REVEALED: Declassified Flynn Transcripts COMPLETELY CONTRADICT Key Mueller Claims Against Flynn

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By The Federalist. Highly sought-after summaries and transcripts of intercepted phone calls between former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak contradict key claims made by former Special Counsel Robert Mueller in his criminal case against Flynn. The transcripts were provided to Congress on Friday and obtained by The Federalist. You can read the full documents here and here.

The intercept transcripts and summaries released on Friday afternoon cover calls between Flynn and Russian ambassador Kislyak or his representatives on December 22, 2016; December 23, 2016; December 29, 2016; December 31, 2016; January 12, 2017; and January 19, 2017. The substance of the December 22 conversation remains entirely classified, while the remaining transcripts and conversations are only lightly redacted. . .

Flynn was charged by Mueller in 2017 with making false statements to federal officials about conversations he had with Kislyak on December 22 and December 29, 2017. According to the charging documents from Mueller, Flynn allegedly falsely claimed to Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agents that he did not ask Kislyak to “refrain from escalating” in response to U.S. expulsion of Russian diplomats and falsely claimed that he did not ask Kislyak to help defeat an anti-Israel resolution pending before the United Nations at the time. Mueller also claimed that Flynn lied when he said he didn’t remember Kislyak telling him that Russia would “moderate its response” to the expulsions.

The transcript of the December 29 conversation, which was cited by Mueller, does not include a request from Flynn that Russia “refrain from escalating” in response to U.S. expulsions of Russian diplomats. According to the transcript, Flynn asked Kislyak for Russia’s response to be “reciprocal” so that the U.S.–not Russia–would not be forced to escalate beyond the expulsions. The transcript makes clear that Flynn fully expected Russia to respond to the situation by expelling U.S. diplomats in response to the Obama administration’s move to expel nearly three dozen Russian diplomats from the U.S., and that his primary concern was preventing a situation where the U.S. would have to escalate tensions in response to Russia.

“Make it reciprocal,” Flynn reportedly said. “[D]on’t go any further than you have to. Because I don’t want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat.” (Read more from “Declassified Flynn Transcripts Contradict Key Mueller Claims Against Flynn” HERE)

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Flynn-Kislyak Call Transcripts Released, Revealing Fateful Talks Over Russia Sanctions

By Fox News. Transcripts of phone conversations that took place in December 2016 between then-national security adviser designate Michael Flynn and then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak were released Friday, detailing the discussions that would later lead to Flynn’s FBI interview and subsequent charges. . .

The documents include a key Dec. 29, 2016 conversation in which Flynn repeatedly urged Russia not to dramatically escalate tensions in response to sanctions imposed by the outgoing Obama Administration over election interference.

It has been known that Flynn made such appeals to Russia during the transition period ever since the FBI pressed him for details about that discussion in early 2017. Flynn pleaded guilty in December of that year to a single count of lying to investigators.

Since that charge, Flynn has fought to withdraw his plea and the Justice Department earlier this month moved to drop the prosecution entirely, maintaining that the FBI’s interview was “conducted without any legitimate investigative basis.” (Read more from “Flynn-Kislyak Call Transcripts Released, Revealing Fateful Talks Over Russia Sanctions” HERE)

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If Biden Doesn’t Understand the Rule of Law, How Can He Serve as Commander-in-Chief? (VIDEO)

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On Friday, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden attacked President Donald Trump’s tweet condemning the looting and arson in Minneapolis. After calling for an FBI investigation into the tragic death of black man George Floyd following a police officer kneeling on his neck, Trump had condemned the riots as “dishonoring” Floyd’s memory, and supported law enforcement actions to stop the lawlessness. In a statement about the tragic death of black man George Floyd apparently at the hands of police officers, Biden attacked Trump’s tweet as “incendiary,” claiming it encouraged “violence.” In doing so, he echoed Twitter’s move in blocking the tweet for “glorifying violence.”

“This is no time for incendiary tweets. It’s no time to encourage violence. This is a national crisis and we need real leadership right now, leadership that will bring everyone to the table so we can take measures to root out systemic racism,” Biden said in a video statement. . .

So, what message from Trump drew so much ire from Biden and Twitter?

“I can’t stand back & watch this happen to a great American City, Minneapolis. A total lack of leadership. Either the very weak Radical Left Mayor, Jacob Frey, get his act together and bring the City under control, or I will send in the National Guard & get the job done right,” the president tweeted. He then added another message, which Twitter decided to pseudo-censor. . .

