August 29, 2019

"Former FBI Director James Comey violated FBI policies in his handling of memos documenting private conversations with President Donald Trump..."

"... the Justice Department’s inspector general said Thursday. The watchdog office said Comey broke bureau rules by giving one memo containing unclassified information to a friend with instructions to share the contents with a reporter. Comey also failed to notify the FBI after he was dismissed in May 2017 that he had retained some of the memos in a safe at home, the report said. 'By not safeguarding sensitive information obtained during the course of his FBI employment, and by using it to create public pressure for official action, Comey set a dangerous example for the over 35,000 current FBI employees — and the many thousands more former FBI employees — who similarly have access to or knowledge of non-public information,' the report says.... Comey said he considered his memos to be personal rather than government documents, and it never would’ve occurred to him to give them back to the FBI after he was fired. The inspector general’s office disagreed, citing policy that FBI employees must give up all documents with FBI information once they leave the bureau."

AP reports.

209 comments:

1 – 200 of 209   Newer›   Newest»
Michael K said...

Probably clearing the decks for the big cases, like the FISA felonies.

Dave Begley said...

So what happens to Comey? Nothing?

John Hinderaker at Power Line, is of the legal opinion, that Comey lied to Congress. Indict Comey!

Barr needs to do his job.

Shane said...

Comey should spend more time isolated in the woods meditating, without his cellphone. And do it quickly.

Unknown said...

As someone who once held a high level security clearance, this is incredibly disappointing.

Mike Sylwester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cato Renasci said...

The decision not to prosecute is a SCANDAL in itself.

Barr is showing himself to be another f*cking swamp creature.

Comey should go to jail.

Mike Sylwester said...

"Crazy Comey the Leaker" was the professional protégé and personal friend of Robert "The FBI Whitewasher" Mueller.

After Comey was fired by President Trump, Comey leaked documents in order to get his mentor/friend Mueller appointed as Special Counsel. In that position, Mueller would pass judgement on whether Trump's firing of Mueller's protégé/friend Comey was an obstruction of justice.

In this investigation, Mueller used the same tactics against the elected President that the FBI uses to remove a Mafia boss from his Mafia position. Mueller proceeded to legally threaten any -- wherever possible -- of the elected President's relatives, friends, associates and supporters. Mueller threatened to indict such people but to offer them leniency if they would "flip" and testify against the elected President. Mueller intended to use any such compelled testimony in order to to harass and charge the elected President .

Mueller continued to use those tactics for two years, until he was stopped by the new US Attorney General, William Barr. If Barr had not stopped Mueller, then Mueller still would be using them now and for the remainder of Trump's Presidency.

That's how the FBI removes Mafia bosses, and that's how Comey and Mueller tried to remove the elected President.

------

Mueller did manage to convict George Papadopoulos, who had volunteered to serve as a foreign-policy advisor on Trump's campaign staff during the 2016 election race.

Papadopoulos said a wrong date to one of the FBI's thug officials, and so Mueller convicted Papadopoulos of a felony and fined and jailed him.

Amichel said...

Just more proof that once you reach high government position, the laws regarding protecting confidential and classified information is a dead letter.

mockturtle said...

Lock him up!!!

CWJ said...

I thought leaking was criminal. Not merely a violation of policy.

AZ Bob said...

This is another example of "Too big to fail."

Big Mike said...

So what happens to Comey? Nothing?

Nothing

rehajm said...

The decision not to prosecute is a SCANDAL in itself.

No shit. Comey breaks the law but is defiant on Twitter, demanding apologies because some people incorrectly identified the crimes he committed.

Meanwhile I'm still waiting for a perp walk of one of these many felons. I won't hold by breath.

deepelemblues said...

With the political polarization in this country, getting convictions on these kind if brouhahas is probably a dicey prospect. Which is why all the people Mueller tried to railroad into lying about Trump should have rejected any offer except dismissal of all charges and demanded a trial

rehajm said...

Kind of leads one to mistrust government.

Bay Area Guy said...

Comey is a loon. He tweeted that, because he wasn't indicted and because he didn't leak classified documents, that he is owed an apology.

The guy is a disgrace -- but the incredible silver lining is that by whitewashing, but then trashing Hillary at the famous press conference, helped Trump win.

So, thank you, Comey!

Seeing Red said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nonapod said...

I don't know why anyone would be surprised. Obviously Comey (along with Hillary) is part of a special cast. He is far above us dirty commoners. The law doesn't apply to him. He is allowed to leak information without any legal consequences. What's so difficult to understand?

Mike Sylwester said...

When "Crazy Comey the Leaker" applied for a FISA warrant on the witting Russian spy Carter Page, Comey's goal was to collect communications of Trump associates.

To this day, the public still knows nothing about Comey's collection of such communications. The public eventually should be informed:

* From how many Trump associates did Comey collect communications?

* What were the names of the affected associates?

* When did such collection of communications begin and end?

* How many items of communications were collected?

* Who in Comey's FBI studied the collected communications?

* What were the FBI's findings from its studies of the communications?

* What actions did the FBI subsequently take based on those findings?

* What is the current status of the communications that Comey collected from Trump's associates?

mccullough said...

The right people were fired.

rehajm said...

Head of the primary federal law enforcement agency commits crimes then proudly pleads ignorance of the law. Gets away with it.

Bad Lieutenant said...

The watchdog office said Comey broke bureau rules


yeah yeah skip to the ass rape, when does Comey lose his cherry? First day in the slam, but when, when does he go to prison?

rehajm said...

Barr is showing himself to be another f*cking swamp creature. Comey should go to jail.

It's that new No Reasonable Prosecutor standard again.

Yancey Ward said...

I am not holding out any hope for any prosecutions of the coup plotters- I think the system is so corrupt now that there are no consequences that can be applied in the legal system. The Rubicon has been crossed, the system is no longer legitimate.

Sebastian said...

Just when we thought we could not possibly despise the swamp creatures more, here comes Comey claiming vindication after being exposed by the IG.

We cynical conservatives are not cynical enough: the Comeys and Brennans and McCabes are utterly arrogant and shameless, their conduct invariably worse than we thought, their contempt for us and our system total and unshakable.

What did we do to deserve such an "establishment"?

Sebastian said...

"the public still knows nothing about Comey's collection of such communications"

Question: can't Trump simply order the FBI to deliver to him and Barr all evidence pertaining to this communications by a date certain? And then declassify and disseminate them as he sees fit?

Yancey Ward said...

The proper response from the Right in dealing with the FBI and the DoJ from this point forward should be, "Fuck you, lawyer!" I don't care for what the requested information is- "Fuck you, lawyer!" Zero cooperation.

Jeff Brokaw said...

“Yada yada yada ... decline to prosecute”

Jeff Brokaw said...

Agree with Yancey 1:08

Banana Republic. Over and out.

We had a good run, American people.

Freder Frederson said...

The decision not to prosecute is a SCANDAL in itself.

What is wrong with your (and many others')reading comprehension? He violated FBI policy, he did not break the law. What he released was unclassified information.

rehajm said...

Comey tweet: Tonight, I told a former colleague that I’m tired of being a Trump critic. He responded with encouraging words that apply to all of us: “Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country.” He’s right. Keep speaking out.

We shall.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

ok, fine-- if 'the powers that be' dont want to go thru the process
to legally prosecute these high-profile cases,

...can he at least "commit suicide" ?

JackWayne said...

The shallow state ALWAYS protects the deep state.

FrankiM said...

Not a crime. So many disappointed people.

FrankiM said...

Looks like you’ll all have to wait for the big FISA indictments!!

Vance said...

Freder and the rest of the left never met an act of treason they wouldn't support, as long as it was done in an effort to "get Trump!"

Heck, if word comes out that Comey, Mueller, McCabe, and a variety of MSM journalists, along with Obama and Bill and Hillary had held weekly meetings where they sacrificed a virgin to Baal in hopes of getting supernatural help to "get Trump" I'm sure Freder and the gang would have two reactions:

1) It clearly hasn't worked because they let Blill Clinton stay in the room with the virgin to "comfort" her before her fate, and thus she didn't qualify anymore and
2) it's all worth it to get Trump, right?

