May 27, 2017

"Jared Kushner and Russia’s ambassador to Washington discussed the possibility of setting up a secret and secure communications channel between Trump’s transition team and the Kremlin..."

"... using Russian diplomatic facilities in an apparent move to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring, according to U.S. officials briefed on intelligence reports," The Washington Post reports.
The White House disclosed the meeting only in March, playing down its significance. But people familiar with the matter say the FBI now considers the encounter, as well as another meeting Kushner had with a Russian banker, to be of investigative interest.

[Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, who attended the meeting,[ reportedly was taken aback by the suggestion of allowing an American to use Russian communications gear at its embassy or consulate — a proposal that would have carried security risks for Moscow as well as the Trump team.

Neither the meeting nor the communications of Americans involved were under U.S. surveillance, officials said.
So... Kushner expressed interest in doing something that was never done. It was a bad idea — WaPo stresses — and if a bad idea was floated and then rejected, what is the story? WaPo says the White House disclosed this meeting back in March and "play[ed] down its significance," but is WaPo playing up its significance? What is the significance?
The FBI closely monitors the communications of Russian officials in the United States, and it maintains a nearly constant surveillance of its diplomatic facilities. The National Security Agency monitors the communications of Russian officials overseas.

Current and former U.S. intelligence officials said that although Russian diplomats have secure means of communicating with Moscow, Kushner’s apparent request for access to such channels was extraordinary.

“How would he trust that the Russians wouldn’t leak it on their side?” said one former senior intelligence official. The FBI would know that a Trump transition official was going in and out of the embassy, which would cause “a great deal” of concern, he added. The entire idea, he said, “seems extremely naive or absolutely crazy.”
But the "extremely naive or absolutely crazy" idea was rejected, so what is the significance? The meeting, we're told, took place on December 1st or 2d, and WaPo says it's part of "a broader pattern of efforts by Trump’s closest advisers to obscure their contacts with Russian counterparts." And yet, WaPo tells us, "It is common for senior advisers of a newly elected president to be in contact with foreign leaders and officials" and "The State Department, the White House National Security Council and U.S. intelligence agencies all have the ability to set up secure communications channels with foreign leaders, though doing so for a transition team would be unusual."  

Unusual? That means it has happened before. And it ultimately wasn't done with the Trump team, so when was it done? Which President's transition team set up secure communications and was it "extremely naive or absolutely crazy"?

I know Trump has been concerned that the Obama administration was "wiretapping" him. How does that fit with this story? Is it that the Trump team was trying to avoid being monitored by the Obama administration, and, if so, is there something wrong with talking about how it might be arranged so that the President elect could interact with foreign leaders without sharing everything with with Obama administration?

180 comments:

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

This is what happens when you hire your son in law, who has no experience in the job, as your closest advisor. This is the antithesis of good management.

Jersey Fled said...

It is significant in that the press can use it to beat up on Trump

traditionalguy said...

Discussing Peace with Russia is the crime under intense investigation. That would remake the entire world as we know it. It would be another collapse of the USSR ending thousands of careers and end hundreds of millions of dollars of flow of bribe money arrangements. The Deep State would become useless unless they could be re-trained for a cold War with China which actually is the Communist Police State.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Business Insider said...
'This is serious': Jared Kushner reportedly tried to set up a secret Trump-Russia back channel

M Jordan said...

The media onslaught against the greatest president of this millennium continues. They truly have beclowned themselves.

Trump continues winning, as well.

Bruce Hayden said...

Maybe they had good reason to try to avoid CIA/NSA/FBI interception of their conversations with the Russians - like maybe not having them leaked to the very same WaPo.

Jersey Fled said...

BHO, on the other hand, picked only the most experienced and highly qualified individuals as close advisors, i.e. Valerie Jarrett.

EsoxLucius said...

Anderson Cooper was right; if Trump took a dump on the Resolute desk, there'd be people saying what a good boy he is.

Comanche Voter said...

Innuendo. If the Washington Post didn't have innuendo, it wouldn't have any end at all.

tim in vermont said...

What is serious is the surveillance apparatus that Obama was actually using against political opponents.

WASHINGTON -U.S. intelligence agencies conducted illegal surveillance on American citizens over a five-year period, a practice that earned them a sharp rebuke from a secret court that called the matter a “very serious” constitutional issue. The criticism is in a lengthy secret ruling that lays bare some of the frictions between the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and U.S. intelligence agencies obligated to obtain the court’s approval for surveillance activities. The ruling, dated April 26 and bearing the label “top secret,” was obtained and published Thursday by the news site Circa.

tim in vermont said...

It's not at all surprising, with Obama's White House illegally spying on Trump's team and selectively, and stripped of all context, leaking whatever they could make sound the worst, that Trump's team tried to avoid same. It was sure stupid though, but they were new at the game and I will give them a pass due to duress.

If Obama took a dump on the Resolute desk, there'd be people saying what a good boy he is.

FIFY

Ann Althouse said...

Don't forget that Hillary Clinton's private email server...

iowan2 said...

I talked to a friend that has over 30 years experience is the spook business. This is not only legal but ordinary and usual. President Trump and his team, sought out and examined all options to do the job before them. Some were adopted, most rejected. Not at all unusual for a successful accomplished person to search out, and examine methods that might seem non- traditional. That's what makes extremely successful and accomplished persons, successful. Their ability to think outside the box.

Owen said...

I am with "Virtually Unknown" here. This looks like a shiny squirrel play to divert attention from the real story, about years of systematic and illegal --deliberately and programmatically illegal-- spying on every American by the Obama administration. Instead of that blockbuster, that Instant Impeachment-level story, we are fed *this? Anonymous sources talking about a bad idea that went nowhere as a new executive team, already alerted to the fact that it had been subject to illegal surveillance by the incumbent administration, tries to build a communications infrastructure for dealing with Russia? This is the bombshell?

We are neck-deep in BS here.

Quayle said...

He would have been a lot better off if he had simply said "Wait until after the nomination and I'll have a lot more flexibility."

Besides, its not as if Russia is our greatest geopolitical foe.

My dear Ann, this isn't the 1950s.

Owen said...

Prof. A: reminds us of the Hillary Server. Excellent call, cannot believe I missed it. It is absolutely on point and the irony is exquisite.

I doubt the media will want to make the comparison: not helpful to the narrative.

