I Guess It Depends On What The Definition Of “Coincidence” Is
[guest post by Dana]
Today, at a press conference, President Obama was a bit testy when asked about that pesky issue of the non-ransom payment to Iran and the happy coincidence of it all:
REPORTER: What is your response to critics who say that $400 million in cash that you sent to Iran was a ransom payment? Was it really simply a pure coincidence …that a payment that was held up for almost four decades was suddenly sent at the exact same time that the American prisoners were released…?
(beginning at the 3:16 mark)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: The timing of this was in fact dictated by… by the fact that as a consequence of us negotiating around the nuclear deal, we actually had diplomatic negotiations and conversations with Iran for the first time in several decades. So, uh, the issue is not so much that it was a coincidence as it is that we were able to have a direct discussion. John Kerry could meet with the foreign minister, which meant our ability to clear accounts on a number of different issues, at the same time, converged. And, it was important for us to take advantage of that opportunity both to deal with this litigation risk that had been raised. It was important to us that we finished the job on the Iran nuclear deal. And,since we were in a conversation with them, it was important for us to push them hard on getting these Americans out.
The reporter also asked the president if he could reassure Americans that none of the $400 million went to support terrorism. If you watch the entire video, he does not offer that reassurance.
Further, on Fox Business today, a reporter interviewed one of the four American hostages freed from Iran. Pastor Saeed Abedini claimed that he and the other prisoners were held at the airport in Iran and told that they wouldn’t be released until a plane the Iranians were waiting for had arrived. Coincidences abound!
“First of all, I’m so thankful for my freedom,” he said. “There is nothing like a life of being free.”
Abedini said he and the others waited a full night in the airport. According to police, they were waiting for another plane to arrive.
“They told us ‘you’re going to be there for 20 minutes, but it took like hours and hours,’” Abedini said. “We slept at the airport.”
Abedini said the plane and pilot were there, and everyone was ready to go, but they didn’t leave until 10 a.m. the next day. They eventually flew to the U.S. in the plane that had been sitting at the airport overnight.
When asked whether he believes the U.S. paid the Iranian government a ransom for his release, Abedini said he has his suspicions, but “they didn’t’ talk about money.”
“We call them terrorists and I don’t believe they are going to use this money for building orphanages, which I was arrested for, but I prefer that the politicians answer this question.”
Hey, remember this reassurance from John Kerry?? Good times.
When asked about whether some the $150 billion in sanctions relief to Iran would go to terrorist groups, Kerry reiterated that, after settling debts, Iran would receive closer to $55 billion. He conceded some of that could go to groups considered terrorists, saying there was nothing the U.S. could do to prevent that.
“I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists,” he said in the interview in Davos, referring to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. “You know, to some degree, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that every component of that can be prevented.”
–Dana
Iran says lesson learned: It pays to take hostages!
Dana (995455) — 8/4/2016 @ 5:57 pmAll of you who cherish your “ethics” and refuse to vote for Trump, in essence are helping the Hildabeast. The election is a zero sum game.
If you think THIS is bad with Obama, he is a novice compared to the super grifters, Bill and Hill.
I think you all probably know that. Now that Hillary and her schemes have the imprimatur of the FBI and Justice Department, there will be no limit to what she won’t do.
We already know that to her American lives don’t matter, especially the military, and all citizens will be in her service.
Her degree of sociopathy is astounding.
And you are helping her.
Oh well, citizens… the Ministry of Truth, the FBI and the Justice Department and the IRS are there for YOU… remember, this is America and it already IS Great!
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:09 pmpast is always prologue,
http://narcisoscorner.blogspot.com/2016/05/peeking-behind-theapprentices-curtain.html
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:33 pmHeil Hillary!
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MObcXGJ3-Yc/VtfYLm6kOkI/AAAAAAAA8Gk/z7FKO6mB0Eo/s640/1%2B1ninetymileszq5v21uaxri9o1_540.jpg
Rev. Hoagie® (0f4ef6) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:34 pmSo would Iran have sent US to a collection agency if we didn’t pay?
Would that have hurt our credit score?
I wonder what Katt Williams could have done with a stack of cash like that?
Pinandpuller (c16705) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:43 pmIt would appear some more of #nevertrump are sweating the primaries:
http://www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/08/04/leaders-house-freedom-caucus-decline-endorse-paul-ryan/
House Freedom Caucus may include conflicted members but they ain’t fer TPP and Sharia.
