It Looks Like President Obama Ordered up Phony RussiaGate Scandal; Carlson: Obama Should Be Known as a Disgraced President Who Used the FBI Against His Political Enemies; Joe Biden Denies Then Admits to Knowledge of FBI’s Flynn Set Up

/0 Comments/in , /by

By New York Post. RussiaGate is now a complete dead letter — but ObamaGate is taking its place. Just how far did the then-president go to cripple his successor?

It’s now clear the Obama-Comey FBI and Justice Department never had anything more substantial than the laughable fiction of the Steele dossier to justify the “counterintelligence” investigation of the Trump campaign. Yet incessant leaks from that supposedly confidential probe wound up consuming the Trump administration’s first months in office — followed by the Bob Mueller-led special counsel investigation that proved nearly the “total witch hunt” that President Trump dubbed it.

Information released as the Justice Department dropped its charges against Gen. Mike Flynn shows that President Barack Obama, in his final days in office, played a key role in fanning the flames of phony scandal. Fully briefed on the “Crossfire Hurricane” investigation, he knew the FBI had come up with nothing despite months of work starting in July 2016. . .

This even as then-President Obama also directed that as many people as possible across his administration be briefed on the (utterly unsubstantiated) allegations against Team Trump — and as Rice and others took unprecedented steps to “unmask” US citizens like Flynn whose conversations had been caught on federal wiretaps of foreigners.

Indeed, the Obama administration went on a full-scale leak offensive — handing the Washington Post, New York Times and others a nonstop torrent of “anonymous” allegations of Trumpite ties to Moscow. It suggested that the investigations were finding a ton of treasonous dirt on Team Trump — when in fact the investigators had come up dry. (Read more from “It Looks Like President Obama Ordered up Phony RussiaGate Scandal” HERE)

_____________________________________________________

Tucker Carlson: Obama Should Be Known as a Disgraced President Who Used the FBI Against His Political Enemies

By Fox News. . .It was January 20th, the last day of the Obama administration. Outgoing National Security Adviser Susan Rice sat down at her desk to write her final memo. Rice described the presidential transition which had been underway for months. Then she wrote this, during a meeting two weeks before: “President Obama said he wants to be sure that as we engage with the incoming team, we are mindful to ascertain if there is any reason we cannot share information fully as it relates to Russia.”

Now, Rice does not explain why Obama’s staff felt it might not be possible to give intelligence on Russia to Donald Trump’s staff, or for that matter, why the Obama people thought they had the right to withhold national security information from an incoming American president who had just won a national election.

But Rice didn’t need to elaborate. There was only one possible explanation for this: Donald Trump could very well be a Russian agent. Barack Obama himself said he believed that was possible. In Rice’s words: “The President asked [Jim] Comey to inform him if anything changes in the next few weeks that should affect how we share classified information with the incoming team. Comey said he would.”

Now, what exactly does that mean? Here is what it means. The president of the United States turned to the head of the FBI, the most powerful law enforcement official in America, and said continue to secretly investigate my chief political rival so that I can act against him. Comey’s response? Yes, sir. That’s what Obama was saying openly.

In any normal period in American history, this exchange would define Barack Obama forever. Obama would be known as the disgraced former president who used federal law enforcement to hurt his political enemies. That’s what he did. (Read more from “Tucker Carlson: Obama Should Be Known as a Disgraced President Who Used the FBI Against His Political Enemies” HERE)

_____________________________________________________

Joe Biden Denies Then Admits to Knowledge of FBI’s Flynn Set Up

By The Federalist. Former Vice President Joe Biden admitted Tuesday he was aware of federal prosecutors’ plans to question incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn after denying knowledge of any investigation.

“I know nothing about those moves to investigate Michael Flynn,” Biden said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” when George Stephanopoulos asked what he knew of the FBI’s operations in early 2017. . .

Stephanopoulos followed up, adding that Biden was present at a Jan. 5, 2017 Oval Office meeting where he and President Barack Obama was briefed by top White House national security officials on plans to question Flynn over conversations with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislak as the presidential transition was underway.