Amadeus 48 said...

WaPoo further beclowns itself.

Brookzene said...

"Do you ever get the feeling that everyone else is off somewhere, meeting with Sergei Kislyak, but you're just, like, home alone by yourself?"

Twitterati

David said...

Back channels? Secret communications?

FDR and JFK famously had all kinds of back channel lines of communications with foreign nations, friend and foe, and they involved sensitive information. I'm pretty sure I could come up with examples from many other modern presidents with a bit of research. LBJ had surrogate eyes and ears everywhere. Ike knew just about everyone who mattered in Europe. There's nothing wrong with the idea of private lines of communication. Just ask Hillary.

Brookzene said...

"It is significant in that the press can use it to beat up on Trump"

This is the correct answer even if he shot someone in the street.

Brookzene said...

"The media onslaught against the greatest president of this millennium continues. They truly have beclowned themselves."

This too is...oh nevermind.

rhhardin said...

I can set it up. I talked to a Russian just last night, and have access to ROT13 encryption.

narciso said...

Yes there was the bloshakov channel to kruschev, this one has deceived rfk all thtought december


http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-26/wapo-reports-kushner-sought-secret-back-channel-moscow-admits-its-normal-practice

narciso said...

Context is important

https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol46no1/article06.html

Brookzene said...

And without the IC or DOD knowledge you say?

tim maguire said...

Brainstorming sessions will now be a thing of the past. Imgaine how your life would be if you were held responsible for every idea you threw out, no matter if it went anywhere.

Brookzene said...

Deep disloyalty. Otherwise why do it behind America's back?

Brookzene said...

"Brainstorming sessions will now be a thing of the past. Imgaine how your life would be if you were held responsible for every idea you threw out, no matter if it went anywhere."

What if I was just brainstorming shooting a woman in the street? Imagine being held responsible for that?

Brookzene said...

You see, now that's a reset button.

David Begley said...

One has to admire the effectiveness of this character assassination and controversy creation by the Deep State.

Brookzene said...

"One has to admire the effectiveness of this character assassination"

Please. Tell me all about Trump's good "character".

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

narciso said...
Context is important
https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/csi-studies/studies/vol46no1/article06.html


Even if Kushner and Flynn's motives were as pure as the driven snow, Russia has its own version of deep state and it is unlikely that its motives or tactics would suddenly change with the appearance of a few neophytes like Kushner.

AllenS said...

Exactly what law has Kushner supposed to have violated?

traditionalguy said...

Unless no one noticed, Shalom Boy Jared's job description is negotiating Peace. That shakes the Military Industrial Complex to the core, starting with the Hamas branch Military Industrial Complex in Jerusalem that has been at war for 70 years.

Brookzene said...

"Exactly what law has Kushner supposed to have violated?"

Gee, I wonder if it was espionage? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Tommy Duncan said...

VU said: "If Obama took a dump on the Resolute desk, there'd be people saying what a good boy he is."

"Boy"? You called Obama "boy". The thought police will be coming by to see you after they finish their work at the Althouse residence this morning.

Remember that ignorance of the narrative is no excuse.

CStanley said...

Deep disloyalty. Otherwise why do it behind America's back?

Because the sitting administration is treating you, the members of the incomng administration that has been duly elected by the American people, as an enemy of the state and using their intel apparatus to spy on you and create the appearance of impropriety through selective leaks?

I don't know, of course, I'm just spitballing here...

David Begley said...

Jared knew the State Department is a sieve but if WaPo is to be believed, Russia leaked this.

Unknown said...

Nice try Trumpski's.

Flynn is talking to the FBI. Trump, Flynn, Kushner have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. More hands to follow.

Only Trumpski's glued to Fox News would talk "whataboutism" Hillary's email server. Jeez.

When, not if, Trump and associates go down everyone will also point a big fat finger at the Trumpski's for allowing this to happen.

David Begley said...

Jared's lawyer is Jamie Goerlick. Goerlick owes her career and fortune to the Clintons.

Humperdink said...

"Deep disloyalty. Otherwise why do it behind America's back?" Truly insightful (cough)

How about not having the discussions appear in the WaPo the next day?

Brookzene said...

"How about not having the discussions appear in the WaPo the next day?"

How about discussing military strategies with the Russians behind the backs of the DoD and IC?

Bob Ellison said...

It will be significant.

Brookzene said...

"Exactly what law has Kushner supposed to have violated?"

Lying, twice, on SF86 security clearance forms?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

2009: Josh Gerstein reports "Obama to Replace US Attorneys"

Notice the headline


2017: Josh Gerstein reports "Trump team ousts Obama-appointed U.S. attorneys"

Notice the headline


Wapo:
"a broader pattern of efforts by Trump’s closest advisers to obscure their contacts with Russian counterparts."
[And yet, WaPo tells us,] "It is common for senior advisers of a newly elected president to be in contact with foreign leaders and officials"

Which sentence did you read first? Which sentence lead you to believe that Trump and the Russians colluded to embarrass Hillary so Americans were able to see Hillary Clinton as she really is, a lair and a crook. This makes WaPo angry. Very very angry.

Humperdink said...

"How about discussing military strategies with the Russians behind the backs of the DoD and IC?"

You mean with the source of the leaks?

Humperdink said...

Keep grasping Brookzene.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

If any democrat ever spoke with a Russian - all A-OK.

Now, simple communication by any GOP = collusion to take the election away from poor Hillary.

WaPo sads.

Brookzene said...

"It is common for senior advisers of a newly elected president to be in contact with foreign leaders and officials"

So is that behind everyone's backs, discussing military strategy with Russians for instance, including the intelligence community and military officials?

Really can't understand how the Russians flipped so many of you so quickly.

Brookzene said...

It's the White House's explanation that the backchannels were to discuss changing Syria policy with the Russians. Of course, that explanation/reason is problematic in itself. But I guess you go with whatever ya got.

Humperdink said...

"Really can't understand how the Russians flipped so many of you so quickly."

Are you referring to the NYTimes editorial staff and op-ed writers? Please clarify.

Anonymous said...

"I encountered, and am aware, of information and intelligence that revealed contacts and interactions between Russian officials and U.S. officials involved in the Trump campaign - that I was concerned about, because of known Russian efforts to suborn such individuals. And it raised questions in my mind as to whether the Russians were able to gain the cooperation of those individuals. I don’t know whether 'collusion' — that's your word — existed. But I know that there was a sufficient basis of information and intelligence that required further investigation by the Bureau to determine whether or not U.S persons were actively conspiring or colluding with Russian officials.