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

related: do we expect this ?

Media Prepare Massive Public Relations Campaign to Spin Spygate

https://www.theepochtimes.com/media-prepare-massive-public-relations-campaign-to-spin-spygate_3060637.html

Yancey Ward said...

Andrew McCarthy released this essay just before the OIG report on Comey's memos landed in the public sphere, and it deals with McCabe whose own OIG report is over a year old now. It dissects completely the two-tiered justice system on display. As McCarthy writes, he would be open to a non-prosecution of McCabe given proper contrition, but that isn't what the miscreants are doing- there is no contrition for being caught, just in-your-face mocking about getting away with it all. This is how assassinations get started- if there is no legal justice, it will become extra-legal justice eventually. Scales get balanced one way or the other.

FrankiM said...

GITMO awaits!

JRoberts said...

When it became public that the IRS was targeting and harassing Tea Party groups, John Boehner went before the TV cameras and said "I don't want to know who's losing their job. I want to know who's going to jail!"

At that time, I thought appointed bureaucrats would be held accountable. I look back over the last 6-7 years (Benghazi, Hillary's private server, FISA abuse, Swatting political opponents, etc.) and realize how naïve I was.

Our federal government sucks.

Vance said...

You volunteering to go there, Inga?

By the way, everyone is noting how you leftists are openly gloating about being able to commit crimes with impunity. Exactly what lesson do you think people are learning from all of this "the only people who the DOJ will prosecute are people not aligned with the left?"

I'm sure, Inga, you are happy that the law apparently no longer applies to leftists. So: does the law apply to anyone/. And 2) I'm sure you won't complain if a few leftists wake up dead, right? No reasonable prosecutor would possibly bring charges against anyone who helped in that case.

Jersey Fled said...

I wouldn't get too excited about the decision not to indict Comey on this particular issue. It's only the first inning and this is very fertile ground. Let's see what the score is when the game is over.

Darrell said...

I'll take a stab at his epitaph.
Hanged by the neck until dead.

Yancey Ward said...

Inga is what we are facing here- take her seriously, she is the vanguard for what is coming when there are no consequences for law-breaking. She claims there was no law broken- the OIG report makes it clear that that conclusion is, in fact, an error. Leaking the memos against policy is a crime as defined in the US code, the only thing here is that the DoJ declined to take up the recommendation for prosecution using its discretion. This decision disappoints me, but I already knew Comey was going to skate on this for at least a month now- that wasn't new news.

Again, read the McCarthy essay I linked above, and contrast the treatment of Papadopoulos and Flynn, for lying to FBI agents, with that of McCabe for doing the exact same thing. Perhaps McCabe will eventually get the Flynn/Papadopoulos treatment, but I doubt it- his report came out over a year ago, and he is now on CNN telling the same lies. The Left is rubbing our noses in it with great glee- they now truly believe they are so far above the law that they can openly brag about it.

Vance said...

Remember, Freder and Inga and the rest are preaching a doctrine of "The ends justifies the means: nothing is a crime or should be punishable as long as it advances the State and the Party!"

Which, by the way, is the exact same ideology as a certain German party in the 1930's and 1940's. It's literally their policy. And Freder and Inga revel in it.

Yancey Ward said...

Vance mentions it- the first indication that the law was this badly corrupted was the targeting of the Tea Party organizations by the IRS- there the IRS agents openly destroyed hard drives and other electronic information that was requested by the Congressional committees investigating it, and they did so without any consequences at all. This was only confirmed by the Clinton team openly destroying evidence after Congressional subpoenaes had been issued requiring its retention, and then followed by the FBI itself destroying evidence as requested by the Clinton team so that no one could closely examine the investigation itself to prove the corruption. Two political tiers of justice like this are a recipe for violence, and if Barr doesn't do something to fix this, the violence is coming.

Yancey Ward said...

In my opinion, the DoJ has one last chance to rectify things- the coming OIG reports are likely to be just as damning as this one, and the allegations are quite a bit more serious than the leaking of government memos by directors and associate directors of the FBI- they involve actual perjury on court issued warrants. If there are, again, no consequences, then it is game over for legitimacy.

Jim at said...

Comey needs to be in Epstein's cell.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

are coup attempts "policy violations" ?

Michael K said...

The decision not to prosecute is a SCANDAL in itself.

Barr is showing himself to be another f*cking swamp creature.


I strongly encourage those who have not to watch that video of the Lou Dobbs show. I clipped the video from You Tube. They may have chosen to use the much more serious charges against Comey and avoid the low level leaks.

The FISA warrants were all signed by Comey, McCabe, etc. Those are serious felonies.

Michael K said...

the allegations are quite a bit more serious than the leaking of government memos by directors

Yes. That was my point.

Jim at said...

Not a crime. So many disappointed people.

Yeah, but was he exonerated?!!!!

Cupid stunt.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

What the hacks and liars did to Flynn is criminal.

Yancey Ward said...

The truly shocking thing about the OIG report is how much faith Comey had in the Steele Dossier being true. I mean, wow! Either Comey is the biggest imbecile to ever head the FBI, or he is simply lying through his teeth over and over. Anyone with an IQ over body temperature should have immediately doubted the veracity of such outlandish allegations, not taken them at face value. If someone had written such a dossier on Barack Obama, I wouldn't have believed it as a default position. And Comey knew early on who was funding this document- the Clinton Campaign and the DNC.

Vance said...

Let us remember the point of government: to bring civilization and the rule of law to people, so they can leave their uncivil natures at home.

What the left is preaching is a return to ye bad old days of the divine right of kings: the King, meaning the government, is divine and cannot do wrong. By definition, what the King does is right.

Now, Inga and Freder don't claim we need a King; they just claim that the government (as run by leftists, of course) cannot do wrong and the laws are meant for the little people--not enlightened, noble types who rule us, and who SHOULD rule us. By which types she means the left, naturally.

In so doing she and Freder and the rest are rejecting the idea of democracy. She rejects the idea that we have individual rights. Oh, the left makes some noise about freedom... but not really. They don't believe it. Freedom means being able to reject the left; to speak against them, to not agree with them. And the left does not believe anyone should be allowed to reject or disagree with them.

They ultimately reject the Magna Carta, the idea that the King should be limited. Every left run society always ends up that way: the State is always right, and if you disagree; well, your life doesn't matter. National Socialists, Maoist's, Robespierre's Terror, Stalin and Lenin, Pol Pot, Che Guevara--they all end up in the same place, don't they? Inga and Freder and Howard and Ritmo all ardently believe the same way, ultimately.

We Americans have something to say about being subjects instead of rulers of our own selves, though. The left better be careful lest, like Yamamoto, they waken a dragon they cannot tame.

readering said...

As a reporter noted:

"Trump accused Comey of leaking classified info at least 10 times:

"July 10, 2017
April 13, 2018
April 19, 2018
April 20, 2018
April 26, 2018
April 27, 2018
June 8, 2018
Nov. 7, 2018
March 27, 2019
April 25, 2019

"IG report says there is 'no evidence' of this."

But Potus lies about evertyhing all the time so different.

rehajm said...

The FISA warrants were all signed by Comey, McCabe, etc. Those are serious felonies

Bah. Some invention will be crafted to prevent them from accountability. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so. There are now completely different standards of justice.

Yancey Ward said...

Let me put it in context- Steele was reporting 2nd- and 3rd-hand hearsay (source A reported that source B reported such and such-etc.- really, that is the dossier right there) and never once revealing who the 1st hand source is (Steele apparently didn't "know" himself, if you believe he collected any actual evidence at all, which I think is still a question to be conclusively answered- I think it far more likely all a fabrication by either Steele or people working at GPSFusion).

