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Judicial Watch: Justice Department Discloses No FISA Court Hearings Held on Carter Page Warrants

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 5:51am

So what are the ramifications of this bit of skullduggery?

Judicial Watch: Justice Department Discloses No FISA Court Hearings Held on Carter Page Warrants
AUGUST 31, 2018

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch today announced that in response to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit, the Justice Department (DOJ) admitted in a court filing last night that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court held no hearings on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) spy warrant applications targeting Carter Page, a former Trump campaign part-time advisor who was the subject of four controversial FISA warrants.

In the filing the Justice Department finally revealed that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court held no hearings on the Page FISA spy warrants, first issued in 2016 and subsequently renewed three times:

National Security Division] FOIA consulted [Office of Intelligence] … to identify and locate records responsive to [Judicial Watch’s] FOIA request…. [Office of Intelligence] determined … that there were no records, electronic or paper, responsive to [Judicial Watch’s] FOIA request with regard to Carter Page. [Office of Intelligence] further confirmed that the [Foreign Surveillance Court] considered the Page warrant applications based upon written submissions and did not hold any hearings.

The Department of Justice previously released to Judicial Watch the heavily redacted Page warrant applications. The initial Page FISA warrant was granted just weeks before the 2016 election.

*

“It is disturbing that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance courts rubber-stamped the Carter Page spy warrants and held not one hearing on these extraordinary requests to spy on the Trump team,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Perhaps the court can now hold hearings on how justice was corrupted by material omissions that Hillary Clinton’s campaign, the DNC, a conflicted Bruce Ohr, a compromised Christopher Steele, and anti-Trumper Peter Strzok were all behind the ‘intelligence’ used to persuade the courts to approve the FISA warrants that targeted the Trump team.”

https://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-j...

Isn’t that lovely? A secret court allowed four warrants to spy on Page just on the day-so of a bunch of sneaky bastids so that they could rig an election. There should be some serious consequences for the way these wire tap warrants were requested and issued. I think that there are quite a few more security clearances that should be yanked. Immediately.

I’ve noticed that the usual suspects, Brennan, Clapper, Obama, The Clinton Creature, Schiff, Warner, etc., have been pretty quiet lately. I’m sure they know about these Judicial Watch lawsuits. Mueller’s even been pretty low key himself. I think things are about to get pretty interesting.

Tags:

These guys make Nixon & Co. look like a bunch of amateurs

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Comments

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 8:04am

You beat me to it!

If no one else posted about this, I was going to do an essay on this very subject.

Let's forget who was being spied upon and why, which is a very sordid story in itself. Instead, let's discuss why the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is so very unConstitutional and why no American should ever support its use.

Fourth Amendment - Search and Seizure

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Under the excuse of fighting terrorism, we have had our Constitutional rights systematically eroded and our personal privacy has ceased to exist.

Now what we are seeing is that the FISA court was being used simply as a rubber stamp of whatever the DoJ and FBI wanted, but also it was being used to allow spying based upon both false and no information.

And we will soon find out that it was also being used to spy for partisan political purposes which is the other sordid story. Without so much as a whimper, we the American people have already gone down that slippery slope into a very dark rabbit hole. I wonder if we will see enough courage out of our Congress to repeal the entire process.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 8:32am

Seething Frog did a video explaining the FISA process

I found it helpful in understanding the layers and supposed safeguards that were built into the process. If you watch, please be aware that Seething Frog is a conservative with a libertarian bent so he does make some editorial comments of that nature. But overall, I found this video very helpful in understanding FISA.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJHGk3R9RGc]

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by Deja on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 9:28am

"We don't keep a transcript of what we do"

@gulfgal98
Thinking back to my uncontested divorce, there was a docket, and the judge/court personnel followed a process by which they regularly conduct business. There was a court reporter as well, but there never was for traffic court.

Does the FISA court actually conduct court proceedings at all? Do they meet, even at a diner? Do they even physically sign the warrants? I'm getting the feeling they get a paycheck for being "your honor" and some clerk digitally signs warrants (PDF digi sigi), while the "judges" are off on some tropical island, checking their bank accounts in person, or at The Hamptons getting massages and playing golf.

I can't watch the whole thing right now, but commented on that one bit while I have the chance.