"Having been involved in many counterintelligence cases in the past, I know what the Russians try to do. They try to suborn individuals and they try to get individuals, including U.S. persons, to try to act on their behalf either wittingly or unwittingly. And I was worried by a number of contacts that the Russians had with U.S. persons (in the Trump camp). And so therefore, by the time I left office on January 20, I had unresolved questions in my mind as to whether or not the Russians had been successful in getting U.S. persons involved in the campaign or to work on their behalf — again, either in a witting or unwitting fashion. And so therefore I felt as though the FBI investigation was certainly well-founded and needed to look into those issues...

"Frequently, people who go along a treasonous path do not know they are on a treasonous path until it is too late."

Excerpt of John Brennan's testimony to the House Intelligence Committee Hearing on May 23.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Did you check under your beds this morning, progs?

Brookzene said...

"Did you check under your beds this morning, progs?"

Yes, we found Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn in secret discussions with Putin.

Wince said...

Russian ambassador told Moscow that Kushner wanted secret communications channel with Kremlin

Okay, we can recycle the two empty soup cans, but what are we supposed to do with the several thousand miles of string in between?

Brookzene said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
roesch/voltaire said...

Nothing illegal here, but it would have gone over better if they had suggested connecting two open tin cans with string--can't be tapped and keeps the conversation between two, unless one shouts too loud into the can, " can you hear me Putin?"

Michael said...

Kushner is known to meet people at The Russian Tea Room on 57th. Reported seen coming out of Petrossian on 58th. Has been to Brooklyn. Teeming with Russians.

tim in vermont said...

Yes, we found Jared Kushner and Michael Flynn in secret discussions with Putin.

Did he take more than the tens of millions of dollars from them that Hillary did?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Brennan ultimately said he had nothing but innuendo.

Obama CIA Director John Brennan Continues His Innuendo Campaign Against Donald Trump

Michael said...

That has been it all along. A cheap and secret source of high quality Caspian Caviar. In return for Grey Goose.

Hagar said...

Dammit R/V! I was going to post something like that!

Owen said...

David Begley: "...Jamie Gorelick." Is Kushner's lawyer? O God. That is for me the real bad news here. The woman who made 9/11 possible. I know we're supposed to keep our enemies close, so maybe this makes sense; but I have huge trouble with this. Maybe Kushner *is* an idiot-savant.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Flynn hates Putin, thinks Putin is evil. Flynn's crime? He sat next to Putin at dinner once.
Funny - did Obama and Hillary ever communicate with the Russians? Even share a meal with unsavory world leaders? Did Obama ever say to the the Russians "we will have more flexibility after the election." ?

Anonymous said...

"Why would the man who is basically the President-by-proxy want private communications between the transition team and the Kremlin?

Nothing suspicious here, at all.

So who else was at that meeting?

Michael Flynn.

The FBI is interested in the details of Kushner’s meeting with Kislyak, a meeting that the White House first disclosed in March.

"Officials told the Post that knowledge of the discussion came because of communication surveillance on the Russians, not on the meeting or U.S. citizens.

Kislyak reportedly balked at the suggestion. Letting an American use Russian communication equipment would likely cause some security issues for both sides."

Kushner hasn’t been charged with anything and for the time being, he’s simply under scrutiny by the FBI, as they continue the investigation into potential collusion between Trump’s campaign team and Russia.

Kushner also raised some red flags when it was discovered that he failed to disclose communications with Kislyak, as well as Russian bank executives on his security clearance paperwork."

http://www.redstate.com/sweetie15/2017/05/26/unbelievable-trump-senior-adviser-sought-private-line-kremlin-inauguration/

Brookzene said...

Apparenlty Flynn is flipping Kushner and probably Trump.

tim in vermont said...

I am still trying to figure out why Putin wants NATO to own up to their responsibilities, Canada to have a higher capacity to export oil, and the US to continue its "drill baby drill" policies.

Brookzene said...

flipping on

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

"The potential collusion between Trump and Russia!"

Media on it!

tim in vermont said...

Continue chasing the steppenwolf. You know, those dark shapes on the horizon in the Steppes, that look like a wolf, but every time you get closer, it just turns out to be another clump of grass. Keep hope alive!

Browndog said...

A template emerges, and it is this:

Anything and everything Trump says or does that is not first approved by the Washington Establishment is illegal and traitorous.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I hope the hack press gets to the bottom of this.

Come on hack press!

tcrosse said...

Where's the Beef ? (historical reference)

Hagar said...

and it is quite proper for an incoming president, who presumably has ideas about things he wants to change from the previous administration's foreign policies to discuss those ideas with the political leaders of the pertinent countries while keeping those "feelers" secret from the executors of the previous administration's policies.

Especially when, as in our current situation, anything the minions of the previous administration find out about your trial balloons, will be blazoned on the front pages of NYT and WaPo the next day.

Anonymous said...

"Here’s an interesting bit:

As the White House has vowed to crack down on leaks, the story of Kushner’s meeting with Kislyak came from an anonymous letter to the Washington Post, back in December. Some are wondering if it was someone also on the team who tipped them off.

Additionally, as a longtime diplomat, Kislyak would have known that his communications were being monitored. So the possibility remains, Carle said, that the Russians used the meeting with Kushner to distract the intelligence community and the public from potentially more incriminating relationships between the campaign and Moscow.

Indeed, Kushner also met with the CEO of Russia’s state-owned Vnesheconombank, Sergey Gorkov, in December 2016, The New York Times reported in late March. The meeting — which had not previously been disclosed and came on the heels of Kushner’s meeting with Kislyak at Trump Tower
— caught the eye of the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and whether any members of Trump’s campaign were complicit.

It was supposedly Kislyak who set up the meeting between Kushner and Gorkov."

http://www.redstate.com/sweetie15/2017/05/26/details-kushner-kremlin-report-raises-many-concerns/

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Remember when re-set buttons with Russia were cool?

CASH FLOWED TO CLINTON FOUNDATIONAMID RUSSIAN URANIUM DEAL


where is the FBI on this? Comment from Brennan?

Brookzene said...

