Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Will the Truth Make Any Difference?
For many months I have been trying to be patient, objective and optimistic about the future of our country. I’ve tried to collect as much information as I can to balance the outrageous actions of the FBI and DOJ over the last three years with the efforts that are in progress to get to the truth. The latest report of the FISC appointing David Kris to review the FBI’s changes to their surveillance process reflects the near impossibility of the truth making any difference.
We have seen every level of government, House representatives and department heads complicit in one of the most devastating abuses of power ever seen in government. We also know that John Durham may be our last hope to identify the illegal and unethical activities that have dominated the attacks against the office of the President. But will the truth make any difference?
I ask this question after reading Unsk’s informative post about the David Kris appointment. After a detailed report from IG Horowitz exposing the violations, abuses, and possibly illegal actions related to FISC applications, the FISC selected a man who was at the very least connected to these processes. Mollie Hemingway explains the Court’s pathetic reasoning:
The court ‘finds it appropriate to appoint David S. Kris, Esq., to serve as amicus curiae to assist the Court in assessing the government’s response to’ a Dec. 17, 2019, order to ‘inform the Court . . . of what it has done, and plans to do, to ensure that the statement of facts in each FBI application accurately and completely reflects information possessed by the FBI that is material to any issue presented by the application.’’
The pick was justified on the grounds that he is one of the few officials with FISA experience. But Kris has repeatedly shown himself to be a reflexive defender of the FBI, even as evidence mounted of its malfeasance. . .
Kris was one of the many Washington insiders who either fell for or pretended to fall for the validity of the Russia collusion hoax.
There is an overwhelming number of examples of Kris’ partisan views. Yet the FISC believes that Kris is the best person to evaluate objectively the FBI’s response.
The FISC decision epitomizes for me the waste of government efforts to find its way through these disastrous and disgraceful activities and resolve them:
- How could the FISC have been so careless in signing off on the FISA applications in the first place?
- How could they not recognize years ago the abuse that was taking place right under their noses?
- How could they expect the FBI to generate new criteria for submissions after the widespread abuses of their system?
- How could the FISC choose a person, who has made it clear that he despises the President, as the official who should review the FBI submissions?
John Durham may find evidence to incriminate people from all over the federal government. Then what? Will people, at the very least, be fired? Will their reputations be ruined, will they be sent to jail, or will we simply shake our heads in disbelief and move on?
Will the truth make any difference?
Published in Politics
Only for criminal corruption, or refusing to step down despite incapacitation due to mental illness or addiction, never successfully for court decisions.
Justification. It is the first step to immoral and unethical behavior.
I’m quite sure that German Nazi supporters were entirely convinced that the master race was the ‘right’ thing, would bring humanity to its peak and it was justice in the extreme for the German people to rule the earth.
That is why the rule of law is so important. because without black and white, plain rules, any abomination can be justified by weak and selfish people.
FISA was always a precarious law that was entirely dependent upon the courts, judges, and FBI to protect the letter and law of the protections of the constitution. We now know that those three dependencies were ill founded and conceived.
We were sold a pig in a poke. ‘To effectively fight terror, you must risk your rights! But government would never overstep these bounds!’. It is a fools bargain. Without our rights, terror is a small part of our worries. Or so history has shown.
That’s what I wanted to speculate but I have no facts.
No.
The FISA court seems to think they are immune from lesser institutions such as Congres or the President. For that matter, I cannot fathom why the Chief Justice does not simply remove the bozo currently running the FISA court for demonstrably poor judgment.
You frame the issue as if there are fundamentally sound institutions that can be restored with a dose of accountability. I think we are way past that as a society.
Think of all the rich and powerful people who knowingly and openly associated with Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein. The entirety of our federal law enforcement, diplomatic corps, and intelligence services operate on the belief that the rules do not apply to them. Our universities openly reject the very idea of truth.
Parents cheat and conspire for the right to be financially raped by elite colleges that will morally and intellectually deform their children. But at least their morally and intellectually stunted offspring t will be in the company of kids with a shot at influence, access, and power. (Pretty much the same mindset as parents in Germany who suppressed reservations about putting their kids in Hitler Youth.)
The brazenly amoral incompetence of the Obama Administration and the incredible high-handedness and immunity of Hillary Clinton is what you get when SAT scores (or a viable substitute) and networking connections supplant character and all that goes with respect for character.
It is a golden age for false gods.
That’s a keeper.
Did I give that impression, @oldbathos? Maybe it’s my optimistic temperament. I agree with you, actually. I’m reading Kimberly Strassel’s new book, Resistance, and I’m going to have to wear a neck brace from the continual head shaking I’ve been doing.
Hasn’t it been demonstrated that things are not being run today from within the organizations we are made to think are running them?
You are correct, in part, Bob. But more than that, people are basically doing what ever they want to do: defame the President? No problem. Attack cabinet members with gossip? Go for it. Stonewall as needed? Sure. Anyone in government can essentially do whatever they want. Who will stop them?
Susan: “But the climate already exists that feeds the belief that people can do whatever they want if they think they are right. They have “justice” on their side. So truth, ethics, laws are simply inconvenient, and people will do what they must–in their own jaded views.”
This issue should be on every American’s mind. We are seeing the total and complete corruption of our Judicial system.
I was reading somewheres where the FISA court judges were mostly Republican. Not so. 10 of the 11 on the FISA Court were originally appointed as Judges by President Obama and then elevated to the FISA Court by John Roberts. Roberts apparently also appointed James Boasberg as head of the FISA court.
Does anyone then need to know where John Robert’s head is at?
Given the extreme politicized view of most Obama appointees is it any wonder that the FISA Court is thoroughly biased?
Roberts has some ‘splaining to do. Balls and Strikes my butt. This latest left wing wild pitch went into the upper left field deck and John Roberts called it a strike. John Roberts and this latest Head FISA Court judge need to be called on the carpet by the Senate Judiciary committee and Lindsey Graham immediately.
As it stands John Roberts is set to preside over the Senate Impeachment trial. This should not be allowed to happen. Roberts conduct with the FISA court is germane to those proceedings. With his appointments over this incredibly tainted and corrupted FISA court, instead of presiding over the trial, he should be called as a witness to find out what is happening with this FISA court and it’s approval of this politicized FISA warrants . That issue impacts the Impeachment proceedings directly and Roberts should be called out directly. Roberts is a thoroughly corrupted Justice and should be impeached.
There obviously have been any number of occasions when it has been thought that President Trump would take an action, declassification for example, that would reveal information to clear up any number of questions about who had been responsible for wrongdoing. Rod Rosenstein comes to mind and Brennan. I’m not talking about people who have been exposed like Comey and McCabe. Why haven’t we heard from Julian Assange? You could make a long list. Should we be thinking that we are actually in the midst of a ‘civil war’ without any shooting and without physical boundaries?
Could the existing House of Representatives be expected to impeach any member of the Judiciary for corruption if that corruption is serving in accordance with the wishes of the House?
Oh my. [Laying my head down on my desk and moaning]
Is Roberts being coerced through blackmail or is he just acting prudently to remain secure against the Leftist ideologues? Or maybe he’s just Leftist.
What does it say that I read the title of this post and immediately answered “No,” when I had no idea the subject of the post? I’m afraid of what that means.