Hi there, !
Today Wed 04/17/2019 Tue 04/16/2019 Mon 04/15/2019 Sun 04/14/2019 Sat 04/13/2019 Fri 04/12/2019 Thu 04/11/2019 Archives
Rantburg
531203 articles and 1854414 comments are archived on Rantburg.

Today: 65 articles and 101 comments as of 3:19.
Post a news link    Post your own article   
Area: WoT Operations    WoT Background    Non-WoT    Opinion       
Taliban’s shadow governor for Helmand succumbs to injuries sustained in an airstrike
Today's Headlines
Headline Comments [Views]
Page 6: Politix
6 23:24 Iblis [336089] 
12 17:57 rjschwarz [336082] 
19 22:31 JohnQC [336096] 
5 11:54 M. Murcek [336083] 
Page 1: WoT Operations
3 10:41 Skidmark [336069]
4 20:19 gorb [336134]
1 10:05 chris [336098]
0 [336070]
0 [336085]
0 [336070]
0 [336076]
0 [336069]
0 [336070]
0 [336085]
0 [336071]
0 [336068]
0 [336071]
0 [336071]
1 08:37 Omorong Black8889 [336073]
0 [336073]
0 [336073]
0 [336068]
Page 2: WoT Background
1 19:02 swksvolFF [336075]
0 [336078]
0 [336071]
0 [336074]
0 [336069]
0 [336067]
0 [336066]
0 [336068]
0 [336076]
0 [336070]
0 [336065]
0 [336071]
0 [336068]
1 07:35 lord garth [336073]
0 [336070]
0 [336073]
0 [336065]
0 [336074]
0 [336068]
0 [336081]
0 [336067]
0 [336069]
Page 3: Non-WoT
3 20:21 gorb [336074]
7 16:39 M. Murcek [336097]
2 14:30 Abu Uluque [336071]
0 [336070]
0 [336077]
2 09:07 Skidmark [336068]
2 19:08 CrazyFool [336088]
3 23:57 trailing wife [336073]
8 18:56 M. Murcek [336101]
0 [336114]
3 11:04 JohnQC [336068]
0 [336070]
3 10:27 SteveS [336080]
0 [336069]
Page 4: Opinion
6 14:13 trailing wife [336066]
2 10:44 Frank G [336073]
5 20:39 Neville Dark Lord of the Wee Folk7365 [336077]
0 [336064]
0 [336070]
0 [336080]
2 10:54 Sock Puppet of Doom [336072]
-Lurid Crime Tales-
FBI Official Suggests British Intelligence Involvement In Conspiracy To Bring Down Trump
[Red State] On Tuesday, Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) released the second part of the June 2018 closed-door testimony of Bill Priestap, the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division.

Real Clear Investigations’ Eric Felten wrote an excellent piece on Friday in which he covers Priestap’s entire testimony which can be read here and provides some interesting analysis. I will be focusing on Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) questioning of Priestap’s trips to London and what role British intelligence may have played in the conspiracy. Felten believes Priestap’s testimony "paints a portrait of the Obama-era bureau as one that was unconcerned with political interference in investigations and was willing to enlist the help of close foreign allies to bring down its target."

Last fall, ahead of the midterms, President Trump announced his plan to declassify the FISA Court applications for the Carter Page surveillance warrant and related documents so the American people would know how everything went down. Nothing ever came of it. There were rumors that MI6, as well as the Australian intelligence service, had objected strenuously to the release of those records because it would, naturally, expose sources and methods.

It was said at the time that the Brits were "desperate" for the information to remain classified. The reason for their desperation? Although there is insufficient evidence to prove it, it sure looks like British intelligence agents were involved in the FBI’s operation to destroy Trump’s candidacy.

Priestap was questioned by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) about his overseas travel in 2016. Felten said the redactions in the transcript make it obvious that the FBI and DOJ "really, really didn’t want anyone to know where Bill Priestap was a week into May 2016."
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/14/2019 00:53 || Comments || Link || [336096 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Referenced 'Real Clear Investigations' article found at this link.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/14/2019 1:15 Comments || Top||

#2  Pretty obviously true. Along with Australia's Downer
Posted by: Frank G || 04/14/2019 6:31 Comments || Top||

#3  Does the timing of this fit in correctly?
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/14/2019 9:31 Comments || Top||

#4  Does Assange's nab have any linkage with this story.
Posted by: JohnQC || 04/14/2019 10:13 Comments || Top||

#5  #3 - Good catch, BP
Posted by: Frank G || 04/14/2019 10:42 Comments || Top||

#6  We had known this for the last two years, thankfully its starting to get out.
Posted by: 49 Pan || 04/14/2019 10:50 Comments || Top||

#7  Ref #3: An anti-BREXIT Trump doubter. No surprises here. Wonder where he might be found today.

