COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Sunday, May 06, 2018

Where is Elmer Fudd?

NUNES: Congress to Hold AG Sessions in Contempt

DOJ says "[no] disclosure...can risk severe consequences"

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes revealed Sunday that Congress will hold Department of Justice Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt for refusing to turn over classified information the committee has requested, he stated in a phone interview with Fox and Friends.

The Department of Justice also shot back on Sunday, releasing the letter sent to Nunes on May 3, which addressed the classified information Nunes had requested. It appears from the letter Nunes had asked for information on a specific individual, not yet named and considered by DOJ to be a very valuable person for a counterintelligence operation.




“Disclosure of responsive information to such requests can risk severe consequences, including potential loss of human lives, damage to relationships with valued international partners, compromise of ongoing criminal investigations, and interference with intelligence activities,” stated the May, 3 letter from Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd.

But Nunes is not buying it. He warned Sessions that ignoring deadlines requested by Congress will result in contempt. Nunes also referred to comments lambasting Special Counsel Robert Mueller by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III, who said in a Virginia Federal Court Friday, “we don’t want anyone in this country with unfettered power. It’s unlikely you’re going to persuade me the special prosecutor has power to do anything he or she wants…The American people feel pretty strongly that no one has unfettered power.”

“The only thing left that we can do is we have to move quickly to hold the Attorney General of the United States in contempt…”

Nunes noted that two weeks ago, the committee sent a classified letter to Sessions and “per usual it was ignored… last week we sent a subpoena and we got a letter stating they are not going to comply with our subpoena on very important information that we need.”

“The only thing left that we can do is we have to move quickly to hold the Attorney General of the United States in contempt and that’s what I’m going to press for this week,” Nunes said.

Boyd stated that Nunes’ request had been reviewed by all agencies, including the White House.

“After careful evaluation and following consultations with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the White House, the Department has determined that, consistent with applicable law and longstanding Executive Branch policy, it is not in a position to provide the information responsive to your request regarding a specific individual,”  the letter states.
But according to Congressional sources the information requested is necessary for the committee to conduct its review and the constant battles with the DOJ and FBI hamper their ability to do sufficient oversight.

Nunes, like many others have noted their frustration with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation saying, “we found out Friday from the judge (Ellis) it kind of looks like this whole investigation has gone off the rails.”
Jeff Sessions
“If you have a counterintelligence investigation opened up on you as an American citizen, this is done secretly with only a few peoples knowledge and if they go to court they go to a secret court to get a warrant on you like they did with Carter Page. So there is a very small apparatus in our country that holds the check and balance authority between Congress and the Executive Branch and when the Obama administration decided to move forward on a counterintelligence investigation in a campaign of all things that’s how we’ve gotten to here,” he added.

44 comments:

  1. The Californian Republican’s committee has been looking into allegations that the Justice Department and the FBI abused the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act in their scrutiny of the Trump campaign.

    ...

    "This just cannot continue where we don't get information in a timely manner. Like I said, everything we have tried to get they tried to stop us from getting,” Nunes said.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That Fudd sure takes a beating.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will visit the U.S. Mexico-border in San Diego on Monday to discuss the immigration enforcement efforts of the Trump Administration.

    Justice Department officials said Sessions would hold a press conference with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Thomas D. Homan at 1 p.m. The location was not disclosed.

    ...

    On April 18, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen paid a visit to Calexico to see the replacement of a border barrier. Later that month, Vice President Mike Pence addressed Homeland Security and Border Patrol employees at the El Centro Border Patrol Station about plans for a new border wall and to call for tougher enforcement measures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jeff's law career started early:

    https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170720132220-02-jeff-sessions-life-and-career-gallery-exlarge-169.jpg

    Always a good scout:

    https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/170720132222-03-jeff-sessions-life-and-career-gallery-exlarge-169.jpg

    https://www.cnn.com/2017/07/27/politics/sessions-trump-tweets-hurtful/index.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. “On Thursday we discovered that they are not going to comply with our subpoena,” Nunes said Sunday on “Fox and Friends.”

