George Rebane
According to our DoJ, in the spring of 2019 attorney John Durham was tasked with “exploring the extent to which a number of countries, including Ukraine, played a role in the counterintelligence investigation directed at the Trump campaign during the 2016 election,” His mandate included determination of whether “intelligence collection activities by the U.S. government related to the Trump 2016 Presidential Campaign were lawful and appropriate.”
He has been at the task for over 18 months, and has produced little (one insignificant guilty plea) and reported diddly-squat on his progress. Bottom line, no one outside his boss AG Bill Barr knows what progress he has made, or what Durham is currently pursuing. The only reports about the investigation we hear are admonishments that there is “concern that the investigative team is being pressed for political reasons to produce a report before its work is done.” (more here)
Well, hell yes! The prime purpose of the investigation is to maximally inform the American electorate BEFORE the election about which low-lifes did what to whom with all the visibly criminal things that went on in Obama’s DoJ, FBI, et al to foment the ongoing attacks on Trump’s campaign and presidency. There are smoking guns all over the place, and Durham was supposed see if there was enough to tie a bow of criminality on the whole affair. For that he has had the widest latitude in how and where he can poke his nose.
And now we hear that he will not issue a report before the election, why? Because it might affect the election. Again – well, hell yes! If there is evidence there that would impact the election in the minds of reasonable voters, then we should be made aware of it in a timely manner. There is NO dictum from anyone, including Barr, that Durham’s probe has to be all done with a nice stack of bound final reports coming from the printer before we know what he found out or didn’t find. He can always publish an interim report, and let us know what he has discovered to date, AND then continue with his investigation as long a AG Barr lets him.
And as I’ve recommended before, if he has stuff that’s culpatory and that can’t be released, he should just say that, and then escrow his time-stamped evidence and investigative intents with an appropriate court or the DoJ. But leaving the country in the dark as we head for the most impactive election of our lifetime, an election that already stinks to high heaven, should not be accepted by anyone in Congress or the administration concerned about the timely discovery of truth. Holding in secret today evidence that would inform and advise the electorate is an historical crock of crap, and we all appear to have been made docile enough to accept it without a peep.
What difference would it make? If Durham put out a damning report before the election the Dems and the LSM would line up to say it was a political hatchet job and the major electronic outlets would simply ban the info from their platforms. The TDS set like Paul would ignore it because there are no convictions.
We already know the previous admin weaponized various fed govt agencies to first try to suppress conservative political entities and then go after Trump on false charges to dog his admin with BS about 'collusion' with Russia.
And we know that many in the FBI have and are lying about what happened and what they knew.
So - at this point, who is going to change their vote? No one.
Hell - look at how many have already voted.
Biden is out there still running for 'congress' and Paul and all the other nit wits in this country can hardly wait until he is voted into office and we can have the socialist dream that Cuba and Venezuela currently enjoy.
I gave up on Durham months ago. He had an excellent record coming in, but his pace of investigation turned out to be nothing more than running out the clock.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 07:21 PM
ScottO 721pm - Silly me, I still believe that Durham coming out with evidence of criminality in a timely manner, evidence that will now result in indictments, will indeed change some mid-road minds. If such evidence will not, then we are lost and your dire assessment will be on the mark. And if he still has nothing to show after all this time, then he is clearly incompetent and Barr should shut him down.
Posted by: George Rebane | 14 October 2020 at 07:38 PM
Well, the reality is that they had nothing to report. Just typical Trump lies that perpetuated tho whole phony investigation. Barr is looking for the door cause he knows Trump is going to lose. All are rats jumping ship as it sinks.
Posted by: paul emery | 14 October 2020 at 08:01 PM
Paul - "Well, the reality is that they had nothing to report."
Really?
The former head of the FBI claiming he couldn't remember anything about an investigation of a sitting president?
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 08:12 PM
It was only a couple of weeks ago Trump our Liar in Chief was spreading these lies around:
"President Donald Trump's history of accusing political rivals of illegal activity reached a new level on Thursday when he called upon Attorney General Bill Barr to indict Joe Biden with less than a month to go until Election Day.
