Attorney General Jeff Sessions says that the Department of Justice (DoJ) is reviewing policies for subpoenaing reporters during investigations of federal intelligence leaks, an indicator that the US government may consider more aggressive tactics to try and force journalists to identify their sources.
"One of the things we are doing is reviewing the policies affecting media subpoenas," Mr Sessions said, announcing his administration's crackdown on leaks during a press conference. "We respect the important role that the press plays, and we will give our support. But, it is not unlimited. They cannot place lives at risk with impunity."
Mr Sessions said that he had instructed his Justice Department to review its leak prosecution policies earlier this year, and that the results "concerned" him. There were too few referrals for prosecution over classified leaks, too few investigations, and an insufficient amount of resources dedicated to those investigations, he said.
"We will not allow rogue anonymous sources with security clearances to sell out our country," Mr Sessions said. "These cases, to investigate and prosecute, are never easy. But cases will be made and leakers will be held accountable."
Yeah well the thing is that the leakers are not so much trying to "sell out our country," as they are trying to "rescue our country from the clutches of a mad man."
Of course the truly pathetic part of this, besides you know the whole attack on our first amendment, is that Sessions is totally doing this just to save his job.
He knew he was next on the chopping block so he pulled out some bullshit like this to hold on for a little bit longer.
Kellyanne "Oh god I woke in a pool of my own vomit again" Conway has also suggested that the White House staff might be forced into taking lie detector tests.
Because nothing says we are one big happy family, like strapping somebody to a machine and then drilling them under hot lights for an hour.
Chuck Todd has already essentially declared what the media's response will be to any subpoenas from the Justice Department concerning their sources.
Well played.If DoJ media source threat is real (I assume it's not; just a show presser to please WH) then I look forward to ignoring that subpoena— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) August 4, 2017
The idea of polygraph tests is absolutely bonkers. Regarding the recent phone transcripts that were leaked, it could have easily been the Mexicans and/or Australians and if so, good for them!
ReplyDeleteI thought, those transcripts were actually official transcripts, published by the WH?
DeleteIf so, those will be the last transcripts the White House makes and they will no longer record ANY calls in or out, nevermind just not recording the Putin ones.
DeleteAfter all, they don't even keep records of visitors any more.
Most corrupt administration in history. We'll never know the extent of the corruption until the next DemocraTIC president is in the White House and a full investigation exposes the extent of their sedition.
Jefferson Beauregard is preforming for his audience of one Donald John Trump along with his clown posse.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the years he has been in DC, shouldn't his Foghorn Leghorn accent have been tapered down by now? He sounds like a backwards hillbilly on meth.
DeleteRacist Jeffy ain't gonna like this much:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2017/08/04/you-are-not-going-to-let-that-word-hurt-you-proctor-gamble-ad-taking-on-racism-is-met-with-praise-and-outrage/
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/never-too-late-white-basketball-player-apologizes-to-black-teammate-for-racism-he-endured-56-years-ago/
DeleteMark Steyn: An Immigrant Should ‘Drag Jim Acosta’ And ‘Kick Him To The Sidewalk’ http://crooksandliars.com/2017/08/mark-steyn-immigrant-should-drag-jim
DeleteThere was absolutely nothing Top Secret in the Trump phone call transcripts so why not just release them after the calls happened. Oh yeah, Paints Trump as a bs artist and crazy fuck. This Asshole works for us. New Law, release all visitor logs and transcripts within 30 days of occurrence.
ReplyDelete"We will not allow rogue anonymous sources with security clearances to sell out our country," Mr Sessions said. "These cases, to investigate and prosecute, are never easy. But cases will be made and leakers will be held accountable."
ReplyDeleteMight I suggest you start with orange shitgibbon in the Oval Office?
Exactly! It is HIM that is leaking REAL highly classified information. The others are just leaking little tidbits that might be private, but are NOT classified!
DeleteWe respect the important role that the press plays, and we will give our support. But, it is not unlimited. They cannot place lives at risk with impunity.
ReplyDeleteKinda like this shit fer brains and his boss, the mangled apricot abortion on the golf course unshackling police brutality where there have been too many questionable shootings of unarmed blacks already.
Who knew Chuck Todd had balls.
ReplyDeleteI sure didn't!
I know, that surprised me too!
DeleteMe too!
DeleteThe Mooch's replacement could be Stephen Miller(the racist nazi)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.axios.com/who-will-be-trumps-communications-director-after-mooch-stephen-miller-2469535517.html
Appearing on MSNBC on Saturday morning, GOP strategist Rick Wilson said that the attacks on National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster are being coordinated by President Donald Trump advisers with a white nationalist agenda.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking with AM Joy host Joy Reid, Wilson explained that some of Trump’s close aides are not pleased that the president is being reined in former military mean including McMaster and new White House Chief of Staff John Kelly.
“You have this coordination where Breitbart went after H.R. McMaster and their headline was ‘NSC purge, McMaster deeply hostile to Israel and to Trump’ — trying to paint him as anti-Israel,” Reid suggested. “Interestingly enough, Donald Trump’s reaction to that was a statement which he said General McMaster and I working well together and he’s very pro-Israel and I’m grateful for the work he continues to to do. What do you make of that?”
