Our own Whskyjack says it best:
Ya know this is starting to feel like the time I worked at Juvie hall and the kids would try to defend each other and end up telling us way more than we really wanted to know.
Let me get this straight, Dev wanted to give a little cover to his buddy Donnie. So he tells Donnie and all of us that there really was surveillance by one of our intelligence agencies. It seems some Trump people were accidently recorded talking to a foreign agent but not Russia, some other country’s agent.
So what did we learn? Not only were the Trump people talking to the Russians but they also were talking to somebody that our intelligence service believe is bad ass enough to get a FISA warrant to spy on them.
Wow, that makes me more comfortable.
LOL
Really?, hey idiots quit digging.
Jack
Read More
The Hill: Intelligence chairman sparks storm with Trump briefing
The Atlantic: What Devin Nunes’s Bombshell Does and Doesn’t Say
jack, superb analogy! and, craig, thanks for reposting it for us and the rest of the world.
so was seth telling it like it is
https://youtu.be/ElRVvIWQbCY
Published on Mar 22, 2017
Seth takes a closer look at the FBI’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election and Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing.
business insider: ‘This is a bizarre situation’: John McCain says Congress no longer has ‘credibility’ to conduct Trump-Russia probe alone
McCain’s comments came after House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes made the highly unusual decision on Wednesday to bypass his vice-chair, Rep. Adam Schiff, and brief Trump directly on a report he said he had been given that Trump’s transition team had been legally surveilled after the election.
“This is a bizarre situation,” McCain told Greta van Susteren. “I’m calling for a select committee because I think this back-and-forth shows that Congress no longer has the credibility handle this alone. And I don’t say that lightly.”
McCain is not the first Republican senator to call for a special, bipartisan investigation into Trump’s Russia ties. Sen. Lindsey Graham said in February that he would be open to the Senate “forming a Select Committee to look at all things related to Russia.”
Nunes, a California Republican, held a press conference after he briefed Trump on Wednesday where he indicated to reporters that a FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) warrant had been obtained to monitor foreign agents on US soil, and that some of Trump’s associates had been caught up in surveillance “incidentally.”
The collection occurred on “numerous occasions,” he said, and was not related to the FBI’s investigation into Russian meddling in last year’s presidential election. Some have questioned whether Nunes, in appearing to confirm the existence of a FISA, disclosed classified information.
Schiff held his own press conference afterward, expressing surprise over Nunes’ decision to bypass him and go straight to Trump.
“This is not the way an investigation should be conducted,” Schiff said.
dev & donnie quoting Wiley Coyote,
YA-
Hoo-
hooooooooie
thud
I think I first mentioned special prosecutor eight weeks ago. I’m glad to see folks finally coming around, cuz there is no way in hell that the repug Congress can honestly and fairly investigate their orange lord & savior.
Nice to see Blonde Wino early this morning.
Now, Mr. Solarcrete, where are you? Your adoring public awaits.
sjwny, add our trail friend tony to that list of long missed mixers…. and oldsea
buried (but not to be forgotten and should be repeated often during this recent hullabaloo) in a politico story:
Nunes, himself a Trump transition member, said a “source” had shown him evidence that members of the Trump transition team had been unmasked — and that their identities had been revealed in U.S. intelligence reports.
Whskyjack tells it like it is.
This whole situation is so embarrassing. Not only do we have an administration of traitors, enablers & dirty tricksters, they’re stupid traitors, enablers & dirty tricksters. And this whole thing hasn’t bottomed out.
A nod to something Bink commented on earlier this month: Kudos to the reporters, journalists who exposed & are exposing this cancer on our democracy. There are plenty of stinkers & access-seekers in that profession; they dig their own graves. Have fun in hell, folks. Meanwhile, dedicated women & men face daily reprisal & attacks from the President & his detritus. Thanks are due to those in the media doing their job, reporting the truth.
patd,
Missing all you mentioned. ✔
Always nice to make new friends here too. Anyone reading but not commenting, please write a line or two. Very easy. If I can do it, you certainly can 😉
the guardian: Trump-Russia inquiry in ‘grave doubt’ after GOP chair briefs White House
In the latest wild development surrounding the Russia inquiry that has created an air of scandal around Trump, Democrat Adam Schiff effectively called his GOP counterpart, Devin Nunes, a proxy for the White House, questioning his conduct.
“These actions raise enormous doubt about whether the committee can do its work,” Schiff said late Wednesday afternoon after speaking with Nunes, his fellow Californian, before telling MSNBC that evidence tying Trump to Russia now appeared “more than circumstantial”.
