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They couldn't continue targeting President @realDonaldTrump for removal with Mike Flynn in place... It really is that simple. https://twitter.com/RealDogleg/status/1259598866409762816
2. In mid-December 2016 the Obama administration was deploying a full-court-press using their media allies to promote the Russia conspiracy. However, despite their extreme public proclamations DNI Clapper & CIA Brennan were refusing to give any specifics to congress.
3. The hard narrative was that Russia interfered. That was the specific push from within the Obama intelligence apparatus writ large. All IC officials, sans Mike Rogers (NSA), had a self-interest in pushing this narrative:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/us/obama-russia-election-hack.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/09/us/obama-russia-election-hack.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&_r=0
4. It was the defensive mechanism to justify their illegal spying operation and block Trump. This was their insurance policy.
5. Dec 2016 the media was doing their part; and using the information leaked to them by those who were part of the 2016 operation(s) they began battering the Trump transition team every hour of every day with questions about the Russia hacking narrative.
6. The media were fertilizing the seeds of a collusion conspiracy. The Trump-Russia narrative was relentless.
7. On December 29, 2016, the IC produced, and rushed to completion, a ridiculous document to support their false-premise.
8. This was called the Joint Analysis Report which claimed to outline the details of Russia’s involvement hacking into targeted political data base or computer systems during the election. Within the JAR we were introduced to “Grizzley Steepe” and a goofy claim of Russian hackers
9. On the same day (12/29/16) President Obama announced a series of sanctions against Russians who were located in Maryland. This was Obama’s carefully constructed response to provide additional validity to the Joint Analysis Report. https://www.scribd.com/doc/335307016
10. After fueling the Russia conspiracy for several weeks the Obama administration knew this action would initiate a response from both Russia and the incoming Trump administration.
11. On the day the JAR was released and Obama made the announcement, President-elect Donald Trump and some of his key members were in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Incoming National Security Adviser Mike Flynn was on vacation in the Dominican Republic.
12. As expected the Obama action spurred calls between Russian emissary Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
13. The Obama IC were monitoring Kislyak communications and waiting for the contact. Additionally, Flynn was under surveillance confirmed by the Weissmann/Mueller report.
Flynn was the target of an ongoing FBI investigation. He was codenamed “Crossfire Razor.
Flynn was the target of an ongoing FBI investigation. He was codenamed “Crossfire Razor.
14.
15. The FBI intercepted, recorded, and later transcribed the December 29th conversation between Sergey Kislyak and incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
16. The media continued to follow the lead from the Obama White House and Intelligence Community (writ large) fueling a narrative that any contact with the Russians was proof of collusion of some sort.
17. In addition, the communications team of the White House, DOJ, FBI and aggregate IC began pushing a narrative surrounding the obscure Logan Act.
18. The ridiculous Logan Act promotion was targeted to infer that any action taken by the Trump campaign prior to taking office was interference with the political Obama Russia action, and would be evidence of collusion. That was the plan.
19. The first two weeks of January 2017 was now a merging of two necessary narratives: (1) Russian election interference; and (2) the Logan Act against Flynn.
Each deployed against any entity who would counter the Russia narrative story.
Each deployed against any entity who would counter the Russia narrative story.
20. The media were running this dual narrative 24/7 against the incoming Trump officials and demanding repeated answers to questions that were framed around this story-line.
21. On January 3rd, 2017, the new congressional year began. SSCI Vice-Chair Dianne Feinstein abdicated her position within the Gang-of-Eight, and turned over the reigns to Senator Mark Warner. Warner was now the vice-chair of the SSCI; and a Go8 member.
22. On January 4, 2017, the FBI was going to drop the investigation of Flynn because they found no derogatory evidence. FBI Agent Peter Strzok demanded the investigation be kept open and the “7th Floor” agreed with him (FBI Director Comey and Deputy McCabe).
23. On January 5, 2017, FBI Director James Comey went to the White House for a briefing with President Obama, VP Biden, ODNI James Clapper, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
24. DAG Yates had no idea the content of the Flynn Kislyak call was captured; and she had no idea ODNI James Clapper had briefed President Obama about the call.