    ...

    Nunes sent Sessions a classified letter, which he said went unnoticed. Then, Nunes sent him a subpoena.

    The Justice Department, meanwhile, has said it did respond to Nunes’ letter, according to a statement reported by Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” program:

    The Department has determined that, consistent with applicable law and longstanding Executive Branch policy, it is not in a position to provide information responsive to your request regarding a specific individual,” Assistant Attorney General Stephen E. Boyd wrote in a signed letter. “The Department and its intelligence community partners would welcome the opportunity to discuss whether there are other ways to accommodate the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s oversight inquiry.

    ...

    The committee’s report determined that FBI agents detected no deception during Michael Flynn’s interview.

    Flynn, Trump’s former national security advisor, pled guilty to one count of making “false, fictitious or fraudulent” statements to the FBI in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mus money is all in on Fudd

    Never have seen a guy that didn't look the part as much a Fudd since the old days with and he turned our swell.

    ReplyDelete
  7. National Narcissist

    John McCain, who has been fighting brain cancer for almost a year, told his inner circle that he does not want President Donald Trump to attend his funeral and would prefer Vice President Mike Pence to be present instead, according to a media report.

    The Arizona Republican, 81, is recovering from surgery related to an intestinal infection and has been undergoing treatment for a rare, aggressive type of brain cancer called glioblastoma.

    The New York Times reports that McCain’s close friends have notified the White House of his current plan, in which Pence will attend the senator’s funeral, but not Trump. The service will be held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush among those scheduled to deliver eulogies.


    The left is prepping to deify him but the truth will overwhelm the real McCain"

    Palin was not responsible for Mccain losing. Bush was. MCcain is trying to look back in time without taking responsibility for his own shortcomings. Obama mopped the floor with the great MCcain. He is trying to prevent the brutal epitaph that will be written by clear headed historians. The man never lived upto the hype. Palin was a breath of fresh air, that if she had been properly coached could have been a formidable force. it was obvious that Mccain was jealous of the accolades and star power Palin brought to the ticket. This article can be lumped in with the Hillary blame tour and her great pathetic book. Mccain will not be remembered well after his end. Unfortunately it is his own doing.

    The Hill

    ReplyDelete
  8. Sen. John McCain should reconsider his wish that President Donald Trump not attend McCain's funeral, said Sen. Orrin Hatch, the most senior GOP senator.

    McCain prefers instead that Vice President Mike Pence attend his funeral rather than Trump, who has mocked McCain for being tortured and attacked him for voting against Obamacare repeal. But Hatch said he thought keeping the president from his funeral was too much: "I think it's ridiculous."

    ...

    "He’s been pleased to hear reports that Senator McCain is in good spirits and hopes to see him back in Washington soon," said Matt Whitlock, the Hatch spokesman.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

  10. Fudd or no Fudd the Mueller investigation is falling apart.

    ReplyDelete
  11. According to a story published in The New York Times, Mueller’s team of prosecutors would like, for example, to ask the president about his “opinion of Mr. Comey during the transition.” Other questions are similarly framed.

    ...

    In short, the answers to such questions are none of Robert Mueller’s business.

    Good thing Mueller wasn’t around when Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson told prosecutors to drop particular prosecutions. Otherwise they might all be getting subpoenaed and spending a fortune on lawyers to defend themselves against overzealous federal prosecutors.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Is it possible that Sessions is a Democratic Trojan Horse or just a plain old horse's ass?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has resigned after being accused of abuse by multiple women in a bombshell new report Monday.

    “In the last several hours, serious allegations, which I strongly contest, have been made against me,” he said in a statement.

    “While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time.

    “I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018.”

    ReplyDelete
  14. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the U.S. will take a stricter stance on illegal crossings at the Mexico border by separating parents from children, rather than keeping them together in detention centers.

    ...

