualifications.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn on Monday called Ratcliffe a "worthy successor" to Coats, upon whom he heaped praise. Trump on Tuesday hailed Ratcliffe as a "very talented guy. "And former U.S. attorney Matt Orwig, who hired Ratcliffe, said he was "imminently qualified."

Orwig sought to further buttress Ratcliffe's standing by telling ABC News that his one-time protégé worked several terrorism-related cases, though he declined to specify them.

The former top prosecutor in the Eastern District of Texas also told The News that when Ratcliffe served as his anti-terrorism and national security chief, he worked to "bring together all the state, federal and local agencies" involved in security efforts.

"That's the job that he did," Orwig said. "He did it very, very well."

Federal Judge Hands Downs Sentences in Holy Land Foundation Case

Holy Land Foundation and Leaders Convicted on Providing Material Support to Hamas Terrorist Organization

Today, in federal court in Dallas, U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis sentenced the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development (HLF) and five of its leaders following their convictions by a federal jury in November 2008 on charges of providing material support to Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

"Today's sentences mark the culmination of many years of painstaking investigative and prosecutorial work at the federal, state and local levels. All those involved in this landmark case deserve our thanks," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. "These sentences should serve as a strong warning to anyone who knowingly provides financial support to terrorists under the guise of humanitarian relief."

HLF was incorporated by Shukri Abu Baker, Mohammad El-Mezain, and Ghassan Elashi. Mufid Abdulqader and Abdulrahman Odeh worked as fund raisers. Together, with others, they provided material support to the Hamas movement.

Shukri Abu Baker, 50, of Garland, Texas, was sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison. He was convicted of 10 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization; 11 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, funds, goods and services to a Specially Designated Terrorist; 10 counts of conspiracy to commit, and the commission of, money laundering; one count of conspiracy to impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and one count of filing a false tax return.

Mohammad El-Mezain, 55, of San Diego, California, was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. He was convicted on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Ghassan Elashi, 55, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison. He was convicted on the same counts as Abu Baker, and one additional count of filing a false tax return.

Mufid Abdulqader, 49, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison. He was convicted on one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, one count of conspiracy to provide goods, funds, and services to a specially designated terrorist, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Abdulrahman Odeh, 49, of Patterson, New Jersey, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was convicted on the same counts as Abdulqader.

HLF, now defunct, was convicted on10 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization; 11 counts of conspiracy to provide, and the provision of, funds, goods and services to a Specially Designated Terrorist; and 10 counts of conspiracy to commit, and the commission of, money laundering.

The Court reaffirmed the jury’s $12.4 million money judgment against all the defendants, with the exception of El Mezain, who was not convicted of money laundering.

From its inception, HLF existed to support Hamas. Before HLF was designed as a Specially Designated Terrorist by the Treasury Department and shut down in December 2001, it was the largest U.S. Muslim charity. It was based in Richardson, Texas, a Dallas suburb. The "material support statute," as it is commonly referred to, was enacted in 1996 as part of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. That statute recognizes that money is fungible, and that money in the hands of a terrorist organization — even if for so called charitable purposes — supports that organization’s overall terrorist objectives.

The government presented evidence at trial that, as the U.S. began to scrutinize individuals and entities in the U.S. who were raising funds for terrorist groups in the mid-1990s, the HLF intentionally hid its financial support for Hamas behind the guise of charitable donations. HLF and these five defendants provided approximately $12.4 million in support to Hamas and its goal of creating an Islamic Palestinian state by eliminating the State of Israel through violent jihad.

The government’s case included testimony that in the early 1990's, Hamas’ parent organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, planned to establish a network of organizations in the U.S. to spread a militant Islamist message and raise money for Hamas. The government’s case also included testimony about Hamas material found in zakat committees. The defendants sent HLF-raised funds to Hamas-controlled zakat committees and charitable societies in the West Bank and Gaza. Zakat is an Arabic word referring to the religious obligation to give alms.

HLF became the chief fundraising arm for the Palestine Committee in the U.S. created by the Muslim Brotherhood to support Hamas. According to a wiretap of a 1993 Palestine Committee meeting in Philadelphia, former HLF President and CEO Shukri Abu Baker, spoke about playing down their Hamas ties in order to keep raising money in the U.S. Another wiretapped phone call included Abdulrahman Odeh, HLF’s New Jersey representative, referring to a suicide bombing as "a beautiful operation."