“I thought you asked me whether or not I had anything to do with him being prosecuted,” Biden said. “I was aware that there was, that they asked for an investigation, but that’s all I know about.” (Read more from “Joe Biden Denies Then Admits to Knowledge of FBI’s Flynn Set Up” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

Federal Judge Slams the Brakes on DOJ Attempt to Drop Michael Flynn Case

/0 Comments/in , /by

By Law and Crime. Federal Judge Emmet G. Sullivan on Tuesday stopped — at least temporarily — the federal government’s attempt to drop its case against former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. Sullivan made the move shortly after Flynn asked that the case against him be dismissed “immediately.”

The judge, in a minute order posted to the Flynn case’s electronic docket, said he anticipated amicus briefs would be filed in the matter and wanted to give any interested parties time to participate. The so-called “friend of the court” briefs allow others who are not a party to a case to submit arguments “only for the benefit of the court,” Sullivan noted.

“It is solely within the court’s discretion to determine the fact, extent, and manner of the participation” of amicus parties, the judge said. The briefs are helpful “when the amicus has unique information or perspective that can help the court beyond the help that the lawyers for the parties are able to provide,” Sullivan added; he also noted reasons why parties should not be allowed to file amicus briefs.

The move raises questions about who will take the cue to file such a brief. (Read more from “Federal Judge Slams the Brakes on DOJ Attempt to Drop Michael Flynn Case” HERE)

_________________________________________________________

Flynn Legal Team Blows up Over Judge’s Decision to Hold Criminal Case Open for ‘Watergate Prosecutors’

By Law and Crime. Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn late Tuesday voiced strong opposition to an order by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to keep the Flynn case open.

Per Flynn’s legal team, “a group referring to itself as ‘Watergate Prosecutors’ submitted an . . . email” stating that it wished to file amicus curiae briefs. The so-called “friend of the court” briefs help assist judges in making decisions. Flynn’s attorneys called foul on the move.

“However, this Court has consistently — on twenty-four (24) previous occasions — summarily refused to permit any third party to inject themselves or their views into this case,” Flynn’s attorneys said. . .

Sullivan’s decision to hold the case pending additional amicus briefing resulted in this backlash:

The proposed amicus brief has no place in this Court. No rule allows the filing, and the self-proclaimed collection of “Watergate Prosecutors” has no cognizable special interest. Separation of powers forecloses their appearance here. Only the Department of Justice and the defense can be heard. Accordingly, the Watergate Prosecutors’ attempted filing itself should not be registered on the docket, and any attempt by the group or any individual to make a filing in this case must be denied—as all others have been.

(Read more from “Flynn Legal Team Blows up Over Judge’s Decision to Hold Criminal Case Open for ‘Watergate Prosecutors’” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

In a Retaliatory Move, the U.S. Shortens Visas for Chinese Journalists

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Department of Homeland Security is throwing the next punch in the escalating journalism battle between the U.S. and China.

The U.S. is shortening the validity period of visas for Chinese journalists to a maximum of 90 days to reciprocate for China’s recent expulsion of American journalists and nonrenewal of visas.

This journalism visa tit-for-tat is just one facet of rising U.S.-China tensions related to Beijing’s mishandling of the coronavirus, which has infected the world.

In March, China expelled American journalists from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post after writers criticized the Chinese government’s mismanagement of the coronavirus outbreak.

Beijing also demanded that those outlets—as well as Voice of America and Time magazine—give the Chinese government detailed information about their operations. The expulsion included Hong Kong and Macau, in addition to the People’s Republic of China itself.

Beijing argued the move was in retaliation for the U.S. limiting five state-run Chinese news organizations to 100 Chinese citizen employees who could work in the U.S.

The U.S. was set on May 11 to make the next move, by changing the terms of media visas for Chinese journalists.

The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes “I” temporary visas for aliens visiting the U.S. as representatives of foreign information media.