    According to the the Department of Homeland Security, 700 children have been separated from their parents since the start of the fiscal year last October. Last month, Senators at a subcommittee testimony said almost 1,500 migrant children went missing after federal officials put them in the homes of adult sponsors around the country.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh those NY Democrats: Schneiderman, Spitzer, Weiner

    ReplyDelete
  16. Trump on Eric Schneiderman in 2013 tweet: ‘Wait and see, worse than Spitzer or Weiner’

    ReplyDelete
  17. Stormy v The Donald and others on Saturday Night Live -

    https://hotair.com/archives/2018/05/07/view-panelist-lets-face-stormy-daniels-hurt-credibility-snl-cameo/

    ReplyDelete
  18. Norm MacDonald also told Vulture in 2017 that while SNL tends to shine when their sketches get political, jokes about Trump aren’t a laughing matter, especially for viewers looking for a fun escape on television.

    “Personally, with comedy, I think if it doesn’t make you laugh 100 years from now, what good is it?” said the 58-year-old. “…It’s good for them, because ‘Saturday Night Live’ is at its best when it’s political.

    "You’d think they’ll have to find another approach to Trump eventually. I can’t see making jokes with that fever behind them for so long before the whole thing collapses into itself."

    ReplyDelete
  19. May 7, 2018

    On 'Russian Collusion,' Trump Will Win...Big Time

    By David Prentice

    The winds of the special counsel are blowing hard. A big tempest is brewing, and it's not clear what is happening. Nobody really knows, other than perhaps Mueller and a few other insiders, one probably being Donald Trump and his counsel. One thing seems certain: there will be a lot of surprises in the end.

    The two general theories:


    1. Mueller is a tool of the Deep State, allied with Comey and the left, a black hat appointed by powerful people who won't stop this investigation until the removal or neutering of Trump. A lot of smart people are invested in this narrative. You can cite a lot of facts and informative stories that demonstrate the reality of this theory. Most, but not all, on the right believe some version of this Deep State plot.

    2. This investigation is a well planned, quietly effective smokescreen to ferret out major groups of people in the swamp and the Deep State. It targets people doing illegal and unethical things. This would include the Clintons and many of the leading players in the Obama-Clinton regime. There are a lot of known facts and indicators that point to this being the true narrative as well.

    The tipping point is close now. We will know soon. My bet is on the latter – mainly because there is zero evidence, not a scintilla of proof that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia or did anything wrong.

    On the other hand, the evidence we do have shows that the side making the accusations did a lot of very wrong things. You can say it's a criminal conspiracy. McCabe has a criminal referral. The early I.G. report simply destroyed any hope of him escaping his wrongdoing, tipping its hat to what is coming. Comey has made an ass out of himself, with contradictions from interview to interview. Let's just say he will likely be spending his book profits on lawyers. Strzok, Ohr, and a lot of others are in peril as well, and if nothing else, these people no longer have power to do the Deep State take-down they had planned.

    The I.G. report due to come out should be devastating. There are reports of multiple grand juries looking for multiple indictments. When the report comes out in full, we will finally know which theory has more of the truth.

    There is another major storyline to all this. As a country, we are at a moment of critical mass. A tipping point is approaching.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Leftists thinks they are going to get rid of the evil Drumpf – impeached, frog-marched, jailed forever. Meanwhile, many on the right are wringing their hands over the injustices we are seeing, depressed because they see the criminal left getting away with it all. Complaints and whining about the lack of headway are registered daily. Belief that the left is in control even as they are out of power is growing, fueled by the testimony of Michael Caputo.

      I am not saying the left is not leaving a devastating mark on our lives. It is. These people have crossed a line of evil, destroying many human beings, institutions, and lots in between.

      But they will not win this. They will not triumph. Here is why.

      Suppose theory number one is true. Too much is known about what the leftist cabal has done. Too much factual information on their ugly, evil intent is out there. Too many of their top soldiers are gone or neutered. Clinton has no power. Obama has no power. Their surrogates have been outed. The media have been outed; a huge number of people in this country have been rightfully convinced the mainstream media is colluding with all this wrongdoing. The "fake news" has been branded (correctly) and won't recover for decades.