Submitted by gulfgal98 on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 11:21am

record keeping

@Deja For a number of years, I served as the staff person to our local board of adjustment and appeals which granted variances to the zoning, building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical codes as well as to the local sign ordinance. On any variance which was granted, the board was required to do a findings of fact and issue a document which was signed by the chairman and was maintained as part of the public records.

I find it very hard to believe that a court of law that meets in secret but makes a decision that affects a person's life does not keep a record of such a proceeding. The entire process appears to smack of a rubber stamp kangaroo court. This is exactly what the founders were concerned about when they drafted the 4th amendment. And this is exactly why I oppose the entire FISA process regardless of whom it is used against.

—

Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy

Submitted by Deja on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 5:13pm

No transcript or hearings for Carter Paige 4x!

@gulfgal98
You're right. Rubber stamped.

I finished watching it.

Interesting tidbit, but nothing shady of course (*cough, cough*):

*2016, under Obama --
1485 warrants requested
1451 warrants granted
34 warrents rejected

2017, under Trump --
1372 warrants requested
948 warrants granted
428 warrants rejected

*no matter what I tried, the numbers insisted on left-align.

He also said the AG is one of the 4 people who has to sign off on the applications before they go to the pretend "court" where no hearings occur. 2016 was Loretta "Ms. Tarmac" Lynch, right? (Yet another one I'd like to see in shackles.)

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Mon, 09/03/2018 - 3:45pm

FISC procedures per Us Code

@gulfgal98
50 U.S. Code § 1803 - Designation of judges
US Code
Notes
prev | next
(a) Court to hear applications and grant orders; record of denial; transmittal to court of review
(1) The Chief Justice of the United States shall publicly designate 11 district court judges from at least seven of the United States judicial circuits of whom no fewer than 3 shall reside within 20 miles of the District of Columbia who shall constitute a court which shall have jurisdiction to hear applications for and grant orders approving electronic surveillance anywhere within the United States under the procedures set forth in this chapter, except that no judge designated under this subsection (except when sitting en banc under paragraph (2)) shall hear the same application for electronic surveillance under this chapter which has been denied previously by another judge designated under this subsection. If any judge so designated denies an application for an order authorizing electronic surveillance under this chapter, such judge shall provide immediately for the record a written statement of each reason for his decision and, on motion of the United States, the record shall be transmitted, under seal, to the court of review established in subsection (b).
(2)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/1803
****

50 U.S. Code § 1804 - Applications for court orders
US Code
Notes
prev | next
(a) Submission by Federal officer; approval of Attorney General; contentsEach application for an order approving electronic surveillance under this subchapter shall be made by a Federal officer in writing upon oath or affirmation to a judge having jurisdiction under section 1803 of this title. Each application shall require the approval of the Attorney General based upon his finding that it satisfies the criteria and requirements of such application as set forth in this subchapter. It shall include—
(1) the identity of the Federal officer making the application;
(2) the identity, if known, or a description of the specific target of the electronic surveillance;
(3) a statement of the facts and circumstances relied upon by the applicant to justify his belief that—
(A) the target of the electronic surveillance is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power; and
(B) each of the facilities or places at which the electronic surveillance is directed is being used, or is about to be used, by a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power;
(4) a statement of the proposed minimization procedures;
(5) a description of the nature of the information sought and the type of communications or activities to be subjected to the surveillance;
(6) a certification or certifications by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, an executive branch official or officials designated by the President from among those executive officers employed in the area of national security or defense and appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, or the Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, if designated by the President as a certifying official—
(A) that the certifying official deems the information sought to be foreign intelligence information;
(B) that a significant purpose of the surveillance is to obtain foreign intelligence information;
(C) that such information cannot reasonably be obtained by normal investigative techniques;
(D) that designates the type of foreign intelligence information being sought according to the categories described in section 1801(e) of this title; and
(E) including a statement of the basis for the certification that—
(i) the information sought is the type of foreign intelligence information designated; and
(ii) such information cannot reasonably be obtained by normal investigative techniques;

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/1804

****

50 U.S. Code § 1805 - Issuance of order
US Code
Notes
prev | next
(a) Necessary findingsUpon an application made pursuant to section 1804 of this title, the judge shall enter an ex parte order as requested or as modified approving the electronic surveillance if he finds that—
*

(4) the application which has been filed contains all statements and certifications required by section 1804 of this title and, if the target is a United States person, the certification or certifications are not clearly erroneous on the basis of the statement made under section 1804(a)(7)(E)  of this title and any other information furnished under section 1804(d)  of this title.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/1805

From the sound of things the fact that there are no records seems mighty strange.