To qualify, the alien must be a bona fide representative of foreign press, radio, film, or other foreign information media having its home office in a foreign country. This type of visa is also statutorily required to be provided “upon a basis of reciprocity” with a foreign country’s media visa terms and conditions.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has, per regulation, been admitting foreign media traveling with “I” visas into the U.S. for a “duration of status,” as opposed to issuing a specific “admit until” date on the visitor’s entry record.

Duration of status is a much more flexible and generous term of admission that, in the context of foreign press, has been interpreted by Customs and Border Protection as the duration of the journalist’s employment.

In the Department of Homeland Security’s new rule published May 11, the department changes the term of admission for Chinese journalists from duration of status to a period not to exceed 90 days. The new rule does allow for extensions of stay, also for periods no greater than 90 days.

The DHS explains it is making this regulatory change toward China to achieve greater reciprocity between the U.S.’ and China’s treatment of foreign press seeking entry into the other country.

Unlike China’s journalist clampdown, however, the DHS rule change does not apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) or Macau SAR passport holders.

The DHS states in its rule change that “[i]nformation received from the Department of State, as well as open source information, demonstrates a suppression of independent journalism in [China], including an increasing lack of transparency and consistency in the admission periods granted to foreign journalists, including U.S. journalists.”

Notably, the reporters that the Chinese government expelled have reported on issues of interest to international audiences, but which are embarrassing to the Chinese Communist Party, such as its use of indoctrination camps, mass incarceration, forced labor, and corruption among the party’s leaders.

In addition, China has been shortening the media visas it issues to foreign press to periods of six months or less, as opposed to China’s prior 12-month validity period.

China has long used its foreign press to echo the Communist Party’s propaganda abroad, but those tactics have reached a crescendo following the coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan, China.

The Chinese Communist Party has used its money and threats to influence public statements made by others, such as international organizations like the World Health Organization, to initially downplay the severity of the infectious virus, followed by blaming the United States for the global outbreak.

The United States was founded on the principle of a free press and free speech. Given Beijing’s treatment of foreign press, and American journalists in particular, the DHS is right to reciprocally shorten “I” visas for Chinese media.

Further, the U.S. and all other countries need to strongly combat the Chinese Communist Party’s false coronavirus propaganda. After infecting more than 4.2 million people and instantaneously destroying economies globally, China owes it to the world to be open and transparent with scientific information about the virus.

Until China changes its ways, the Chinese Communist Party should not be rewarded with lengthy visas to spread its misinformation using American media. (For more from the author of “In a Retaliatory Move, the U.S. Shortens Visas for Chinese Journalists” please click HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

‘Complete Government Cover-Up’: FBI Accidentally Reveals Name of Saudi Official Suspected of Directing Support for 9/11 Hijackers

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The FBI inadvertently revealed one of the U.S. government’s most sensitive secrets about the Sept. 11 terror attacks: the identity of a mysterious Saudi Embassy official in Washington who agents suspected had directed crucial support to two of the al-Qaida hijackers.

The disclosure came in a new declaration filed in federal court by a senior FBI official in response to a lawsuit brought by families of 9/11 victims that accuses the Saudi government of complicity in the terrorist attacks.

The declaration was filed last month but unsealed late last week. According to a spokesman for the 9/11 victims’ families, it represents a major breakthrough in the long-running case, providing for the first time an apparent confirmation that FBI agents investigating the attacks believed they had uncovered a link between the hijackers and the Saudi Embassy in Washington.

It’s unclear just how strong the evidence is against the former Saudi Embassy official — it’s been a subject of sharp dispute within the FBI for years. But the disclosure, which a senior U.S. government official confirmed was made in error, seems likely to revive questions about potential Saudi links to the 9/11 plot. . .

“This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement,” said Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the 9/11 families whose father was killed in the attacks. “It demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command that’s coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers.” (Read more from “‘Complete Government Cover-Up’: FBI Accidentally Reveals Name of Saudi Official Suspected of Directing Support for 9/11 Hijackers” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

SICK: The Price is Right Promotes Drag Queen, Makes Massive Donation to Baby-Killing Group

/0 Comments/in , /by

CBS’ primetime special “The Price is Right At Night” sparked heated reactions from viewers on social media over its decision to donate nearly $100,000 to Planned Parenthood.

