Trump Allegedly Wants FBI To Look Into Locking Up Journalists Who Publish Leaks
from the because-of-course-that-would-be-his-solution dept
It's been another busy week for our president. Following on the heels of his revelation that he fired FBI Director James Comey over the ongoing Russian ties investigation (and following on the heels of Trump's tweeted threat about secret recordings of conversations with Comey), the FBI's acting director said the investigation is still ongoing, a special counsel was picked to oversee the investigation, and people close to Comey hinted the FBI might have some recordings of its own that undercut the president's narrative.
President Trump asked the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, to shut down the federal investigation into Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, in an Oval Office meeting in February, according to a memo Mr. Comey wrote shortly after the meeting.
“I hope you can let this go,” the president told Mr. Comey, according to the memo.
It's a record, of sorts, if not an actual recording. And it's done the way the FBI prefers to memorialize things (including testimony and "custodial interviews") -- on paper, rather than with other, less-biased recording devices. And, again, this is hearsay on top of hearsay: unnamed people claiming they read a piece of paper purporting to be a record of a conversation between Comey and the president. Grains of salt and all that, and despite what many are claiming all over the internet, really not a strong indicator of actual instruction, which could be an impeachable offense.
Mr. Comey shared the existence of the memo with senior F.B.I. officials and close associates. The New York Times has not viewed a copy of the memo, which is unclassified, but one of Mr. Comey’s associates read parts of it to a Times reporter.
Buried way, way down in the New York Times story is some more hearsay. This time it's Trump allegedly suggesting something should be done about that pesky press he's always complaining about. But, like the scenario above, it still sounds very much like something President Trump would say in a personal meeting he thought wouldn't be turned into an office memo.
Alone in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump began the discussion by condemning leaks to the news media, saying that Mr. Comey should consider putting reporters in prison for publishing classified information, according to one of Mr. Comey’s associates.
James Comey was no fan of the press, but he did at least defend journalists (sort of) at a recent hearing. He doesn't like seeing leaks published, but pointed out to legislators more interested in shooting the messenger that the person leaking the documents is the criminal, not the press, at least in the eyes of the DOJ.
But the DOJ is no longer the DOJ, so to speak. It's now being run by someone who wants to turn back the clock to the mid-1980s and start the drug war all over again. It's apparently engaged in twisting the law into a Wikileaks-prosecuting pretzel, despite Comey's assurances about messengers not being shot. And the administration has made it clear it's in the business of hunting down leakers, perhaps with the goal of unseating President Obama at the top of the "most whistleblowers prosecuted" list.
At this point, it's all just secondhand (Oval) office chatter. But considering the animosity Trump has shown towards the press and free speech in general, it's worth noting. And it always seems like every Trump denial or assertion has been followed by a leaked document to the contrary, so I'd be surprised if Comey's memo isn't made public within the next few days -- either by being leaked to journalists or presented at the hearings Comey has been asked to attend. This administration's contempt and hatred for the press has been undisguised. Donald Trump may be unable to change the Constitution, but that doesn't mean he and his handpicked agency heads won't spend the next few years making journalists' lives miserable.
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Filed Under: donald trump, fbi, free press, free speech, james comey, journalists, leaks
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Temporal Anomoly
Well, if they start all over again, they might be able to win this time. Of course, they might need to redefine 'win'. In the mean time, the damage being done by this 'undeclared war' would become immensely greater.
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This should be interesting to prosecute:
Prosecution: The defendant leaked secret information about the Trump administration.
Defense: The Trump administration has stated repeatedly that the story isn't true. Therefore it's not a leak.
Prosecution: Trump has just contradicted his staff and told Fox News that the leaked story is true.
Defense: Goddammi...
Judge: And now he's tweeted that it's false, and a witch hunt.
Defense: And the Russian government is backing him up.
Defendant: Can I go home until this is resolved?
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Re: Temporal Anomoly
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"Controlled Mass Media
Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common. "
https://ratical.org/ratville/CAH/fasci14chars.html
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Perhaps Trump should take his own advice.
