IG Report: FBI Agents Bribed by Journalists to Leak Information

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Well, the report from the Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz is here. Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former FBI Director James Comey, and ex-Deputy Director Andrew McCabe were placed under the microscope for their activities during the 2016 election, namely the Hillary Clinton email probe and the investigation into the Clinton Foundation. Katie and Guy broke down the major nuggets of the report, notably how Mr. Comey went way outside the protocol during the Clinton email probe. The IG report also noted that the arguments for why the ex-FBI chief informed Congress on October 28, 2016, that the FBI would be essentially rebooting the email probe after new emails were found on Huma Abedin’s laptop, Abedin is a top Clinton aide, were unpersuasive.

In that final chapter of the email saga, it was later determined that Abedin and Anthony Weiner, her convicted sexual predator husband, shared the device. Weiner was being investigated on a separate matter concerning inappropriate communications with a minor.

So, Democrats have yet another reason to hate James Comey. Mr. McCabe’s recusal from the Clinton probes on November 1, 2016 was seen as not an absolute requirement, but something that was the right course of action. He did not honor the recusal at times, but we already know he lied to investigators three times during a leak investigation. A leak that McCabe instigated, telling The Wall Street Journal that there were tensions between the DOJ and FBI over the Clinton Foundation probe. The infamous tarmac meeting that occurred days before James Comey’s July 5 presser between Lynch and former President Bill Clinton that tainted the email probe yielded nothing new in this report. There’s no evidence to suggest that anything else, besides golf and grandkids, was discussed.

Yet, the texts between FBI agent Peter Strzok and bureau lawyer Lisa Page did not go unnoticed. The two were having an extramarital affair, sending each other tens of thousands of texts. They were anti-Trump in nature of course. The latest nugget from these texts is that Strzok explicitly told Page that they would stop Trump from becoming president. In all, the report found that five agents of the FBI, including Strzok and Page, should be referred for disciplinary action for careless use of government property to communicate their personal opinions:

The conduct of the five FBI employees described in sections A, B, and C of this Chapter has brought discredit to themselves, sowed doubt about the FBI’s handling of the Midyear investigation, and impacted the reputation of the FBI. As described in Chapter Five, our review did not find documentary or testimonial evidence directly connecting the political views these employees expressed in their text messages and instant messages to the specific investigative decisions we reviewed in Chapter Five. Nonetheless, the conduct by these employees cast a cloud over the FBI Midyear investigation and sowed doubt the FBI’s work on, and its handling of, the Midyear investigation. Moreover, the damage caused by their actions extends far beyond the scope of the Midyear investigation and goes to the heart of the FBI’s reputation for neutral factfinding and political independence.

(Read more from “IG Report: FBI Agents Bribed by Journalists to Leak Information” HERE)

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GOP Reeling After Another Establishment Candidate Beaten by Pro-Trump Candidate

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A well-known career GOP politician has just received shattering news: Even though he’s the incumbent, a surprising challenger defeated him in the primary on Tuesday, sending a signal that establishment politicians are not safe.

Congressman and former Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina was beaten by State Rep. Katie Arrington in a close race.

“The Associated Press called the race just after midnight, with Arrington leading Sanford by 51-47 percent margin and 99 percent of precincts reporting. Sanford becomes the second incumbent to lose a reelection primary bid this cycle,” reported The Hill.

“Sanford had never lost an election until Tuesday, even after he was caught having an affair in 2009 while governor. But his willingness to question Trump, who is lionized by the GOP primary electorate, proved politically fatal,” that outlet continued.

That point is especially important. The one key difference between Sanford and Arrington is that he was an anti-Trump establishment player, while she sided with the president and was seen as closer to the people, having worked her way up from a restaurant job to national politics. (Read more from “GOP Reeling After Another Establishment Candidate Beaten by Pro-Trump Candidate” HERE)

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This Is Really Happening: Measure to Split California Into Three States Qualifies for November Ballot

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For the first time since before the Civil War, voters across California will decide in November on a proposal to split up the Golden State — potentially remaking it into three new states.

An initiative dividing California, pushed by Silicon Valley venture capital investor Tim Draper, received enough signatures to qualify it for the November ballot, the Secretary of State’s office confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

Supporters of the radical plan submitted more than 600,000 signatures, and a random sample projected that enough are valid that the measure can go before voters, setting up a campaign that is sure to attract a carnivalesque atmosphere and only-in-California chuckles from across the country. . .

The Bay Area would be part of a new Northern California state with a border that starts north of Monterey, runs east and north to the Nevada state line, and includes everything north to the Oregon border.