The longest-running game show in television history aired Monday evening with regular host Drew Carey joined by Emmy-winning host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” RuPaul. The famous drag queen was on hand to help raise money for charity, with the show promising to match all the contestants’ prize winnings with a donation to Planned Parenthood.

Contestants won big during the special, totaling $97,266 in prizes. This meant that the same dollar amount is now going to the organization as a charitable donation. . .

(Read more from “SICK: The Price is Right Promotes Drag Queen, Makes Massive Donation to Baby-Killing Group” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

White House Warns 80,000 Cases of Cancer Could Go Undiagnosed During Coronavirus Lockdown

/0 Comments/in , /by

Closing down public life may be responsible for as many as 80,000 cases of common cancers going undiagnosed and tens of thousands of deaths from substance abuse and suicide, according to the White House press secretary.

As debate rages over whether the White House is trying to lift coronavirus restrictions too quickly, Kayleigh McEnany said failing to reopen the country could come with severe costs.

She cited data collected by the Epic Health Research Network showing that screenings for cancers of the cervix, colon, and breast were down between 86% and 94% in March.

“The consequence of this is quite frightening,” said McEnany, who added that she had seen from a visit for her own screening — she carries the BRCA2 gene and had a preventative double mastectomy two years ago — that numbers were much reduced.

Analysis of medical claims by the IQVIA Institute for Total Data Science forecast that more than 80,000 diagnoses of common cancers would be missed from March through June. (Read more from “White House Warns 80,000 Cases of Cancer Could Go Undiagnosed During Coronavirus Lockdown” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

Judges Demand Power Over All Children With Fake Constitutional Right to Education

/0 Comments/in , /by

A divided Sixth Circuit panel ruling in a case about bad conditions in Detroit public schools shows why federalizing education is a bad idea for everyone.

If affirmed, the ruling, which announced a newly discovered free-standing federal right to education, would give Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Bartholet a shortcut to her desired presumptive ban on homeschooling. The Sixth Circuit ruling could also open a new frontier for anyone to litigate any kind of education issue, with the Supreme Court becoming the new national referee on what a constitutional education looks like.

What could a single federal district court judge do with a free-standing, independent, federal constitutional right to education? What might a Congress do, empowered by a judicially discovered constitutional duty to provide for the federal right to education? What about a national school act, a national curriculum act, a national testing act, a national compulsory attendance act?

Do you remember Common Core? States passed it on their own to get federal money. A federal right to education would preempt even this sort of rubber-stamp state action and lead to a national, one-size-fits-none educational system. States would be powerless to object. . .

Bartholet writes in her 80-page Arizona Law Review article that up to now, “efforts to increase regulation [of homeschoolers] have been successfully fought off, with the [Home School Legal Defense Association]’s aggressive tactics playing a major role.” The solution, Bartholet writes, is the judiciary: “The courts may be essential to move things forward. Here, children are also dependent on adults — judges — to vindicate their rights. But courts can at least operate somewhat more freely than legislatures from political pressure.” (Read more from “Judges Demand Power Over All Children With Fake Constitutional Right to Education” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

Nancy Pelosi Unveils $3 Trillion Leftist Coronavirus Bill

/0 Comments/in , /by

By Breitbart. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) unveiled her $3 trillion phase four coronavirus bill on Tuesday that serves as a “policy wishlist” for Democrats and progressives.

Pelosi unveiled the Heroes Act, which is a 1,815-page bill that the House will likely vote on Tuesday.

The legislation was not negotiated with congressional Republicans or the Donald Trump administration, and even if it passes through the House, it will likely languish in the Senate. . .

Pelosi’s Heroes Act represents a staggering amount of spending.

