President Trump and Mike Flynn
Editor’s Note: I was surprised by the manner in which Mike Flynn was side-lined. That’s what happens when one tries to build bridges with Russia. The article below is about the ousting of Mike Flynn taking us down the road to a police state. But Rep. Devin Nunes is leading a push-back. The article is sourced from Antiwar.com.
by Justin Raimondo, February 15, 2017
Let’s be clear about how and why former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn was ousted from his post: a cabal of current and former members of the “intelligence community,” fanatically opposed to Donald Trump’s stated desire to “get along with the Russians,” leaked the top secret transcript of Flynn’s conversation with Russian ambassador Sergay Kislyak. Although we don’t yet know exactly what transpired – as of this writing, BuzzFeed hasn’t gotten their hot little hands on the transcript – there was apparently some discussion of lifting sanctions on Russia, which is something the cabal and its collaborators in Congress and the media are determined to prevent at all costs.
Flynn was in the crosshairs of the War Party because he’s the most prominent of those around Trump who advocated for détente with Russia. Also, his somewhat loopy belief that Islam, per se, is a pernicious political ideology rather than a religion, made him a natural enemy of the pro-Saudi faction within the intelligence community, which had long worked with Riyadh to, among other things, overthrow the government of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad.
Flynn’s alleged “crime” – supposedly lying to Vice President Pence about the content of the call – wasn’t a crime at all: James Clapper, Obama’s director of national intelligence, blatantly lied under oath to Congress and yet kept his position. What this non-scandal is all about is an attempt to criminalize the view that we have no real quarrel with Russia, that our common interests override any bumps along the road to détente. If you don’t go along with a new cold war with Russia then, ipso facto, you’re a “Russian agent” who needs to be investigated. This is what the neocon-liberal alliance is now pushing, and the first victim of this hate campaign is Flynn. He won’t be the last.
Democrats are now calling for an investigation into Flynn’s “Russia links,” in typical McCarthyite fashion, but what’s really called for is an investigation into the media’s links to the “intelligence community” – which leaked the transcript of Trump’s conversations with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Nieto as well as the transcript of Flynn’s conversation with the Russian ambassador. As Trump tweeted this [Tuesday] morning:
“The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N. Korea etc.?”
These leaks are clearly illegal: plenty of civilians have been prosecuted and jailed for much less. But legality is not something that worries the CIA and the national security bureaucracy, because they’re above the law. And you don’t bother with legality when you’re engaged in an attempted coup.
The Flynn resignation is just the beginning. As one Politico writer put it, it won’t stop there. They’ll move on to new targets, and they won’t rest until they’ve bagged their real target: the President of the United States
Hillary Clinton’s main campaign theme – that Trump is essentially a Russian agent, a kind of Manchurian candidate – is being given new life by this latest non-scandal. The anti-Trumpers in the GOP are now uniting with the Democrats in calling for an “investigation,” i.e. a fishing expedition, into Flynn’s “links” to the Kremlin. All that’s missing from this scenario is Sen. Joe McCarthy demanding to know “Are you or have you ever been …?”
While our deranged “liberals” are screaming that we mustn’t “normalize” Trump, the real danger is that we’re normalizing the illegal and unethical methods of his most determined – and powerful – opponents. Until and unless the Trump administration acts quickly and decisively to rid the nation of out-of-control intelligence agencies that are aggressively intervening in our domestic politics, we will soon resemble one of those Third World nations where coups are routine.
It looks to me like the White House is wired and that the nation’s law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, are treating administration officials as if they were ISIS jihadis. It’s an outrage, and what’s even more outrageous is that ostensible “liberals” are cheering the political police.
And so it is left to the unlikeliest people, such as Rep. Devin Nunes (R-California), who chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, to lead the pushback:
“I expect for the FBI to tell me what is going on, and they better have a good answer. The big problem I see here is that you have an American citizen who had his phone calls recorded.”
He added: “Where are all the privacy groups screaming now?”
Where, indeed.
Eli Lake, a journalist I rarely agree with, put it well:
“Normally intercepts of U.S. officials and citizens are some of the most tightly held government secrets. This is for good reason. Selectively disclosing details of private conversations monitored by the FBI or NSA gives the permanent state the power to destroy reputations from the cloak of anonymity. This is what police states do.”