      The irony of Jake Tapper accepting his award at the White House Correspondents Dinner has not hit them yet.

      Their big obstacles: Trump's polling close to 50% approval (the real number is likely higher). He is being nominated for and should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the Korea deal. The economy is roaring. There is no evidence of wrongdoing with Russia and plenty of evidence that Trump has been wronged.

      The leftists cannot execute their plan, nor pull off their "insurance policy." They simply do not have the power to do it. Yes, they have put a lot of fear and hurt into a lot of people. But their only power is in the fear and timidity of the Republican Party. And even that is not enough. The vapidly stupid leadership of the left (and the RINO party) now know they cannot pull this off.

      If they try, they will be destroyed. Trump holds the cards. Even if Mueller, Rosenstein, et al. are black hats, are they really dumb enough to try to impeach him, convict him, then try him and send him to jail?

      Hell, no. If you think that, please put a small deposit in my Nigerian bank account.

      And that's the worst case. It really is.

      The best case: A lot of leftists go to prison. Their power will slowly, and painfully, be cut off. They will be mistrusted for years to come. They will have failed miserably, stewing in their own hubris and wrongdoing.

      One more thing about that critical mass, that tipping point. A lot of us on the center-right are angry (rightfully so) at what has been done by the left. Their evildoing is exposed for all to see and will not be easily forgotten.

      If they try to pull a fast one (theory one), by going the process crime route or petty "crime," failure is guaranteed. Trying Trump for such drivel would start a civil war they would quickly lose. Theory two: They are toast.



      https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2018/05/on_russian_collusion_trump_will_winbig_time.html#ixzz5EscMpSuA

      Delete
  20. Mother Nature is creating new little cozy lava tubes for Doug to live(hide out)in....close to shopping too....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Close to the Island Tour Bus too, and the lua at the Resort too, and other traditional Hawaiian martial arts.

      Delete
    2. You qualify as a howlee Doug, Best pack.

      Delete
    3. See how long you can hold a hot glowing lava rack in your mouth, Doug.

      It's a male rite of passage.

      Now is your time.

      Delete
    4. There should be a webcam of this event.

      Delete
    5. Search Results

      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Express.co.uk
      Hawaii volcano eruption live feed: How to WATCH Kilauea stream ...

      Express.co.uk-May 6, 2018
      Hawaii volcano eruption live feed: How to WATCH Kilauea stream - smoke BILLOWS from crater ... After the initial eruption blast, so far ten fissures - or cracks in the ground - have appeared in the East Rift Zone, spurting lava fountains some 100 feet high in dramatic ... To view this webcam, click here.
      Slopes of volcano offer lush, affordable piece of paradise
      The News Tribune-8 hours ago

      Kilauea Volcano Erupts
      United States Geological Survey (press release)-May 4, 2018
      Hawaii Volcano Livestream: How To Watch A Live Webcam Of ...

      The Inquisitr-May 5, 2018
      Lava flow intensifies from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano, 26 homes now ...
      In-Depth-Los Angeles Times-22 hours ago
      Hawaii officials: 26 homes, 4 other buildings destroyed by volcano
      In-Depth-The Denver Post-May 6, 2018

      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from The News Tribune
      The News Tribune
      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from United States Geological Survey (press release)

      Delete
    6. United States Geological Survey (press release)
      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from The Inquisitr
      The Inquisitr

      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Los Angeles Times
      Los Angeles Times
      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from KITV Honolulu
      KITV Honolulu
      Media image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Travel+Leisure

      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Express.co.uk
      Kilauea volcano ERUPTION: Watch incredible footage of lava lake ...
      Express.co.uk-Apr 29, 2018
      The video was captured by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) on April 25. The event is just one in a series of overflows occurring at Kilauea, with the most current recorded on Thursday. A statement on the USGS website said: “At approximately 6.15am today (April 26) ...

