Exclusive: Andrew McCabe’s claim that his firing amounts to a “war on the FBI” doesn’t make sense considering it was the FBI’s own internal affairs office that recommended he be fired, as FBI whistleblower Coleen Rowley explains.
By Coleen Rowley
The explanation from Andrew McCabe that he was fired merely due to his staunch support of his former boss and mentor, FBI Director James Comey, and the “Russiagate” investigation, does not pass the smell test.
Andrew McCabe official portrait
Similar to the one that mainstream corporate media is spinning, McCabe’s explanation almost totally ignores the fact that it was the relatively independent Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General (IG) and the FBI’s own Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR internal affairs) who recommended firing McCabe for his “lack of candor” on (the totally unrelated issue of) granting improper press access to the Wall Street Journal during ongoing FBI investigations of the Clinton Foundation and Clinton’s emails.
While the exact specifics of McCabe’s “lack of candor” – which McCabe denies – haven’t been released by the IG, it’s my own personal opinion that such official briefing of the press should not necessarily be a fireable offense as long as it’s justified to correct faulty media reporting and was not covertly done for improper political reasons. But technically, firing for “lack of candor” has long been the FBI’s “bright line” policy, ever since former FBI Director Louis Freeh tried to “clean up” the FBI in the mid-1990s when so many agents, including Special Agents in Charge, were caught lying about sex affairs, improper government credit card charges and drunk driving incidents – some amounting to reckless homicides.
But of course Freeh was rather hypocritical as he was himself involved in several instances of “lack of candor” including appointing his friend, Larry Potts, as Deputy Director. This, despite the fact that Potts had covered up his own role in substituting “rules of engagement” for the FBI’s “deadly force policy” during the Ruby Ridge standoff with (the arguably unconstitutional) “rules” directing the shooting on sight of any armed male.
The cover-up of Potts’ mishandling of Ruby Ridge came to light during the criminal investigations and prosecution of the FBI sniper who had subsequently shot and killed Randy Weaver’s wife while aiming at someone else. When Pott’s role was revealed, Freeh had to censure and demote his Deputy Director; but even then Potts wasn’t actually fired.
So it may well be that “lack of candor” sets too high a standard that no one, not even the angels, let alone FBI agents and their managing officials can live up to. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ lofty statement that the FBI’s integrity is its brand, may be nice, wishful thinking but like other self-promoting speeches going back to J. Edgar Hoover, it has never rung true based on the hundreds of unethical actions I witnessed or was made aware of.
A number of OPR officials themselves were always getting caught in various unethical, deceitful (and sometimes even illegal) actions, including their long systemic practice of employing “double standards” in recommending disciplinary actions, i.e. top ranking officials received light discipline while lower ranking agents got far more severe punishments for similar wrongdoing. In 2001, some of the FBI’s internal affairs supervisors became whistleblowers and testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee about the FBI’s disciplinary “double standards.” Although some remedies were eventually put into place, the IG also had to investigate some retaliatory fall-out.
In any event, McCabe’s calling his firing a “war on the FBI” doesn’t make sense considering it was the FBI’s own internal affairs office that recommended he be fired. (Note that DOJ IG Michael Horowitz was appointed by President Obama in 2012 and the FBI’s OPR is run by a career official originally appointed to that position in 2004 by then FBI Director Robert Mueller.)
Perhaps it would be more apt if McCabe had called it a war inside the FBI (and in Washington as a whole). Could the obvious chaos – some would say “bloodbath” – at all levels of government also be part of the “blowback” from 16 years of waging “perpetual war” (and from attendant war crimes and the internal corruption by which all empires rot)? As author Viet Thanh Nguyen noted about the 2016 election: “That sickness is imperialism… America is an imperial country, and its decay might now be showing. Empires rot from the inside even as emperors blame the barbarians.” Remember how wars have a way of migrating home.
Don’t forget that McCabe’s mentor, James Comey, as Assistant Attorney General had signed off on the Bush-Cheney Administration’s torture tactics. Special Counsel Robert Mueller (said to be “joined at the hip” with Comey) dutifully looked the other way, as then FBI Director, when the CIA’s torture program was instituted, allowing the atrocities to continue. It should also be recalled that Mueller helped the Bush-Cheney Administration to lie us into the Iraq War.
In early January, 2017 CIA Director John Brennan, FBI Director James Comey, NSA Director Michael Rogers and National Director of Intelligence James Clapper briefed President Obama and President-elect Trump on their “Intelligence Community Assessment” by which their agencies’ “hand-picked analysts” accused Russia of meddling in the election and which also included former MI6 spy Chris Steele’s “salacious dossier” accusing Trump’s campaign of colluding with the Russians.
By prior plan, the three other intelligence directors left Comey alone in the room with Trump for Comey to confront the President-elect with the damning summary of Steele’s dossier (which Comey admitted was not verified) and, as icing on the cake, also warning Trump that these accusations would probably appear soon in the media.