Yes, nice memory jogger BP.

Wiki: In February 2017, Hannigan was appointed to the UK Government's new Defence Innovation Advisory Panel, along with McLaren Chairman Ron Dennis and astronaut Tim Peake.[61] He has written about the shift in technological innovation from government to private sector and West to East, expressing some concern about the tone of the Brexit debate and its impact on the UK academic tech sector.
Posted by: Besoeker || 04/14/2019 11:30 Comments || Top||

#8  It will be interesting to watch the confluence of events with Brexit as this comes out. It will be clear that the British establishment has contempt not only for its own voters but America's as well. And it may not end there.
Posted by: Black Bart Unung4683 || 04/14/2019 11:31 Comments || Top||

#9  Referenced 'Real Clear Investigations' article

The Real Clear site is neutral ground — Democrats read it as well as Republicans. So what we have known for two years, as 49 Pan points out, they can no longer ignore.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/14/2019 11:33 Comments || Top||

#10  the British establishment has contempt not only for its own voters but America's as well.

Given they have contempt for Americans as a class... “Not people like us, dear.”
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/14/2019 11:41 Comments || Top||

#11  ...and proudly so since July 4, 1776.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/14/2019 11:51 Comments || Top||

#12  If the Brits were involved they should be embarrassed.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 04/14/2019 13:41 Comments || Top||

#13  The UK is at the tipping point.
Posted by: Alaska Paul || 04/14/2019 14:15 Comments || Top||

#14  The threat of the dissolution of the way the five friends can effectively spy on each others citizens has stayed Trumps hand. But this is going to get out, and the Brits and GCHQ in specific, were a party to the Obama spygate unwittingly I suspect. The perfidious actions of the FBI/CIA/NSC leaders entrapped the Brits in this, and history will find that the cancer at the center was at 1600 Penn Ave in 2016.
Posted by: NoMoreBS || 04/14/2019 14:45 Comments || Top||

#15  Last fall, ahead of the midterms, President Trump announced his plan to declassify the FISA Court applications for the Carter Page surveillance warrant and related documents so the American people would know how everything went down. Nothing ever came of it.

Mm
Posted by: charger || 04/14/2019 15:35 Comments || Top||

#16  the British establishment has contempt not only for its own voters but America's as well.

They apparently want to party like it's 1775.
Posted by: charger || 04/14/2019 15:36 Comments || Top||

#17  I think if Steele were snatched up and black sited (maybe by Russian contractors) lots of IC people would rush to be on record as not being part of the conspiracy.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 04/14/2019 16:43 Comments || Top||

#18  Did they have liberals in charge of Australia in 2016? What's with the disgusting cooperation between our allies and Obama to subvert US election laws?
Posted by: rjschwarz || 04/14/2019 17:58 Comments || Top||

#19  I waded through most of Priestap’s depo. He might not be telling the truth about not knowing certain things but more likely, he really doesn't know about certain things and was put in his position because he was new to the job and didn't know very much--kind of a speed bump to slow investigators down should Trump become POTUS. He replaced Randall Coleman who left the Agency.
Posted by: JohnQC || 04/14/2019 22:31 Comments || Top||


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Epping principal issues apology after student was told to cover Trump shirt
[UNIONLEADER] The principal of Epping High School has apologized after a freshman was told to cover up her “Make America Great Again” Trump T-shirt earlier this week during the school’s America Day.

In a letter addressed to the school community on Friday, Brian Ernest admitted his mistake when Ciretta MacKenzie was told to cover her shirt.

Ernest said he met with Ciretta’s family and offered his apologies.
But NOT his resignation
“We have begun to draft a plan to move forward to promote civil discourse and diversity in our schools. In retrospect, I want to fully acknowledge my error in judgement (sic) and sincerely apologize if my actions were misinterpreted and offended anyone. That was never my intention,” he wrote.
“We have begun to draft a plan to move forward to promote civil discourse and diversity in our schools. In retrospect, I want to fully acknowledge my error in judgement (sic) and sincerely apologize if my actions were misinterpreted and offended anyone. That was never my intention,” he wrote.
The thing is, the actions were correctly interpreted — that’s why your student, her parents, and vocal others made their displeasure widely known, Principal Earnest.
The apology followed sharp criticism over the decision to prohibit the shirt on Monday, which was a day when students were encouraged to wear red, white and blue to show off their patriotism.