"and it is quite proper for an incoming president, who presumably has ideas about things he wants to change from the previous administration's foreign policies to discuss those ideas with the political leaders of the pertinent countries while keeping those "feelers" secret from the executors of the previous administration's policies."

You know I keep looking all morning but I haven't seen a single national security official raise this as a defense.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

REd State linking to the same Business Insider op-ed.

rhhardin said...

Not only did I talk to a Russian last night, but also a Ukrainian. This morning a Venezuelan, but a Cuban wouldn't talk to me: he was hardly talking to anybody, probably owing to an awful receiver on his end.

Anyway I'm reaching out to commies all over with messages consisting entirely of numbers.

Yet it is not in the papers.

narciso said...

Carle was one of those who likely gave up the secret detention facilities, he was sent to interrogate a high level aq financier and chronicles his failure in his memoir, so naturally he was promoted upwards

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

How Team Obama tried to hack the election

New revelations have surfaced that the Obama administration abused intelligence during the election by launching a massive domestic-spy campaign that included snooping on Trump officials.

The irony is mind-boggling: Targeting political opposition is long a technique of police states like Russia, which Team Obama has loudly condemned for allegedly using its own intelligence agencies to hack into our election.

The revelations, as well as testimony this week from former Obama intel officials, show the extent to which the Obama administration politicized and weaponized intelligence against Americans.

Thanks to Circa News, we now know the National Security Agency under President Barack Obama routinely violated privacy protections while snooping through foreign intercepts involving US citizens — and failed to disclose the breaches, prompting the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court a month before the election to rebuke administration officials.


cont...

narciso said...

The previous administration used Ben Rhodes who didnt have an interim security clearance to broker secret channels to the sepah and the Cuban govt.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The story concerns what’s known as “upstream” data collection under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, under which the NSA looks at the content of electronic communication. Upstream refers to intel scooped up about third parties: Person A sends Person B an e-mail mentioning Person C. Though Person C isn’t a party to the e-mail, his information will be scooped up and potentially used by the NSA.

Further, the number of NSA data searches about Americans mushroomed after Obama loosened rules for protecting such identities from government officials and thus the reporters they talk to.

The FISA court called it a “very serious Fourth Amendment issue” that NSA analysts — in violation of a 2011 rule change prohibiting officials from searching Americans’ information without a warrant — “had been conducting such queries in violation of that prohibition, with much greater frequency than had been previously disclosed to the Court.”

A number of those searches were made from the White House, and included private citizens working for the Trump campaign, some of whose identities were leaked to the media. The revelations earned a stern rebuke from the ACLU and from civil-liberties champion Sen. Rand Paul.

We also learned this week that Obama intelligence officials really had no good reason attaching a summary of a dossier on Trump to a highly classified Russia briefing they gave to Obama just weeks before Trump took office.


...cont..

Hagar said...

ou know I keep looking all morning but I haven't seen a single national security official raise this as a defense.

Those are "the minions" I was talking about.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Under congressional questioning - Obama’s CIA chief John Brennan said the dossier did not “in any way” factor into the agency’s assessment that Russia interfered in the election. Why not? Because as Obama intel czar James Clapper earlier testified, “We could not corroborate the sourcing.”

But that didn’t stop Brennan in January from attaching its contents to the official report for the president. He also included the unverified allegations in the briefing he gave Hill Democrats.

In so doing, Brennan virtually guaranteed that it would be leaked, which it promptly was.

In short, Brennan politicized raw intelligence. In fact, he politicized the entire CIA.

Anonymous said...

“You have to be deeply suspicious of what Jared Kushner is up to here sitting at the right hand of the president. Because this is not the only connection he has with the Russians. We also know that in this same time-frame where he was trying to set up the secret communications channel with Sergey Kislyak, he was also meeting with the head of a sanctioned Russian bank and a former KGB officer who is very close to Putin. What the heck were they discussing?”

Max Boot

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Langley vets say Brennan was the most politicized director in the agency’s history. Former CIA field-operations officer Gene Coyle said Brennan was “known as the greatest sycophant in the history of the CIA, and a supporter of Hillary Clinton before the election. I find it hard to put any real credence in anything that the man says.”

Coyle noted that Brennan broke with his predecessors who stayed out of elections. Several weeks before the vote, he made it very clear he was pulling for Hillary. His deputy Mike Morell even came out and publicly endorsed her in The New York Times, claiming Trump was an “unwitting agent” of Moscow.

Brennan isn’t just a Democrat. He’s a radical leftist who in 1980 — during the height of the Cold War — voted for a Communist Party candidate for president.

When Brennan rants about the dangers of strongman Vladimir Putin targeting our elections and subverting our democratic process, does he not catch at least a glimpse of his own reflection?

What he and the rest of the Obama gang did has inflicted more damage on the integrity of our electoral process than anything the Russians have done.

Brookzene said...

Shorter Rene Suance: "Time for a topic change!"

Anonymous said...

"FBI investigators are examining whether Russians suggested to Kushner or other Trump aides that relaxing economic sanctions would allow Russian banks to offer financing to people with ties to Trump, said the current U.S. law enforcement official.

The head of Russian state-owned Vnesheconombank, Sergei Nikolaevich Gorkov, a trained intelligence officer whom Putin appointed, met Kushner at Trump Tower in December. The bank is under U.S. sanctions and was implicated in a 2015 espionage case in which one of its New York executives pleaded guilty to spying and was jailed.

The bank said in a statement in March that it had met with Kushner along with other representatives of U.S. banks and business as part of preparing a new corporate strategy."

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-fbi-kushner-exclusive-idUSKBN18N018

Brookzene said...

Shorter Rene Saunce:

"Don't forget that Hillary Clinton's private email server..."

narciso said...

Did they or didn't they, as with general Flynn I'm guessing not as opposed to red Kennedy using gene tunnel as a back channel to andropov and chernenko behind Reagan's back.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

A private server while head of the State Dept - inspires yawns from the left.

Morals and ethics.

iowan2 said...

Still waiting for a named person to make specific accusation of criminal activity.

The tin foil hat crowd here at Althouse, have been quoting anonymous, since before the election.

All identified persons, have, to a person, (includes Senator Fienstien, and Rep Waters) clearly stated, that as of early May, no evidence exists that supports any accusations printed in WAPO or NYT, etal.