When police or the armed forces quell riots that destroy property and endanger lives, they are not committing “murder.” Naturally, law enforcement should seek to prevent looting and rioting by peaceful means before resorting to violence. But restoring order and protecting property is one of the government’s fundamental roles. (Read more from “If Biden Doesn’t Understand the Rule of Law, How Can He Serve as Commander-In-Chief?” HERE)

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Donald Trump: George Floyd’s Death a ‘Terrible Insult to Police’

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President Donald Trump said Friday at the Whtie House that the death of George Floyd was a “terrible insult” to police officers in America.

“We also know that most policemen … you see the great job they do. This was a terrible insult to police and policemen,” he said.

The president commented on Floyd’s death and the protests and rioting that followed after a roundtable with business leaders about the progress in reopening the country after the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump said he spoke with members of Floyd’s family earlier Friday and said he was disturbed by the video of Floyd’s death that was captured by bystanders.

“Just a terrible thing. He was in tremendous pain obviously and couldn’t breathe,” Trump said. “It’s very obvious to anybody that watched it, it was a very very sad thing for me to see that.” (Read more from “Donald Trump: George Floyd’s Death a ‘Terrible Insult to Police’” HERE)

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Senator Calls for Criminal Investigation of Twitter

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Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz is calling on the Justice Department and the Treasury Department to conduct a criminal investigation into Twitter probing whether the tech giant is violating U.S. sanctions against Iran by providing Iranian leaders an online platform.

In a letter addressed to Attorney General William Barr and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Friday, Cruz accused Twitter of violating sanctions that prohibit American corporations from providing services to the Middle Eastern nation’s leaders by allowing top officials to remain on the site. In February, Cruz had previously written to Twitter urging the social media company to remove Iranian leaders from the platform in a letter with three other Republican senators.

“I believe that the primary goal of (the International Emergency Economic Powers Act) and sanctions law should be to change the behavior of designated individuals and regimes,” Cruz wrote. “But when a company willfully and openly violates the law after receiving formal notice that it is unlawfully supporting designated individuals, the federal government should take action.”

Cruz’s latest calls for a federal probe into Twitter’s potential violations of U.S. sanctions come on the heels of controversy surrounding the site’s decision to censor two of President Donald Trump’s tweets this week. (Read more from “Senator Calls for Criminal Investigation of Twitter” HERE)

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Massive Unemployment Fraud Uncovered in Numerous States

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When the first massive coronavirus aid package was passed in Congress it included substantial benefits for workers who lost their jobs because of the government-mandated shutdown. One of the biggest was the federal enhancement of state unemployment benefits, increasing weekly payments by up to six hundred dollars. As we quickly learned, Senate Republicans’ concerns over not having a cap on those benefits to prevent the payments from exceeding the employee’s previous salary were fully justified.

That didn’t wind up being the only problem with the plan, however. We’re now learning that the hastily rushed through bill and the flood of people applying for benefits left the door open for scammers and identity thieves to tap into the system and falsely claim benefits to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. The first epicenter of this massive scheme was detected in Washington State, but it quickly spread to others. (Associated Press)

It turned out that, like thousands of Washington state residents, [Dayna] Lurie’s identity was used by criminals seeking to capitalize on a flood of legitimate unemployment claims by sneaking in fraudulent ones.

Washington’s race to help newly laid-off residents as the coronavirus pandemic ravaged the economy left it vulnerable to such scams, and last week officials hinted at the scope of the damage done: hundreds of millions of dollars paid out in fake claims. Much of it apparently went to a West African fraud ring using identities stolen in prior data breaches, such as the massive 2017 Equifax breach.

State and federal authorities have tried to claw back as much money as possible and say they have blocked hundreds of millions more from being paid out, but Washington’s experience is nevertheless a cautionary tale.

(Read more from “Massive Unemployment Fraud Uncovered in Numerous States” HERE)

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WATCH: National Guard Called Over Minneapolis Protests; Rioters Burn Down Police Station

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Minneapolis Protests Over George Floyd’s Death Turn Chaotic; National Guard Called

By Forbes. A second night of protests in Minneapolis—sparked by the death of a black man, George Floyd, after a now-viral video showed a white police officer kneeling on his neck—devolved into chaos, as buildings were set on fire and stores ransacked while police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets, leading Mayor Jacob Frey to request assistance from the state’s National Guard. . .