DNF (755a85) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:50 pmwell he certaintly isn’t an ally in any standard definition,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:53 pmKerry, the State Jester, assures us the $150 Billion in sanction givebacks to Iran will only realize $55 Billion in hard currency.
About a $1000 per capita, no doubt going to healthcare, education and pensions.
DNF (755a85) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:56 pmA fun listen from Lionel Nation on Hillary’s sociopathy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsVBDXime3A
Yes, she is fucking dangerous!
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 6:59 pmunlike the current Chief Exec, HRC was not born in Iran and has not to my knowledge evidenced a soft spot for Persians.
They’d better earmark a few billion for the Clinton Foundation.
DNF (755a85) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:02 pmDNF
Are you casting a Persians on Hillary?
Not nice
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:04 pmhere is how the danegeld is spent,
https://pjmedia.com/diaryofamadvoter/2016/08/03/why-did-the-mullahs-want-their-400-million-in-cash/
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:05 pmNot sure what his internal polls are telling the Speaker but he has most of the self-esteem in WI pocketed:
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/08/wow-paul-ryan-attacks-donald-trump-lectures-true-republican-principles/
DNF (755a85) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:07 pm$400 million will buy the next president a whole lot of trouble.
I wonder if any Jarretts wet their beak?
It could only be Jarrett!
Pinandpuller (c16705) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:23 pmThis payoff is a shovel ready stimulus package for a terrorist regime.
Pinandpuller (928ad9) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:48 pmHillary’s emails, retrieved from the dumpster by Wikileak, told us; DOD Intelligence told us, interventionist McCain sold us, and now the Ayatollah tells us again:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-08-04/irans-ayatollah-us-created-isis
We created ISIL out of the need to avoid boots on the ground from the mind of le enfant terrible.
Lets give ’em four more, whaddyah say?
DNF (ffe548) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:52 pmit’s nothing as that, like the notion that the cia created aq, no they dealt with the isi’s and general favored groups, and the cadres were recruited from that pool,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 7:56 pmThe American Idiot Voter (aka Pattericans) — Our Greatest Existential Threat
If you don’t have any attention span or cannot brook different viewpoints or logical thought, or merely want to yak about how Melania purloined Moochele’s speech, or what a boor The Donald is, then you won’t want to listen to this talk concerning Hillary and Company.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y3zLnrvX64
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 8:09 pm‘Not sure that you can properly call it a “ransom” if the money was owed to them in the first place. (We basically sat on their money, and that amount, for decades, ya know.) Also, the agreement to pay them the money was made long before the payment, wasn’t it?
Tillman (a95660) — 8/4/2016 @ 8:53 pmIs there any chance some of this cash could come back as contributions to HRC?
A guy I know said he had looked through some of the contributions to BHO’s campaigns and noticed some very odd amounts (ie $23.57).
He came to the conclusion that it was due to the exchange rate from whatever to the Dollar.
I know that Bill and Hill had skirted contribution limits by handing out cash to people who were to turn around and give the max.
If asked they were to say that they had sold a piece of farm equipment. I wish I could remember the source.
Pinandpuller (0845e7) — 8/4/2016 @ 8:55 pmYes, my impression, too, is that all this money was Iran’s money that we were holding hostage. Not U.S. taxpayer money. What were we going to do with it if not give it back to Iran? Give it to the Shah’s kids as reparations for losing the throne their father stole from his father?
nk (dbc370) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:13 pmthey frozen because they were a (redacted) terrorist regime, who before bin laden had killed more americans than any other faction,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:15 pmEvery component could be prevented from spending on terrorism if we did NOT give it to them. What a DICKHEAD!
jim (a9b7c7) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:21 pmThe Beirut barracks? It’s been 33 years. Why wasn’t the money paid out to the families of the dead Marines already?
nk (dbc370) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:26 pm@24 nk
Mondale really missed out on some gold star convention speakers.
Pinandpuller (a12946) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:32 pmPTS, you just made the case for me: I refuse to vote for Trump even if he did start talking about conservative judgeships. I’m not helping him into the White House, and I sure as hell am not assisting you towards that goal. You want him, then you had better get up off your dead ass and make Trump happen. He ain’t gonna lose because of me. I’m not voting Hillary. It’ll be because you didn’t get the vote out. You didn’t care enough to try to overcome the larger voter base Hillary has.