And, yet, Comey took this material at face value rather than doubt any of it- indeed, used it to get the Page warrant without doing any actual corroboration at all, and still claiming to have done so to the FISA court. I personally don't think Comey is a stupid guy- I think he knew the dossier was bullshit, but it served a particular political purpose, so he was willing to play along with the goals of Steele, Clinton, and Glenn Simpson. That is corruption.

Birkel said...

This has been known for 2+ years.
Prosecutions or it didn't happen.

Wince said...

There are no consequences for violating FBI policy? Loss of pension? Nothing?

Are they saying throughout this Comey never once lied to a federal official?

You know, the crime Flynn and Papadop were charged with.

Maybe they expect McCabe to spill his guts on Comey if they charge McCabe?

Yancey Ward said...

Conversations with the president in an official capacity of an FBI director are confidential by definition- it how leaking is defined and determined as being illegal in the first place. What the OIG states is that there is no evidence that it could be proven that Comey leaking documents with "Classified" headings- the ones he leaked to his lawyer friend- which of course wouldn't be there since Comey wrote the memos himself and then kept the originals in his safe. The memos, by the way, were sent through the classified e-mail system to McCabe and others such as Rybicki. Comey claimed he didn't know the conversations with the president were confidential material as applied to his memos.

Comey deserves no apology from anyone. If I were Barr, I would put out a statement saying, "We declined to prosecute Comey for several reasons, but we and the OIG couldn't exonerate him." Let Comey acolytes chew on that. On this particular matter, I would settle for that sort of ending from Barr, but I expect more going forward.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Readering - classified or not - what Comey did was unethical and not in line with standard FBI protocol.

Fen said...

I am not holding out any hope for any prosecutions of the coup plotters- I think the system is so corrupt now that there are no consequences that can be applied in the legal system. The Rubicon has been crossed, the system is no longer legitimate.

"When the responsible authorities fail to act, other forms of authority will assert themselves. They may not behave responsibly, but they will act" - Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit

Quaestor said...

NYT 16-5-2017: The sources for the May 16, 2017 article were described as “a memo…Comey wrote shortly after the meeting,” and “two people who read the memo.” The May 16 article further stated that “The New York Times has not viewed a copy of the memo, which is unclassified, but one of…Comey’s associates read parts of it to a Times reporter.” The May 16 article also reported that two people had confirmed that “Comey created similar memos—including some that are classifiedabout every phone call and meeting he had with the [P]resident…

Bruce Hayden said...

I think that this may be more in the gray zone than some here believe. One of the things that came out when McCabe was fired for leaking is the the Director of the FBI can authorize employees to talk to the press. McCabe claimed that he was authorized by Comey. The IG disagreed. This presumably means that Comey could have authorized himself to leak to the press. McCabe could not.

Then there is the level of intent required for criminally violating DoJ and FBI policy, in regards to ownership of his memos, and their leaking. If they had belonged to Comey, then he could do with them what he wanted, short of releasing classified information. Comey claimed to have believed that they were his, and not the government’s. If specific intent were required for the offense, he might skate, because the govt would have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he knew better. He is enough of a defuse, that he might win there. But if only general intent is required, then his not knowing that it was illegal is not a valid defense. Of course, being a lawyer, this shouldn’t matter...

Fen said...

Yes. That was my point.

I hope so but I'm cynical. We've been down this road before:

If not A then B.

Well, not B but surely C.

Uhm... not C but D?

No. Not D. Nothing.

Yancey Ward said...

Classified or not, leaking the memos is illegal- that is the point that Comey and others are trying to obscure. The OIG referred the matter for prosecution, the DoJ declined before the report went public. This is different than in the case of the McCabe OIG report- there the matter was referred to the DoJ, and the DoJ is still sitting on the referral, long after the report was made public. It is possible that McCabe is an easier target, and perhaps a more important one, but I also don't expect him to be prosecuted for lying to FBI agents either, but there is still hope.

Big Mike said...

@Yancey (and others), I would be really, really happy if veiled, and not-so-veiled, threats to resort to violence were not made. Things are seriously out of whack, but let’s see whether the system restores balance, as it has so often in the past.

The DOJ decision not to indict Comey is plausible, given that (1) the classified materials in his memos was not marked CONFIDENTIAL until after he had disseminated them, (2) CONFIDENTIAL is the lowest level DoD classification, and (3) prosecuting Comey for passing official FBI internal documents to favored members of the press, would probably expose many, many more DOJ officials to prosecution for the same offense. By that I mean Comey’s lawyers might be able to get him off — especially with a DC jury — using the “everybody does it” defense.

That doesn’t make it right, but it does make tactical sense.

Qwinn said...

Great find Quaestor. Every single date on readering's list was AFTER the NY Times reported that there was in fact classified material involved. So, apparently, Trump is OrangeManBad because he accurately represented NY Times reporting.

Roger Sweeny said...

Comey said he considered his memos to be personal rather than government documents

That's exactly what Nixon thought about his tapes, and a lot of documents too. The Supreme Court basically said, you generated it in doing your government job, so it belongs to the government.

Beasts of England said...

What’s the point of being an elite if you can’t benefit from our two-tiered justice system!! You little people need to shut the fuck up. Remember: you folks are deplorable and couldn’t possibly appreciate the nuances embedded in the system.

Fen said...

Regardless, remember the behavior of the Lefties here today next time you find yourself thinking of civility and decorum. These are people of very low character. They deserve nothing but your contempt.

Beasts of England said...

What’s the point of being an elite if you can’t benefit from our two-tiered justice system!! You little people need to shut the fuck up. Remember: you folks are deplorable and couldn’t possibly appreciate the nuances embedded in the system. Fuck off.

minnesota farm guy said...

One thing to remember about Comey's place in history is that his CV will include fired for cause (see Rosenstein memo) ; twice shown by the DOJ OIG to have violated FBI policies while actually the head of the FBI (and one hopes some kind of prosecution for his role in the FISA fantasy). As much as the appearance of "no justice for the big shots" irritates me I think that DOJ was right not to seek a trial on these memo issues. They would have seemed fairly petty in court and would have done no real harm to Comey. He might have gotten a slap on the wrist and that would have been about as infuriating. I don't think Comey's games with the memos rises to the same level as Sandy Berger walking out with documents and that seems about the lowest level of harm to me.

We will just have to be satisfied with knowing that Comey has been branded as the self-righteous prig that everyone knows he is. Frankly I think that the offenses of McCabe, Strzok and crew are much more serious and deserving of criminal prosecution. I will remain hopeful.

Bruce Hayden said...

“Conversations with the president in an official capacity of an FBI director are confidential by definition- it how leaking is defined and determined as being illegal in the first place. What the OIG states is that there is no evidence that it could be proven that Comey leaking documents with "Classified" headings- the ones he leaked to his lawyer friend- which of course wouldn't be there since Comey wrote the memos himself and then kept the originals in his safe. The memos, by the way, were sent through the classified e-mail system to McCabe and others such as Rybicki. Comey claimed he didn't know the conversations with the president were confidential material as applied to his memos.”

Comey should be the expert here - on the intent requirement required to violate the Espionage Act. It was he, of course, who ended the Clinton email investigation (MYE) on the grounds that they couldn't prove actual intent on her part (she essentially claimed stupidity), and gross carelessness was not enough (his people having rewritten his memo that had earlier termed her behavior “gross negligence”, and thus violative of the Espionage Act).

Yancey Ward said...

Bruce,

It is possible that Comey authorized McCabe's leak, but McCabe also lied in trying to pin it all on Lisa Page- it is how the Page/Strzok texts ended up in the OIG's hands- she had to give her phone over to prove McCabe had lied in the investigation. Only when caught in the lie did McCabe retreat to the "Comey made me do it" defense. That McCabe lied first tells me the story about Comey is also a lie- he could have just gone with the Comey defense right from the start.

Vance said...

Big Mike: Threats of violence? No, merely predictions. Look, I hope that Trump and Barr can gain control of this mess, but right now we've clearly established a system where being a Democrat means you can do whatever you want, regardless of the rule of law. Laws apply only to the little people.