George Floyd’s death stoked national outrage and reignited tensions in Minneapolis, which the Washington Post said is a community in which the police have “long been accused of racism.” Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, the four officers seen in the video, have been fired. Floyd’s family is calling for accountability, with his sister, Brigett Floyd, telling the Today show: “I would like for those officers to be charged with murder because that’s exactly what they did.” The FBI is investigating, and President Trump tweeted Wednesday that “Justice will be served!” (Read more from “Minneapolis Protests Over George Floyd’s Death Turn Chaotic; National Guard Called” HERE)

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Minneapolis Rioters Breach Police Station, Livestream From Inside as Building Goes up in Flames

By The Blaze. Another night of protests in Minneapolis, Minnesota, culminated on Thursday in an assault on the 3rd precinct police station by protesters who tried to light it on fire after police abandoned the area.

Rioters breached the station at about 10:30 p.m. One of the protesters broadcast a livestream from the station on social media.

Rioters could be seen in the livestream video trying to start fires in the building and stealing equipment. Others shot fireworks at the building from the outside.

(Read more from “Minneapolis Rioters Breach Police Station, Livestream From Inside as Building Goes up in Flames” HERE)

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Western Caucus Members Spearhead Legislation to Protect U.S. Mineral Supply Chains

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Caucus Chairman Paul Gosar (AZ-04) and Rep. Michael Waltz (FL-06) introduced the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020. They were joined by Western Caucus Chair Emeritus and House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Republican Rob Bishop (UT-01), House Committee on Space, Science, and Technology Ranking Republican Frank Lucas (OK-03), and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23).

“I am proud to sponsor the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020 with Representative Waltz. This dual-Committee effort will make significant strides toward securing our nation a domestic supply chain of critical minerals from the United States for the United States. Critical minerals are the building blocks of modern life, necessary for applications in defense systems, renewable technologies, healthcare and more. For years, our country has become increasingly dependent on China and other nations to fulfill our demand for minerals. The global pandemic has demonstrated the severe consequences of allowing this longstanding overreliance on China to go unchecked and this legislation will begin the complex process of unraveling our addiction and addressing this problem. This bill tackles impediments to domestic critical mineral development including inefficiencies in the Federal permitting process and shortsighted mineral withdrawals, and also promotes technological advancements such as minerals recycling. Our need for critical minerals will skyrocket in the coming decades, especially as demand for renewable energy and battery storage increases. That demand can only be met with new mining and new resources, the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act will help us meet this challenge head on,” said Chairman Paul Gosar (AZ-04)

“From healthcare to electronics and our defense systems, critical minerals are integral to our way of life. Unfortunately, China currently has a stronghold on the supply of these natural resources. As coronavirus has unfortunately demonstrated, if China can threaten to cut off our pharmaceutical supply, they can do the same with their supply of rare earth minerals. We need to bring this supply chain back to America – and this bill will be an important step to do that,” said Congressman Michael Waltz (FL-06)

“The global pandemic has highlighted significant supply chain vulnerabilities, particularly our reliance on China and other nations to meet our demand for critical minerals. The introduction of the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act is an urgently needed step in the right direction. Shortsighted Federal policy has left us reliant on our adversaries and with an abundance of domestic minerals untapped, leaving our renewable energy technologies, healthcare, and modern way of life with dangerous uncertainties. From overhauling our permitting process to prioritizing advancements in mineral refining, this legislation provides solutions for rebuilding every aspect of the domestic critical mineral supply chain. I look forward to working with Representatives Gosar and Waltz, our Senate committee counterparts, and Leadership in both chambers to advance this legislation to the President’s desk,” said Chairman Emeritus Rob Bishop (UT-01)

“Critical minerals power technologies ranging from cell phones to medical equipment to renewable energy storage. China holds an overwhelming advantage in access to critical minerals and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it dangerously clear that we can’t take our supply for granted. We need to be forward-thinking about how we develop our resources and manage our access to critical minerals. I’m proud to join my colleagues on this bill which not only helps secure our supply of critical minerals, but also accelerates research into critical minerals development and technologies” said Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03)

“The world has paid a costly price for China’s dangerous missteps on how they have handled this pandemic. The Chinese Communist Party hid the severity of the virus, manipulated statistics, and still refuses to allow international experts to investigate or share viral samples with the scientific community. What this health crisis has also exposed is our dangerous dependence on China when it comes to our supply chain. We can no longer afford inaction – that is why I am proud Republicans on the Natural Resources and Science, Space and Technology Committees, an effort led by Representatives Waltz and Gosar, are working together on a legislative fix that would restore stability and independence to our critical minerals supply chain. The American Critical Minerals Exploration and Innovation Act will make sure our country continues to become stronger on the other side of this pandemic and will help us follow through on a national commitment to put America’s energy future into our own hands.”– House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23)

Background:

The text of the legislation can be viewed HERE.

A section by section breakdown of the legislation can be viewed HERE.