There aren’t enough nevertrumpers to matter. You’ve simply fixated because you fear a Trump loss, and you simply need something to blame for your inadequacies.
I’ve said it before, and I stand by this simple statement: you crazies for Trump don’t want a President. You want revenge.
Bill H (971e5f) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:44 pmbecause some of this same diplomatic carp, where we pretend they are a normal nation,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:44 pmRe #2 above, in which a particularly dimwitted Trumpkin shill asserts again (and I’ve seen this from him before):
In fact, elections are a paradigmatic example of a contest which is non-zero sum. You literally don’t know what you’re talking about.
In fact, your argument is so stupid that it has its own subheading under the topic “zero sum game” in Wikipedia on the concept, for pete’s sake:
But go ahead. Lecture like you actually know what you’re talking about. It makes you just like your idol.
Beldar (fa637a) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:46 pmAce Lyons, was the nato naval liason, who tipped the balance in one of the first lawsuits against the regime, it’s remarkable how many high iranian officials were involved in the operational planning with those bombings,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 9:49 pmsome of the details here,
http://www.aim.org/benghazi/adm-james-ace-lyons-ret/
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:02 pm#19 Tillman,
If it was money “owed” to them, then it would have been sent via wire transfer.
You sound like a mafia lawyer arguing that the money your client picked up in a plain unmarked envelope which had been dropped behind a tree at the city park at 3AM was just some money being collected for the Blind Children’s Society. (LOL)
Stop, please.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:13 pmI expect that by the time this news story has blown over, Barack or Josh will have used the word, “unexpectedly.”
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:22 pmWTF is wrong with US???? This is exactly the same as TALIBANI JIHADI GENERALS for a FUKWAD BERGDAHL. Exactly the same. Screw AMERICA, Obama has the WRECKING BALL SWINGING and the GOP is flogging it’s own MINNOW.
Obama does as he chooses, and THE GOPe, does NOTHING to stop nor expose it.
Seriously, WHAT HAPPENED TO US???
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:22 pmthen there’s the story of the argentine prosecutor who was killed because he was investigating a similar deal that madame kirshner has negotiated with the Iranians to prevent uncovering the AMIA bombing, a straight up hezbollah hit,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:23 pmBill H
Tsk, tsk, tsk… you think semantics and your intentions immunize you from reality.
In an election one person wins and the other loses.
The fact that you vote or don’t vote has an impact on the outcome. Surely you can see this.
If you want to sit home on YOUR dead ass then knock yourself out.
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:25 pmCRUZ SUPPORTER. Obama’s LIES and CRIMES are getting BOLDER and BOLDER. I voted for CRUZ. CRUZ has displayed himself to be a vindictive self serving jerk. But, I supported him, and I do support his ideals. Nothing personal. Obama is setting the FUTURE STANDARD for our next President. If Obama’s lies, crimes, and FASCISM are allowed. What the FOK, do you think RODHAM and her POSSE are going to do???
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:25 pmGus
The GOP does try to expose Obama and Hillary… what do you think the several Benghazi hearings were about. And the truth was damning…. read Gowdy’s letter to the Speaker, which was really a synopsis of the lengthy report.
Damning.
But the main stream media is liberal and serves as the Praetorian Guard for the Democrats.. especially Obama and Clinton.
They’d MUCH rather talk about what a boor Trump is and how his wife stole from Moochelle’s speech than talk about a pallet of $400 million in cash paid to Iran shortly after which the hostages were freed.
And on this blog, you have some of the same idiocy… bitching about Trump instead of looking at the real issues.
The Pattericans would much rather have a circle jerk and play Pokemon Go than focus on the ugly truth of our country circling the drain.
What’s next… Iran selling protection so they don’t set of a nuke in LA?
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:31 pmNice post PTS. I am not talking about Gowdy et al, and previously ISSA, I’m talking about the EVERY DAY, McCain,McConnell, McCarthy, Ryan, Boehners’. Never stop pointing out the CRIMINALITY. Including IRS-LERNER, Fast and Furious, and other border issues. It’s long past time to take off the gloves. My youngest bro is STATE/DIP/SECURITY, and is, was and has been in the line of FIRE.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:35 pmThe ANDREWS AFB, Rodham, Obama, Biden, Susan Rice, Colin Powell ET AL BULLSHIP LIE SESSION needs to be THROWN at the WALL, like Monkeys and feces. This is REAL.
