FBI refused White House request to knock down recent Trump-Russia stories

[GliderGuider]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)The FBI rejected a recent White House request to publicly knock down media reports about communications between Donald Trump's associates and Russians known to US intelligence during the 2016 presidential campaign, multiple US officials briefed on the matter tell CNN.

White House officials had sought the help of the bureau and other agencies investigating the Russia matter to say that the reports were wrong and that there had been no contacts, the officials said. The reports of the contacts were first published by The New York Times and CNN on February 14.

The direct communications between the White House and the FBI were unusual because of decade-old restrictions on such contacts. Such a request from the White House is a violation of procedures that limit communications with the FBI on pending investigations.

The discussions between the White House and the bureau began with FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus on the sidelines of a separate White House meeting the day after the stories were published, according to a U.S. law enforcement official. A White House official disputes that account, saying that McCabe called Priebus early that morning and said The New York Times story vastly overstates what the FBI knows about the contacts. The White House official said that Priebus later reached out again to McCabe and to FBI Director James Comey asking for the FBI to at least talk to reporters on background to dispute the stories. A law enforcement official says McCabe didn't discuss aspects of the case but wouldn't say exactly what McCabe told Priebus.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/23/politics/fbi-refused-white-house-request-to-knock-down-recent-trump-russia-stories/index.html

[MattP]

1. Somebody in the FBI knocked it down in the times right when it was gaining steam before the election

[GliderGuider]

3. I susppect the timing was bad - the investigation wan't far enough along yet.

My very strong belief is that Comey had to Glomar the Russia investigation, and also had his hand forced on Clinton by the FBI's subverted NY field office. Shitty timing for all concerned.

Explanations here:
http://www.theweeklings.com/golear/2017/01/24/dah-donald-russian-blood-money-and-the-fbis-case-against-trump/
and here:
https://patribotics.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/dear-mr-putin-lets-play-chess-louise-mensch-trump-russia/

I find them quite believable.

[Ligyron]

18. The Weeklings tell quite a story.

Seems quite possible.

Maybe Comey is not such a bad actor after all. Thing is: would the current DOJ do a thing with it? They might be too busy busting people for weed.

[BadgerMom]

22. Both of those accounts

have given me a modicum of hope that Comey is not the bad actor I've feared. Don't dash that hope, cruel world!

[GliderGuider]

25. Yes, Sessions is now the real problem for me, not Comey.

Louise Mensch has written an article on him as well - and it doesn't absolve him from squat.

Jeff Sessions: Attorney General, Suspect

[Cracklin Charlie]

26. I think Priebus set up his boss.

He knew what he was doing. He made those calls THIS week!

Angry Trump ordered COS Priebus to make the call. Priebus, after strategy consultation with Republican leadership, calls the FBI with SCRotus request. Twice he calls, just to make sure. Priebus sings like a bird when called to Congress and flies away. Trump impeached, Pence installed in Oval Office.

The Republicans think that makes Russia story go away. Good luck with that.

That's my take.

[riversedge]

2. OH MAN!! Trumpy is going to hit on CNN for this one. te he.

[MFM008]

4. BLOTUS probably thought

COMEY would help a brother out.
You know that HILLARY thing...............
Thought he would FIX things.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. "Officer, would you please not write me a ticket?"

Setting a bad example

[Lochloosa]

6. Obstruction of Justice

Better be careful.

[BaronChocula]

20. HELLOOOOOOO????!!!!!

Exactly!

[JustAnotherGen]

28. Plus 1000 - Obstruction Of Justice

Amen.

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. But then Priebus said this..direct quote, per CNN:

"I can assure you and I have been approved to say this -- that the top levels of the intelligence community have assured me that that story is not only inaccurate, but it's grossly overstated and it was wrong. And there's nothing to it," Preibus said on Fox News Sunday last weekend."

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/23/politics/fbi-refused-white-house-request-to-knock-down-recent-trump-russia-stories/index.html

all hell should break loose for that comment...he sounds as if the FBI DID state nothing was found.

[DeminPennswoods]

9. Isn't this obstruction of justice?

nt

[Leghorn21]

10. Malcolm Nance via twitter:

This is the beginning of the end.| FBI refused White House request to knock down recent Trump-Russia stories cnn.it/2lwzX5I


Doesn't bode well for administration if they are asking & FBI says No. Why ask? B/c Means there is a There, there.
3:42 PM - 23 Feb 2017

 

Yet another nail in the coffin. This is like a shower of trouble for Trump. Lies on lies. twitter.com/zeddrebel/stat…



https://mobile.twitter.com/MalcolmNance

[brooklynite]

11. Paul Krugman: "That's a de facto admission of guilt -- and arguably an impeachable offense"

[GliderGuider]

12. Obstruction of justice. They may have really stepped in it this time. nt

[mobeau69]

13. I like this part a lot -

By Jim Sciutto, Evan Perez, Shimon Prokupecz, Manu Raju and Pamela Brown, CNN
Updated 7:27 PM ET, Thu February 23, 2017


"Every briefing we go through we gain new information," said Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma, a member of the committee. Lankford declined to be more specific about the briefing.

Sen. Angus King of Maine also declined to reveal what was discussed during the Comey briefing. In response to a question on Priebus' strong denial of the claims, King said he was "surprised" that Priebus would be "that categorical."

Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, said the goal of his panel's inquiry is to follow "leads wherever they go even if they may be uncomfortable to Republicans."

"The American public will want to know if the President had personal or financial ties to the Russian government," Swalwell said.

Dems better start raising some holy hell right now.

[BadgerMom]

23. YES!

I contacted my Rep's DC office this afternoon to say I strongly support Democratic noise on this.

[bettyellen]

14. AND ASKED THE IC TO ISSUE A REPORT VALIDATING THE "SEVEN COUNTRIES" CHOSEN FOR BAN

next court challenge needs to demand they go to discovery and catch them at this. Disgusted.

[GliderGuider]

15. This brings the Watergate smoking gun to mind

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watergate_scandal

"Smoking Gun" tape

On August 5, 1974, the White House released a previously unknown audio tape from June 23, 1972. Recorded only a few days after the break-in, it documented the initial stages of the cover-up: it revealed Nixon, Swingle, and Haldeman had conducted a meeting in the Oval Office where they discussed how they will stop the FBI from continuing their investigation of the break-in as they recognised that there was a high risk that their position in the scandal may be revealed.

[red dog 1]

16. K&R...Thanks for posting

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, Twitler" - (I don't mean that "weave" on top of your head)

[OKNancy]

17. I didn't realize at first what a big deal this is

but according to some heavy-weights I read... it is very serious.
Malcomb Nance says the beginning of the end, and Laurence says or maybe the end of the beginning

[Leghorn21]

19. Per Scott Dworkin tweet - Priebus

Scott Dworkin

.Priebus asked FBI to lie to press & American public about#TrumpRussia ties—BECAUSE THE TIES ARE REAL! #russiagate#russia #resist #nodapl


.Priebus called Comey & tried to get the FBI to disavow real news-think about that. #russiagate #resist #resistance #theresistance #nodapl


https://mobile.twitter.com/funder?p=s

Far as I know, Scott's a reliable source -

[brooklynite]

21. More specifically, the FBI refused AND leaked the request...

[cstanleytech]

24. If Obama or Clinton had done this the Congressional Repugnants would be launching

an investigation with the goal to impeach.

[Jarqui]

27. I don't trust anyone running things right now

I'm not sure if this is meaningful or not.