While Democrats in Congress eagerly await President Donald Trump’s decision to declassify their own version of the GOP-released FISA memo, the political damage to their narrative has already been done.
Now, it’s common knowledge that United States intelligence agencies acted outside of the boundaries of their legal power to spy on an American citizen using unverified information as probable cause. It’s also widely known that the infamous dossier meant to disparage Trump’s reputation was commissioned by the DNC and Hillary Clinton herself.
Let’s take a look at the lasting impact, and the information revealed in the memo itself.
What is the Memo?
The FISA memo is a four-page document that suggests the investigation into Russian collusion by the Trump campaign was unlawful. The House Intelligence Committee chairman put the memo together after his initial investigation.
The memo clarified specific allegations against FBI officials, a key reason for the controversy. The memo suggests that FBI agents used a dossier to obtain warrants to listen in on the Carter Page, a graduate of the Naval Academy and an individual with no criminal record. Page was a volunteer for the Trump Campaign.
The dossier was opposition research paid for by the DNC and the Hilary Clinton campaign. Since the dossier was the reason for a warrant, the memo suggests that the warrant was obtained illegally. It was also determined that information was not provided to the courts that would have prevented a warrant.
Perjury and Crimes
The key concern associated with the memo is the allegation of criminal activities. Perjury, or lying in court to the judge, is a major crime. Since the dossier was opposition research and paid for by the Hilary Clinton campaign, it was a biased source of information. It was also determined that the dossier was unreliable. At the time the FBI agents presented the dossier in court, they were aware that it was an unreliable source of information.
The court was also given only a portion of the information related to the dossier at the time the warrant was issued by a judge. The court was not told that the dossier was opposition research or that it was paid for by the Clinton Campaign. A warrant is not usually issued when the foundation for a warrant is a biased source, unreliable or due to unverified opposition research.
The primary accusation against former FBI Director Comey and others working on the Russian investigation is improper methods of obtaining permission to surveil Carter Page, a citizen of the United States. Since they did not present the entirety of the dossier to the court or give details about a conflict of interest in relation to the dossier, they used the court system in an illegal manner. The warrants were issued under false pretenses, and citizens were watched without their consent or proper protocols.
Although it is not proven that the courts were deliberately manipulated, it is a concern. The alternative is that the individuals involved in the process were incompetent.
Long-Lasting Damage
The impact of releasing the memo is an investigation into the situation. It also suggests that President Trump was not colluding with the Russians and that the FBI was illegally surveilling a U.S. citizen. The memo states that the investigators into potential collusion with Russia knew that the dossier was paid opposition research.
The court would not, in most circumstances, allow the use of paid opposition research or newspapers to obtain a warrant. The surveillance system allowed by the warrant is intrusive. When a FBI agent uses paid opposition research as the foundation for a warrant, they are required to inform the judge. The reason is that the research or a newspaper is a biased source of information and may not have accurate facts or details.
If the court was aware that the DNC and the Clinton Campaign paid for the dossier, then it would not result in a warrant for surveillance. Since the memo suggests that the highest levels of the FBI were aware of the biased source and decided to proceed to the FISA court, it could mean they also committed crimes. The FBI agents involved were the top officials and were aware of the standards when presenting information to the court. The deliberate misrepresentation of information suggests a deliberate attempt to mislead the court and obtain an illegal warrant.
Releasing the memo is a move in transparency that shows the level of corruption in politics. It has been presented to the public as well as the courts to show the illegal activities and the biased sources of information. Since the dossier was the only evidence presented for the warrant, it means that President Trump was not involved in any Russian collusion. The impact is an investigation into the DNC, the Hilary Campaign and the FBI agents involved in the situation.
~ Conservative Zone
Funny I have not seen any long lasting damage yet; except scrambling like rats off a sinking ship to excuse it did not happen, with the help of the media. Just standard procedure for dems.
Until heads roll, there is no damage. Voters have short memories.
