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Trump witch hunt: Judicial Watch uncovers DOJ docs revealing Bruce Ohr was contact for Clinton operative Christopher Steele


Judicial Watch
Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:36 UTC
bruce ohr and chris steele

Christopher Steele, Bruce Ohr, Glenn Simpson
Judicial Watch announced today it received 339 pages of heavily redacted records from the U.S. Department of Justice which reveal that former Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr remained in regular contact with former British spy and Fusion GPS contractor Christopher Steele after Steele was terminated by the FBI in November 2016 for revealing to the media his position as an FBI confidential informant.

The records show that Ohr served as a go-between for Steele by passing along information to "his colleagues" on matters relating to Steele's activities. Ohr also set up meetings with Steele, regularly talked to him on the telephone and provided him assistance in dealing with situations Steele was confronting with the media.

Judicial Watch obtained the records through a March 2018 Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed after the Justice Department failed to respond a December 2017 request Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-00490)). The lawsuit seeks:
  • All records of contact or communication, including but not limited to emails, text messages, and instant chats between Bruce Ohr and any of the following individuals/entities: former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele; owner of Fusion GPS Glenn Simpson; and any other employees or representatives of Fusion GPS.
  • All travel requests, authorizations and expense reports for Bruce Ohr.
  • All calendar entries for Bruce Ohr.
The timeframe for the requested records is January 1, 2015, to December 7, 2017.
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Sherlock

Andrew Yang, 2020 presidential candidate, says "universal basic income" proposal is not socialism

Camilo Montoya-Galvez
CBS News
Thu, 07 Mar 2019 17:31 UTC
andrew yang
© CBS News
New York businessman and Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang believes his "tranformational" universal basic income proposal - which would give every American over the age of 18 a $1,000 stipend each month - is not part of a socialist platform.

"I'm a CEO and business person and I'll tell you that putting money into people's hands is good for business, it's good for the economy and it's good for markets," Yang said on CBSN's "Red and Blue. "This is not socialism. This is capitalism where income doesn't start at zero."

Yang told CBS News he's not concerned his proposal could become an easy political target for Republicans eager to denounce socialism and government giveaways because he believes the monthly stipends would invigorate America's capitalist economy.

The little-known Manhattan entrepreneur is hoping the issue will set him apart from the rest of the candidates in the crowded Democratic primary field, the most diverse in U.S. history. Although his name recognition across the country is dwarfed by those of other contenders in the race, Yang told CBS News his campaign raised nearly $600,000 in February.

Yang's proposal, he said, "would create millions of jobs around the country and would allow families and individuals to help manage this historic transition that we're in in terms of technology transforming the labor force."
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Bizarro Earth

'Censorship unacceptable in Europe': Austrian FM condemns Ukraine's journalist ban


RT
Thu, 07 Mar 2019 22:10 UTC
Christian Ferdinand Wehrschütz
© Facebook / Christian Ferdinand Wehrschütz
Christian Ferdinand Wehrschütz
Ukraine has barred a veteran journalist from a major Austrian broadcaster from entering the country, as he allegedly poses a "threat" to its national security. The move was slammed by Vienna as an act of un-European censorship.

Christian Wehrschutz, a veteran journalist with ORF broadcaster and the head of its Kiev office, was banned on Thursday from entering Ukraine for a year. The decision was announced by MP Olga Chervakova, who - quite ironically - is the deputy chief of the Ukrainian Parliament's committee on freedom of speech and press.

The official explained, citing sources from within the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU), that the journalist poses a "threat to national security." Apart from that, Wehrschutz is accused of violating Ukrainian borders, of "discrediting" its armed forces and, naturally, of "peddling Kremlin propaganda" - as any coverage unfavorable to the Kiev authorities is routinely labeled.

Comment: Their claims that the blatant censorship is because of a 'threat to national security' reeks of similar tactics used by their American overlords. Ukraine has made it quite clear honest reportage is not welcome, a number of journalists have been murdered and Werschutz said himself he feared he would also be targeted:

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Handcuffs

Paul Manafort sentenced to 47 months in prison for tax evasion on UKRAINIAN payments - Judge confirms 'zero evidence of Trump-Russia collusion'

Katelyn Polantz
CNN
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 11:11 UTC
manafort prison
Lobbyist and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort learned on Thursday that he will serve almost four years in prison -- far short of what had been expected and recommended -- for financial fraud convictions obtained by special counsel Robert Mueller as he investigated Manafort's alleged collusion with the Russian government in 2016.


