FBI finds scant evidence U.S. Capitol attack was coordinated

[Tom Scully]

They uncritically accepted, maybe not consciously but with little skepticism, the Steele dossier and that was when things went of the rails.

I disagree that there was "very little skepticism" because not much happened as a result of the FBI reading the Steele Dossier. Unlike what Comey did to Hillary in claiming he had some "duty" to interfere with the election by keeping a promise to notify Rep. Chaffetz just days before the election, vs immediately after, with regard to a new and unverified discovery.

IOW, everything you're reacting to (not you, per se) about the Steele Dossier is intended to divert attention from Trump's public, "I love wikileaks" and "Russia, if you're listening," and his lies as sitting POTUS in reaction to disclosures about the Trump Tower meeting being "about adoption". Trump claimed Carter Page was not a part of his campaign.

Do you think Comey should not have briefed president-elect Trump about the contents of the Steele Dossier? After all, it did exist.

If you separate Trump and Trump associate claims about the Steele Dossier from the record, what do you disagree with in the Horowitz Report or in IG Horowitz's testimony related to his report? I hope you understand all of the Trump side "reporting" was routed from Trump to the Fox evening entertainers to Sara Carter, Chuck Ross, and John Solomon to craft a unified message as background to Trump's constant self-victimization, all framed with the excuse that the Deep State is too powerful to result in any indictments aside from one guy who Mueller refered for altering an email to a CIA agent. I hope the sentencing judge's reaction to that guilty plea prompted some reflection, or, was the judge entrenched Deep State protecting that solitary, exposed "evil does"?

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-clinesmith/no-prison-sentence-for-ex-fbi-lawyer-who-pleaded-guilty-in-russia-probe-fallout-idUSKBN29Y1CB

..Special Counsel John Durham had sought up to six months in prison, suggesting Clinesmith acted out of “political or personal bias” against Trump. Defense lawyers asked the judge for no prison time, saying his action was a mistake. They noted that he and his wife are expecting their first child in March.

Boasberg said an extensive investigation by the Justice Department’s internal watchdog found that Clinesmith had not acted with any political bias. The judge said he saw “no reason to disagree with that.”..

McCabe and Strzok are suing the Trump DOJ, their cases moving to discovery. Trump suggested the death penalty for both but neither will even be indicted. If the power of the Deep State is the excuse for the lack of indictments, so far, except for 30 plus by Mueller, how does a belief system resulting in Trump being completely unaccountable for anything, ever, no matter the frequency of his lies or his pronouncement of sentence of the unindicted, his serial obstruction of justice, of all attempts of congress to carry out its constitutional regulatory inquiry, and his five in person meetings with Putin of which, by late 2019, he had suppressed all record of the subjects and details discussed, result in anything in the best interest of anyone but Trump and his "associates," especially the pardoned ones who were convicted by juries in criminal trials?

Trump and Putin Have Met Five Times. What Was Said Is a Mystery.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/15/us/politics/trump-putin-meetings.html
January 15, 2019

This "ass clown in a coma", Atty John Pierce, a civil litigator, is currently "representing" eighteen January 6 defendants. I predict some of them will come to take their legal exposure more seriously.

Keep relying on Reuters and we'll compare notes down the road.

https://www.emptywheel.net/2021/08/25/john-pierce-tries-to-hire-his-18th-january-6-defendant-while-on-a-ventilator-with-covid-19/
"...Representing this many defendants would be an impossible feat, even for the most experienced defense attorney, and harder still for a civil attorney like Pierce. Plus, some of these representations would seem to pose serious conflicts."

[Richard Smith]

I disagree that there was "very little skepticism" because not much happened as a result of the FBI reading the Steele Dossier. Unlike what Comey did to Hillary in claiming he had some "duty" to interfere with the election by keeping a promise to notify Rep. Chaffetz just days before the election, vs immediately after, with regard to a new and unverified discovery.

Not much happened!  I must have dreamed that three plus year Mueller investigation in which we were told night after night that Trump colluded with the Russians to win the 2016 election.  He "stole the election."  The real big lie.  Hillary actually violated the law and would have been prosecuted except for Comey's unwillingness to enforce the law.  He was convinced that Hillary was going to win the election and be his next boss.  He did not want to derail that but also didn't want to be criticized for failing to enforce the law.  So he split the difference by not prosecuting her for obvious legal violations but voicing criticism of her conduct.  He played both sides against the middle because he was a corrupt bureaucrat.