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That is what you get for having a Department of Justice
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"Dictatoring for Idiots"
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Re: That is what you get for having a Department of Justice
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Re: Re:
Ah. Schrödinger's Defendant. Simultaneously both guilty and not guilty.
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Trump is NOT trying to obstruct justice!
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Re:
Your talking points are a week old. Did you miss the Lester Holt interview? Comey was fired because of the Russia investigation; Trump said as much, on national television.
Yeah! What has Trump ever said that indicates he thinks the press should suffer legal punishments for publishing stories he doesn't like?
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So, with "Fascism Forever" Gorsuch on the court, along with Alito/Thomas/Roberts/Kennedy: yes, they can change the Constitution.
Y'all are screwed. The only question now is if the US will pull the rest of the world down with it.
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They're going to have a hard time doing that from federal prison.
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someones lying Comey on Youtube saying NEVER pressured!
But Comey says it didn't happen on YOUTUBE why cant the fake news media cover this?
I just listen to what Comey says to find out whats really TRUE!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OgDai05bkU
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Like taking a crazy-bat to the head
Good ghandi that comment section...
I'm not sure if I should be laughing or horrified when the top rated comment was talking about marching soldiers into congress and forcing them to 'do what it right'.
The comment in question: 'Trump needs to do what Octavian Augustus did after they killed Caesar, march his soldiers into the senate and force the traitor senators to do what is right!' -OctoMan PC's
And the rest... yeah. Just... yeah.
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So, under these guidelines, The Guardian would have been not subject to US laws, since the paper is a British company.
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Democrats are losing their shit.
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Funny, Obama had the same contempt for all conservative news organizations but as soon as these 'over-privileged' so-called news organizations get called out for the fake news that they are, all of a sudden they're the victims?
You reap what you sow.
It seems to me the only ones complaining are Establishment media companies...Meanwhile, the floors have been opened up to smaller news organizations and independent journalists.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmSSgtBe-CE
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Re: Trump is NOT trying to obstruct justice!
Firing him changes nothing except that perhaps the investigation into Hillary and the DNC might be reopened...Which it should be since it's pretty self-evident that Seth Rich was assassinated for his involvement in the DNC leaks to Wikileaks of which we now have tangible evidence thanks to the private investigator hired by his parents.
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Any one remember James Rosen or AP reporters?
Selective memory ...
Remember the outrage when James Rosen (reporter) was name a possible conspirator in a leak investigation? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-scheer/james-rosen-fox-news-emails_b_3350853.html
Or when phone records of AP reporters were under subpoena?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Department_of_Justice_investigations_of_reporters
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(Yes, the US is a guilty until proven innocent state. What? You thought just because we wrote the opposite on a piece of paper that we somehow practiced what we preached? HA! If you believe that rhetoric, let me show you what else we say, but ignore in practice....)
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Re: Re: Trump is NOT trying to obstruct justice!
Oh come on, man. That story was debunked in a few hours by the private investigator himself and the family. From the PI:
And from the family:
Please tell me you don't actually exercise your right to vote. If you're dumb enough to still believe batshit Clinton conspiracies, you need professional help.
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ALLEGEDLY? Really, your whole basis for this piece begins by admitting it's a made up smear?
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Re: ALLEGEDLY? Really, your whole basis for this piece begins by admitting it's a made up smear?
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Re: Any one remember James Rosen or AP reporters?
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Re: Re: Re: Trump is NOT trying to obstruct justice!
So here are a videos of him speaking about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grkK33chJkw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuRJDKEVxHY
Uh yeah, I don't see him or his family saying any of the things you've quoted nor is there any evidence that he ever spoke to CNN about it.
"Please tell me you don't actually exercise your right to vote. If you're dumb enough to still believe batshit Clinton conspiracies, you need professional help."
Right back at you.
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Re: Re: ALLEGEDLY? Really, your whole basis for this piece begins by admitting it's a made up smear?
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Re: Re: Re: ALLEGEDLY? Really, your whole basis for this piece begins by admitting it's a made up smear?
Nope, still not what "allegedly" means.
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He's been having hints leaked to the press that he might have tapes of his own, of some conversations. If that turns out to be the case... whoa.
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