Comment: Even within its own articles, CNN can't keep its lies straight. Further down this article you'll learn that the judge explicitly said, at the outset, that:

"[Manafort] is not before the court for anything having to do with colluding with the Russian government."


The crimes, though serious among white-collar offenses, did not relate directly to Manafort's work as Trump's 2016 campaign chairman. Manafort, 69, had been facing up to 25 years in prison, a sentence that could have essentially kept him in jail for the rest of his life.


Comment: It was never gonna happen. The US govt, as it is, literally cannot function without middlemen like Manaforts accepting cash for access to US leaders and potential leaders. What is interesting however, is that this particular middleman got any prison time at all...


Comment: 'The mastermind behind it all! We got him! America, you are safe and free and pure again!'

Manafort's trial is the textbook definition of scapegoat.

The reason Manafort was swimming in dirty Ukie money is because he was, for over a decade, an active go-between for US meddling in Russia's neighbor, culminating in the bloody coup of 2014. That's also likely why he's getting jail-time at all (though it could yet be annulled via presidential pardon): Manafort was meddling on behalf of the Clinton State Department...

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Eye 1

Obey or "crushing" sanctions: US rejects North Korea's 'step-by-step' denuclearization


RT
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 02:34 UTC
kim trump
© Reuters / Leah Millis
FILE PHOTO: North Korea's Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam
The US administration will not accept any gradual denuclearization of North Korea, a senior State Department official said, just as John Bolton threatened Pyongyang with tougher sanctions, following the unproductive Hanoi summit.

After threatening to ramp up "crushing economic sanctions," National Security Advisor John Bolton urged Kim Jong-un to ditch any idea of a step-by-step denuclearization of his country.

"The North Koreans, obviously, would like to give up as little of their nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and ballistic missile programs as they could, in exchange for a very broad sanctions relief," Bolton told Fox News on Thursday, stressing that Donald Trump "wasn't buying" such an approach during the negotiations at the Hanoi summit last week.

Comment: That's not really how international diplomacy works though, is it? Do as we say or we'll punish you more? Is it any wonder North Korea is reluctant to give up the one thing that secures it from further US aggression? It's notable that, despite US belligerence, the two Korea's relationship is better than ever.

See also: Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Trump Wags the Iran Riot Dog, Kim Talks Korean Peace

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Eye 1

State Department gets schooled after trying to browbeat AP reporter into 'towing the line' on Venezuela

Nebojsa Malic
RT
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:37 UTC
State Department
© US Department of State
State Department spokesman Robert Palladino
With regime change in Caracas going poorly, the State Department is trying to create reality by browbeating reporters into following the official line. Veteran AP reporter Matt Lee was not amused, calling the effort "weaksauce."

At the press briefing on Tuesday, spokesman Robert Palladino objected to news coverage describing Juan Guaido as opposition leader or self-proclaimed president, rather than "interim president" as Washington has declared him to be.

"Millions of Americans and more than 50 countries recognize Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela," Palladino argued, so to refer to him otherwise "falls into the narrative of a dictator who has usurped the position of the presidency and led Venezuela into the humanitarian, political, and economic crisis that exists today."

Comment: While the State Department is browbeating reporters into believing their 'script of lies' Marco Rubio has taken it upon himself to label all unbelievers as Russian agents. RT reports:
Senator Marco Rubio, the most outspoken cheerleader of US regime change in Venezuela, lashed out at several major outlets for not using his preferred terminology, going so far as to accuse CNN of 'Russian collusion.'

"In order to undermine the constitutional basis for [Juan Guaido's] interim Presidency [sic], Putin's Russia repeatedly describes him as the 'self-proclaimed' president of Venezuela. And so does CNN," Rubio (R-Florida) tweeted on Wednesday, adding, "Russian collusion?"


It was the latest in a string of tweets by the senator whom President Donald Trump is, for some unknown reason, allowing to drive US foreign policy on Latin America. On Tuesday, Rubio targeted the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal for their coverage of Guaido, this time objecting to their use of the term "opposition leader."


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Star of David

House Democrats pull bill equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism after 'full-scale brawl' erupts over Ilhan Omar

Allison Deger
Mondoweiss
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:37 UTC
Ilhan Omar
© Wikimedia
Ilhan Omar
Divides among House Democrats exploded today beginning in a closed door session this morning where lawmakers argued with party leadership over a resolution to denounce anti-Semitism, an apparent move to condemn Rep. Ilhan Omar.