Ciretta, who will turn 15 next week, said she wore the Trump shirt to school, but was called to Ernest’s office where she was told she would have to cover it up. She said Ernest told her that Trump was a controversial President and that he didn’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable if she wore it.
Barack H. Obama was a controversial president as well. Did you make students wearing his t-shirts cover them up at the time?
In an email sent to Ciretta’s mother, Rose MacKenzie, after she expressed concern about his decision, Ernest wrote, “I explained that we need to separate political views from patriotism. In today’s climate it is important to not mix church or state.”
Unless all political views are banned, none can be.
Ernest has come under attack by many who felt the incident wasn’t properly handled, that it suggested intolerance for opposing political views, and that it violated Ciretta’s First Amendment rights.

The controversy over the shirt grabbed national headlines after it was first reported in Thursday’s New Hampshire Union Leader.

In his letter Friday, Ernest defended his work at the school.

“I have worked in the Epping School District for the past five years. During this time, I have always promoted tolerance, acceptance, diversity and civility. Since the event of April 8th there has been a multitude of responses, some of which have fact-based information and other responses less factual. I have always been respectful and sincere in my approach to promote civil discourse and free speech/expression. I want our students to be free thinkers and be able to express their opinions in a respectful manner,” Ernest wrote.
Posted by: Fred || 04/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336083 views] Top|| File under:

#1  "Oops! I am deeply sorry I got caught"
Posted by: Frank G || 04/14/2019 7:35 Comments || Top||

#2  SCOTUS has already ruled on the issue. We don't need 'plans' or other smokes screen to hide behind when you are caught red handed.

But NOT his resignation

Well, the school year is about over. The contract is up. It's the school board that heat needs to be brought upon. Simply point out cost avoidance in not renewing against a known losing hand in any court action predicated upon established law.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/14/2019 8:33 Comments || Top||

#3  I'm old enough to remember when there were far fewer lefty moonbats in New Hampshire.
Posted by: Raj || 04/14/2019 10:37 Comments || Top||

#4  To be perfectly honest, a principal would have to have been in far bigger trouble to offer resignation. This man has offered a simpering, false apology, and expects the rest of us to buy it, or pretend to, while he moves on to his next victim in the culture wars. His superiors and underlings will accept his apology with a wink and and a nod and nothing will change except for this individual school for the remainder of this individual year. Schools are run by scumbags. Especially but not exclusively public schools. Even this much was more than I expected, but far less than needed to happen.
Posted by: Vernal Hatrack2366 || 04/14/2019 11:38 Comments || Top||

#5  Ban the guy from voting or contributing to any political campaign for 10 years (guess you'd have to impound his union dues) because his "political statements" might offend sombody. See how he likes it...
Posted by: M. Murcek || 04/14/2019 11:54 Comments || Top||


Home Front: Politix
Why We Call Them Lagunatics
[FoxNews] Patriotic patrol-car lettering sparks backlash in California city: Laguna Beach debates whether American flags on police vehicles are too aggressive.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy || 04/14/2019 06:03 || Comments || Link || [336082 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Oikophobia should be as unacceptable as racism.
Posted by: Bright Pebbles || 04/14/2019 9:03 Comments || Top||

#2  We should put large american flags on each ballot. Perhaps that will drive them away from voting.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 04/14/2019 9:17 Comments || Top||

#3  It is an ugly design though. They could have done better.

You'd think the left would appreciate the cops making themselves stand out so well. The typical Police SUV blends better than most police vehicles.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 04/14/2019 9:18 Comments || Top||

#4  It's California.
Posted by: JohnQC || 04/14/2019 10:14 Comments || Top||

#5  Stupid knows no limits, they would complain if it was blue, red or pink. California has gone to the lunatics...
Posted by: 49 Pan || 04/14/2019 10:52 Comments || Top||

#6 
Posted by: Skidmark || 04/14/2019 11:05 Comments || Top||

#7  We have a local speed trap. The LE cars are white, the markings are all very light gray.
Posted by: Procopius2k || 04/14/2019 11:45 Comments || Top||

#8  Laguna Beach is in Orange County, traditionally a bastion of the Republican Party. Orange County has changed a lot since Bill Clinton left the border open but I think Laguna Beach is still pretty conservative as a whole. What we have here is one loud-mouth who managed to get her opinion printed by the LA Times. I do not believe she speaks for the community.
Posted by: Abu Uluque || 04/14/2019 14:07 Comments || Top||

#9  ^
This
Posted by: Frank G || 04/14/2019 15:13 Comments || Top||

#10  Whatever the local politics may be there, I don't buy from california companies if I can help it and I sure don't fly there and spend my dollars.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 04/14/2019 16:41 Comments || Top||

#11  "..Laguna Beach is still pretty conservative as a whole..."