“Well, I think that is a sign that General Kelly, [Defense secretary] General Mattis and H.R. McMaster are forming an axis of adults and telling Donald Trump that game- time is over with this silly inside-the-White House alt-right conspiracy group that had been leaking like crazy to the lunatics on the Info-Wars side of the fence,” Wilson explained. “And it’s interesting also that these guys got a pushback from the very top. It’s caused a great rift inside of the alt-right where Donald Trump has said McMaster is good with me and I’m good with him.”
“All these guys expected the play the same games they’ve been trying to play of revving up the frog meme guys and moving that up the weird chain of the alt-right to Fox and having it blasted out by Fox and by Rush [Limbaugh] and all that,” he continued. “All those folks, they thought that would keep working and the grown-ups have put the brakes on this thing hard.”
Asked about talking points that McMaster is being linked to the “Deep State,” Wilson claimed it was tied to Richard Hofstader’s “paranoid style” which has underpinnings in antisemitism.
“There’s always a sort of underpinning in our society of concern about unaccountability in government,” Wilson explained. “And the fact that it’s moved over to the right tells you a lot and the fact that they believe the deep state opposes all these baroque conspiracy theories whether it’s the international jewish conspiracy which is right under the surface of all these things, on the cover of the McMaster website that was set up, they go after George Soros basically as the Jewish banker controlling McMaster.”
“All these things have a paranoid streak and deeply freaked out sort of fantasy, this dark fantasy world that doesn’t really exist,” He continued. “The folks in the quote ‘deep state’ are the by and large American patriots who are seeing there’s vast Russian influence over the Trump administration.”
Watch the video below:
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/08/gop-advisor-rick-wilson-mcmaster-attacks-being-pushed-by-white-house-alt-right-aides-consumed-with-antisemitism/
Wonder if some of the interview has been misinterpreted? In high school, one of our U.S. History course books was Richard Hofstader's "Anti-Intellectualism in American Life". We took it as a warning, certainly not as an operating manual for Steve Bannon and the rest of the klan in the White House.
DeleteI don't remember the author as being particularly paranoid, although he would have had reason to be considering any intellectual and reasonable goals for our government are being eroded.
Wild Tortoise
A favorite of Trump, Michael Flynn:
ReplyDeleteThe list of things that Michael Flynn could be charged for seems to be expanding https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/5/16101484/michael-flynn-russia-investigation-turkey
They pine after the establishment of a theocratic authoritarian regime with state controlled outlets dispensing 'alt-facts'. They do not want a democracy. Right wingers need a daddy to tell them what to believe because thinking is hard. The oligarchs on the right would be happy to herd these knuckle draggers to and fro. In fact, they already do. It is why we have Trump.
ReplyDeleteThere's a place called Carlton, OR...a sleepy little town of 3K+ in wine country 45 minute drive outside Portland. I went to their "celebration" days the weekend before the 4th.
DeleteGod and guns, and the bigger 4X4 truck the better. REV that motor so people will pay attention to you driving down the three blocks of Main Street.
I could never live in the South, much like I hoot at MOH's latest #ownthedash. For God's sake, please get over yourselves.
President Trump awards his first Medal of Honor to Vietnam vet
Deletehttps://tribkcpq.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/gettyimages-824948340.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&w=770
#ownthedas?
But only for the peasants. The elite 1%ers would still have democracy.
DeleteThat's what makes it Fascism.
Is it the Sinclair Group that's starting to insist on Trump TV from its stations? Maybe just a rumor, but I'll trash mine before I ever watch that crap.
ReplyDeleteYes. It's local stations.
DeleteI've identified mine and avoid them.
Of course, I don't want any broadcast news any more, so Sinclair can bite my ass.
Shockaroo as to Chuck Todd! Good going for a bloody change!
ReplyDeleteSounds like Jeff Sessions is going to find himself in front of the Supreme Court. If it isn’t classified info they can’t stop the press from informing the public on the criminal and looney behavior of those in the WH.
ReplyDeleteBy the way is Jeff going to prosecute little donnie for leaking classified info to the russian ambassador?
If it is a legally created subpoena and he (or anyone) ignores it, he can be in BIG trouble. Much smarter to respond to the subpoena and simply refuse to release any information on contacts and sources. He may spend some time in jail for refusing to divulge his sources, but his sources won't dry up and neither will anyone else's.
ReplyDeleteI would also demand proof that the information they are trying to pry out of witnesses pertains to CLASSIFIED information leaks. If not forthcoming, I would simply shut up and let them scream.
Sessions and Humpty Trumpty are just dumb enough to try to interview people without allowing their lawyer(s) present. If they tried that, a person would have every right to simply refuse to say ANYTHING.
I'm sure that's what the lawyers will do. Every network has them on retainer for exactly this purpose. They know the ropes and all of the reporters expect to do some jail time until Sessions gets slapped upside the head from the Supreme Court. (Except for Gorsucks who is Trump's fascist puppet.)
DeleteLives at risk? What lives at risk?
ReplyDeleteOr is Putin threatening to off someone if collusion is exposed? Is Trump's life being threatened if it's proven he colluded with the Russians to get elected?
Well, in that case BRING IT ON. Better respect for the First amendment than total disregard for the sanctity of our electoral system.
Yeah, I know you Republicans spit on our democraTIC process, but enough with attacking our Constitution. As far as I'm concerned everyone one of you assholes that continues to violate your oath of office should be draw, quartered and then dragged through the streets. Then staked to a rock where American bald eagles can feast on your livers.