BREAKING: Justice Dept. Inspector General launches review of FBI and DOJ actions ahead of 2016 presidential election

Josh Earnest is such a cutie.

About fuckin' time.

Go get em' Inspector General!

Well we almost waited.

Um, reread that snippet in the photo.

Well, we almost had to wait

Welcome news, but does anyone think anything will actually come of this?

Also, as well as the points one would hope and expect to see investigated, see Point 3. What's that all about?

I would love to have Josh sit on my face in earnest...

bump for original

I think it's the Clinton and Lynch thing, R7. Which is to be expected, honestly -- if they're going to investigate everything, it's got to be everything.

Any golden shower tapes on Jim Comey?

Anything that continues to de-legitimize this fool and the idiot he helped get elected is fine by me.

All of the shit is going to pile up until that orange twat can no longer stand. Then he will collapse and the higher he is when it happens, the lower he will fall and the more assholes that will get dragged down with him.

Down, down, down, into a burning ring of fire!

Is there any chance Trump could have this investigation squashed once he's president?

No, R13, he can't. IG is independent.

R11, he's a scat troll if there ever was one

Thanks R14.

R15, I'm reminded of the guy on the first Pissgate thread we had who said "C'MOONNNN SCAT". Even deplorables wouldn't be able to shake that image out of the American cultural conscience.

does this probe end upon the inauguration?

r17, no, it ends when the IG says it ends. Not even Trump as president can stop it.

R7: The NYT article that just came out addressed your exact question:

[quote]But the inspector general, Michael Horowitz, said he would also be examining other issues, including whether the deputy director of the F.B.I., whose wife ran as a Democrat for the Virginia State Senate, should have recused himself from any involvement in the Clinton email investigation. Another issue is whether a top Justice Department official gave information to the Clinton campaign.

I'm going to say that the top Justice Dept official they're referring to is Lynch.

Wonder if they're going to investigate whether people in the FBI told Giuliani about the letter before Comey even sent it?

Oh crap, I was wrong, it's Peter Kadzik that's being investigated:

[quote]While the review will be welcomed by many Democrats, Horowitz also plans to explore some allegations Republicans would like to see pursued: claims that Justice's top legislative affairs official, Peter Kadzik, "improperly disclosed non-public information to the Clinton campaign and/or should have been recused from participating in certain matters."

r20, Good, let it happen. If there was any wrong doing on the Clinton side as well, let it all come out.

Thanks OP, very interesting

[quote][R20], Good, let it happen. If there was any wrong doing on the Clinton side as well, let it all come out.

Oh, yes, let's equalize in importance the deeds on both sides.

And let's make it sound like it's a much bigger issue by calling it "THE CLINTON SIDE". The issue is practically calling for a front page, isn't it, R21?

I'd like to think Horowitz won't do the false equivalency thing where Republicans are accused of four hundred thousand things and Democrats are accused of one and that "makes it even."

Oh calm down r23, I'm a Democrat and I voted for HIllary, ok? I'm not saying for a minute that I believe that they will find that equal improprieties were done on the Dem side because I don't, All I'm saying is that I want to see a thorough FULL investigation done and if that means that the Democratic side is looked at as well, then so be it.

They'll start at the bottom, and some low-level Pro-HRC drones will finger some higher-ups. To get the ball rolling.

Comey should resign now.

"Any golden shower tapes on Jim Comey?"

Nope. He's only had missionary with one woman his whole life: his h.s. sweetheart-turned-wifey (and they keep the lights off).

r27 What a good Catholic boy.

There is something seriously fucking wrong going on in this country. The FBI is in the tank for Trump. Clinton and Lynch screwed up royally with that tarmac thing, so now the right is portraying this as only an investigation into Hillary. The CIA and FBI are obviously at war and are using leaks to go after each other. Putin's French Nazi bitch is in Trump Tower today as all fascists start coordinating. Israeli intelligence leaked today they were told not to give Trump any sensitive info because it will go immediately to Russia and then to Iran....

And apparently Obama is doing fuck. all. about any of it. If he is, he needs to somehow let the American public know.

The right is jumping the gun r29, I think -- it's Peter Kadzik being investigated, not Lynch like we all assumed. So that part of their trolling should die down soon enough, at least.

[quote] All of the shit is going to pile up until that orange twat can no longer stand. Then he will collapse and the higher he is when it happens, the lower he will fall and the more assholes that will get dragged down with him.

[quote] Down, down, down, into a burning ring of fire!

I love you, man.

CNN is taking off the gloves! They are reporting all the negative stuff about Trump now. The love fest is ova baby!

heheheheh Wowza.

Well all righty then, now we're talking.