25. President Obama asked Sally Yates and James Comey to remain behind after the briefing. This was memorialized by Susan Rice
26. On January 6, 2017, FBI Director James Comey and ODNI James Clapper went to Trump Tower to brief the incoming administration. Simultaneously the Obama White House published the Intelligence Community Assessment, and declared:
27. ..."We assess Putin and the Russian Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him."...
https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf
https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf
28. With the Flynn Dec. 29, 2016, transcript in hand, the DOJ and FBI began aiding the Logan Act narrative; with Obama intelligence officials supporting the Russia Conspiracy claims and decrying anyone who would interfere or counter the official U.S. position.
29. On January 14th, 2017, the content of the communication between Flynn and Kislyak was leaked to the Washington Post by an unknown entity.
Likely the leak came from ONA General James Baker, Halper's handler, who is suspected of leaking the content.
Likely the leak came from ONA General James Baker, Halper's handler, who is suspected of leaking the content.
30. The Flynn-Kislyak leak was strategically timed.
The next day, January 15, 2017, Vice-President Mike Pence was hammered during a CBS Face the Nation interview about Trump campaign officials in contact with Russians.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-transcript-january-15-2017-pence-manchin-gingrich/
The next day, January 15, 2017, Vice-President Mike Pence was hammered during a CBS Face the Nation interview about Trump campaign officials in contact with Russians.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-transcript-january-15-2017-pence-manchin-gingrich/
31. DICKERSON: "Just to button up one question, did any advisor or anybody in the Trump campaign have any contact with the Russians who were trying to meddle in the election?"...
32. MIKE PENCE: "Of course not. And I think to suggest that is to give credence to some of these bizarre rumors that have swirled around the candidacy.".. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/face-the-nation-transcript-january-15-2017-pence-manchin-gingrich/
33. Pence was talking about the 2016 campaign. Dickerson was talking about the entire time-frame of the campaign and ongoing transition.
At the time (early Jan, 2017) ‘any contact’ with Russians was evidence of meddling/election-collusion with Russians.
At the time (early Jan, 2017) ‘any contact’ with Russians was evidence of meddling/election-collusion with Russians.
34. The toxic media environment and Mike Pence speaking poorly (considering the narrative engineering) during a Face The Nation interview now became a much bigger issue.
The FBI was prepared to pounce on this situation.
The FBI was prepared to pounce on this situation.
35. Once Vice-President Mike Pence made the statement that Flynn had no contact with anyone from Russia etc. any contradictory statement from Flynn would make Pence appear compromised.
The FBI waited to exploit until after the inauguration.
The FBI waited to exploit until after the inauguration.
36. The FBI will now contrast Mike Flynn against Pence’s CBS point without clarification.
As National Security Advisor Flynn would be interviewed by the FBI on January 24th, nine days after Pence made his comments.
As National Security Advisor Flynn would be interviewed by the FBI on January 24th, nine days after Pence made his comments.
37. The FBI knew the content of the Flynn call with Sergey Kislyak because they were listening in. The FBI were intercepting those communications. So when Pence said no-one had any contact on January 15th, the FBI crew IMMEDIATELY knew they had an issue to exploit.
38. We see the evidence of the FBI knowing they had an issue to exploit, and being very nervous about doing it, in the text messages between Lisa Page and FBI Agent Peter Strzok who would end up doing the questioning of Flynn.
39. 
January 23, 2017, the day before the Flynn interview, Lisa Page says: “I can feel my heart beating harder, I’m so stressed about all the ways THIS has the potential to go fully off the rails.” Weird!
January 23, 2017, the day before the Flynn interview, Lisa Page says: “I can feel my heart beating harder, I’m so stressed about all the ways THIS has the potential to go fully off the rails.” Weird!
40. Strzok replies: “I know. I just talked with John, we’re getting together as soon as I get in to finish that write up for Andy (MCCABE) this morning.” Strzok agrees with Page about being stressed that “THIS” could go off the rails…
Strzok replies: “I know. I just talked with John, we’re getting together as soon as I get in to finish that write up for Andy (MCCABE) this morning.” Strzok agrees with Page about being stressed that “THIS” could go off the rails…
41. “John” is Jonathan Moffa and “Bill” is Bill Priestap, FBI Deputy Director in charge of Counterintelligence. “Jen” is Jennifer Boone, FBI counterproliferation division.