[Steve M. Galbraith]

Not much happened!  I must have dreamed that three plus year Mueller investigation in which we were told night after night that Trump colluded with the Russians to win the 2016 election.  He "stole the election."  The real big lie.  Hillary actually violated the law and would have been prosecuted except for Comey's unwillingness to enforce the law.  He was convinced that Hillary was going to win the election and be his next boss.  He did not want to derail that but also didn't want to be criticized for failing to enforce the law.  So he split the difference by not prosecuting her for obvious legal violations but voicing criticism of her conduct.  He played both sides against the middle because he was a corrupt bureaucrat.

Here is Michael Isikoff, one of the key investigative reporters who reported on the "Steele dossier" (along with David Corn), discussing the important role that document played in the entire "belief system" (his words), outside and inside the government, that Trump had been compromised (Kompromat) by Russia, that Russian intelligence had contacts with Trump people who exchanged information with each other, and that Trump was acting as an "asset" for Putin. This was the foundational document for all of that ancillary monitoring, Page, et al.

I would suggest that had there been no Steele Dossier that the entire related investigation would have been done quite differently.

Go to the 21:00 minute mark for the key points:

[Tom Scully]

Here is Michael Isikoff, one of the key investigative reporters who reported on the "Steele dossier" (along with David Corn), discussing the important role that document played in the entire "belief system" (his words), outside and inside the government, that Trump had been compromised (Kompromat) by Russia, that Russian intelligence had contacts with Trump people who exchanged information with each other, and that Trump was acting as an "asset" for Putin. This was the foundational document for all of that ancillary monitoring, Page, et al.

I would suggest that had there been no Steele Dossier that the entire related investigation would have been done quite differently.

-snip-

https://www.grassley.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2020-04-15%20ODNI%20to%20CEG%20RHJ%20(FISA%20Footnote%20Declassification).pdf
APR 1 5 2020 - Senator Chuck Grassleyhttps://www.grassley.senate.gov › download › 20...PDF
Jan 5, 2020 — AS we discuss in Chapter Six, members of the Crossfire Hurricane team were unaware of Steele's connections to Russian Oligarch 1.

A screenshot from the 9 page, Sen. Grassley .pdf linked above. Footnote .210 is quoted above:


Washington Examiner, which I don't cite as a rule, had this to add about Oleg Deripaska's knowledge.:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/declassified-footnotes-show-russian-intelligence-knew-about-steele-dossier-efforts-in-summer-of-2016
The footnotes showed that “sensitive source reporting” from June 2017 indicated that a person affiliated to "Russian Oligarch 1," a powerful Russian businessman for whom Steele had done work, was “possibly aware” of Steele’s Trump-Russia investigation as of early July 2016.

Arguably,you posted an example of Isikoff and Corn self promotion, as they are credited with "breaking the story".

Read THE ENTIRE article I excerpted below, 3 or 4 times (while humming the tune, "I'm Proud to be an American...) click on some of the intermingled, supporting links. Then, consider that Manafort was subsequently convicted by a jury in a criminal trial and that Tom Barrack is under indictment on several charges and the Inauguration committee Barrack chaired was vice-chaired by admitted felon and Manafort assistant, Rick Gates.

Steve, consider that Trump, at Manafort's suggestion, used the dossier as a pinata and that it is not at the root of "his troubles".

People Trump kept on, or appointed (remember Trump first greeting Comey on camera with near adoration, possibly having to do with Comey's late October letter about emails on the Wiener laptop?)
signed off on three of the four Carter page FISA apps...

https://www.justice.gov/storage/120919-examination.pdf
Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the
Dec 9, 2019 — the dates the Carter Page FISA applications were filed and the dates ... application, Comey and then Acting Attorney General Dana Boente ...
478 pages and, on page 91 of 478 : "Oligarch I" = Oleg Deripaska



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rod-rosenstein-carter-page-fisa-warrant/
"..However, Rosenstein also said that at the time, the government had not yet concluded Trump associates did not conspire with Russia, that there was still "reasonable suspicion.".."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Donald_Trump#Investigation_by_U.S._attorney's_office_in_New_York
Investigations
8.1   Investigation by the special counsel
8.2   Investigation by U.S. attorney's office in New York
8.3   Investigations by attorneys general

https://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/25/manafort-trump-russia-advise-238803
Manafort advised Trump team on Russia scandal
Former campaign chief remained in contact with the president and his aides after the FBI launched its Russia probe.