The Rethugs waited until Obama was inaugurated to go for the jugular. We're going for Fuckface's Right. Fucking. Now.

R29: I have a feeling Obama is putting these things in motion behind the scenes...Remember how he took out Bin Laden in secret while giving speeches and cracking jokes?

R34, it's No Drama Obama - kicking ass and taking names while he charms and jokes and smiles.

Love that man.

Maddow is saying Trump may fire the deputy director before the investigation is complete. Is there any way they can wrap this up in the next 8 days?!

R36, once it gets rolling, a record has been created. There's not much he'll be able to do about it.

Okay weird question, but what's the deal with a Russian network hacking C-Span today?

I saw that too R38 and would love to know the truth behind what really happened there. Things are just getting stranger by the minute.

Too little, too late.

Once Trump is Pres this goes nowhere. But maybe the FBI will surprise. Supposedly Israel was warned not to share intelligence with Trump. There are fears it will go straight to Putin.

I have a feeling there are bigger forces at work to bring Trump down. Have no clue who (the Bushes?) but remember we're all citizen of the US and the Orange Fuck poses a threat to us all

I feel like this is an episode of the Blacklist.

Yep R42 and if the constant scandals don't do it, he will be eliminated.

My 2 cents:

I listened to Paul Ryan give a 'Town Hall' tonight on CNN. A Speaker giving a Town Hall.

I thought 'Why would a Speaker be doing a Town Hall?' These guys are behind-the-scenes guys.

I think Ryan (et al) recognize that Trumpov is a train wreck and has zero intellectual capacity and personal skills set to relate and communicate with the public and the press. Trumpinsky has zero interest in substantive policy issues (like health care) and even if he did have a genuine interest, it is *way* too complex a topic for him to get his brain around. Much less engage with voters on it.

For Ryan to have to come out on national TV and interact with worried Americans on Health Care and Immigration and other questions from the audience relating to Trumperin's use of tweets as a communications tool for foreign and domestic policy tells me that the GOP realize that the Presidency is on life support. And that the GOP's grasp on power is tenuous at best.

Washington is worried about Trump. I would even add the word 'panicked.'

Ha R45. I thought the EXACTLY same thing.

R45, Ryan's no genius either. He's a spineless jackass who is trying to avoid becoming collateral damage (which he is, anyway). I agree that this is seems like Obama and McCain and some sane Republicans yanking the country back on the rails. I think something beyond awful will happen to Trump. He's pissed off the intelligence community, and they are going to make him eat shit. Same w Comey.

Thanks r46 and r47. It dawned on me at the beginning of the program actually. Ryan was *adopting* the mantle of a President by going before a very worried Town Hall group to field their questions:

1. One was a crying Mexican mother asking "While I be deported?

2. One man who asked about the GOP approach to replace the health care program once it is collapsed. He told Ryan that last year he was given 6 weeks to live. He said "If it wasn't for Obama, I'd be dead."

3. A young professional woman asked Ryan hid views on Trump's constant tweeting and how other 'allies' are perceiving the U.S. foreign policy done by tweeting.

These were real live people with real issues. I kept thinking as Ryan responded (not a fan - just sayin') Trump could *never* articulate complex thoughts/topics to concerned Americans. He just cannot do it.

I think the GOP or whoever are sufficiently alarmed by Trump's behaviour and sent Ryan to do this Town Hall as a mean to assuage growing public (media) concerns. But inside the GOP, panic has set in.

I could be wrong. But something is...decidedly not quite right.

I totally agree. I seriously cannot shake the feeling something major is about to happen. I've been trying to carry on as usual but there isn't something in the air. It's too quiet. Not a peep from the Bushes or Clintons, Obama taking the high road but strategically planting seeds here and there. All in spite of there being of a literal buffoon mouthing off, tweeting to deliberately making specific stocks volatile, meeting with fascist foreign leaders and lining his pockets. It's very unnerving.

As far a McCain goes I had a former boss at FCC who was battling him beause they were not politically savvy enough to kiss ass on the hill. The beef (Whether they would be reappointed) made the trades. At first McCain was angry and bashing this person then all of sudden he was very neutral, almost complementary. I knew right then it was over and they would not be reappointed. Watch for McCain or Graham to suddenly ease off, that's when you will know Cheeto is out.

he loves the night life, he likes to boogie, and he loves golden showers!

I can't remember which Senator it was who asked the Trump appointee during confirmation hearings for the Attorney General job this week whether:

"Grabbing a woman's genitals would in the Attorney General's mind, constitute a sexual offense or assault."

Attorney General response:

"Yes"

I thought to myself: "Check mate. Trump is done."