Lasting damage to the Dems? Pipe dream. You could catch a Dem politico in the act of the very worst crime you can imagine; you could photograph or record him/her, have a team of nuns as witnesses, find victim’s blood on him/her, fingerprints on the victim — EVERYTHING needed to convict and two things would happen. First, the Dem would deny, deny and deny. Second, the Dem “faithful” — or maybe “faithless” is a better appellation — would just shrug it off as “fake news.” Remember, huge numbers of voters get their information from the Democratic Party. They ignore any other source of information. In the situation you write about, they’ll shrug it off as “So what?”
There will be no lasting damage, not even short term! Anybody remember the “lion of the senate” teddy kennedy?
Randy, you make an interesting point. However, there was not “powerful internet” or on-line environment during Kennedy’s years…just after Mary Jo died.
The Media was still genuflecting at the Kennedy alter. Things are much different now.
sanjosemike (no longer in CA)
I don’t see any indictments of Democrats until the 2nd Trump administration. So far, Hillary still has people who will go “under the bus” for her. But as time passes, there will be fewer and fewer. And Trump will consolidate his political power at the beginning of his next administration.
It usually “falls” like this: “After Comey gets his second attorney bill of 350,000 dollars, Comey’s wife will scream at him…YOU will not bring this family down for Hillary Clinton…you will turn states evidence tomorrow!”
At that point, the first indictment that results in Hillary Clinton going to Federal prison will materialize.
sanjosemike (no longer in CA)
I agree the Dems will always deny and the MSM will just parrot their lies. Inconvenient facts are not allowed in their echo chamber. Remember a few years ago, the MSM were thrilled Obama was going after Rosen at Fox News, then discovered Obama was illegally wiretapping them and accessing their emails and computers? They were not outraged or shocked – that would have required them to reconsider their Obama worship. They acted a little bewildered for about 24 hours – then resumed kissing his feet. They refused to accept the simple fact that he broke laws and used the government as a weapon against them. MSM journalists who took it seriously were trashed and excommunicated. Of course, the Dems and the rest of the MSM refused to confront Obama.
So, it is no wonder the MSM will discount the idea that the DOJ and FBI were weaponized against Trump. They could not accept that Obama did it to them – kinda like not accepting the sun came up – so they focus on negative opinions about Republicans. Recently, several journalists gave air time to Obama as he claimed his was the most honest, open, transparent administration in the history of the country, as well as stating there was no hint of scandal or corruption in his administration. (no Fast and Furious, No IRS targeting of conservatives, …..)
Obama and Hillary could call a press conference and confess to everything, but the MSM would ignore it and rant about Trump.
This Mr. Sessions guy ….. Anywhere to be found ? …. Doing anything ?
Yeah…Sessions was told by Rosenstein to get under his desk and not come out until this is over…and Sessions did and is…sad!
The Democrats have him and McConnell won’t Pay the Ransom …!!!
If anyone involved in the investigation did not follow proper procedure they should be jailed for their crimes just like anyone else in the USA. You can not have a society where only certain people are prosecuted. No one has ever been allowed to go free because they didn’t know the law.
Drain the swamps all across America.
Trump 2020
Yes drain those snake infested swamps!
Maybe if you turned off Fox “news,” Breitbart, Alex Jones, Rush, Hannity, and other liars, you could at least appear to have an IQ above 5.
Sorry, you’re the one with the low IQ.
HW unfortunately you have an IQ lower than your shoe size and obviously loves to prove Einstein to be 100% Correct!! Einstein said ” there is a limit to genius but no limit on stupidity” Congratulations you are the superstar of stupidity!!!
Force Recon Marine – thank you for your service. The naysayers will be singing a different tune. It’s understood that the IG, Michael Horowitz is still amassing a mass of data that will make Nunes’ and McConnell’s memos look like child’s play. Horowitz has 450 employees that are working for him specifically on this soon-to-be-released bombshell. It’s to be released in March or early April. There are apparently a crapload of sealed indictments. It’s no coincidence that an executive order was signed to keep Gitmo open for business. I’m impatiently awaiting D-day. We can wait until then to confirm liberal IQ’s at that time.