By KENNETH P. VOGEL 05/25/2017
"...Trump’s aides and allies have sought to minimize Manafort’s role on the campaign, with White House press secretary Sean Spicer in March describing Manafort as someone “who played a very limited role for a very limited amount of time” in the effort.

The former Trump campaign worker said “because Paul was initially brought on to secure the delegates and work with the establishment figures that the initial campaign team didn’t have relationships with, he was primarily based in New York, D.C. and then Cleveland setting up the convention. Whereas Mr. Trump and the core campaign team were traveling all over the country campaigning.” As a result, the campaign hand said, “we didn’t really have that much interaction with Paul. He wasn’t part of the core campaign team.”

And the former campaign worker asserted that Trump and Manafort “didn’t have a relationship” before a mutual friend, California real estate investor Tom Barrack, recommended that Trump bring Manafort on board as a volunteer.

In fact, though, Manafort’s lobbying firm worked for Trump in the 1980s and 1990s fighting the expansion of Indian casinos that could compete with his Atlantic City gambling business, and trying to change the flight path of planes that Trump said disturbed guests at his newly purchased Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

And, while it’s true that Manafort joined the campaign in March 2016 to handle delegate strategy, he quickly exerted his influence over the entire campaign, which was headquartered at Manhattan’s Trump Tower, where he owns an apartment.

Days after Manafort joined the campaign, one of his daughters, in a text message to her sister that was later hacked and posted in an online data tranche, wrote: “Dad and Trump are literally living in the same building and mom says they go up and down all day long hanging and plotting together.”

Manafort eventually forced out his internal rival, campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, in June, leaving Manafort with almost complete control over the operation for two months until August, when he was layered over, and then forced to resign.

Even after that, Manafort continued discussing campaign strategy with people on the campaign, including a few calls with Trump’s influential son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and more regular contact with key state directors, according to a Trump campaign consultant..."

[Tom Scully]

The date of the Reuters article presented in the OP of this thread was
August 20, 2021.

A Devin Nunes voter ?

https://www.yourcentralvalley.com/news/local-news/clovis-real-estate-agent-will-face-charges-in-connection-to-january-6-capitol-violence-doj-documents-say/
Posted: Sep 2, 2021 / 09:30 PM PDT   / Updated: Sep 2, 2021 / 11:30 PM PDT   

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — "Benjamin Martin, a Clovis real estate agent living in Madera will face charges for his part in the Jan. 6 violence at the U.S. Capitol according to official government documents from the United States Department of Justice..."

https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/case-multi-defendant/file/1430511/download
Page 6 of 13 :
"...A search warrant of the MARTIN Facebook account identified by the tipster revealed that
the account was registered as “benjamin.martin.90410.” A review of the account further revealed
communications between MARTIN and a Facebook account associated with R.T.  Based on a
different investigation, R.T. is known to the FBI to have advocated for violence in the lead-up to
January 6, organized others to travel to D.C. for January 6 (some of whom participated in the riot
at the U.S. Capitol), and to have participated himself in the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. 
MARTIN’s account contained communications occurring on January 3, 2021, between R.T. and
MARTIN  through  Facebook  Messenger  in  which  MARTIN  and  R.T.  discussed  traveling  to
Washington D.C. for January 6, 2021. In the communications, R.T. invited MARTIN to join a
Telegram chat for “a group of 200+ California patriots that are going to DC Jan 6,” which
MARTIN accepted and joined. On January 6, 2021, MARTIN sent four messages to R.T. that
stated, “we need to meet”, “I just spoke to Peggy Hall she said we need to meet”, and “I am in DC
as we”, “well” [sic].   
 
Through Facebook, MARTIN messaged four photos from January 6, 2021.  Two were the
same at the photos that MARTIN provided to the FBI (included above).  The other two appear to
be of MARTIN: ..."

Background: June 9, 2021

https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1403191/download

"...19.  As described herein,  HOSTETTER,  TAYLOR, WARNER,  MARTINEZ,
KINNISON,  and  MELE conspired  with each  other, and  with others known  and  unknown, to
corruptly  obstruct,  influence,  and  impede the Congressional proceeding at the  U.S. Capitol on
January 6, 2021.