That cannot stand. It will be corrected. Whether through Barr and the DOJ arresting and marching dozens of "elites" through the streets, reminding them that law rules all, not just the peasants....

Or by the old fashioned method of tar, feathering, and hanging from lampposts.

And if neither of those happen, then it won't be long until we are 1930's Germany, where we have an "elite" party that happens to hate much of the country, and to whom the rule of law doesn't apply. And we'll have Dachau, Buchenwald, and more all over again, if the people don't rise up against lawlessness and evil in office.

Bay Area Guy said...

@Jersey Fled writes: "I wouldn't get too excited about the decision not to indict Comey on this particular issue. It's only the first inning and this is very fertile ground. Let's see what the score is when the game is over."

I think this is exactly right. The objective isn't to put Comey in jail. The objective is to win the White House in 2020. Now, it would be nice to put Comey in jail, but, after reading the IG Report on these stupid-ass Memos he wrote, mishandled, and leaked, I too have doubts on whether it's a crime.

Point 1: After Trump was inaugurated in Jan 2017, Comey met with him several times, and mislead the President about the current investigation of his him and his campaign (Cross-fire Hurricane). So, Comey is a duplicitous weasel.

Point 2: After each meeting with Trump, Comey ran to his laptop to write down as best he could what Trump said. Again, Comey is a duplicitous weasel. You don't do this to your boss, unless you are trying to set him up.

Point 3: After he got his ass fired, Comey had his friend, Prof. Douglas Richman, describe the contents of 1 Memo to the NYT scribe, in hopes of getting a Special Prosecutor appointed. Shitty thing to do, but it worked. Wasted 2 years on a bogus investigation. So Comey is a duplicitous leaker, but, it wasn't a classified memo, so arguably it wasn't a crime. My ire is much more directed at weak Sessions and weasel Rosenstein, who actually ordered the bogus Special Prosecution.

Before anyone gets too wound up over this, I highly recommend reading, "Ball of Collusion" by former US Attorney, Andy McCarthy. He explains it all much more eloquently than me.

I suggest we wait for the next IG Report on the FISA abuses to see how it plays out vis a vis, Comey. That's a much bigger issue than these stupid CYA memos that dumb-ass sleuth Comey wrote and leaked.

Fen said...

"We will just have to be satisfied with - "

No.

Yancey Ward said...

If, for example, the CIA director sits down with the president to discuss CIA operations overseas, and then leaks his memos describing these discussions to the press, I promise you- that is illegal, and it won't matter if he deletes names, places, and methods- and it won't matter if the memos don't have "Classified" on them either. It is illegal- full stop- to violate executive privilege without the proper authorization from the president or the person holding that authority by the president's order. Of course, this law if violated all the time, and mostly isn't prosecuted because it can't be determined who did the leaking.

In the case of James Comey, though, the memos could only have come from Comey directly or indirectly. What I find from his actions is a consciousness of guilt- he didn't send the pictures of the memos to the NYTimes reporter/s himself- he used a cutout to do so. If he had felt it proper to do what he did, why did he used Richman as the cutout in the first place. That part of Comey's story never made any sense- the only logical explanation is that Comey hoped to conceal his involvement, and when that failed, was forced to admit in the June 8th 2017 testimony that he had done it- the committee had already discovered that he gave the memos to Richman and Comey knew that the ruse was no longer working.

Qwinn said...

Sandy Berger skated as well, though.

bagoh20 said...

"Comey said he considered his memos to be personal rather than government documents..."

Just like when Slick Willie (the husband of someone under investigation who was also the Dem nominee for President) had a secret tarmac meeting with the Attorney General to discus grandchildren. Who hasn't done that? All perfectly innocent.

Calypso Facto said...

Remember all the desperate, screaming "Trump was not exonerated!" headlines after the Mueller report nothingburger? I'm sure we'll see those again regarding Comey. Right? Right?!?

Balfegor said...

Re: Bruce Hayden:

This presumably means that Comey could have authorized himself to leak to the press.

Pre-emptively authorized himself to leak after he was fired? He's fired May 9. He provided memos 2,4, 6, and 7 to his counsel on May 14 (emailing personal account to personal account). Memos 2 and 7 were subsequently classified as Confidential. On May 16 (a week after his termination), he provided cellphone photos of pages of memo 4 to his patsy Richman, with instructions to leak to a particular reporter at the New York Times.

I agree that a criminal conviction would be difficult, though. It's in that middle ground. I think there's enough for a criminal indictment (hence the criminal referral), but probably not enough for a conviction, given the mental state issues you raise (hence the declination). There's certainly a lot of atmospherics that suggest consciousness of guilt, e.g. emailing his attorney's personal account rather than a work account and sending cell phone photos by text message. But it probably doesn't add up to enough for a conviction.

Bay Area Guy said...

I do agree there is a terrible double-standard. Gen. Flynn and young, harmless, confused dipshit George Pappadopolous got indicted by Mueller on charges as flimsy as the Comey leaks.

Not endorsing, or excusing, just describing.

Birkel said...

Flynn's pardon will happen.

Qwinn said...

Mueller does not recommend indicting Trump: Trump was not exonerated!

The IG does recommend indicting Comey, but DOJ ignores it: Comey was clearly exonerated!

If the mob ever comes for our resident lefties who are cooperating with the above absurdity and double standards, I won't be standing between them and the pitchforks.

Bay Area Guy said...

Here's a very good take on the Comey Memo stuff by the Last Refuge.

They tend to think that the Comey Memo stuff are mere symptoms, and that "outrage" it generates is a ploy to misdirect. They think that the focus should be on the cause of this deep State, slow coup attempt, not on some of the more minor symptoms down the road.

Gk1 said...

Why is everyone so shocked and upset? The fix was in some time ago and it's clear none of these coup plotters will be indicted or serve so much as a minute in jail. It's equally disappointing that people in power don't know the whirlwind they are reaping by openly flouting the law and spiking the football. It will all end in tears for us no matter what part of the political spectrum you are.

Fen said...

I would be really, really happy if veiled, and not-so-veiled, threats to resort to violence were not made

Two conservatives are being led into the Death Camps, one says to the
other: "Now remember - don't make fuss, we might get in trouble"

I appreciate and respect cautions against violence because I assume the Respectable Crowd has a Red Line that, once crossed, they believe would then justify violence.

What is that Red Line?

rehajm said...

Why is everyone so shocked and upset? The fix was in some time ago and it's clear none of these coup plotters will be indicted or serve so much as a minute in jail.

Asked and answered.

Fen said...

"They tend to think that the Comey Memo stuff are mere symptoms, and that "outrage" it generates is a ploy to misdirect. They think that the focus should be on the cause of this deep State, slow coup attempt, not on some of the more minor symptoms down the road."

That's the bait and switch, lowering of expectations I mentioned upthread:

Today: If not A then B

Next Month: Well, not B. Settle for C?

Next Year: Uhm... Not C then. But surely D

Year After: Not even D. Just... nothing.

I hope I'm wrong, but I fully expect that as these hopeful predictions fall like dominos, we will be left reassuring ourselves with bromides like "well at least we have a good talking point to shame the Democrats with!"

Matt Sablan said...

Consequences are for Republicans.

Yancey Ward said...

Since we might eventually get to see the Comey memos- there is a FOIA battle still going on- I will make a prediction about the content of the memos- in none of them will Comey describe lying to Trump about the investigation- something he did admit to in the June 8 2017 testimony (and certainly only because he did fear Trump had taped the meetings).

I only predict this because the OIG report reminded me of Comey's ridiculous claim about how he hoped the tapes existed as it would serve as corroboration. I think it far more likely Comey was deathly afraid that the recordings existed, and that is what had him wake up in the middle of the night. I think the memos were likely shared with Richman and Wittes long before he was even fired- they were leaked to try to get out in front of what Comey thought might be actual recordings. In any case, Trump's bluff (if it was a bluff) was successful- Comey was forced to admit that he misled Trump repeatedly.