This legislation aims to reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources of critical minerals by supporting responsible domestic mineral development. Minerals, with applications including healthcare, defense systems, and renewable energy technology, are essential to our modern way of life. China has dominated the critical minerals market for years, controlling the vast majority of the global supply. Currently, 14 of the 35 critical minerals identified by the U.S.G.S. are imported to the U.S. at a rate of 100%. Ensuring a stable supply of critical minerals for electric car batteries, smartphones, healthcare equipment, and a range of other technologies and products, begins with encouraging responsible critical minerals development, production, and innovation here at home.

Current sponsors and cosponsors of this legislation include (37): Reps. Waltz (FL-06), Gosar (AZ-04), Bishop (UT-01), Lucas (OK-03), McCarthy (CA-23), Young (AK-AL), Crawford (AR-01), Buck (CO-04), LaMalfa (CA-01), Olson (TX-22), Newhouse (WA-04), Curtis (UT-03), McClintock (CA-04), Hern (OK-01), Stauber (MN-08), Marshall (KS-01), Weber (TX-14), Gonzalez (OH-16), Posey (FL-08), Balderson (OH-12), Westerman (AR-04), Wittman (VA-01), Cheney (WY-AL), Lesko (AZ-08), Stewart (UT-02), Johnson (SD-AL), Cook (CA-08), Gohmert (TX-01), Hice (GA-10), Emmer (MN-06), Amodei (NV-02), Fulcher (ID-01), Lamborn (CO-05), Calvert (CA-42), Baird (IN-04), Babin (TX-36), Norman (SC-05).

Endorsements for this legislation so far include: National Mining Association, American Exploration and Mining Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, Uranium Producers of America, Arizona Mining Association, and Utah Mining Association.

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Another 2.1 Million People Filed for Unemployment Last Week

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Roughly a quarter of the total U.S. workforce has been put out of work since the COVID-19 pandemic caused government officials to shut down most or all businesses deemed non-essential, with another 2.1 million Americans filing jobless claims over the past week, Politico reported.

Another 1.2 million people applied for unemployment benefits under a temporary program for people who are typically ineligible for unemployment, such as self-employed workers. There may be some overlap of people who applied for both. Overall, 40.8 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past 10 weeks.

Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, told Politico that about half the people who have applied for benefits since the coronavirus shutdowns began have received them, while others are stuck waiting as overwhelmed state agencies with sometimes unreliable websites and processes try to keep up.

A previous COVID-19 relief package boosted unemployment benefits temporarily, and a University of Chicago study showed that more than two-thirds of people receiving unemployment may be getting more in benefits than they would’ve gotten from their jobs. The relief package added a $600 per week supplement to the standard benefits. (Read more from “Another 2.1 Million People Filed for Unemployment Last Week” HERE)

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Donald Trump Signs Exec Order to Curb Big Tech’s ‘Unchecked Power’

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President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday in the White House to defend free speech on social media and regulate social media companies for selectively censoring users.

“We’re here today to defend free speech from one of the greatest dangers,” the president said, referring to the “unchecked power” wielded by social media companies in the United States.

The president signed the order in the Oval Office on Thursday afternoon.

“They’ve had unchecked power to censor restrict, edit shape hide alter virtually any form of communication between private citizens or large public audiences,” Trump said.

The president criticized the growing monopoly of social media companies in America, vowing to act to change the regulatory framework for the companies. (Read more from “Donald Trump Signs Exec Order to Curb Big Tech’s ‘Unchecked Power’” HERE)

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Left Aims to Use Virus Scares to Tamper With Voting Systems

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. . .Another interesting trend has emerged as well: Calls to end the Electoral College are often paired with calls to enact mail-in voting. Are the two moves seen as serving the same end? Or are they merely two goals that would seem unachievable, but for the crisis thrust upon us?

. . .Other commentators remind voters they don’t have a right to vote in the presidential election on Election Day. The Constitution gives state legislatures wide discretion, and legislators could simply appoint electors directly if the pandemic is still ongoing. Legislative selection of electors hasn’t been used in decades, but now the power is spoken of again as if it could happen in 2020.

The governor of at least one swing state has already shown her capability for muscling past the state legislature and implementing her desired policy. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer refused to accept a legislative decision not to extend her emergency powers on April 30. Instead, she simply declared another emergency, claiming she could extend her own powers for 28 more days.

Perhaps you won’t be surprised to hear one power that Whitmer seized as she declares emergencies. She’s expanded absentee voting for local elections in her state and has made moves towards universal mail-in voting. Although the presidential election is months away, the move is already being called a “blueprint for the presidential battleground state in November.” (Read more from “Left Aims to Use Virus Scares to Tamper With Voting Systems” HERE)

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