January 1, 2021: TAYLOR  Initiates  the California  Patriols-DC Brigade
Telegram  Group
38. On January  1,2021,  TAYLOR  created  a Telegram  chat  called  "The California
Patriots-DC Brigade" (the  "DC Brigade")  and invited other  individuals  to join. TAYLOR,
HOSTETTER,  WARNER,  KINNISON,  MARTINEZ,  and MELE all joined,  along with  more than
30 others.
39. In the  "about"  section that described  the  purpose  of the DC Brigade  group,
TAYLOR  wrote:
This group  will serve as the Comms for able  bodied individuals  that are  going  to
DC on Jan 6. Many  of us have not met  before  and  we are all ready  and  willing  to
fight.  We  will come together  for this moment  that  we are called  upon.
40.  In a series of messages  on January  1, 2021, TAYLOR  further explained  the purpose
of the  group.  In one  message,  he explained:  "This  thread  is exclusive  to be utilized  to organize  a
group  of fighters  to have  each other's backs  and  ensure that  no one  will trample  on our rights.
Also, if there is key intel  that  we need  to be aware of tor possible threats."  He added:  "l am
assuming  that you  have  some type  of weaponry  that you are bringing  with you and plates as well." (along the lines of Rep. Mo Brooks wearing body armor ?)
TAYLOR also asked  members to identify if they had  previous law enforcement  experience,
military  experience,  or "special  skills relevant  to our endeavors,"  as well as the planned  date and
time of their  arrival in D.C. ..

..37. On December  30, 2020,TAYLOR posted  to his "russ.taylor" Instagram  account:
Spread  the word to other CALIFORNIA  Patriots  to join us as we March  into the
Capitol  Jan 6. The Plan right now is to meet up at two occasions and locations:  l.Jan 5ft Zpm  atthe Supreme  Court steps  for  a rally. (Myself,  Alan, [and others]  will
be speaking)  2. Jan  6ft early 7am meet in front  of the Kimpton George Hotel.  .  .we
will leave  at 7:30am  sharp  and  March  (15 mins) to the  Capital to meet up with the
stop the steal organization and  surround  the capital. There  will be speakers  there
and we will be part  of the  large effort  for  the "Wild  Rally" that  Trump has  asked  us
all to be  part  of..."

[Rick Plant]

This bogus Reuters article has been debunked.


January 6 select committee refutes claim by McCarthy that the Justice Department cleared Trump of any role in insurrection

The top members of the select committee investigating the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill refuted recent claims by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy that former President Donald Trump has been cleared by the Justice Department of any role in the insurrection.

"(McCarthy) has suggested, based on an anonymous report, that the Department of Justice has concluded that Donald Trump did not cause, incite, or provoke the violence on January 6th," the statement read. "When this anonymous report was first published, the Select Committee queried the Executive Branch agencies and congressional committees involved in the investigation. We've received answers and briefings from the relevant entities, and it's been made clear to us that reports of such a conclusion are baseless."

The statement by Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson and Vice Chair Rep. Liz Cheney calls out McCarthy's comments to KGET-TV this week where he suggested Trump played no role in coordinating the insurrection.

"That's where law enforcement comes. The FBI has investigated this. The Senate had bipartisan committees come back. And you know what they've found -- that there's no involvement. But this is purely political in how Nancy Pelosi has handled this," McCarthy, a California Republican, said in the interview with KGET.

McCarthy and many other Republicans have used a report from Reuters that claims the FBI has found "scant evidence" that the January 6 riots were coordinated. CNN has not independently confirmed that report.

The committee making it clear that Trump has not been cleared of any wrongdoing related to January 6 gives a clear indication that the former President and his allies remain a focal point in their investigation.

"We will continue to pursue all elements of this investigation in a nonpartisan and thorough manner. We also remind Minority Leader McCarthy of his statements following January 6th, including his statement from the House Floor on January 13th—which are inconsistent with his recent comments," the committee's Saturday statement continued.

A week after the insurrection, McCarthy said on the House floor that, "The President bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters. ... He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump."