Fen said...

"Sandy Berger skated as well"

And this is what I mean when I say we are partly responsible, we have brought this upon ourselves. By our passive timidiy when faced with corruption. "Evil is full of passionate intensity, the best lack all conviction"

When Richman was asked by Comey to leak the New York Times, his response should have been: "Are you crazy? Have you forgotten what happened to Sandy Berger and his family? I'm out."

Very wise people here are making very sound and reasonable arguments that we should keep our faith in the Rule of Law. I respect you and respect your position. My question to you is this: if we defer to your judgement on this and the Rule of Law fails to deliver Justice, then what?

Matt Sablan said...

If they aren't classified and have been leaked, there's really no need for FOIA. Just declassify them. Not that they are classified. Or whatever. This was not an unexpected hit to the rule of law.

Fen said...

Nothing? Aw shucks? Let's just take it up the ass like we always do?

Fen said...

"This was not an unexpected hit to the rule of law."

But you agree it was a hit?

Matt Sablan said...

I like the report telling Comey his friends said he knew it was classified and they don't believe he didn't. It is nice to see that they were ready to sell him out.

Matt Sablan said...

It was. I never expected anything to happen to anyone.

Bay Area Guy said...

@Fen,

We are definitely on the same side, and see the same depredations of the Left, particularly when they have power and weaponize law enforcement and intelligence services, as they did here.

But how and when to strike back is a hard judgment call. Sometimes you strike back and miss. Sometimes you strike back and it boomerangs. I honestly don't know, but my gut is this:

Indicting Comey on some chickenshit matter doesn't impress me. Even though, if the tables were turned, Yes, they would probably indict our guy on some chickenshit matter if they could.

In my view, they best way to fight back is to stave off an impeachment (likely done) and to re-elect Trump (we shall see). Yes, Trump survived a soft coup. Yes, usually coup plotters get hung. Yes, we pretty much know who the coup plotters are, and Yes, they certainly haven't been hung.

In Jan of 2021, if President Warren is scolding us, and nominating Comey as her FBI Director, and Trump is indicted on his way out, and this blog is shut down by the FEC, you will be proven right, and I will offer my magna mea culpa as we drink a few sad beers in a bar.

I just don't think that's gonna happen, and don't think we're there yet.

I agree with the metaphor that we are in the 1st or 2nd inning of a long game. The 9th inning is Nov 2020.

During the Cold War, I served in Navy, and boy, did we make a ton of mistakes. But we avoided nuclear war with the Commies, had some good luck, got Reagan elected, and eventually the Berlin Wall fell.

This is kinda like the Cold War, but without bullets or bombs, just a buncha irritating lawyers, like Comey and Stroke. You need both brains and muscle to deal with Leftists. And, often, the elected GOP types have neither. But the folks on this blog give me hope.

It's a good discussion. Let's keep it up.

FrankiM said...

“The IG does recommend indicting Comey, but DOJ ignores it: Comey was clearly exonerated!”

Sheesh, just who is Barr working for?!

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

were we supposed to know this already"
From August 1

DOJ will not prosecute Comey for leaking memos after IG referral: sources

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-will-not-prosecute-comey-for-leaking-memos-after-ig-referral-source

are we expected to believe this go-round was for "public awareness"
of malfeasance,
and Comey will yet get nailed for more serious matters?

Jeff Brokaw said...

Many are predicting the FISA abuses report will be the hammer.

I sincerely hope you’re right, and that would reinvigorate my faith in our system to some degree.

My odds: 7-2 against.

The swamp is too deep, I fear. But I hope I’m wrong.

Birkel said...

I am saving Royal ass FrankIngaM's comment for the FISA abuse IG report.

Fen said...

My prediction is there will be no consequences for anyone involved in the soft coup.

And Trump did not survive this. They successfully handicapped his first two years in office. It's said that a President's first 100 days are his most effective, and Trump had to spend most of his energy during that time dealing with this.

Conservatives are adept at turning a rout into an orderly retreat and calling that a victory. Let's not do that.

FrankiM said...

Massive FISA indictments and subsequent convictions will have all those Dastardly Democrats in GITMO, no doubt about it.

Fen said...

"It's a good discussion. Let's keep it up."

Certainly. I'm all ears, and I'm fully aware that I have a tendency to break my leash ;)

Tank said...

I have no confidence that Comey, Brennan, et als will pay any price for the Russia hoax. Hope I’m wrong.

Fen said...

(edit for my Eng Lit teacher who is haunting me for screwing up Yeats)

"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity."


...you may now go back to resting in peace.

Matt Sablan said...

"and Comey will yet get nailed for more serious matters?"

-- The walls are closing in. No one knows what Horrowitz knows.

Matt Sablan said...

(Mind you: Comey should have any clearance yanked. Anyone employing him should have theirs yanked. He is not to be trusted, and the government has said so. They won't act on it.)

Fen said...

the metaphor that we are in the 1st or 2nd inning of a long game. The 9th inning is Nov 2020.

I think that's mistaken. 2020 is just another 2nd or 3rd inning. If your end game is to re-elect Trump in the 3rd inning, the corruption you are fighting will rally by the 9th.

The long game is about the survival of the Republic post-Trump, not just the 2020 election.

Jim at said...

Massive FISA indictments and subsequent convictions will have all those Dastardly Democrats in GITMO, no doubt about it.

Rules for all or rules for none, Inga.

Rules for none works fine for me.

dreams said...

"So what happens to Comey? Nothing?

John Hinderaker at Power Line, is of the legal opinion, that Comey lied to Congress. Indict Comey!

Barr needs to do his job."

I have more trust in Barr than anyone else, I think he'll do his best but he's up against a thoroughly united and totally corrupt deep state.

Birkel said...

Matt Sablan,
I know beyond doubt that Obama Administration officials operated to deprive Carter Page (and others) of their Fourth Amendment rights. It was a criminal conspiracy to derive a citizen of constitutional rights. Why would I need Horowitz for that?

Go ahead. Make the counterfactual counterargument.

Birkel said...

...deprive...

Damn it.

Dude1394 said...

I can not WAIT until we unleash the DOJ/FBI/CIA/IRS on the DNC nominee.

FrankiM said...

“Barr needs to do his job."

I foresee Trump tweets lamenting that had Trump known Barr would not indict Comey he never would’ve picked him for AG. Shades of Jeff Sessions. Trump has got to be terribly upset.

Matt Sablan said...

It's a sarcastic echo of "no one knows what Mueller knows."

Bay Area Guy said...

@Fen:

Conservatives are adept at turning a rout into an orderly retreat and calling that a victory. Let's not do that.

I agree with this. And, thankfully, Trump is not a Conservative -- he's a slightly different animal, better and more practical in many different ways.

virgil xenophon said...

@dreams, above, "totally corrupt deep state":

Yes, little did I know while in Vietnam I was dropping my bombs on the wrong people...much to my chagrin..

Known Unknown said...

And then nothing happened.

Fen said...

More perjury ignored via Ace:

"The hits keep coming -- DOJ IG found that a deputy assistant attorney general viewed sexually explicit materials on gov't computers and lied about it. Prosecution was declined."

http://ace.mu.nu/archives/383048.php

Birkel said...

I got the reference, Matt Sablan.
But my conclusions rest on publicly known facts.
Those facts are not in dispute.

Browndog said...

“We have previously faulted Comey for acting unilaterally and inconsistent with Department policy. Comey’s unauthorized disclosure of sensitive law enforcement information about the Flynn investigation merits similar criticism.”

merits criticism

merits criticism

merits criticism

This is Comey's sternly worded letter. Similar to Comey's sternly worded press conference regarding Hillary's crimes.

I hope those that awaited this IG report for two years saying "wait until the IG report comes out!".

Yea, now you can shut the fuck up.

As Sharyl Attkisson says, IG reports are where government crimes are covered up and go to die.

