In situations where “right long before anyone else” means “not right about pretty much anything.” Or is his changing his “legal” opinions based on who’s the focus (e.g. Clinton vs the Liar-in-Chief) “just one of those things.”
Russia is a U.S. adversary, has been for decades. Spending time there is akin to going out to dinner all the time with your ex-wife, yet informing your current wife there is absolutely nothing to worry about. You could hardly cry foul if she took it upon herself to verify that for herself, versus believing your explanations.
There’s a big world out there to be doing business with. Dozens of friendly nations present opportunities for fun and profit. Choosing to do so in Russia is begging for scrutiny. Bitching about the inevitable scrutiny is pathetic whining.
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IMO this is baloney. I could be wrong, but my impression from the Horowitz report was that the errors he uncovered were correctable. So DoJ isn’t arguing very hard.
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Being as he is friends with Barr, It’s possible he knew the obstruction case against Trump was going fail and this Carter Page decision was in the works.
Still, over the years since the ACA debate in 2010, he’s been right a lot.
This was orchestrated by Barr. And we all know why. There was more than ample probable cause to be watching Carter Paige.
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I would appreciate a little context here: were the two “valid” (per Shill Barr’s DOJ) warrants dealing with anything substantive? Or were they “he dresses funny” level of transgression? Considering how willing Barr has been to lie about pretty much anything, it would be nice to hear what “reason(s)” his Stasi came up with to determine why the two in question were “invalid.”
It seems to me – although maybe my comprehension needs work – that the judge’s findings related to what the Shill Barr DOJ said, not whether he felt the warrants were invalid.
And, given Shill Barr’s track record of lying and perjury, the headline should be “DOJ Claimed,” not “DOJ acknowledged.”
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I have very little sympathy for Carter Page who, for whatever reason, was ready to play patsy with the Russians.
Page was forthright about giving the Russians non-national security documents. I can’t see why this wouldn’t be a ‘limited hangout,’ and so is not, in and of itself, in any way exculpating. The same is to be said for his alleged association with the CIA, particularly given that he was not completely forthcoming with his handlers…
Without external verification, I trust nothing that comes out of Barr’s DOJ.
I am, therefore, reserving judgement on this reversal of these warrants predication until the facts have been reviewed by a more disinterested party.
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He was a shill for Barr and the Rethugs during the House hearings, and his “testimony” was bullshit. His “opinions” contradicted his “opinions” from the Clinton impeachment. He’s been a shill for RWMFs for years.
I don’t recall his “opinions” re: the ACA, but I would bet a beer they supported the RWMF party line.
Sure, Jan.
I have read a lot of appellate decisions and appellate attorneys tend to be the greatest legal writers among us. That was, weird. An ambling sort of “decision” that throws in, “the other 2 warrants were ok but we are going to sequester all intel gathered under those too” without citing tons of case law?
The judge has 3 clerks (but he still would have proof-read this), has been on the court since 2014 and the presiding judge since 1/1/2020.
Carter must have been talking to Paul Ryan non-stop about “leg-days 2xs a week or 3 Paul?” and guy talk is just embarrassing, but it seems like someone is going to great lengths to “sequester” (until what timepoint?) Carter’s chat sessions.
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That is funny because some people on TPM actually want to run over him on a bike, or body check him off of a ski trail into trees or, well, you seem real nice and we welcome that around here.
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Also, the two supposedly “invalid” warrants were approved by the court at the time - and if they had been initially rejected, could they not have been redrafted and resubmitted? At the time, they were approved and agencies behaved accordingly.
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I’d wish upon him having to spend 18 hours a day, every day, in the close company of Donald Trump. But since I’m trying to cling to at least a shred of my humanity I’ll demur on that.
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The opposite. He actually was quite liked by most progressives at the time.
Like I said, I think he’s changed. Or else he was always a RW asshole and hid it well.
But as far as guessing on Trump and Carter, he could have had inside knowledge being as he considers Barr a good friend. Barr may have been advising in the background long before he was appointed. Mueller is also a good friend of Barr. They have a long history of working together since the early 90’s. They also consider themselves good friends socially and hang together
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DOJ went from being a dream job for some, well, has anyone seen the scene in “Friend for the End of the World” where HR announces that as an asteroid is heading to earth, the following positions are open: CFO, VP of HR, the entire maintenance department is vacant…?
Ah, stevie, good to see you’ve had your morning tot of dilute acetic acid.
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Yea but can you trust the DOJ under Barr?
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“…people on TPM actually want to run over him on a bike, or body check him off of a ski trail into trees…”
Personally, I think Page was arrogant enough to believe that he could play the Russian and US intelligence agencies off of each other and walk away with multiple millions of dollars in commissions from brokering the sale of Russian energy assets. His loyalty was completely fungible, which made him an appropriate subject of surveillance with his history.
I also believe in due process, however, and that case hasn’t been conclusively made yet; so, I’ll hold off on the sentencing part until his guilt is established.
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Absolutely. From what I remember about the ‘heroic’ Ed Snowden days, most FISAs are approved because most attorneys who go before the court NEVER want to be denied by the judges. String one or two denials together, and the judges will look at you with a skeptical eye as soon as you walk in the door. You’ll be ‘tainted’.
But I’m sure, like you said, more rejections occur than we are aware of.
Do we want to go back farther when two Russians did try to make him a Russian asset? One was convicted, sentenced to jail, and served. I think the second one skadaddled before being arrested. It was determined then that Carter was in league with the Russians.
Now fast forward a couple of years and there’s Carter in an advisory role (small, but he was there) in a political campaign with a candidate that has a lot of ties to Russia and Russian money. Add in the Papadopoulos who has a connection with a Maltese Professor of questionable background.
What Trump has successfully sold to the public is that the FBI was pickin’ on him. The FBI was looking at one individual with an established misfortune to be linked to Russians that wanted him to be their operative. They add a small slice of Greek moussaka (with a questionable gf/wife) with a questionable tie to shadowy Maltese prof and intrigue ensues.
Since FISA warrants are secret who know how many that have been issued turn up nothing, how many that have been issued had mistakes, and how many were “perfect”?
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