—

I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Submitted by Deja on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 8:33am

I'm surprised they admitted it, actually

I'm completely blown away by the fact that something wasn't thrown together and typed up to make it look official. Jeez, now I'm worried about the poor saps who told the truth about there not being any hearings. Who's going to be moved to the mail room or custodial duties prior to being let go and publicly smeared, or suicided by two shots to the back of the head/botched robbery/single car crash/small plane crash, etc.?

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 8:49am

I doubt things will get interesting....

This is the United States of America.

Submitted by Amanda Matthews on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 2:05pm

It can if organizations and people keep

@Pluto's Republic
DEMANDING to see the warrants and records (which in this case don’t exist) pertaining to the authorization of FISC warrants. Now they need to be declassified and released by the DOJ.

Either we go down fighting or whimpering like a whipped dog.

—

I'm tired of this back-slapping "Isn't humanity neat?" bullshit. We're a virus with shoes, okay? That's all we are. - Bill Hicks

Politics is the entertainment branch of industry. - Frank Zappa

Submitted by Alligator Ed on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 10:12pm

FISA's Wizard of Oz moment: nobody behind curtain

FIS Court "rules" effectively enabling the unconstitutional Patriot Act is a sham poker game with no players other than the shot caller (using gang terms) who was usually BHO or HRC.

From the U.S. District court:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
JUDICIAL WATCH, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. )
) Case No. 18-CV-01050-ABJ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, )

As required by Local Civil Rule 7(h)(1), and in support of the Motion for Summary Judgment, Defendant hereby makes the following statement of material facts as to which there is no genuine issue.1. This matter arises from a FOIA request submitted to the Department of Justice for “transcripts of hearings before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court regarding applications for or renewals of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (“FISA”) warrants relating to Carter Page and/or Michael Flynn.” See Declaration of Patrick Findlay, ¶ 4 & Ex. A. The request is dated February 16, 2018, and was received by DOJ on February 26, 2018. Id. It was later referred to the National Security Division. Id. ¶ 5

3. On February 2, 2018, Congress released a memorandum, hereinafter referred to as the “Nunes Memorandum.” The President declassified the Congressional memorandum, which included references to the existence of FISA material related to Carter Page. A letter from White House counsel clarified that it was declassified “in light of the significant public interest” in the matter and noted that the memorandum “reflects the judgments of its congressional authors.” On February 24, 2018, HPSCI’s Democratic Members released a redacted memorandum authored by Adam Schiff, ranking member of HPSCI, to “correct the record” following release of the Nunes Memorandum (hereafter “the Schiff Memorandum”). In light of the declassification of the Nunes Memorandum and subsequent publication of the Schiff Memorandum, the Department officially acknowledged the existence of FISA applications related to Carter Page after his separation from the Trump campaign. Findlay Decl. ¶¶ 7-8.

5. With respect to the portion of the request related to Carter Page, NSD searched the locations likely to contain responsive records and reasonably determined that there are no responsive records. Findlay Decl. ¶¶ 13-15.

6. Specifically, FOIA staff consulted with knowledgeable subject matter experts in the Office of Intelligence. Those experts confirmed that, as is typical in proceedings before the FISC, no hearings were held with respect to the acknowledged Carter Page FISA applications, and thus no responsive transcripts exist. Id. ¶ 14.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/JW-v-DOJ-FISA-no...

Do Democrats see any problem with this? Of course not. Not only were people like Carter Page inserted into the Trump campaign by Dems/FBI to serve as fodder for the Müller witch hunt, but they didn't even bother to hold a pro forma "trial". At least in Stalin's day, you would get a show trial before being awarded a trip to Siberia (at best) or, very often, rapid lead insertion into the cranium.

This is definitely a belt-and-suspenders operation in which neither the belt was buckled nor the suspenders attached.

How could this whole Müller mousetrap and its prelude be anything EXCEPT politically motivated.