I hope they don't forge to investigate that closeted Utah Congressman, who riled up the Comey thing two days after disavowing Trump and two days before becoming captain of Team Trump.

Comey should have been fired. I think he was blackmailed.

That would be the fucking smarmy ass Chaffetz, r53. That useless sonofabitch is a weasel and a major closet case. I've called his office and bitched out his staffers twice. They were NOT happy that I told them this fuckwit wanted to investigate Clinton on day one and now he is threatening the ethics office for wanting to investigate that fat orange fucker.

He, the cowardly Ryan and the turtle need to be in prison in the cell next to orange and asshole.

disgusting turds

I'm not comfortable with this. It could escalate into another Republican witch hunt aimed at distracting us, while Congress holds more hearings and demonizes Hillary AND the Dems to weaken them as they protest the GOP agenda. This is a war. It'll come to a head when the IG issues a final report probably late in 2017 or early 2018.

People ask why Obama didn't fire Comey long ago, but look at it this way. Lynch & Bill Clinton run into one another on the Tarmac end of June. June 27th. On July 5th against Lynch's wishes, Comey publicly announces his recommendations to Lynch regarding prosecution of Hillary for e-mails. "No prosecutable offenses."

So if Obama steps in after that, and insists on suspending, firing, or investigating Comey, it gives the GOP a lot of ammo and they scream that he is politicizing an on- going investigation, and that Bill & Barack are colluding to affect the race. Duh-h.

It raises sympathy among Trump voters, but also affects independents who are uneasy about Hillary anyway. it's all moot now because they stole the election, but at the time, in July it would have been a real bad move for Obama to act against Comey no matter how justified.

The political timing was bad and they probably believed it would tip the election. Which it did anyway. FBI is an investigative body. They are not ever supposed to comment on the status of any investigation. Personally I believe the FBI has been compromised, at least in regards to Comey and certain elements in the NYC field office. I think Giuliani and his cronies are behind a lot of it.

Now. If the IG is investigating, he will investigate Dems as well as GOP. He will go after everything and it'll be thorough. It will also take months as IG investigations typically do. But no matter how "fair and balanced" the IG investigation is, it will give the GOP some ammo to use it for political gain, and any recommendations critical of Comey etc. will get brushed aside by the Republican majority House which controls the committees and conducts the hearings.

The question is, will this have any effect at all? Dems need to stop being angry and offended. Do something.

Dems 'outraged' with Comey after House briefing

A number of House Democrats left Friday's confidential briefing on Russian hacking fuming over the actions of FBI Director James Comey and convinced he's unfit to lead the agency.

"I was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. I no longer have that confidence in him," Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said as he left the meeting in the Capitol.

"Some of the things that were revealed in this classified briefing — my confidence has been shook."

Rep. Elijah Cummings (Md.), senior Democrat on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, delivered a similar condemnation.

"I'm extremely concerned — extremely," he said.

"I'll just — I'm very angry," echoed Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.).

Agree, they need to galvanize this "outrage" and start taking these fuckers down. Or tell us what they want us to do - march, have a "sick out", burn up the phone lines, flood their offices with mail. Not just bitch at CNN (who nobody believes anyway).

They need to start going over heads and calling in favors and leaking shit to the press.

[quote] Maddow is saying Trump may fire the deputy director before the investigation is complete

How does that stop it? Unless they intend to emilinate him as in E.L.I.M.I.N.A.T.E.

They are also saying Comey shouldn't be fired or resign because Trump will replace him with someone worse like Giuliani

Ghouliani!

[quote] They are also saying Comey shouldn't be fired or resign because Trump will replace him with someone worse like Giuliani

What could be worse than a man who helped the Orange Mussolini and his band of criminals take over the country?

bump

RUMP

I think it would be better to fire him and get someone new. That way it would disrupt whatever little underground network Comey has, and a new person would at least be under scrutiny

I don't know about that, r66, my inclination would be to leave Comey where he is and keep him boxed in really tightly. Then, once Trump and his idiot posse go down in flames, THEN jettison Comey, with prejudice.

EXTREME prejudice, r67. The way it should be.

And what next?

Faux Outrage - The Crime of the Century was a Yuge success for all the purely evil people- No criminals will ever go to prison - they're all toasting each other and laughing behind closed doors!

Federal prosecutors in Washington have been asked by the Justice Department’s inspector general to determine whether the FBI’s former deputy director, Andrew McCabe, should be charged for allegedly “lacking candor” on multiple occasions with internal investigators and with then-FBI director James Comey, according to a source familiar with the matter.

In a report made public by lawmakers last week, Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded that McCabe repeatedly misled investigators looking into how sensitive investigative information ended up on in a national newspaper in the weeks before the 2016 presidential election.