A new Southern California state would run south from the Northern California border, skirt around the coast from Monterey past Los Angeles, and include San Diego, Death Valley and the rest of the state east to Nevada and Arizona. (Read more from “This Is Really Happening: Measure to Split California Into Three States Qualifies for November Ballot” HERE)

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Andy McCabe: Trump Caused Me to Lie Under Oath

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Disgraced former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is suing the Department of Justice over his firing.

McCabe was fired after a DOJ internal probe found that the former FBI deputy director lied under oath three separate times, in addition to misleading FBI officials in interviews. McCabe also sent unauthorized leaks to the press and falsely pinned blame on his colleagues in Washington and New York.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired McCabe based on the recommendations provided by the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility.

According to NPR’s report of McCabe’s lawsuit:

“McCabe has denied any intentional wrongdoing. Instead, he said, any lapses in his memory or mistakes in his interviews with the IG and others were mistakes derived from the chaos inside the FBI under siege from Trump and his allies.”

Translation: Andy McCabe lied under oath and attempted to destroy the careers of his colleagues, and now he’s blaming Trump.

McCabe’s suit against the Department of Justice comes just one day before the expected release of the inspector general’s 500-page report on the Obama FBI and Justice Department’s handling of the Clinton email investigation. (For more from the author of “Andy Mccabe: Trump Caused Me to Lie Under Oath” please click HERE)

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You Can’t Take ‘Em: Judge Blocks Gun Ban Hours Before Going Into Effect

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Zero hour was approaching for the law-abiding gun owners of Deerfield, Illinois. The village had banned the ownership of so-called assault weapons, which in reality meant AR-15 rifles and any other firearm that carried a detachable magazine capable of holding ten or more rounds. That’s how Deerfield defined a so-called assault weapon.

On June 13, the anti-gun ordinance passed by the Chicago suburb would have gone into effect. It was essentially a gun ban, and there were no exceptions. It’s either you turn them over, move, or risk facing a $250-$1,000/ day noncompliance fee. Yeah, the AR-15 and other rifles the anti-gun Left finds scary were banned, but it also included scores of handguns. Magazines holding 15 rounds are not uncommon. Luckily, a circuit court judge blocked this law 24 hours from going into effect. And yes, legal challenges were filed against this grossly unconstitutional law (via Vice News):

The decision, handed down Tuesday evening in the 19th Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County, Illinois, is a small victory for gun rights groups, who sued the Chicago suburb in April after it became the first municipality to ban assault weapons following the Parkland high school shooting. The Deerfield ordinance was passed unanimously by all six board members on April 2.

(Read more from “You Can’t Take ‘Em: Judge Blocks Gun Ban Hours Before Going Into Effect” HERE)

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Mayor Who Criticized Trump Now Being Investigated for Corruption

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By Townhall. San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz infamously picked a fight with President Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria last year, the storm that devastated Puerto Rico. The official death toll was 64, but Gov. Ricardo Rossello suggested the actual number is higher. President Trump signed a $36.5 billion aid package for the nation. Some of the aid took awhile to get to its destination. Cruz took aim at the White House in those months, accusing the U.S. government of turning its back on them.

Some of her messages were indirect. She wore a “Nasty Woman” shirt on CNN, in reference to Trump’s insult for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. Others were not blatant, like when she said Trump “speaks out of both sides of his mouth.” . . .

Cruz may be the hypocritical one here. New reports suggest that corruption in San Juan prevented critical supplies from reaching Hurricane Maria victims. The FBI is investigating suppliers and Cruz’s administration. . .

Until she and her staff are cleared of wrongdoing, perhaps she should withhold judgment of Trump’s leadership style. (Read more from “Mayor Who Criticized Trump Now Being Investigated for Corruption” HERE)

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Puerto Rico Officials Investigated for Corruption During Hurricane Relief

By The Epoch Times. Corruption in Puerto Rico may have been the cause of U.S. relief supplies not reaching those in need following Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

The administration of San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz (D), who made headlines for her criticisms of President Donald Trump’s handling of the relief efforts, is now being investigated for alleged corruption.

According to a local news report from El Vocero de Puerto Rico, the FBI is investigating several suppliers for alleged corruption in San Juan.

It says the investigation was launched after former procurement director Yadira Molina filed a lawsuit claiming she faced punishment for reporting illegal activities to the local comptroller. The investigation has since grown to include several contractors.

“On February 21, Molina sued the city council after reporting alleged acts of corruption in the shopping division in the town hall under the administration of Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto,” the report says. (Read more from “Puerto Rico Officials Investigated for Corruption During Hurricane Relief” HERE)

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Pro-Second Amendment Groups Immediately Initiate Lawsuit Over New Controversial Gun Law in This State

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New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) on Wednesday signed a handful of gun control bills into law, something anti-gunners are saying gives the Garden State the “strongest and most formidable gun laws in the nation.”