Just because MSM has learning deficits and one-sided liberal bias doesn’t mean we all have to be brainwashed. Also, Fox is a good news source, but not the only news source. It’s been corroborated by other than those listed by HW. So, we shall see/hear/watch – stay tuned. If nothing happens by the end of April, then the naysayers can say, “I told you so!” I’m praying for the release long before then.
The truth be known…It was widely known that this third world police state government widely spied on American citizens any time it want to without FISA warrants!
The only reason Hillary & Obama wanted one while spying on everyone in the Trump campaign was encase they got caught…which they did!
But they still have nothing to worry about….because the third world government so called authorities don’t care and are looking the other way….the whole while they are pushing & selling the Nazi KGB agent Trump story…???
What a bunch of third world hellhole jerks they are, and that includes the courts…period!
Ever hear the term” Life is like having to eat a schitt sandwich?? The more bread one has the less “schitt” they have to eat and the “elite” in this nation have plenty of bread to keep them from noshing on schitt sandwiches!!!
Is Schitt and Schiff interchangeable?
They probably will all be in jail!
Well we know now how crooked the FIB is. The top level typically sets the tone and examle for their employees. That being said, the court renewed the warrants every 90 days for a total of 4 quarters or one year. Seems to me the judge should have clued into this or asked for further causes before issuing the renewal. Lacking concrete evidence and still proceeding makes on look at the judge. Who made them a judge? What political party do they belong to and support? Is there fit her collusion or potentially conspiracy involved? We The People demand a full investigation and rendering if findings. Redaction and/or suppression in any way is unacceptable. We do understand and do need to know now
The guilty will be prosecuted by an unbiased prosecutor and court.
Although it is clear that many crimes were committed by many individuals, who will bring charges? The A. G. Is on vacation and who is left there with enough spine and integrity see justice pursued? I fear this rot has progressed beyond a vure.
Although it is clear that many crimes were committed by many individuals, who will bring charges? The A. G. Is on vacation and who is left there with enough spine and integrity see justice pursued? I fear this rot has progressed beyond a cure.
Will anything really be done to these law breakers?
Where is Mr. Sessions?
Will the Clintons and thier associated nonsense ever go away? Frankly I am completely fed up whis trash!
That could have been me hit with that corrupt FISA warrant for you would never know until they come to arrest you which is why every American citizen should demand that the people involved in this go to jail and not “sweep this under the rug” which President Trump cannot do for it would “destroy our American Democracy, shred our Constitution and Bill of Rights and send our America down to chaos and anarchy which is what the Democrat Party wants to do”!! They tried to overthrow our government and that is the truth!! Every Democrat Party up for election in the 2018 election should go down to defeat for what they did and still are trying to do to us as American citizens for that is what we can do as voters to make this right!!!!!….
Shredding our constitution & destroying our bill of rights has been thier agenda for many years now.Obama made every attempt to destroy America
(evil anti-christ bastard) .And we all know what the clintons are about they don’t care how many people die to fulfill thier agenda ($$$).Or how many lives are ruined!
So far I have not seen much real results from the memo. It is to be hoped that it will provide the edge that will bring forth more information. And perhaps there will be evidence that can bring some real action. Having said that; Hillary and the DNC’s fingerprints are al over this as are members of the FBI. These people must be exposed. And perhaps they will take the democrat party down with them. The socialist have embedded themselves throughout the government and our institutions like the media and our schools. They have gotten themselves elected to public office and can be found in both major parties. They not only have major presence in the Democrat party but are now in control of it. Their goal is to undermine our society, our government and fundamentally transform us into a socialist police state.
To many lies and with such meanness will always brake a situation and this DNC is evil to the core. Time will tell just who
stays and who goes. I know that we have the best in Donald Trump and I hope he stays through 2020. Just think of the man and the RNC (which should get behind him and support him). You may not like him but all of those serving should see what
he can do. For all those getting out of Washington you may wish you had stayed. I wish you all well.
So far there does not seem to be any real damage to the democrats. We can only hope that some action is taken and they don’t recover. But anything is possible.