Stevens, Smith, Woods and Doherty are 4 times MORE DEAD than Fukwad Khan’s brave son. AND ALL 5 including young Mister Khan, were all DEAD as Bi-Products of MUZZZZZLIM JIHAD.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:37 pmseriously, I havent seen a bigger put up job since the 1919 world series, gowdy was one of those who signed off on the initial finding that authorized libya, he was in on it, now they want to blame ‘the bothan’ who brought us this information as a russian spy,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:37 pmGUS
I’m with you brother, share your frustration and agree completely.
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:42 pmNarciso, it’s BIZARRE. So O’Jugears and his hacks played politics to get the GOP to OK anything Obama does. So the fukwad is immunized from responsibility. THAT WAS THE GIG. GOWDY was not complicit in anything other than being a COWARD. DO NOT APPROVE OF ANYTHING A DISHONEST COMMIE, LYING MOTHER TUCKER like Obama does. NOTHING. Say exactly what I just said, when you are accused of RACISM, OBSTRUCTION, etc etc. I would vote for NOTHING that Obama approved of. If Obama and the LIBTARDS had an ORWELLIAN NAME FOR A BILL,,,,…..kind of like…..errrrr….. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT…..or maybe….. THE ACT TO STOP CHILDREN FROM STARVING ACT……..I’d vote NO. And I’d explain that my vote is NO, because OBAMA is a LYING COMMIE, HACK AZZHOLE.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:46 pmI might eventually lose my CUSHY CONGRESS JOB. But, I’m an AMERICAN, not an azzhole.
Gus
Re Benghazi, I watched “13 Hours” the other day, which is supposed to be true to the events as told and approved by the survivor warriors who lost their comrades that night.
Simply disgusting.. the lack of response by the US. Obama is criminal. He (and/or Hillary) simply let those people die and did NOTHING to help with plenty of time and assets with which to work.
Sickening.
PTS (ce7fc3) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:46 pmThe Sky Is Fallin’
By Queens of the Stone Age
(Not a Parody)
The sky is falling
nk (dbc370) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:47 pmHuman race that we run
It left me crawling
Staring straight at the sun
Only a moment I notice
Every dog has his day
THANK YOU PTS. I am in Wisconsin, and though not in Ryan’s district, I am close, and I KNOW HIM.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:51 pmI’m sick to my stomach, and sick to my heart, at how disappointing Paul Ryan has been. And I’ll tell you truthfully, I NEVER THOUGHT, PAUL RYAN, should be Speaker. I like him, I respect him, and I think of him quite fondly PERSONALLY. Paul Ryan is a very very very good, honorable, honest and decent man. Unfortunately, Mr Ryans FORTE is in his WONKISH, POLICY and MATHEMATICAL STRENGTH. Mister Ryan does not have SERIOUS CONSERVATIVE, OLD SCHOOL CONSERVATISM in his gut. He means to be Conservative, BUT, he believes he can be more USEFUL, in working WITHIN the SYSTEM and NAIVELY, Paul Ryan thinks he can actually EFFECT CHANGE with SMARTER, more SOLID and GROUNDED MATHEMATICAL and BUDGET PRINCIPLES.
Cutting STRAIGHT to the CHASE. The DEMOTARDS, aren’t playing with rubber bullets. Paul Ryan COULD EFFECT CHANGE……if……..HE UNDERSTOOD the NATURE of our SICK EFFFFED UP OPPONENTS.
and it’s not just about benghazi, that’s just the beginning of the fustercluck, the tunisian pm fell the other day, we have bloody tracks all the way to nigeria, but Trump is the problem,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/4/2016 @ 10:56 pmgive me a fracking break,
Seen on the internet:
nk (dbc370) — 8/4/2016 @ 11:38 pmTrump is in fact a rodeo clown. He’s funny, he pisses off the bull, he’s a great distraction, and he works for the rodeo crew. Don’t make the mistake of believing that the clown is going to fundamentally change the rules of rodeo. For f[]’s sake.
Narciso, the shyte you refer to…NEVER HAPPENED…. UNLESS, Roger Maddow, Christine Matthews, and/or HEY THERE GEORGIE GIRL SNUFFFFALUFFFALUFFFFAGUS say so. I’ve got a respected COLLEAGUE, whom gets his ONLY INFO, from the YELLOW SHEET, The Milwaukee Urinal.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 11:41 pmYou cannot debate someone, who has ONLY PROPAGANDA as TRUTH/PROOF.