The government also presented evidence that several HLF defendants have family members who are Hamas leaders, including Hamas’ political chief, Mousa Abu Marzook, who is married to a cousin of Ghassan Elashi, HLF’s former Chairman of the Board. Ghassan Elashi, who also served as the vice-president of marketing for Infocom Corporation, is currently serving an 80-month sentence following his conviction on several charges related to export violations. Mohammed El-Mezain was HLF’s Director of Endowments and Mufid Abdulqater was a major HLF fundraiser. Two named defendants, Akram Mishal and Haitham Maghawri are fugitives.

The defendants provided financial support to the families of Hamas martyrs, detainees, and activists knowing and intending that such assistance would support the Hamas terrorist organization. Since 1995, when it first became illegal to provide financial support to Hamas, HLF provided approximately $12.4 million in funding to Hamas through various Hamas-affiliated committees and organizations located in Palestinian-controlled areas and elsewhere.

During trial, the government also presented evidence that HLF was so concerned about investigators uncovering the group’s intentions that they kept a manual entitled "The Foundation’s Policies and Procedures." HLF followed various security procedures outlined in the manual to include hiring a security company to search the HLF for listening devices, ordering defendant Haitham Maghawri, a fugitive, to take training on advanced methods in detecting wiretaps, shredding documents after board meetings, and maintaining incriminating documents in off-site locations.

The case was investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, involving agents from federal, state, and local agencies including: FBI, IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of State, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Dallas, Plano, Garland and Richardson, Texas, Police Departments. In addition, the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section provided assistance.

The case was prosecuted by James T. Jacks, acting U.S. Attorney; Barry Jonas, Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice Counter-terrorism Section; and Elizabeth J. Shapiro, Deputy Director, Federal Programs Branch, Department of Justice, serving as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

Just a naming coincidence, I am sure.

Mississippi Medicaid Fraud ... by Beverly Tran on Scribd

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Cocktails & Popcorn: John "Pookie" Brennan & Judiciary Jolly Jerry Coordinating Communications On Being Mean To Trump

Jolly Jerry & Pookie coordinating communication

Well, I truly do not have any idea of what venue Pookie will be offering his willingness to testify to congress, but you can bet your britches that I am routing for Judiciary!

That's right, boys and girls, it looks like Pookie and Judiciary Jolly Jerry have pre-emptively teamed up to stand their ground in being Meanies.

I wonder if their coordinated communications for this brilliant plan will be leaked before or during his congressional testimony.

I am going with afterwards simply for the fact that we can get more on the record from all the Members of Judiciary, you know, to use in the not so immediate future, like for a Constitutional Crisis, but hey, what do I know?

I know they were also mean to my Sweetie.

I also know they are "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending).

BRENNAN SAYS HE’S ‘ABSOLUTELY’ WILLING TO TESTIFY TO CONGRESS TO REBUT TRUMP’S ‘COUP’ CLAIMS

John Brennan said Friday he is “absolutely” willing to testify to Congress to rebut President Donald Trump’s claims that the former CIA director took part in a “coup” to undermine his presidency.

Brennan said in an interview on MSNBC, where he is a contributor, that he would “welcome any type of continued investigation of what we did that period of time that we were in government.”

Republicans have called for investigations into the CIA and FBI’s activities in the run-up to the investigation of the Trump campaign. The FBI formally opened its investigation of the Trump team on July 31, 2016, but some GOP lawmakers have suggested that Brennan was working behind the scenes to gather intelligence on Trump advisers before that.

Trump listed Brennan along with other Obama administration officials he claims tried to “overthrow” his administration, in an interview Thursday with Fox’s Sean Hannity.

“This was a coup, this was an attempted overthrow of the United States government,” said Trump.

“These are sick people. These are sick, sick people,” he continued, adding: “Let’s see what happens with [former FBI Deputy Director Andrew] McCabe and [former FBI Director James] Comey and Brennan and [former National Intelligence Director James] Clapper, they were in on the act.”

Fmr. CIA Dir. John Brennan on Pres. Trump's comments on Fox News about the attempted 'coup' by the CIA to overthrow him: "I don't think it's surprising at all that we hear these sociopathic ramblings ... I've testified in front of Congress ... and absolutely I'll do it again." pic.twitter.com/V3Ac3Ab0Oo

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 26, 2019

Brennan testified before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on May 27, 2017, just 10 days after former FBI Director Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel of the Russia probe.

Brennan has had to walk back some of his bold claims about the investigation, which formally ended on March 22 with no charges related to conspiracy between Trump associates and the Kremlin.

(RELATED: Flashback: Brennan Predicted Additional Indictments In Mueller Probe)

Brennan claimed just two weeks before the end of the investigation that Mueller would issue a slew of indictments. He has also accused Trump of being treasonous.

Brennan also claimed Friday that Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul recently made “very specious allegations” about him “that have no basis in truth.”

