Ok…am with you…re-reading these passages, listening to Wittes/Doran debate the merits of the origins/legality/scope of the Mueller probe…and
I do not think this is new information, but we are just seeing it explicitly written. At the point the Mueller term started Special Counsel Investigation May 17, 2017, it was decided by Rosenstein to off-load everything to Mueller.
Up through the election, Comey/McCabe/Chris Wray/Lisa Page/Strzok/ and a variety of FBI agents were working on checking into the Russian activity and through first week of May 2017, FBI had tabs on the transition team making calls to Kislyak, and knew that Manafort was double dealing w/ Ukraine. The FBI was on full alert and getting FISA warrants on people…one had already been started on Carter Page.
So the timeline is confusing, because just after the election, and Sessions was set up to be AG, all that knowledge of conversations w/ Kislyak and Sanctions/Flynn became known within the FBI and so when Rosenstein became DAG, he had those 8 days to consider wearing a wire, talking with cabinet members re: 25th Amendment.
After inauguration, T was briefed by FBI/Intel heads that Russia was working against us in the election and that they were worried about this.
DAG, Sally Yates had warned WH to be aware of Flynn’s activity just after the inauguration.
Post May 17, 2017 Mueller hired some of the same FBI folks who had been working on the investigation = see Strzok and Page.
McCabe was acting head of FBI…he did not have the same mandate any more afterwards I believe.
As far as knowing the nuances of the timeline…and what may happen with the Republican argument that this whole Mueller investigation is a sham, and what Doran said vs. Wittes. (and what may become William Barr’s position)
Lawfare Podcast - Benjamin Wittes/Mike Doran
From the Republican and perhaps Barr’s viewpoint…
- Investigation should have not been started because
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That the whole investigation started as a counterintelligence operation and assumed the Russians were colluding with T and his campaign. Doran argues that there was no probable cause to start investigation ( Rosenstein’s memo for SCI is redacted, so we don’t know)
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They believe that George P’s discussions with Mifsud and the Australian ambassador was a big nothing…it never warranted a FISA.
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They believe that the use of the Dossier was too loosely configured, and was never a good starting point for any investigation. Steele was funded by Dems, Steele leaked to press, and Simpson was too close to press as well. The FBI and DOJ subsequently validated this information by talking to TheHill
*They believe that Carter Page never merited a FISA agreement…it should never have happened. They like that Nunes released the circumstances from the redacted FISA?
So Republican lawmakers feel that the Mueller investigation should never have started, that FBI/DOJ are deep state and want to oust the President. They feel that the FBI/DOJ is ramming this ‘story’ down the American public’s mouth, via the press and a lot of leaking.
What what of the 35 + indictments and discussions that we know Roger Stone and his goons, Guccifer 2.0 had with Assange, the DNC hacking, and all of the rest of it?
I think the T administration is a fraud and T should be impeached or run out of town, and definitely tried in court. I think Mueller has a lock on what’s been illegal and has it all buttoned up.
So, what will happen now that there are rumblings again about Mueller’s possible removal…
See
Well, we gird against more cr#p coming our way…and #persist.