Matt Sablan said...

Hah. So, no. Apparently, watching porn WON'T cause consequences to government employees. I'm really running out of things that I can say "Well, THAT would be bad."

Vance said...

Remember, Inga thinks that Democrats should be free to ignore the law. And once you hold that position, the question of "which laws are they free to ignore" comes to mind.

Just like Himmler, who completely ignored the rules and laws against murder in Germany, and was promoted for it. Inga and the rest would gladly, gladly, and with fulsome praise, shower some Democrat who also ignored the laws against murdering political enemies.

We all know it.

As Fen says, what's the red line that must be crossed before we all get sent to the concentration camps the left has planned for us all?

Bay Area Guy said...

Me: "..the metaphor that we are in the 1st or 2nd inning of a long game. The 9th inning is Nov 2020."

Fen: "I think that's mistaken. 2020 is just another 2nd or 3rd inning. If your end game is to re-elect Trump in the 3rd inning, the corruption you are fighting will rally by the 9th.
The long game is about the survival of the Republic post-Trump, not just the 2020 election."

Good insight, provocative. Your view is broader than mine, perhaps I am too narrow.

Quick lighthearted aside: My teenager told me that a Civil War in this country will not go down too well, because one side has military veterans, is armed, likes NASCAR, drinks beer and likes to hunt while the other side has trouble figuring out which bathroom to use!

I see the Left for what they are, and what they do. They are horrible, socialist and dangerous to the health of the Republic.

I see Trump as the unlikely, unexpected hero to resist them, when many Republicans and conservatives fled.

But I don't think we are at the point where the survival of the Republic is at stake. I think a second Trump term does, in fact, knock the hordes back quite a bit, and helps restore and refresh the Republic.

But, I'm open to changing my perspective if I am being too naive.




FrankiM said...

‘As Sharyl Attkisson says, IG reports are where government crimes are covered up and go to die.’

Oh that is unfortunate, you all had so much hope pinned to these IG reports.

stevew said...

You know, this Comey whitewash sounds a lot like the HRC home brew email server whitewash. Is this part of what they mean when they spout off about white privilege?

stevew said...

Rather like a stern talking to from the referee in a soccer match after a blatant and egregious foul. All we're missing is the fouled individual rolling around on the ground screaming and clutching a body part.

Birkel said...

Things believed by the Left:

1) Trump conspired with Russians;
2) No evidence of that collusion was found;
3) Trump was not exonerated;
4) Comey and McCabe were recommended for prosecution;
5) Comey and McCabe were exonerated;
6) Comey and McCabe did not conspire against US citizens' constitutionally recognized rights.

They take glee in their lawlessness.

Qwinn said...

No reasonable prosecutor can be found to prosecute the man who said no reasonable prosecutor could be found to prosecute Hillary Clinton for mishandling government documents for mishandling government documents.

FrankiM said...

“They take glee in their lawlessness.”

Why isn’t Barr doing his job?

Browndog said...

Andrew McCabe had two criminal referrals. One from Congress, One from the Inspector General.

The criminal referral from the IG meant nothing.

Stop pretending like we have "rule of law".

It's a cute, nostalgic notion from yesteryear. One nobody wants to admit is gone.

Birkel said...

I too believe Bill Barr should handle the work of thousands of staffers.
What a fucking idiot.

buwaya said...

" the work of thousands of staffers."

This is your problem.

Its the structure of your institutions, the mass of those that work in them, that is compromised.

You cannot name some corrupt or inadequate person to replace, because it is not that easy.
It is the institutions themselves that are rotten, those thousands of people collectively.

It's an impossible situation.

alanc709 said...

"FrankiM said...
‘As Sharyl Attkisson says, IG reports are where government crimes are covered up and go to die.’

Oh that is unfortunate, you all had so much hope pinned to these IG reports."

Says someone who blindly held to her hoaxes, even after the most zealous ideologues had relinquished any hope of impeachment. Your credibility numbers look like a presidential poll of Jay Inslee.

Birkel said...

buwaya,
And you know I agree with all that.

Michael K said...

Oh that is unfortunate, you all had so much hope pinned to these IG reports.

That was Obama and we all know he did NOT appoint a State Dept IG while Hillary had her home brew server.

Birkel said...

Well, except the inability to fix it. I do think dispersing power away from the federal government and back to the citizenry and the states would accomplish a great deal.

Rob said...

Remember when Comey was on all the talk shows flogging his book, waiting for the Democrats to draft him, and bloviating about "ethical leadership"? Bwaaaahaahaa!

Ken B said...

No charges. So, “unacceptable behavior” that we accept.

Sam L. said...

The DEEP STATE is clearly real.

Browndog said...

Obama fired every single IG but two. Never even tried to replace them.

No one said a damn word. Trump, in today's atmosphere, would be impeached and removed from office....by republicans.

Michael K said...

Comey is now out there demanding apologies. "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad."

The big charges are still coming and are about the FISA warrants,.

Fen said...

Quick lighthearted aside: My teenager told me that a Civil War in this country will not go down too well, because one side has military veterans, is armed, likes NASCAR, drinks beer and likes to hunt while the other side has trouble figuring out which bathroom to use!

Training is nothing, will is everything - the will to act. Do we have that?


I see the Left for what they are, and what they do. They are horrible, socialist and dangerous to the health of the Republic. I see Trump as the unlikely, unexpected hero to resist them, when many Republicans and conservatives fled. But I don't think we are at the point where the survival of the Republic is at stake. I think a second Trump term does, in fact, knock the hordes back quite a bit, and helps restore and refresh the Republic.

I don't know. But it does give me heart that others like you see what I see.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

for the Legal Beagles(and grand beagles)

let's say, he was to be tried--if there is "so much mud in the water" over the rules and regulations, the timing of the classification etc., he walks, and jeopardy is attached--
Would that mean that none of the evidence, statements, etc, could safely be used in another proceeding and would be not worth the risk this go-round?

Birkel said...

No. Only lesser included charges would have double jeopardy attached.

The evidence could be used to prove a different crime.

Ken B said...

Michael K
I am skeptical you will get much from FISA until the next president, who can squelch it.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

ok thanks, Mr B!

Browndog said...

buwaya said...


Its the structure of your institutions, the mass of those that work in them, that is compromised.


I agree with you on most things--big picture wise-

I disagree here.

The institutions are not the problem, for the most part. It's the people manning them.

From dog catcher to drain commissioner to county supervisor to board of education to President..

It's the moral compass of the men/women in those positions...and us as a society that allow misdeeds, criminal behavior and what not to go unpunished.

I guess as a write this I agree--we as a people are corrupt, and lost our moral compass.

narciso said...

if comey really thought they were personal, why did he relate the memos through a third party, richman and wittes, meanwhile the oni dead enders refuse to allow declassification of key documentation, technofog, noted how justice was allowing another indecent interval to access other documents, all disappointing but not surprising sadly,

FrankiM said...

‘The big charges are still coming and are about the FISA warrants,.’

I sure hope they have enough beds at GITMO to house all them all, after their convictions.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

DOJ Inspector General Releases Scathing Comey Report (Full Report Included)

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"Comey’s unauthorized disclosure of sensitive law enforcement information about the Flynn investigation merits similar criticism. In a country built on the rule of law, it is of utmost importance that all FBI employees adhere to Department and FBI policies, particularly when confronted by what appear to be extraordinary circumstances or compelling personal convictions. Comey had several other lawful options available to him to advocate for the appointment of a Special Counsel, which he told us was his goal in making the disclosure. What was not permitted was the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive investigative information, obtained during the course of FBI employment, in order to achieve a personally desired outcome."

A personally desire outcome is right in Maddow-Clinton-CNN-MSDNC wheelhouse.

Michael K said...

I guess as a write this I agree--we as a people are corrupt, and lost our moral compass.

An option, perhaps, is to start moving agencies out of DC, as has been started very tentatively by Agriculture. It maybe be impossible to fire enough to matter but moving them out of their comfort zone might break loose a few.