Two days after testimony from the directors of the FBI and NSA that dismissed any factual basis to Trump’s 4 March claim that Barack Obama had him placed under surveillance, Nunes publicly stated he was “alarmed” to learn that the intelligence agencies may have “incidentally” collected communications from Trump and his associates.
Nunes, who served on Trump’s national security transition team, said the surveillance “appears to be all legally collected” and masked the identities of Americans, but did so in such a way that Nunes could hazard a guess as to whom the intercepted communications discussed. Nunes added that the alleged intercepts did not actually concern Russia.
[….]
“If you have a chairman who is interacting with the White House, sharing information with the White House, when the people around the White House are the subject of the investigation and doing it before sharing it with the committee, it puts a profound doubt over whether that can be done credibly,” Schiff said.
Given politics today, a good stiff drink might be in order though since several are British, you could probably get a proper cup of tea. This would make one whale of a pub crawl:
Ten Bars At The End of the World
like father like son, the nut never falls far from the tree
also from today’s guardian: Donald Trump Jr called ‘a disgrace’ for tweet goading London mayor Sadiq Khan
Old Sea had a birthday yesterday. I dropped her a line to pop back in for a visit. For all the lurkers, please do say hello. Feel free to invent an alias to protect the innocent.
?….the surveillance …masked the identities of Americans, but did so in such a way that Nunes could hazard a guess as to whom the intercepted communications discussed….?
could it be that nunes himself was on the tape caught saying untoward things and rattled when he recognized (iow “could hazard a guess as to”) it being himself
Published on Mar 22, 2017
He alone will break everything
Have anti-Trump crowds started chanting “Lock Him Up” yet. Seems like a no-brainer
about 7 minutes in on this vid, Rachel brings up the nunes stuff and such
Published on Mar 22, 2017
Rachel Maddow reports on developments in the investigation into coordination between the Donald Trump campaign in Russia, from a new report on Paul Manafort acting in Russia’s interest to a new characterization of the evidence by ranking House Intelligence Committee member Rep. Adam Schiff.
What I do not understand is how this HELPS trump. I guess his education in agriculture didn’t focus teach him that there are 2 sides to every argument, and often the other side to the argument is more damaging than your side is helpful.
Obviously it is all the fault of the elephant named “Shep”
Jamie, I liked the Bars at the End of the World piece – ironically, I went to one of them last summer – Lafittes’ Blacksmith Shop. Mrs. P and I went to NOLA and while there did a Segway tour of the French Quarter. Lafitte’s was a stop on the tour.
pogo, mention french quarter and I immediately think beignets and great tasting coffee
Happy Birthday Yesterday, OldSeahag!
Miss you. Love your chocolate.
Come back. Bring chocolate…..
Lock him up! Lock him up!
Somehow I think this slippery eel will bolt first than be a man & do time. No integrity with this specimen.
Back in the ’70s we vacationed in Pennsylvania often & drove past Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary. We’d giggle, that’s where the Watergate guys were sent. Recent events reminded me of this. Ah, memories.
Speaking of …. if the 1970’s had “Watergate Cake” (which was quite delicious) what will the latest generation bake/cook forth?
Patd, beignets and great coffee indeed. I kinda try to avoid things submerged in hot oil for cooking, but I do make one obligatory stop at Cafe du Monde whenever I visit NOLA. I love the food in the French Quarter and force myself to try different restaurants when there although there are a handful I love and could be happy limiting myself to.
I wonder if Nunes is one of the masked members of drumpf’s transition team who was incidentally surveilled? Wouldn’t that be ironic?
sjwny, I suggest rocky mountain oysters, pig nuggets or cow patties. here’s a recipe for alternative facts cow patties
Most Republicans are in denial about the probe into Trump-Russia ties
The Republican civil war continues, will the Koch bros spank little Donnie?
Koch-related groups pledge millions of dollars in help for GOP lawmakers who reject health-care bill
I’m really looking forward to todays house vote.
But first I’m going to have to make a quick run to the store, I’m out of popcorn.
Jack
NOLA one of my favorite places in the world. So sad that most of their great food will kill me 🙁 Now when I visit it’s no beignets (or 1 quick cheat) and po boys are ordered “dressed, no bun” Jambalaya and shrimp etouffee “no rice” sigh
Meanwhile back at the dysfunctional, embarrassment that is our government…times of international crises are sure to shine big, gigantic spotlights on how pathetic it is. I watched the spiecer “official white house response” to the London attack on Sky News yesterday. He looked and sounded like the kid who was shoved out on stage to address the school assembly in the auditorium unexpectedly. Then of course he claimed that trumplestiltskin called the Prime Minister and more details of that would be forthcoming. It was cringe-worthy and all I could think of was that I wish I was a fly on the wall listening to that phone call. I wonder how much of it he related to himself. I sooooooooooooooo miss eloquence in my government! I haven’t looked for updates today yet but I can almost bet that there either won’t be anything of substance or it will be embarrassing. This is the world we live in now.