Submitted by Linda Wood on Sat, 09/01/2018 - 11:21pm

Alligator Ed,

@Alligator Ed
I've been reading as many things as I can about this that are well written and researched, at themarketswork.com, the conservative treehouse, here at caucus99percent, by snoopydawg, gulfgal98, leveymg, Pluto's Republic, Amanda Matthews and others, as well as research and opinion pieces at Consortium News, and I think you have just summed it up perfectly. You've said so much so succinctly. There is no law, there is no accountability. There is just horseshit fed to media outlets to create a narrative for the gullible American people. No one bothered to engage in any legal process because there is no law. No one worried about being held accountable because there is no justice. It's just horseshit.

FIS Court "rules" effectively enabling the unconstitutional Patriot Act is a sham poker game with no players other than the shot caller (using gang terms) who was usually BHO or HRC.

From the U.S. District court:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
JUDICIAL WATCH, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. )
) Case No. 18-CV-01050-ABJ UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, )

As required by Local Civil Rule 7(h)(1), and in support of the Motion for Summary Judgment, Defendant hereby makes the following statement of material facts as to which there is no genuine issue.1. This matter arises from a FOIA request submitted to the Department of Justice for “transcripts of hearings before the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court regarding applications for or renewals of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (“FISA”) warrants relating to Carter Page and/or Michael Flynn.” See Declaration of Patrick Findlay, ¶ 4 & Ex. A. The request is dated February 16, 2018, and was received by DOJ on February 26, 2018. Id. It was later referred to the National Security Division. Id. ¶ 5

3. On February 2, 2018, Congress released a memorandum, hereinafter referred to as the “Nunes Memorandum.” The President declassified the Congressional memorandum, which included references to the existence of FISA material related to Carter Page. A letter from White House counsel clarified that it was declassified “in light of the significant public interest” in the matter and noted that the memorandum “reflects the judgments of its congressional authors.” On February 24, 2018, HPSCI’s Democratic Members released a redacted memorandum authored by Adam Schiff, ranking member of HPSCI, to “correct the record” following release of the Nunes Memorandum (hereafter “the Schiff Memorandum”). In light of the declassification of the Nunes Memorandum and subsequent publication of the Schiff Memorandum, the Department officially acknowledged the existence of FISA applications related to Carter Page after his separation from the Trump campaign. Findlay Decl. ¶¶ 7-8.

5. With respect to the portion of the request related to Carter Page, NSD searched the locations likely to contain responsive records and reasonably determined that there are no responsive records. Findlay Decl. ¶¶ 13-15.

6. Specifically, FOIA staff consulted with knowledgeable subject matter experts in the Office of Intelligence. Those experts confirmed that, as is typical in proceedings before the FISC, no hearings were held with respect to the acknowledged Carter Page FISA applications, and thus no responsive transcripts exist. Id. ¶ 14.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/JW-v-DOJ-FISA-no...

Do Democrats see any problem with this? Of course not. Not only were people like Carter Page inserted into the Trump campaign by Dems/FBI to serve as fodder for the Müller witch hunt, but they didn't even bother to hold a pro forma "trial". At least in Stalin's day, you would get a show trial before being awarded a trip to Siberia (at best) or, very often, rapid lead insertion into the cranium.

This is definitely a belt-and-suspenders operation in which neither the belt was buckled nor the suspenders attached.

How could this whole Müller mousetrap and its prelude be anything EXCEPT politically motivated.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 1:29am

If there were no hearings for the FISA warrants for

Page then any information that the FBI got from its investigation is fruit from the poisonous tree. Therefore the information that Mueller has been gathering should be thrown out. This means that the verdicts in the Manafort trial should be overturned. As well as the indictments on the numerous Russian ham sandwiches and anyone else who has been caught up with this phony investigation.

There were at least 7 times that the FBI tried to entrap Trump or someone in his campaign, but they weren't successful. One of the times was the meeting between Trump Jr and the Russian lawyer who said that she had ~~information~~ dirt on Hillary. When she started talking about reversing the Maginsky act Trump Jr and Kushner told her that the meeting was over. In Amanda's other essay she stated that the lawyer met with someone from Fusion GPS before and after the meeting. The Obama justice department was involved with getting her passport problems fixed so that she could attend the meeting.

One thing that has slipped from the radar is how right after Russia was charged with interfering with the election then DHS decided that the elections weren't safe from outside interference and that they should now be in charge of them.

How the Department of Homeland Security Created a Deceptive Tale of Russia Hacking US Voter Sites

In other words they lied about a whole bunch of things that never happened! Like Russia hacked into Vermont's electrical grid ... 21 state's voting rolls .... etc, etc, etc...

