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Authored by Monica Crowley, op-ed via The Washington Times,
The best defense, the saying goes, is a good offense.
The key orchestrators of the Big Trump-Russia Collusion Lie seem to have hewed tightly to that tactical advice.
Over the past two years, one of their biggest “tells” has been their hyper-aggressive and gratuitous attacks on the president. Given that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation found no collusion or obstruction of justice, their constant broadsides now look, in retrospect, like calculated pre-emptive strikes to deflect attention and culpability away from themselves.
By accusing Mr. Trump of what they themselves were guilty of, they created a masterful distraction through projection.
We now know that former FBI Director James Comey and his deputy, Andrew McCabe, are hip-deep in the conspiracy. Both wrote supposed “tell-all” books and carpet-bombed the media with interviews in which they regularly flung criminal accusations against the president. Whenever asked about their own roles, they reverted to denouncing Mr. Trump.
With Mr. Mueller’s findings, Mr. Comey’s and Mr. McCabe’s media benders look increasingly suspicious.
As do those of their comrades in the Obama national security apparatus, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and his partner in possible crime, former CIA Director John Brennan, who, apart from former President Barack Obama himself, may be the biggest player of them all.
Any investigation into the origins and execution of the Big Lie must focus on Mr. Brennan, whose job as the nation’s chief spook would have prohibited him, by law, from engaging in any domestic political spy games.
Of course, the law didn’t stop him from illegally spying on the Senate Intelligence Committee by hacking into its computers and lying repeatedly about it, prompting Democratic senators to call for his resignation.
Once out of Langley, Mr. Brennan tore into Mr. Trump, accusing him of “treason” (among other crimes) in countless television appearances and bitter tweets. It got so vicious that Mr. Trump pulled his security clearance.
Consider a few critical data points.
The Obama Department of Justice and FBI targeting of two low-level Trump aides, George Papadopoulos and Carter Page, was carried out in the spring of 2016 because they wanted to spy on the Trump campaign but needed a way in. They enlisted an American academic and shadowy FBI informant named Stefan Halper to repeatedly sidle up to both Mr. Papadopoulos and Mr. Page. But complementing his work for the FBI, Mr. Halper had a side gig as an intelligence operative with longstanding ties to the CIAand British intelligence MI6.
Another foreign professor, Joseph Mifsud, who played an important early part in targeting Papadopoulos, also had abiding ties to the CIA, MI6 and the British foreign secretary.
A third operative, Australian diplomat Alexander Downer, targeted Mr. Papadopoulos in a London bar. It was Mr. Downer’s “tip” to the FBI that provided the justification for the start of Russia counterintelligence investigation, complete with fraudulently-obtained FISA warrants to spy on the Trump campaign.
All of these interactions reek of entrapment. Mr. Papadopoulos now says, “I believe Australian and UK intelligence were involved in an active operation to target Trump and his associates.” Like Mr. Halper and Mr. Mifsud, Mr. Downer had ties to the CIA, MI6 and (surprise!) the Clintons.
Given the deep intelligence backgrounds of these folks, it’s difficult to believe that former DOJ/FBIofficials such as Peter Strzok or even James Comey and Andrew McCabe on their own devised the plan to deploy them.
So: who did? How did the relationships with Messrs. Halper, Mifsud and Downer come about? Who suggested them for these tasks? To whom did they report? How were they compensated?
Any investigation must follow the money — and the personnel. There were plenty of DOJ/FBI officials involved, but what about intelligence officials? Was Mr. Brennan a central player in the hoax, which would help explain the participation of Mr. Halper, Mr. Mifsud and Mr. Downer? Intel officials are likely to draw on other intelligence operatives.
There is also a glimpse of a paper trail.
Fox News’ Catherine Herridge reported last week that “in a Dec. 12, 2016 text, [FBI lawyer Lisa] Page wrote to McCabe: “Btw, Clapper told Pete that he was meeting with Brennan and Cohen for dinner tonight. Just FYSA [for your situational awareness].”
“Within a minute, McCabe replied, “OK.”
Ms. Herridge notes that those named are likely Peter Strzok and Mr. Brennan’s then-deputy, David Cohen. Ms. Herridge also notes that while we don’t yet know what was discussed during the dinner, government sources thought it “irregular” for Mr. Clapper to be in contact with the more junior-level Mr. Strzok. She also points out that the text came “during a critical time for the Russia probe.”
Indeed. It was right before the publication of the ICA, the official Intelligence Community Assessment of Russian 2016 election interference.
As Paul Sperry has reported, “A source close to the House investigation said Brennan himself selected the CIA and FBI analysts who worked on the ICA, and that they included former FBI counterespionage chief Peter Strzok.
“Strzok was the intermediary between Brennan and Comey, and he was one of the authors of the ICA,” according to the source.” Recall that the dossier-based ICA was briefed to Obama, Trump and Congress ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
Post-Mueller report, Mr. Brennan is spinning wildly that perhaps his early condemnations of Mr. Trumpwere based on “bad information.”
These are just some of the threads suggesting Mr. Brennan may be one of the Masters of the Big Lie, requiring full investigation.
If the devil is in the details, Mr. Brennan is all over the details.
No wonder he — and his fellow caballers — have been so loud. They doth protest too much.
via zerohedge
YES!!!