Paul, a Republican, claimed on March 28 that Brennan tried to include portions of the infamous and unverified Steele dossier in the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Paul has not provided any additional information to back up his claim.

Brennan took part in a Jan. 6, 2017 briefing of then-President-elect Trump regarding Russian meddling in the election. In a one-on-one meeting just after the main briefing, Comey informed Trump about the unfounded claim from the dossier that the Kremlin has blackmail material on him.

John Brennan and Jerrold Nadler ’78 Talk Trump

In a New York Times opinion piece last month, former CIA director John Brennan described as “hogwash” President Trump’s claims that there was no collusion with the Russians during the 2016 election. So it’s no surprise that Brennan, distinguished fellow at the Center on National Security, took Trump to task again at a September 4 event at Fordham Law.

Trump “seeks to delegitimize those things that make this country great,” Brennan said, later adding that the president, unlike previous chief executives whom Brennan has served, pursues his “own interests above all else.”

Brennan was joined by Fordham Law alumnus and congressman Jerrold Nadler ’78, U.S. Representative from New York’s 10th congressional district, who, like Brennan, has been outspoken in his criticism of President Trump for the past two years.

In response to a question about the future of the rule of law in the United States, Nadler, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, stressed his belief that the “rule of law [is]imperiled” by Trump’s actions. Citing the 2018 book How Democracies Die, Nadler pointed to the ways in which authoritarian leaders eroded democracies in the past through attempts to silence the press and the questioning of election results. The parallels between the early stages of these crumbling democracies and the current state of Trump’s America, Nadler concluded, are striking.

Moderated by Karen J. Greenberg, the director of the Center on National Security, the conversation began with a 45-minute discussion that touched on topics such as cybersecurity, 2016 election meddling, and the future of American democracy. Brennan began by stressing his own nonpartisan status and maintaining the importance of allowing Robert Mueller’s investigation to come to a conclusion without interference. Nadler, a Democrat with a consistently liberal voting record in Congress, also voiced his support for the Mueller probe, while clarifying a few issues.

There was “clearly collusion in the election,” Nadler stated, giving the example of Donald Trump Jr.’s infamous Trump Tower meeting. The real questions, Nadler emphasized, have to do with provable, concrete violations of law and President Trump’s personal knowledge of any Russian collusion. If evidence were to come out that Trump was personally involved in any Russian collusion, Nadler said, “the most serious consequences” would be warranted. “All options would have to be on the table.”

When asked if Trump can rightly be called an outlier in the grand scheme of American political history, Brennan cited Trump’s frequent undermining of law enforcement agencies on Twitter, especially with regards to the ongoing Russian collusion investigation. Brennan called Trump’s actions a “break from past practice.”

Cybersecurity was another issue of concern, prompting questions from Greenberg, as well as several audience members. Nadler tackled the issue of electronic voting, admitting that the vulnerability of America’s electronic voting machines remains a significant problem. Brennan, for his part, called for the creation of an independent, bipartisan commission for the cyber environment.

In closing remarks, Nadler and Brennan each took the opportunity to address what they considered the most pressing issues for the United States to grapple with in the immediate future. For Nadler, a main concern is big money in politics, and the way it can break down a democracy that is supposed to give power to the everyman. “The power of money in politics today is a metastasizing cancer,” he said.

For Brennan, the issue of the day is polarization. As an outspoken critic of the current president, Brennan knows that it can be difficult to speak out against injustice in a way that will lead to practical results. “I have to remind myself not just to be critical, but to be constructive,” he said.

“[D]iscussions like this are very important,” Brennan said. “I think Congressman Nadler and other members of Congress should get together and speak openly and honestly about where we are right now in this country and the challenges we face.”

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Cocktails & Popcorn: Sept 9th, 2019. Paging John Brennan’s Nike’s To Pakistani Author - Molly MacCallum - Same Thing Happens In Detroit

I wonder if U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib has issued a public statement about those thobes.

Facing deportation, Mich. student returns to West Bank after fake university sting

Najilaa Karim Musarsa

A Dearborn Heights student has returned to the West Bank after being detained last week in a nationwide sweep connected to a federal sting operation involving a fake university in Oakland County.

Najilaa Karim Musarsa, 29, was one of 130 students of the phony University of Farmington who were arrested, a family spokesman said.

Musarsa immigrated from the Palestinian territory for educational opportunities, Amer Zahr, a family spokesman and law professor at the University of Detroit Mercy, told The Detroit News.

Homeland Security agents tried to entrap people by creating the fake University of Farmington as part of an undercover sting that led to eight recruiters being indicted and at least 130 students nationwide facing deportation, defense attorney John Brusstar said in an interview.