This will be a goal for the second term and might be a decent campaign pledge. It brings back fond memories of George Wallace.

Michael K said...

I sure hope they have enough beds at GITMO to house all them all, after their convictions.

Me too. I would hate to have them all in MCC with malfunctioning cameras. And the guards asleep.

Browndog said...

Reminder-

This is not the long awaited, "devastating" Horowitz IG report-

This is a summary of one aspect; Comey's letter to his friend based on notes from classified meetings with the President.

The full Horowitz IG report will come out soon..........................................................................................................................................................................................

THAT report will be devastating to the Deep State.

(I'm done ranting, have a nice evening.)

bagoh20 said...

The FBI is really experienced at finding bad guys....and promoting them to the top.

Birkel said...

Browndog,
Milton Friedman had the better of the argument. People respond to incentives. It does not matter which people are involved inside corrupt power structures. Only the corrupt will be promoted, over time.

It is the power that has corrupted the institutions. Too much power stored in a single place corrupts. The wisdom of the Founding Fathers was to disperse power in a federal system.

The will of Woodrow Wilson and both Roosevelts has overcome the obstacles the Constitution provided. Now near-absolute Power has nearly absolutely corrupted. What we are witnessing is the power of the aristocracy, extending in real time.

Calls us serfs. Call us deplorables. What, I ask, is the difference?

Browndog said...

The first time I every heard the term "Deep State" from a serious person was from Michael K on Althouse.

I still dismissed it-

No serious person dismisses it any longer. Too bad it's too late to do anything about it.

We are becoming communist China.

(now I'm done)

MacMacConnell said...

There are more serious offenses coming down the pike. Going easy on Comey is because in DC he would walk if prosecuted. Going easy on Comey is battle space prep for pardons of Trump supporters.

narciso said...

Il estado profundo, of course is plentiful in Italy, among the security services in spain, chile and a number of other countries,

narciso said...

no that would be an extrapolation of current trends,


https://www.caracaschronicles.com/2019/08/29/cabinet-at-risk/

Browndog said...

Birkel said...

Understood. However, are the roots of corruption from the top down, or bottom up?

Milton, like Thomas Sowell come at it from an economic perspective. This is a philosophical, gut check perspective.

This is a Chinese guy standing in front of a line of tanks holding his groceries perspective.

After Trump, we're fucked.

Or, are we?

Michael K said...


This is a Chinese guy standing in front of a line of tanks holding his groceries perspective.


Discussed elsewhere, if the MG troll will pardon me.

Bay Area Guy said...

In the 70s, a lot of smart conservatives thought that Nixon and Kissinger were "managing the decline," "accepting the USSR as a permanent superpower" and slowing engaging the US in an orderly retreat.

In 1976, Reagan challenged the Ford/Kissinger White House on these grounds and almost won.

In 1980, Reagan took power, changed the dynamic and defeated the USSR.

In hindsight, did Nixon help this process or hinder it?

It's an interesting historical question. I toggle back and forth on it, but believe now that Nixon and Reagan delivered an effective one-two punch. Nixon was soft, and Reagan hard, but in tandem, it delivered the crucial blows.

We no longer have the USSR to battle -- we have American Leftism. Some similar dynamics, though. Put me in the optimist camp, not the pessimist camp. If Hillary had won (and she should have, we'd all be singing a much more depressing tune.

Birkel said...

Browndog,
Don't dismiss the economic perspective. It's just the study of the way people respond to incentives in a world of unlimited wants and needs and limited resources. Leave all the math aside. The math is a fraud, I'd say. It covers the truth.

The Founding Fathers understood the logic.

rcocean said...

Just remember: Comey is not an "old FBI hand". He's a lawyer. A supposed Life-long Republican, who was Deputy AG for 1.5 years under Bush, then left in 2005 for Lockheed martin, and then got appointed FBI director out-of-the-blue by Obama in 2013. He was a big buddy of Chuck Shumer and helped Schumer nail Alberto Gonzales.

Comey is also the guy who promoted McCabe. Where Storkz came from, I don't know.

rcocean said...

The problem with Detente is that Nixon is he left in 1974 and was replaced by Ford. It no longer was the Nixon-Kissinger partnership, with Kissinger as the junior partner,running things. It was Kissinger telling Ford what to do. That's not my interpretation, that's Gerald Ford's proud boast.

rcocean said...

And Carter didn't know what the hell he was doing.

Browndog said...

Birk-

Thanks.

Michael K-

Thanks for the link. Invaluable.

I'm off the ledge, as it were.
My concern is not myself, but my grandson, and my country. As it has always been for the generations before me.

Birkel said...

Also big friends with Chicago's own Patrick Fitzgerald, is Comey.
Everybody knows Chicago Republicans who legally persecute Republicans.
::eye fucking roll::

narciso said...

Fitzgerald who most recently was running interference for michigan state, re larry nasser for a year and a half before the scandal broke.

narciso said...

Strzok came from counter terror to counter intel (his big score was right out of red sparrow, the jeremy irons character who was a walkin)

I'm Full of Soup said...

It's very disheartening that none of these corrupt bigshots are being prosecuted. And I don't believe any will. McCabe should have been charged months ago.

narciso said...

Yes it took reagan and team b to effectively challenge the reigning paradigm re the soviets (richard pipes of harvard daniel graham from army intel, general rowney) yes the father of daniel pipes, the firmer ended up at the nsc in the soviet division

narciso said...

Talbott and co, of course missed the boat:

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/07/04/Rowney-Karpov-show-a-pivot-for-US-Soviet-relations/8121394603200/

Michael K said...

Pat Buchanan's book, is a good book to try to understand Nixon.

As for Reagan, I recommend Steve Hayward's three volume series.

John D said...

Mr. Comey is taking a victory lap on Twitter and demanding an apology because he and his lawyers did not leak information directly to the press as others have claimed. (my paraphrasing)

He freely admitted in his congressional testimony that he used an intermediary to cause the leaks.

Is this not a distinction without a difference? Were this a criminal matter could/would he be charged for aiding and abetting?

-SMH-

Qwinn said...

"Is this not a distinction without a difference?"

I'm still waiting for someone to tell me what the distinction OR difference is between "gross negligence" and "extreme carelessness".

CWJ said...

"But I don't think we are at the point where the survival of the Republic is at stake."

OMG. The republic is gone.* The irony is that the only remaining functioning part of the republic is the Electoral College. And that gave us Trump.

* - To take only one example, in what Sense can you say we have a Republic when one judge in Hawaii can bind the entire country.

Maillard Reactionary said...

Clearly there is one standard for the big shots, and another for nobody taxpayer slobs like myself.

Last year, our Democrat Gov and Legislature decided that 15-round magazines were a threat to health and safety in our State, which is the wretched State of New Jersey. At the time, I owned 20 15-round magazines, which were legal when I bought them. (A week later, a felon and killer, Tahaji Wells, was released from prison and shot up a music festival in Trenton, on Fathers Day. In an unprecedented act of public spiritedness, he got himself fatally shot in the process. Wells was carrying, needless to say, an illegal semi with an illegal 15-round magazine in it.)

Each magazine I owned represented a felony, and each with a potential 1-year prison sentence. Since I was 66 at the time, and have people who depend upon me, I chose to take a walk in the woods and throw them into a convenient creek. I faced the choice, if it were to come to that, to shoot it out with the police (suicide) or let them arrest me (essentially, to leave my dependent others to die on their own). Or, I could throw my property into the creek.

I worried a little bit when a few didn't sink immediately. By and by, they did.

Now, our Second Amendment memorializes a one-time consensus that the pre-existing, natural, right of the People to keep and bear arms should not be infringed. I have to say, that I feel that my rights in this connection have been more than a bit infringed here.

We won't even, in this space, get into Article 11 of the US Constitution, which (in part) enjoins the States from imposing post facto laws on the People.