      VIDEO: Time-lapse Captures Sprawling Volcano Lava Overflow
      Big Island Video News-Apr 29, 2018
      View all
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Big Island Now
      Lava Destroys 30 Houses in Leilani Estates, New Fissures

      Big Island Now-May 6, 2018
      ... reported that as of 6:00 p.m on Sunday, May 6, 2018, 30 houses have now been damaged or destroyed in the Leilani Estates Subdivision of the Big Island of Hawai'i. ... Summary: Active eruption of lava and gas continues along Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone within the Leilani Estates subdivision.
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Big Island Now
      Eruption Risk Area Information, Civil Defense on High Alert

      Big Island Now-May 3, 2018
      Hawai'i County Civil Defense announces they are on high alert on a 24-hour basis for the possibility of a volcanic eruption in the lower Puna area. ... County of Hawaii: http://www.hawaiicounty.gov/lava-viewing/ ... Webcam images: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_webcams.html.
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Big Island Now
      USGS Map Shows Location of 8 Fissures

      Delete
    7. Big Island Now-May 5, 2018
      Summary: Active eruption of lava and gas continues along Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone within the Leilani Estates subdivision. Additional fissure vents ... Current webcam views are here: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/volcanoes/kilauea/multimedia_webcams.html. Puʻu ʻŌʻō Observations: ...
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from NewsOK.com
      Officials: 26 homes, 4 other buildings destroyed by volcano

      NewsOK.com-May 6, 2018
      This Sunday, May 6, 2018, image from a research camera mounted in the observation tower at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, shows the summit of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The camera is looking south southeast towards the active ...
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from IFLScience
      Watch Incredible Footage Of Lava Running Through The Streets Of ...

      IFLScience-16 hours ago
      As Kīlauea volcano continues to erupt on Hawai'i, incredible footage shows lava flowing down the streets and jets spouting into the air, as the island's ground ... molten rock squirting hundreds of feet into the air, as huge walls of lava creep along the roads in the Pahoa and Leilani Estate area of Big Island.
      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from KITV Honolulu
      Latest on the Big Island lava threat
      KITV Honolulu-May 4, 2018
      It is confirmed, two homes surrounded by lava. Localized sirens going off overnight. Danger has increased by the lava fields-per Mayor Harry Kim of the Big Island. --. 6:44 a.m.. Hawaii County officials confirm a third lava eruption and that at least two homes have been damaged in the Leilani Estates area of ...

      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from The Capital Journal
      The Capital Journal
      Slopes of volcano offer affordable piece of paradise, risks
      Dothan Eagle-8 minutes ago
      This Sunday, May 6, 2018, image from a research camera mounted in the observation tower at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, shows the summit of the Kilauea volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. The camera is looking south southeast towards the active ...

      Story image for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island from Big Island Now
      Ash Plume Visible From Hilo
      Big Island Now-May 3, 2018
      After the 5.0 magnitude earthquake reported in the Volcano area of the Big Island on Thursday, May 3, 2018, reports of a large ash plume started surfacing on social media sites. The ash plume was reported to be seen as far away as Hilo. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), at 10:30 ...
      Stay up to date on results for webcam of erupting volcano on the big island.

      Delete
  21. I getting confused as usual.

    Is Jeff Sessions Mr. Magoo, or is he Elmer Fudd?

    Or are they cousins, brothers, perhaps twins. ?

    Help

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lava and gas continued to erupt from Kilauea volcano across a remote, rural neighborhood on Hawaii Island, and by Monday had destroyed 35 structures, including at least 26 homes, authorities said.

    ...

    The state of Hawaii has six active volcanoes, four which are on Hawaii Island. The three others are:

    * Mauna Loa, which the USGS says is the largest volcano on Earth and last erupted in 1984. That eruption lasted for 22 days and caused flows of lava that got to within about 4½ miles of Hilo, the largest populated area on the island;

    * Hualalai, which last erupted in 1801, creating a lava flow that is now underneath Kona International Airport;

    * Mauna Kea, the highest volcano on the island. It last erupted 4,500 to 6,000 years ago.