Forgetful Democrat Party loyalists also should be reminded that John Brennan was termed the drone assassination and “kill list” czar (before being named CIA Director). As CIA Director, Brennan was hellbent on covering up and promoting CIA torture.
James Clapper, also not known for candor in having previously misled Congress about the NSA’s massive spying on Americans, has even been reported to be the source of the leak to CNN about the Obama intelligence directors’ January briefing that focused on the Steele dossier. It sure looks like there is plenty “lack of candor” to go around! And plenty for these officials to continue covering up. But as Cicero observed hundreds of years ago, “the law falls silent in time of war.” At very least everyone should be wary of partisan media spin since all of these war crimes and other deceitful, illegal actions made possible by the wars are fully bipartisan.
The real problem that most of the mainstream media don’t want to even mention is how unprecedented it was to have both Presidential campaigns under serious criminal investigation in the weeks before the 2016 election! In all fairness, even if these now-fired FBI Directors were trying to do the right thing – which would not be in line with their rather sordid track records – it wouldn’t really be possible to walk that political mine field without a faux pas one way or the other. Seen in that light, it’s possible to even sympathize a little with any FBI Director when the public corruption at the highest levels in Washington DC has become so bad (and fully bipartisan), that it’s hard to know where to start.
Coleen Rowley is a retired FBI special agent, division legal counsel and law enforcement ethics instructor who testified in connection with the 9-11 Joint Intelligence Committee’s Inquiry, the Senate Judiciary Committee investigation and Department of Justice Inspector General’s investigation, exposing some of the FBI’s pre-9/11 failures, was named one of TIME magazine’s “Persons of the Year” in 2002.
Let’s wait for the facts and not convict McCabe before knowing what really happened. As Timothy Snyder said ‘Do not obey in advance’.
LOL. McCabe is pure scum. He should be in jail.
McCabe was probably fired because of his role in using the Steele Dossier as one of, if not the, basis for surveilling Trump’s people. For that he should have been fired, but probably difficult to do so, given the Democrat attack on Nunes and his findings. “They” found a reason that would stick. That is just a theory, evidence free.
The link in the 10th paragraph (“Mueller (said to be “joined at the hip” with Comey)”) appears to be broken.
Thanks for letting me know. The link is supposed to be to: https://consortiumnews.com/2017/06/06/russia-gates-mythical-heroes/
Yes, thanks. The link is fixed.
– Ed.
unlike Ray McGovern, I actually think Colleen Rowley is ethical, knowledgeable and unwilling to say anything she doesn’t know is true.
Will, I think you just said Ray McGovern is unethical, ignorant and a liar. That is really heavy stuff. I just happen to believe he is ethical, knowledgeable, and honest. It would be helpful when you make such statements to include some specifics. Like he lied when and where, he is not knowledgeable because and he is unethical because. Truthfully, I was shocked at the statement
http://whitehouse.georgewbush.org/initiatives/posters/images/leaking-secrets.jpg
Yep. “MK” from the archives:
:)
Yes, Ms Rowley, but…
While I certainly agree with the article there is a glaring ommission for me. Your header reads: A War on (or in) the FBI?
The answer to your question is yes on both counts, but you don’t mention the big one – nor does anyone – and it’s been going on since 1988! The war between the CIA and FBI is between our two most malevolent government forces. When GHW Bush post-Director of the CIA entered the White House he brought the CIA into the ultimate, insider power position. Strong before. Cultivator of counsel for every war we lost after WW II, they now became the “steel fist” of Deep State as David Talbot calls them in his brilliant book on how the CIA grew, THE DEVIL’S CHESSBOARD. It should be required reading for anyone interested in the last 50 years of the American government’s evolution.
From 1988 through the years of Bush, Clinton, baby Bush, Cheney et al, Obama, and Hillary, the CIAwere no longer simply counsel, but the enforcer of the will of Deep State’s mindset. Supposedly the CIA was about foreign affairs, but after the Bush fiascoes in Afghanistan (for drugs) and Iraq (for oil and to remove their too independent puppet, Saddam) they bought the Democrats lock, stock and barrel, because no Republican could win in 2007.
The full political control allowed them to move into domestic politics and they stepped on the FBI’s toes increasingly. From concocting the necessary to confront Russia – our MIC’s old dream war – to the hate-Iran campaign, the voice of the FBI was increasingly limited to the 2nd page events in America. The CIA found reasons to link whatever domestic explosions to something foreign so that they could become active participants in any domestic activity that interested them.
Then the incomprehensible happened: their promise to Hillary that she would be the next President fell through and they have been confronted by a renegade devil who suspects that the FBI AND the CIA are Satan, cloned. Their decision to Russianize Trump may have been voiced by Hillary (who now keeps stumbling and anyone inside DC knows why) but it was a decision taken by the FBI in its panic. Despite the ignominious presence of rotted employees like Brennan and Clapper, the FBI thought it was getting the glorious, headlining part of the deal via Comey, McCabe and their fellow slugs.
But allowing the FBI, Mueller, etc. to take the lead was a nerve gas gift from the CIA to the FBI. It is smeared all over the FBI’s face and the FBI finally has the headlines. I suspect that in the background, the powers that be in the CIA are sitting in a back room chuckling, just waiting to step in over the defunct bod of the FBI.
Re “Their decision to Russianize Trump may have been voiced by Hillary (who now keeps stumbling and anyone inside DC knows why) but it was a decision taken by the FBI in its panic.”
Sense unclear. What is the antecedent of “their”?
Are you saying that the FBI took the decision to “Russianize” Trump? Or the CIA and the FBI?
Why? I can’t follow the latter part of your argument.
The renewed call for a Cold War with the hopes of turning it into a real war, were initially pumped up during Hillary’s period at State. I think that the entire set of regime changes from Libya to the Ukraine was the CIA idea. In my opinion, the FBI had little or nothing to do with that. But the CIA’s promise to make Hillary the President after Obama certainly was a Deep State product and since it was a shoo in and a domestic matter, the FBI would have had input.
When she lost and the fingers started pointing, Hillary and her accolytes went hysterical. A justification had to be found and Russiagate was the answer. The moves from 2008 on to encircle Russia took place in Poland, Estonia and most blatantly in the Ukraine. The idea was the Deep State mindset’s and its source would have been CIA/MIC.
To justify the Trump win, I’d suspect that the CIA was the creator of the whole Trump-Putin link, but since the FBI was dealing with election matters like the DNC dumping Sanders, the CIA happily dropped the actual investigations into the FBI’s lap. The Cia probably figured that if the FBI pulled it off and could dump Trump, so much the better, but if they couldn’t since it was all nonsense, then let the FBI take the fall. And that’s what is happening. The CIA is winning and the FBI is losing.
The Flynn, Manafort, and Trump links are all peripheral to the election/Putin business. Lots of Washingtonians dealt with Russia for business purposes, legally or illegally, just as they did with the Ukraine. But, so far there is no indication that the actual election was an effort of collusion between Putin and Trump. We may find them despicable or not, but colluding to effectively win the election, there’s not even a whiff of smoke so far. That Kushner did something stupid, okay, that’s his brain level, not Trump’s. Messy, yes. Impeachable? Probably not a chance beyond a lot of wasted, wishful thinking.
The worst part is that focused on this stupid distraction, the Democrats have been too busy, too controlled by Clinton’s egomania to properly rebuild the party. Deep State has it all locked in – except crazy Trump who they are trying to control.
A New Yorker aware (as many New Yorkers are), of the multiple connections that link organized crime (Cosa Nostra, the Russian mob, etc. ad nauseam) to the construction industry, the political establishment and capitalism in general, I cannot but wonder if the so-called “Russiagate” investigation is perhaps a red herring to distract from an infinitely more disturbing story — as Ms. Rowley surely implies — implicit in the fact “both presidential campaigns (were) under under serious criminal investigation in the weeks before the 2016 election.”
Certainly both candidates have been linked to organized crime that in ways that — including even the Democratic (sic) Party’s Geraldine Ferraro fiasco in 1984 — have no precedent in my lifetime, which began in 1940 and includes 30 years in print journalism.
For a revealing trip through a genuinely astounding number of under-reported or suppressed stories, merely Google, without the quotation marks here grammatically mandated for clarity, “trump mafia connections”; “clinton mafia connections”; and “clinton dixie mafia connections.”
The Trump material contains a BillMoyers.com report by Todd Gitlin that questions why allegations of Trump’s criminal connections are so often suppressed or at best downplayed. This Google anthology also includes a wealth of other damning reports.
While the Clinton material is mostly from rightist sources — which means it should be carefully fact-checked rather than discarded out of hand — I found three bits of gold amidst the dross. One was published by The Progressive Review on 17 December 2017, “The Clinton stories the media didn’t cover” (caps and lower case as in original). The second appeared in The (NY) Daily News of 30 October 2016, “Bill and Hillary Clinton lead diabolical, influence-peddling organized crime syndicate, FBI’s former NYC boss says” (caps and lc as in original). The third, a sort of overview of the Empire as a global crime syndicate, is “The Bush-Clinton Mafia,” in Counterpunch on 16 March 2015.
Thus my “Russiagate” conjecture: that it is a fake scandal behind which is concealed what is perhaps the most diabolical, most terrifying, most potentially apocalyptic scandal in our species’ history — that of an entire empire become nothing more than a tool of organized crime.
Indeed the application of Occam’s Razor suggests this is the one most likely explanation of the myriad horrors that have befallen us all.
” Putin had every motivation to help Trump, but this by no means indicates Trump colluded with Putin. Time will tell.”
Ridiculous.
This is a canard and itself does not pass a smell test.
It has become some kind of “received wisdom,” even though it makes no sense.
Putin made a point of staying OUT of the American election. He stated this clearly. As others have pointed out, an experienced politician such as Putin would probably have welcomed a more predictable entity such as Hillary Clinton. The idea that Putin would care that Hillary had called him some names is childish beyond belief.
This type of “limited hangout” statement (“Putin had every motivation . . .”) also has the function of insulating the writer against the accusation of being Putin’s stooge or troll or water carrier. It is all so pathetic—and so transparent.
It all comes down to money… Money equals power… Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The “bank” door was already pretty wide open, then with the “Citizens United” decision, the walls have come down… money rules. Just follow the money.
“Citizens United” absolutely needs to be overturned, Tight rules to keep money out of politics need to instituted and enforced… okay, maybe I’m just dreaming, wallowing in wishful thinking… please tell me it’s not too late, that we have not become a 21st Century perpetual war machine trying to cling on to our crumbling Empire like the declining Roman Empire of many centuries ago… I fear the worst.
Ike was so right – beware the Military-Industrial Complex. It appears the M-IC is now totally in control.
At the very least we might start small, by forcing the release of Trumps tax returns – follow the money… cause it’s all about the money……………..
It’s a tangled web we weave and have woven.
An excellent essay, Coleen Rowley. I await more insightful writing from you here on CN.
None of this matters. In politics, perception is reality and McCabe’s sacking so close to his retirement is perceived as a vindictive act on Donald Trump’s part and a further tacit admissioin of his guilt. No amount of huffing and puffing about alleged past misconduct on McCabes part or on the part of past FBI directors, nor even the irrelevant ramble into a discussion of the CIA’s activities will change that.
He’s baaaaack!
Yep. “MK” from the archives:
:)
I just wanted to add a note of appreciation to Coleen Rowley, Nat and CN for remaining the very best investigative reporting site on the web. Also the regulars and knowledgeable commentary always add to the strength of this site. A very special thanks to the regulars like Stephen J that never fail to add to what has become a passionate pursuit of justice. JWalters, I have spent years piecing together JFK’s Assassination and I couldn’t assemble a better sequence than the one you provided, especially on Fletcher Prouty. To all my Thanks…
Thanks Bob Van Noy, and all the commentators that never give up exposing the evil that controls society today.
Cheers Stephen J.
Bob, thanks for seconding that link (in post above). I think it’s a good one for introducing people to the overwhelming evidence of the conspiracy and coverup.
Coleen-
Thank you so much for this. I will be forwarding it to friends and family. It is a shame that our MSM is so in the pocket of the powerful that the facts you bring forth will never be stated there. The Hillary/Trump divide in our society is blinding people to the fact that the corruption is deep and rampant on both sides of the aisle, and our only hope for salvation lies outside the two party system. It is like the citizens are at a sporting event, and they feel they have to root for one side or the other, when the game is fixed and the refs are paid off. It’s a WWE smackdown. Our politics has devolved to a theater of the absurd.
A New Yorker aware (as most New Yorkers are), of the multiple connections that link organized crime (Cosa Nostra, the Russian mob, etc. ad nauseum) to the construction industry, the political establishment and capitalism in general, I cannot but wonder if the so-called “Russiagate” investigation is perhaps a red herring to distract from an infinitely more disturbing story — as Ms. Rowley surely implies — implicit in the fact “both presidential campaigns (were) under under serious criminal investigation in the weeks before the 2016 election.”
Certainly both candidates have been linked to organized crime that in ways that — including even the Democratic (sic) Party’s Geraldine Ferraro fiasco in 1984 — have no precedent in my lifetime, which began in 1940 and includes 30 years in print journalism.
For a revealing trip through a genuinely astounding number of under-reported or suppressed stories, merely Google, without the quotation marks here grammatically mandated for clarity, “trump mafia connections”; “clinton mafia connections”; and “clinton dixie mafia connections.”
The Trump material contains a BillMoyers.com report by Todd Gitlin that questions why allegations of Trump’s criminal connections are so often suppressed or at best downplayed. This Google anthology also includes a wealth of other damning reports.
While the Clinton material is mostly from rightist sources — which means it should be carefully fact-checked rather than discarded out of hand — I found three bits of gold amidst the dross. One was published by The Progressive Review on 17 December 2017, “The Clinton stories the media didn’t cover” (caps and lower case as in original). The second appeared in The (NY) Daily News of 30 October 2016, “Bill and Hillary Clinton lead diabolical, influence-peddling organized crime syndicate, FBI’s former NYC boss says” (caps and lc as in original). The third, a sort of overview of the Empire as a global crime syndicate, is “The Bush-Clinton Mafia,” in Counterpunch on 16 March 2015.
Thus my “Russiagate” conjecture: that it is a fake scandal behind which is concealed what is perhaps the most diabolical, most terrifying, most potentially apocalyptic scandal in our species’ history — that of an entire empire become nothing more than a tool of organized crime.
Indeed the application of Occam’s Razor suggests this is the one most likely explanation of the horrors that have befallen us all.
Lauren Bliss: «Thus my “Russiagate” conjecture: that it is a fake scandal behind which is concealed what is perhaps the most diabolical, most terrifying, most potentially apocalyptic scandal in our species’ history — that of an entire empire become nothing more than a tool of organized crime.»
Which is why, at some point, in one way or the other, there is bound to be a revolt. And the criminals and their servile tools in the corporate media will have to face the wrath of the masses, and their stolen wealth will be taken from them. And it may well be ugly, becase they have the superior physical power of arms and police / military force, and they are unlikely to give it all up volontarily.
Touche Coleen! Thank you for writing such an excellent article. And, so very true!
Firing anybody two days before their bennies sink in smells to me. I know many folks get fired on Friday, but really! #RottenToTheCore
According to this link, he’ll lose a lot of money, but the man won’t starve.
h**ps://www.cnn.com/2018/03/16/politics/andrew-mccabe-pension-if-fired/index.html
If the guy deserves it, that’s the way the ball bounces. As the article says, he has the option of a lawsuit if he figures he was wronged.
At this point I can’t sort it out. I’m sure Coleen Rowley’s essay is a good one, but reading it made my head swim. Another factor is that I’m not entirely sure there are any “good guys” on any side of this mess. So I’m going to wait for the dust to settle on the issue. Maybe in a year or two some of it will make sense to me. Hopefully, sooner than that, but in the meantime I’m going to worry about other things till I can get some kind of grip on it all.
Kathleen – he’s not going to lose his full pension. As one article said, “He’ll probably be okay, though. Andrew McCabe has an estimated net worth of $11 million.” Then there’ll be the book deals, and he’s got offers coming in from various Dems who are willing to give him a job. Some angel investor out in Silicon Valley has started a GoFundMe for him. Oh, the humanity!
This guy was a corrupt cop. This information is being suppressed by the MSM, but Jeff Sessions acted upon information provided by the people in the quote below.
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions acted on a prior report of the Office of Inspector General (“OIG”)–as well as the recommendation of a career official with the Office of Professional Responsibility (“OPR”).”
backwardsevolution,
Yes, you are right. That is how it works; book deals, Silicon Valley funds and all that. McCabe must be celebrating for this real windfall to come out of all this. All this fruit for the good deeds he had been doing there at the FBI ! This is how the system works there now. What a joke!
Dave P. – “What a joke” is right! Every time McCabe opens his mouth, more cash is stuffed into it by all the naive people who envision he and his family sleeping under an overpass or something, hunting through garbage cans for food. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Can you just imagine what Nixon must be thinking? “Hey, I was impeached, and this guy retires at 50 and cash is being thrown at his feet.”
As a foreigner with a well-developed scepticism ( how we spell it) about the so called great American democracy I am saddened but not surprised, by the extent of malfeasance catalogued in this article. The corruption of the original, great constitution, including the wholesale misrepresentation of the second amendment to supposedly permit the insane level of personally-owned weaponry is sad. A country founded on such high ideals has been corrupted beyond belief at every level by venality and greed, its institutions vandalised by political hucksters, its people betrayed by (most of) their elected representatives, its media (apart from some honourable, independent exceptions: this blog, MOjO, NPR) hostage to the same wealthy oligarchs who dominate business, industry, the banks, Wall Street etc. The home of the brave, the land of the free, what a sad joke. One only needs to compare the US to other nations with a different level of financial equality, better education, welfare and health systems to see how far your once great nation has sunk. Remember Ike’s advice to beware the Miltary Industral complex? I see that nexus as key to America’s decline not to mention much of the instability in the world today. I wish your country could clean up its shit, but I’m not optimistic.
Why do you consider NPR “honourable, independent” of the “same wealthy oligarchs who dominate business, industry, the banks, Wall Street etc.”? I have avoided it for years, but everything I read at second hand has left me with the impression that National Public Radio reassures its listeners that they’re “progressive” on bathrooms and statues, but toes the Establishment line on warmongering, the financialization of the economy, discrediting/ignoring organizations like Wikileaks, etc. I’m interested in learning anything that you believe warrants reconsideration of that.
You’re right. NPR and PBS are worse than Fox and CNN in a way because the so-called “educated” class swallows their propaganda without question.
Re NPR I gotta agree.
I cannot watch it or even listen to their “news” and “analysis” anymore. totally self-serving. That is, serving the crazy ideas about Putin and Russia that infest the current media swamp.
This effect is exacerbated by the “tone” developed by NPR announcers and “talent” over the decades that bespeaks moderation tinged with world weariness and “above the fray,” but is actually a fancy style of innuendo.
No shit(e)! – How you spell it/smell it. NPR is as crappy as BBC, CBC and DW – they’re all on full churn and burn propaganda vis a vis Russia. Radio NATO is more like it. How you came to the conclusion you did is a real head-scratcher…
some call NPR National Propaganda Radio
In addition, Session specifically recused himself from anything to do with the Mueller investigation, and added that he would also recuse himself from anything having to do with the Clinton investigation. He said this while testifying under oath.
Sessions and Trump are sending a message to anyone who is thinking of crossing them–they will get even.
Thank you Coleen Rowley! Because what you write rings true and therefore helps one keep ones balance as all the lies keep swirling around as the two political sides try to spin us into their corner. Best not to go there.
It’s wise, as you are suggesting, to not take any sides here, but instead sit back skeptically, and watch from the sidelines. Too many wrongs done in our name, too much corruption, too many victims, too much money skimmed from the labors of honest people, too many people killed, too much debt, too many violations of common decency. Too many scoundrels.
an empire in the throws of decay….as someone said…..
Thank you and please keep writing when you can. Much appreciated, as you’ve seen it from the inside….
Sorry, should read:
Your thorough analysis of the corruption and lies exposed at the FBI without prosecution just shows that the reasons McCabe gives for his firing probably serves as proof that it passes the “smell test” after all – especially two days before he was to retire! It certainly doesn’t mean that McCabe didn’t deserve to be fired for any number of reasons, but Trump is becoming more unwound and vindictive as the Mueller investigation moves forward. Trump has been highly critical of the Mueller investigation lately and he accused Comey and McCabe of lying when they said they took detailed notes at their meetings. Both turned over their notes to Mueller.
In addition, Trump is putting pressure on Mueller to wrap up the investigation, but there cannot be closure on Russian interference in the election if the investigation is not allowed to proceed at the current pace – and finishing. Mueller has uncovered some interesting information about Russian interference leading to the indictment of thirteen individuals associated with the Russian troll farm. Putin had every motivation to help Trump, but this by no means indicates Trump colluded with Putin. Time will tell.
There cannot be closure on Russian interference in the election if it continues forever (or at least until the next election) without any credible evidence.
Thirteen individuals at the “Russian troll farm”? Give me an effen break.
” Putin had every motivation to help Trump, but this by no means indicates Trump colluded with Putin. Time will tell.”
Ridiculous.
This is a canard and itself does not pass a smell test.
It has become some kind of “received wisdom,” even though it makes no sense.
Putin made a point of staying OUT of the American election. He stated this clearly. As others have pointed out, an experienced politician such as Putin would probably have welcomed a more predictable entity such as Hillary Clinton. The idea that Putin would care that Hillary had called him some names is childish beyond belief.
This type of “limited hangout” statement (“Putin had every motivation . . .”) also has the function of insulating the writer against the accusation of being Putin’s stooge or troll or water carrier. It is all so pathetic—and so transparent.
Good! I also notice the UK accusations now, with no evidence, let alone proof, allow us to link double agent Skripal with ‘former MI6 spy Chris Steele’s “salacious dossier” accusing Trump’s campaign of colluding with the Russians.’
Could be coincidence!
The FBI has been crooked from day one. Power corrupts, eh?
You mean,even the fbi story,with Jimmy Stewart,is garbage?My God!
Read this at link below.
——————————————————–
“Gina Haspel: As If Nuremberg Never Happened
Nothing will say more about who we’ve become as a nation than if a torturer is allowed to head the CIA.”
By PETER VAN BUREN • March 19, 2018
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/gina-haspel-as-if-nuremberg-never-happened/
“To oppose corruption in government is the highest obligation of patriotism.”
G. Edward Griffin
——————————————————————————
If more and more people keep speaking out, like the author of the article, eventually there will be a groundswell of opposition. we must not give up.
There is an awful lot the “mainstream corporate media” doesn’t want to even mention. There is a clear evidence that this is because they are controlled by a hidden monopoly of war profiteers, who have a very different agenda than the American people. A case is laid out in the section on JFK at http://warprofiteerstory.blogspot.com
Glad to see Coleen Rowley’s informed perspective at Consortium News.
So on the point. Thank you for a concise article which cuts to corruption that is attendant to empire and the imperial court. Power plays and intrigue, profit and power, personal alliances, these are now the dances that our imperial leaders and their courtiers, lobbyists and sycophants, foreign and domestic, click their heals to.
Oh, and if continuous war is the aside (See Profits; http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Ferengi_Rules_of_Acquisition) to this wholesale looting of citizens, now called consumers, all in the name of Free Market Capitalism, which is the true name of the type of government the US Empire is, [D]mocracy is now just a facade in 2018, but also something which is falling from our grasp. It appears too late to restore the rule of law as intended, however flawed, by our Constitution.
Our courts are packed with political agenda appointees, our legislatures are in the sway of corporate “citizens” and swooning to lobbying dollars, be these foreign or domestic. The intelligence “community’s” friendly collection of citizens communications of all types by methods contrary to the protections provided by our Constitution, Our law enforcement is geared to suppress domestic unrest, our prison system is built to profit from a large incarceration rate.
These things along with the points made in the article indicate to me that we have crossed the Rubicon and are now no longer what we are considered, some perhaps even recently, a democratic nation.
“corruption that is attendant to empire”
Ancient Rome was riddled with corruption, and hence could not deal effectively with its problems. A major source of rot was its empire, which was based on massive injustice both abroad and at home. It provided corrupting loot mainly for the aristocracy (with some spillover) and created resentment from almost everybody else. Cicero would recognize America today.
I believe there needs to be an investigation into the “war crimes” and “internal corruption” happening today.
http://graysinfo.blogspot.ca/2015/10/the-21st-century-war-crimes-millions.html
All that is a laudable idea and should be done de rigueur wherever the heads may roll in a genuine free democracy, but America is long past being any such thing. The crimes have been enormous and the bodies stacked too high, there is way too much for the folks who actually control everything in this country to lose. Any legitimate investigation, short of being an aftermath to a coup, would simply never be allowed. Since the people are powerless, even with their handguns and AR-15’s, and the police are militarised to protect the status quo, the only candidates for such a coup are the U.S. military, which represents part of the three-legged stool of the Deep State, the others being the intelligence agencies and the military-industrial complex, along with their political and media enablers. All that regular Americans can do in this environment is sit and watch whatever power struggles emerge from within this circle of insiders. Trump is really THEIR puppet, NOT Putin’s. He was unwittingly drafted for the job when their first choice, Hillary, failed so miserably in her assignment to ostensibly “win” the election by whatever means. All the GOP v Dem shenanigans in the congress are just staged drama to hoodwink the public into thinking that what goes on there is legitimate. But, thanks for your thoughtful input. Would that such an ideal world be again possible.
As for investigations, it is Interesting that former FBI Director Louis Freeh “tried to clean up the FBI” yet appointed a friend as Deputy Director who had covered up a scandal of the Ruby Ridge standoff.
Freeh showed extreme ethnic prejudice in his investigation of the 2010 Penn State mass child-rape scandal. He simply investigated and blamed Penn State instead of the youth athletic organization responsible (which had used the college sports facilities). It’s CEO (Raykowitz), the child rapist (Sandusky), and Freeh himself were all Jewish, as was the President of Penn State (Spanier). Spanier had been fired before the investigation, so Freeh blamed him lightly, never mentioned or interviewed Raykowitz, and the (zionist) mass media never reported that any of them were Jewish. The youth group board of directors changed suddenly after the scandal was revealed, and none of the earlier names were mentioned.
Freeh blamed the rapes on two non-Jewish college employees who passed along early accusations causing Sandusky to be retired by Penn State, but years later did not seek to deny its facilities to the well-known youth group. This was more than just a “double standard” it was an ethnicity-based coverup for those responsible.
So now the antisemitic conspiracy trolls are infecting the Consortiumnews comments.
Conspiracy psychosis aside, Freeh is as Catholic as the frickin ‘ pope while Jerry Sandusky was a devout Methodist.
What a disgrace to the memory of Robert Parry.
Is calling a spade a spade anti-spade?
More racist trolls congregating on Consortiumnews?
Pathetic.
All conspiracy trolling aside, Freeh is Catholic, not Jewish, and Sandusky is a lifelong Methodist. And neither of them are spades.
I assume that you, floyd gardner, and the Protocols of the Elders of Zion troll, Anon, are one and the same.
Why have you chosen to pollute this site with your twisted idiocy?
Have a little respect for the late Mr Parry and those who are trying to carry on his legacy. Go back to infowars, or whatever sewer is your home.
According to Wikipedia, Freeh is indeed a Catholic and Sandusky a Methodist. A valid theory fits the facts. And these particular facts are easily checked.
Closer study than Wikipedia shows that Sandusky is Jewish (his parents are) but because one person claims to have once seen him near a protestant church, he must have been a protestant.
Freeh is reported to be Jewish, but I do not have a reference and certainly would not take Wikipedia info in such a matter. If he is not Jewish, his report still shows extreme prejudice.
Checks your facts, “Pancho”. Read the report. It is just as I said, isn’t it?
And check your definition of anri-semitic, which you apparently think allows you to accuse anyone who won’t let you group get away with anything at all. No other group demands such a privilege on grounds that anything else would be discrinmination against them. Have you thought about that, or are you demanding the privilege for yourself? You are the disgrace.
Unfortunately, and that’s not new Pancho.
More racist trolls congregating on Consortiumnews?
Pathetic.
All low-rent global Jewish conspiracy trolling aside, Freeh is a lifelong practicing Catholic and the product of Christian Brothers parochial schools. He is not Jewish. Neither is Sandusky, whose mother was Irish Protrstant and his father a Polish Catholic. He, himself, was a weekly congregant of St Paul’s Methodist Church, where he was friendly with the senior pastor, Edwin Zeiders.
Have a little respect for the late Mr Parry and those who are trying to carry on his legacy. Go back to infowars, or whatever sewer is your usual home.
Fresh is Catholic.
Interesting article.
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There is evidence that a number of governments are financing, training and supporting terrorists? Surely, these types of actions based on the evidence qualify as rule by gangsters? See some of the evidence in the article: “The Treason and Treachery paid for with our tax dollars? [1]…
[read more at link below]
http://graysinfo.blogspot.ca/2018/03/are-we-seeing-government-by-gangsters.html
It looks like our venal, corrupt, criminally irresponsible, degenerate, psychopathic, morally corroded government/political establishment is finally (inevitably?) beginning to devour itself. Pass the salt!
Well spoken. This bit in particular had me laughing uncontrollably:
“ . . .former FBI Director Louis Freeh tried to “clean up” the FBI in the mid-1990s”
Freeh, after leaving the FBI, went to work for credit card giant MBNA, an outfit with a long record of white-collar criminal behavior. This is standard practice at the FBI executive level; they are really just the white-collar mafia. Comey, for example, after leaving the FBI in 2005, went first to Lockheed Martin, then to HSBC (after they were busted for laundering cartel money), that’s where Obama picked him from.
Yes, Trump is a crook too, but it’s all just ridiculous. Crooks chasing crooks for the benefit of other crooks, it’s like a Mafia family war in Washington – grossly corrupt, no matter which side you are on.
Not too long after he left office,Louis Freeh had a car crash that raised questions from an eyewitness. If you get a chance, refresh your memory watching Mueller testify in front of Congress promoting the excuses for going to war with Iraq. Jimmy Dore recently replayed it on his Y.T. show. So, Mueller’s Team had fifteen individuals, two are now gone. Anyone hear of any others leaving? Inquiring minds would like to know.
Andrew M. was not on the list of fifteen individuals that I saw. Peter S. and Lisa P. are the two gone that I know of off the list. It is shown at: reconsider.news ( if I recall correctly).
In fact, the entity that actually threatens the rights and freedoms of the American people is the U.S. government, given the totalitarian-like powers that it assumes as part of its effort to keep us safe from the enemies its interventionist policies are producing. Coming to mind are the totalitarian-like power to assassinate Americans, secret mass surveillance, and the incarceration and torture of American citizens as suspected terrorists — all without due process of law and without trial by jury.
This is what a national-security state does to people — it warps, damages, or destroys their conscience, principles, and values; induces them to subscribe to false bromides; and nurtures all sorts of mental contortions to enable people to avoid confronting reality.
Jacob G. Hornberger
Once I really delved into the way the US government really was, it seemed so similar to the Mafia model. There are several agencies that are above the law or any oversight at all. Since the Congressional inquiries in the 70’s reined in the agencies they regrouped and now do as they please. What I see now would be similar to Mafia factions or families at war for dominance.
It is not “like a Mafia family war”, it -IS- a Mafia family war.
If that meme were used more often to explain how decisions are made by our government, I think people would start to wise up. But then maybe I have too much faith in people.
As a devout catholic Federalist, I’m certain Freeh wasn’t big on drunken agents crashing their work vehicles w/o repercussion or the other “petty crimes.” be more interesting to hear his views on things like Fred Hampton or Earth First
Yes, LOL! And I once ran into Freeh’s boss at MBNA a few years afterward.
It was rumored that Freeh cut his 10 years FBI term short after 7 years and went to MBNA for the big money–the rumor was for a “seven figure” salary which at the time was big. His Catholic background had led he and his wife to have seven sons and it was said that he needed to make some money to pay for seven college tuitions. But the MBNA superior told me why they had to fire Freeh a year or so after they hired him for simple incompetence. According to this MBNA, who was a former military officer, Freeh was just not worth the money.
An even bigger example of lack of integrity on Freeh’s part, however, in my opinion was his willingness to get an indictment of Iranians for the Khobar Towers bombing which many (if not most) experts considered to have been carried out by Al Qaeda operatives, not Iranians. Gareth Porter has written a great article about this FBI “crooked investigation” which Freeh personally spearheaded.
They may be psychopathic but they aren’t crazy and they aren’t stupid. More likely they are thinking they have to unite and take full power or they might lose their jobs.
Yes, cannibalism. A dying empire is an ugly thing as it thrashes about in its death throes making “collateral damage” all around itself.
Yep. And just like Bush, they are being rehabilitated because people are upset because Hillary didn’t win the election. Imagine if Trump had lost and he was blaming it on Russia? I’m sure that people would be laughing their butts off at him.
Actually, it’s been doing this to itself for a long time and it ain’t going anywhere.
Paranoia strikes deep
into your heart it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
step out of line, the man come and take you away
You’d better stop children what’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s goin’ down…..
There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I’ve got to beware…