(Read more from “Nancy Pelosi Unveils $3 Trillion Leftist Coronavirus Bill” HERE)

__________________________________________________

House Democrats Unveil Massive New Coronavirus Relief Bill Ahead of Friday Vote

By CBS News. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled Democrats’ proposal for the next phase of coronavirus relief legislation on Tuesday, releasing a massive legislative package that Democrats hope to bring to a vote as early as Friday.

The text of the bill, which spans more than 1,800 pages, includes assistance to state and local governments, hazard pay for frontline health care workers, forgiveness of student debt and bolstering Medicaid and Medicare. The bill is known as the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act, or HEROES Act.

The bill also includes provisions to assist farmers, protect renters and homeowners from evictions and foreclosures, and extend family and medical leave provisions previously approved by Congress. The legislation would also provide relief for essential workers, such as aviation, rail and Amtrak workers, as well as extend work visas for immigrants.

“We are presenting a plan to do what is necessary to address the corona crisis,” Pelosi said in remarks at the Capitol announcing the legislation, explaining that the bill’s priorities were “opening our economy safely and soon, honoring our heroes, and then putting much needed money in the pockets of Americans.” (Read more from “House Democrats Unveil Massive New Coronavirus Relief Bill Ahead of Friday Vote” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

Database Swells to 1,285 Proven Cases of Voter Fraud in America

/0 Comments/in , /by

All-mail elections have received heightened attention in the media these past few weeks. Prominent liberals highly endorse the idea, claiming it allows people to do their patriotic duty without risking being infected by the coronavirus.

In reality, without rigid safeguards to prevent fraud, misuse, and voter intimidation, absentee ballot fraud—while it may occur sporadically—already has affected the outcome of elections in states and counties across the country.

Just look at the 2018 congressional race in North Carolina that was overturned by the state election board. Or the mayor of Gordon, Alabama, who was removed from office last year after his conviction for absentee ballot fraud.

Although talk of voter fraud may be increasing because of the stakes in the 2020 election, The Heritage Foundation’s election fraud database has been around for four years. With the addition of our latest batch of cases, we are up to 1,285 proven instances of voter fraud.

Heritage’s database is by no means comprehensive. It doesn’t capture all voter fraud cases and certainly doesn’t capture reported instances that aren’t even investigated or prosecuted. The database is intended to demonstrate the vulnerabilities in the election system and the many ways in which fraud is committed.

We try to keep a close eye on public information about potential cases through local news stories, court documents, county records, and police reports. But even that is difficult to do in a country as large as the United States, with hundreds of elections every year.

This sampling of cases illustrates the existence and effect of voter fraud. Most importantly, the public must understand that fraud can occur throughout the entire process of registering and voting.

Examples include impersonation fraud at the polls; false voter registrations; duplicate voting; fraudulent absentee ballots; vote buying; illegal assistance and intimidation of voters; ineligible voting, such as by aliens; altering of vote counts; and ballot petition fraud.

A recent Heritage fact sheet offers a quick summary of the dangers of voting by mail and the necessary safeguards to ensure an election’s integrity.

Another Heritage report details how Wisconsin successfully conducted its recent primary election—including in-person voting—and how other countries such as Liberia have conducted an election successfully during a health crisis.

Voting by mail makes it easier to commit fraud, intimidate voters, and destroy the protections of the secret ballot. It puts elections into the hands of the Postal Service. Without the oversight of election and polling officials, ballots can be lost, disqualified, and even stolen.

An example from our newest batch of cases illustrates a common type of fraud. John and Grace Fleming both were found guilty of duplicate voting, once by absentee ballot in New Hampshire and then in person in Massachusetts.

We also added to the database the case of Reginald Holman, a city council member in Ashtabula, Ohio, who was forced to resign after an investigation found he illegally registered at his parents’ address in Ashtabula rather than his actual residence in Plymouth, Ohio.

Take the case of Courtney Rainey in Canton, Mississippi, who was found guilty of bribing and harassing individuals to win a municipal election.

Or take the case of April Atilano, who was found guilty of changing party affiliations of voters and forging signatures on voter registration forms, among other things. Atilano was hired by a private company to contact and register voters in Madera County, California.