The entire gang of traitors need to be investigated, starting with Brennan, Comey, Clapper, Clinton, Podesta, Lynch, Page, McCabe, Strutz, McCain and his employee who gave the fake dossier to the FBI, Pencil neck Schiff for lying about having Russian tie information on Trump, CNN , NBC, ABC, MSNBC, CBS, Washington Post, New York Times - all for intentionally reporting the lies to the American people. These people need to be investigated, indicted for treason or sedition and either put under the jail or in front of a firing squad as this was a cooh to removed a duly elected, sitting president from office. It is time to start dealing with the communists….NOW!!!!
All these creatures are following the Alinsky “Rules for Radicals.” Their agenda has always been POWER and CONTROL with the ultimate goal ONE WORLD ORDER. The try and disguise themselves as Progressives Socialist, but they are better known as, COMMUNIST. REDISTRIBUTION KARL MARX TRIED THIS 100 YEARS AGO. Let us look at Russia, Cuba, and Venezuela today to see how this does not work. As you say these are the creatures that have committed TREASON.
THE PROOF IS IN THE PAPER WORK NOW AND NO INVESTIGATION IN NEED ALL OF THOSE NAME SHOULD BE PUT ONTHE CAPITAL STEPS AND THE FIRING SQUARD SHOULD BE TURN LOOSE>:
THEN THE RINO’S IN CONGRESS MIT GO STRAIGHT>:
Drag all the “bad actors” before Congress and place Them UNDER OATH—-let the pain begin.
GVN My sentiments exactly.
You can’t make this sh*t up! FULL INVESTIGATION NEEDED!!!! ASAP!! Let’s take these mothers down.
all involved should face death with the quickness with hill and bill first
Hang the traitors publicly in the Washington Mall.
Stop sending me this shit. thank you
Why do people not shout at media news, fact or opinion related, to stop calling the President of the United States Mr. Trump? He is President Trump, like him or not. I’ve seen this so many times I’ve lost count of the (mostly) mainstream media outlets/reporters that have done it thus far. Like if you don’t call him the President then he isn’t. How stupid do you have to behave while still believing you’re an adult. Get over it already and grow up. Does anyone ever recall Barry being called Mr. Obama after he was president? In fact, they still call him that as a former President, but don’t remember hearing them doing it with any other past President either. Just absurd.
NO, but he was 1 of the top 5
Absolutely at the order of his boss and worst President of the United States Barack Obama..
So, why isn’t Brennan indicted?
Start with; Brennan, Clapper, Comey, then the DOJ airplane meeting with Bill, then Hillary, McCabe, Rosenfield and Obama,. They are a Total Disgrace to the USA and should all be Shot or Hung!
They’re all interwoven co-conspirators - ALL GUILTY! Like Ms. Crowley noted “a good offense is the best defense,” and like pigs caught in a pig-pen, it was Brennan who squealed the loudest!”
Of All the Scary Spooks that Americans have had
To Tolerate, John “The Creeper” Brennan is the
Scariest!
Please encourage “The Creeper” to Shuffle on Back
to Saudi Arabia, where his Scary Face, Mind & Body
will no longer be seen on TV & where his Devious Lies
will no Longer, be spewed on Our President Trump!
John Brennan disgusts me. He is a coward, liar and traitor to this great country and our President. He should be locked up in prison as soon as possible where he can think about all the terribly harmful things he has done to the American people.
TREASON CALLS FOR THE DEATH PENALTY. JUST ASK THE ROSENBERG’S. IT MAY BE TIME TO TUNE UP OLD SPARKY. THEY CAN GET ALL THE ELECTRICAL VOLTS FROM THE ELECTRICAL COLLAGE. ON THE WAY IN TO THE CHAIR COULD YOU CHARGE MY CELL PHONE? HOW DID AN IRISH MOSLEM COMMUNIST EVER GET TO BE HEAD OF THE CYA? NEVER ON HOOVERS WATCH. TODAY THE LEFT BI HAS A RATING BELOW THE MEXICAN POLICE. OBAMA HAD EIGHT YEARS TO DESTROY ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES,TOP 3 LEVELS DOWN. THAT INCLUDES THE PENTAGOON. PRAY FOR THE OBAMA POWS ROTTING AWAY ON SUICIDE WATCH IN FT. LEAVENWORTH. WIVES AND KIDS WITH NO BENEFITS LIVING A LIFE OF POVERTY AND SHAME. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU LOVE YOUR COUNTRY. WHO WOULD JOIN TO GO TO JAIL? NICE COMMUNIST DETERRENT.
PLEASE RISE AND SING THE TRUMP HAPPY TUNE. OUR DAY WILL COME.
SPIRIT OF AMERICA PARTY RADIO SHOW ON YOU TUBE.ABUTOM
An example NEEDS to be set.
Oh Yes. Brenner is the ring leader in this attempted coup. Start investigating Brenner, move on to Clapper, then McCabe, Comey and work your way through the FBI ending with the Justice department, Lynch, Rice, Abadeen and find your way to Obama. The plot is thick and Clinton is very much a criminal player in this not so silent coup. Let these people off and the Country will never Trust that there is equal Justice under the laws. Dismantle all these clandestine organizations and reboot with a system that doesn’t protect elites from prosecution while ordinary citizens get “hanged” for way lesser crimes.
The CIA, born from the OSS of WWII, has always been the President’s private army. For many years, the President primarily used it for foreign affairs, and those ‘affairs’ were typically ignored by the secret committees of the legislature. Those activities of the CIA even included assassinations of foreign officials. Remember President Harry S Truman’s famous statement: ‘The buck stops here’. I fully believe that John Brennan was just a willing collaborator.