Lawrence in his “President Trump, Paul Ryan, Devin Nunes In Over Their Heads” lays the blame on paul ryan for sending nunes to spill the classified beans
Published on Mar 23, 2017
House Intel Chair Devin Nunes broke tradition and precedent by delivering news to the president that some Trump transition messages were collected by U.S. intel. Democrats and Republicans called Nunes’ actions partisan and damaging. Lawrence speaks with Intel Cmte member Rep. Eric Swalwell.
These days are so reminiscent of 1972-4. Daily even hourly, news updates contained more about how bad things were around Nixon and his henchmen. The cameras focused on lots of old white men, but when John Dean was in the room those cameras focused on his wife, Maureen (Mo). The toll on the U.S. was enormous.
This is happening today. With electronic/online media available for one and all, there is the constant plop of fresh crap from the WH along with the screeching sounds of the Congress shutting closet doors. The toll is growing larger everyday. What is happening is a WH so scrambled that they use Americans to divert attention away from guilt and ignorance. A congress that is so afraid to move they appear as accomplices.
The one thing missing are the constant parodies on the radios. Those were a standard of the era. Alas, no more.
Parodies are now to be found on the Internet and in the WH press room
“…could it be that nunes himself was on the tape caught saying untoward things….” – PatD
You’d make a great crime detector, Pat
You too, Pogo.
Hah! I made the same comment about Nunes potentially running to the president and to cover his butt over on WaPo this morning – him being on the transition team and all.
BTW, constitutionally, what Nunes did was, in a tripartite system of checks and balances, tip off the branch over which his congressional committee has oversight evidence that potentially implicates it before the investigation even got off the ground. Mike Barnicle aptly equated it to a prosecutor meeting with the opposing defense attorney and giving him pointers on how to try his case.
Well, the house vote has been postponed, They weren’t just going to lose but lose badly.
Welcome to the big leagues Donnie boy.
Jack
cnn: House Intel chairman: Trump’s personal communications may have been collected
A Republican source with knowledge of the situation claimed the information that Nunes talked about was from the intelligence community and not the White House. The source said Nunes was “steaming” about what he read.
That source said Nunes met with Republican members of the Intelligence Committee before his news conference, and several tried to convince him not to do it before he spoke with Schiff. But Nunes didn’t take the advice, with the news conference already called by the time he met with the GOP committee members. Nunes was too mad, the source said.
[….]
Nunes later told CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” that “President-elect Trump and his team were put into intelligence reports.”
“Clearly there is a lot of information in the reports that I’ve seen, which were dozens, that would lead me to believe that the last administration and numerous agencies had a pretty good idea of what President-elect Trump was up to and what his transition team was up to and who they were meeting with,” Nunes told Tapper.
lol
Nobody told Trump that the vote has been postponed. He is busy promoting it
Rookies!!
Jack
Over the years, rippers systematically removed legislative operators from their leadership in both houses. They spent 6 years in vigorous opposition to getting things done. They trained themselves to prevent getting anything done, and now that is all they know how to do.
Jack,
I assume that ryan and trump don’t enjoy keeping in touch. I couldn’t blame either of them for that.
Jack, hahahahahahahahahahahahah!!!
Donnie said he was going after those who didn’t vote for the bill. I’m sure that with all the political capital he has they are shaking in their boots.
It’s like the Superbowl of Insurance.
It’s like the Pamplona of Insurance.
Insurance Kabuki
Koch Buki
Where is the anti-women Party bill that will end abortion ? Their majorities in the House, Senate, and their orange savior in the White House don’t seem to be able to get going on a RIGHT TO LIFE. They need a strong leader. Actually, any kind of leader would do. If only they could find one.
During the night the republicans removed seven million veterans from receiving health care. The way the changes were written was really stupid. https://tinyurl.com/nyf8qy5
what’s for dinner? I just fixed up this mess of KY country ham and fried potatoes.
Is that plate Royal Doulton? If not, sure looks like it.
No, nothing like that SJ. Just runt everyday porcelain made in china.
They haven’t voted on trumpDON’Tcare yet, and the White House is already blaming lyin’ ryan for its failure.
In actual fact, deadbeat don waited until the last 2 days to help move things along. But, the kremlin claims ryan should have gotten the ‘conservatives’ on board first. I think the White House meant the anarchists.