Vigilant staffers in the County Clerk-Recorder’s Office noticed something fishy with the registration cards submitted by Atilano. If they hadn’t have been so diligent, the forms would have been altered without the consent or knowledge of the voters.

County Clerk-Recorder Rebecca Martinez says she has zero tolerance for voter fraud in her county. Asked about this issue, Martinez replied: “Protecting our elections has always been my highest priority and I will continue to maintain this vigilance as we head into the presidential election in November.”

All public officials should have this attitude when it comes to protecting the sanctity of elections.

Some argue that even if voter fraud occurs, its impact is so marginal it couldn’t possibly effect the outcome of an election. That is simply not true—fraud can make the difference in a close election.

In a previous article, we pointed out how over 100 elections in Ohio were decided by less than two votes. Heritage’s database contains numerous instances where voter fraud was so severe that it affected the outcome and new elections were called.

This is not a partisan issue. Heritage has documented elections overturned or elected officials removed on account of fraud that involved both Democrats and Republicans.

Securing the integrity of elections should not become wrapped up in partisan politics. Yet since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic (and some would argue even before then), many leading Democrats have scoffed at the reality of voter fraud and the importance of election integrity—even though it is their own voters and supporters who often are affected by such fraud.

It is important that we take reasonable steps to make it hard to cheat in elections while making it easy for legitimate voters to vote.

Elected officials and party leaders, regardless of political affiliation, should put their ambitions aside and understand that election integrity is of the utmost importance in self-government and maintaining a functioning democratic republic. (For more from the author of “Database Swells to 1,285 Proven Cases of Voter Fraud in America” please click HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE

China: U.S. ‘Sabotaged’ Global Coronavirus Efforts; China Renews Lockdowns

/0 Comments/in , /by

By Breitbart. China’s state-run People’s Daily on Tuesday accused the United States of “sabotaging” the global battle against the Wuhan coronavirus by criticizing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The latest twist to Chinese propaganda is an allegation that the U.S. ignored warnings from China and the World Health Organization (W.H.O.), a perfect inversion of the reality that W.H.O. spread false information fed to it by China that greatly increased the damage caused by the coronavirus in countries that took the W.H.O. seriously.

The People’s Daily claimed the entire world is in “shock” over America’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, basing its claim of “sabotage” largely on claims that the United States has handled the disease poorly and wallowed in “egoism” by blaming the CCP for unleashing it:

The US now has the largest number of confirmed cases and fatalities of COVID-19 in the world, and is the current epicenter of the pandemic. Its reluctance to promote global cooperation to tackle the lethal virus has made it a less credible and consistent partner for the international community. Experts and officials around the world have criticized the nation’s egoism amid a global pandemic, condemning its failure to protect its own people, as well as its hindering of joint global efforts to stop the virus’ spread.

(Read more from “China: U.S. ‘Sabotaged’ Global Coronavirus Efforts” HERE)

________________________________________________

China Is Renewing Lockdown Restrictions After New Coronavirus Clusters Were Found in Wuhan and Shulan, 2 Cities Hundreds of Miles Apart

By Business Insider. Two new clusters of coronavirus cases in China have been reported hundreds of miles apart, sparking fears of another large-scale outbreak.

On Sunday, the country’s National Health Commission reported 17 new coronavirus diagnoses, the highest number in almost two weeks, and the second day in a row new cases were in the double digits, Reuters reported.

Fourteen cases were in Shulan, a city of more than 700,000 near the Russian and North Korean borders. They were all traced to a 45-year-old woman working at a police laundry department with no history of recent travel or contact with an infected person.

The government has reclassified Shulan as a high-risk region, the only city in China with that classification. Authorities have closed public spaces, with residents told to stay home unless there were “unusual circumstances.” (Read more from “China Is Renewing Lockdown Restrictions After New Coronavirus Clusters Were Found in Wuhan and Shulan, 2 Cities Hundreds of Miles Apart” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE