It's time for the media to call out what's happening and stop giving this administration the benefit of doubt. Many people think Hitler couldn't happen here but in 2 years we see the underpinning for it. As more and more trump loyalists gain positions in the government and judiciary, it will accelerate.
trump has made it very clear that he doesn't believe in democracy or rule of law but he still gets the benefit of doubt.
Right now he's trying to undermine Nancy Pelosi and very few people are outraged by it and it's starting to be accepted as politics as usual. There's nothing usual about altering videos of your opposition to make them appear drunk.
It's time to start calling out this president
54
I'm waiting for the FBI , NSA and CIA to reject this idea that Barr can just run over any concerns of secrets to satisfy Trump. I do hope that those agencies fight and perhaps "forget about some information or it got lost" that otherwise could be sent to Barr.
Pretty sad that the CIA needs not only to keep information secret from other countries but from our own government.
111
The secret police and intelligence agencies have no right to conceal any secrets from this President or any other. It is shocking that liberals would abandon our constitutional system of civilian control for short term political gain. If you oppose Trump's policies, defeat him at the polls! You cannot fight fascism with fascism. What happens when these same people decide that a President Sanders or AOC would be a "threat" to "national security"?
32
Wow this one is easy!
The leadership of the IC should just say no to turning over any documents they believe would endanger sources and methods.
Demand a subpoena and then ignore it!
Next topic.....
19
On offense. 1st and 10 on the opponent's 40 yard line.
4
It shouldn't be that hard to find the ORANGES of the investigation. Oh my...
9
I am so sick of all this back and forth gaming. Publish it ALL. The whole Mueller report. All Hillary's emails. Whatever else is stuffed away in secret. The Russians and the Chinese already know everything. Now let the American public on on the deal.
19
I believe they call this a ‘Banana Republic’. And I didn’t even need to travel to experience it.
10
The secret police and intelligence agencies have no right to conceal any secrets from this President or any other. It is shocking that liberals would abandon our constitutional system of civilian control for short term political gain. If you oppose Trump's policies, defeat him at the polls! You cannot fight fascism with fascism. What happens when these same people decide that a President Sanders or AOC would be a "threat" to "national security"?
7
From the article: \\The most prominent of the C.I.A.’s sources of intelligence on Russia’s election interference was a person close to Mr. Putin who provided information about his involvement, former officials have said. //
Why is this highly sensitive information being published? Why is it being leaked, itself a deadly serious crime and one that clearly jeopardizes the source supposedly "close to Mr. Putin?" Is it Brennan and his crew threatening the wholesale leaking of sensitive information if they are prosecuted for the excesses that obviously occurred?
Brennan voted for Gus Hall in 1976. His loyalties have always been suspect.
11
The clown who took the vote of the Electoral College is looking like a caricature of the Manchurian Candidate, home-grown and performing the same role without the benefit of 'brainwashing.' Selling the birthright of the nation with the help of smiling sycophants. All of it based on ego, not public service.
19
Okay, so Vladimir ordered his lackey to give up the American mole so that Vlad will keep quiet and the mole will get some torture before he dies. Business as usual in the Administration.
10
What need for an informant close to Putin? DT can just call Vlad and get a strong view.
5
The CIA needs to be disbanded as JFK wished and got him killed. Also, having 17 “intelligence” agencies is absolutely ridiculous.
6
This trumped up investigation of law enforcement will have a chilling effect on those who are trying to prevent foreign interference in the 2020 election.
Why stick your neck out for Russia or China or the Saudis or Ukraine when the only result is the president charges you with treason?
9
My wife tells me that I sometimes have an over-active imagination. And that may be true. Sometimes.
But, I believe we should give Barr some room to operate here. He started his government career with the CIA. And you know what they say, "once CIA, always CIA."
Barr may turn out to be more of a patriot than any of us could have imagined.
7
Just your discussion that Putin has a CIA operative close to Putin has put that informant in jeopardy. Poor decision to put his/her life on the line for a story.
14
Mr. Trump is obsessed with proving to everyone that his election to the presidency was legitimate and that he won on his merit without "collusion" or even unsolicited outside intervention. His obsession is greater than his limited understanding of the role of the CIA, the FBI and other national security agencies. He does not understand the risks to American agents, spies and operatives and how they place their lives in great danger. Trump's limited capacity has jeopardized more than lives. His latest request jeopardizes national security. Trump's actions and words are indicative of "serial stupidity".
16
Air-taxis are already beginning to fly all over the world:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-23/china-air-taxis-are-next-frontier-for-austrian-aviation-supplier
How is that $45 billion 22 feet high wall going to cope with that? Don't you understand that this wall thing is a way to get fools to think that Trump is "doing something" about the problem, without actually hindering a steady supply of illegal slave labor to his resorts and golf courses.
6
There's a "deep state" all right - it's called the American radical right, which includes what used to be called the Republican party. If it walks like a coup and quacks like a coup ...
15
Looks like Trump is trying to claim the Iron Throne. His audacity, arrogance and egotism is beyond reproach.
This con man is literally threatening our democracy. We are losing the checks and balances as one party has decided to look the other way in favor of saving their skin.
14
Obviously Putin wants to know who is responsible for the leaks to the US. Trump is just following orders.
13
Convincing evidence that Trump hand picked Barr. Also, that Trumputin wrongly believes that his "Presidency" is not tainted. The Mueller Report proves convincingly that we have a deeply tainted individual sitting in our Oval Office. He is clearly unqualified - by demeanor, experience, requisite intelligence/knowledge and long existing continuing mental afflictions. Venal to the core. Vote, Dump Trump, Ditch Mitch, flip the Senate, save our Republic. No apathy.
11
The problem with declassifying everything is that it is a) still going to be selective and b) will get sourced killed.
Naturally, narcissistic egomaniacal politicians won’t care about that and embrace self-serving selective declassification. The rest, they will sell off to hostile foreign countries for profit.
Thankfully, we do not have such low-lifers in our government.
2
Geez, DJT is acting this bad now.... just wait and see how he “behaves” when his tax returns go public.
Not even barr can save him from that one!
5
Could offering up these sources be Trumps gift to Putin? Horrible to contemplate.
75
The United States is being led by a Russian asset.
685
@latweek
"The United States is being led by a Russian asset"
When you make statements like that, you are assumed to be a deranged lunatic.
Is that really what you want?
9
Mueller says you're wrong.
6
@George Orwell
I don't think it is deranged at all.
46
Well, I’m confused. Again. Presumably, the president already has access to any intel from the agencies, including those sources and methods (as noted re President Obama). So why delegate that power to Barr? Scapegoat, should anything leak?
And is this a power, a duty he can delegate? Can he delegate his pardoning power to...Kelly Ann? To Fox and Friends? What about the emergency power to declare war? Who gets that piece of presidential destruction? Security clearances - oh wait; he hasn’t delegated those to anyone yet- just overruled normal channels for the benefit of family members.
Maybe he can delegate, loan out, Air Force One to ...special friends; a great party venue.
But no Impeachment for abuse of power, failing to take care. Political positioning is more important.
Meanwhile, Dan Coats’ concerns about our voting processes go begging. Maybe he can delegate that to - Sara Sanders. (Sp?).
16
At some point, the U.S. military and the U.S. security apparatus are going to have to decide whether or not to protect Donald Trump.
It is astounding that a publicity stunt on the part of a television personality may end up demolishing our entire social structure curated over the last 243 years.
Even if we’ve been on life support the last several decades, which some people may feel, the cure is not entirely pulling the plug. The solution is fixing the problems and inequities.
Whose side are you on?
1822
Trump is on trump’s side
79
@itsmildeyes
This may well be the most important question ever asked by a NYT commenter. We can only hope that such discussions are taking place behind closed doors by some very serious people.
180
@itsmildeyes
You know, even the Ancient Greeks could not come up with a scenario this far-fetched. Or maybe not.
How is it that a population allowed their 243 year old curated social structure to be demolished?
This TV personality is mocking all of us for having something we used to pretend to believe in.
All of this posturing and nonsense is what passes for leadership in some eyes.
Be on the side of honor, decency and the Constitution.
100
Talk about digging your own grave.
I will not be surprised if suddenly leaks of this administrations wrongdoings suddenly turns up in international news service.
2
Trump's goals with regard to this particular development are twofold: one he will use selectively declassified information to prove that he is as innocent as the driven snow. As we know Barr cannot be trusted, and Barr will do his best to create the narrative that favors his boss and keeps him in power. Two, this will the effect of reminding any CIA or FBI counterintelligence officers, that if they start turning over rocks with regard to Donald Trump and his illegal activities, they will be exposed, and will certainly be vilified and run out of their jobs. It is a sure-fire way to make sure that they will not do anything whatsoever to challenge Trump. I just hope that all Americans remember, if there is a future attack on the United States, that the failure of any counter-espionage and counterintelligence, should be laid right at the feet of Donald Trump and the GOP.
7
This is a travesty. The Republican party will not rest until our democracy is abolished. Make no mistakes, this falls on the Republicans in the Senate. Unless and until they start to uphold their oath of office, the only recourse those of us who wan to see this democracy grow stronger only have the 2020 election to undo this disaster.
I found a quote by President Truman taken from a speech he gave in October 1948: "Well, I have been studying the Republican Party for over 12 years at close hand in the Capital of the United States. And by this time, I have discovered where the Republicans stand on most of the major issues. Since they won't tell you themselves, I am going to tell you. They approve of the American farmer - but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home--but not for housing. They are strong for labor--but stronger for restricting labor's rights. They favor a minimum wage--the smaller the minimum the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all--but they won't spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for people who can afford them. ..... They condemn "cruelly high prices"--but fight to the death every effort to bring them down. They think the American standard of living is a fine thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it." Change much?
19
Another attempt by Trump to divert attention from his high crimes and misdemeanors in office and the willingness of AG Barr to comply, acting more like Trump’s attorney of record than the Attorney General of the United States. The continuous misconduct of this administration is appalling.
5
The headliner summary perhaps should state "Trump's perceived enemies." If our own intelligence services ARE his enemies, Trump has to go now. Trump is the problem not the CIA.
4
If Barr can have access to anything he wants for political purposes, it is likely he won't stop as the Russia investigation. I predict that he will find evidence that Clinton was investigated and for a cover-up and although nothing was found, the details of what was investigated could be released making it look like Trump was her target. The Power that Barr now has is very very dangerous. I find there is now no difference between the actions of an authoritarian government and the Trump Administration. All that remains is to shut down the press by making the exposure of corruption a crime.
7
This is exactly what the Russians would ask a compromised US President to do: reveal the covert intelligence your country has in place in regard to Russia and anywhere else we fancy.
7
Trump and his henchmen are permitted to assault the law in a new way. The courts should fast track these issues- assuming we can rely in the courts. They, too, seem to be being ignored. The intentions of a law are usually clear. The same is true of the Constitution. A precedent has been set in which even some Justices participate - haggling about meaning and intention the way rabbis have haggled over Talmudic texts. However, our laws were not written in ancient Aramaic - they’re in English.
5
Now we get to watch the Democrats feign to be concerned with national security.
Sources and methods. Oh, no!
Sources were the Russians that fed the complete lies into the Clinton campaign and methods were using the completely corrupted individuals in our national security apparatus and the corrupt media to frame Trump for something he never did,
The American people must not ever know how corrupt Democrats attempted to rig the election and engineer a coup against Trump.
To protect the Russian sources, of course.
And for the security of their corrupt Democrat colleagues, who probably won't enjoy prison very much.
5
So parts of the Mueller report are redacted for "national security " but it's ok to release matters of actual national security? Got it.
7
America is a nation of laws; we have a corrupt US Attorney General and a corrupt US President, both abusing their power to flaunt the law. We are in big, big trouble.
4
What Republicans in Congress need to remember is that what goes around comes around in Washington. Unless they intend to permanently take control of our government, Trump's GOP lackeys need to think about what happens when and if they lose control to some very outraged Democrats.
2
Since we are aware that both Brennan and Clapper perjured themselves before Congress
why not find out if they lied about the origin of the Trump investigation.
3
The demolition of this democracy's foundation continues. Give it a bit more time and it will eventually be left . just like Dresden after the bombardments, in ruins.
2
The flip side of the import of this article is lost on no one. Where was this level of concern when releasing the full, unredacted Mueller report.
8
Caught a bit of CNN's special on Trump's "businesses" last night.
Mexican resort in Baja--glossy brochures, glowing promises etc. Ivanka appearing in person and saying she's moving in, telling potentials buyers if they want to borrow sugar to knock on her door. How folksy! Until they disappeared with $30 million or so and stiffed everyone else.
Don is a Con and has been his entire life. His primary mantra is "the best defense is an offense." He's perfected his art and now has the cooperation of those 1,000 times smarter than him. This play, which is worldwide btw, is being directed from Russia.
Not sure an election will save us. It didn't last time. Russians have had plenty of time to perfect hacking of voting machines probably not everywhere but just where they need too.
I suggest you all start listening to Sean Hannity. The rhetoric, distortion and lies are being amped up to code red. They are bringing AR-15s to this fight, we are brining Nerf guns.
5
“Mr. Barr asked Mr. Trump for the declassification, a Justice Department official said on Thursday”. Donald Trump holds the title of President of the United States, but he is, in fact, an imposter. His strings are pulled by Pompeo, Barr, Bolton (on occasion), Putin, the Saudi Prince, Netanyahu, Kushner, etc. He’s like an unexploded IED to be handled by more cleverly devious actors. These are dangerous days for the United States.
3
Trump does not understand what being a president mean.
1
Trump rails against the Dem for the multiple Congress investigations, claiming that they want to re-investigate the Mueller scope.
But then he goes off and wants to reinvestigate Clinton and the so called Russian hoax.
It’s all smoke and mirrors, punch and counterpunch with the effect that they cancel each other other, but leave the country more polarized than ever.
I predict that it will only take more event— the 2020 election perhaps, irrespective of outcome— for that polarization to launch us into a “cold” civil war.
3
The truth will set us all free. We are at war with each other. We've been here before so relax.
2
Let’s see, we need to declassify the identity of the high level CIA asset that reported Putin’s active plot to support Trump’s campaign.
And everyone’s shorts are in a knot over Julian Assange?
7
I find it rich that the same paper that gave us the Pentagon Papers is now super concerned about the integrity of the CIA's mission of safeguarding their secrets.
AG Barr is simply getting to the bottom of how this nominal investigation (an attempted coup, really) started. Methinks that the New York Times knows that the Barr, an astute statesman, is strategically getting to the bottom of this travesty and unraveling the true cover-up.
5
Ah, how the Law of Unintended Consequences bites those too stupid to understand what the CIA calls "Blowback." Trump, iin his latest attempt to politicize national intelligence & the security of America in order to use everything as a weapon against anybody who doesn't bow & kiss the Ring. The CIA mole placed in Putin's inner circle is a threat to Trump. His original reports to the CIA first alerted US intelligence to the Russian hacking of Democrats, Trump inner-circle aides contacts with Russian intelligence, & Putin's direct involvement in the hacking. It is in Trump's interest as much as Putin's to shut the intel source down. The mole's name is the most highly guarded secret at the CIA & Barr can now demand his identity. The American people will probably not be told, but Trump will, and the next call with Putin will take care of this source of info about Trump. Even if this doesn't leak to Putin & result in the quick death of our most important access to Putin's inner circle, at least two broad consequences will profoundly damage our national security. First, the CIA will never again be able to recruit intelligence sources in foreign governments or intel agencies since they can no longer be sure their identities will be kept secret if Trump or his successors can make a political gain out of burning them. Second, no allied country will dare share any intelligence with a leaking sieve where everything in the intelligence community is potentially capable of being weaponized.
8
Trumpism is what early fascism looks like: Authoritarian, nationalistic, xenophobic, the Big Lie perpetually repeated (e.g. "no collusion, no obstruction"), use of government to punish political "enemies", all supplemented by a population part of which is particularly susceptible to blatant propaganda and by individual sycophants eager in one way or another to cash in.
All of this (and more) is familiar to those who've been around a long time or read books of modern history.
6
When a President is investigated it is impossible for everybody involved to remain neutral. Barr will find emails to staff and wives that look like a set-up was in play. All other evidence to the contrary will be ignored. And, as Barr has already unveiling his bias to protect the President, he will expose only those emails or memos that show a conspiracy thus validating Trump's accusation that a deep state was and is active and must be put down. This will be done just before the election so that there is no time remaining for a proper rebuttal. It's all in the plan folks. Trump does not like to lose and does what it takes to bring his enemies down using whatever it takes; lies, half truths, made up evidence, false testimony, anything at all.
6
Wasn’t there a time when exposing confidential sources was considered treason? Oh yeah, that was before Valerie Plame was exposed by some Republicans for their political purposes. Imagine the uproar if it had been done by a Democrat.
10
Isn’t the true motivation here to help Putin deal with the sources on his team?
5
We are slow walking toward final judgments at the Supreme Court.
And how will they rule... on intelligence, Trump’s taxes, his family’s corrupt practices, abortion?
We need a major defense as Barr and Senate R’s fuel attacks on the rule of law...
I pray they defend us against this rush toward authoritarianism.
5
That picture sums it up, master and servant.
No one trusts the US anymore.
4
Unfortunately nothing he does surprises me anymore and if there was ever a more perfect foil than Barr to execute the wishes of this mad man I can't think of one. I know that Barr is not clever enough to beat the experts in the CIA, and if they have been doing their jobs right they haven't shared anything with the ODNI. My hopes are the agency limits the answers to whatever questions they are asked and and Barr beats his head against the wall until he is unceremoniously dumped out on the street in January 2021, his reputation in ruins but his legacy as "Trump's errand boy" cemented forever.
8
Britain, Australia, France, Germany, if you´re listening please threaten to shut down the channel of intelligence information with sincere intention. That would be acting as true allies to our country.
Oh the irony of investigating whether or not Putin ordered the interference with the 2016 election while Trump sells arms to Saudi Arabia in a round about way without admitting that MLB ordered the slaughter of Khasoggi!
4
This article provides even more reason to impeach Trump (and Barr). We can add collusion and treason to the charges of obstruction, possible money laundering and financial and tax fraud along with other high crimes and misdemeanors.
3
Trump seems intent on taking everything down with him. He truly is a pox on our country.
3
Once again the US president appears to be unwittingly supporting enemy objectives. Exposing sensitive US intelligence and agents plays right into Putin's playbook.
2
We are living in Crazytown. Relying on an election next year, as compromised as we are; risking lives of intelligence operatives because our President doesn’t have the mental capacity to review material himself. My only question is when are we waking up to this clear & present danger.
7
" ... he is interested in how the C.I.A. concluded Mr. Putin ordered the interference campaign in 2016.", what a difference does that make?! They should spend all this time and money to PREVENT it from happening. This is just a distraction from Trump being investigated. Barr is a disgrace. That picture tells it all, he shows he is obedient to Trump and not a stand up man.
4
The reaction to this news by admitted liar to Congress John Brennan should give every citizen and especially those of you on the left serious pause. He is apoplectic because he was behind this charade and will be exposed.
I am astounded that Times readers, generally of the left, would want the intelligence agencies to have more power and less transparency! That is a dictatorial pretext.
6
Who needs Julian Assange, when the American President is ready/willing/able to leak the CIA's secrets?
8
Why does Barr need total declassification power to do his so called investigation? It looks like his real assignment is to reveal the messengers and kill the messengers or at least intimidate them into silence. This should scare the heck out of every American. Does any sane person believe that a man like Mueller would base his conclusions on illegally obtained or otherwise questionable evidence.
4
No DOJ access to CIA files until Congress has received all lawfully subpoenaed files from the White House first.
3
Politicizing the nation's intelligence gathering operations is reason number 1,000 (more or less) to initiate impeachment proceedings.
2
We are dealing with the results of the right wing coup conducted in 2016 by the Republican Party with Russian assistance that placed the incompetent, ignorant Donald Trump in the White House. Trump will continue to create chaos, ignore the Constitution and the rule of law since he believes he has the the limitless powers of a dictator.The responsibility for the perilous instability in the United States government is the fault of the Republicans who must be replaced at every opportunity if we are to have any hope of rescuing our nation.
3
Why wouldn't Trump do what he can to aid Russia in destroying the post WWII world order established by the West, he is conspiring with Russia and that is what Russia wants.
PROSECUTE RUSSIAGATE!
2
I'm very glad to see the NY Times pick up on the intelligence angle. It makes no sense to me that Trump or the Freedom caucus guys would still br trying to investigate the "oranges" of an investigation that, according to Trump and Barr, has concluded: no collusion / no obstruction. What makes more sense to me is that Putin and the Russians are still trying to ferret out all the CIA moles in the Kremlin, including the person who was mentioned in the Times article as a CIA source fingering Putin in the January 2017 briefing for President -elect Trump. After the top Russia guys at DOJ / FBI have been neutralized (Peter Struzk, Bruce Orr, Jim Baker), who do you target next if not the intelligence community. I think the rral story is the effort to dismantle our Rusian counter-intelligence masquerading as the vindictive persecution of imagned politicl enemies by mad King Trump. And I think Meadows & Co. are opputunistic fools. Thank you NY Times! The WP seems to have missed this angle entirely.
4
The Washington Regime and it's state security apparatus and secret police are basically a criminal enterprise. Most likely regime apparatchiks and the secret police shall manage to coverup their crimes and criminal activities.
The CIA, FBI, NSA, military intelligence and the rest of the bad people in the Washington Regime are all equally guilty of the crimes and criminal activities of the secret police and the Regime.
4
Hey Coats and Haspel,
Don't try to use decency as a reason to stop Barr or Trump. Haspel, use your God-given cleverness to outfox those two connivers. There is a legal, moral, efficient way to stop this, and you can figure it out. Just remember: you're smarter and more ethical than they are.
2
So, the president wants to reveal everything, including, it seems, the identity of the Russian informant, said to be close to Putin, whose intlligence enabled the CIA to determine that the Russian President authorized interference in our election in 2016. Whose interest does this serve? One person, surely, would be President Putin. We might think that he would be extremely grateful for this service. What does that make the person who performs the service? A Russian agent?
15
Trump's "investigation" of the a just and proper examination of the depths to which the Russian's applied their effort to disrupt and undermine our electoral process threatens to expose key sources of important counter intelligence. Putin could not ask for a better opportunity to clean out the western spies in his midst. Selective examination to discredit counter intelligence, will do the Russians a great favor. Do we need any further proof today that Trump is in fact an agent of Putin's apparatus?
12
The fact that Mr. Trump wants to know the identity of a high ranking informant in Russia seems extremely dangerous to me. It also seems suspicious, given his penchant for siding with Russia over the US. Could he be seeking this information for Mr. Putin? I'm the furthest from a conspiracy thinker, but these are weird times we're living in.
8
"Mr. Schiff pledged that his committee would closely monitor Mr. Barr’s actions in the inquiry. 'We are going to expose any abuse, any politicization of intelligence,' he said." You can't unring a bell. Once someone has been outed as an informant to an intelligence agency, you have put that person in danger. While Dan Coats will certainly do everything he can to protect sources, he does not outrank Bill Barr and does not have the executive privilege power of Bill Barr. I have no doubt that whoever the source was deep inside the Kremlin who supplied information about Russia's interference in the 2016 election will be outed to Putin, but perhaps not outed publicly. Trump has a debt to Putin, and this would be quid pro quo.
While other presidents have used intelligence agencies to gain access to private information about political rivals to use against them, granting Bill Barr the sweeping power Trump did far exceeds what any of the other presidents did, and that includes Nixon.
Who in his or her right mind would agree to be a source of information for our intelligence agencies now? And that's the point. Our intelligence agencies are being rendered impotent. Who benefits? Certainly not the U.S.
The 2016 election has proven to be tragic for our democracy. It is in tatters, and hanging by a thread. Amongst Republicans, only Justin Amash has had the courage to call for Trump's impeachment. Or is it that the rest are on board with Trump's scorched earth policy?
6
It is useful to remember that the threat to the US Constitution and 200-plus years of emerging political tradition is not President Trump, it is the entire Republican Party which has been careening toward the ectreme right for decades. Trump has been nothing more than a GOP savior-in-waiting.
The GOP has put winning in the name of privileged, aging, white male hegemony ahead of anything and everything to do with fair popular representation. This is why the Party trades on fear, loathing, resentment, rage and cheating* to deny all Americans their rightful voice.
If you liked the Old Confederacy, you'll love where the GOP is taking this country now.
* The doctored Nancy Pelosi re-tweeted by the President video is only the most recent Exhibit A.
11
Well, at least Trump acknowledged treason should be punishable by death. Of course he's unfamiliar with actual constitutional and statutory requirements for such a prosecution. (Not that he wouldn't happily change the law if he could do it unilaterally.)
We're not at war with a named adversary unless you consider 'terror' our perpetual enemy as declared by Bush the Lesser. But, in fairness, Trump has instilled more terror in his own citizens than anyone or any group since the days of lynching in the early 20th century.
The real goal here, as virtually everyone on both sides knows, is to help create and reinforce a false narrative that Trump was illegally victimized by intelligence and law enforcement activities ahead of his election. Never mind there was not a peep about the counterintelligence investigation to alert voters or the Electoral College.
And never mind that Hillary has a much better case concerning Comey's unwarranted interference on TWO occasions, both strongly influenced by Congressional Republican pressure on the FBI Director.
As for an actual death penalty. That depends on the vagaries of the top secret intelligence revealed by AG Barr in service to Trump's anti-impeachment and re-election campaigns. Those deaths are likely to be our most sensitive human sources in Russia and Eastern Europe. And, if Trump and Barr get their way, the potential death of a democracy with checks and balances.
8
This isn’t just about getting at political opponents. It is possibly about trump being an agent for the Russian government.
Trump knows full well this will reveal intelligence assets in Russia. This could be a foil for revealing then to the Russian government. Isn’t that what the mueller investigation was about at its core?
What protection do we have that trump isn’t jeopardizing national security for generations to come??!
4
On the day we honor our soldiers who have given their lives to protect our freedom, we are faced with a president who is being accused of turning his back on Congress and us, the represented. Three examples of Trump's circumventing Congress are a threat to all of us. First, in a statement through Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, he said that the wall “is going to get built, with or without Congress.” Secondly, he circumvents Congress with the decision sell arms to our Middle East. Third, he now is asking Barr to declassify intelligence documents that oversteps the boundaries of the separation of power doctrine.
Today's three actions compel me to quote a man of honor, someone to respect on a day when we should be completely focused on remembering our fallen heroes.
"I don't care about politics. I don't care about expediency. I don't care about friendship. I care about doing the right thing." Certainly not the words coming out of our president, are they? These words belong to James Comey, and for his doing the right thing, Trump fired him on May 9, 2017.
6
So it has come down to Trump vs. CIA. Excellent reporting. Keep on digging NYTimes until we get to the bottom of this mess. Our citizens and allies need to know. May God help us all.
6
I don't understand the left's issues with more investigations. If the Obama administration and his friends in mass media have nothing to hide? Why such a problem? We've just had over 2 years and 30 million spent in an attempt to nullify the '16 election. What's another few months now that THAT has turned up nothing?
I sense much apprehension with Mr Trump's accusers, now that THEY are being looked at
Sunshine is always the best disinfectant.
Declassify as much as possible.
And let the chips fall where they may. I believe this will not end well for the Progressives
The current administration must be over the target since the flak is increasing.
6
the CIA and FBI report to the chief executive of the United States , otherwise referred to as the President . the President chooses leadership in these agencies and gives them their broad agenda , they are not agencies that are independent of this or any other administration.
3
It has by now become clear that William Barr is acting as a lackey of Donald Trump, not as the attorney general of the U.S. As such, whatever investigation he conducts will be aimed at pleasing his boss rather than getting at the root of the problem. His work will be made easy by the declassification of sensitive documents which the president has irresponsibly ordered.
As for Trump, he couldn’t care less if his order is going to compromise national security. All that matters to him is preservation of the interests of his business empire and his survival as president at any cost. The question is: If national security interests triumph over the personal interests of one who happens to be the president, isn't Trump's declassification order illegal?
Until the legality of his order is resolved, those working in the intelligence community are within their right to resist parting with sensitive documents in their possession. They are only adhering to the dictum that none in the country, including the president, is above the law. Let us hope that there many more in the IC who are bold enough to openly express reservations on the new Trumpian order, as Dan Coats, the director of national intelligence, has done.
It is about time Trump is taught that he cannot run the country as he ran his real estate business. There are various legal entities that have the authority to do it. Will they rise to the occasion? Or will they wait until he orders declassification of nuclear code?
3
Barr sold out the country to please Trump. This is what we were afraid of, and he never should have been confirmed. Attacking the FBI and the intelligence agencies is not in the job description of the attorney general. It is in the job description of intelligence departments at the Kremlin.
Barr isn't just acting like Trump's personal attorney: he is acting like Putin's also.
What more is there to say?
3
The danger Trump represents to democracy and our system of government grows more grave with his every move.
In this case, his intentions seem to be to distract from his own malfeasance by attacking law enforcement, prevent any scrutiny of his NEXT campaign for 2020, and once again carry the water for his buddy Putin, who continues to interfere in electoral affairs throughout the West.
I had long dismissed the idea that Trump is compromised by Russia as a conspiracy theory. But that thought is becoming increasingly impossible to dismiss. He couldn’t do more damage to our country if he were an actual foreign agent.
2
Is it a clash that looms or a potential clash?
The first thing that must happen is to conduct a complete background check to determine if Mr. Barr is a suitable candidate for a TOP SECRET SPECIAL ACCESS clearance. This usually takes a very long time. Could take a couple of years to do it properly.
6
Reality Check what point does our beautifull country end? Our for fathers an mothers warned us about government. We the people are ones who need to ensure rights we enjoy are given to those who follow us next generation. Day comes we stop doing our part an vote for people who serve people in good faith where doomed.
1
DJT The Art of the Deal, pure sycophantic fiction.
A more apt expose on the Donald’s true talents would be Donald Trump and the Art of the
dodge,Deflection and rank Divisiveness.
He will, in absolutely predictable fashion, do whatever he can to discredit and destroy the credibility of the Muller Report and any supporting or related investigations by the FBI — no matter how destructive or deceitful the consequences.
His self serving rampage as POTUS could well prove to be the most destructive in American political history.
4
It will not matter because Trump believes Putin over the CIA. For some incredible personal reasons investigations of his 2016 makes him feel vulnerable and seem to be seeking retaliation forgetting he is the head of Government.
For some more incredible hidden reasons, Putin makes him feel a "true man" or something.
3
So basically Trump wants to hide all of his secrets but wants to know our country's secrets.
This sounds so fishy to me.
7
A fact-free coup was attempted.
And now a fact-free meddling in our election is occurring.
Trump will prevail.
4
Is the Administration responding to a request by Putin to identify the Russian informant? Is that the goal of this move to declassify documents?
5
I am agape.
A.G. Barr presents a kind of Netflix detective story. If he is the honest and fine attorney as his long rep shows, then he must be setting up the President with pretense by openly puppeting Mr. Trump's ludicrous "deep-state spying" charges and his own unheard-of Trump-booster in Barr's "Letter" re the Mueller Report.
He is telegraphing absurd disquiet about both the nation's Justice Department and intelligence agencies. Either that, or Mr. Trump has an unseen leash on Mr. Barr that none can grasp? FBI, CIA and other investigations, mmany of which may yet continue, on a man or woman with an extensive and widely published checkered reputation as an underhanded businessman and even a 'self-serving grifter' begs little else and also warrants house and senate inuiries for further truth. If none is found then Mr. Trump is as blameless as he repeatedly tells America and the World.
1
Donald has turned the USA into a 3rd world dictatorship. He is using sensitive intelligence to nitpick information he can turn into political fodder.
This is so dangerous on so many levels and Republicans continue to support it. They are bought and paid for by the far right wing leadership.
Barr will go down in history as a traitor to our nation, Trumps Roy Cohen, with much more power to push Donald's political talking points by cherry picking words without context.
I pray that the 4th estate finds a way to bring out the truth before it's too late or the USA will be heading in a direction that will bring great joy to Putin and other dictatorships.
3
This is a really foolish and dangerous path under the guise of transparency. It could very easily provide countries who oppose us the methodologies we use and the people we employ to provide us with information about them.
2
Isn't this what the 'investigation is all about: protecting Putin? Finding the mole who exposed Putin and getting rid of him to keep Putin's and the oligarchs' hooks on Trump?
2
The agency heads should claim there's no legitimate purpose to turn over this information and make the administration issue a subpoena which they could then ignore. They could drag their feet and appeal all the way to the Supreme Court.
2
My feeling is that the arguments posted here which are insightful and intelligent will not have the effect of Robert Mueller publicly speaking about the Mueller Report. This will communicate to millions of our citizens exactly what Trump has done. It is vitally important as we prepare to choose a President. I hope Mr. Mueller will think about America and do the patriotic thing
25
The patriotic thing is to tell the truth! Not the spin we see nightly from the biased news outlets like CNN and NBC. Even the truth is spun by these people based on what they chose to tell us every night. The extreme left wing of the liberals is only after money and power. Just look at Obama and Hillary who have done nothing but are now wealthy while leaving the middle class to fend for themselves.
4
@Elinor
In my opinion, so far Special Counsel Mueller has only been timid and legalistic, not the patriotic Knight on a White Horse or Paul Revere I was hoping for. And now he wants his testimony to be private?
While not rising to criminal conspiracy, all the accepted contacts and cooperation with Russians outlined in Article One of the report certainly rise to high crimes and misdemeanors.
1
Stop the unnecessary fretting!
All relevant agencies will have their redactions considered.
One day all we hear from the left is the public's right to know without redactions of their favorite documents but quickly jump on the , keep it secret bandwagon, if documents could favor the right.
Politics.
14
@clarity007
Your post is a perfect representation of the unthinking trump supporter.
The issue is not what you describe. The sources for some intelligence we use daily and may have provided info on the question of Trumps connections in Russia are at risk and I have no doubt based on how he so openly lied about the Mueller report that Barr would unthinkingly expose these people to gain a temporary advantage. Exposed those sources would surely be put to death or worse.
3
It’s not just politics. It’s lives. It’s sources drying up. Who do you think will ever provide us with intelligence again if they know they risk being exposed?
1
@clarity007
Small correction. Most of us in the reality based world only want the full Mueller report given to the relevant Congressional committees for their oversight activities. We don't need to see the underlying intelligence as long as we can trust there will be the normal and constitutionally provided checks and balances on a renegade administration.
3
Might Barr and the Trump administration know that the CIA, FBI and NSA were monitoring Russia for its espionage/meddling during the 2016 Trump campaign, and might have ‘inadvertently’ picked up information on the campaign’s wayward communications connected to Russia back then? Since the CIA publicly warned the Trump campaign to stay away from the Russian’s, where the agency could not then track their communications, wouldn’t we doubt if our government was actively ‘seeking’ information between Trump and the Russian’s? So, ‘why’ is Trump and Barr spinning accusations against the FBI that the agency was ‘spying’ on the campaign?
Could it be that Trump ‘does’ have something to hide during the campaign that Mueller could not ‘legally’ prove in Court, that Barr, and he, are afraid that Congress would, yet, find out? Or might it be that Trump’s White House is simply attempting to spin any inadvertently obtained campaign information as purposeful spying accusations against the FBI to attempt to cover for Mueller’s obstruction of justice findings that came ‘after’ the campaign and Trump’s election?
11
For about 2 years we heard endless stories of demanding transparency from Democrats and the media. We were told we need to find out what happened with Trump and the Russians to save our country, in the end we got a big nothing burger and the Democrats and media were appalled and vengeful. How could this be? We were all in on Trump cheating his way into office. We were told we need to see all the information, everything. Now when Trump and Republicans want to see how this all started, who or what was the catalyst, what was the motives, we are told this is partisanship and a danger to our country. Can't have it both ways. If what the Democrats and their willing accomplices in the media were saying is found to be true, they will be right, if it's another there is nothing there or we find political shenanigans from lone wolf government employees we have a serious problem and so do Democrats.
17
@Ron ...I ordered the report on Amazon for $10 and spent a week's spare time to read it...I'm a slow reader so it took me more than 20 hours. I felt it was my patriotic duty. If you do the same I think you will see how badly the AG has misled us and how corrupt and unfit for office Trump is. Any other President would have been impeached and gone already if he had done these things. It's mind-boggling to me that anyone who has actually read the report would defend Trump.
4
@Ron, I watch both Fox and MSNBC when I’m in the mood for punishment and neither seems that different from one another to me other than the side of the same fence they’re both belittling and screaming at.
2
@Ron: It was clear how it all started - Incontroversible evidence that the Russians were trying to influence the 2016 elections in favor of Trump. Please read up on what it takes to get a FISA warrant. 800 and counting legal experts agree that the evidence in the Mueller report is sufficient to indict any American of obstruction of justice, so it's anything but a big nothing burger. Facts matter! Follow the money, aka Trump's tax returns.
1
Who on trump's staff is steering him to make these decisions? He is not shrewd enough to be making these decisions himself. There is something insidious going on that endangers our National Security. Sadly, under McConnell's tutelage there is no effective oversight of this President by the Senate. When will the Republican Senators in the US Senate grasp the danger that McConnell's leadership has become to this nation's very survival? None of this trump nonsense would be going on if not for McConnell. Mitch may feel smug in his manipulative control of the narrative, but it will not end well for the USA as he satiates his never ending appetite for personal political power.
21
Trump publicly asked the Russians to hack Hillary’s emails and make them public. He claims he was just joking, but who knows. That in itself could justify a Russia investigation, it would seem to me.
He publicly colluded with Russia and the investigation is just a way of finding how far that went.
The Mueller investigation, as limited as it was, found a lot of evidence of wrongdoing by Trump and members of his team.
The AG and Trump misrepresented the findings of the investigation by representing it as a waste of time and money that produced no results, and are using that false premise to justify their actions.
I wish we knew everything about Trump’s financial situation, it seems that without completely knowing that it’s impossible to fully understand him. I know that it’s an invasion of privacy, but if you are unwilling to have your privacy invaded like that you shouldn’t be able to hold important positions in our government.
13
Yes, he wants "total transparency" about everything, except his tax returns, financial records and the Mueller report. As usual "the donald" cherry-picking, to suit his own needs.
22
Let's see. The left demands the public have fully un-redacted versions of the Mueller report but suddenly gets squeamish if Barr investigates the CIA or FBI because he might reveal sources. Give him some credit. No one is going to reveal foreign assets. But we do need to understand everything that occurred in 2016 including why the investigation into Trump was started, how the Steele dossier came to be and be used, why FISA warrants, why did Obama only order an investigation into Russians actions in 2016 after HRC lost, then order our intel agencies to throw together a hasty report before he left office.
And we need to know when Mueller knew there was no collusion and why he kept going.
We need oversight. We can't have one party in power using it's power to undermine an opposition candidate.
10
Ralphie: the investigation started because at least a dozen of trump staffers and trump himself had Russian connections. They met Russians in trump tower. Pretty simple one would think.
2
Most of us do not trust Barr, who is working to undermine any investigation into Trump. We must protect Intelligence Services sources, we are talking about people here! And Putin wants nothing more than to silence and target these people!
Robert Muller needs to help the American people understand what his committee of special prosecutors uncovered.
This information is being concealed by many layers of Russian Intelligence, Republican stonewalling, and three of America's worse Attorney Generals on record.
6
Might Barr and the Trump administration know that the CIA, FBI and NSA were monitoring Russia for its espionage/meddling during the 2016 Trump campaign, and might have ‘inadvertently’ picked up information on the campaign’s wayward communications connected to Russia back then? Since the CIA publicly warned the Trump campaign to stay away from the Russian’s, where the agency could not then track their communications, wouldn’t we doubt if our government was actively ‘seeking’ information between Trump and the Russian’s? So, ‘why’ is Trump and Barr spinning accusations against the FBI that the agency was ‘spying’ on the campaign?
Could it be that Trump ‘does’ have something to hide during the campaign that Mueller could not ‘legally’ prove in Court, that Barr, and he, are afraid that Congress would, yet, find out? Or might it be that Trump’s White House is simply attempting to spin any inadvertently obtained campaign information as purposeful spying accusations against the FBI to attempt to cover for Mueller’s obstruction of justice findings that came ‘after’ the campaign and Trump’s election?
2
Are people missing the whole point of Barr being permitted to review and release documents? The concern is THE OBAMA Administration may have interfered with a presidential election by weaponizing the CIA, FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence. This is not an attempt to “cover up” his administrations actions, but to expose abuses that likely occurred. McCabe, Comey, Brennan, and Clapper have testified under oath that their recollections are opposite of each other in regards to possible crimes. Whether the information ever gets released is still questionable. Anyone indicted will obviously threaten exposing people and methods in their defense. Unfortunately, a private court can authorize warrants obtained illegally, but cannot conduct a private trial to prosecute people who may have broken the law.
11
Fact: Trump declared war on the Democratic Party and the systems of democracy that this country was founded on. He has replaced it with a racist, misogynistic autocracy. The war ended this week and Trump won, hands down. Congress may as well wave the white flag. It's over. We, the American people lost. Get ready for the trials of Trump's opponents for treason followed by mass executions.
4
The presidency has too much power. The only positive thing Trump has done is to illustrate that.
9
Its hard to believe that the newspaper (NYT) that published the Pentagon Papers and the readership that supported the release of those classified documents would now object to the President of the United States declassifying and publishing intelligence directly relating to the 2016 elections and claims of foreign interference. These objections are inconsistent with the paper's well-established history and suggest a preference that this information remain confidential for political purposes.
11
@Jewel, totally
Totally agree that Trump is no victim but he is a master at playing that card. As I was reading your great succinct quick summary of what really happened, I thought - we must work hard to remember the true story. Unbelievable what is happening - memory is short. In a single generation Trump’s pile of lies could become a generation’s “truth”. We are so close to losing our fragile democracy.
10
This is probably Russia's end game on this one - getting the information about who is spying against them.
We can now be pretty sure that Barr is also doing Russia's bidding.
10
This may cause the CIA to reach for that operational plan that doesn't exist, that no one would say exists, that was developed as a strategy to be used if necessary. Existential threats have a way of bringing into being behaviors that are otherwise held in abeyance. Mr Trump may believe he is in control. We all like to imagine that we are in control, especially the undereducated narcissists among us.
5
Now is the time for all good citizens to call their Republican senators and congressmen. It's easy to do-google their number, plan out a couple of concise statements expressing what you want to say and dial them up. If they are sitting on their hands right now (most of them are) it's because they think their constituents
are ok with this behavior.
If this is deeply terrifying to you, they need to hear about it.
7
What is this "president" hiding that he needs to gather dirt on his perceived domestic enemies?
This abuse of the power in having his personal DOJ digging into what our intelligence services seemingly and rightfully red flagged and then brought forth via serious and fair warning to our past leadership about dubious connections between a hostile foreign government and a presidential candidate; himself.
8
The bomb that the minority of American voters threw up to blow up the political system in 2016 seems to be slowing falling on the houses of the majority of the American public instead through Trump’s trade war, undermining of clean air and water rules, loss of international trust in American power and credibility, and now even comprising the very security of its own intelligence gathering that saves American lives.
3
The GOP has been at war with intelligence for years. No surprises here.
6
Attorney General William P. Barr has shown us that he has the ability to take the facts presented in the Mueller report and spin them to appear to mean the opposite of what they actually meant.
With the power to declassify the intelligence of his choosing, he will be able to cherry pick whatever facts he needs to spin this however he chooses while opposing facts will remain classified and therefore no one will be able to rebut him as they could when the redacted Mueller report finally came out and showed him to be a liar.
Don't be fooled.
7
Whose side are you on? asked itsmildeyes. Our country and democracy. Over the years we've heard of malfeasance of the CIA especially and FBI. Covert operations done in the name of we the people, overthrowing democratically elected governments.
Over the years we've heard of criminality of Donald Trump and always skirting the laws via money laundering and bankruptcy and who knows what else. We know but what else don't we know?
It is scary as we know he thinks he is above the law and him and his minions could put the fix in, conger up evidence by any means and plant it. Why else would he be doing it? Is he innocent and wants the truth? (made myself laugh). Or is he turning all his attention to the dictators of the world as he believes they are better allies for Donald J Trump and Family?
Scary times.
8
For years the NY Times and other media outlets have derided president Trump for claiming, “without evidence” that he was the target of a coup. We already know that the Steele “dossier” was put together with Russian sources and thoroughly dismissed by Mueller. After trying to coerce the president into acquiescence with his now infamous briefing on its contents, even James Comey was forced to acknowledge that it was “salacious and unverified". Nevertheless he, Brennan and Clapper included it as the major component in the FISA warrant to authorize spying on Carter Page. Now it appears there is additional evidence.
By authorizing AG Barr to review and declassify the intelligence communities “secrets”, we now have an independent voice who appears determined to allow the American people to determine the veracity and accuracy of the Russian conspiracy conclusions they fed to the media, congressional oversight committees and ultimately us. After two years of investigating a phony conspiracy it may well turn out that their biggest secret is that president trump was right all along.
5
@tim k If you mean that the best electorate is an informed electorate, I agree with you. However your terminology (“fed the media,” “phony conspiracy”) suggests that despite the call for an independent voice, you have already made up your mind.
1
@Tim k. “an independent voice”? You mean Trump’s personal lawyer and fixer, AG Barr? Who is the “independent” voice?
2
CIA/MI5 "closely guarded secrets":- Our "liberal" media want to choose which should be revealed and which should forever remain secret. So was Assange right or wrong in revealing what he did - our media says yes but belittle the revealer. The President supported the wikileak exposures but now wants to imprison the gentleman for life - and many years beyond that.
Remember Tonkin? Remember the "intelligence" about WMD in Iraq, remember the "massacre" that was about to happen in east Libya. Remember the real massacres that followed the invasions. We must learn from our past mistakes and question new intelligence .
4
The caption to the picture might well read, "Putin's agents in America seal the deal."
We should have known what was coming when he pardoned Scooter. The American experiment has ended. Badly.
3
The military taught me that America can be harmed in four (4) ways:
* Sabotage
* Espionage
* Subversion
* Attack
I never thought I’d see the day when a President would sabotage and subvert our U.S. intelligence assets.
11
I think it is about time that the Republicans come to their senses and admit that the experiment of electing a reality TV personality did not work. Most importantly, to realize that keeping this buffoon in power is DANGEROUS.
He did not want to become president – for him it was jus a publicity stunt –for the fun of winning. Republicans must admit that they elected a person wholly unfit for the job. But they are afraid of the so-called “base” – better known as Kamikazes. It is all about money. They can lose their “job” – but will remembered as what they really are. Michigan GOP Rep. Justin Amash is already on the history books. Who will be the one to join him?
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage.”
Maya Angelou
We have a word for that in spanish.
6
Peter strzok and Lisa Page emails indicated partisan bias where there should be none. These and others leaked damaging partisan information (to this very newspaper) over 2 yrs. To now feign concern about releasing what went on in the investigation is obviously disingenuous. We must know if and to what extent this 'deep state' exists. Political actors in FBI,Justice and CIA pose a greater danger than Putin and China combined. Peoples lives were destroyed also. The truth must come out whether it harms Trump or Democrats.
6
The so called “Russia Investigation” about Russian meddling in 2016 election was a hoax conjured up by the Democrats. Can anyone answer my questions?
- How did the Russians tamper with voting machines?
- How did the Russians tamper with the Electoral College?
The investigation was ginned-up by the outgoing Obama Administration/Clinton Campaign!
The real collusion story of the 2016 election was the way that the Obama administration put the law enforcement and intelligence arms of the administration in the service of the Clinton campaign.
8
What concerns me is this isn’t going to stop here. Barr's sneering contempt for institutions most of hold as sacred is breathtaking. His willingness to be Trump’s instrument of chaos is absolute. He will continue to insist that Trump remove any legal encumberments to his unwholesome intent and Trump will comply. Perhaps most troubling is that he is behaving as someone completely untroubled by the possibility that he will ever be held to account.
3
How long will Mitch McConnell allow this to go on? This man is basically destroying our democracy, destroying our relationships with our friends all over the world, tearing down the judicial system, tearing down freedom of the press. All a desperate act to manipulate information, to protect himself to protect his own ego & an unbelievably he's finally found an A.G. to do his bidding. And what do we get from Lindsey Graham and Mitch McConnell? Silence. I really hope the American people are paying attention, and take the appropriate action in 2020, because that's all we have now, the power to vote.
5
If only it weren't for Putin cheating Hillary, my life would be great. We must do something about this! Forget austerity, war machine, income inequality homelessness, healthcare, Social Security, my real problem is Putin. So glad we have identified the problem accurately, maybe now we can do something about my REAL problem, Putin.
2
There is more than just a subtle difference between a nation of laws and a nation of lawyers.
I am neither a lawyer nor an American but I know enough about English, and enough about America to recognize that America is a nation of too many lawyers.
What does high crimes and misdemeanors mean? What is a misdemeanor? Lawyers who know and understand what a misdemeanor is are few and far between. People who derive their living making mountains out of molehills or making molehills of mountains are ill equipped to understand America, its people or its constitution.
When the grounds for impeachment were made high crimes and misdemeanors it was the gentlemen of the new country who were to impeach. Lawyers weren't even invented, in fact it was to be more than a century until today's legal mavens were to become as common as dirt.
While America continue its decline and fall misdemeanor means exactly what it meant in the late 18th century. It is not the bales of straw that break the camel's back it is the accumulation of single straws.
Donald Trump may or may not be guilty of high crimes. It matters not at all. Donald Trump is the Trevi Fountain of misdemeanors. He is the Bellagio dancing waters on steroids.
He ruins everything he touches.He brings shame and ridicule to your country and its citizens.
Misdemeanors are the little things that contaminate our lives not legal statutes and high crimes and misdemeanors is the soup to nuts of bad character.
5
The American people deserve to know how this investigation transpired and if the CIA or other agencies were in the wrong. We should also demand they stop lying to the American people about foreign policies intending to manipulate public opinion into supporting regime change operations like the illegal undermining of the elected government of Venezuela. Angus King hear is protecting the CIA. I for one, would like to get to bottom of this. To be clear, I am not Trump supporter or a DEM, however, the actions leading to the investigating the Trump campaign should concern all Americans. From what we know publicly there is ample cause for an investigation by Barr.
17
@Wayne. Do you know how the FISA court works? Lock-box tight documentation of probable cause gets you to the judge--that's right, a judge--who then reviews the case to authorize, or not, surveillance. The IC presents, the Judicial branch denies. If you doubt the veracity of the process then you question the viability of the system(s) upon which the Republic is built. Put another way, Trump's actions are seditious as classically defined. You good with sedition?
9
The origins of the investigation of the Trump campaign are clear: Trump campaign officials, (as incompetent and inexperienced as they were) couldn’t help but shoot their mouths off to foreign allies, who then rightly tipped off their American counterparts that there is active collusion (or at least willingness to collude) with the Russians. Are you suggesting the FBI should have just sat on this? Do you not care one iota about protecting our free and democratic elections? This “investigate the investigators” mindset is dangerous and corrosive to our democracy. Yes, Trump won the election. But he cheated, and we need to know why.
7
@Wayne: It has been explained over and over again how the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US elections transpired: Hard evidence from the intelligence agencies that this was happening and needed to be monitored.
7
Remember when Bob Mueller was going to save us all? Ah, good times, good times! Now, he's a delicate flower, too bound by DOJ opinions and "partisanship" arguments fabricated by the out-of-control Republican party and his good friend Bill Barr, to do what he was originally hired to do. This is the result. Mueller is a former Marine, so I just hope he realizes what is at stake and takes some action.
24
@Sandy
Just what action should Mueller take? If had done his job Barr wouldn't be doing it for him. Barr is asking the questions Mueller chose not to because he would have been obligated to give us the answers. Mueller knew from day one there was no Trump conspiracy. Rather than clear him immediately of the charge he spent two years trying and failing to entrap Trump into an obstruction of justice indictment and ruining peoples lives in the process. Mueller has plenty to answer for and being a former marine is going to help him.
4
@Sandy Mueller is a republican; loyalty to party and leader above all.
1
We are in freefall. There is no place that Americans can look in their country and not see chaos and impending disaster and destruction. As I look through the headlines on the e-edition of the Times I see one Trump created issue after another. Right now the focus is our national security. Barr's new powers could have dangerous consequences, but if Trump benefits politically and can charge, try, convict and jail his political enemies then it is all good. Arms to the Saudis--why not? It's only our country...
21
@Meg: The US is a very mentally ill country that blames all its problems on God, excusing the people actually responsible for them.
Have we reached the point were the integrity of federal agency's require they say no and force the issue to the courts?
I ask this because it it appears all republicans in Congress are giving their silent approval for a coup d'tat by President Fearless Leader perhaps hoping he will establish single party rule and outlaw Democrats.
26
Wow really are you that naive to think Trump wants one party. That is the desire of the left. Just ask then if there should be a two party system.
1
Does William Barr have the top security clearance to view these documents? If not, doesn´t he have to pass the vetting? Might some compromises be found in that endeavor that would explain why he acts like Trump´s hand servant?
10
The FBI and CIA are double edge swords. J Edgar Hoover showed us all that with his private investigations of the Kennedys, Martin Luther King and scores of Congressmen. He also clamped down on the mafia in ways that could have only been done by working in the inky shadows. Only those who lead these organizations understand what vast power they possess and what can be done with it. History has a reputation for repeating itself and all the good that these agencies do in protecting our country is wiped out when their leadership swims outside their lane. Such is the case with the Hillary "matter" and the Trump investigation. It all stinks from the preparation of the FISA warrant to the head of the FBI holding a press conference proclaiming that Clinton was careless with the security of classified emails but did not break any laws only to find a bunch of them on Anthony Weiner's computer. So there's something not quite right going on at the FBI. Then it becomes politicized and battle lines are drawn. The accusations fly, bits and pieces of information surface and fuel the fire for the next day and it goes on and on and on.
We need to stop the country completely and devote our full attention to getting to the bottom of these issues which have brought our country to a boil over the past six years. We don't stop until the full cast of characters are publicly identified, along with the actions they took and if it was ethical and most importantly legal.
16
@Kurt Pickard: Nothing stinks worse of corruption to me than James Comey's stunt with Anthony Weiner's computer the week before the 2016 election.
4
Outstanding couldn’t have said it better myself
2
I'm still plodding through the 400+ pages of the Mueller investigation/volume but one fact stands out among the others is the astonishing influence on the American people that the Russian propaganda site Internet Research Agency (IRA) had on the 2016 election and how powerful they still are today.
When reporters asked White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders if President Donald Trump would suspend habeas corpus. Sanders said in response, "We're looking at a number of different options."
In 1863 Congress passed a measure that gave Abraham Lincoln the authority to suspend the writ of habeas corpus as long as the Civil War was ongoing. Lincoln then enforced martial law.
Don't look now but Trump is using/abusing the powers of his office, enforced by his personal attorney William Barr, to ignore subpoenas issued to his crew of collaborators, defy Congress and declare a de facto suspension of the U.S. Constitution.
In his own words Trump called that document "archaic" and it is "really a bad thing for the country."
It's really bad for the desperate despot Trump whose next act of tyranny could result in mass arrests and detentions of his critics and political opponents. He named those opponents recently along with his threats to charge them with treason.
Habeas corpus, like democracy, may be breathing its last gasp. The Free Press will certainly be the first casualty.
24
There may have been legitimate reasons why both the CIA and FBI, usually competing agencies, had concerns about the campaign of Donald Trump. Mr Trump to this day seems more concerned about his public image than he is about the safety and security of the United States. We don't need the CIA or FBI or any other intelligence agency to tell us how inappropriately Donald Trump has behaved in public. It is frightening to see a man of such low moral standards and public behavior in charge of our military forces and intelligence agencies. Can we wait until 2020 to remove this self-serving mole from the Oval Office? Was there such an "institution" as the "Deep State" before Donald Trump was elected? I fear for America's democracy with Trump in charge and so many secrets and powers that the POTUS has under his control. When will the Republicans in the Congress wake up and realize that they are protecting a monster that they have allowed to grow to dangerous proportions under their auspices?
18
@RLW. And yet if you took the time to speak with serving members of the military you would find the vast majority prefer Mr Trump to Mr Obama. I wonder why?
1
In the early 1970s, my father thought that the FBI was following him and tapping his phone. He was a white man working for a black-owned printing company in the South. Those were the days of the Black Panthers and Nixon. My father is the same age as Donald Trump. (My father also smoked a lot of pot.)
Mr. Trump's claims that U.S. intelligence agencies are out to get him are equally ridiculous.
8
Please, don’t let your problems with your father get in the way of reality.
The FBI, under Hoover and Nixon WAS a different agency, and, if your father, if still alive, or you as his heir were to file a Freedom of Information Act request, you might be surprised by the answers.
Nixon and Hoover were after personal enemies.
So is Trump.
In between, the agency was operating pretty well.
1
Yes Collusion!
Even if Mueller wasn't able to establish conspiracy due to lies, deleted emails (!), and encryption, there is ample evidence of collusion. Collusion is defined as "Specifically, in law, a secret understanding between two or more persons to act or proceed as if adversely or at. variance with, or in apparent defiance of, one another's rights, in order to prejudice a third person or to obtain a remedy which could not as well be obtained by open concurrence."
No matter how the investigation was started, Mueller found "sweeping and systematic" Russian interference and enthusiastic cooperation by the Trump campaign along with ample evidence of obstruction that continues to this day.
Trump has sided with Putin against our intelligence agencies about whether or not Russia interfered. Now Trump and Barr are acting on the side of Russia by trying to declassify sensitive information about how the investigation was started and who identified Putin in the Russian interference. When does this become treason against our country?
19
@Deborah
Can you define "interference" more specifically?
1. Were voting machines hacked? No. As the Electoral Commission investigated (with the help of the FBI and other intelligence agencies) no voting machine was tampered with and they're not connected to the internet.
2. Were voters impeded from voting, harassed outside polling stations, etc? Again, no.
So in what specific way was there election "interference"?
Literally nothing happened other than the perfectly legal practice of media advertising lying about candidates. That happened in every election since the dawn of modern media.
How much was this advertising in comparison to the real ads the candidates and themselves and their supporters spent? $300K? $500K? $1million? Several factors SMALLER than the ad buys of the real candidates and their supporters.
Something stinks in the state of Denmark.
2
Trump knows that exposing our sources in Russia won't help him win any votes or gain any strength. So what motive does he have for this move? The only one who benefits from such a play is Putin. The president's intentions are clear here. He is undoubtedly trying to weaken our forces which ironically vindicates the Russia investigation. He shouldn't have been allowed to assume the presidency and now the forces that could have stopped him will pay a heavy price for their failure.
13
Mr. Trump once again behaves exactly as if he is a puppet of Mr. Putin doing the bidding of Mr. Putin. The consistent narrative that underlies each and every one of Mr. Trump's "demented" acts is to do anything and everything possible to destroy and destabilize American government.
In this case, the transparent desire is to harm or destroy the ability of the CIA and the NSA to monitor Russian activity. This act will cause Russian sources to be exposed and/or killed. It will hurt our ability to collect intelligence about Russia for decades to come (because it takes decades to groom these sources).
This is yet another example where Mr. Trump behaves in a way that is indistinguishable from how he would act if he were a Russian agent.
He needs to be removed from office, immediately.
20
Wait. Doesn't trump already have access to any cia secrets? He is still, unfortunately president.
7
Wait.
DT wants to out sources close to Putin which will result in the US loosing the ability to learn of malfeasance?
Why would any American citizen want to do that?
And hasn’t it historically been the case that anyone doing that would be considered working against American interests?
Can DT and his Crew explain how this works towards making America great (again)?
10
Why Pelosi may have to go the impeachment route. He recognizes no limits or higher authority and is indifferent to the suffering he causes.
11
No experienced international intelligence professional in their right mind would share ANY sensitive information with the US until this entire administration is replaced with more responsible people. As for the Russian informant - if he had any brains, which he most likely does, he has by now probably left the country hoping the guys with the poisons never find him, depriving the US of an invaluable asset. This is all lose lose for the country, all in defense of the indefensible.
10
I find it astonishing that Trump is willing to be “transparent” on this but not the Mueller report or his taxes. Hypocrisy at its finest.
18
There are two issues which should be—but aren't—kept separate in this piece and in the commentary. First is the issue of keeping a leash on the CIA which is essentially a spook organization and which nominally exists to collect intelligence. History has shown the CIA has done far, far more than that over the last 70 years. A review of CIA operations in Latin America and in Iran and elsewhere is a quick study of its ability to tear down governments we don't particularly like.
Second, though, is this president's willingness to use our governmental institutions to go after his perceived enemies. In this respect Trump (and Barr) is an unmitigated disaster. He is like an army of termites eating away at the foundations of every single federal agency which challenges him and his political henchmen. This president is virtually deaf to any argument, any other consideration but the voice in his head.
The long term damage to relations with our allies, our trustworthiness, and our sheer ability to keep an ear on the intelligence rail is probably compromised for years to come.
9
So nice way to destroy you own argument. You call out the CIA, but forget to include the FBI, then drive the crazy train to Trump going after political enemies.
The fact that the elite class is being exposed to sunlight causes discomfort is telling. You realize the second Trump announced the powers launched the campaign to take him out. Why? Because they all knew he was a threat.
None of the other candidates on the right were ever going to be a challenge to HRC.
2
Transparent: Trump & Barr’s plan to obscure the truth by cherry picking evidence; the threat they pose to our Democracy.
6
@Asher Fried
Transparent: being able to see through Barr and Trump directly into impeachment hearings.
Imagine that weaponizing government agencies against political opponents was something new under the sun. The thought that our stable genius president was the first to come up with the idea is laughable. Another Republican president who was fighting the label of being a crook did the same thing. Remember how Nixon used the IRS to investigate and prosecute his political opponents.
Why is it always Republicans who go down that path?
The tactic didn't work too well for Nixon, did it? Maybe Trump will end up like Nixon -- forced out of office in disgrace.
8
@Underdog
Actually Nixon never used the IRS to go after opponents. He hinted to the IRS he wanted to do that and they refused.
We actually had to wait until Obama was in office for the IRS to start investigate conservative organizations. The IRS has admitted that they did this and is paying multimillion dollar settlements with those groups
3
Secrets are highly overrated. They cause nothing but distrust, sadness and disappointment. In their own way they are as destructive as lies. I can’t help but believe the world doesn’t need secrets. Certainly democracies would work better and more effectively without them.
5
Sounds like Putin wants his pawn to expose where his leaks are coming from. Just another sign of the end of our democracy. One of many unfortunately.
9
Brennan, Clapper, Comey and Morell are frequent “guests” on any number of “news” programs ostensibly in defense of our democracy. But who is actually being served? At the very least they are being paid for their appearances. If they are such patriots why do they speak against the President rather than help him? If Trump had broken the law there would be no need for this dog and pony show. But there they are blathering away on the news shows, saying very little. Why? If the intelligence community have gone rogue or been inappropriately directed by Obama’s Whitehouse and the Democrats, then the American people need to know and deal with that ugliness.
5
@DB: Obama did not ask the Russians to hack his opponent's emails, for one. Trump is highly indebted to Putin. Follow the money! And Trump's tax returns!
1
The “ugliness “ is in one person’s mind, the President’s.
2
I find the photo very telling, almost poignant. Trump loves this guy. He looks overcome with emotion. Maybe this is the person who will save me, this is the person who won't betray me, this person cares for me ... Absolutely everything is ego, massive ego, with this guy, but it masks an almost unfathomable insecurity.
7
Through his fixer, Barr, the "most transparent president in history" is about to give Putin a list of all our intelligence assets, not only the CIA's but also Britain's, Australia's, Canada's and New Zealand's. What really shocks is the servile subservience of Republican Senators who continue to lick his boots while Trump continues his assault on our law enforcement and intelligence agencies through an attorney general who now deserves to be imprisoned more than Trump's previous fixer, Cohen.
11
A strong man who sides with our enemies is now taking unfounded deliberate retaliatory action against the intelligence and justice community. What more could possibly be needed before congress says enough is enough already. The absurdity of republican complicity is as ridiculously surreal and irresponsible as it gets. The survival of democracy and rule of law is much much more important than party power. Now is imo absolutely the time for a presidential coup.
6
I don't know what is more disheartening; that the AG is now the president's personal 'Fixer" or that the president would effectively turn against the CIA to "prove" Putin wasn't involved in the election. Both disgraceful.
13
Transparency is good. Since when does a news outlet want to suppress?
4
Transparency is good when it serves the interest of one person. Where was the transparency on his taxes, something every President has revealed for several decades? Where was the transparency when Cohen tried to bury a story, prior to the election, of Trump ‘s affairs?
1
Another step closer to a Trump autocracy.
7
Trump is willing to throw the country’s intelligence agencies under the bus for his own political gain – to whitewash the Mueller report’s findings.
He doesn’t care that lives could be at risk, if the identity of the sources be exposed to the public.
Barr is keen to know, how the CIA came to the conclusion that Putin ordered the interference campaign in 2016.
This could endanger the life of the informant, who is said to be someone close to Putin.
Perhaps Trump himself wants to please Putin by exonerating him, or he’s doing his Russian master's bidding.
Putin hates traitors. The poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain a year ago was an example for how a Russian state enemy is being treated.
6
@J. von Hettlingen
Wait, you are actually saying that Barr declassifying parts of the Mueller investigation material will whitewash the Mueller report's findings?
3
Some how this dangerous insanity is fine with McConnell, Graham, Romney and every other Republican in Congress except for Amash.
McConnell revels in being perceived as a villain. I think McConnell is the one controlling Trump’s puppet strings.
5
This president is insisting that Congress and the Court acknowledge that he is above the law and that he is free to abuse the power of his office and ignore the constitutional powers of Congress by simple fiat. Trump does not understand why the majority of people do not realize that he is a dictator as his personal A.G. has interpreted the Constitution.
Speaker Poloci believes that the public needs to hear more facts before it will start to demand that the president be impeached. I agree that that particular stew needs some more cooking and Bob Mueller's public testamoney is the seasoning needed for the opening of an impeachment inquiry.
Yet our Justice Department has been highjacked and with it the rule of law. Wm.Barr is unfit to be A.G. and the House must start impeachment proceedings. Trump is a talented conman and a cult leader but Barr is not. He is without charm and he is the indispensible tool for Trump to destroy our democracy, He has already lied to the people and the CIA would be justified in not cooperating with the demands of a A.G. in the process of being impeached for abuse of power.
5
It is actually more important at this moment to impeach William Barr for lying to Congress and for corrupt intent, ie: using his position to protect the president, not what his job requires, to represent the American people. In fact, he has, and continue to, duped the American public, willfully so. Barr needs to go, a la Alberto Gonzales.
14
Please ask Barr to investigate the sources of Obama’s citizenship investigation, Stormy Daniel’s cover up, and the Central Park 5.
67
Putin must be very happy.
40
I can't help but wonder if the New York Times ever refused to publish any information because it upset the CIA or the FBI.
22
@Hank: Many times.
1
Nixon, Reagan, the Bushes, Trump...from using the FBI and CIA for political gain, to running illegal operations overseas, to falsifying evidence, to outing intelligence operatives, to meeting with adversaries and destroying notes from the meeting, the Republican Party has a long history of illegal acts. It remains the biggest threat to U.S. democracy...in other words, the enemy of the American people.
57
It seems if Ms. Pelosi is OK with releasing the full Mueller report without regard to protecting classified information. Now it's Trumps turn and everyone is up in arms. Both sides are wrong. The politicians insist on tearing this country apart over this. I am one of the american's that think there are more important problems the politicians are scared to tackle when this is easy stuff to squabble over!
13
You are absolutely correct. These politicians care about nothing except their political careers. Unfortunately, the masses are buying into it wholesale.
3
@J Holt
This is even more false equivalence. No both sides are not wrong, Trump is wrong. Barr is wrong. It is within the purview of the Congress to ask for the unredacted report. There is no declassification in releasing the unredacted report to Congress.
On the other hand, it is not within the purview of the executive branch to allow Barr to declassify information in order to to side with and benefit Putin.
And, hey, what about all of Hillary's emails the GOP was screaming about for so long? Remember, they may have contained classified material when they didn't. And what about the deleted emails from the Trump campaign about contacts with Russia?
Hypocrisy much? No, it is not on both sides, like the Trump party wants so desperately to believe in order to rationalize Trump and his actions.
5
Something is missing from this plan. How will AG Barr know the Praetorian guards at these agencies are turning over all of their potentially self-incriminating records? There needs to be a special "Inspector General of Records" designated to examine the entire unredacted database of these agencies during the specified dates to ensure all of the records have been produced and that no self-incriminating evidence has been blacked out.
7
If this doesn’t convince some Republican Senators that the Trump administration is providing aid and comfort to Russia, we are doomed.
42
Trump :“What are we doing, we are exposing everything,” he said. “We are being transparent.” He expressed no qualms about national security implications.
If that doesn't get the attention of Mitch McConnell and if Trump,s dismantling of our security apparatus in order to allow him to continue his march to become America's Putin, does not awaken the GOP, the magnificent experiment that was America is over.
33
@rich. Barr and department heads will be able to edit information that needs to be protected. I am more concerned about what should be released being held than secrets being released.
1
@rich Are you kidding me? Mitch McConnell is in on the whole thing. As long as he gets his hand picked judges, he doesn't give a wit about this country to the future of our free nation. You're right though. This is the culmination of what Karl Rove and the rest of them we're seeking. Interestingly, it has coincided with a world, fascist movement aided by Russia. This is an existential threat to democracy everywhere, just as in the 1930s. This time, I am not sure the good guys will win. All those Trumpists, in mega hats love the destruction of America.
Like a worm in luscious fruit,
like the pebble in a boot,
secrets fester and destroy
man's morality and joy.
Keeping mum and playing sly
sends our best laid plans awry.
When transparency departs,
we are left with sterile charts.
When the world is classified
vital truths are cast aside.
May the truth in my heart rage
(unless you want to know my age.)
7
@tim torkildson
Amidst such pervasive paranoia coming from all directions, thank you for this delightful bit of ageless truth. Refreshes the wilted democratic spirit!
Perhaps unlocking intelligence secrets will reveal that Trump is a well-paid Russian asset.
21
J Edgar Hoover had similar concerns about investigating the investigators. He blackmailed both parties representatives and presidents equally. The ability to to deny accountability and reliability is not a safeguard to our rights. Only a thorough investigation can guard us from blindly permitting abuses.
8
All this mess in our government prove how fragile our democracy is. We are just one step away from a dangerous form of dictatorship under the cloak of democracy.
22
@Turgut Dincer: The US states are managed to nullify each other for the sake of plutocracy. They exist only to provide unequally protective laws.
1
Trump keeps calling the Russia investigation a coup designed to bring down a president. The Russia investigation started well before Trump became president, well before even the election, so there is no way that could be a coup. Trump was not even part of government. Maybe I'm missing something here, but I'm always puzzled that reporters and commentators don't mention this fact in response. And, even if someone was "spying" on his campaign, that obviously did not stop him from winning the election.
The focus has been on Trump, but I think William Barr is the really dangerous person here.
30
@CH. You are missing something. America is always in surveil mode with Russia. A FISA Court warrant on a private citizens require the reasons to believe a crime has been committed have been verified, and any exculpatory evidence be included in the request. 4 warrants on Carter Page, before and after the election were obtained. NO indictment or any indication a crime was committed has been revealed on Page. Obama changed policy before leaving office to vastly increase confidential information distribution, and the ability to unmask everyone Carter spoke with. Samantha Power’s signed requests that 300 names be unmasked and distributed, something she denied under oath. The “insurance policy” mentioned by Strzok was planned and mentioned before the election. Obviously, an insurance policy planned before an election to get rid of Trump would be considered a plan for a coup. The dangerous people are the ones using secret assets and methods to deny participating in actions that could be illegal. Calling for declassified documents which will be allowed to be redacted is reasonable. A grand jury should be impaneled , and justice should not be denied. Congress will no doubt want the testimony published, so we can be sure their intent is pure.
2
A leader not a bully should be the Head of State and Head of Government for the United States. Trump’s ego is more important to him than America’s secrets. On America’s Memorial Day Trump celebrates at a Sumo wrestling match in Japan, a country responsible for thousands of dead Americans in WWII. America’s voters need to realize the country is in more serious trouble than it has been in a long time.
20
World War Two ended almost seventy-four years ago. Do you intend that the American people should hold grudges against the Japanese forever, like the petty bickering over centuries-old conflicts that still exist in some parts of Europe?
Putin wants to discover the US agent close to his leadership.
Trump will reveal who this operative is; with the declassification of the sources for the Steele dossier.
Another win for Putin !
23
So....I'm worried about the guy 'close to Putin' who confirmed that the dictator was attacking America through the last election. (Not just 'meddling' - it was an attack on our country). How is Putin going to react to that? He certainly will try/is trying to find out who exactly that person is. Why did that have to be in any story?
What a mess this president has made of everything.
21
It goes without saying that kgb has a long memory and many deadly tools at is disposal.
1
Gee, citing the emphatic statements by Donald and the GOP, weren't the American people led to believe the Mueller report cleared the president and the matter concluded? Hmm, or was that just another tactic to stall the full release to allow more time to expose those who haven't kissed the Donald's ring ... and, subsequently, kissed their own professional fate good-bye. An honorable person stands-up to their failings, accepts the punishment and moves on...hopefully becoming a better person for it. Mr. President, through your lies and personal attacks, you have lost all credibility to be that honorable person. At least let the American people move on.
9
Outing Russian sources close to Putin is Trump’s real reason for this investigation. Trump is Putin’s stooge.
28
Trump is not using intelligence agencies to pursue his enemies.
He is investigating whether those agencies were used against him, maybe still are being used against him.
That is as much a fair question as any other part of Russia-gate.
14
@Mark Thomason
FACT: The Russian government interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections.
FACT: The U.S. intelligence agencies rightly investigated these acts.
FACT: Many times, our intelligence agencies stumbled upon Trump campaign officials talking to the Russians.
What were they supposed to do? Look the other way?
No one, including Mr. Trump himself, expected to win the 2016 election. Even if your conspiracy theory had legs (which it doesn't), why would the intelligence agencies attempt to derail the candidacy of a U.S. candidate they expected to lose the election?
8
Well, now we may have a glimpse into one of Trump's and Putin's secret conversations.
VLAD: "There's a mole high in my office. Can you nab him for me, Donald?"
TRUMP: "Don't worry, boss. I'll set my new AG right on it. We'll get all the spies."
VLAD: "Spasibo, Donald."
26
Trump says he will "expose everything" regarding his investigation of the investigation. Do you really think his lap dog Barr will show us the information behind pee tapes or other embarrassments?
10
So Mr. Barr should be the lone person in the room that sees any secret documents. That would insure that if anything leeks, he's the one who leaked it.
Is this enough for you, Senator Mitt Romney—
Who is always warning about Russia and Putin as our number one global and geopolitical threat.
Mitt, say something (your were the GOP nominee not that long ago).
And organize enough Republican senators to show Trump the door. Do it for the country you profess to love.
35
Trump just recently identified a few of his political enemies. He has accused them of treason and, accordingly, will have them killed.
You okay with that? I'm sure not.
17
Remember that Trump already has put a deep cover Israeli intelligence agent at risk for disclosing certain information regarding Syria to the Russian ambassador during an Oval Office visit.
Saying that Trump is out of his depth does not even begin to describe his lack of knowledge of just about anything.
21
It's a bit like The Joker in Batman, who takes over Gotham City. The regime is a criminal counter-truth. Since they have power, they have power to corrupt and make the city fail, so the News constructs fake News, Engineering fakes the maintenance while taking bribes, the police chief investigates his own detectives, the environment agency opens the valve for polluters, the emergency agency sells towels with the Joker's profile on them. Backing this up is a sort of pro-forma city council that wants to build illegal properties on flood plains, and re-segregate, and is waiting to be offered a South-seas island they can retire on.
8
@Carling That is exactly what it is! The Joker has taken over Gotham City. It's unbelievable, but that's exactly it.
1
We need to ship Barr and Trump to Russia for asylum. Trump is obviously working for Putin destroying the American intelligence bureaus. It is reminiscent of the Plume Affair under President Bush now with Trump and Barr appearing to out their assumed "enemies". Nancy Polosi is making a huge mistake in not immediately filing for impeachment. Americans will easily see Trump and friends are committing treason. There is no comparison between the Clinton impeachment and the Trump affair. Time is critical to get Trump and his saboteurs out of the White House.
18
@WR Plame. (Took me a minute to figure that one out…)
I believe Putin has instructed Trump to do this so that Putin can learn the identity of the spy inside his Kremlin who warned the Obama administration in 2015-2016 about election interference, the Russian efforts to stop HR Clinton from winning do they could implant Trump in office.
The Russian money in ALL of Trump’s sphere — from Kushner to Barr to Justice Kennedy to the NRA to the Senate — should be profoundly alarming.
12
It was a decent Republic, while we kept it
8
Trump wins the spin game yet again. By investigating the investigators and irrevocably damaging the reputations of the FBI, NSA, and CIA, he sows doubt through his Fox News bull horn about the legitimacy of the investigation into his illegal methods to get elected and/or get his debts erased. All illegal acts now become mere political acts and impeachment becomes irrelevant. Also, nothing else is happening. No healthcare, no infrastructure, no protection of the environment, nothing. If there was ever a do-nothing administration, it's Trump and his Republican sheep.
11
A picture is worth a thousand words. Barr's body language is displaying everything we need to know. Sycophantic, weak, demurred and subservient.
13
"Russia, if you're listening..."
When President Trump said those words, he was not kidding, or making a lame joke. Who does your president really serve?
18
Another order from Putin which Trump is obeying.
16
We think alike.
I would support our intelligence agencies disobeying this presidential order to expose our assets for Russian consumption if they are called upon to do so. It appears everything trump does, is just cover to carry out his orders from his Russian handlers. It sounds far-fetched and highly improbable, but with his bizarre behavior inside his own alternative reality universe, I wouldn’t put it pass him. After all, I have been stating, and it was just confirmed by of all people, Howard Stern, that trumps candidacy for president, originally started out as a thirst for vengeance against Obama and a huge Public Relations (PR) stunt that a portion of the American people fell for hook, line, and sinker. Stern’s interview appears tonight on cable news. (CNN) I normally won’t promote such programming, but it is a must see as it pertains to his friendship with Donald J. Trump.
Trump is a clear and present danger to our country and Nancy Pelosi had the guts to point it out as it is her constitutional duty to protect America, and the president went bonkers before us and the whole world. It was beyond belief that his staffers were called in to vouch for his calmness and extreme stable genius during an event to announce aid to the farmers.
You can’t make this stuff up!
46
@Woosa09: Valery Plame, at least, survived to run for Congress.
10
@ woosa
Trumps vendetta against Obama was basically rooted from when Obama roasted “The Donald” at the White House Corespondents Dinner one year. It was hilarious and of course Trump being so thin skin, never got over it. Also there was that whole birth certificate nonsense.
& steve bolger
I agree Valerie Plame Wilson is a true American patriotic and didn’t deserve to be outed as a CIA asset by the Bush 43 administration, that placed her family at risk. It was shameful.
19
Thank goodness we have a stable, mature brilliant AG.
He knows how to get to the bottom of this mess and still color within the lines.
I do not worry about exposing our nations true secrets when Barr is in the job.
8
Democrats are trying to find any excuse for not having information on the coup they attempted to pull. Declassify all of the information warning anyone with 48 hours notice that might be compromised. Time to put Comey, Brennan, and Clapper on trial--if they can convince a jury they get off--but I doubt they will.
12
@Jonathan
How is any of this a "coup"? Mr. Trump remains in office. The investigations are proceeding according to the Rule of Law.
Was Ken Starr's investigation of Bill Clinton, and the resulting impeachment, an attempted coup?
11
@Jonathan
It’s astounding that people actually believe that these mostly republicans attempted a coup. Never do they look at Trump, what he’s doing, his history as a con man and cheat. Never do they consider that the FBI had legitimate concern over the Russians many contacts with the trump campaign. So in the future, any investigation into anyone, Democrat or Republican, can be called a partisan witch hunt. Facts are starting to mean nothing.
9
Explain the coup, replete with timeline.
Few individuals did more to put Trump in the White House than James Comey with his big press conference revealing that Hillary was not guilty of any crimes but was also not innocent because she was too careless. In the hands of the GOP propaganda machine (Fox, right-wing radio, right-wing web, Russian bots, trolls and fake news),
Comey ended up sealing Hillary's fate, especially with his last-minute reprise by ridiculously reopening the investigation because of an Anthony Wiener laptop.
Meanwhile, Trump skated to his limited popularity because he (with the above propaganda) managed to gaslight the unwary that all his graft, corruption and incivility were just slander from a press that he has long lied about being "fake news."
The idea that intelligence agencies planned a coup after putting Trump in office is just absurd.
Trump lies to you daily. It is all right there in front of you.
If you can't be honest about it, then you need to take a long, hard look at who you are and who you care about.
1
I doubt Trump or Barr particularly care about the personal safety of US intelligence assets. We know Trump doesn't: look who pardoned Scooter Libby, who was involved in Valerie Plame's "outing". We all know Barr is ideologically complicit in Trump's "banana republic-ization" of the United States, what with being completely ok with going after political enemies. and using institutions of government to do it. I would expect that kind of thing down here where I live, but certainly not my own country.
23
Barr and his buddies in Congress are hoping that Putin will gratefully make them oligarchs. Or perhaps Saudi Arabia will gratefully compensate them for the secrets in our nuclear arsenal. They are in for a letdown. Would you trust people who betrayed the country to which they pledged their loyalty? Or elected officials who betrayed the innocent citizens who elected them? And after Trump repays his debts by giving away the keys to OUR kingdom, he won't give a second thought to these scoundrels either.
If this is true, I mean so many lies have been printed here, the exposure of those who originated the attempted coup de ta, those within the FBI and DOJ need to be brought to justice. The very fact that splashed on the front page is this article, advocating not declassifying all the documents related to the attempted coup, is one more reminder that this paper will pretty much do anything to maintain the democrat party.
10
@Len
How is this an "attempted coup"?
FACT: The Russian government interfered in the 2016 election.
FACT: Our intelligence agencies rightly investigated those acts.
FACT: Many times in the course of that investigation, our intelligence agencies stumbled upon Trump campaign officials talking to the Russians.
Mr. Mueller did not find evidence that these contacts rose to the level of criminal conspiracy. However, many of those Trump campaign officials were found guilty or confessed to other crimes. Furthermore, Mr. Mueller did find evidence of multiple counts of obstruction of justice by Mr. Trump, which he referred to Congress.
1
Ironic that the Dems have no problem declassifying all the redacted information in the Mueller report, despite its impact on ongoing investigations, innocent parties, and sources & methods. But they're apoplectic that Trump and Barr may declassify information that could expose the deep state's spying on the 2016 campaign and Russia investigation. What's that old saying about having your cake?
11
Taking out sources is a good way to terrorize the intelligence agencies.
6
Two things: if the existence of this source is being discussed in the times, it's unlikely the source is still effective and, two, just stop and think for a minute about the implications of Trump's fear. Ask yourself how scared you are of the intelligence service being controlled by conservatives and spying on and undermining democrats' campaigns.
7
This idea of an important informant close to President Putin is like something out of spy novels, intended to make the Kremlin chase its tail looking for the informant and fostering a general air of distrust.
Or maybe this informant is already living here in the States.
6
Those most interested in this sudden revelation on the part of our president that he means to leave no stone unturned to public access will find he has two constituencies for these revelations: The Trumpian base, or what's left of it, and Putin's eager Kremlin police, including those whose job it is to root out any suspected spies anywhere in the world.
Are we ready for an upsurge of the Skripal, Marlon, Litvenko, others), style political action in our borders, courtesy of Putin, the Kremlin, and its GRU animals being turned loose to operate literally anywhere, and on nearly anyone, within our borders? These incidents can kill not only the Kremlin's favorite targets. but the friends, medics, cleaners, police, and builders who happened to be around them or to have accidental contact with their possessions or the places or amenities they came in contact with.
Unlike what happened in the swift, furious demand for justice by the British govt in the wake of these incidents in the UK, nothing Trump has yet done or said in throughout his presidency indicates that he will do anything but turn a blind eye or put up more than a token fuss.
Indeed, won't the alleged enemies who his new pledge for "Transparency" turns up and Vlad's overlap?
Why wouldn't we call this treason, for either Trump or his attack dog Barr?
13
I hope Donald Trump and William Barr are eventually put on trial for this. Sounds like treason to me.
20
Mr. Putin needs to know who the rats are in his inner circle and Attorney General Barr is the right man to convey that information. Without this important service, Russia’s capacity to assist in the 2020 election could be compromised.
16
The intelligence agencies were weaponized to prevent a candidate of a particular party from winning and then to take him down when he did anyway.
If weakening the agencies is what is required to prevent that in the future then it is a price that has to be paid.
As someone who has worked in the federal government for 20 years I have often mistrusted the power to the FBI, CIA and NSA to act covertly and collect information.
Herbert Hoover and his files on politicians and civil rights activists should have been a warning. Anyone who thinks that that kind of thing does not still go on is naive.
Like Trump, hate Trump, allowing these agencies and their heads to interfere in politics is just simply dangerous. If you think that the clique of people who run these agencies do not have their own agenda then you are sadly mistaken. Ever wonder how Obama went from a complete dove determined to get us out of wars to a hawk that was willing to authorize the assassination of US citizens overseas?
BTW...Now we have MILITARY leaders becoming part of this game, the Defense Intelligence Agency has close ties to CIA, NSA and FBI and now our military leaders want to get into the game of politics too. Always been a reason for civilian control of the military and for forbidding active duty military from participating in politics. Anyone seen the defense budget recently?
Either we stop this corruption now and rein in these agencies or we are going to find ourselves in a real police state
9
@Dan
"Herbert Hoover."
Wrong Hoover. I believe you meant to write, "J. Edgar."
(Or perhaps that was a Freudian slip, and you were thinking about a president who brought on the Great Depression.)
1
Papers which used to report facts now are content to speculate...
5
The article has this line:
"It effectively strips the agency of its most critical power: choosing which secrets it shares and which ones remain hidden."
...which suggests that the Democrats are deathly afraid of being exposed for the attempted coup of the US government. There is NO absolute secrecy as suggested in this bogus statement. None.
Yes, it was on that misunderstanding of the intelligence agencies that the Democrats were operating, using the intelligence agencies to cover their nefarious purpose of a coup against the US. But alas for them, they are dead wrong.
Dems, just because the CIA, the NSA and the FBI can work together to plot a takeover of a Central American or South American country is NOT, I say again, NOT true in the US!
Someone needs to go to prison on this one. In former days we would have executed those who sought to undermine our democracy. The Dems have no protection in the secrecy claims of the departments they use to plot an overthrow of our government.
7
@Victor Edwards
Dear Mr. Edwards, I agree that to some degree government and our intelligence have stepped over bounds and have been used as political tools and this deserves investigation come what may, but I question Trump's motives right now in our extremely political environment. I would respect his motives if he had acted responsibly by releasing his tax returns and worked with Congress to see that no Russian meddling in our elections would never be tolerated again.
Do we have a deep state as some supporting Trump maintain? Does Trump drain the swamp by blaming others before taking responsibility for his own faults and failures? Lots of questions here, but to me Trump provides no answers considering his bashing the disabled, his admitted misogyny and apologies for violence as he pardons convicted battle field felons.
Both Barr and Coats report to the head of the Executive branch, who is the President, who is Trump. This article makes it sound like the spooks are in control of the country because they control the "secrets." Civilian politicians are senior to spooks in America, thus Trump ordering Barr to investigate the origins of the now debunked "Russian collusion" narrative is both legal and important. The tide is turning - time to get to the bottom of the hoax. Is it really any surprise that the hoaxers are becoming shrill and loud, shouting "we have to protect America!" It's almost cartoonish.
2
Yet another gift - this one a big one - to Vladimir.
8
Trump and Barr seem to think they can order foreign governments to cooperate and to hand over whatever they demand. This is insulting American demagoguery at its worst. It’s similar to Trump telling the Prime Minister of The UK how she should handle Brexit and deal with the EU. And his lectures to the Lord Mayor of London. While I agree Iran should ideally not hav3 nuclear weapons it’s not for the US to say, as Trump did this week, that “Iran will not have nuclear weapons”. The US has no business telling any country that. Again, it’s this attitude that America essentially rules the world. It does not. Someone should educate this jingoistic oaf that other countries are not subservient to the US and those other countries should tell the US to go take a hike.
3
After 2 1/2 years of putting citizens of this great country through a POLITICAL witch-hunt because of an election that didn’t go their way the left is whining about declassified documents! The 14 intelligence agencies aren’t going to release info that will compromise our security that’s the only excuse the left is using! Let’s get everything out on the table and see who did what and the voters in 2020 will decide not the left, right or NY Times.
6
The only documents I want to see are Trump’s tax returns.
"I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA..."
When will the editors of this wonderful newspaper EVER publish this improved pledge? After "the Republic for which it stands" no longer exists?
We are now living in a situation that is strikingly similar to Germany in the 1930s. Congress MUST REMOVE BARR from office and CUT OFF his agency's funding TODAY!
7
I trust the IC will do whatever is necessary to protect its own and the country.
6
What happened to the U S. Attorney in Connecticut that Barr appointed to do this “Review?”
2
Sir, you are more than 100 % correct
1
Looks like Comey, Brennan and Clapper have been caught spying on the Trump campaign/administration without a just cause - Time for them to lawyer up, but expect to see them on CNN telling us how un-American it is to be transparent -
6
We cannot let these neo fascist, Russian agents destroy our intelligence services. This is going way too far now. People could potentially be killed, and we’ll lose a generation or more of intelligence.
2
When is the other side of the aisle take off the hat of being 45’s enablers and begin to put our country’s interests ahead of partisan politics before it’s too late? This administration is hell bent to destroy everything that’s is good about our country.
6
Could Putin ask any more of Trump?
6
Trump trying to deflect again.
2
Impeachment is going to be too little, too late - doncha think?!
4
wow - say good bye to individuals connected to foreign governments risking their lives to go underground in support of our country...
18
@Jimi: The politically-motivated Valery Plame outing probably still gives people pause. That blew an international network tracking WMD ingredients.
Trump and his mob are people that the wise will not conduct any business with at all.
1
The leaders of the intelligence community took an oath of office "to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." For Trump to order the release of sensitive intelligence and methods, which will gravely damage the national security of the United States, he is proving himself to be a domestic enemy. These leaders must uphold their oaths and not comply with such an order.
23
Donald Trump has ideas to make himself President for Life. Believe it. PLEASE get him out of the Oval Office, America. It's vitally important.
16
@PeteH: Trump is just like all the dictators he falls in love with after they treat him as a kinsman.
1
I vaguely remember from years ago listening to an explanation by Ms Clinton about why she was reluctant to store her emails on government servers. It was due to her mistrust of Republican men in the Oval Office. Her distrust originated from the Valerie Plame affair, after Dick Cheney and GW Bush outed her as a CIA operative over her husband's role in disputing Rumsfeld's, Cheney's, and Bush's claims about the infamous yellowcake in their fruitless search for Saddam's WMDs.
Now look at what Trump is doing here: Declassifying national security secrets and outing operatives, informants, assets and methodologies, putting brave people's lives at risk or merely ruining their careers.
Ms Clinton, despite whatever her alleged flaws might have been, was right about the unconscionable and reckless disregard with which Republican administrations view national security, and how ready and willing they are to weaponize it for their political gain.
And yet, above all the noise coming from the White House: the boasting, the lies, the tirades, the indignation, the paranoid sanctimonious victimization, the chaos of the trade wars, the clamour at the border, and the shouted insults and provocations across all the big water in the oceans, we can still hear the muffled echoes..."...but those e-mails..."
Good luck, America, and good night.
23
And the sideshow of the carnival continues.
1
Former CIA Director John Brennan said when President Obama saw Putin Last at the G20 meeting, he told Putin that they were aware of Russian interference in our election process. And that that information was only possible because we had flipped someone close to Putin, who, to this date he has not figure out. Well, Putin must have said that two can play the same game. Someone close to trump may have been flipped, like Barr, who will now be privy to CIA ultra secrets. It’s possible.
5
Is it even conceivable that Trump wouldn’t have already given Putin the name of the alleged informant? He had a pretty nervous and guilty look after his Helsinki meeting.
14
Heir Trump is not a rational actor.
And congress will not be looked upon kindly in the history books if they don’t act.
Don’t spill the beans in Russia.
4
So Trump is trying to be transparent about everything Putin wants to know about US intelligence-gathering in Russia.
8
Well, I hope the CIA resists this proclaimed "grant" to an unfit attorney general of authorization to declassify. Just because the President says its so doesn't make it lawful to follow his orders. The possibility of selective declassification to attack "treasonous" "enemies" of the President is beyond the pale. The judicial system is our last bulwark against this corrupt and false President.
7
@Jane: That get more corrupted with every McConnell judge added to the bench.
2
Sadly a good portion of the country knows not what is happening. Don’t read the papers, hear headlines but don’t delve deeper. That is how democracies die. Along with complicit self serving politicians too. It’s pretty terrifying.
14
Well I guess Putin would be very interested to find out who around him leaked to the CIA about his involvement in the 2016 US election. Nice of Trump to find out for him - what a traitor.
Trump argues in court that Congress subpoenas are politically motivated. So I guess trying to expose the origins of the Russia enquiry could be seen as politically motivated also. Given that Trump projects himself onto events and people around him from his bully pulpit. Get rid of Trump before he can do any more damage, America, please, the world is waiting.
10
The Attorney General of the United States is helping to destroy our constitutional republic and turn it into an autocratic oligarchy. Wishing everyone a very happy coup de'tat. This has been a public service announcement. Have a pleasant day.
12
We need our partners but they can get along without us. This one action gives Putin one of his biggest wins. The intelligence that we will be getting from now on, will have to be weighed against the harm that we may do. If this White House sees it, Putin may very get briefed on it.
5
I believe its important to remember that the human intelligence ("HUMINT") that CIA collects is only as reliable as the human beings ("sources") who supply it. CIA grades the reliability of its reports on a sliding scale. During my 45 years in the US intelligence community, I saw far more garbage in CIA's HUMINT than what my colleagues and I would have regarded as reliable, indeed, useful, reporting.
Another way to think about this issue: CIA operations officers (those in the field who recruit sources) are hired for their ability to manipulate and blackmail others. (In my agency we used to refer to them as "professional liars.") The sources they recruit include (but are certainly not limited to) other people who are willing to betray the trust of their governments in exchange for money, sex and all manner of expensive consumer items.
My prediction is that very little material is going too be released as a result of this fishing expedition, for the simple reason that the vast majority of it will not be sufficiently reliable. And you can bet that if it is released, there will be sources who tell the NYT that the information is garbage.
If I am able to factor this in to the equation, I suspect Mr. Barr also will be able to do so.
1
Sadly this article provides enough detail to out any supposed super spy hiding in Putins closet. Thankfully that won't happen because this reads like a fairy tale.
Whoever is behind this narrative at the CIA needs to be sat down and told in easily understood sentences that it's game over. The attempt to smear a Presidential candidate failed, the plot to remove a President failed and attempts to cover up has failed. Justice is coming for anyone involved, that's how the Republic rolls.
3
I think this is what Trump meant when he recently said he is the most transparent President in history...transparent in using the US intelligence apparatus to attack the Democrats through the most obvious abuse of Presidential power. Plain for all to see.
4
If Trump believes that our National Securuty is to be protected by all means, including by building a Wall against immigrants, why is he willing to expose intelligence working to foreign scrutiny and put in danger our personnel and our "correspondants"
10
I’m sure AG Barr will use his utmost discretion on what and who will remain protected from the media and public. What this is all about is getting to the truth about the “big three” and what their employees did or did not do tomake sure trump didn’t win the presidency. When he did, all he’ll broke loose in the FBI and CIA. Obama, Comey , Brennan, and clapper. Guilty or not? The public has the right to know.
4
Once again, this would appear to be exactly what Putin would want.
7
This is not my country.
Memorial Day weekend. Honoring those who died for their country. And now Donald Trump? Sabotage of our democracy?
The rest of us do not deserve his insanity.
11
Election meddling has consequences...this time far more reaching than usual. It looks like Putin bought himself not just a president, but a protective attorney general as well as choice senators - and now a henchman in control the intelligence agencies. Just what a tyrant dreams about.
12
The ability of someone OUTSIDE of the intelligence agency to reveal the identity of our intelligence agents is something that Putin has been working towards for years.
This is a grave threat to US security and the surest sign yet that Trump is a tool of Putins. This kind of behavior, by anyone else, would be publicly condemned as treason. Why are journalists biting their tongues?
13
I've never taken jokes about trump being a Russian agent very seriously, but this latest move makes one wonder.
7
Really?
Is the GOP going to allow Trump to trash the US and willing to even defend this crook by waging war with former closest allies?
Meanwhile destroying the (physical) lifes of informants and agents?
10
“An Australian diplomat told the F.B.I. ... that Mr. Papadopoulos had said that Russia had made an offer to help the Trump campaign”. No, he reported the conversation to his Government headquarters as he should have, and headquarters naturally shared it with Washington. So what? The only controversy is that Papadopoulos has tried to worm his way out of it by claiming that the Australian diplomat, a former conservative Foreign Minister and our ambassador in London, made the story up. Who would anyone in their right mind believe?
3
@David. We can find out listening to the tape recordings that occurred after an informant and undercover agent spoke to him. Steele lied to the FBI, was fired, and has admitted none of his dossier was confirmed. Why do you doubt a Foreign Minister would lie if he wanted to start an investigation on an American politician he disliked?
3
Yet another agency and guardian of our freedom out at risk as Putin continues.to.pull Trump's puppet strings.
9
This article ignore a reality that NYT knows all too well: the CIA classified information to protect its negligence and rouge operations, not (with few exceptions) national security . Everyone in the intelligence community classifies every document out of fear and reflex. If any other president had directed his AG to declassify it would be considered long overdue; and I know why.
4
1776 and years between are now history.
The US threw off a monarch back then and perhaps naively assumed freedom from rule by dictat.
The French revolution was followed by Napoleon who self coronated as Emperor.
Now Trump issues edicts concerning national emergencies, tariffs on steel and sends troops to the Middle East and arms to the Saudis without reference to Congress.
Following his edict he has tasked Mr Barr investigating investigators who investigated him or his family or sundry other folk who differ from calling out his laughable inattention to hair grooming.
Mr Trump is apparently able to defy Congress, ignore subpoenas and allow his family access to information guarded by allies such as Australia, Canada. New Zealand and the UK.
The edict allowing Mr Barr to fish for intelligence information cart blanc, declassify and make public matters which may assist Trump whether financially or politicly is a terrible choice.
Mr Barr has been given the opportunity to make public matters far more ranging than made public than Snowden or Assange.
No A/G has ever been permitted access and then to publish at his discretion any information held by the CIA, FBI, NSA, NATO.
No president has ever granted his family access to information of such sensitivity without security clearance.
Congress needs to take charge of Trump.
1776 assumed that men were decent, rational and moral as did authors of the French Revolution.
Trump is not any of the above.
.
9
We don’t need to worry about Assange and Wikileaks we have the Justice Department to give away our secrets.
13
It has now become known that the Obama administration not only ordered spying on Trump's campaign but ordered his highly politicized intelligence agencies to ask British and Australian agencies to aid in keeping this dangerous man out of the highest office of the land.
This is not your everyday sandal folks.
4
@Charles Segal You forget that every republican candidate saw Trump as a con artist and a fool. The republicans didn't know that Trump was owned by Putin who pumped money into Trump's accounts for years via Deutsche Bank. When a candidate has such deep ties to America's main adversary, Russia, it is obvious who owns him.
4
So an ex British spy that hated Trump named Steele could “share” information or propaganda to the CIA without evidence? A previously reliable source said people associated with the Kremlin who requested anonymity (FOR LOTS OF MONEY) created a salacious unverifiable dossier. By the way, he was hired by Fusion GPS, who was hired by Perkins Coie, who laundered campaign funds from the DNC and Clinton Campaign. Secrecy is VERY IMPORTANT during this type of persecution/investigation. Obviously, people wanted their identities and sources to remain secret. So did the NY Mob using similar means of secrecy and deniability.
5
The president of the United States thinks that U.S. intelligence agencies are out to get him.
Read that sentence several times. Let it sink in.
Mr. Trump is a tin-foil-hat wearing conspiracy theorist. He is not fit for the office he holds.
15
Reality Check kiss your freedoms good bye. Voting is last freedom to go then all opponents to trump will be gone. Russia will own the usa an american dream will be just memory.
5
I have not been in favor of impeaching this president, but this article is a game-changer. DJT and his attorney (general) have got their priorities twisted. Get him out.
13
The idea that Alexander Downer, the Australian who first reported the links between the Trump campaign and Russia, could possibly be any sort of anti US spy, is ludicrous.
Downer is as conservative as you can get in Australia. He's an upper class snob from South Australia who has lived a life of privilege and served conservative causes all his adult life.
Seriously,it would be funny if this delusion was coming from anybody but the President of the United States.
4
Novoad, Barr is much more like Bruce Cutler. Even though he does not look like him either.
1
Why would anyone want to help the US after this? Republicans are the party that outs assets for political gain b
6
And what if Trump gave unprecedented power to Barr with instructions to destroy all evidence of coordination between Trump, the campaign and Russian?
4
High crimes and misdemeanors. Add one to the list. Impeach. The country cannot afford a crook as President any longer.
8
Impeachment won’t do anything unless the US Senate convicts. With Republicans in the majority in the Senate they will not convict and Trump will still be President.
The Republicans have been slowly destroying our “democracy” since 1994 when they won the majority in the Congress with Gingrich as Speaker of the House.
3
All of it sanctioned by the GOP
9
Trump, and his lap dog Barr, are signaling that they are willing to put our national security at risk for the purpose of political payback.
The White House refuses to honor subpoenas.
The House Intelligence Committee is unable to access intelligence.
Robert Mueller refuses to testify on live tv — which actually makes sense when you remember what open sessions look like
Infrastructure, then no infrastructure.
Emergency relief, then no emergency relief.
And embryos get first dibs on women’s bodies in 10 (?) states and counting.
Just another week in the shipwreck formerly known as the United States of America.
6
Donny is going to create a very big global problem with his moves, arms likely to end up being used in Yemen on children and civilians!
5
If there is nothing to hide, every Democratic politician and registered voter should welcome this investigation.
If you wish to expose all of President Trump’s actions before, during and after the election, and if you the reader tout yourself as an advocate of “transparency” then it is time to seek and expose the “negatives” that produced the raw pictures being fed to US without being photoshopped concerning the 2016 election.
But I doubt you the reader truthfully think to “Barr none” for the public to have a complete picture of the “Russian Investigation” .
3
We do not live in a democracy. We live under an eighteenth century constitution that was designed to guarantee that the slave powers would always have the upper hand. The voters do not choose the president, the electoral college does; every state gets two senators regardless of population, permitting a minority party to stack the Supreme Court with partisan hacks; partisan gerrymandering allows a minority party to control the government; and there is no way to require the president to follow the law. God help the Republic.
22
Could this be Putin’s long game? Entice Trump into fruitless real estate deals that Putin knew would result in investigations and then once Trump is ensnared in investigations, prompt
Trump to “investigate the investigators” and thereby expose the US intelligence assets and tear the country apart.
Perhaps we are finally learning what Putin has been instructing Trump to do in the “off the record” meetings they’ve been having.
12
When the light went on in a Boston steeple and Paul Revere and others rode their horses warning Americans the British were coming, people were alarmed. Genuine fear all shared. The Russians invaded our democracy with fake news on social media web sites, inciting counter demonstrations, hacking into political party servers and distributing the stolen material to Wiki-Leaks, befriending campaign staff with the promise of compromising their opponent's campaign, and sowing distrust among the citizens to weaken our resolve and ability to govern as a unified nation. Unlike the Revolutionaries warned about the approaching enemy who faced their fear and confronted the enemy, 45 sees the likes of Paul Revere as the enemy and questions why there was someone in the steeple and why was he on his horse at night yelling his head off. There is something fundamentally unpatriotic by these actions against our National Security Agencies and sows great distrust in our government and country. 45's tweets, rants, rallies, and 10K lies confirms Russia's success and our loss.
15
The CIA must be answerable to someone. Who do they think they are to state opposition ? Brennan put the CIA in this quandary so if looking for a face to put on this mess he owns it. Comey shares the same Brennan issue with the FBI. This also proves a point that if Trump had a lot to hide then he would be against declassifying.
8
But notice how he is putting his guy, Barr in charge. I’m sure the goal is to further try to undermine the real evidence of wrong doing—although finding the informant who confirms Putin’s direct involvement seems like a direct gift to Putin.
3
You completely misunderstand.
Trump is not for or against declassifying in any general sense.
He’s for the SELECTIVE declassification of ONLY those documents, sources and methods that might bolster his fragile ego or embarrass his political opponents. Whatever the consequences to our actual national security.
And with William Barr, he’s found the perfect servile partisan stooge for that task, as Barr demonstrated decades ago with Iran-Conta and more recently with his utter mischaracterization of the Mueller Report.
Vladimir Putin’s investment continues to pay great returns (unlike any of Trump’s casinos, airlines, football leagues, etc.)
4
"No do overs", or some such garbage has been Trump and his merry band of minions mantra in refusing to follow the dictates of the Constitutional separation of powers. Shockingly, this hypocritical approach is set aside and we find ourselves one step further down the road to the Autocracy that Trump fantasizes about.
2
The abuse of our National Security system to settle scores is a step to far for me. And Barr’s complicity is disgusting when he should be safe-keeping our system of law and order.
Neither Trump or Barr are fit for their respective office. Both truly lack integrity and ethics.
It is truly scary that these unfit individuals, with dark personal agendas, can have so much access and power over our county’s National Security.
12
I don’t know, part of me really thinks that the louder these institutions squawk at light being put on their business, the more they are trying to hide; and, another part wants to believe their protestations are based in fact. I can’t decide if I am a cynic or naive.
3
Trump’s irresponsible comments and wholesale declassification of intelligence material is sorely testing the US-Australian alliance. Five Eyes might soon be Four Eyes or even One Eye.
“Exposing further information about British or Australian cooperation in the investigation could deepen tensions with two of America’s closest intelligence partners.”
That’s an understatement. Would Trump really prefer Australia to share intelligence with, say, China?
10
If I were in a powerful position, would I want to be a really big enemy of the CIA? Not so much, I'm thinking.
2
I know that it's been said many, many times before, but it's incredible that Republicans can continue to sit on the sideline and allow this to happen. These same people would be screaming ABUSE OF POWER had Barack Obama done this. The only difference is that it's one of their own, so now suddenly it's okay.
11
Barr and Trump are teetering on the edge of traitorous behavior, they are not acting in behalf of the best American interests when they consider exposing our sources and methods for their political purposes.
14
Here is one democrat who is happy that the AG is investigating the investigation.
Perhaps now this nonsense will now finally be put to rest.
These conspiracies have no underlying factual evidence.
They were cooked up for one reason and one reason only:
The shield this president from his own malfeasance.
I am confident that our intelligence agencies will expose the truth.
This investigation will blow up in the president's face when all these phony threads are proven once again to be just more fake news - as most of us have known for close to a year.
But it will be of no consequence; by the time the report comes out, we will have moved on to the newest evidence of wrong doing or criminality by this corrupt administration and the president's enablers will have invented a new conspiracy theory that again convinces his most ardent followers of the man's innocence.
3
I tend to agree with you and hope you are correct. This may well go the route of the voter fraud comission: Much bluster and then nothing. What concerns me is the weapon inaction of intelligence assets for political gain. This may be the first use of intelligence in the Trump Administration-- of course it is screwed up.
Whats good for the goose is good for the gander.Every action has an opposite and equal reaction.This nonsense will never end and it does not matter who started it.It is a waste of time and taxpayer money.Nothing new here and who really thinks anyone or any organization is non political.
2
This action by Trump, encouraged and abetted by the AG, will cool or even fracture our intelligence organizations' relationship with the intelligence operations of our international allies. Information gathered in western Europe may not be shared with Washington at this point as they will not trust the Trump administration to use it wisely and they may even fear exposure of the human assets who are reporting. It was international intelligence which alerted Washington to the Russian threat in 2016. WE will be less safe, much less safe with this blatant politicization of intelligence. Trump still calls the Russian interference a hoax. The Europeans know it happened and it is happening throughout Europe today as it is Russia's plan to disrupt Democratic governments and the western alliance. In Europe the Russians are aided by lots of little Trump look alikes. There are still living many great men and women who won the Cold War. What must they think now that that victory is being given away to the worst of the KGB in the Russian government?
3
If Trump had the ability to keep his mouth shut, this wouldn't be so scary.
But Trump is unable to. He blurts out whatever pops into his head, ignorant of consequences. If Trump thinks it will make him look bigger or tougher, out it comes.
Putin knows this.
Who knows what state secrets Trump has already told him?
Tillerson has said Trump was totally unprepared in the meeting they had with Putin, choosing to wing it and trust his gut.
And now Trump meets with Putin by himself, taking the notes from his interpreter and hiding them.
That act alone should be grounds for removal from office, but it is not.
Meanwhile, McConnell looks the other way.
Is this all about babies and Right Wing judges?
The Russian owned alumininum plant to be built in Kentucky merits a much
6
@D. DeMarco
Sorry, I hit enter by accident.
Here's what I meant to write.
The Russian owned aluminium plant to be built in Kentucky merits a much closer look.
I really wish the NYT would consider a 5 minute edit window so you could review your comment as posted.
1
My question about all of this is, when he (the petulant child who calls himself president) finds out that all accounts corroborate what the Mueller report discovered about Russia, will he go away? Or will he choose to spin the facts and create an alternative fact universe once again? Will he accept the fact that we have been violated by a foreign government that doesn't believe in democracy? And to add to his pledge of transparency, will he release his tax returns? This is all smoke and mirrors to remove the criminal spotlight that shines ever so brightly on him and his family.
3
The justice department has swallowed Trump’s stupid pills. That’s
bad enough, but no one seems to capable of honoring our
forefathers vision of American leadership and character. Where’s the oversight?
Leadership under trump is not about our countries future, it’s about right this second,
defending his brand. Trump is prepared to be the Julian Assange of the presidency
and the DOJ the new Wikileaks, all in the service of winning a second term and payback.
Trump has set a horrible example for the world and a shamefully
disgraced model of all the things American. He’s ignored
the constitution and corrupted ethics in Government.
He’s a clever man surrounded by smarter men who’ve decided getting along
and re-election is more important than Duty, Honor, Country.
I have no doubt Trump is truly a clear and present danger to this country. Soon
no one will be able to discern truth from fiction. I’m scared, this time because
Washington is becoming the Alamo.
6
Our intelligence agencies have been influencing and overturning governments, including duly elected governments, for decades.
Whatever the parties that are in or out of power at any point in time, we should not want agencies such as the CIA trying to tilt the table in favor of one candidate or party over another. No matter how much they may be concerned about any particular candidate for office. That is for voters to determine.
Instead of the amateurish Russian efforts to influence some gullible Facebook members, efforts by agencies such as the CIA to pull the rug out from under candidates, or elected officials, should be the genuine concern as the greatest threat to our elective system.
I for one would like to know more about the origins of the Mueller investigation, who started it, who authorized it, when its seeds were planted, and why. Our extreme partisanship these days is bad enough......but we have to keep the intelligence agencies out of the fray. Completely out.
5
@RM
"Our extreme partisanship these days is bad enough......but we have to keep the intelligence agencies out of the fray. Completely out."
I agree. But Mr. Trump is dragging them in to politics.
All the evidence points to a simple truth. The Russian government was interfering with U.S. elections. The intelligence agencies were investigating that. And many times, they stumbled upon people from the Trump campaign talking to the Russians.
You insinuate that U.S. intelligence agencies were attempting to influence the U.S. elections. That makes no sense. No one, including Mr. Trump himself, thought that we would win the 2016 election. Even if your conspiracy theory had legs, which it doesn't, why would intelligence agencies attempt to work against a candidate not expected to win?
1
@MidtownATL
To remove any possibility he would win, or to create a reason to remove him from office if he did win.
2
@RM
Wow, you really are a true believer. The "deep state" and all that.
If Mr. Trump is truly innocent and persecuted as he claims, then he should want all the information out there. That includes his financial records, as well as the unredacted Mueller report that he claims "exonerated" him.
2
More and more, I am pessimistic about the future. Between climate change and the end of the United States democratic republic, I see few options but to leave this once great nation.
To think that American intelligence and top-secret sources are in the hands of these two, hulking around in over sized suits and pictured congratulating each other—
Is chilling and distressing.
6
Mueller gone all coward and won’t testify publicly? Subpoena him and subpoena all of his prosecutors and investigators for public testimony. Enough is enough.
5
And how long will the Republicans let this man destroy the Country, whether by design or by pique?
4
1. Although Mueller found no criminal conspiracy by Trump with the Russian government, there was obvious collusion with persons connected with the Russian government.
2. Trump committed multiple acts of obstruction of justice connected with that collusion.
3. Trump is refusing to comply with congressional subpoenas.
4. Trump is now weaponizing classified intelligence to attack his opponents.
For the sake of our democracy and to protect our national security this man needs to be impeached. What on earth is Nancy Pelosi waiting for?
5
Wouldn't put it past Trump to give up Kremlin sources to Putin. After all, it would be to his benefit in the next election. And most of the Republicans would look the other way.
3
He is already bankrupting the nation with his trillion Dollar a year deficits. He has polarized the nation. The environment. Why not mess up the nation’s information gathering abilities too ?
2
Sooner or later it will dawn on enough of us, hopefully upon those in position to do something about it.. that stupidity is dangerous. And linked with psychosis, is a destructive combination..
1
Every American should be horrified by this move on Trump's part.
It begs the question: Did Trump receive a suggestion from Putin in one of their unmonitored chats that Trump should get to the bottom of this "Russia hoax" by unmasking our intelligence sources to the Russians?
It has been echoed elsewhere in these pages, but at some point the military and intelligence community must accept the fact that our President has been either compromised by the Russians, or he is so easily influenced by experts like Putin that he has become an unwitting tool for our enemies.
As to Barr, he is no idiot, but his actions indicate his political agenda supersedes his oath of office as AG. He too has either been compromised or he has willingly gone down the path of crippling our intelligence apparatus in order to achieve his political ends.
3
As a former American History teacher , when teaching the rise of totalitarian regimes In the early 20th century , students would often ask how citizens in these countries let it happen. Others asked if it could happen in the USA. I typically responded with reassuring commentary that with our long-standing democratic traditions and a Constitution that was brilliantly crafted we could weather any crisis that arose. I often cited the Nixon Era as a prime example. I am sad to say that may no longer be true.
5
Get him out now! Trump does not care about people who put their life on the line for America, he only cares about himself. Indeed, if I were the CIA I would suspend ALL overseas activity until his presidency is over: because he will throw anyone under the bus.
74
Every day something else is revealed where Trump is deconstructing the United States. We must take back our country, Trump is using Putin's techniques of amassing power. Trump must be impeached and removed from the Presidency, before he causes more damage to our way of life.
68
It is heartwarming to see how many people recognize in Bill Barr the modern version of Daniel Ellsworth.
With both of them bringing to light, to the American people, the workings of the deep state. Even as they couldn't look more different from each other...
10
@novoad: If Barr is the modern version of Daniel Ellsworth, the public would have had the full unredacted version of the Muller report and the underlying evidence months ago, plus Trump’s tax returns and financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One. Barr will behave like the opposite of Ellsworth, only picking and choosing what will Trump look good and the Democrats and intelligence agencies look bad, and planting “evidence” if he deems it opportune. Barr is Trump’s henchman, not an impartial head of the DoJ.
4
@novoad That's Daniel Ellsberg. Otherwise, I agree with you.
Ellsworth wasn’t fishing for a supreme court seat.
2
It seems like Barr has become the personal lawyer for Trump, and the replacement "fixer" that Cohen was. He certainly is not acting as the Attorney General for the people.
66
US intelligence assets in Russia - a geo-political adversary albeit one greatly reduced in stature - risk being exposed. I wonder who would profit from such a thing?
41
God bless the CIA.
15
CIA please if you’re listening - please help save us from Trump!
3
Same for all of their European, Asian, American, and African equivalents.
1
Another example of Trump doing Putin's work. Putin doesn't have to figure out who his "unfaithful servants" are. Trump and Barr will tell him.
57
If I were House Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff and Judiciary Committee Chairman Nadler, I would call Trump's bluff and ask that the FISA warrants in question be released unredacted with the only exceptions being; the names of the FISA judges who approved the requests, U.S career employees and those foreign sources whose names were not made public as part of prior congressional investigations, news reports and last year's DOJ IG report.
If one actually reads the Trump memo to Barr, there really isn't any there there. just another attempt by the President to distract and sow doubts about the entire investigatory process among his base.
27
Again, elections have consequences - both federal and state levels.
Waiting for the Republicans to do right things, you can forget it. The patriotism and common sense of this party is long gone.
If you want the situations to be directed in the right and justice path, use your voice and call your representatives. Most importantly, go vote when ever the opportunity is provided.
27
Get your marshmallows and your sticks. This could be one fire DJT starts that will not be put out.
17
The dismantling of America on behalf of Russia with Republican consent continues.
The Five-Eyes nations will now be replaced by Four-Eyes and one blind-eye. Even worse, NATO will no longer have our back, will not assist us when we attack Iran, and will only have Russia, Israel and Saudi Arabia as backstabbing allies.
Indeed, why are we shipping billions in high-tech weaponry to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE while also sending 1500 American troops to the region? Shouldn't the Israelis, Saudis and Emirates supply 1500 of their own troops with their brand new weapons? Why should American troops spill their blood first on their behalf?
What does it say when our weaponry is used primarily on civilians in Gaza, West Bank and Yemen?
As for treasonous-trump's charge of treason against counter-intelligence patriots, the legal definition of treason is:
"Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort."
Isn't that by definition what trump has done with Russia during their WAR on our democracy? He obviously gave Putin, our worst enemy, aid and loving comfort as he praises Putin while disparaging most American heroes to boost his own credibility with the enemy and boost his ego.
We are still at war and trump is still doing Putin's bidding - purging the best in counter-intelligence, now undermining our intelligence agencies permanently - who will be left to investigate the 2020 coup?
42
So one result of these shenanigans is that the CIA might be weakened? I wonder if there are any ex-KGB agents who are tickled by this development?
20
Now that Trump has declassified EVERYTHING just listen to the Democrats howl. Before Trump's declassification order Schiff and Nadler complained of a cover-up by Trump. Now they are complaining that Trump is giving away State secrets. Some people you can NEVER please.
16
What is it about Republicans outing assets? They do realize it puts in grave harm people that are helping us against our adversaries, right?
2
Life is not kindergarten simple. It is not an all or nothing situation. One needs reason and balance, and respect for law, none of which trump or barr possess.
2
Trump isn’t declassifying all allied intelligence from the FBI, GCHQ, MI6, AVID and ASIS as some benevolent act of transparency.
He is doing so to allow his personal consigliere— Attorney General Barr— to seek revenge on political opponents. This is what totalitarian governments do, and individuals on the right should be deeply concerned that Trump is going down this one-way path. Our nation’s security is at stake.
4
See: "As Far Right Rises, a Battle Over Security Agencies Grows" by Katrin Bennhold, NYT, May 7. A Russia-servile government faction (except here led by our President) tries to muscle control of intelligence and sources. And why shouldn't Trump turn over the name of the rat who's got so close to Putin? All part of being best friends. Our grandchildren will marvel, and I hope not weep, if we let this happen before our eyes.
19
This is what happens when an insecure, vengeful narcissist wants to please an American adversary. Is POTUS just acting like an impulsive child? Or is his aim to gain favor with Mr. Putin by giving him the information that he wants? Either one is very dangerous to our national security.
29
He is acting like the criminal and psychotic that he is. We also need to get criminal GOP members out of Congress so we can restore checks and balance to out government.
3
Disband the CIA. The Cold War is over. They’re more trouble than they’re worth.
6
Time to impeach. He’s clearly taking a hammer to our republic and national security.
22
TweedleDum and TweedleDee.
They have no idea what they are doing with our intelligence community.
Who do Barr and Trump think they are? That this is a game?
Get rid of them.
29
Would Trump give up one of our assets in Russia as a thank you to Putin for 2016 and another thank you for 2020? I guess we’ll find out.
23
Trump is perverting our most important government agencies in order to enable his coverups & corruptions. Trump & his supporters are spreading disgusting lies and even altering videos to confuse the American people, which is what the Russian gov does. Where is our Congress?!
29
Recess (sigh)
1
@simon simon: You mean the Senate, right?
Maybe what Barr finds will lead him to indict Trump.
10
Or he will simply cherry pick. He won’t yield anything that undermines his imperial presidency.
You’re assuming he is honestly looking for truth. He is not.
2
@Ultramayan We don't want to go that way because we will have another Nixon serial, after all, by the time the process ends, it will be time for new elections.
In the 1970's a new material was discovered, plastic over fabric, called naugahyde. Millions of cheap sofas were made with it. No naugas were harmed in the process of making naugahyde, since none were used. The material was artificial.
In 2016 a new process was discovered, with which one could get FISA warrants to spy on candidate Trump, and to start Russian collusion investigations. That is what the declassification is all about.
So, no need to worry. No Russian assets will be harmed in this declassification process. Since none were used. The materials for the FISAs and collusion were all artificial.
14
@novoad interesting — maybe trump supporters ‘ brains are made of naugahyde — that may explain why their brains cannot reason and function!
Perhaps Trump is declassifying these documents because Putin told him to. How else would Putin be able to figure out who in his inner circle is an informant for the CIA. When was it that Trump had that hour and a half long phone chat with Putin? Wasn't that last month? It seems as if Trump is helping his friend Putin find the CIA informants in Putin's circle.
38
A lot has been written lately here at the NYT and other papers of renown as well as news casts from many networks about politicizing or weaponizing our intelligence agencies and to a large degree, our law enforcement agencies. There has been a lot of finger pointing at the Trump administration as the cause of this phenomena. What is not clearly understood, judging by the many comments I have read, is that while Trump IS the cause or the catalyst that brought about the weaponizing/politicizing aspects, he did not assembly the agencies nor did he identify the target. One does NOT target himself. NO! That was all done under the prior administration. Had there been no Trump candidate, then president, the American public would not have known to what lengths our own government, aided by the press and the media, would take to influence an election. That but of information is largely ignored. Surely the Russians tried to affect the outcome via social media; but most Americans are smart enough to turn to the news to get facts. Unfortunately, they also got half truths.
So Trump is responsible for this entire mess. Had he lost, we would never know how corrupt some people in our own government can be. Thank you Mr. Trump.
13
@old sarge: Trump sure tops them all together in corruption! And now he’s gone totally bonkers. Lock him up in a mental facility, that would be best for his health and America now...
3
Sadly, most Americans are not smart enough to discern the truth. And also have corrupt representatives in Congress. Time to flush out the rot.
1
Gina Haspel and the CIA do not have to worry about Barr.
Barr only wants material that he can use to make Trump look good.
The CIA does not have any material that makes Trump look good.
20
We already had a taste of what republicans are capable of with the totally political investigations (7!) of Benghazi! by Trey Gowdy and Co. . Tom Cotton, Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy and friends don't want democracy, they just want it THEIR way, and they don't care about how it happens. To republicans, 'Fair Play' just isn't in the game plan, and only shows a weakness to be exploited when their enemies (not fellow citizens, mind you) show adherence to established rules and decorum. We are already well into a coup d'etat from the far right being funded by the Kochs, Mercers, and numerous 'conservative' moneyed elites. Obviously a large portion of Americans just don't care.
26
Don’t leave out Rupert Murdock. He’s not an American. Just an overseas hustler that came to Britain first, then the USA to make money by making trouble. Amazing that half of Americans buy into his rubbish.
3
There are serious concerns that Putin may have compromising material on Trump. Since his election, Trump has appeared desperate at times to have private conversations with Putin. Is it possible that Trump has needed to contact Putin in private so that he can find out what he must do in order not to have criminal or embarrassing conduct exposed by the Russians? Now, three weeks after his last private conversation with Putin, Trump has given Bill Barr free rein to declassify whatever he (and Trump) wish, including possibly the name of the U.S. spy close to Putin. Is our elected president carrying out the goals of Vladimir Putin under the threat of blackmail? It is imperative that any President of the United States avoid even the appearance of being compromised. Anything else undermines the public confidence (at the very least), and is a threat to the office of the presidency and to the proper functioning of democracy. The Republican Party should be ashamed for allowing this charade to go on for so long.
23
President Putin did extremely well in purchasing the presidency of Mr. Trump. what more could one ask for than to have Trump divulge the names of moles in Russia and have the blame misdirected somewhere else. kompromat.
31
Yes.So we're supposed to sacrifice the President to protect an informer rather than sacrifice an informer to protect the President. Od course this only if the President is a Republican.
6
@JJ Gross: Yes, if the president obstructs justice and violates the constitution instead of defending it, the president should be sacrificed, i.e., removed. Endangering the life of an informant who serves the country is beyond despicable and should have Trump locked up in prison.
1
@JJ Gross you got it all wrong. trump is attempting to sacrifice our democracy and make himself the king of United States of Russia! You will suffer too if that time really come. Wake up — for your own sake!
2
@JJ Gross Which president are you trying to protect? The US president or the Russian one?
2
"The most prominent of the C.I.A.’s sources of intelligence on Russia’s election interference was a person close to Mr. Putin who provided information about his involvement, former officials have said. The source turned over evidence for one of the last major intelligence conclusions that President Barack Obama made public before leaving office: that Mr. Putin himself was behind the Russia hack."
So does this sets the stage for Trump/Barr to declassify and potentially expose this source? Seems very improper to delegate this authority to Barr.
13
I'm sorry to say this but I think we should DO Something!
But, that is just my opinion, man.
11
This would assume we have honest senators in the majority in the Senate. We do not.
This declassifying of information along with the "usual" sales of arms to the corrupt Saudi government (call it what you like), and. to boot, the trash, disinformational video of Speaker Pelosi, which by the way Facebook refuses to take down. Two thoughts: 1) 25th Amendment: and, 2) government sanctions and control over Facebook.
13
I’d love to see that. How long in in fields do you think they’d last?
Sounds like a good Idea to me!
You must have missed the "lock her up" chants screamed out the last three years by this president about his political opponent, Hillary Clinton. If you're worried about imprisoning your political opponents, look to the President of the United States for this unAmerican behavior.
1
Having read "times pick" comments one can only come to the conclusion that the sky will fall and the US will sink into the ocean. Any unbiased, clear thinking person knows that Barr will not reveal high level sources. He will do a methodical job in order to determine if Trump Is correct.
I would like to know how this charade all happened. I do know that the dems do not want Barr reading those files. I also know that Brennan worked in the Obama WH before heading the CIA. I also know that the FBI does SPY in order to protect National Security. NO other adjective can honestly be utilized to describe counter-intel & anti-terror investigations.
15
Mueller has already established the origins of the investigation. Most Americans don't want assets put into peril for the sake of Republican political stunts
1
Barr would sell out his grandmother to feather his own nest. He has zero respect for the law.
1
Barr wants a supreme court appointment and is willing to lick trump's shoes to get it. Both of these phonies count their fingers after shaking hands.
11
So Barr is tasked by Trump with outing the Kremlin mole for Putin?
21
The president cannot be indicted.
The president cannot be investigated.
The president can only be investigated, if he is impeached.
The president cannot be impeached without the Senate.
The Russia redacted material cannot be declassified.
However, material about the origins of the probe can.
Flynn was a good man.
However, Obama was to blame for not warning about Flynn.
(Which he did)
Comey did the right thing on Clinton's case.
However, the president had to fire him for it.
This list could go on.
Hopefully, it won't much longer.
Meanwhile, Hulu has thoughtfully produced a new series adaptation of Catch-22, just in time.
15
It almost seems as if Trump and Barr are doing this to ratchet up the pressure on our intelligence officials to the point that those same officials will refuse, and hence, Trump will have another false claim that there's a "deep state" and he can flail around yelling coup.
Dan Coats should know that he's not dealing with decent and patriotic individuals, when it comes to Trump and his enablers.
It's truly unbelievable that for some time now, Australian diplomats and former British MI6 operatives are more patriotic and protective of our national security than this Precedent and his minions.
No, to Trump, it's Japan and Canada that pose the threat to our national security.
16
Why don't Democrats want to get to the bottom of this? I thought they loved investigations and transparency? Maybe we'll find out that Mifsud wasn't a Russian spy. Democrats seem pretty worried about the significant evidence showing that is in fact the case. If he was working for Western Intelligence, then it would show they manufactured the predicate for their own investigation. Maybe we'll find out why the FBI declined a defensive briefing to the campaign, but instead opted for a sting operation. Maybe we'll find out why Mueller put words in the mouths of Papadopoulos that neither he nor Alex Downer confirm. Maybe we'll find out why Matt Gaeta met with Steele in Rome, home of Link University/Mifsud. Maybe we'll find out why Jonathan Winer at State kept running notes from Shearer, Blumenthal and Steele up the flagpole and to the press. Who oversaw Halper, Turk and Downer? Why did the FBI ignore Bruce Ohr and Kathleen Kavalec on Steele? What explains Samantha Power's unmasking frenzy in the Fall of 2016? Why did Brennan lobby the Gang of Eight for an investigation, when he already knew one was underway? Why did Comey treat Trump like a criminal after he took office, even when he knew all of the claims were either unproven or garbage? So many unanswered questions. I think the people need to know how the Clinton Campaign worked with Steele to spread disinformation and lies. We already know the sources were garbage and the methods were lies.
17
Yeah, Barr (Trump’s Roy Cohn) is just the man. We’ve never seen such an honest, impartial broker as AG in history.
How about we see Trump’s taxes just to make sure he doesn’t owe anything to Russia? He shouldn’t have anything to worry about if he’s completely innocent.
21
The frame-up of the Trump campaign by Hillary and her co-conspirators in the Obama-era intelligence community is possibly the biggest political scandal in the history of the US. Yet except for a very few actual journalusts, the press is disinterested in, or actively seeking to suppress any investigation into the alarming coincidences that make the entire "Russian Collusion" narrative appear to be a well crafted black op.
13
@TL: Seems you know all the answers to your suggestive questions fueled by conspiracy theories. The Steele report was irrelevant to the start of the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
13
Trump has been brandishing the word "treason" a lot lately. It appears now to be projection on his part. By undermining with his sweeping declassification order one of the most important lines of America's defense isn't he committing a treasonous act indeed?
21
This is crazy. Intelligence assets, individuals and countries, will not be as forthcoming in providing intelligence information and leads when they know the information could be turned over to political appointees working on partisan political agendas.
What vetting and clearance process has Mr. Barr undergone? His handling of the Mueller Report shows his judgement and motives are suspect. What vetting process have the Justice Department staff - other political appointees and clerical
staff - been through?
Worse, how will the Justice Department selectively provide biased information to distort true events.
Our country has a long history of protecting the entire Justice Department and CIA from partisan politics. The patriotic men serving in those agencies in the past understood that and had the moral sense to preserve a culture of honesty, independence, and professionalism.
Trump has systematically destroyed that valuable protection. He puts loyalty to himself over loyalty to the country.
12
Folks, I am a decorated combat veteran. During the combat in which I earned the Silver Star, I was not afraid. My mind was totally occupied with doing my duty and surviving.
Now, I am beginning to fear. All of us who follow such publiclications as NYTimes are critically aware of Mr Trump's abysmal, no, frightening record.
Disregarding the dozens of demonstrated anti-democratic actions by Mr Trump, recent events surpass them, I fear.
1. The AG, W Barr is attempting to create a new hole on the 1st Amendment, trying to establish a precedent allowing the government to go after publishers of classified information. This is unprecedented -- and unbelievably dangerous to our democracy.
2. Now, Mr Trump is attempting to make hundreds of thousands of classified documents available to what appears to be his pet Attorney General.
That troubles me as Ron Suskind's book, "The 1% Doctrine" documents how VP Dick Cheney created a special "intelligence agency" within DOD whose purpose was to pick and choose, for political purposes, from raw intelligence so as to justify the war with Iraq. Sound familiar?
Beware, America. With a Senate that's in thrall to POTUS, we may have no protection from what's to come.
45
Agreed but the problem are the people that support him. They continue to enable him and claim he is the victim.
1
Donald Trump is clearly a Russian operative and a treasonous traitor. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans couldn’t care less.
24
Now impeachment takes on more urgency.
5
And still, it the face of an outright frontal attack by an illegitimate "president" WE SIT. WHY are we not protesting in huge numbers? WHAT is wrong with us?
20
Don't kid yourself. You are part of a tiny group of bitter-enders. The broad majority of Americans accept Mueller's finding of no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and "the Russians."
The tiny but vocal mob that is still carrying the "collusion" torch have only each other for consolation. Like anti-vaxers, that tiny but loud mob seek to keep their pet conspiracy theories alive and no amount of debunking will change their minds.
Have fun - flat earth political "science" can be fun, right?
5
President Trump is an anti-vaxxer.
Mueller came to the conclusion that Trump obstructed justice which affected his ability to prove conspiracy. Mueller stated that justice Department guidelines restricted his ability to indict but stated that Congress could - Two things Barr lied about before Congress.
Read the report not Fox "News".
1
But the broad majority get their “news’ and views from a non-American Australian.
1
There is no man better qualified than Barr to take on this assignment. From a WSJ article on Barr's work at the CIA in the 1979s:
\\Much of Mr. Barr’s work with the CIA during those years involved answering questions from Congress on an array of issues, including the Church and Pike investigations, according to declassified CIA documents and Mr. Barr’s own published recollections.
\\During attorney general confirmation proceedings in 1991, Mr. Barr described his duties in the CIA as “analyzing the impact of proposed legislation on Agency operations, drafting Agency bill comments, drafting Hill testimony, carrying on liaison with Congressional committee staffs.”
\\For those in the agency at the time, the public scrutiny and the media headlines being generated by the investigations were deeply demoralizing. Mr. Barr, in an interview published in 2006, recalled that the agency was taking “body blows.”//
In other words he understands completely the need to protect sources and highly classified information.
15
@Dougal E
If that were the case, why is everybody assuming the CIA’s agent in the Kremlin is dead? If you don’t think Trump gave Putin enough information to find him in the meeting where nobody else was present, you have a level of optimism in fantasies that I can’t sustain. Why you think Barr is any different is beyond reason.
1
@Dougal E
Read the Wikipedia biography of Barr at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barr
It includes:
Barr, as Assistant Attorney General “wrote legal justifications for the practice of rendition,.. Barr declined a congressional request for the full opinion, but instead provided a document that "summarizes the principal conclusions." Congress subpoenaed the opinion, and its public release after Barr's departure from the Justice Department showed he had omitted significant findings in the opinion from his summary document.”
Sound familiar?
Regarding the Iran-Contra affair, “Weinberger, trying to avoid possible jail time, was preparing to testify that President George H. W. Bush knew about, and even participated in the events leading up to the Iran-Contra scandal…On December 24, 1992, during his final month in office, Bush, on the advice of Barr, pardoned Weinberger, who had not yet come to trial, along with five other administration officials, who had been found guilty on charges relating to the Iran–Contra affair.,, Because of this and Barr's unwillingness to appoint an independent counsel to look into a second scandal known as Iraqgate, New York Times writer William Safire began to refer to Barr as "Coverup-General Barr."
Any current correlates?
Its easy to see why Trump appointed Barr.
9
Democrats are worried about Republicans outing intelligence assets for political gain (see Valerie Plame). It's dangerous and unAmerican.
All of this self aggrieved whining by Trump and his attempt to subvert our intelligence agencies for investigating him omits one important fact: the FBI kept the investigation secret before the election but did the opposite with the Clinton investigation.
14
the senior Trump admin official who wrote the anonymous op might want to speck up now..
4
look, Assange should just leak the whole report to the Times, don't you think?
2
Another dangerous attempt at thwarting our Constitution. The only ones in control of their secrets need to remain the individual agencies. Barr's fealty to 45 is not his correct role as top law enforcement officer in the nation. Please vote blue in 2020.
13
Trump promised, “We’re exposing everything.”
By all means, let’s do that.
Let’s see Congress subpoena the interpreters present in all Trump/Putin conversations.
30
We must impeach Trump; he wants too much transparency.
13
Except with anything having to do with himself: his meetings with Putin, his tax returns, the formerly available list of who is visiting him at the White House, and on and on.
This isn’t transparency.
What Barr will discover from the intelligence files is that there was indeed a coup. It was perpetrated against Hillary Clinton by trump and the Republicans, directly aided by our enemy and foe, the Russians.
Not that Barr would convey the truth and the facts behind them to the American people who voted predominantly for Hillary.
18
@PAN
It wasn't Trump, the Republicans or the Russians who wrote her emails or forced her to use a private server. It wasn't the Russians who then lied about it to the public.
However, it was the Russians who paid her husband half a million to give a speech to some Russian bankers. It was the Russians who donated hundreds of millions of dollars to her charitable foundation.
9
Transparency and full disclosure seem to have lost their appeal to Democrats this week.
9
Politicians only want "transparency" when it will hurt their opponents. Otherwise they want to "protect the sources and methods" of their phony, politically motivated "investigations."
5
@Fred Rick
Yes, I also have a firm grasp on the obvious, which is why I would never trust Schiff.
4
@Fred Rick: That’s an apt description of Trump and Barr!
Already too much has been said about a mole in the Putin orbit. I have already wondered who Trump has gotten killed. Worry of such things too often comes out after the fact.
Putin alone with the President for 3 hours with no witnesses other than the translator & there is every sober reason to expect Putin to wheedle names out or Trump.
Long the Americans have not been trusted to handle secrets shared.
14
Every American President since Franklin Roosevelt has met with the leaders of Russia and been praised for it. When did we declare war on Russia? The level of war fever, hatred and paranoia and accusations of disloyalty in these posts is reminiscent of the 1950s Cold War at its most irrational, hysterical worst.
4
@Red Allover
FDR needed Stalin to hold the Eastern Front. Churchill later advised FDR at Yalta to resist Stalin's moves to resurrect the old Soviet Empire. FDR was too ill, and died before WWII ended. Churchill was correct about Stalin; he would not have been fooled by Putin. Trump is not "fooled" by Putin; Trump owes Russian financiers money from loans delivered by Deutsche Bank. DB is now under investigation in Germany. There is a money trail from Russians to Trump. Putin knows that trail.
We really need to know what Trump and Putin discuss behind closed doors. It sounds like Trump is carrying out orders from Putin.
16
I have serious concerns about Barr being in charge of anything. He has already proven his partisanship, beyond question, with his behavior regarding the summons.
13
Is there anything to stop Trump or Barr from releasing selective intelligence materials in October 2020 for political purposes? Heretofore, we have been worrying about a repeat of Russian interference in our elections. Perhaps the real danger is the unscrupulous members of the Trump administration who will stop at nothing to secure victory, even if it compromises national security.
15
I have a very simple question. Is Trump permitted to find out if his campaign was monitored illegally by U.S. agencies? The corollary, was the justification for the Mueller investigation into Trump's alleged collusion with the Russians proper?
4
@trey heavy
No? He is not allowed? Hmm.
1
@trey heavy: Is a terrorist group permitted to find out if their activities are monitored illegally by the FBI? The corollary, is the justification for investigating their alleged terror plans proper? No, the terrorist group is not allowed? Only in Trumplandia...
4
@Anna
Trump secretly blows to pieces children and innocent Americans and Jews because he despises us?
1
I’m not sure, whether it’s just an slip of tongue or a deliberate attempt to mislead, but the frequently used interchangeability of ‘intelligence’ and ‘evidence’ is worrisome.
Intelligence by nature is in need of proof, that isn’t always readily available. Evidence on the other hand IS a proven fact.
Therefore, whether that ‘CIA asset close to Putin’ even exists is highly doubtful.
7
The Republican party is allowing the United States to be ripped to shreads.
37
@Chris
They are doing the ripping Chris. This has been the plan since reagan got into office.
10
@Chris Their goal?
1
Power and control.
3
We must stop #TyrantTrump and #TrumpCult from instituting their slow motion coup. Of course, the election rigged by voter suppression was the Radical Right Wing Coup.
This is the most dangerous time in American History. This was a successful Business Plot.
Major General Smedley Butler must be rolling over in his grave.
12
Is the AG going to deliver the names of our covert assets in Russia to Putin?
Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ), Doug Jones (AL) and Joe Manchin (WV) voted in favor of confirming Barr, and have much to answer for. Especially Manchin—he might just as well caucus with the GOP. Granted, the AG would have been confirmed without their votes, but the point remains.
11
May Day! May Day! Now we have this president who would share intelligence with more than the Justice Dept but with...the Russians as well? At what point do the leaders in Washington say "enough is enough".
We have a president who degrades the FBI and the 19 Intelligence Agencies which have allegiance to the Constitution and the American people. The Justice Dept has already sold this country out. What next can we expect as this delusional, deranged sociopath parading as president, divide this country into separate warring camps?
I can accept that Trump is a conman who aids the enemies of the American people, but to watch the Republican Party and Senate sell out this government is heartbreaking and disturbing. At what point does impeachment become a necessity?
And, what would it look like to have a president who is blackmailed by a foreign power such as Putin and Putin?
19
I suspect that the dedicated employees of the FBI and CIA are not feeling very happy with trump, this could backfire in a spectacular way when trump’s crimes begin being leaked by disgruntled intelligence employees that care more about he country than the do about what trump is babbling about.
13
If baring classified government secrets are crimes, how are Barr and Trump any less dangerous to American intelligence than Julián Assange? Of course it’s possible that all three are Putin’s assets, charged with delivering the death blow to our already terminal democracy—ironically, on Memorial Day!
15
I would hope that our CIA would be effective enough to be able to detect and monitor when a Presidential candidate is having secret meetings with the Russian government. This is not treason, because the candidate is not even elected yet.
7
@Toms Quill
When did candidate Trump collude with the Russian government?
3
« Russia, if you’re listening.... »
4
@trey
Read the report. They were trying to setup back door communications, overlapped multiple times and gave the Russians information to assist Trumps candidacy in the election. My question is how is it not conspiracy?
3
"The most prominent of the C.I.A.’s sources of intelligence on Russia’s election interference was a person close to Mr. Putin who provided information about his involvement, former officials have said."
Considering Trump couldn't care less about anyone but himself, what would stop him from divulging the source to Putin in exchange for getting Trump Tower Moscow?
17
@Somewhere That, in a nutshell, is the main worry about this right now.
4
I’m sure nothing would stop him. And Putin has killed for much less. That source is probably trying to figure out how to get himself and his family out of Russia right about now.
4
I’m old enough to remember the Church Committee hearings in the mid-70s. Does anyone believe that today, we’re too fragile to learn what the security services were doing in 2016? There’s a far higher cause than the 2020 election. If the 62+ million people who voted for Trump or the 66 million who voted for Clinton believe either that the Russians fixed the election, or that the FBI/CIA tried to oust Trump, the government’s political legitimacy will be seriously impaired for a generation.
Let the sun shine in.
7
Transparency is good but not at the cost of endangering the lives of Intel assets and not at the cost of jeopardizing our Intel sharing with allies. But Trump and his administration could care less.
8
@jeffk
Remember Scooter Libby and Valerie Plame? Her sources in Iran were deep and took years to put in place. Bush and Cheney allowed them to be exposed. No doubt they were killed. Now we have Trump willing to expose sources who might end up dead.
1
Trump is having Barr do with national security intelligence what Manning and Assange did. Publicizing classified national secrets that will endanger lives.
Indeed, the difference between trump as a spy and Manning as a spy is that trump is POTUS and is effectively immune and above the law. The framers never thought of that one!
Our intelligence agencies should obstruct, impede, and hide all information trump-Barr seek. Have them file a subpoena - see how far that goes. See how they like obstruction.
Besides anything that comes out will be twisted and misrepresented as Barr did with the Mueller Report and Giuliani et al did with the Pelosi video today.
7
Looks like Mr. Barr has traded in his integrity, reputation and, quite possibly, his ability to practice law -- just as so many have before him in this "administration."
Without question, Donald Trump is the biggest threat to U.S. national security, with his handler, Putin, a close second.
9
I would think Barr asked for this authority. That in itself, tells us of his intent.
6
There are a number of erroneous acts by trump that have harmed America and Americans, but getting his unscrupulous fingers into our Intelligence Community data (via Barr) may be the scariest so far.
Trump’s order to declassify data on sensitive sources puts America at risk from both our enemies and our allies.
All for purely political vindictive motives. He learned that tactic from the infamous disbarred Roy Cohn who taught trump to
1. Never settle, never surrender. Deny deny deny.
2. Counter-attack, counter-sue immediately.
3. No matter what happens, no matter how deeply into the muck you get, claim victory and never admit defeat.
Trump’s foray into the DNI and C.I.A. classified data is nothing more than him following Cohn’s rules - deny deny deny, attack your
accusers, and claim exoneration.
I do hope Coats and Haspel will protect America from the most corrupt president we’ve ever had, one that is showing signs of incompetence, drug use, dementia, or perhaps all three.
8
Let's hope Dan Coats and Gina Haspel still have a shred of institutional loyalty and I dependence and that they fight the inside game better than bonespurs. If they have something on trump, this would be a good time to get it out.
8
TrumpBarr sellout to a hostile foreign power, continued. When will we have enough of this?
5
After Watergate, Congress passed laws to prevent these types of abuses by the executive branch. After Trump is gone (hopefully in 2020) Congress must pass legislation to close any loopholes. Perhaps when there's a Democrat, in the White House, Republicans will once again be willing to stand up for the rule of law. I doubt it, but one can only hope...
7
Soon, your president will appoint a Russian language czar and a requirement that English is banished and you will nod in agreement.
7
The CIA’s power to reveal or conceal what it knows is not absolute but is subject to the discretion of the unitary executive. The day that the CIA can gather unlimited information without accountability is the day we are ruled by a KGB.
11
The US is already ruled by an ex-KGB official through his relationship with the current occupant of the White House.
10
@jeffk
Right. I forgot about Schiff, the savior of our nation. With Democrats in power in the House we can all rest easy. Unfortunately Schiff’s Committee is not operating as a check on intelligence agencies but is currently operating with them to discredit Trump and to cover their own wrongdoing. When Democrats wax eloquent about the role played by intelligence in keeping our nation secure and the need for secrecy, we know they’re hiding something. We shall soon find out.
3
@Donna S
The trail is a money trail from Russians in London through The Bank of Cyprus to Deutsche Bank. DB's loan records will show laundered deposits from Russians in London, and loan records to Trump.
1
The CIA should take whatever steps necessary to protect its information and sources. And that means stopping ANYONE from forcing them to reveal that information in order to make sure the citizens of this Country stay protected. Their most important loyalty is to the innocent and good people of this Country...above all else.
7
Donnie is rooting through his potential witnesses and will happily expose them so that Putin can terminate them before they testify. Is it dangerous to launch impeachment?
Yes. But that is nothing compared to waiting.
13
And Republican House and Senate members remain quiet throughout all of this conduct. Just imagine if the tables were turned. Screams of treason and the rush to get a rope and hang the Democratic AG would wail from DC throughout the land.
Republican elected officials have NO useful purpose whatsoever. To describe them spineless, jellyfish, lapdogs, cowards, and collaborators in criminal and risky/national-security dangerous conduct is an understatement and unfairly tarnishes the character of lapdogs and jellyfish. For the record: Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Ben Sasse, Joni Ernst, Mike Lee, Thom Tillis, John Kennedy, Mike Crapo, and Charles Grassley were instrumental in getting William Barr approved. These republican senators have sewn their souls to Trumpism.
No checks on the executive branch when it's apparent Trump is repaying Putin and other world adversaries with golden information and procedures makes me very upset. These GOP senators have forever cemented their souls into the cesspool of massive corruption for secret compensation which other Americans would spend time in Ft. Leavenworth.
9
Does anyone else think that trumps client, Putin, has ordered him to uncover the mole in the Kremlin for him?
5
Putin is Trump's handler, not Trump's client.
2
It’s a game of chicken that Trump has won many times in his career as a swindling con man.
And now he has Barr who is betting that he can help hi boss end the American experiment for once and for all.
The idea that he and Trump could end up in prison is not something that really concerns him. He thinks it’s a done deal.
As Trump would say, “We’ll see what happens”.
Hopefully, Trump’s luck has run out.
4
Director Coats preemptive warning to AG Barr, is telling. It is more than apparent he has no trust in him. Is it any wonder?
4
Trump is playing Putin's game. Trump is doing all he can to undermine trust in government.
Trump is Putin's man in the White House. Threaten your political opponents/detractors with charges of treason punishable by death. Undermine our intelligence assets to benefit Putin's (& the butcher of Saudi Arabia-M. bin Salman) plan to undermine democracies around the world. Finally, there is the brass ring Trump craves.....money, money, money......he is being paid to undermine our intelligence operations. Putin wants to know who spilled the beans about cyber attacks. Trump will let him know.
7
What is Mueller so sacred of? The man served two tours in Vietnam! Why is he doing a closed door debriefing instead of publicly stating the facts of his findings and what he meant in the report? Is he still trying to tow the Republican Party line?
2
@Ken Quinney
Why should Mueller reveal his confidential sources and information to you? Are you a trained, confidential cohort? You have no more right to classified information than Jared Kushner had; and, we know where that led: straight to Israel and Netanyahu.
1
We are halfway down a slippery slope, way too far to halt an inevitable crash at the end.
Barr and Trump will twist the results of these investigations to feed the daily news cycles. Trump has stated there was a deep-state treasonous conspiracy, a coup..aided by the "enemies of the people." What are the outcomes of "proving" such a thing in the court of (40%) public opinion? We're about to find out.
Pricing pitchforks.
9
I can't help but wonder what Trump's base is hearing. Trump has proven to be consistently lying to prove that he is innocent. His attacks on everyone else is horrific. He is buddies with dictators and has shared confidential information with Putin, but hides it from Americans.
When will his base realize that he does not care about them? When their savings disappear in paying taxes and health care? When will they realize that the tax break wasn't meant to help them; it was to help the wealthiest people in the country. If we find out that Trump and his family moved tax payers dollars into their own pockets to pay off their debts, will his base ever realize that Trump committed a crime or will they believe that whatever lies come out of Trump's mouth and tweets?
8
It's ironic that the same justice department willing to expose the identities of U.S. intelligence agents overseas to satisfy the president's mad quest for revenge has indicted Wikileak's Julian Assange for doing the same thing during the dubious Iraqi Invasion and War.
4
It is now time to have trump's personal lawyer,Attorney General Wm.Barr,disbarred for perjury, obstruction of justice, lying to the American public about Mueller's report and circling around the edges of treason by not defending the constitution nor our democracy.This should be started ASAP as trump needs be stopped from destroying "the administrative state"now and Barr's dismissal is the first step.
7
I strongly suspect that all the FBI agents, informants, and other intelligence assets that assisted with the Mueller investigation are about to get the "Valerie Plame" treatment...
7
anyone involved in nefarious activities should step forward now before this gets out of hand
1
That would be Trump leading the way. You ok with that. Or only interested in anybody else.
1
The only thing saving the United States from a complete fall into tyranny is the sheer incompetence of Mr. Trump and his appointees.
13
"The president raised questions about C.I.A. involvement in the origins of the Russia investigation, and other officials said Mr. Barr wanted to learn more about sources in Russia, including a key informant who helped the C.I.A. conclude that President Vladimir V. Putin ordered the intrusion on the 2016 election."
We know from the Mueller report (which Delusional Donnie says totally exonerates him, but, of course, Mueller and his "18 angry Democrats" were out to get him - explain that logic if you can) that George Papaadopoulos (GP), who was the "coffee boy" sitting at the conference table with Trump at one end and Sessions at the other, was told by Joseph Mifsud about the Russian hacking of the DNC. We know that GP bragged to Alexander Downer, Aussie Ambassador to the UK about the hacking. When emails started to be posted by WikiLeaks, the Aussies told the FBI about GP's bragging.
And THAT is how the Russia connection investigation got started.
All the "investigating" by Barr is not going to change those facts.
5
Every day that Barr is in office is a disaster. He oversees and controls all of the DOJ investigations.
Think about that.
5
Liberals demand impeachment.
Even though the Senate would never remove him.
And regardless, Pence would continue this needed quest for the truth.
4
These anti democratic cretins enabling Trump over and over, twisting facts, cherry picking through Intel to make political points. Putin couldn't have drafted better traitors than Barr, Graham, Nunes, Jordan, Ron Johnson and EVERY SINGLE REPUBLICAN sitting on his hands or giving support to this immature , vain, self absorbed real estate thief out of NYC. Vote Democrat in 2020 and turn the tables on these disgraceful Republicans who have the gall to call themselves Americans. It Can Happen Here.
11
So Barr shares the info with Trump and Trump shares the info with Putin.
11
Trump is shameless and immoral.
To disseminate the fake Pelosi video only proves what a total miscreant is pretending to be president.
Impeach, prosecute, incarcerate.
Rule of law will prevail--despite this fake president.
15
Let the whole truth come out, regardless of secret operatives. CIA can and probably already has planned to get its source out of harm's way, so that's no reason to impede a full disclosure of the evidence democrats think they have about Putin's meddling in US politics. Only with that kind of openness the country can move away from the charade about Trump's collusion.
6
@Mephistopheles
You've got to be kidding. The truths are already out. It's not one informant, it's many.
The joke is Mueller is a Republican. Not a Democrat, and he didn't indict because of his belief that a sitting president isn't indictable. What do you think will happen when Trump is finally out of office?
Dream on...
5
Okay, here is an idea.
Once the three separate inquiries are made into the origins of the spy campaign, er, counter intelligence surveillance operation, against an elected president, Barr can issue a report and redact names as needed for national security purposes.
And Democrats will then accept the report at face value and not ask for the unredacted version or underlying documents. After all, we need to protect our national security assets.
Fair?
6
This path of dictatorship must stop. He wants to help Putin get his “mole”. Trump, Barr, Pence and the GOP are attempting to overthrow our checks and balances as well as the United States Constitution. There is no question how we got here. Illegal immigration for decades leading to estimates of 11 to 28 million illegals- undocumented illegal aliens ignored by both parties for decades. Now the country is in jeopardy from the abuse of power at the top. They will go after the useless and outdated birther baby clause as a start to unravel the Constitution.
6
So trump is going to declassify intelligence information. That sounds like treason to me.
He will do anything to bring our country down even more than he has and his personal attorney, Barr, will do it.
How many lives will they put in danger? How many people will be killed because of devulging this information.
Both barr and trump are anti American.
Please everyone vote this election and get rid of trump and the GOP in the senate.
12
Time for someone to leak trump's tax returns and other money laundering info.
Republicans = Kleptocracy in Action.
Trump = Worst, most corrupt, morally bankrupt president ever... who has had the most declarations of bankruptcy. He's sure making US a great mess.
12
America is being corroded and destroyed from within and the Dems are sitting there and not doing their elected job to start impeachment hearings.
Pelosi should stand aside if she continues to protect Trump and his henchmen.
Trump will get away with anything if he is not challenged and beaten with the laws of the land.
The Dems are being laughed at by the GOP and they just can't see this laughing insult.
Never mind Dems - you will not receive the votes from the people because they can see how useless and impotent you are.
2020 will be a fantasy for the Dems.
1
@PropagandandTreason
Nancy Pelosi knows what she is doing; she is a skilled legislator; she understands the rules for impeachment. Pelosi will not start impeachment proceeding until she has an airtight case to make. In the meantime, Trump and his sleazy pal, Giuliani, will try to stop her. They will lose. She is playing them, and they are squirming, like rats in a trap.
1
This has Valerie Plame all over it and Barr better make sure he’s not ending up like Scooby Libby from another era when Republicans were mucking thing up (that we are still paying for). Oh wait a minute Barr was in the middle of that also small Republican world
8
mitch?
anything?
Anyone seen mitch?
History will not be kind to the coward from Kentucky. He holds a position to be a check on an unfit DJT.
The blood is on his hands and his alone.
16
Transparent?
Like the hush money payments made by Michael Cohen and the enquirer to women you dallied with behind your wife’s back?
Or exposing to the light half truths that appear to support your actions?
Or tweeting an altered video of a political opponent?
Or an end run around Congress to sell arms to murderers?
There isn’t enough space in the comment box to set forth all of trump’s misdeeds.
Complete the investigations. Inform the public. Impeach this autocratic destroyer of American democratic values.
11
The whole article is terrifying -- Trump is letting Barr get into our most sensitive intel, esp intel regarding Russians (and their corruption of our elections.) And, he's allowing Barr carte blanche to do what he wants with that very sensitive intel -- weaponize, it in fact.
Trump has opened the door, then, to weaken and maybe destroy our ability to mount suitable counter-intel operations against a hostile gov. And, obviously, he represents a clear and present threat to assets in the field. How is that not treason?
And note, this is all new and unprecedented:
"Mr. Trump granted Mr. Barr’s request for sweeping new authorities to conduct his review of how the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia were investigated."
Then the clincher:
"He [Trump] expressed no qualms about national security implications."
Again, how is this not treason?
14
Well, now we know what Putin wanted. That he knows a US spy is close to his circle is something he will take action upon.
We should wonder if Barr is compromised. Trump certainly acts as if he is.
14
Notice that the GOP is silent - again.
Trump is doing what the GOP has been planning for decades, and is assaulting Democracy now to turn the time back to their racist and sexist period of the politics of hate, oppression and slavery.
America needs another Civil Rights political movement to get back all the freedoms and liberties that the GOP/Trump has corroded and destroyed.
America is beginning to look like a third world dictatorship, where the opponents just don't do anything, and pretend to be an opposition party.
Dems wake up and start fighting for the people who voted for you, and start protecting the Constitution.
Wake up before you become irrelevant Dems.
7
@PropagandandTreason
You are spending a lot of time lecturing Democrats, but not realizing an impeachment inquiry is close to going forward.
Not realizing what's being done in the face of abortion rights possibly being overturned.
The Democrats are following the rule of law and will continue to do so, regardless of what the Republicans are doing.
We're already in another period of civil rights movements in this country... complete with the violence and killings we saw in the 60s.
What else aren't you paying attention to?
3
Doesn't Congress have any say in this? One rogue President can mess up our whole democracy and safety?
4
They defy congress. They defy the balance of power. Crimes syndicate with Barr the criminal lawyer
3
@Wyatt
Of course Congress does. The House, now with Democratic leadership, is doing whatever it can, but the Senate, still led by Republicans, isn't.
Only one Republican spoke out this week calling for impeachment, and it will take many, many more of them to make it possible.
1
Mr. Trump no doubt will immediately hand over the Russian source to Vladimir Putin so they can be poisoned and die a horrific death. Trump and Barr are two peas in a pod.
Barr will do what he did with the Mueller report. He’ll twist it to fit the President’s narrative. Undoubtedly, the CIA officials or sources or witnesses will come out immediately as the information will be declassified. They will have the same complaints that Mueller’s investigators had that their work was twisted into a lie by Barr. Trump voters will not care, a source will most likely be dead and our democracy will go the way of the Roman Empire.
And Trump voters will be treated to Bread and Circuses on the way out.
If Dems are smart, they will stress the findings, not the start of the investigation. Truly does it matter if your warrant is for stolen cars and you find 72 bodies in the garage instead. Maybe Barr will write a ridiculous memo stating they can only be charged for stealing cars but at least we know there are also rotting bodies on their hands.
9
It’s a dare to the cunning of our patriotic intelligence services. They’ll fix his wagon.
You got their attention Mr President. Be careful what you wish for.
4
The Republican's mantra on all this is ludicrous: no one started by spying on the Trump campaign. But, they spy continuously on the Russians, and when the Russians are talking to the Trump campaign, are they supposed to disconnect? I don't think so!
11
There is no level too low for Trump and Barr. They are despicable. Barr is helping the wanna be dictator.
The man who admires and tries to emulate and befriend the worst dictators and totalitarian murderous regimes. They seek less human rights, less freedom and there is no end insight to their abuse of power.
Pence is the nightmare in the wings.
12
Trump might be taking orders from Russia and now his lapdog Barr has access to all our intelligence information.
Why not just give Putin access to all our intelligence information and save time?
15
@Somewhere
Maybe that's the plan.
4
This is Richard Nixon and the"enemies" list....J. Edgar Hoover most famously pursued this route as well. It is another move ny Donald Trump to usurp the rule of law for his survival. He is the most dangerous man in the world, even more dangerous than Putin.
12
What do we call this? Trumpileaks? This approaches acts of treason, which should be investigated, and if proven, should be prosecuted.
6
This is yet another increasing effort on the part of Trump to inappropriately use his office to meet his own paranoid and demonic needs. Transparency? A pathetic use of the word - if you care to implement a transparent investigation then start with your tax returns, dealings with Deutch Bank and other institutions you have used for suspect purposes. Your latest sycophantic pawn (i.e., Barr) has questionable credibility after his Mueller fiasco and now we have an effort to further incite and titillate his hard line base by implying that those bad intelligence folks conspired to do him in. The real issue here is how this Trump initiated witch hunt potentially compromises existing intelligence programs and, more importantly, places the lives of intelligence personnel and sources at risk to be exposed or lose their lives - a fact Trump or Barr seem to care little about. Lets not forget the scurrilous actions of Scooter Libby who outed brave and dedicated agent, placing her in harms way. No justification for this action other than, one more time, a vindictive, self-serving, paranoid Trump ploy designed to unearth people he can castigate and blame.
6
Well of course a man who was in Putin's pocket would expose a US asset close to Putin, duh!
10
In this battleground state, these stories are barely reported on local news or in what passes for the local newspaper. They may hear a Trump sound byte on Fox or CNN, but they lack the context of what’s really going on. Instead, the news is filled with sports and weather.
To me, that’s a huge worry. We have voters who are in the dark about how our democracy is being undermined. I’m sure Wisconsin isn’t the only place where this is the case.
12
I continue to be dumbstruck by the behavior of Republicans in Congress. Where is the outrage? Where is the concern for our country? How can they stand by and watch as Trump seizes more and more power and puts our national security at risk.
12
Mr. Barr should declassify and release to the public all documents included in the Mueller report annex and all documents relating to the initiation and conduct of the investigation into the Trump campaign, including, without limitation, all emails, text messages, memos, interview reports, wiretap transcripts, to or from any governmental employee relating to such matters, and in particular, all communications between any government employee and any confidential informants or foreign intelligence agencies. Let the public decide who's been naughty and who's been nice.
3
We need Robert Mueller to step up and make clear what we know.
The report had not found collusion but found the obstruction and it should have moved on to the United States Congress to investigate and pursue. Are rich Democrats still happy with their tax cut? They will choke on that bribe as freedom diminishes if these guys get their way.