If this keeps up, that’s just where we’re headed.
Since when does law enforcement reveal the content of intercepts to the media? These are some of the most jealously guarded secrets held by intelligence officials, and yet now they’re being spread far and wide in the interests of a Deep State clique that has a political agenda of its own.
By sacrificing Flynn on the altar of political expediency, and caving in to our out-of-control spooks, Donald Trump has just answered the question posed above with a resounding yes.
What he’ll discover, however, is that this kind of expediency is bound to backfire. His enemies, instead of being appeased, will be emboldened. As Lake writes:
“In the end, it was Trump’s decision to cut Flynn loose. In doing this he caved in to his political and bureaucratic opposition. Nunes told me Monday night that this will not end well. ‘First it’s Flynn, next it will be Kellyanne Conway, then it will be Steve Bannon, then it will be Reince Priebus,’ he said. Put another way, Flynn is only the appetizer. Trump is the entree.”
This isn’t about Mike Flynn. It isn’t even about Trump. It’s about the future of our republic. Will we allow rogue national security officials to run rampant and utilize police state methods to advance their policy goals? If the answer is yes, then we’re doomed.
Photo credit: web.de/magazine
If the president wants to let somebody go, he can do so.
If he does not want to let somebody go, he should puff himself up and lean on the authority granted to him by the parchment and the whole history of the United States.
Trump should hold a fireside chat and hold up a photo of JFK with his head blown off and say YOU won’t let a bunch of killers do that to me, will you?
There is no excuse for letting Flynn go on the basis of a leak he made IF THAT IS NOT THE REAL REASON.
The author here, Justin Raimondo, mentions that lying to Congress is s crime. Indeed it is. You can get up to 5 years in the klink. Take a look at 18 USC 1001:
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—
(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both. If the matter relates to an offense under chapter 109A, 109B, 110, or 117, or section 1591, then the term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be not more than 8 years.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a party to a judicial proceeding, or that party’s counsel, for statements, representations, writings or documents submitted by such party or counsel to a judge or magistrate in that proceeding.
(c) With respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch, subsection (a) shall apply only to—
(1) administrative matters, including a claim for payment, a matter related to the procurement of property or services, personnel or employment practices, or support services, or a document required by law, rule, or regulation to be submitted to the Congress or any office or officer within the legislative branch; or
(2) any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, commission or office of the Congress, consistent with applicable rules of the House or Senate.
This comment about Rep Nunes, age 43, is from the Los Angeles Times:
“A California progressive group says it will demand Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare) step down as chairman of the House Select Intelligence Committee during a protest at his Clovis office Wednesday.
“The Los Angeles-based Courage Campaign in a news release criticized comments Nunes made Tuesday that the committee won’t investigate conversations between former national security advisor Michael Flynn and President Trump. Local activists and constituents affiliated with the group plan to protest outside Nunes’ office.
“Flynn resigned late Monday after news outlets reported that he had misled administration officials about the content of conversations he had with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. before Trump took office.
“Before Flynn resigned, Nunes said, “It just seems like there’s a lot of nothing there.” Afterward, Nunes said he wanted to know why the FBI was recording a then-private citizen’s phone calls.
“Nunes and the ranking Democrat on the committee, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), announced last month that the committee would investigate Russian attempts to influence the 2016 elections, and communications between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Mary, loved your little Titbit advising us all of the legalities in the case of lying to Congress.
But, I must really ask the question ;
What’s the point of all these nice and tidy little legal platitudes, if the Government and Members of Congress totally ignore them, and only apply them when it suits them, and they wish to denigrate and cast someone out ???????
You can have all the rules you like, if the writers themselves are above those rules, what’s the point of them at all.
CLAPPER comes to mind, who LIED to Congress and was allowed to remain in his position of power CONTRARY to the rules. Thereby creating a precedence for others to follow, which they most certainly will now.
