DOJ Turns Over More FISA Records: GOP Demands More and More With Threats

GOP's Newest Political Sanctuary

(Property of GOP, Inc.)

These Three Approved for Early Admission 

(Other GOPers on tap to follow suit)

Update of the following June 24, 2018) — Note: Some may be duplicated:

As noted below and in other liks, the House GOP has given the DOJ and FBI a new deadline to turn over all documents related to the origins of the FBI's Russia investigation and the handling of its probe into Democrat Hillary Clinton's emails and Clinton foundation.

Speaker Ryan’s spokesperson, Ashlee Strong said: “Our efforts have resulted in the committees finally getting access to information that was sought months ago, but some important requests remain to be completed. Additional time has been requested for the outstanding items, and based on our understanding of the process we believe that request is reasonable. We expect the department to meet its full obligations to the two committees.”

(I note: This from Speaker Ryan, who said there is no evidence of any spying on Trump campaign – so why is he not more forceful against Nunes and his sole agenda for Trump? – Yeah, Mr. Ryan, what that stance).

The efforts by the DOJ last week to deliver documents to the House GOP appear to have at least temporarily diffused a month long standoff with them. DEMS have criticized the multiple document requests, charging that they are intended to discredit the DOJ and FBI to distract from or even undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation and any Trump obstruction of justice.

Bolstered by Trump himself, Rep. Nunes (R-CA) has been pressing the DOJ on an informant who spoke to members of Trump's campaign as the FBI began to explore the campaign's ties to Russia and Carter Page back years ago. Trump now calls the whole matter “Spygate” even though multiple Republicans who know about the informant have downplayed the significance.

(Reminder about Nunes: He has been under the spotlight since last year, when he traveled to the White House to brief administration officials on classified information about the Russia probe before informing his colleagues on the panel. Nunes has since been conducting a separate investigation into what he characterizes as surveillance abuses by the DOJ and FBI. So, now maybe this is Nunes’ version of Sen. Joe McCarthy’s RED scare and Communist lurking everywhere scandal). Earlier this year, Nunes drew scrutiny for publicly disclosing FISA information about the former Trump campaign aide Carter Page and the retired college professor Trump et al calls FBI plant. In April, the DOJ turned over the documents that first prompted the FBI to launch the Russia probe).

(In my view, Nunes should be prosecuted as a traitor for his FISA release conspiracy BS – but hey, that’s just me).

Nunes then went on to seek transcripts of conversations between confidential human sources and Trump campaign officials, but that has referred to National Intelligence Director Dan Coats (R-IN).

The DOJ has also given Nunes materials related to the department's guidelines under the FISA rules. Republicans have for months questioned whether the department abused that act when prosecutors and agents in 2016 applied for and received a secret warrant to monitor the communications of Trump campaign associate Carter Page as noted above and elsewhere including Speaker Ryan’s comments “Was fair and the right thing to do and not illegal). That FBI informant was not a spy in any sense of the word and GOP hype. He has been outed now also. His name is Stefan Halper, age 73, and a Cambridge professor.

The DOJ is also working to provide outstanding documents related to former British spy Christopher Steele, Tyson said, and the dossier he compiled of anti-Trump research during the presidential campaign. 

Trump and congressional Republicans have charged that the research in the dossier, paid for by Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee, was used inappropriately to obtain the warrant on Page.

In a television interview two days after that meeting, on June 17, Nunes said if they don't get the documents by this week, “there's going to be hell to pay” and that the whole House could act on contempt or even impeachment.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has requested more than a million documents as part of multiple investigations into the FBI and DOJ handling of the Russia and Clinton probes. The DOJ has already provided more than 800,000 documents for review and “the FBI produced over 1,400 pages of responsive materials” among other documents already sent to the panel.

Plus, the FBI is working to address a request about “proposed, recommended or actual surveillance on the Clinton Foundation.”

(I Note: This part is a packaged media stunt by FOX for any red-meat probe to keep the Clinton flame red hot and alive with sponsors rolling in for bigger profits).

My 2 cents: So, what does all this mean?

I believe it all clearly adds up to be one huge GOP rant just like Alex Jones, Roger Stone, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, most of FOX, and all across GOP la-la land Talk Radio — all neatly wrapped up in one huge conspiracy. 

Now FOX and Talk Radio are both the worse places ever with this version of “Big Brother” – but in this case, it's not the government or DEMs that they peddle 24/7; it's themselves and their raw BS. Their purpose is to undermine all that is good for all that is bad according to their rules and whatever standards and values they profess to hold.

They are the worse and right now are in our national face with this madness from the White House right on down through this all GOP-run Congress – believe it.

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Original Post: The DOJ has turned over additional FISA records to GOP – former intelligence officials say; “The implications could be catastrophic” details on that from article at the Business Insider.

But, first this reminder of who one of the GOP players involved in this very serious release of FISA information. That is Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) seen in this rundown on him from NPR.

(In short and in my view Nunes is a very unstable and power-hungry man now out of control and harmful to the intelligence community from his powerful House position, but damn helpful to Trump – Nunes is in one single word: A Trump brown noser and now apparently so are Reps. Gowdy and Goodlatte).

The NRP article lists 5 key elements to know and remember about Nunes. Quite revealing about his character and possible motivations.

Now, let’s focus on the FISA record release – key points from the article:

1. The DOJ has turned over additional Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) records related to the Russia investigation to House Republicans.

2. Asked about the development, one former senior FBI official replied that the national-security implications could be “catastrophic.”

3.  Republicans say the DOJ had not responded to all their subpoena requests and they therefore indicated a willingness to hold Dep AG Rod Rosenstein in contempt of Congress if the department does not comply.

The three main GOP players who say they are loyal Americans (Nunes, Gowdy, and Goodlatte) are acting irrational now regarding the release. “Catastrophic” is that word again expressed by many in the intelligence fields some this way:

Asked about lawmakers obtaining additional FISA records related to the Russia investigation, one former senior FBI official said it was “hard to put into words how damaging it could to be to national security if details about the US's most sensitive intelligence-gathering process leaked out.”

Others added: “It would be catastrophic.  Just look at the damage that's already been done.” The immediate and most basic concern, says former CIA operative Glenn Carle, is that “turning over information related to FISA records could compromise sources and methods.” 

(Note: Doing that would put people’s lives at risk and in serious danger and cause irreparable to national security and intelligence gathering). 

My 2 Cents: Worth to read and analyze these two articles since it relates to the important documents and our national security operations for the weak reasons the GOP is using as defensive shield to help Trump.

Image you were an American intelligence asset in deep cover thinking you and your family and kids were safe and out pops this information.

More importantly imagine how any of our adversaries (Russia and China to name two right off) will react with glee. 

Imagine Mr. Nunes, Gowdy, and Goodlatte, all three members of this all GOP-run Congress and three people that I now consider to be totally un-American despite their fake posture and speeches otherwise that happening.

In short, this is very bad news.

Thanks for stopping by.