42. So it’s the day before they interview Flynn. Why would Page & Strzok be stressed about “THIS” potentially going off the rails?
43. The answer is simple: they knew the content of the phone call between Mike Flynn and Sergey Kislyak because they were listening in, and they were about to exploit the Pence statement to CBS. In essence they were admitting to monitoring Flynn, that’s why they were so nervous.
44. They were planning and plotting with Andrew McCabe about how they were going to exploit the phone-tap and the difference in public statements by VP Mike Pence.
However, they had a problem... Peter Strzok's immediate boss didn't like what they were planning to do.
However, they had a problem... Peter Strzok's immediate boss didn't like what they were planning to do.
45. FBI Counterintelligence Director Bill Priestap has doubts about the validity of even interviewing Flynn.
Priestap has a meeting with with “DD” Deputy Director McCabe to share his concerns:
Priestap has a meeting with with “DD” Deputy Director McCabe to share his concerns:
46. FBI Agent Strzok is worried that his boss, Bill Priestap, may disrupt the plan.
Strzok texts with Lisa Page (top of page): “I worry Bill isn’t getting the underlying distinction that I think is clear. But maybe I’m wrong.”
Strzok texts with Lisa Page (top of page): “I worry Bill isn’t getting the underlying distinction that I think is clear. But maybe I’m wrong.”
47. The day of the interview (bottom half of page above) Bill Priestap still has issues about the purpose of interviewing Flynn over a perfectly legitimate conversation.
Priestap has another meeting this time with “d” FBI Director Comey and “dd” Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
Priestap has another meeting this time with “d” FBI Director Comey and “dd” Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.
48. FBI Agent Peter Strzok is stressed out; Bill Priestap could blow the plan if he doesn’t back down from his concerns.
Lisa Page says McCabe “is frustrated” with Bill Priestap’s reluctance to go along with the plan.
Lisa Page says McCabe “is frustrated” with Bill Priestap’s reluctance to go along with the plan.
49. Priestap, sensing something could really backfire with the plan; and questioning the overall legality of their purpose; memorializes his concern with more hand written notes during their meeting:
50. Seeming to override the concerns of Priestap (which explains why Priestap kept cya notes), Comey and McCabe tell Agents Peter Strzok and Joe Pientka to execute the plan.
The Interview Takes Place.
The Interview Takes Place.
51. NSA Michael Flynn was honest but his honesty contradicted Pence’s national statement on CBS; and Flynn likely tried to dance through a needle without being overly critical of VP-elect Pence misspeaking.
52. Wednesday January 25, 2017, – The next day, the Department of Justice, National Security Division, (at this time Mary McCord was head of the DOJ-NSD), received a detailed readout from FBI agent Pientka notes who had interviewed Flynn.
53. Sally Yates later testified she felt “it was important to get this information to the White House as quickly as possible.”
54. Thursday January 26th – (morning) Sally Yates called White House Counsel Don McGahn first thing that morning to tell him she had “a very sensitive matter” that had to be discussed face to face. McGahn agreed to meet with Yates later that afternoon.
55. Jan 26th - (afternoon) Sally Yates traveled to the White House along with a senior member of the DOJ’s National Security Division, “who was overseeing the matter”, that is Mary McCord.
(Note: in 2020 McCord is now on Schiff's staff)
(Note: in 2020 McCord is now on Schiff's staff)
56. This was Yates’ first meeting with McGahn in his office, which also acts as a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF).
57. Yates said she began their meeting by laying out the media accounts and media statements made by Vice President Mike Pence and other high-ranking White House officials about General Flynn’s activity “that we knew not to be the truth.”
58. According to Sally Yates testimony, she and Mary McCord presented all the information to McGahn so the White House could take action that they deemed appropriate. When asked by McGahn if Flynn should be fired, Yates answered, “that really wasn’t our call.”
59. Yates also said her decision to notify the White House counsel had been discussed “at great length.” According to her testimony: “Certainly leading up to our notification on the 26th, it was a topic of a whole lot of discussion in DOJ & with other members of intel community.”