This whole attitude of totally ignoring their very own rules, International Law and agreements that they have ALLEGEDLY made with other nations, ALL IGNORED whenever it suits their agenda, then when other nations follow suit, they cry a bucket of tears, run off to Daddy, (the U.N. ) and complain some folks are not abiding by the rules. LOL. Mind, they say this with a total straight face, witness the last episode in the U.N. when the newly appointed U.S. representative pointed the finger at Russia, accusing it of all sorts of nefarious deeds, whilst totally ignoring the part her own nation played in that disasterous, murderous episode.
I’ve realized one thing, the Rules/Laws simply do not apply to American Government, period, only to all the other idiots all around the World, who blindly accept this idea.
Eddy, you do not seem to recognise your peasant status. The ‘law’ only applies to you. Who do you think you are? Just remain in your peasant station and do not question those who make or apply the law, they are way above the alleged law and they are there to protect the peasants.
Come on, Neddy and Eddy, get with the program.
Ye see yon birkie, ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that;
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that:
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
His ribband, star, an’ a’ that:
The man o’ independent mind
He looks an’ laughs at a’ that.
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an’ a’ that;
But an honest man’s abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa’ that!
For a’ that, an’ a’ that,
Their dignities an’ a’ that;
The pith o’ sense, an’ pride o’ worth,
Are higher rank than a’ that.
Mary,
I Thnk we lnow the program.
Your reference
There are interests that want a war and destruction, who cares where?
Ukraine, Middle East, on the Eastern front. Anywhere just have a war to wipe out the bankers derivative debts and the US trillions of debt. Who cares, so long as world debt is obliterated and there is a a new round of reconstructed debt for the bankers profits is created.
Well, Canberra, let’s sit this one out. Alternatively, grab your rifle and parachute and go fight it. You two, Malcolm and Julie might create a fashion statement for the msm in fatigues.
Leave us in peace. Remember how John Winston Howard was suckered.
For reality readers; spend 40 minutes listening to ‘All Wars Are Bankers Wars’ by Mike Rivero at http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/ see at the top of the index.
The whoremongering fake msm will not inform the Australian public of the truth.
Please replace the soft word “whoremongering” with the legal word “treasonous.”
How about; ‘banker’s running dogs’.
Then we can more easily identify them in our Parliament House in Canberra. They hide under the carpet as ‘treason’ous anti-democratic traitors and are hard to detect.
We can also identify them when they are exposed as being scientific denialists for the last 16 years after 911; being a justification to a msm uninformed and deceived public
to go kill, destroy and thieve.
Ms. Ellis MP, answered your correspondence lately? Read it?
Sorry J. Winston. H. I had a vision.
There you were, military helmet, battle fatigues, radio, machine gun going rat a tat, heat, dust and shaprel all around, facing the inevitable, being over run by hordes with bayonets glistening and about to be overun and a bayonet run through your guts for your banker mates and that is where your soul lies.
Remind you of the trench in WW1?
Then you have a realisation that you are just dreaming as the master of ceremonies in introduction says; now for our most esteemed former Prime Minister, The Most Honourable Mr John Winston Howard. Clap clap! By the herds.
Sorry Johnie, you were not dreaming, you merely were experiencing those you suckered with lies to be killed…….for the last fourteen years for the bankers.
BS.
Whose next Malcolm? Clap clap go the loyal suckered msm herds.
Replying to Ned (we ran out of space below):
.
Like I’ve said before , this is a great country with even better people . But here we still vote with pencils and that is why the 1% have always dominated . That is why they send our youth to fight their international mercenary wars for the past 104 years .
They don’t give a ‘ intercourse ‘ about us . They’re to busy counting the stolen money to notice . Hungry demons .
56, How would you like us to vote, other than with pencils?
Pens may be a start ( unless they trash the ballot boxes ) .
In almost four decades of voting , have only seen pens at election time once (maybe two elections ago , not sure if it was state or federal ) . Interesting to note that this coincided with on-line voting . But lately it’s reverted back to old . Maybe pencils are cheaper . I’m sure you get my intention that 99% of politicians are freemasons .
Police State ?
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=reason+tv+civil+forfeiture&t=hb&atb=v41-2&ia=videos&iax=1&iai=Z7TxYFxDf8E
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
LUKE 16:10