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Sessions, Rosentein, and Barr deny any knowledge of the subpoenas. It seems unlikely that all three are lying, especially because Department of Justice experts have said there would be a detailed paper trail. So it raises the possibility of a Trump-authorized secret op within DOJ, an op unknown to the top officials in the department. Regardless, what's been disclosed so far likely is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Considering the seriousness and breadth of this still-building scandal, I don't see how DOJ can use an inspector general to investigate. Appoint of a special counsel seems in order.

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Perhaps not all three are lying but one of them might be. That Barr hid things from Rosenstein....for sure. That Rosenstein hadn't more integrity than Barr...i think that is probably true. That Sessions was out to lunch and out of the loop....probably. Anyway, somebody had to sign the paper. Find the piece of paper...Apple at least will have a copy and would I'm sure be happy to supply the DOJ should they not find their's.....and you find the end of the strand of wool which you pull on to unknit this trumpian sweater. Over and above the subpoena itself there is the "gag order" which must also be signed. It is difficult to imagine that "unknown" entities in the DOJ would have the ear of a judge asked to impose such an order.....probably claiming "national security". There has got to be an established and recognized process on this....at least for the judge to cover his proverbial "seat" and judicial standing should the matter come to light with "unfortunate" connotations. A second strand of wool to pull on which bit by bit might get closer to Trump's skin. These trumpians usually went about their "dark works" in such stupid, inept ways that the strands should be easy to follow.

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Morning, Stuart. Your comment has a poetic flow to it. Thanks!

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Morning Lynell. We do what we can to help the cornflakes go down well.

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Funny, this. Usually, when I have cornflakes, I have no milk; when I have milk, I have no cornflakes🤔

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A little ascetic for me. I alternate days with whole wheat toast and butter and full cream milk (it has taste!) and meusli but every morning has lashings of seasonal fruit and a massive pot of tea!........after I've read Heather's morning piece. Lunch of course is often very late and frequently minimal around my coffee.

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I miss cornflakes. Tell me they are more nutritious than oatmeal.

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They are not. Oatmeal reigns Supreme in the category. Especially when mixed with golden flax, oat bran, chia seeds, and walnuts. Sweetener and fruit of your choice, and oat milk or almond milk. If you just have to, garnish with corn flakes! Stay close to restrooms until your pipes adjust, and throw away your probiotics.

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Head to your nearest co-op grocery store and you are sure to find organic cornflakes made with non-GMO corn. Better cornflakes, yummier corn chips are available! If there is no co-op in your town, you can order online. But do your research first. Even some brands that claim to be made with non-genetically engineered corn have been found to be contaminated with GMO corn. However, going organic is more likely to be GMO free since organic certification is quite strict in most states.

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Thank you! I will! Great organic foods here.

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Sorry, due to Monsanto

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All true and I believe this is but the tip of the iceberg in an administration that depended upon fear and intimidation to keep enemies at bay and members in line. No doubt Mueller was muffled by expressed and implied threats.

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Morning fellow thinkers. Agree Stuart. Certainly an Inspector General can tug firmly on the first strand of wool. No need for special counsels at this point. The DOJ appears to be back in the proverbial saddle.

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But, why is the DOJ still defending tRump against a rape accusation that happened before he got sovereign immunity or whatever while posing as president?

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Rob, the defense is not against the rape (or rather, sexual assault, which unlike rape has a statute of limitations, now expired) but against a claim of libel because T***p called her a liar.

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The libel occurred during T***p's presidency, which is the justification for defense by the DOJ.

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Still, it doesn’t seem the DOJ should have been involved on this kind of civil case even when he lying prez, much less now that he is a lying nobody. He should have had his own lawyers at his expense, not ours.

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I agree. The justification was absurd.

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And why today's DOJ is defending is to set (or continue?) a precedent in case a charge of similar nature would present itself in the future with any sitting president.

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Great reply, Stuart. One of the 3 stooges has to be lying. And, I believe Sessions was gone by 2018, so he may not have the "whole truth and nothing but...."