Brookzene said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

In leftwing media land - Innuendo trumps actual Private Server used to stuff Clinton Family Foundation fake charity and Bill's jacked-up speaking fees during wife's tenure.

Humperdink said...

Brookzene said: "You know I keep looking all morning but I haven't seen a single national security official raise this as a defense."

Now this is a great comment. A true laugh out loud moment. Let me get this straight, between all your comments on this blog, you have been searching high and low (and in between) for a national security "official" to use this as a defense. How do you find time to do this?

narciso said...

Renaissance capital, that was the outfit that paid Bill Clinton 500k, was a cover for one of the recently arrested hacker syndicate moles in the fsb

gravityhurts said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
narciso said...

Jason Matthews who ran the Russian division, has written a series of the thrillers about modern russia, his next one slated for next may, involved a Wikileaks and a thinly disguised Hillary Clinton as a Kremlin mole.

gravityhurts said...

Valerie Jarret's secret communication channel with Iran, as reported by the New York times and the Israeli News, was never investigated because the truth teller Obama, said it never happened.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

OT: Creepy fired former DNC-chair and Hillary supporter shows us what corruption looks like.

pacwest said...

I'm suprised the "info" from the Russians has taken this long to come out. Expect a lot more of it in the future. It in Russia's interest to hamstring this President.

narciso said...

I addressed the whole Rhodes road show here


http://narcisoscorner.blogspot.com/?m=1

Hagar said...

Politicians are elected by the people to promote the policies favored by their constituents. Of course they seek contact with other politicians with whom they might find areas of agreement, at home and abroad.
Appointed officials are supposed to carry out the policies ordered by the elected politicians to presumably accomplish the desires of the people.

Trump was elected precisely because he promised a break from the Obama administration's policies, but what we now see is a refusal by appointed officials to recognize that reality and doing their best to sabotage the newly elected administration.

Darrell said...

Many have said it upstream in this thread, but it bears repeating. Back channels have been a normal part of every previous administration's diplomacy. The Left has been taking normal practice and making it sound illegal, immoral, or unethical. It's their new jam.

narciso said...

And Glen Carle, who unwittingly debunked some of the scuttlebutt they had purveyed to Ron susskind the previous horse whisperer

pacwest said...

In fact now that I think of it, the MSM couldn't be helping Russia's cause anymore than if they were being paid. I doubt that though. Just useful idiots. I'm sure the Russians will take what they can get. Maybe we need an investigation. Does Wolf Blitzer have any investments that have anything to do with Russia?

Brookzene said...

"Many have said it upstream in this thread, but it bears repeating. Back channels have been a normal part of every previous administration's diplomacy."

And omitting it on your security forms? Twice?

narciso said...

Yes curtailing fracking, reducing the military using them as a channel to Iran, all were in kind contributions

Fen said...

A Washington Post staffer discussed the possibility of bringing in underage girls to strip at the next pizza party.

Brookzene said...

"Maybe Alger Hiss & Julius Rosenberg should've just said they were working on a backchannel with the Soviet Union."

Jeet Heer

Anonymous said...

"I don’t want to overstate this because obviously there is a lot we don’t know — we don’t know the exact content of the conversation. We don’t know the objective that was a part of the conversation — those things we don’t know.

But I can’t keep out of my mind the thought that, if an American intelligence officer had done anything like this, we’d consider it espionage.”

John McLoughlan, former acting CIA director.

Brookzene said...

The criminal penalty for lying or omitting things on an SF86 form is cleaning off graffiti on weekends for a couple of months.

narciso said...

No they were actual Soviet spies the first was denied for 50 years, the other is still being rationalized by their charming offspring the mirapols. Speaking of the new republic their publisher Michael straight aS a Soviet agent for a time.

pacwest said...

"Washington Post staffer discussed the possibility of bringing in underage girls to strip at the next pizza party."

Were they Russian girls? We need an investigation!

C'mon folks. Trump and minions are nefarious Russian agents? Really? At what point does common sense come into play?

narciso said...

That was back when they were supporting Henry Wallace who was the Kremlin's candidate.

Brookzene said...

"At what point does common sense come into play?"

A lot of people are for sure wondering that.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Trump and Kushner will be frog marched any second now. Hillary and Podesta installed as your leaders.

Snark said...

There's so much more that needs to be understood about the nature of all of this, beginning perhaps with WHY did Russia communicate this in a manner that they knew would be picked up by US intelligence? What is their near and medium term game here? What is the end game? It feels like an attempt to take the burnish off democracy and demoralize its citizens, something that clearly serves Russia both at home and in Europe.

Bruce Hayden said...

So, we have a non-story about the President's son-in-law attempting to maybe conspire to try to do something that isn't really illegal, and which was apparently never done, being "reported" by The WaPo based on their usual anonymous sources. Sounds a lot like fake news to me.

So,Mtchell logical questions are, why this story? And why now?

I think that the "why now?" part is to distract from the story that they, and much of the MSM, are trying to hide, and that is that the Obama Administration was illegally spying on the American people at an unprecented level, had been caught doing so by the FISA Court. I think that Rene above mentions this. As I understand it, the FISC stuff was originally issued right before the election, but only successfully dug out this last week, thanks apparently to FOIA.

Not sure I understand yet exactly what the Obama CIA/NSA were doing but part of it appeared to be vacuuming up massive amounts of raw email traffic off the internet, in order to reassemble it into email messages. Which is maybe the only way to do it. Which they then made searchable. And searched it routinely without FISA warrants, looking at email to/from US Persons.

That is maybe the answer to the when question. The who is maybe as interesting. Kushner, being the trusted son-in-law, sends a big message to Trump - which I read as a threat to back off. Something akin to the mafia providing pictures of your kids at play to tell you that they are vulnerable. And, maybe Trump will back off, and let the deep state continue to do their thing. Or maybe he called his FBI, CIA, etc heads and told them to solve this problem with extreme prejudice. The fight with the deep state has just gotten personal for Trump. It is no longer just business for him. Maybe he can be bluffed. But not as likely, in my understanding of his character.

AllenS said...

The idea behind the secret channel was for Russian military officials to brief Michael Flynn about the Syrian war. -- New York Times

narciso said...

Yes that is dog that didnt bark re hound of the baskervilles

Anonymous said...

This was caught on survellience of Kislyak. He must've thought he won the lottery, getting hooked up with Kushner.