The person I am referring to, is the most HONEST DEM/LIB I know. He has INTEGRITY, and he believes what he believes, without having a true IDEOLOGICAL and LYING AZZ bias.
Nk, ad hominem shyte about Trump is the LEAST of our troubles. The LEFT, and by that I mean most of the ENTIRE MEDIA, are aiming there SCOPES at TRUMP. We all knew this would happen. If THE GOP winner was Bernie Sanders or Martin O’Malley, the same would be true.
GUS (30b6bd) — 8/4/2016 @ 11:49 pmTwo things in play. The MASTERS or the MEDIA, like money. And the second, is that …..VIRTUALLY EVERY MEDIA hired MEMBER, is born, bred, and MISEDUCATED by LIBTARDS and UNIVERSITY LIBERAL HACKS.
Name a profession or a educationally accredited entity that IS NOT COMPLETELY LIBERAL/OR WORSE??
If your 2 Dad’s and your High School libtard “counselor” and all of the curriculum and all of the PONTIFICATIONS about Diversity, Affirmative Action, Condoms, Gay is WONDERFUL and TRANNIE BATHROOMS etc led you to your OPEN MINDED conclusions. How would you NOT be a LIBTARD??
GUS @ #45,
That’s exactly right.
ThOR (c9324e) — 8/4/2016 @ 11:57 pmTrump is in over his head too, but in a different way from Ryan. Trump’s Louie DePalma shtick got him a long way when the media had his back. It’s a different story now that they’re in his face. People who should have known better mistook bluster for substance.
ThOR (c9324e) — 8/5/2016 @ 12:06 amWhat gets me is this: the elite looks down on the working class because they poor. So why does the working class look up to Trump because he is rich?
ThOR (c9324e) — 8/5/2016 @ 12:10 amThe “some of the people, all off the time” class extends beyond the blue collar segment. It just doesn’t extend far enough for the circus to remain in one place for very long.
Rick Ballard (4359c9) — 8/5/2016 @ 5:54 amIt was that “bluster” the people liked, ThOR. They were tired of the Republicans playing politics by the Marquis of Queensbury Rules while the democrats were street fighting. Trump appeared to be a street fighter so they went for him. I think it’s a mistake but that’s what the Republicans are stuck with now. We can only play the hand we’re dealt.
Rev. Hoagie® (0f4ef6) — 8/5/2016 @ 6:51 amnote there was not a #neverdemocrats, or #neverobama, hoagie, the kris knives are always pointed inward,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/5/2016 @ 6:53 amBecause he can’t.
J.P. (9e0433) — 8/5/2016 @ 6:56 amit’s their own propaganda, so what do they know,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXJGPwXCK8Q
narciso (732bc0) — 8/5/2016 @ 6:57 amBTW, youse guys, polls have been mentioned in the last couple or three threads that show Hillary leading Trump by 9%. Past experience, recent past experience at that, is that when polls show the Democrat ahead of the Republican by 9%, it’s a dead heat — they’re running even with a genuine sample of voters.
nk (dbc370) — 8/5/2016 @ 7:09 amthe yougov poll has him at 3, in a head to head, reuters has him at 4, the la times last had him at 1
narciso (732bc0) — 8/5/2016 @ 7:20 amIt hasn’t stopped the Real NeverTrumpers, i.e. The Washington Post and The New York Times, from spinning it as him tanking.
nk (dbc370) — 8/5/2016 @ 7:26 amthese people would debate the direction of the fall out cloud from a dirty bomb, till they were writhing on the ground,
narciso (732bc0) — 8/5/2016 @ 7:28 amI’ll go into the useless prediction game and say that Trump will outperform his poll numbers just before the election by 3-5% (in terms of his net position). I still think he’ll lose, but it’ll be closer than all the talking heads will be claiming. But imagine the utter shock if Hillary’s ahead by 4% on average, which normally is pretty solid, and then he wins.
Gerald A (945582) — 8/5/2016 @ 7:35 amprobably, in the this will turn out great department,
http://twitchy.com/samj-3930/2016/08/05/because-classy-rio-olympic-stadium-had-to-be-opened-with-bolt-cutters/
narciso (732bc0) — 8/5/2016 @ 8:04 amMeanwhile Trump releases his list of economic advisors
kishnevi (3e3b90) — 8/5/2016 @ 8:53 amhttp://money.cnn.com/2016/08/05/news/economy/donald-trump-economic-advisers/
narciso, you’ve now seen an even bigger put up job since the Benghazi kabuki theater. That was Comey’s recommendation not to prosecute Hillary! followed by the Potemkin show hearing in which Comey testified about his sell-out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5DuKPLFtcE
It’s not Comey’s job to make prosecutorial decisions for the DoJ. That’s the AG’s job, not the investigating agency’s job. What he should have done per this former deputy director of the FBI was to hand the DoJ the results of the FBI investigation without comment.