Not so much. It has always been a bit wacky/lefty - hence the term Lagunatics. Big artsy community along with the Boys Town bars.
Posted by: Bangkok Billy || 04/14/2019 17:42 Comments || Top||

#12  It's funny driving north from San Diego. Orange county has very nice highway without graffiti or billboards. Then you hit the LA border and it's barbered wire to protect the signs and graffiti everywhere anyway. Pot holes and cracks in the road are more common than smooth sections of highway. It's really night and day, they don't really even need a welcome to ... sign.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 04/14/2019 17:57 Comments || Top||


Government
Appeals court: US can temporarily keep sending asylum-seekers back to Mexico
[NYPost] The Trump administration can keep sending asylum seekers back to Mexico after an appeals court temporarily reversed a ruling that halted the policy.

The decision from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals came Friday as the asylum policy was set to end on Monday night. The government told the court that the U.S. is facing "a humanitarian and security crisis" at the southern border and needs the policy to deal with surging number of refugees, Rooters reported.

Friday’s two-paragraph decision marked a rare ruling from the 9th Circuit in favor of Trump, who has criticized the court for blocking his immigration policy in previous cases.

Since January, the administration has sent more than 1,000 asylum seekers, mostly from Central America, back to Mexico to wait the months or years it can take to process claims through an overloaded immigration system.

Civil rights groups now have until Tuesday to submit arguments for why the policy should be halted, Fox News reported. The government has until Wednesday to argue its case.
Posted by: trailing wife || 04/14/2019 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336089 views] Top|| File under:

#1  That's awfully... convenient.
Posted by: Raj || 04/14/2019 14:15 Comments || Top||

#2  Next thing you know the courts will be allowing the US to shoot down UFOs hovering over the White House.
Posted by: jpal || 04/14/2019 14:29 Comments || Top||

#3  9th Circus is being changed with every Trump appointment
Posted by: Frank G || 04/14/2019 15:14 Comments || Top||

#4  The way I understand it, legally if a central American person seeks asylum they must do it in the first available country which is Mexico so this is in keeping with International law as well as US law. Good on the Appeals court.
Posted by: rjschwarz || 04/14/2019 17:54 Comments || Top||

#5  Scotty, set transporter to full capacity...
Posted by: Anomalous Sources || 04/14/2019 18:43 Comments || Top||

#6  Getting reversed by the 9th Circuit. Ouch.
Posted by: Iblis || 04/14/2019 23:24 Comments || Top||



Who's in the News
25[untagged]
8Arab Spring
6Taliban
5Islamic State
3Govt of Sudan
2Govt of Iran Proxies
2Jundullah
2Moslem Colonists
2Sublime Porte
2Govt of Syria
1Thai Insurgency
1Abu Sayyaf (ISIS)
1al-Shabaab (AQ)
1Commies
1Govt of Iraq
1Hamas
1Houthis
1Palestinian Authority

Bookmark
E-Mail Me

The Classics
The O Club
Rantburg Store
The Bloids
The Never-ending Story
Thugburg
Gulf War I
The Way We Were
Bio

Merry-Go-Blog











On Sale now!


A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.

Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.

Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has dominated Mexico for six years.
Click here for more information

Meet the Mods
In no particular order...
Steve White
Seafarious
tu3031
badanov
sherry
ryuge
GolfBravoUSMC
Bright Pebbles
trailing wife
Gloria
Fred
Besoeker
Glenmore
Frank G
3dc
Skidmark

Two weeks of WOT
Sun 2019-04-14
  Taliban’s shadow governor for Helmand succumbs to injuries sustained in an airstrike
Sat 2019-04-13
  Algerian police fire water cannon at protesters
Fri 2019-04-12
  Sudan President al-Bashir officially arrested
Thu 2019-04-11
  Ecuador withdraws asylum from Julian Assange, arrested by UK police
Wed 2019-04-10
  Election Council Rejects Erdogan's Party Demand for Full Istanbul Recount
Tue 2019-04-09
  Maryland man accused of stealing U-Haul truck in 'ISIS-inspired attack'
Mon 2019-04-08
  Major showdown brewing in Tripoli as rival Libyan forces clash near capital city
Sun 2019-04-07
  Libya U.S. forces supporting U.S. Africa Command temporarily relocated
Sat 2019-04-06
  Egypt kills hundreds of suspected militants in disputed gun battles
Fri 2019-04-05
  German police arrest teen who says he planned shooting
Thu 2019-04-04
  Libya’s General Haftar marches on Tripoli
Wed 2019-04-03
  Bouteflika resigns
Tue 2019-04-02
  US suspends F-35 deliveries to Turkey over Russian S-400 deal
Mon 2019-04-01
  Sudan police fire tear gas as protesters rally
Sun 2019-03-31
  Misfired Patriot missile hits farm in Qatar

Better than the average link...



Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
3.85.63.190
Help keep the Burg running! Paypal:
WoT Operations (18)    WoT Background (22)    Non-WoT (14)    Opinion (7)    (0)