"Ambassador Sergei Kislyak told his superiors in Moscow that he and Kushner discussed ways to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring, the Washington Post said, citing US officials briefed on intelligence reports."

Bruce Hayden said...

And, yes, I did find it worrisome when it came out that the infamous Jamie Goerlick was Jared and Ivanka's attorney. I have been saying for a decade and a half now that this woman probably has more blood on her hands, more culpability, than anyone else in govt, for enabling the attacks on 9/11/01 through implementation of her famous "wall" at the FBI that kept the criminal side from providing intel to the anti-terrorism side of the agency. And then, when replaced at the DoJ upon GW Bush taking office, she was slid into a nice multimillion dollar sinecure at Fannie May on their board of directors, just in time for that agency to help blow up the mortgage market.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

This is why Nixon bugged the Watergate, to catch the Democrats doing something like this.

Owen said...

Bruce Hayden: "...Jamie Gorelick...Fannie Mae...". It is the script of a nightmare movie. First, act with such incompetence and willful ignorance that you will be remembered as a key contributor to the horrible death of thousands of innocent people. Then, collect stupid bonuses for a job you did so well that you will be remembered as a key contributor to the horrible collapse of the life savings of tens of millions of people. And never serve a day behind bars, never lose a dime, never pay a fine,
never apologize.

She is the Typhoid Mary of American elite legal culture.

Michael K said...

"Please. Tell me all about Trump's good "character"."

This is why these long threads full of DNC talking points go more quickly. Now I know who to scroll past, you and Inga.

I do wonder why Gorelick as lawyer and can only think "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Kushner is the guy who won the election for Trump with his strategy. He is probably smarter than all these people combined.

Alex said...

The media onslaught against the greatest president of this millennium continues. They truly have beclowned themselves.

Trump continues winning, as well.


Agreed. I just ignore all this crap as background noise. Wake me up when Trump issues his immigrant ban again.

narciso said...

The time to put gorelick was a decade ago, now she's part of the scenery

AllenS said...

Nixon never bugged the Watergate. Try history.

n.n said...

It may have stopped leaks of classified and sensitive information to the press and the ensuing redistribution for political and financial profit.

Bruce Hayden said...

I really do think that the naming of Kushner was very intentional. Immediate family are supposed to be off limits, and are, for Dem Presidents. Kushner isn't blood, which arguably slides attacking him almost within the pale. But he is the closest non-Trump family member to the President, and is his right hand man, implicitly trusted, etc. Of everyone in the President's party at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, Kushner was the only one to shadow Trump throughout the presentation. There he was, just to the left and a half step behind the President throughout. Essentially looking over the President's shoulder, so that whatever was shown to Trump, was shown to Kushner. The intimate power position, if there ever were one. Think about it for a minute - if someone were to try to (literally) stab Trump in the back (ignoring the Secret Service here), where would they want to be standing? Exactly where Kushner was, with his right hand inches from Trump's back. Trump not only trusts the guy with his oldest daughter, but also with his back.

Plus, of course, Kushner appears to be Trump's strategic brain. Taking him out would most likely hurt Trump more than almost anyone else.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Good God, will the Left ever tire of falling for this stuff? They honestly don't see how they're being reduced to slobbering irrelevance just to bolster the bottom line of their own propagandists. They may as well moo at 6AM and 6PM everyday because that's exactly what's going on here.

Unknown said...

Rhhardin rot13:) good times
The price of admission to the internet should be setting up a Mosaic browser

mjg235 said...

I'm more interested in the implication WaPo left out: that the Trump team must have had no consistent line of communication with Russia prior to winning the election (this request was made by the transition team). Seems like it would have been really difficult to collude with people you could not communicate securely with.

This is naturally in keeping with WaPo's pre-pubescent analytical skills.

Michael K said...

"Kushner appears to be Trump's strategic brain. "

Yes and Michael Guarino has a good point, as swell.

Drago said...

So, to summarize: obama campaign/transition back channel with Iran to reassure the Iranians obambi would be more lenient on them than GWBush was totally cool.

Alleged back channel communication line being established request only which, even if the request was true, never materialized, is TREASON because Trump.

LOL

If there was anything REAL related to any of this BS "investigation" it would have leaked long ago.

More muddying of the waters as the leaks from the other side regarding massive obambi improper spying on American citizens comes to light.

Expect even louder caterwauling from the left to obscure this.

OGWiseman said...

I can see two pieces of significance to this:

1) If Kushner wanted this setup to Russia but no other countries, it suggests he sees Russia as being particularly important, and since this suggestion indicates how naive he is about the normal operation of foreign policy, the importance he placed on Russia likely came from some other (personal) reason.

2) Someone who makes such a naive suggestion being the President's primary advisor is, well, not good.

In the end, the media is being hysterical considering that this DIDN'T happen. But the significance is what it indicates about Kushner's priorities and lack of savvy.

Bruce Hayden said...

"But the significance is what it indicates about Kushner's priorities and lack of savvy."

Lack of savvy maybe, and to be expected so soon after the election by nonpoliticians like Kushner and Trump. But, so far, the Trump Foreign policy priorities appear far more realistic and advantageous to the US than did Obama's, whose foreign policy destabilized the entire region, costing hundreds of thousands their lives, and in a far worse position in terms of fighting terrorism than when he came into office.

JaimeRoberto said...

Didn't Obama give a big campaign speech in Germany in 2008? Surely that required communications and cooperation with German officials and German intelligence. Germany is certainly more friendly to us than Russia, but isn't it still foreign meddling in our elections? Why was this not considered a big deal?

Sebastian said...

"the media is being hysterical" As on NPR this morning: before covering the president's foreign trip, "we have to" cover this.

Anyway, sorry if I missed the obvious upthread: sure, K may have been naive about the Russians etc. -- but not about US "intelligence," anticipating that the swamp would do everything possible to leak and derail anything Trump might do.

Anonymous said...

Yet another player seeking immunity.

"Putin Ally Wanted Immunity to Testify “Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch once close to President Trump’s former campaign manager, has offered to cooperate with congressional committees investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election, but lawmakers are unwilling to accept his conditions,” the New York Times reports.

“Mr. Deripaska’s offer comes amid increased attention to his ties to Paul Manafort, who is one of several Trump associates under F.B.I. scrutiny for possible collusion with Russia during the presidential campaign.”