Here's one article that I recently read which talks about how Hillary's campaign not only rigged the primary, but was also rigging the GOP's primary too.

Revisiting Hillary, DNC and their Russia Meddling Accusations

Isn't that considered election interference? Why yes I think it was. But apparently that was okay because it was done by Shillary who apparently can get away with whatever the Hell she wants.

As Linda stated this site has been doing a remarkable job debunking Russia Gate. I'm still trying to figure out why people here saw through this from the beginning? I think that most of the Bernie and Trump supporters were the ones that didn't believe that Russia had anything to do with Hillary's loss, but her supporters did. They still do and instead of them finally seeing how they have been brainwashed by the biggest propaganda scam in history they are not only still believing the original charge which was Russia hacked the DNC computers and gave the information to Wikileaks.

This happened just after Hillary and Podesta became aware that the information about how the primary was rigged was given to Wikileaks and they were going to be releasing the information and they decided to blame it on Russia.

Remember that Mueller only got appointed because Comey told a friend about the conversation he had with Trump about the investigation into Flynn. Wow. A lot of new fake shit has been added since then.

—

The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”

Submitted by travelerxxx on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 1:58am

Worth the read

@snoopydawg

Thanks for the link to the Ghion Journal article. That's a good one - short and sweet - and Mr. Fikre is right on the money, too. I really liked the line, "They blame Russia, racism and come up with a thousand excuses as to why John McCain in pantsuits, aka Hillary Clinton, lost to Donald Trump."

... John McCain in pantsuits, aka Hillary Clinton ... Damn, that's a classic!

Page then any information that the FBI got from its investigation is fruit from the poisonous tree. Therefore the information that Mueller has been gathering should be thrown out. This means that the verdicts in the Manafort trial should be overturned. As well as the indictments on the numerous Russian ham sandwiches and anyone else who has been caught up with this phony investigation.

There were at least 7 times that the FBI tried to entrap Trump or someone in his campaign, but they weren't successful. One of the times was the meeting between Trump Jr and the Russian lawyer who said that she had ~~information~~ dirt on Hillary. When she started talking about reversing the Maginsky act Trump Jr and Kushner told her that the meeting was over. In Amanda's other essay she stated that the lawyer met with someone from Fusion GPS before and after the meeting. The Obama justice department was involved with getting her passport problems fixed so that she could attend the meeting.

One thing that has slipped from the radar is how right after Russia was charged with interfering with the election then DHS decided that the elections weren't safe from outside interference and that they should now be in charge of them.

How the Department of Homeland Security Created a Deceptive Tale of Russia Hacking US Voter Sites

In other words they lied about a whole bunch of things that never happened! Like Russia hacked into Vermont's electrical grid ... 21 state's voting rolls .... etc, etc, etc...

Here's one article that I recently read which talks about how Hillary's campaign not only rigged the primary, but was also rigging the GOP's primary too.

Revisiting Hillary, DNC and their Russia Meddling Accusations

Isn't that considered election interference? Why yes I think it was. But apparently that was okay because it was done by Shillary who apparently can get away with whatever the Hell she wants.

As Linda stated this site has been doing a remarkable job debunking Russia Gate. I'm still trying to figure out why people here saw through this from the beginning? I think that most of the Bernie and Trump supporters were the ones that didn't believe that Russia had anything to do with Hillary's loss, but her supporters did. They still do and instead of them finally seeing how they have been brainwashed by the biggest propaganda scam in history they are not only still believing the original charge which was Russia hacked the DNC computers and gave the information to Wikileaks.

This happened just after Hillary and Podesta became aware that the information about how the primary was rigged was given to Wikileaks and they were going to be releasing the information and they decided to blame it on Russia.

Remember that Mueller only got appointed because Comey told a friend about the conversation he had with Trump about the investigation into Flynn. Wow. A lot of new fake shit has been added since then.

Submitted by Linda Wood on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 10:08am

So here's the crap

this morning. From the conservative treehouse reporting on the NYTimes crazy obfuscation. You know what this reminds me of? When the 28 pages were likely to be released, revealing not only that Saudi officials were directly funding the hijackers in the U.S. but also that our "intelligence" community was observing them and their funding before 9/11, Richard Clark proposed the CIA was trying to "flip" the hijackers.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/09/01/comical-propaganda-nyt-n...