It’s clear the whole farce was choreographed in more detail and rehearsed over more months than a Superbowl half-time show and the congressional Republicans were eager and willing members of Obama’s dance troupe. Rep. Chaffetz was on a Fox show in early June and said the Republicans in Congress would accept a recommendation from Comey, essentially saying they would not accept a recommendation from Lynch. Thus identifying the one man in the executive branch that Obama needed to send out to do Lynch’s job of lying to Congress. That was an early indication the fix was in, and the Republicans were in on it.
It was part and parcel of Gowdy’s clear intention not to get to the bottom of things r.e. Benghazi.
From Comey’s opening remarks at his press conference, claiming that nobody knew what he was going to recommend when Lynch and Obama made clear through their actions before and immediately after his press conference that everyone who needed to know knew perfectly well that Comey was going to follow the script, through to last minute of Comey’s hours long testimony we know everyone had long memorized their parts in the play.
For instance, there was the boresighting on 18 USC 793, as if that’s the only law Hillary! could have been prosecuted for violating. Such as:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/44/3106
This was a put-up job from beginning end. It’s clear that Comey’s job was to prevent the FBI from doing its job. Normally when the FBI, or any investigative agency such as NCIS, investigates a potential crime they follow the evidence wherever it leads. And it may lead to evidence of other crimes than they initially suspected. So investigations broaden their focus as they go on. But Comey involved himself in this investigation to make sure that didn’t happen, but instead made sure that the investigation remained as narrowly focused as possible on the only possible crime he could publicly excuse.
And I’m sick and tired of Gowdy’s act. His roll is to play the tough prosecutor who intends to get to the bottom of it. Whatever “it” is at the moment, and he never gets to the bottom of anything. Which is the intention; Gowdy is just there to give conservatives false hope than finally somebody is going to do something about “it.” As a former federal prosecutor Gowdy knew perfectly well that there were a number of federal statutes that Hillary! could and should have been charged with violating. Yet he went along with the script and pretended the only laws in play were those under the heading of the Espionage Act. That was just not true, but the truth wasn’t part of the script. It never has been and never will be.
P.S. Snowden is a Russian agent. Moscow doesn’t protect you unless you’re of service and value to them. FSB protection doesn’t come cheap.
Steve57 (2d3b12) — 8/5/2016 @ 12:16 pmAnd now there’s this:
Swiss Court Orders Israel to Pay Iran 1 Million NIS for Shah-era Debt
the oil company has been separated from Iran.
There are a number of issues besides oil supplied on credit, including the value of the partnership which Iran broke up, and oil that wasn’t supplied after the revolution (at a possibly lower price?) but this is just for 50 oil deliveries that were made before the revolution, valued at $1.2 billion, along with $362 million in interest. An oil tanker company has been directed to pay immediately 250,000 Swiss francs (about 1 million shekels, or $260,000) of the monies that had been deposited with a court, and another 200,000 francs in court costs.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 8/8/2016 @ 1:42 pmSteve57 (2d3b12) — 8/5/2016 @ 12:16 pm
What Comey actually said was that his superiors at the Justice Department — not “nobody” — knew what he was going to say.
Not didn’t know what he was going to recommend.
Hillary’s lawyers almost certainly knew almost to the word what he was going to say, though. If they hadn’t granted permission, it would not have been considered legally ethical for him to say a word. He would have been in violation of Justice Department guidelines, and it probably would have been grounds for his removal from office by the president.
I am perfectly prepared to believe Comey that he was not in direct contact with his superiors at DOJ, and that he did not show them the text of his remarks in advance.
Sammy Finkelman (643dcd) — 8/8/2016 @ 1:50 pmGreetings guys.I am a staff of University of Nigeria Nsukka and I want to use this medium to introduce you to our research group which you will find interesting to join. Let me not bore you with much write up but please visit http://www.unn.edu.ng/research-groups/ to get details of our research groups and know which to join. Thank you
Chidimma (243e15) — 8/9/2016 @ 1:16 am