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The main stooge (he even looks like one) is the Top Guy - Barr. We watched him lie to Senator Harris' face while testifying under oath.

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I have no trouble believing that all 3 are lying. The lying was universal and rampant in that administration. I have more difficulty believing any one of them is telling the truth.

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Stuart, I agree that the 'evidence' is there and it will turn up, probably in a most unusual way. Pentagon Papers kind of thing.

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I can’t wait until the Maxwell trial

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Yes! Of course!

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Hitler had his special henchmen, mob bosses have their special thugs, Donald's no different

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Yes, and most of them ended up on trial -- watching the clock for DJT's turn at the stand

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We already know Barr lies. Rosenstein shook Kavanaugh's hand and patted him on the back after his confirmation process performance on the floor of Congress, and so I looked for a connection. Cabal is too conspiratorial a term but conservative network (with benefits) fits.

Too many folks didn't want to believe who #45 was when he told them. Hopefully we have learned something form these dark years.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/09/bill-barr-founders/616445/

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2018/11/15/federalist-society-hls/

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/05/leonard-leo-federalist-society-voter-fraud.html

https://www.salon.com/2019/10/25/bill-barrs-alternate-universe-investigation-has-a-goal-right-wing-authoritarian-rule/

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Opus Dei rides again.

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There is an assumption that all 3 are telling the truth. I am not so sure.

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I agree, just as comprehensible that all 3 are lying.

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I'm thinking Sessions signed for it thinking he would keep DJT happy and get off his back about Russia. He was craven enough to do it. Sargent ShultzBarr just winked at the request for McGann's records, ensuring he could say "I know nothing," because the paperwork was in place already. He was slimy enough to do it. The only clueless one might have been Rosenstein. He did look like a deer caught in the headlights on his last day - or a prisoner. I always wondered why. He was naive enough to be caught by surprise. Maybe he found out hIs phone calls, texts, and emails were also asked for. We haven't heard a peep from him since he went back to a private life. What is he doing these days?

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It shouldn’t be too hard to find out, if they want to. It could open a Pandora’s box, since Obama was pretty aggressive about finding leakers, too.

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As it has been pointed out, finding “leakers” has always been a priority for protecting national intelligence. And every administration has done so. Why you suggest a Pandora’s box and President Obama in the same sentence diverts attention. Or tries to. Similar to a news network I choose not to listen to.

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I agree with you. Perhaps “Pandora’s box” was the wrong image. I only refer to Obama because some of the same actors from his administration are likely to still be around, while those of earlier presidents would not be.

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Well, what about this one??

https://www.change.org/p/free-julian-assange-before-it-s-too-late-stop-usa-extradition/u/29202906

Just forget all the denigrating stories that have been written about him - this is one of the worst "leaker" issues for the 2020's. At least Daniel Ellsberg didn't cop this.

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Julian Assange should be dangling from a rope till the corpse rots off it. Mentioning that worthless piece of shit at the same time Ellsberg is mentioned is the purest of intellectual dimness (and that's giving it as much credit as possible) Ellsberg did it because he loved his country and thought they needed to know what had been done in their name. Assange did it because he's a troll.

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Thank you TC so I did not have to respond.

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I think that your comments only underscore how incredibly effective the 10+ years of demonization of Assange has been. Sadly, the result for him is a bit like the refrain from the song about Ned Kelly "Poor old Ned, you're better off dead" - maybe you should inform yourselves about the history of "Get Assange"

it's long and horrible, and casts some serious light over the "secret state" and its machinations (and the willingness of the media - think the Guardian - to go along with it).

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It is perhaps worth noting that a parking violation and capital murder, while both crimes, are hardly in the same class and by no means equivalent.

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I wouldn’t leave Matthew Whitaker out of the mix. Three months is long enough to get into a heap of trouble

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Excellent point. He was among the consummate Trump lackeys.

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He certainly had no clue. And he was in there 11/18 to 2/19, so the timing seems to fit.

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