Does Obama Get Indicted?

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

problem being the agent interviewing him is on record describing his interview as truthful. is that what the finalized 302 says after being edited for over two weeks, with corroborating evidence of texts between strzok and page indicating their biased effort to muddle up the file?

All fantastic points arguing why Barr was probably right to dismiss the charges, not that there is anything remotely criminal about the previous administration going at Fynn.

[pineapplemike]

simplest answer to your question of criminality is

The FBI also seized on a seemingly illegal leak of classified information to the media in order to advance its investigation of Michael Flynn.

McCabe, who served as deputy director of the FBI, testified on Dec. 19, 2017, that FBI leaders wanted to use a column published in The Washington Post as a pretext to interview Flynn.

On Jan. 12, 2017, Post columnist David Ignatius cited a senior U.S. government official who said that Flynn had spoken by phone weeks earlier with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States. Ignatius raised the possibility that Flynn had discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia and that the retired general might have violated an obscure law called the Logan Act.

The leak appeared to be based on information from classified transcripts of Flynn’s calls in late December 2016 with Kislyak.

At the time, the FBI was investigating whether Flynn and three other Trump associates were working as agents of Russia.

On Jan. 24, 2017, days after Flynn took over as national security adviser, McCabe phoned him to arrange an interview at the White House.

“Why did the Bureau interview General Flynn when they did? What was the reasoning for the interview?” then-Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina asked McCabe in a December 2017 House Intelligence Committee deposition.

“To the best of my recollection, we interviewed General Flynn at that time because of the existence … of his conversation, the record of his conversation with Ambassador Kislyak had become widely known through press reporting,” McCabe answered.

wouldn't be the only time the FBI has used classified leaks to launder information through the media to bolster their case, see: steele dossier and carter page investigation, comey/mueller appointment. how integral were these leaks to the case against flynn and what was the involvement of the administration?

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

The quasi-legality of leaks versus the value of transparency in government is an interesting point. Certainly, the current executive law enforcement apparatus could pursue the leak if it believes the leak involved specific classified information (which, by the way, Flynn's name isn't - it was masked for privacy, not security).

If I remember correctly, going after leaks and whistleblowers was one of the big criticisms of the Obama administration.

Either way, it is unlikely that either Obama or Biden was the leak, which is why the Senate and DOJ aren't even trying to drum up charges against them - nor does the leak have anything to do with the legality of unmasking, or whether the Obama administration was right to go after Flynn.

edit: grammar

[pineapplemike]

it seems to appear that flynn was under an active counterintelligence investigation, leaking his name and details of his phone call would certainly be classified information

A leak of classified information to the media regarding Michael Flynn’s phone calls in late 2016 with a Russian diplomat was likely not derived from a so-called “unmasking” request, according to analysis from two former U.S. law enforcement officials, and a review of newly released government documents.
...
The timeline of the unmasking requests did not match up with the date of Flynn’s phone call with Kislyak — Dec. 29, 2016.

Clapper, who served as director of national intelligence, made a request a day earlier, on Dec. 28, 2016. The next request was not made until White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough did so on Jan. 5, 2017. Government officials were discussing Flynn’s call with Kislyak between the dates of the Clapper and McDonough requests, suggesting that Flynn was identified in a report that did not require his identity to be unveiled.

A theory gaining traction this week is that Flynn was never actually masked in intelligence reports that served as source material for the leak.

Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, and Mark Wauck, a former FBI special agent, offered up theories this weekend to explain how U.S. officials might have learned of Flynn’s call with Kislyak if not through an unmasking request.

Wauck, the former FBI special agent, proposed on his blog that Flynn was not masked in the first place since he was the target of an ongoing counterintelligence investigation. The FBI had Flynn under a counterintelligence investigation since Aug. 16, 2016.

Wauck wrote that intelligence analysts mask the identities of American citizens if they are initially thought not to be of intelligence value. But being the target of a counterintelligence investigation would likely mean that his name would not be masked in intelligence reports.

again i never insinuated obama is or should be the target, only that #obamagate is a legitimate controversy, one that has been documented play-by-play on this forum for several years running

personally i think #spygate is a better hashtag to brand the scandal with than #obamagate

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

I can accept that.

Certainly, there is the potential for a case based on leaking classified information against somebody. Fortunately, we have a system that allows for the Senate and current DOJ to provide oversight for the actions of the last DOJ. Typically, I am for vigorous oversight.

I am not as convinced that Flynn's name in the context of his discussions with a foreign diplomat constitute a leak of classified information, but if our justice system disagrees, I will accept their findings.

But I am Lawful Neutral - or, as one might put it, a bootlicker for the state.

Speaking of vigorous oversight, how about that house cleaning on IGs?

edit: grammar

[pineapplemike]

the truth finally comes out

[clubgop]

response?

The outgoing administration was concerned that someone they deemed was unreliable, and potentially speaking out of school with a somewhat hostile foreign diplomat, had been tapped by the incoming administration for a high office.

Where's the 'gate,' bruh?

Outgoing administration concern should be getting the fuck out not sabotage the incoming which is what this was. I am sure you will feel same if and when Beijing Biden goes in.

[clubgop]

Sorry Mike, I'm at my juggling convention all this week so I couldn't be bothered to read it. If you'd laid out what you thought were chargeable offences first I might have read the article and responded.

Juggling? Is that what you call being a massive hypocrite bitch suffering from TDS? I guess if the clown shoe fits wear it.

How is an online juggling convention being a hypocrite?
Other than possible computer viruses it is perfectly safe.
There has been no lifting of restrictions on mass gatherings here. Festivals will be amongst the very last things to return to normal.

I meant juggling in the figurative sense as in the raging cognitive dissonance necessary to keep all those competing bullshit narratives in the air.

[clubgop]

I can also do the basketball on a pole chin balance while juggling 3 clubs standing on a roller-boller.

A roller-boller for those who don't know...

Look at the language in the upper left hand corner there is that....Chinese?

Monty is a chinabot. His mouth is a holster for Xi's "spicy egg roll."

TDS proven.

[Montegriffo]

I can also do the basketball on a pole chin balance while juggling 3 clubs standing on a roller-boller.

A roller-boller for those who don't know...

Look at the language in the upper left hand corner there is that....Chinese?

Monty is a chinabot. His mouth is a holster for Xi's "spicy egg roll."

TDS proven.

That's not me. I wish I was still that skinny. I just searched an image for a roller-boller in case anyone didn't know what one was.