Obama Admin “will become target of congressional investigation after this revelation”
Reports about Susan Rice “unmasking” make dual track investigation a certainty.
I appeared earlier today on America Talks Live, with Steve Malzberg.
The discussion centered on two big developments today, the reports that Susan Rice “unmasked” Trump campaign and transition officials names from intelligence reports, and the Neil Gorsuch nomination and the threat of a filibuster.
On Rice, Steve used my post earlier today, Susan Rice unmasked? Previously said “I know nothing about” Nunes allegations.
Here are some of my comments:
What this suggests, is that while there may not necessarily have been anything illegal about Susan Rice making those requests, given her background, given how she was put out as the point person to spread the lie about the Benghazi video, that it was an attack based on a video, given her tattered history, I think that it’s very, very suspicious, and it certainly warrants additional information, additional investigation.
So I think what this all but guarantees is that there will be a dual track investigation in Congress.
On the one hand, any alleged collusion by the Trump campaign with Russia, of which there’s been no proof thus far, but also the action of the Obama administration.
I don’t see how the Obama administration does not now become a target of congressional investigation after this revelation.”
As to Gorsuch, and Democrats leaving Republicans no choice but to go nuclear:
The filibuster has a moderating effect. A president understands that there’s some necessity of nominating someone in the mainstream.
And certainly, any argument you could have even used multiple times over with regard to Elena Kagan, or with regard to Sotomayor, or with regard to a lot of different people. But there’s been that moderating effect of a threat of a filibuster.
That’s not going to be there anymore if Chuck Schumer gets his way. So Gorsuch is going to be approved. But what it means is that it’s wide open for Trump to nominate almost anyone he wants the next go round.
And that might be to replace Justice Ginsburg, or Justice Breyer, or Justice Kennedy.
So I think the Democrats are going to come to regret this much as they now regret what Harry Reid did with regard to the lower courts.
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Comments
Unfortunately I don’t see the Republicans having the cajoles to do anything other than strut around like peacocks and the Dems are lost in space and they are never coming back.
I can see the trade now. In return for the Democrats not screaming like ruptured Bann Sidh over the Reid Rule, in the name of Comity the Republicans in Congress drop any idea of investigating Democrat tyranny.
I think the floodgates are about to open on this NSA scandal. Rice is just the front person and you can rest assured that Ben Rhodes is her sidekick. Neither of them would have done this without jug ears permission. If Sessions can get the separation between this and the Russian BS then we will get somewhere. If not then it will be another Sandy Burger fiasco and the Dems will say “Let’s move on and can’t we all just get along?”.
For Rice, lying on PBS/MSNBC/CNN is consequence-less. Lying in front of a congressional committee (if she was ever stupid enough to do so without immunity) would have serious consequences.
Well, should have. The committee is run by Republicans.
Prof. J , You are the Man!
In a positive way 🙂
It’s worse than Democrats care to realise. Trump will get to replace Justice Ginsburg, 00Justice Breyer, AND Justice Kennedy!!
The entire under belly of the Obama administration is in cahoots with the devil on this one and only the RINO surrender monkeys in Congress can screw up what is nearly a victory in the bag…
The so called Hacking of the DNC computers by Russians has beens shown to be based on zero evidence. “Evidence” provided by the private computer security concern is now known to be extremely suspect so the initial claims of hacking are just that, claims with no supporting evidence. While it is likely that the Russians did hack the DNC system after Podesta falling for the phishing scheme, it is more likely that a great many other nations and actors hacked those computers as well.
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The basis for the Trump-Russia connection are equally dubious. So far it amounts to Trump was too nice to the Russians during the campaign so he obviously must be a spy. Claims such as “17 intelligence agencies have proof and agree” have evaporated in nothing as we repeatedly hear there is not fire, no smoke, not even a spark. All that is left are unsubstantiated claims based on wishful thinking.
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In the Trump being wiretapped/spied up by our intelligence agencies, we see more and more concrete proof surfacing every day. We hear statements such as “No law was broken” but it is clear that some laws were indeed broken and it seems to be forgotten that Nixon broke no law either. Should this pan out in the direction it would appear most likely, then the comparisons of this event would make Watergate look to be nothing more than a second rate burglary while this event would become a timeless event with far reaching implications.
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Given all this information that is all now becoming as obvious as daylight, the remaining question is “Why are people continuing with the Trump-Russia connection accusations and the Russia hacking the DNC narrative with claims that they are as likely, if not more likely to have happened as has the Trump being spied on?” It truly boggles the mind how two non-stories with no evidence can continue to maintain there presence on the front page of so many newspapers while the Trump wiretapping issue is thought to be an also ran.
Remember always and forever: General Flynn was pushed into resigning his post under President Trump as the result of a phone call with a Russian government official. How do we know about this? As the result of a wiretap!
Now tell me again how Trump and his people were not subject to wiretapping by the Obama thugs.
I’m trying to stay positive, but deep down I don’t think anything will happen with this.
Assuming that Granny McConnell actually does manage the “nuclear option” the LibDems still have the abillity to re-instate the filibuster for SCOTUS nominees once they are in the majority again, no? Of course they will rush to give that tool back to the minority won’t they? Won’t they … ?
You did fine, professor, as always. But, another investigation? It’s certainly called for, but someone could write a (long) book about the investigations opened and underway in the past dozen years, all without resolution. It’s difficult not to agree with HamiltonNJ’s post, above. I’d settle for an indictment, a trial, even (unlikely, but prove us wrong) an acquittal. It’s time to fish or cut bait. No immunities, no trades….just bring your lawyer to the trial.
You did good, Professor. Thanks!
Thing is has there ever really been a moderating effect on democratic judicial appointees? I mean we’ve gotten people like Ginsberg, Breyer et al and I haven’t seen very many moderates – they always vote the same way in pretty much every situation so where is this moderation we keep hearing about that the filibuster has brought about? The only moderation is on one side of the aisle so why did we not just get rid of that.
All the buffoons within the obama administration and the MSM propagandists believed they would never lose control of the government powers they have abused for 8 eight years. I gleefully welcome them to their new reality which is about to become their worst nightmare as Lady Justice returns from her 8 year forced vacation…
This scandal does two very important things.
First, it hamstrings the Trump/Russia collusion investigation. It is now impossible to pursue the claims made by the Dem/Lib/Prog of collusion without throwing the door wide open to substantiate charges of spying on the Trump campaign and transition. This is good, because all the “evidence” of such collusion is locked behind the classified materials firewall.
Second, it gives the anti-Establishment forces [which includes at least half of the citizens of this nation] a huge lever. If presented as the GOVERNMENT spying on a PRIVATE CITIZENS, who were not engaged in any illegal activity, anyone who fails to harshly criticize this activity will find themselves in political peril.
Unfortunately, this also places the ant-Trump forces in the position of becoming more violent and aggressive. As their non-violent avenues of attack are blocked, they will revert to what they do best, violently disrupting the society in which they live.
The problem that Obama & Co. have at this point is that Susan Rice’s actions open the door to unmasking all of *their* incidentally intercepted communications for the past year or more. Susan Rice’s actions abusing surveillance state powers is prima facie a national security issue, which gives all the cover the Trump administration needs to dig for political dirt. The sheer amount of distasteful dirt that will come out of that analysis will doom the legacy of Obama.