“Mr. Deripaska, an aluminum magnate who is a member of the inner circle of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, recently offered to cooperate with congressional intelligence committees in exchange for a grant of full immunity… But the Senate and House panels turned him down because of concerns that immunity agreements create complications for federal criminal investigators.”

https://politicalwire.com/2017/05/27/putin-ally-wanted-immunity-testify/

Michael K said...

"But the significance is what it indicates about Kushner's priorities and lack of savvy."

No, it indicates about the left's panic that Trump might actually be successful.

This is all about rice bowls and the DC concern about some being broken as Trump cuts government.

They don't give a shit about Russia. This is about Money in their pockets !

Yancey Ward said...

What, does this mean that Trump and his campaign weren't in secret contact with the Russians before December 1st (after the election????). Inquiring minds want to know which is it?

Yancey Ward said...

And I see that Michael Guarino has beat me to it:

Michael Guarino wrote:

"I'm more interested in the implication WaPo left out: that the Trump team must have had no consistent line of communication with Russia prior to winning the election (this request was made by the transition team). Seems like it would have been really difficult to collude with people you could not communicate securely with."

Humperdink said...

Brookzene said: "You know I keep looking all morning but I haven't seen a single national security official raise this as a defense."

Yo Brookzene, guess what I found?

"It is common for senior advisers of a newly elected president to be in contact with foreign leaders and official," The Washington Post reports that President Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster agrees this is a non-story, saying Saturday he "would not be concerned" about having a back-channel communications system with Russia.

"No," McMaster said. "We have back-channel communications with a number of countries. So, generally speaking, about back-channel communications, what that allows you to do is to communicate in a discreet manner."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-05-27/mcmaster-responds-kushners-russia-back-channel-report

Zach said...

Ambassador Sergey Kislyak reported to his superiors in Moscow that Kushner, son-in-law and confidant to then-President-elect Trump, made the proposal during a meeting on Dec. 1 or 2 at Trump Tower, according to intercepts of Russian communications that were reviewed by U.S. officials. Kislyak said Kushner suggested using Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States for the communications.

So this whole story is about contacting the Russians after Trump was elected? That's not a scandal at all, that's his job! The President Elect will soon be President, and he has the right to begin conducting business on that basis.

Anonymous said...

"What, does this mean that Trump and his campaign weren't in secret contact with the Russians before December 1st (after the election????)."

No.

"Inquiring minds want to know which is it?"

According to House and Senate Intelligence Committee Hearings testimony they were in contact before the election and after. Doesn't anyone here watch these hearings? Why are you folks so poorly informed?

Bruce Hayden said...

Here is a link to the story that I mentioned above that the Deep Stare seems to be trying to hide:,Shock: Complete MSM News Blackout on NSA Illegal Spying Bombshell. And the original article: Obama intel agency secretly conducted illegal searches on Americans for years, which starts out:

The National Security Agency under former President Barack Obama routinely violated American privacy protections while scouring through overseas intercepts and failed to disclose the extent of the problems until the final days before Donald Trump was elected president last fall, according to once top-secret documents that chronicle some of the most serious constitutional abuses to date by the U.S. intelligence community.

More than 5 percent, or one out of every 20 searches seeking upstream Internet data on Americans inside the NSA’s so-called Section 702 database violated the safeguards Obama and his intelligence chiefs vowed to follow in 2011, according to one classified internal report reviewed by Circa.

The Obama administration self-disclosed the problems at a closed-door hearing Oct. 26 before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court that set off alarm. Trump was elected less than two weeks later.

Yancey Ward said...

Good grief- it is established fact that Obama set up secret lines of communication with several governments prior to even winning in 2008. There is nothing unusual about this either, and is especially understandable if you are replacing a president and administration of the political opposition. Given that many of Trump's campaign communications were leaked prior to the inauguration, but after the election, and by the outgoing administration, helps one to understand why someone might suggest such a thing in the first place.

And it still wasn't done. Wow, what a scandal this is, really.

Yancey Ward said...

And what did they talk about, Inga? Show me where they were rigging the election in those communications, Inga. I am sure you can find a leaked conversation somewhere in the media that shows this, can't you? I am all ears awaiting your response.

Anonymous said...

"So this whole story is about contacting the Russians after Trump was elected? That's not a scandal at all, that's his job! The President Elect will soon be President, and he has the right to begin conducting business on that basis."

Why did Kushner want to set up secret communications with the Kremlin from inside a Russian facility using their communication equipment? Even Kislyak was taken aback by that request. Seriously folks you need to get your heads out of ...the sand.
----------------------
This was caught on survellience being done on the Russians.

"Ambassador Sergei Kislyak told his superiors in Moscow that he and Kushner discussed ways to shield their pre-inauguration discussions from monitoring, the Washington Post said, citing US officials briefed on intelligence reports."

Anonymous said...

"And what did they talk about, Inga? Show me where they were rigging the election in those communications, Inga. I am sure you can find a leaked conversation somewhere in the media that shows this, can't you? I am all ears awaiting your response."

Go ask Special Prosecutor Mueller. It's classified.... for now.

jg said...

Using encryption to avoid snoops is commonplace. See Signal and other phone apps.
The idea that you shouldn't have anything to hide from *Obama* is hilarious given the well documented abuses of government power against political enemies (it's only the well-documented part that's unusual there, not the abuses, IMO).

Yancey Ward said...

Of course, Inga, it is "classified". Amazing how with all the leaks pouring out of the administration, no one has bothered to publish the contents of any conversation other than Flynn's which showed no illegal conduct at all. I mean, surely, there is one conversation detailing collusion that WaPo could have gotten printed in the last 10 months. At least one?

Yancey Ward said...

Inga basically is the model for what is going on here- all innuendo like "sources say so and so contacted so and so", but then the details that matter are all "classified" or "could not be discussed" despite the fact that the leakers don't seem to have a problem with reading memos to reporters, or transcripts of the president's meetings in the Oval Office.

You really have to be the stupidest fuck on the planet to not realize that if there were evidence of truly criminal behavior in this Russian story, it would have already been leaked to the press before the election. WaPo, by this point, would have obtained a recording of someone in the Trump Administration discussing such collusion, or would have obtained the transcripts of defendants turning state's evidence in the investigation.