But I'm an engineer, not a lawyer, so what do I know. Evidently, not much.

It is not looking good for liberty in America, on the whole. I have less to lose in this connection than my grandchildren, but I still have an interest here.

The lefty munchkins in Trenton are contemplating confiscation laws (good luck) and laws preventing buying ammunition over the internet AND buying more than 200 rounds at a time.

I have been taking action in advance of such laws to ensure that I am well supplied, in the event that such a law is enacted.

In the meantime, James Comey, felon, and traitor, carries (one presumes) a firearm with him (which I cannot, due to local law) and is, one imagines, contemplating TV, book, and movie offers.

This summer I decided to finally take down my copy of The Federalist Papers from the bookshelf and read it. The one thing that struck me was that the writers (mostly Madison and Hamilton) had such a task to sell the idea of even a limited, federal, government to the people and States of the time.

People, by and by, seem to have become far less jealous of their liberty compared to how they were 200-odd years ago. But as they say, you can vote tyranny (or socialism) in, but you have to shoot your way out of it.

Well, at least I'm not bitter about it.

joseph shehata said...

Remove this comment by the author.
worldofexploration

Fen said...

To take only one example, in what Sense can you say we have a Republic

That's an example of another Graceful Surrender I expect to see - not in your case, I know you didn't mean it this way - but I suspect a certain NRO Cuck contingent will go from arguing:

1) The Republic is not in any danger, you paranoid loon

to

2) We never had a Republic anyway, you silly goose

in the span of a fortnight.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

Unexonerated

Amadeus 48 said...

You guys are missing the point: Comey is such an incompetent, self-righteous, blind boob that he helped get Trump elected. Yeah, he is infuriating, but did you see his tortured, twisted 2:00 am rationale for why he planted the memos with leakin’ Dan Richman? He says it was to get Trump to preserve the tapes of their conversations if there were any! Does anyone believe that? Does he believe that? If he does, he is a freakin’ loon. There was no 2:00 am insight. That is baloney. I bet he stayed up many nights thinking up that one.

Freder, FrankiM and the other bedbug trolls that infest this site can take their victory laps because Comey isn’t being prosecuted on these leaks, although Comey’s performance here amply justifies his firing—he is incompetent. They sound like idiots, probably even to themselves. It isn’t hard to imagine that they’ll take a different line if Comey finds himself indicted on the FISA shenanigans.

This guy is a psychopath without the charm features. It is always others who have failed and disappointed him, but they can do things to make their failures right. Just do what he says. I am so glad Trump got him out of government.

Qwinn said...

Comey allowed Hillary to skate by changing 2 words - gross negligence - to an exact synonym. How exactly does bullshit that egregious become apparently impossible to retract/overturn? How does such a staggering bald faced lie achieve permanence despite EVERYONE knowing how absurd it was?

buwaya said...

Comey was never acting on his own initiative.
However inept the performance, you can be certain he never said a word without it being written by someone(s) behind the scenes, and the whole thing was part of an evolving gameplan run by others. Too many of similar rank were working in concert. Others were above them.

Arguably the lot of them achieved some of their purpose at least, harassment and delay.

Ray - SoCal said...

Andrew McCarthy is a great example of how far we have come in the Overton Window on this deepstate coup.

2 years ago he thought Trump was exaggerating, and there is probably good reason for what Comey and crew did. Now, he wrote a book on it. The only problem is more information is coming out, creating a need for a 2nd edition, within months if it being published, ball of collusion.

gbarto said...

I think there's one thing to be done. If you're called for jury duty and it's a federal case, let them know you can't convict anyone accused by the FBI because they're lying snakes. Unfortunate, but letting the FBI rank and file know their investigations are worthless till there's accountability at the top may drive some change.

Unknown said...

SIMPLE SUMMARY

They gave him a demerit

He laughs in our face

I like Dr. K and Treehouse,
but I'll give you odds that in the end

NOTHING HAPPENS

Multi-tier justice system - why Epstein kept "getting off"

Mr. Forward said...

“I appreciate and respect cautions against violence because I assume the Respectable Crowd has a Red Line that, once crossed, they believe would then justify violence.
Fen at 3:19 pm

Or a Red Hat.



Rusty said...

Easy there all you cowboys and cowgirls. This is what's known as preparing the battlespace. Event's are soon going to overtake our players. This justice will be fun to watch and the usual suspects will howl.

Bruce Hayden said...

Here is a bit of interesting background to the IG finding that Comey hadn’t violated the Espionage Act because he hadn’t leaked any classified information. UNBELIEVABLE! Corrupt Deep State Operatives Strzok, Page, Baker and Priestap CLEARED COMEY — Ruled His Stolen Memos Were “Not Classified” when They Were (VIDEO)

Yes, the four people deciding that Comey’s notes about meeting privately with President Trump were not classified were four major participants in the Spygate/FISAgate scandals. Strzok, in particular, had his fingers in pretty much every bit of subterfuge and questionable FBI actions from at least spring of 2016, until he was fired. He ran Mid Year Exam and Crossfire Hurricane investigations. He was in charge of Mueller’s FBI agents, until outed with his text messages with Page, and even after that, had them sending him frequent status updates. He helped set up the Mueller SC investigation in the first place, along with Page, in McCabe’s office. He was with McCabe when he first met with ADAG Ohr to set up a back channel to work with Steele and Simpson, and oversaw its operation. Strzok apparently made a trip to London in August, 2016 (as did his boss, Bill Priestap) to set up the formal transfer of the Trump/Russia Collusion hoax from Brennan’s CIA to Comey’s FBI. And, indeed, was such a regular over at Langley, that some have suggested that he was really CIA, with a dual posting over at The FBI. Countering that though is that at least as late as early summer this year, he continued to frequent FBI headquarters, more than a year after having been fired.

So, of course these four determined that, regardless of past policy about private meetings with POTUS, Comey’s memos weren’t classified. They were all up to their eyeballs in the scandal.

Bruce Hayden said...

“Multi-tier justice system - why Epstein kept "getting off"”

Probably sounding like a broken record, but I think that Epstein seeming to have a Teflon coating was due to either that he was working for an intelligence agency of a close ally (most likely Israeli Mossad) and/or he was in a position to blackmail very prominent, and often powerful people, such as Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew. Of course, with the Clintons involved, it should be no surprise that he committed Arkanicide, after having had bail denied, and facing the choice of rolling on his blackmail targets, or dying as an old man still in prison.

Interesting poll that shows that Bernie’s supporters are almost as suspicious of Epstein’s death having been murder, and not suicide, as are Republicans. Contrast that with Warren supporters who tend to believe that it was, indeed, suicide.

285exp said...

Qwinn, the difference between “extremely careless” and “gross negligence” is about 10 years.

Bruce Hayden said...

“Comey was never acting on his own initiative.
However inept the performance, you can be certain he never said a word without it being written by someone(s) behind the scenes, and the whole thing was part of an evolving gameplan run by others. Too many of similar rank were working in concert. Others were above them.”

I do believe that Clapper, Brennan, Yates, and maybe Lynch we’re operating under orders. Esp DAG Yates who opened up the political weaponization of FISA by opening up distribution of unmasked correspondence to the political side of the White House (and included political side appointees to request unmasking). Meanwhile, she put the National Security organizations in the DoJ and FBI off limits to the DoJ OIG. This meant that the illegal FISA 702 searching by FBI contractors, MYE (Clinton email investigation), CH Trump/Russia investigation), FISA warrants on Carter Page, based on the Steele Dossier, and even use of the Steele Dossier, after his services had been terminated by the FBI for talking to the press, etc. could not be investigated by the OIG, until she had been fired and replaced by Rosenstein, who quickly rescinded the Yates prohibition of OIG investigating in these areas. This was one of the most blatant and brazen coverups of the Obama era, which was an extremely high hurdle (given how he had fired most of the IGs, and kept the State Dept IG slot vacant during the entire time Clinton was in office there, and using her illegal private server).

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