“Today, I’m proud to sign this series of common-sense gun safety bills into law to protect our children and families from the reckless dangers of gun violence, something the federal government has failed to do on behalf of its residents,” Murphy said in a statement. “By setting these higher standards for gun safety, New Jersey continues to bolster its reputation as a national leader on this critical social and public health issue.” . . .

The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the constitutionality behind the high-capacity magazine ban. ANJRPC filed the lawsuit immediately after Murphy signed the bill into law.

“This unconstitutional law will be ignored by criminals and madmen, and affects only law-abiding citizens,” ANJRPC executive director Scott Bach said in a statement. “It turns one million people into criminals with the stroke of a pen, limits self-defense, and takes away property lawfully acquired,” continued Bach. “Buy it yesterday, ban it today, go to prison tomorrow – it’s the Jersey way, and the goal of our lawsuit is to boot this law, which makes no one safer, into the trash heap of history where it belongs.”

The lawsuit was filed in conjunction with the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action. (Read more from “Pro-Second Amendment Groups Immediately Initiate Lawsuit Over New Controversial Gun Law in This State” HERE)

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Report Claims Sarah Huckabee Sanders Is Leaving White House, Press Secretary Responds

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By CBS News. Two of the most visible members of the Trump administration are planning their departures, the latest sign of upheaval in a White House marked by turmoil.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders and principal deputy press secretary Raj Shah are both heading for the exits, according to sources inside the White House and close to the administration. Sanders, who has become a confidante of President Trump since the departure of former communications director Hope Hicks, has told friends that she plans to leave the administration at the end of the year.

Shah is also considering his exit, but he has not yet settled on an exact date. Neither Sanders nor Shah responded to repeated requests for comment before this story was published. When reached Wednesday evening, both declined to comment on the record, and Sanders tweeted that she is “honored to work for @POTUS.” (Read more from “Report Claims Sarah Huckabee Is Leaving White House, Press Secretary Responds” HERE)

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Sarah Huckabee Sanders Denies Report She’s Leaving White House

By Washington Times. . .The network said Mr. Shah also is considering an exit, though he hasn’t settled on a date.

Mrs. Sanders denied the report in a tweet Wednesday night.

“Does @CBSNews know something I don’t about my plans and my future?” she said. “I was at my daughter’s year-end Kindergarten event and they ran a story about my ‘plans to leave the WH’ without even talking to me. I love my job and am honored to work for @POTUS.”

Mr. Shah also told people close to them that the report is fake news, a source told The Washington Times. (Read more from “Sarah Huckabee Sanders Denies Report She’s Leaving White House” HERE)

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‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star Suggests ‘Bias Against Conservatives’ Landed Him in Jail

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“Dukes of Hazzard” and “Smallville” star John Schneider suggested Wednesday that his conservative leanings and support for President Trump may have played a role in his being sentenced to three days in jail for unpaid alimony.

Mr. Schneider, who was released Tuesday from the Los Angeles County Jail after serving five hours of the three-day sentence, told Fox News that his conservative values may have hurt him in court. . .

“I do think there’s a bias against conservatives, Republicans, in Hollywood, but I think if you let that alter how you are, then I question how you are,” he said. “If you believe it, speak it, live it.” . . .

“I supported the last president [even though] I didn’t vote for him, but I supported him because I believe that’s my duty as a United States citizen,” he told Fox. “The difference here is that I did vote [for Trump] and I don’t mind people knowing that.” . . .

“I never saw anything but people being treated with respect with dignity and with humor, which really surprised me, and whatever authority they needed to show in order to keep everybody safe,” he said, adding he was “so very impressed with every aspect of the penal system.” (Read more from “‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star Suggests ‘Bias Against Conservatives’ Landed Him in Jail” HERE)

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‘Punch-Drunk’: Trump Hits Back at De Niro. Hard.

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The King of the Counter Punch hit back against actor Robert De Niro on Tuesday after being provoked by the star’s expletive-laced rant aimed at the president during Sunday night’s Tony Awards.

President Trump, hilariously finding time during an unprecedented and high-stakes peace summit with North Korea, took to his favorite social media site, Twitter, to go after the famed actor, calling him “Low IQ” and “punch-drunk.”

“Robert De Niro, a very Low IQ individual, has received to many shots to the head by real boxers in movies. I watched him last night and truly believe he may be ‘punch-drunk,'” smacked Trump, adding that De Niro fails to “realize the economy is the best it’s ever been with employment being at an all time high, and many companies pouring back into our country.”

(Read more from “‘Punch-Drunk’: Trump Hits Back at De Niro. Hard.” HERE)

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