Musarsa's Dearborn Heights apartment was raided on Jan. 31 by ICE agents who arrested her. She was housed at the Calhoun County Detention Center in Battle Creek. It’s unclear how Musarsa became involved in the fake university.

“She has been in America studying for many years on a student visa,” Zahr said. “I cannot get too much into the legal details of her case. I can say that she completed a master program a couple years ago in Pennsylvania before she moved to Michigan.”

Musarsa’s parents live in Ramallah, north of Jerusalem, but she has a large extended family in Chicago and many close friends in Detroit who worked on her case, Zahr said.

“They were also notified after she was detained, like the rest of us (and) of course, they were in shock,” Zahr said.

After her lawyer worked out a voluntary departure, Musarsa departed from Detroit Metro Airport Tuesday and returned to her family's home in the West Bank without anything on her record.

The undercover sting, dubbed "Operation Paper Chase," targeted an immigration fraud scheme that involved at least 600 people who collectively paid recruiters more than $250,000 to stay in the U.S. illegally, according to prosecutors.

U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, joined Reps. Thomas Souzzi, D-New York, Rob Woodall, R-Georgia, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, in sending a bipartisan letter to Homeland Security and ICE asking for the full details of the operation and ongoing detention of students.

"We strongly urge DHS and ICE to provide us with regular updates of the ongoing situation and ask that these students are afforded all rights provided to them by law," Lawrence said in a statement Thursday. "I will continue to remain engaged with authorities both at the federal and local level to ensure the humane and dignified treatment of these students."

Indian news reports say as many as 129 Indians were among the 130 detained by ICE and the Indian Ministry of External Affairs is demanding they be freed. It's unclear why Musarsa was involved in the case.

"I don't think she was singled out, just unlucky to get caught in such a case," Zahr said. "She's back in Palestine now with her family. ... Unofficially, she's the only one we know of that's been released from custody so far."

The Musarsa family declined further comment.

More: Lawyer rips feds for University of Farmington sting

Those charged include:

• Bharath Kakireddy, 29, of Lake Mary, Florida.
• Aswanth Nune, 26, of Atlanta.
• Suresh Reddy Kandala, 31, of Culpeper, Virginia.
• Phanideep Karnati, 35, of Louisville, Kentucky.
• Prem Kumar Rampeesa, 26, of Charlotte, North Carolina.
• Santosh Reddy Sama, 28, of Fremont, California.
• Avinash Thakkallapally, 28, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
• Naveen Prathipati, 29, of Dallas.

Six recruiters made initial appearances in federal court in downtown Detroit on Jan. 31. Kakireddy and Kandala were arrested in their home states and are expected to be brought to Detroit soon.

Rampeesa appeared in federal court Wednesday and agreed to be held without bond pending trial.

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Cocktails & Popcorn: Day 94.3. Paul Whelan’s Gun Buys From Russia - Trump Trumps Michigan Emergency Manager Law - Detroit Has A Southern Border, Too

So, let me get this straight.

Trump may use his Executive Powers in declaring a national emergency to go do stuff the people do not want.

Well, golly gee!  

This sounds like the Michigan Emergency Manager Law is about to get trumped (pun intended).

FUN FACT! THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF DETROIT IS CANADA

JUDICIARY: Senate Addresses EB-5 & Its Child Welfare Fraud Issues

You knew we would find more Bijan Kian businesses. pic.twitter.com/mgnmhTCDzL

— TruthLeaks (@GeorgWebb) January 6, 2019

https://pdf.guidestar.org/PDF_Images/2016/521/268/2016-521268692-0df70049-9.pdf

Bearing false arms.
The foundation is inactive.

https://ndufoundation.org/national-defense-univ-1

https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_dc/EXTUID_2777701

http://www.lenderstechnology.com/team.htm

Did Paul Whelan's GRU kill Bernie Whisenant at Trump Hollywood? Count dead Russian oligarchs there first who got illegal EB5 visas. February 25th, 2018 Krylova and Bogacheva - Russian Spies For DNC For Hire https://t.co/MA6qzY1j3F via @YouTube

— TruthLeaks (@GeorgWebb) January 6, 2019

Is this our Paul Whelan with and Irish Passport. Does he caddy for John Brennan and the Digicel O’Brien CEO. pic.twitter.com/4gSQVzVUhV

— TruthLeaks (@GeorgWebb) January 6, 2019

I guess doing the Makarenko with Paul Whelan means exfiltrating night vision googles to snipers. pic.twitter.com/BigSw4uKyA

— TruthLeaks (@GeorgWebb) January 6, 2019

Paul Whelan’s “ Never Do Me” Russian Fugitive likes mess for vets. pic.twitter.com/vGymHFqgqE

— TruthLeaks (@GeorgWebb) January 6, 2019

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