1
I hope all sources and covert agents were given a heads up with enough time to find safety. This administration has shown it cannot be trusted and will cross any red-line and sacrifice anyone to get what it wants. I am guessing allies will think twice (if they didn't in 2016) about sharing intelligence with the US. Another vital bond of trust broken. Isolation closes in.
8
It’s so amusing that suddenly Dems are afraid of transparency. Can’t wait to see it lead to Obama.
5
@Jackson
Dems don't want to see people murdered for helping the United States maintain its democracy.
4
Stable genius: a guy best suited to cleaning out stalls...
5
I urge everyone who might be asked to help to refuse. Amnesia, age, 'long time ago', etc. Everyone is now at risk.
1
Well folks, now we know what was discussed during the last face to face between Trump and Putin where no other American was present.
Putin wanted the mole that is inside his government and Trump will be more than happy to oblige.
8
The CIA & FBI have a history of violating the law. See Alan Dulles, J. Edgar Hoover, Rockefeller Commission, Warren Commission et al. Why assume they are beyond reproach now? And why assume that Attorney General Barr would disclose Information harmful to the interests of the United States? It seems that people believe that compared to President Trump Svengali was an amateur. Everyone he touches comes under his sway. The truth is that partisans don't want the truth as it might damage their beliefs.
9
“What are we doing. we are exposing everything,” he told reporters. “We are being transparent.”
I guess that means the unredacted Muller report and Trump's financials and taxes will be available for download in the next few days. Don't forget to publish the link.
9
Mr. Trump defended his decision earlier on Friday, telling reporters as he left for a trip to Japan that the declassification would be sweeping. “What are we doing, we are exposing everything,” he said. “We are being transparent.” He expressed no qualms about national security implications.
6
We are long past the point of forgiveness or clemency. When we return to power we are going to line our prisons with Republican lawmakers and supporters.
16
When do we begin discussing invoking the 25th amendment? Impeachment just won’t cover it. It’s very clear that Trump is out of control, mentally unstable and needs to be removed from office for the good of the country.
23
I always suspected that Trump and Kris Kobach wanted to compile all voter and election data from the different states into one data base and computer system to make it easier for foreign agents to hack into those systems and gain access to that information. But maybe I'm just paranoid.
13
The pieces are falling into place for Putin, the KGB expert. Trump is his ultimate asset.
25
Trump and his horde are destroying America one day at a time. I'm thankful to be in the autumn of my years and will be dead soon.
11
@John
Sorry that you might not get any peace before you sadly depart. It would be nice to pass knowing that American democracy will survive. I am an old Aussie and I too hope to die knowing American and world democracy can withstand this disgusting assault by an obvious conman.
8
@John I hear ya...
2
As retired intelligence officer, I am scared stiff at these idiots releasing methods, techniques and sources in there desperate attempt to show the deep state is after Trump. Unfortunately, Barr is determined to advance the Trumpian paranoia by portraying him as a victim.
He will do enormous damage to the national defense.
35
What should the President and the AG do to uncover illegal efforts to "spy" on him?
2
Another step by a treasonous "president" to destroy our country. The greatest threat to freedom and democracy in our country today is today's republican party and its president. Are there any patriotic republicans in this country? The republican party has corrupted and become a criminal entity.
22
@Harry Toll and
Use the RICO legislation to go after the GOP.
4
Where is James Ellroy when you need him?
3
On and off the impeachment roll coaster.
But one thing I feel very sure of, Mueller speak in the open to the American people.
6
Impeachable offense du jour: abuse of power.
This action by Trump is an abuse of power because he's using his presidential power to punish his political enemies.
It's retribution for investigating his campaign.
The Mueller Report DID NOT exonerate Trump despite his constant "no collusion, no obstruction" broken record rant. And the counterintelligence investigation doesn't seem to have been completed.
I hope Republicans will finally stand up for our country before it's too late. We need to unite against this criminal autocrat, who is destroying our country to save his own skin.
11
It's pretty obvious what's going on here, Trump wants Barr to expose the Russian source of information so they can be dealt with-by Putin.
19
That is a fascinating point
2
My frightening prediction: the CIA operative vanishes and Republicans remain loyal to Trump as he continues his steady march to dictatorship.
May the “True News” and voters in 2020 save America!
14
Maybe Trump could invite the Russian Foreign Minister back to the Oval Office to share what secrets Barr can steal, just like last time after Comey's firing? Is there no one in the GOP who isn't a Russian asset?
21
So trump's decision puts a CIA informant close to Putin at risk?
To trump that is a feature, not a bug.
20
It just says to me that he needs to be impeached. Right now.
23
What is it going to take to make Mr. Mueller stand up and front the American people? Years of investigation muddied and redacted, his reputation besmirched and now an attack by Trump's pit bull on our intelligence agencies. Bob, for crying out loud, sort out your differences with Congress and tell the American people what you know.
30
@Mark Paskal
He has reported to the House Ways and Means Committee which deals with financial irregularities. He has sent his files to attys. in the So. Dist. of NY where Barr has no power. Mueller is a former combat Marine officer. He has followed the chain of command to where he can affect Trump's criminal activity. He is not afraid of Trump or Barr. Marine officers are educated and tough. He is not going to grandstand; he will take the path where he can do the most good for his country. He is also a Republican, much to be feared by Trump, Graham, McConnell. He comes from the man all Marines honor: Chesty Puller.
1
This is more sideshow exercise from the master of diversion, aka throwing meat to the base and to placate Rep Kevin McCarthy and the rest of the 'deep state conspiracy' right wing extremists. The hypocrisy is glaring given Trump's present refusal to allow any transparency whatsoever.
16
If he compromises a US intelligence source in Putin's government, how is Barr that much different from the convicted and jailed traitor, Aldrich Ames?
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/28/us/betrayer-s-tale-a-special-report-a-decade-as-a-turncoat-aldrich-ames-s-own-story.html?searchResultPosition=8
Ames turned traitor for money. What persuaded Barr? Was it the opportunity to be an agent of power? Or, as with so many Trump associates, is there money involved as well that we just don't know about yet? Like McConnell quashing sanctions for an aluminum investment in his state?
Robert Bolt's dialogue for Thomas More in his play "A Man for All Seasons" states these dilemmas eloquently:
"It profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world ... but for Wales?"
"When statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their own public duties they lead their country by a short route to chaos."
And it's almost as if Barr was cast as the lackey prosecutor Cromwell:
"If the King destroys a man, that's proof to the King that it must have been a bad man."
14
I have tried to have a seasoned, patient view of the recent goings-on from the President and his circle. But now, I'm beginning to wonder if this guy (Trump) is on our side? If he is so mentally obsessed with rooting out any hint of negativity about himself (all of his own doing) that he would burn down the republic, then he does need to be removed from office. The frightening thing is, that he won't be. ... Hello, Senator McConnell, don't you care about our country at all?
17
Trump is doing Putin's bidding. Assessing that Trump is an asset of Russia's intelligence and security apparatus is not a stretch at all. He continues to demonstrate just that.
15
@Ghost Dansing: Always watch what they do, because everything they say is deflection from it.
3
Trump is doing exactly what you would expect him to do if he were Putin's spy.
16
@Bob: The US broke up the USSR by arming Afghan rebels with SAMs, and Putin wants to return the favor.
2
The Banana Republican Party dismantles democracy for money. What a surprise!
Covert assets who needs them? I’m angry.
12
Here's how this plays out - The CIA and FBI dutifully give Barr highly dangerous information that crucifies the sources who provided it. Barr communicates the identifies and names of informants to Trump, who dutifully reports them to Putin. Putin then makes those sources "disappear," as he did with a number of ambassadors in 2017. In the meantime Barr reports publicly that it was all a witch hunt based on false information, but refuses to disclose any information about it. Sounds like a win-win for Putin and a media coup for Trump. Impeach Trump now.
20
Trump has so much to lose if U.S. intelligence discovers the true nature of his relationship with Putin, what better way for him to shut the whole thing down than to compromise national security. He'll do anything to save his own skin.
13
I hope our NATO allies and other countries protective of individual rights cease sharing intelligence with the U.S. That information isn't safe.
Barr apparently wants to identify Russian assets within the Kremlin. Why? It's not hard to imagine what the Kremlin would do to such American spies. And with them gone, the Kremlin would be far less transparent, while our own files would be open.
Trump, who spoke loosely today of treason, which he seems to understand as any opposition to him, might take the time to look at the Constitution's understanding of the term and ask his skilled attorneys if he could be charged with that crime.
7
That oath service members take to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic: It’s seeming like hollow rhetoric now as we face the single biggest threat we’ve ever known in this man and his administration. Collectively a merry band of thieves.
Democracy needs a panic button. Instead we’re all watching a real time implosion helplessly from the sidelines.
This won’t end well
8
Generally, when our military government claims to be protecting "National Security", the truth is more likely the idea of protecting "Government Security".
4
The President appears intent on playing chicken with the Constitution. All of our Justice, Intelligence, environmental and financial systems in the country is being undermined for the benefit of one man and his sycophants. He must be overwhelmingly defeated in 2020 or the United States as we knew it will be forever gone.
7
I get the feeling here that Trump and Barr are the bad guys. Does that mean that Comey, McCabe, Strozk, etc. are the good guys? And that the FISA applications were good and proper? Mueller, is he a good guy or a bad guy today?
2
Adam Schiff needs to get the director for every agency involved in this investigation into a public hearing to air their concerns about declassification of the materials by the AG on behalf of Donald Trump. In addition we need to hear from Mueller, the man who charged Russians of interference in the 2016 election. How can you call Mullers investigation a witch-hunt when people are in jail and The Russian State has been charged. yes Mr. Burr, the facts do “hang together “.
12
Is it wise to make an enemy of the CIA? If even half the rumors about Trump are true then I'd say he is skating on thin ice.
13
@Bob any evidence "against" Trump will not be released by Barr. He'll only release "evidence" which will help Putin.
4
If this government wants to continue as an institution that holds the constitution, the Bill of Rights and the values they embrace forward it must do all it can to bring this presidency to its rightful, shameful, criminal end.
6
It would be "irresponsible" not to consider now that Donald Trump is "ineligible" to run for government office, in any USA election, or to serve in any subsequent position. "Impeachment" is "irrelevant" now.
We "inherently" know laws and honest accountability need to be followed. Trump's historic "inability" to be honest and accountable is "increasingly" disqualifying.
Proper vetting didn't happen in 2015-16. Lack of follow-through from Trump to show his tax returns then, or definitely after the election was obstruction—false premises—not in good faith—should have been "illegal".
Trump and his secretive family org couldn't/shouldn't pass muster for any FBI, CIA, MIA, NSA, etc. top secret clearance now. They are far too compromised, expensive and "incapable".
Trump's are visibly profiting off the Mar-a-Lago, Fox and Twitter Trumpet, and the POTUS position to brand, and endlessly campaign, and advertise their hotel and gold leafed golf resort secretive and private profits while breaking the hatch act and emoluments laws.
No one, no one, else would ever have been, or gotten away with, this Trump brand of "impertinence".
It might be more "impactful" to realize that Trump's are "ineligible" to even run in 2020. "Instead" of focusing on "impeachment" in the short time we have to craft "inspired" policies.
The entire Trump "illegitimate", "incompetent", "ignoble" and "irresponsible" 2016 Trump administration is "irredeemable" and should be considered "insignificant" now.
2
Once Trump and Barr have cleaned the FBI and the CIA of all honest and competent personnel, they will be left with loyalists. How wonderful !!! Now Russia can really walk in and take over the 2020 elections. Who's to stop them? The fact is that Trump cannot win without help from Russia. And he must win or else he faces jail....
11
It's obvious Trump wants to know what the investigators have on him. They are in danger now because they possess far more knowledge than was documented in the report. There's a very good likelihood Trump wants to know their thoughts.
3
I urge President Trump to follow up vigorously on this declassification directive. Far from "covering up", this president is going to expose how the Clinton campaign and Obama administration created this phony collusion story, set up Trump loyalists as patsies, and stuck with it for two years in order to overturn the results of the 2016 election. It's fun watching the rats scurrying around now, changing stories, mentioning their "colleagues" in connection with lies and deception. Also, the anti-Trump national press is in full frontal attack...I just enjoyed a story on NPR that conjured up three "experts", all opposed to declassification...not one in favor, although plenty of authoritative viewpoints supporting declassification are available. Not really "all things considered" here, it's not consistent with the narrative.
10
For transparency’s sake, Trump/Barr should release the fully unredacted Mueller report to Congress, along with his tax returns and financial records. Then maybe I could take seriously these calls for transparency.
Maybe the three experts were all opposed to declassification because declassification is a terrible idea. I applaud NPR for not giving in to the allure of false equivalency.
9
@Anthony Pastor - "not one in favor, although plenty of authoritative viewpoints supporting declassification are available"
OK - name them.
10
“I am confident that the attorney general will work with the I.C. in accordance with the long-established standards to protect highly-sensitive classified information that, if publicly released, would put our national security at risk,” Mr. Coats said, referring to the intelligence community.
I do not share his confidence. I don't think he does either.
13
The bottom line:
Trump and Barr are willing to expose persons and methods that will place not only those persons and their families in danger, but also risks our allies retreating from sharing intel which will put our national security at risk all for the one purpose of getting a narrative and spin on Foxnews and Hannity in order to win the election. This is purely political. Trump cares more about his campaign win than lives of Americans and national security. It is outrageous.
18
@Bob I have a feeling they may well have stopped sharing a while back when concerns over shared intelligence with the US in the wake of Donald Trump becoming president began to crop up.
4
@Bob
OMG. You just reminded us that Trump actually talks to Hannity every day, and asks him for advice. This is truly Dumb and Dumber. Hopefully that level of stupidity and incompetence will save us, with the help of a smart and competent Nancy Pelosi.
1
ok si the president refused to release the full muller report to avoid revealing secrets about the methods the IC uses but now he wants to reveal everything, being transparent, when it could give the enemy an advantage? Trump is the real enemy of the people.
11
Well, we certainly can't be having any of this now, can we? What otherwise will the Left come up with next: that an investigation will trigger a spike in global warming; ruin crops; lead to mass starvation while inducing earthquakes that breach nuclear power plant containment walls? This is pure farce.
4
Intelligence people risk their lives for the American people. Exposing agents like this will mean people will not sign up to provide information in dangerous situations wherein sources risk their lives and families' safety for America. Also do you think Australian intelligence- we are always on your side, always have been- are going to trust you now that Barr wants to use info about our people to help cover up for Trump who is a serious threat himself. How about the other allie?. Trump and Barr are risking American security on the altar of Trump's Titanic and sensitive ego. You gotta be kidding
12
Mr. Barr seems to be settling into his job quite nicely. Doing the bidding of the President and keeping the whirling plates in the air. Round and round they go.
9
So when Nadler and Schiff wanted every single piece of information that went into Mueller's report, including classified info, so they could selectively leak anything that might have been embarrassing to Trump, that was okay.
But when Trump wants Barr to investigate the biggest scandal since Watergate, that's a CRISIS!
9
Can one commit treason by accident, or must it be intentional?
2
Trump is doing Putin's bidding. Full stop.
Disclosures will imperil not only the confidential sources, it will reveal how we gather intelligence which is invaluable to Putin.
11
If anyone believes that it's a coincidence that one of the agents at risk for exposure under this new declassification scheme is close to Putin I have some beachfront property to sell you in Nevada. This continues the repayment of favors to Comrade Vladimir by his puppet Trump.
But at what point does the military and intelligence community tell Trump "No"? Is there no one with the courage to do their duty and defy this outlaw?
Our forefathers that risked everything, including their lives are rolling in their graves.
15
The silence from the GOP in the Senate and house is DEAFENING!!
22
Covering up covers-up.
5
I can’t help but wonder if Donald Trump wants to gift the Russian informant to Putin.
13
@Kathryn Thomas
Gone are the days when just an apple made you teacher's pet.
Apparently to those reading this article the dispute is only about whether or not to declassify. From that it then follows that this divides those who wish to know the truth from those wishing to keep it hidden
I am more concerned about those who will die because sources and methods will be revealed leading to adverarseies unmasking identities
What a gift for Putin. Trump already gave Putin a huge gift when he gave very important intelligence to the Russian Foreign Minister and Ambassador during a meeting in the Oval Office in the White House of all places so I have no doubt that Trump will do it again and as much as is possible
This is not a matter of political party - it is a serious matter of national security - something that Trump seems to have no consideration for
23
A non-story blown up to generate no trust in the President and the Attorney General. I trust Trump and Barr to not expose a source is warned in advance that that might happen.
Based on past actions, I do not trust the past heads of the CIA, especially the politically active Mr. Brennan, to be honest with regard to all of the agency's past actions. Their inept performance in neither verifying nor denying the false
Steele dossier while still using it rightly deserves public scrutiny.
11
Putin asked Trump, Trump delivers. Putin will have the information he needs.
8
Maybe consider a new handle? Sam Spade was a great detective, who would certainly know better than to trust Trump with anything.
7
"The concern about the source, who is believed to be still alive, is one of several issues raised by Mr. Trump’s decision to use the intelligence to pursue his political enemies"
Talk about a loaded sentence. Instead of "...pursue his political enemies.", the line should read "...discover if any potential abuse of the FISA court system occurred." Now that no collusion has been established after a lengthy, and trusted, investigation there should be an investigation into the origins of the accusations to ensure political operatives did not try to use and abuse governmental spying capabilities against a Presidential candidate.
Anyone who wanted to know the extent of Russian involvement in our election should want to know if the collusion accusations were politically motivated. Imagine the implications if our state security services like the FBI and the CIA knowingly pushed fabricated accusations through our court system via subterfuge and outright deceit in order to, at the least, embarrass, and at the most falsely impeach a duly elected President.
If they didn't then fantastic! They have been vindicated and we can all breath a sigh of relief. If they did though...
7
Mueller did not say that there had been no collusion. The president and his poor excuse for an attorney general said it. And if they said it, it’s probably not true.
8
@Conrad Noel
Incorrect, ", the evidence
was not sufficient to charge that any member of the Trump Campaign conspired with
representatives of the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election." Report On The Investigation Into
Russian Interference In The
2016 Presidential Election , pg 9.
Not only did this report clear the President of "collusion" it also cleared him of conspiracy as well as everybody associated with the Trump campaign.
4
Okay, Russia interfered in our election. They interfered with the intention of helping Trump. Full stop. These are facts.
It would be hard for the intelligence community, knowing these things, not to investigate whether a candidate was under the influence of a hostile foreign power. Sorry but if you’re going to be the beneficiary of Russia’s meddling, you might need to accept being spied on by the Americans.
7
Imagine Trump before a jury in a trial in which he is accused of wrongdoing, a long trial, and seriously under duress, he blurts out; "Look over there at that shiny object! The deceptive diversions he espoused have been successful at breaking the concentration of the public as the ping pong ball moves from side to side confusing the viewers. That is just what has been happening for three years now. This diversion is no different and the Democrats are getting weaker by their silence as the Trump show races by every day with new episodes.
2
Barr was a former CIA attorney. Hopefully he has respect for the men and women in other countries who help us.
But, judging from his deceit about the Mueller Report, we shouldn’t be too hopeful. And he is acting like the rube Nunes, a non-lawyer, rather than the sophisticated lawyers that he is. At least, investigate before making serious accusations.
Risking overseas alliances to placate a paranoid President is dangerous to national security. Who will want to work with us in the future?
Unless Barr acts to protect sources and methods, the question must be asked: Are Trump and Barr playing for our team or Putin’s team?
4
It’s concerning not just that Trump may be looking for retribution against intelligence services he feels may have wronged him in the last election, but that he may be using Barr as his bulldog to intimidate these same intelligence services ahead of the next election, effectively clearing the way for further collusion between the Trump campaign and foreign actors to ensure his reelection in 2020. Fear for our democracy; act to stop this lawlessness today.
11
Now, who,in their right mind will provide information to the US if they know that it won’t stay within the FBI, the CIA etc? OUR NATIONAL SECURITY IS THREATENED BY THIS PRESIDENT AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC IS OBLIVIOUS.
12
Shades of Valerie Plame.
Expose, thus endangering, a patriotic spy for vindictive purposes.
14
It may be a stretch for some people, to entrust the AG Barr with the secrets about some CIA files, not knowing whether he will endanger the secrets that are being shared.
It may be necessary to create a new Cabinet post, being the Secretary of Secrets (the SS) - who would decide whether the CIA should disclose (or not disclose as the case may be) certain secrets.
The alternative is for the CIA to be its own SS and for the CIA to judge for itself which secrets it should share (or not share, as the case may be) with the AG. It is possible of course, under such a system, that the CIA would share secrets with the AG, even those embarrassing to itself, in the interests of justice. All those who are willing to bet on such an outcome are invited to bet on the Mets making it to the World Series this year and beating the Yankees in an exciting Subway Series.
4
Justice Dept and Intel agencies becoming a political tool for Trump/Barr to turn our democracy into a dictatorship and there is nothing the democrats can do about it as the GOP is quite happy with that scenario party before country.
7
Once Trump is out of Office in 2021, the actions of both he and Barr merit a special prosecutor. They are breaking the law and must be held accountable.
21
Yet another check and balance seemingly legally violated by the Trump administration. Does this help America, or America's enemies?
8
Before Daniel Coates, Gina Haspel or the head of any other intelligence agency reveals to the Justice Department the identities of sources, methods of intelligence collection or any intelligence received from our allies they should first appear in closed session before the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees to explain their concerns. If necessary, Mr. Barr should be hauled before Congress. Coates, Haspel and other senior intelligence officials should consider resigning in protest. Senior members of Congress should speak out forcefully how much more danger this country would be in if our allies stopped sharing intelligence with us because the Trump administration is politicizing intelligence.
14
Individual-1 continues to give us a wonderful gift. His vicious nonsense reveals once more the weakness of our protections against tyranny. Imagine where we would be today if, instead of a would-be tyrant who was an incompetent ignoramus, we had elected one who was supremely competent!
In two and a half years we have learned an awful lot about what we will need to do to fix our democracy and prevent it from destruction, but he continues to surprise us.
Thank you, Individual-1, for the warnings you have given us, and those you will undoubtedly continue to give. I only hope we have the courage and stamina to heed those warnings.
8
Trump knows the practice of commandeering the media on a Friday before a big holiday weekend to spread his lies. It's an old government practice.
Today I heard Trump claim his opposition was attempting a Coup. Well what a coincidence since he had planned a military parade in Washington, our Government Capital, just five days after the last election which I viewed as a possible planned Coup attempt had the Democrats gained more power in Congress.
What a coincidence.
4
Year, right. The "source" may be "still alive". Or alternatively, maybe he never was and the CIA coup plotters made up that story out of whole cloth. In any case, we are not supposed to know the truth. How convenient.
3
Nice try. Very good spin. But it won’t fly.
Nobody is after names of Russians colonels that are betraying Putin. Key question is about who paid and instructed Joseph Mifsud to give that counterintelligence ops starting tidbits to George Papadopoulos after he was lured abroad my Halpern. What arrangements we had with Brits and that Ausie diplomat ( previously mostly known for channeling Australian taxpayers money to Clinton foundation) to “incidentally” find out that George Papadopoulos had that info so FBI had a “reason”
to start its operations.
And I cannot wait for the gong show of the media protesting leaking of classified information as an awful, security damaging, should never be done activity.
7
@Just Saying
Well said. Hard to find this much common sense around here.
2