"These people should be indicted," Trump said during a Thursday interview with Fox Business' Mornings With Maria. "This was the greatest political crime in the history of our country. And that includes Obama, it includes Biden."
Trump said Barr had enough evidence to indict both his Democratic presidential opponent and former President Barack Obama for allegedly spying on his 2016 campaign. "We got plenty. You don't need any more," Trump said he told the attorney general. The president also questioned why Hillary Clinton hasn't been indicted for the email controversy that began during her time as secretary of state in Obama's administration."
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-has-accused-numerous-political-rivals-crimes-including-joe-biden-barack-obama-1537922
Posted by: paul emery | 14 October 2020 at 08:24 PM
George - "ScottO 721pm - Silly me, I still believe that Durham coming out with evidence of criminality in a timely manner, evidence that will now result in indictments, will indeed change some mid-road minds."
Sadly to say, George - you are being silly.
"mid-road" minds these days exist only in the minds of "mid-roads" such as Paul and that local cartoonist fella.
The last 'good' news about Durham was from National Review who praised him as the savior of our Republic.
They are currently rather silent on their golden boy.
And - "evidence that will now result in indictments..."
When?
Next January?
Maybe a few days before they swear Biden in as our next senator?
Sorry to be sour, but we live in an age where folks with an ability to access the internet tell us solemnly that white folks adopting black children from Haiti are racist.
Your mileage may vary.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 08:27 PM
So that would make it a yes the sitting VP met with crooks that paid his drug addled brat lavishly -
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/14/politico-biden-campaign-would-not-rule-out-possibility-biden-met-with-burisma-adviser-pozharskyi/
;-)
Posted by: Don Bessee | 14 October 2020 at 08:29 PM
Paul - "It was only a couple of weeks ago Trump our Liar in Chief was spreading these lies around:..."
But what he said was true, Paul.
Where is your proof this was a lie?
You offered no proof whatever.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 08:40 PM
Don 8:29 - Not necessarily. It wasn't on the calendar and they only said they weren't ruling out the 'possibility'.
You must learn to lie like a lawyer, they make the best liars.
Shakespeare had something to say about that.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 08:45 PM
No evidence no indictment all based on lies. Show me that is true Scott. Just because Trump said it is true? Is that what you believe?
Posted by: Paul Emery | 14 October 2020 at 09:08 PM
Paul 9:08 - "Just because Trump said it is true? Is that what you believe?"
No Paul, not a thing based on what Trump said.
You claim he is lying - where is your proof?
You made the original statement in your 8:24 - now where is your proof?
Or are you backing down?
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 09:14 PM
Paul Emery sez: "Just typical Trump lies that perpetuated tho whole phony investigation."
lol. Wait, wait. Are you claiming that Trump was dealt with by the outgoing administration and the intelligence bureaucracy in a wholly legal and upright fashion?
Good God man, hopefully that turnip truck isn't too high off the ground.
Mind you, this is after four f'ing years of claiming Trump's secret life as a Russian spy. No doubt in your mind the USS Maddox was subject to a VPN sneak attack.
Posted by: scenes | 14 October 2020 at 09:33 PM
You see, George?
Paul claims it's all lies.
And this is the middle of the road kind of guy that would end up changing his vote because of what Durham would find in his investigation.
Durham could find photos of Biden in bed with a 10 year old and Paul (and all Dems) would still vote for Biden.
At this point, I would advise Durham to just fold his tent and go home.
He's worthless to our nation.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 09:33 PM
scenes - Paul's only claiming that Trump is lying. But you (and all of us) notice that Paul can't back up his BS.
Paul has sworn he will vote for Biden and he will, no matter what.
So Paul will ignore the facts and show up here with his lies and BS to try to justify his idiot position.