What you are almost 100% certain of finding at the end of all of this is that all of these contacts were perfectly innocent and common and that is why no one has bothered to leak them- only to leak that the contacts occurred. If anyone bothers to look at the Clinton Campaign, you would find that she and her staff were also in contact with governments around the world, and it makes perfect sense that she would be since she thought she was going to be president, too.

And I guarantee you that when Mueller wraps this up with no prosecutions and convictions, you won't get an apology and mea culpa from the likes of Inga- she will have moved on to the next fake scandal, or be writing comments directing us to The Daily Beast's latest story detailing how Mueller spent a night at a Trump Hotel in 2008 and wasn't charged for the mini-bar use, or some anonymous source claims in a "bombshell just printed in WaPo.

Anonymous said...

"You really have to be the stupidest fuck on the planet to not realize that if there were evidence of truly criminal behavior in this Russian story, it would have already been leaked to the press before the election."

Complete bullshit and wishful thinking.

Yancey Ward said...

Wishful thinking is your entire act, Inga. Not one piece of evidence has made it to the press detailing any of the criminal acts you, yourself, have claimed occurred and will lead to Trump's impeachment. Not one single piece of evidence as I asked you to produce and you replied "Go ask Special Prosecutor Mueller. It's classified.... for now."

Nothing that politically explosive could ever be kept secret with the enemies Trump has within the executive branch itself- literally nothing. The only explanation that makes sense is that there isn't anything to leak in the first place.

Anonymous said...

"Not one piece of evidence has made it to the press detailing any of the criminal acts you, yourself, have claimed occurred and will lead to Trump's impeachment."

Do you think these leaks haven't been strategic? You think the people who are leaking are just willy nilly leaking this stuff? Are you incapable of understanding that the leakers are not going to leak things that would hurt the investigation? These things that have been leaked are probably things they want to be made public because it won't harm the investigation. As in a game of cards, you're not going to reveal your hand too soon.

tim in vermont said...

Inga's "pussy hat" avatar shows that her mind is closed. Why you guys argue with her so vehemently is beyond me.

Anonymous said...

Also,
You think a Special Counsel was appointed merely for shits and giggles? The investigation is ongoing and one piece of info leads to more discoveries. This is far from over.

Anonymous said...

"Inga's "pussy hat" avatar shows that her mind is closed."

My hat is a shark. Not very observant, that's your problem.

Bruce Hayden said...

"My hat is a shark. Not very observant, that's your problem"

To give her credit, she has switched to a kitten with a knitted hat. I guess cute, but maybe suggests Crazy Cat Lady too much.

Anonymous said...

FYI. I have no cats. That is a picture off the internet.

Anonymous said...

Leaked from the Secret Society of Crocheted Cat Caps, to the Pussy Cat Journal, by an intrepid undercover kitty.

Anonymous said...

And Bruce, I can see up your nose, ew.

Brookzene said...

"Good grief- it is established fact that Obama set up secret lines of communication with several governments prior to even winning in 2008."

Link? Something not InfoWars preferably.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Brookzene said...
not InfoWars, preferably.


Snob.

hombre said...

It's difficult to imagine anyone in this administration trusting the Obot-infested FBI or any other US intelligence agency not to surveil illegally and disclose illegally any administration business to be spun by the leftmedia. That the intelligence community is dangerously out of control was dramatically illustrated by the recent temporary shutdown of terror intelligence sharing by the Brits due to leaks to the US leftmedia by our people.

Scurrilous lefty Democrats evidently believe that illegal conduct and the loss of credibility by our intelligence community is a small price to pay to embarrass Trump and Co. Kushner's "discussion" with the Russians does not appear to have violated any law, particularly without an overt act. Meanwhile, the disclosures we have seen by federal officials of classified and confidential material is clearly felonious. These leakers are not whistleblowers. They are criminals.

GRW3 said...

Leak, leak, leak, leak, leak, leak…

Why would Trump need a secure back channel?

Michael K said...

Inga, I have tried to be polite but you have to try harder not to sound dumb.

Anonymous said...

Michael K,

I won't bother being poilite. Try not to sound like a senile curmudgeon. No one cares when you go to bed, or go shopping, or go out to dinner. You use Althouse comments section like Facebook. Your opinions and insights are no more valid than mine. Now go to bed, it's getting late.

Michael K said...

Your opinions and insights are no more valid than mine.

Inga, I'm not trying to spin some goofy conspiracy theory. You seem to want the blog to be all about your fantasies.

I post things on Cafe threads like normal people do who are having a casual conversation. Once in while a normal person comments on a trip or something personal. These are normal people, Inga,

You are spreading hysteria with these long string of comments. I just scroll past most of them.

Anonymous said...

Michael, do me a favor and truly scroll past my comments and don't keep addressing me. I don't like being rude to you and I never address you in a rude manner unless you've attacked me in some way. My comments regarding this Trump Russia scandal are based on news reports from many many reputable sources, not right wing rags. I also have based my comments on things I've heard in the Hearings, every which one I've watched. So again, my observations are as valid, no actually probably far more valid and based on reality than yours are.

And Michael, you often leave in a huff claiming you are "going to bed!" on all sorts of threads that other commenters have gotten the better of you on, not just Cafe threads.

Michael K said...

you often leave in a huff claiming you are "going to bed!" on all sorts of threads that other commenters have gotten the better of you on, not just Cafe threads.

No, I read books. You should try it sometime.

Good grief !

I leave when the comments are filled with psychosis. I often say "Goodnight" as I leave.

When the comment thread gets taken over by repetitive comment threads from you or Ritmo in his various sock puppets, there is no point in reading or trying to hold a discussion with other sane commenters,

This is not the only blog, hard as that may be to believe.

Try to get over yourself.

Robert said...

From the Reuters link way above in the comments...


Officials familiar with intelligence on contacts between the Russians and Trump advisers said that so far they have not seen evidence of any wrongdoing or collusion between the Trump camp and the Kremlin. Moreover, they said, nothing found so far indicates that Trump authorized, or was even aware of, the contacts.

There may not have been anything improper about the contacts, the current law enforcement official stressed.



Known Unknown said...

Are we at war with Russia?

Known Unknown said...

"My hat is a shark. Not very observant, that's your problem."

It's a pussy in a hat. Pussy hat.

Martin said...

I recently realized that when WaPo says, "Democracy dies in darkness" it's not a warning or a call to be vigilant. They are bragging about what they are doing: spreading darkness in order to kill a democratic outcome they don't like.