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/04/politics/mccarthy-trump-select-committee-justice-department/index.html

[Richard Smith]

It's amazing that so much time and energy has been expended on this story.  Meanwhile there were decades of intentional and verifiable lies told by a laundry list of politicians and military members dating back decades that resulted in decades long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush, Cheney, Powell, Obama, Hillary etc.  Lies that resulted it the deaths of thousands of Americans and untold numbers of folks in those countries.  The expenditure of trillions of dollars for no purpose.  But no one cares.  What they care about is some guy who painted his face and wore a horned helmet while walking through the Capitol. 

[Tom Scully]

It's amazing that so much time and energy has been expended on this story.  Meanwhile there were decades of intentional and verifiable lies told by a laundry list of politicians and military members dating back decades that resulted in decades long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush, Cheney, Powell, Obama, Hillary etc.  Lies that resulted it the deaths of thousands of Americans and untold numbers of folks in those countries.  The expenditure of trillions of dollars for no purpose.  But no one cares.  What they care about is some guy who painted his face and wore a horned helmet while walking through the Capitol.

You make it plain you are unprepared intellectually and emotionally for what will result from the still ongoing investigation(s), arrests, prosecutions and the work of the January 6 Commission.

The statements of Senators McConnell and Graham, as well as of House Minority Leader McCarthy are inconsistent with their recent comments.

https://january6th.house.gov/news/press-releases/thompson-cheney-statement-mccarthy-s-january-6th-misinformation-campaign

“Minority Leader McCarthy has recently made statements regarding the January 6th investigation. He has suggested, based on an anonymous report, that the Department of Justice has concluded that Donald Trump did not cause, incite, or provoke the violence on January 6th. When this anonymous report was first published, the Select Committee queried the Executive Branch agencies and congressional committees involved in the investigation. We’ve received answers and briefings from the relevant entities, and it’s been made clear to us that reports of such a conclusion are baseless. We will continue to pursue all elements of this investigation in a nonpartisan and thorough manner. We also remind Minority Leader McCarthy of his statements following January 6th, including his statement from the House Floor on January 13th—which are inconsistent with his recent comments.”

The American people, especially considering "the Trump taint" at the highest levels of the Secret Service,

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-dangerous-secrets-inside-the-secret-service-and-how-the-agency-has-been-shortchanged
The dangerous secrets inside the Secret Service, and how the agency has been shortchanged - PBS

May 19, 2021 — Jim Murray was very close to Tony Ornato. And they agreed that this is how it would be, and that he would temporarily be with the White House, ...

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/08/politics/secret-service-james-murray/index.html
James Murray to take over Secret Service | CNN Politics
Apr 8, 2019 — President Donald Trump has chosen a "career member" of the Secret Service to be its new director starting in May, White House press ...

....to learn why the same Secret Service that issued this warning to the Capitol Police, brought V.P. Mike Pence to the Capitol without increased SS protection, like a tactical team, or even brought him, AND HIS FAMILY, to the Capitol on January 6, at all!

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/25/secret-service-warned-capitol-police-violent-threats-january-riot-506806
Secret Service warned Capitol Police about violent ... - Politico
Aug 25, 2021 — Just a day before the Jan. 6 riot, the Secret Service warned the U.S. Capitol Police that their officers could face violence at the hands of ...

Local DC, NBC affiliate :

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/internal-park-police-emails-reveal-more-gun-incidents-warnings-on-jan-6/2793649/
September 6, 2021
... A USPP spokesperson told the I-Team the 24-year-old with the rifle was arrested and charged with having an unregistered firearm.

Several other incidents with guns are revealed in the internal emails. According to a FBI update forwarded to colleagues by a U.S. Park Police detective, “At approximately 10:45 a.m., Federal Protective Service received notification.. that two individuals were detained by a protective service officer for possession of two guns in vehicle.

According to emails shared by federal law enforcement, D.C. police reported “there have been approximately 10 arrests ranging from simple assault to weapons possession” by 9:35 a.m. in the District.

As the morning progressed, the emails show attention shifted to the Capitol. A U.S. Park Police email reported a large group of 200 suspected Proud Boys on or near Capitol grounds. In an email to colleagues, a Park Police intelligence branch commander noted, “We are monitoring the group’s movement through the city.”

By 11:15am, at least 400 people had entered or approached the east front of the Capitol, according to an FBI situational report emailed by Park Police officials....