    Maui has one active volcano, Haleakala, which erupted 400 to 600 years ago. The state's sixth active volcano, Loihi, is underwater, about 22 miles southeast of Hawaii Island, and last erupted in 1996.

    ReplyDelete
  23. http://www.kauai-webcam.com/


    Below is a list of Kauai's web cams. Clicking on a web cam link will take you to the website that hosts the camera. The map toward the bottom of the page shows the location of each web cam. Here is a guide to Kauai's beaches.
    South Shore
    1. Kuhio Shores Surf Break
    2. Brennecke Beach
    3. Sheraton Kauai
    4. Whaler's Cove
    5. Poipu Bay Golf Course
    6. Poipu View

    ReplyDelete
  24. Kilauea Volcano

    https://www.expedia.com/things-to-do/kilauea-volcano-sunset-lava-walk.a382832.activity-details?regionId=201&semcid=US.MULTILOB.GOOGLE.SEARCH.TSHOP&semdtl=a11345517908.b153620168546.d1262634421502.e1c.f11t1.g1dsa-497511626357.h1b.i134296591747.j19029519.k19032793.l1s.m1.n1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxczD8q_12gIVibxkCh05GQrAEAAYASAAEgKrGfD_BwE

    ReplyDelete
  25. Trying to figure out what's happened here.

    Just got home.

    Looking like Mueller is in a lot of deep do-do ?

    If so couldn't happen to a more deserving man.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      Trying to figure out what's happened here.

      Just got home.

      Looking like Mueller is in a lot of deep do-do ?


      In the absence of any preamble other than a video of Kilauea, you cryptic comment leaves us with only one logical conclusion, that Mueller owns property in Hawaii.

      .

      Delete
  26. A scorching time-lapse video managed to capture a massive lava slide obliterate a swath of paved street on Hawaii's Big Island and turns to dust a white car that was parked in its path.

    The footage of white-hot molten rock, shot on Sunday by Brandon Clement, gives a glimpse into nature's devastation in Hawaii's Leilani Estates area after the Kilauea volcano first erupted last Thursday.


    Big Island

    ReplyDelete
  27. .

    Did Mueller Make a Rookie Mistake

    Did Mueller overplay his hand with the some of the Russian indictments?

    Never indict a case unless you are prepared to try the case.

    The federal court in the District of Columbia has scheduled Concord’s arraignment for Wednesday, so Mueller filed his papers late last Friday to try to get the matter postponed. But, as Politico’s Josh Gerstein reports, on Saturday evening, Judge Dabney Friedrich curtly denied Mueller’s request. Mueller’s prosecutors had suggested that weeks of briefing were necessary to probe the question of whether Concord had been served properly. As Concord has voluntarily appeared, however, it is not apparent why that question needs examination — if he wants to stand on ceremony, Mueller could just hand the lawyers a copy of the indictment when they see each other in court this week.

    In fact, though, Concord’s lawyers have been scrutinizing the indictment very carefully, and making demands for discovery that they say Mueller has ignored for weeks. To put it mildly, this is not a case the special counsel is anxious to try; he is even less thrilled at the prospect of disclosing his evidence and investigative files to a business controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin. Apart from being close to Putin, Prigozhin is personally charged as a defendant in the case — he controls not just Concord but all three businesses charged in the indictment.

    By indicting Russian businesses that belong to a Kremlin-connected defendant who cannot be forced to leave Russia, Mueller risked exactly what has happened: one of the businesses showing up to contest the case at no risk, in effect forcing Mueller to show this Kremlin-connected defendant what he’s got, even though he has no chance of getting the Kremlin-connected defendant convicted and sentenced to prison.


    .

    ReplyDelete
  28. Prediction:

    USA leaves the Iran Deal.

    ReplyDelete