Comical Propaganda – NYT Now Claiming FBI Was Trying to “Flip” Oleg Deripaska…
Posted on September 1, 2018 by sundance

… See how the insufferable media now spin the connection between the DOJ/FBI and Oleg Deripaska as the FBI was trying to “flip” the Russian oligarch.

That’s the spin.

That’s the new narrative.

That’s the new ‘hotness’.

That’s the obfuscation.

The New York Times article is a long diatribe trying to justify connections, meetings, contacts, actions, text messages and emails between DOJ and FBI officials and people who were representing Oleg Deripaska.

Oh, yeah, and they gave him VISA’s to enter the U.S. and conduct business because they wanted to “flip him”…. Oh yeah, and the FBI asked him to help them with the Trump investigation in September 2016 because they wanted to “flip him”…. Oh yeah, and they took the Steele Dossier for use in their political opposition research because they wanted to “flip” him… or something.

The reality is that Christopher Steele was working for Oleg Deripaska, and Deripaska provided material, ridiculous material like hookers, pee-tapes etc, that Steele -while working in collaboration with Bruce Ohr’s wife Nellie Ohr- put into his silly dossier and gave to the FBI….. who then used that nonsense to gain a surveillance warrant against the Trump campaign. That’s Oleg’s REAL STORY.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 11:34am

Great find, Linda

@Linda Wood

I was wondering how they were going to spin the fact that so many people were working with/for Oleg Deripaska a Russian oligarch who had close ties to Putin.

—

The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”

Submitted by Linda Wood on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 12:20pm

He has ties to Putin,

@snoopydawg

but they aren't necessarily good ones. Here is the famous video of Putin shaming Deripaska into re-opening a plant:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XfbWnDXCx8]

The NYTimes and the Deep State keep describing him as Putin-connected. But Deripaska is an oligarch whom Putin has made an example of as cheating the workforce. This is what Putin is known for, challenging the rapacious oligarchs. Therefore, our senators like Schumer describe Putin as a dictator who is destroying democracy, because Putin is preventing profiteers and organized crime figures from making as much money as possible at the expense of the Russian people. For our senators, rapacious capitalism is democracy and making oligarchs pay taxes and provide jobs is dictatorship.

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 12:55pm

Well said, Linda.

@Linda Wood

For our senators, rapacious capitalism is democracy and making oligarchs pay taxes and provide jobs is dictatorship.

That's a fact and it explains much of the past two decades.

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 1:19pm

I meant that to be snark

@Linda Wood

isn't that what the Russia-phobes always say about people involved in this farce?

"He has close ties with Putin"

The biggest reason why our government hates Putin is he put a stop to their asset stripping Russia that Yeltzin let them get away with. I will try to find the article on this. It's excellent, but I posted it many months ago so I'm not sure if I can.

—

The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”

Submitted by Linda Wood on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 1:28pm

Putin's comments

at the Deripaska meeting are covered here by Reuters. I have added the bold type. It is from 2009, but it's still worth understanding what makes Putin both popular in Russia and unpopular in Washington. Note the Deripaska billions owed to Western creditors.

https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-putin/update-1-russias-putin-raps...

June 4, 2009 / 6:33 PM / 9 years ago
UPDATE 1-Russia's Putin raps tycoons in crisis-hit town
By Oleg Zagoruyko

PIKALYOVO, Russia, June 4 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin publicly humiliated a top oligarch on Thursday, accusing him and other factory owners in a crisis-hit town of greed and likening them to “cockroaches”.

Putin, playing on the anger of protesting workers in the town of Pikalyovo, forced Oleg Deripaska, a top metals tycoon and once Russia’s richest man, to sign a contract for supplies to help idle factories restart operations.

“You have made thousands of people hostage to your ambitions, your lack of professionalism — or maybe simply your trivial greed,” Putin told Deripaska and two other businessmen who own cement and alumina factories in the town.

“Where is the social responsibility of business ?”, he said in the confrontation broadcast on national television.

Putin travelled to Pikalyovo, where hungry workers blocked a motorway this week to protest over unpaid salaries, as world business leaders gathered for Russia’s premier annual economic summit in St Petersburg, 270 km (170 miles) away.

He rounded on Deripaska and the two other businessmen, making a veiled threat to expropriate their property unless they sorted out the situation quickly.

