Release the Kraken – I mean the transcript of the Flynn/Kislyak phone call
Although the transcript of the Flynn/Kislyak phone call (or calls) does exist and the FBI had it when they interrogated Flynn in order to set their perjury trap for him, neither he nor his lawyers have ever been allowed to see it. Nor have we.
Flynn was “persuaded” to plead guilty not just because of the FBI’s prosecution threats to himself and his son for supposed FARA violations, but on their say-so about the other evidence supposedly against him: that he lied to the FBI when they questioned him about the content of the Kislyak call. And I don’t think Judge Sullivan ever saw it either, nor has either set of Flynn’s attorneys.
Well, seems like we all might get to see the transcript(s) after all these years. Grennell has just declassified them on his way out, and it will be up to Ratcliffe his successor to decide whether to release them or not.
Interestingly, one of the people wanting the transcripts to be released is Adam Schiff, who must feel they bolster his case or can be successfully spun to bolster his case. Susan Rice asked for it to be done as well. And Sidney Powell, Flynn’s attorney, feels it will tend to exonerate her client. And this article says the push to release the transcripts was “bipartisan.” More information on that can be found here.
Releasing the transcript and related documents could be like opening the box in which Schrodinger’s cat languishes, either dead or alive. However, I must say that things are seldom that clear, and the MSM can spin anything, or try.
It’s not completely clear to me, either, who has actually seen any of this information up till now. I suppose Rice has, since she was Obama’s National Security Advisor at the time of the December 29, 2016 call. But who else among these players, in particular the members of Congress, has seen the documents?
[NOTE: Here’s the reference in the title of this post.]
“who?” is one question. The impact on the discussion is, I hope, substantial.
My guess would be that Flynn says “Just don’t overreact and we can discuss in a few weeks”, which can be spun as “See? Collaborating!” to the average low-info voter.
I’ve always liked Ratcliffe, but I’m very impressed with Grennell and would hope he remains an influential member of Trump’s team.
Let’s all be sure to review that old Obama hot-mike video clip of ‘tell-Putin-I’ll-be-able- to-be-much-more-flexible-after-the-election’ before we get too deep into newly-released Flynn tapes. You know, just to baseline things properly.
We need not only the transcript of the conversation, but also the transcript of the interview, which doesn’t exist. All that we have is a rewritten version of a version of the transcript that was written from memory two days after the event.
If one wants to improve FBI procedures, start by recording interviews. And pardoning everyone convicted on the basis of such a “transcript”.
YES, release the transcript.
The original FISA application for spying should be released, as well. And most Mueller docs that Congress asks for, slowly.
Especially those where Comey or Clapper or other Dem maggots swear, under oath, that they have seen no evidence — to compare with the defamatory lies they tell on TV.
And Trump should continue to play the victim, unjustly victimized by criminal Dem deep state supported by Fake News.
LTEC:
Agreed. I’ve been against this policy since I learned of it in July of 2016, before the Flynn thing happened. I was shocked to hear back then that the FBI doesn’t routinely record all interviews.
More recently I’ve decided that in addition, lying to the FBI should not be a crime unless a person is told he/she is a suspect, given the equivalent of Miranda warnings, and placed under oath.
A dog ate the FBI homework…
The CNN post Neo linked shows how subtly the media can spin a story.
Shocking, I know.
Wasn’t Barr’s DOJ at the time.
Which proves they didn’t have the illegally leaked transcript.
Yeah, no.
You can see Grenell’s letter to Warner here, and I love the last paragraph, which isn’t getting cited in the news posts I’ve seen.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2020/05/26/scorch-departing-ric-grenell-pointed-out-to-sen-warner-that-obamas-own-executive-order-justifies-release-of-unmaskers-names/
“Lastly, I should add, I gladly would have discussed this and other intelligence matters with you directly had you not chosen to cancel our planned call and then ignored subsequent requests by my office to reschedule.” — Grenell
Seems like I’ve seen that play by the Democrats before.
Can we start a Ric Grenell Fan Club?
This post includes a list, with links, of most of what Grenell has declassified, some of which has already been released.
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/05/26/ric-grenell-hits-senator-mark-warner-with-sunlight-hammer-as-he-exits-role-as-dni/
Some Kraken news –
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/grenell-declassifies-slew-of-russia-files-as-ratcliffe-takes-helm-as-dni
“Fox News has learned that Grenell also completed the declassification review of other documents related to the origins of the Russia probe — including one that a senior intelligence official told Fox News was “very significant in understanding how intelligence was manipulated to support launching the Russia investigation.” “
The Brits have a meme for this crisis –
https://lockdownsceptics.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/media_virus.png
Good site if you are interested in what’s happening in the UK, or just like snark & facts (rather like tea & crumpets, what?).
One of the stories from the front page.
https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/05/25/the-public-must-lead-us-out-of-the-lockdown/
by Brendan O’Neill
Oops – wrong thread.
Kayleigh McEnany isn’t quite the Kraken, but SHE, at least, seems to have been released.
She’s talking about the journalistic mal-practice
https://dailycaller.com/2020/05/22/kayleigh-mcenany-demands-answers-from-press-flynn/
She’s asking 5 questions about Obamagate that the journalists are not asking.
Why:
1. did Obama use DNC info to spy on Trump?
2. was Flynn unmasked so often by so many Obama-crats? (Obama-rats?)
3. was Flynn’s identity illegally leaked?
4. did DOJ learn about FBI actions from a conversation with Obama?
5. did Clapper, Brennan, Power, & Rice (O-rats!) admit secretly under oath “no evidence”, yet in public dishonestly lie that there was?
Journalists are supposed to be looking for facts to answer the question of Why.
And she’s defending asking the journalists:
https://dailycaller.com/2020/05/26/journalists-questioned-kayleigh-mcenany-fires-back-chris-wallace/
I think Trump has found an even better winning anti-Fake News strategy.
Not quite as good as indictments against more of the criminal rats, but good.
Bear in mind that van Brack represented to Judge Sullivan that the record of the Kislyak call was not material in any way to considerations of Flynn’s guilt on the false-statements charge. WaPo 5-31-2019: “In a court filing Friday, the Justice Department wrote that it did not rely on such recordings to establish Flynn’s guilt or determine a recommendation for his sentencing.” On the basis of that representation, Sullivan ruled that the recording did not have to be disclosed. It’s hard to square this with the assertion (in the Statement of Offense) that Flynn lied to the FBI agents when he said he did not ask Kislyak to refrain from escalating the situation.
Remember, it’s a “process” crime (which Andrew McCarthy, in many past columns, has taken great pains trying to explain).
“On the night of June 31, were you chewing Wrigley Spearment or Bazooka??!!!
“Aha! Gotcha! You dirty, stinking TRAITOR!!! You deserve to be put away for a long, long time, that is, if you don’t get the DEATH penalty, you TRAITOR!!!”
“… Adam Schiff, who must feel they bolster his case or can be successfully spun to bolster his case…”
Doesn’t Schiff spin EVERYTHING to bolster his case ?
Re False Statements as a federal crime. My understanding is that it wasn’t a crime until 2001. Patriot Act reform, maybe. Or that is was broadened?
Am I wrong?