According to the Washington Post the meeting descended into a "full-scale brawl" when representatives, primarily from the Congressional Black Caucus called to cancel the vote, and in an unexpected turn, was delayed indefinitely by early evening. One source in the room said Rep. Jan Schakowsky demanded (D-IL), "Everyone stop tweeting!" as decorum fell.

The Post spoke with several lawmakers who opposed sanctioning one of their own members, while at the same time ignoring anti-Semitic comments from GOP officials. Some raised that Democrats never produced legislation to denounce the White House - comments in likely reference to President Donald Trump's statement about "good people on both sides" in the wake of the Charlottesville march in 2017 where a white nationalist killed a protester:

Comment: Wow, just wow. In the space of just 10 days, both French and US authorities have freaked out over 'anti-anti-semitism' and seriously considered passing legislation banning criticism of Israel.

Given the concurrent 'anti-anti-semitism' crisis in the UK, it is no doubt being considered there too.

What a remarkable succession of events.

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Bad Guys

Trump changes course, says he now agrees '100%' with keeping US troops in Syria

Courtney Kube
NBC News
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:37 UTC
US troops Syria
Two months after declaring all U.S. troops are leaving Syria, President Donald Trump wrote to members of Congress that he now agrees "100%" with keeping a military presence in Syria.

A bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives wrote to Trump on Feb. 22, applauding his decision to keep a small residual force in Syria.

"We support a small American stabilizing force in Syria," the group wrote, adding that a force "which includes a small contingent of American troops and ground forces from our European allies, is essential to ensure stability and prevent the return of ISIS."

Comment: CENTCOM has also made it loud and clear that the US will have 'boots on the ground' in Syria. Sputnik reports:
The US continues to withdraw American forces from Syria while developing plans for a residual force intended to help locals battle an evolving guerrilla campaign by the Daesh*, the commander of CENTCOM told Congress on Thursday.

"As the D-ISIS [Daesh in Arabic] campaign in Syria transitions from liberating terrain to enabling local security forces and addressing the ISIS clandestine insurgency, we will continue our deliberate withdrawal of forces and capabilities as directed by the president - but also retain a residual force on the ground to continue our mission and safeguard our interests," the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General Joseph Votel told Congress said.

This comes after President Donald Trump has ordered a withdrawal of about 2,000 US combat troops from Syria following the recapture of territory previously controlled by the Daesh terror group.

However, Trump has also agreed to leave a residual force behind. US officials have said a continued American presence is needed to protect Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces from a threatened incursion by Turkey.


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Bad Guys

Reports: Colombia prevented general from storming Venezuelan border with 200 exiled soldiers

Ethan Bronner & David Wainer
Bloomberg
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:37 UTC
Juan Guaido
© AP Photo/Fernando Llano
Juan Guaidó
Late last month, as U.S. officials joined Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido near a bridge in Colombia to send desperately needed aid to the masses and challenge the rule of Nicolas Maduro, some 200 exiled soldiers were checking their weapons and planning to clear the way for the convoy.

Led by retired General Cliver Alcala, who has been living in Colombia, they were going to drive back the Venezuelan national guardsmen blocking the aid on the other side. The plan was stopped by the Colombian government, which learned of it late and feared violent clashes at a highly public event it promised would be peaceful.

Almost no provisions got in that day and hopes that military commanders would abandon Maduro have so far been dashed. Even though Guaido is back in Caracas, recognized by 50 nations as the legitimate leader of Venezuela, the impromptu taking up of arms shows that the push to remove Maduro -- hailed by the U.S. as inevitable -- is growing increasingly chaotic and risky.
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Chess

EU negotiators give UK 48-hour deadline to come up with new plan for Irish backstop

Jon Stone
Independent
Fri, 08 Mar 2019 10:37 UTC
French Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau
© Twitter
French Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau
Frustrated EU officials have urged UK Brexit negotiators to table a workable solution to the Irish backstop by Friday if they want a breakthrough in talks.

The UK is currently seeking changes to the withdrawal agreement to make it more palatable to Brexiteer MPs ahead of a crunch vote next week.

But speaking on Thursday morning French Europe minister Natalie Loiseau said there had been "no precise proposals" from the UK and that the EU side was still waiting.
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