“Why was everyone running around like cockroaches before my arrival? Why was no one capable of taking decisions?” Putin said as Deripaska stared blankly.

“Has Oleg Vladimirovich (Deripaska) signed? I do not see your signature. Come here and sign it,” Putin said, throwing a pen dismissively onto the table.

His head hanging low, the once-mighty oligarch walked up to the premier’s table, read the document covering raw material supplies to the factories and added his signature.

... Putin also told the businessmen to clear debts of 41 million roubles ($1.33 million) by the end of the day and threatened nationalisation unless the factories’ owners solved the problems.

“If the owners cannot agree among themselves, then the ... complexes will be restarted anyway,” Putin said. “If you cannot agree among yourselves it will be done without you.”

Lawmakers from Russia’s ruling party on Wednesday had introduced a bill to nationalise the three factories. It was not clear whether that legislation would go forward.

Deripaska, last year estimated by Forbes to be worth $28 billion, has lost most of his fortune in the crisis and is trying to restructure billions of dollars of loans owed by his flagship company UC Rusal to Western creditors.

UC Rusal, in which Deripaska is the largest shareholder, is the world’s biggest aluminium producer. (Writing by Michael Stott and Conor Humphries; editing by Richard Balmforth)

Submitted by Linda Wood on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 1:33pm

And just a personal

@Linda Wood

response,

“Where is the social responsibility of business ?”, he said in the confrontation broadcast on national television.

Putin said that. Where is my candidate in my country who would say that? Paul Wellstone? Where is my candidate? Where is a single member of the United States Congress who would say that?

at the Deripaska meeting are covered here by Reuters. I have added the bold type. It is from 2009, but it's still worth understanding what makes Putin both popular in Russia and unpopular in Washington. Note the Deripaska billions owed to Western creditors.

https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-putin/update-1-russias-putin-raps...

June 4, 2009 / 6:33 PM / 9 years ago
UPDATE 1-Russia's Putin raps tycoons in crisis-hit town
By Oleg Zagoruyko

PIKALYOVO, Russia, June 4 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin publicly humiliated a top oligarch on Thursday, accusing him and other factory owners in a crisis-hit town of greed and likening them to “cockroaches”.

Putin, playing on the anger of protesting workers in the town of Pikalyovo, forced Oleg Deripaska, a top metals tycoon and once Russia’s richest man, to sign a contract for supplies to help idle factories restart operations.

“You have made thousands of people hostage to your ambitions, your lack of professionalism — or maybe simply your trivial greed,” Putin told Deripaska and two other businessmen who own cement and alumina factories in the town.

“Where is the social responsibility of business ?”, he said in the confrontation broadcast on national television.

Putin travelled to Pikalyovo, where hungry workers blocked a motorway this week to protest over unpaid salaries, as world business leaders gathered for Russia’s premier annual economic summit in St Petersburg, 270 km (170 miles) away.

He rounded on Deripaska and the two other businessmen, making a veiled threat to expropriate their property unless they sorted out the situation quickly.

“Why was everyone running around like cockroaches before my arrival? Why was no one capable of taking decisions?” Putin said as Deripaska stared blankly.

“Has Oleg Vladimirovich (Deripaska) signed? I do not see your signature. Come here and sign it,” Putin said, throwing a pen dismissively onto the table.

His head hanging low, the once-mighty oligarch walked up to the premier’s table, read the document covering raw material supplies to the factories and added his signature.

... Putin also told the businessmen to clear debts of 41 million roubles ($1.33 million) by the end of the day and threatened nationalisation unless the factories’ owners solved the problems.

“If the owners cannot agree among themselves, then the ... complexes will be restarted anyway,” Putin said. “If you cannot agree among yourselves it will be done without you.”

Lawmakers from Russia’s ruling party on Wednesday had introduced a bill to nationalise the three factories. It was not clear whether that legislation would go forward.

Deripaska, last year estimated by Forbes to be worth $28 billion, has lost most of his fortune in the crisis and is trying to restructure billions of dollars of loans owed by his flagship company UC Rusal to Western creditors.

UC Rusal, in which Deripaska is the largest shareholder, is the world’s biggest aluminium producer. (Writing by Michael Stott and Conor Humphries; editing by Richard Balmforth)

Submitted by Deja on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 2:12pm

No wonder the Dems hate Putin . . .