Posted by: Scott O | 14 October 2020 at 09:36 PM
This is the differentail kind of support that does not show up in the polls no matter how hard the pony tail of ignorance burns druid incense -
Johnny Rotten: Sex Pistols star claims Trump is ‘only sensible choice’ in US election
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/johnny-rotten-sex-pistols-star-072419571.html
Its not your creepy grampa joes electorate, 42 percent Hispanic likely voters in FLA? OH MY!
Did you hear the internet has changed the way we communicate!! ROFLOL!!
;-)
Posted by: Don Bessee | 14 October 2020 at 11:11 PM
I do understand the frustration, disappointment, and anger with the pacer of the Durham investigation. I am not as angry as many of my colleagues because I kinda reasoned a few months ago that Durham would not conclude his investigation quickly. If a preliminary report was not forthcoming by July or August, then it ain’t going to happen in October. Various reasons, but Durham simply has not concluded his investigation into the origins of the Russian Collusion witch hunt, hoax, cover up the spying on Trump scandal and biggest politically motivated deception pulled on the American people in the recent memory.
Durham is known for his methodical (and painstaking slow time consuming) leave no stone unturned. He is very thorough. He seeks the truth and justice, not conviction. He is tasked with getting to the bottom of it. Congress has been adding more to his plate. There is soooo much to uncover.
Thank goodness Durham’s team is NOT leaking like a sieve. Always a silver lining. What a refreshing relief from the way the previous administration operated. They say there are no secrets in Washington, yet Barr and Durham are playing it close to the vest. Heck, all of Washington knew that John Podesta’s campaign e-mails had been compromised before it made the front page news. Was it April that I knew just by reading and hearing from various sources.
With all that common knowledge aside, the report will protect the innocent, will not speculate or jump to conclusions or get into the gray areas with open ended questions, innuendo. and totally unlike Weissmann and Mueller and Adam Shiftlips,, Durham will seek the real truth as much as humanly possible instead of predetermined outcomes.
Barr has repeatedly said that Obama and Biden are not under investigation in the probe....unless something is uncovered that would warrant going there. Love the caveat. Wait and see.
Bottomline: The Durham report, if released today, will not change one vote. The Hunter Biden’s hanky panky will not change one vote. Creepy Joe’s enriching himself and family by selling his soul out to China will not change one vote. The real undecideds are a small fraction this year.
In defense of Durham, Barr, and the wheels of justice turn slowly....with the Chinese Virus slowing everything down and the obstructions of Justice thrown up by all who find it in their best interests to run out the clock, hoping Creepy Sleepy Joe wins in November.
——
‘The Gordian Knot Protecting Obamagate Secrets’
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/10/15/the_gordian_knot_protecting_obamagate_secrets_144452.html
Posted by: Bill Tozer | 15 October 2020 at 08:00 AM
re: [email protected]:00AM October 15, 2020
Good post and article.
As you say, the hope is to run out the clock. All investigations would be shut down toot sweet with a Harris victory. Corrupt officials would breathe a sigh of relief, MSM would celebrate their victory, the War on Deplorables could ramp up.
Speaking of media, this line: "One result is that about half the American public now believes the media is a branch of the Democratic Party. Actually, everyone does, but only half thinks it’s a bad thing."
made me consider the real value of the whole situation. Conservatives and sane liberals are having their noses rubbed in several facts. Traditional media has a strong POV that they are willing to abuse, the federal bureaucracy runs it's own policy largely based on self-interest, schools and some boardrooms have been successfully taken over by an insane new religion.
This is useful knowledge. In the final analysis you are on your own. The Blue Mob represents an existential threat to you and your family, but don't sweat the traditional US institutions as it's too late. In short, don't really trust anyone beyond a small circle. These times in history happen now and again and using reality as a tool for planning is not such a bad thing.
Posted by: scenes | 15 October 2020 at 08:38 AM
scenes 8:38 - That pretty well sums it up.
All we can hope for is a Trump victory. If Harris wins, Durham just pissed away a lot of govt dough. By waiting until after the election, his 'findings' won't mean squat.
Posted by: Scott O | 15 October 2020 at 08:43 PM