@Linda Wood
. . . he gives a damn about workers. He cares about what his fellow citizens eat, as well (no gmo). That also explains why they hate him so much at that orange hell hole, dkos.

Yeah, I'd love to hear a candidate or elected official here say that. They wouldn't be able to be a D or R, though, considering both parties see that type of language, and threatened action as blasphemy.

Submitted by ggersh on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 4:35pm

BST was optimistic in thinking

@Linda Wood they'll be one child to carry on
but your correct not a single clowngressperson
sticks up for Jane/Joe 6pack

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gxwutvlTw8]

—

I never knew that the term "Never Again" only pertained to
those born Jewish

"Antisemite used to be someone who didn't like Jews
now it's someone who Jews don't like"

Heard from Margaret Kimberley

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 2:04pm

That article covers the one I read

@Linda Wood

When Putin took over he gave the oligarchs a choice. Stop screwing the country or go to jail. Most stopped, a few went to jail and others fled the country. Ditto on this.

Where is my candidate in my country who would say that?

at the Deripaska meeting are covered here by Reuters. I have added the bold type. It is from 2009, but it's still worth understanding what makes Putin both popular in Russia and unpopular in Washington. Note the Deripaska billions owed to Western creditors.

https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-putin/update-1-russias-putin-raps...

June 4, 2009 / 6:33 PM / 9 years ago
UPDATE 1-Russia's Putin raps tycoons in crisis-hit town
By Oleg Zagoruyko

PIKALYOVO, Russia, June 4 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin publicly humiliated a top oligarch on Thursday, accusing him and other factory owners in a crisis-hit town of greed and likening them to “cockroaches”.

Putin, playing on the anger of protesting workers in the town of Pikalyovo, forced Oleg Deripaska, a top metals tycoon and once Russia’s richest man, to sign a contract for supplies to help idle factories restart operations.

“You have made thousands of people hostage to your ambitions, your lack of professionalism — or maybe simply your trivial greed,” Putin told Deripaska and two other businessmen who own cement and alumina factories in the town.

“Where is the social responsibility of business ?”, he said in the confrontation broadcast on national television.

Putin travelled to Pikalyovo, where hungry workers blocked a motorway this week to protest over unpaid salaries, as world business leaders gathered for Russia’s premier annual economic summit in St Petersburg, 270 km (170 miles) away.

He rounded on Deripaska and the two other businessmen, making a veiled threat to expropriate their property unless they sorted out the situation quickly.

“Why was everyone running around like cockroaches before my arrival? Why was no one capable of taking decisions?” Putin said as Deripaska stared blankly.

“Has Oleg Vladimirovich (Deripaska) signed? I do not see your signature. Come here and sign it,” Putin said, throwing a pen dismissively onto the table.

His head hanging low, the once-mighty oligarch walked up to the premier’s table, read the document covering raw material supplies to the factories and added his signature.

... Putin also told the businessmen to clear debts of 41 million roubles ($1.33 million) by the end of the day and threatened nationalisation unless the factories’ owners solved the problems.

“If the owners cannot agree among themselves, then the ... complexes will be restarted anyway,” Putin said. “If you cannot agree among yourselves it will be done without you.”

Lawmakers from Russia’s ruling party on Wednesday had introduced a bill to nationalise the three factories. It was not clear whether that legislation would go forward.

Deripaska, last year estimated by Forbes to be worth $28 billion, has lost most of his fortune in the crisis and is trying to restructure billions of dollars of loans owed by his flagship company UC Rusal to Western creditors.

UC Rusal, in which Deripaska is the largest shareholder, is the world’s biggest aluminium producer. (Writing by Michael Stott and Conor Humphries; editing by Richard Balmforth)

—

The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”

Submitted by snoopydawg on Sun, 09/02/2018 - 2:11pm

Work with us or else

It is understood that Justice Department official Bruce Ohr and former British spy Christopher Steele – who was responsible for the infamous Trump-Russia ‘dirty dossier’ – were involved in the attempt to turn Russian oligarchs into US informants. The report said that the US government tried to entice Deripaska with promises to relieve him of previous visa issues stemming from past legal problems, but their attempts to win over the aluminum magnate and other Russian oligarchs appear to have failed.

In April, Deripaska and his company were hit by sweeping US sanctions, with Washington accusing him of links to crime, various abuses and even of ordering a murder.

—

The message echoes from Gaza back to the US. “Starving people is fine.”