Apr 7, 2018 at 7:51 PM | tomo
There is no doubt that the poisoning involved Russian technology. No evidence has been made available that confirms it was sponsored by Putin or the Kremlin.

It may be that UK Spooks do have evidence, but every Russian oligarch retains security staff, and any technology is available for a price.

We don't know whether Skripal was targetted because of what he had already said, or what he might have said. There is a clear message for Russians trying to hide abroad.

I mean ... somebody gives you $25 million and you don't know them?

Apr 11, 2018 at 10:48 AM | tomo

The Clinton's memories are sometimes hazy and fuzzy, depending on what they had to celebrate at the time.

tomo, from the introduction here:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Counsel_investigation_(2017%E2%80%93present)

"Since May 2017, a  has been led by the United States Special Counsel, Robert Mueller, a former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation is examining Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, including exploring any links or coordination between Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the Russian government, "and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation". Mueller's investigation took over several FBI investigations including those involving former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn."

I do not know if those are the exact wordings of the "Terms of Reference", and if so, who drew them up? But the emphasis is on "Trump" and "Russia", so Mueller will write in his memoirs that he had to concentrate on the "Terms of Reference", and NOT get involved in Mission Creep or get dragged into investigating the Democrat/Progressive swamp of fraud and corruption.

Mueller is not a fool. I expect he is keeping detailed notes, just in case he is called to provide evidence in any subsequent investigation, that may have "Terms of Reference" targetted at an alternative outcome.

Apr 11, 2018 at 1:29 PM | tomo

Initially, Mueller simply had to investigate the evidence presented. Most, possibly all, of the accumulated evidence seems very iffy.

I think Mueller is trying to stick to "Trump" & "Russia", as instructed, but there are far fewer dots for him to join, than even he thought. He could be trying to protect the liberty of some of his close associates.

Radio 4 News seems to have reported that Mark Zuckerberg did not give away anything incriminating, but I think it is too early for US Democrats AND Republicans to breathe a sigh of relief. If Mueller is investigating "Trump" and "Russia" and does not summon Zuckerberg, it means either that Mueller knows there is nothing there, or it would open a far bigger can of worms than "Trump" and "Russia".

I have never had a Facebook account!

I do not know whether Cambridge Analytica, are yet believed to have committed a Criminal Offence under UK Law, but their Acting CEO has now (been?) stepped down. Who knows who else may have commissioned Cambridge Analytica or similar shady operators?

https://www.politico.eu/article/cambridge-analyticas-acting-ceo-steps-down-alexander-tayler-data/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-5601405/SARAH-VINE-Facebook-stole-secrets-fools-like-helped-them.html

"Now we finally know the answer to the burning question of whether George Clooney intends to run for U.S. president. Amal is on the cover of May's American Vogue. The campaign starts here."

tomo,

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/11/rosenstein-lets-nunes-gowdy-review-fbi-memo-that-kick-started-russia-probe.html

"Facing legal action, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein allowed House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., to view the FBI memo that instigated the bureau's counterintelligence investigation of contacts between Russia and the Trump campaign, Nunes confirmed on Wednesday."

"Fox News has previously reported that the memo was either drafted by or had significant input from FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller's probe after the discovery of anti-Trump text messages between him and another FBI official, Lisa Page."

"Despite Rosenstein making the minimally redacted version of the memo available, the government source said committee Republicans remained concerned about the memo’s underlying intelligence and the credibility of the sources which would require further investigation."

"A Justice Department official told Fox News that the memo's redactions had been "narrowly tailored to protect the name of a foreign country and the name of a foreign agent... These words must remain redacted after determining that revealing the words could harm the national security of the American people by undermining the trust we have with this foreign nation."

I am not sure if some of the wording has been carefully, or carelessly chosen.

Strzok and Page have kept very low profiles so far. Their Text messages may not have been viewed as Criminal Offences, but showed a lack of neutrality. This Memo could wipe a few years off many pensions.

What ‘Chappaquiddick’ Gets Right Is Enough To Make Your Blood Boil

Which leads to

Ted Kennedy's Soviet Gambit

Which leads to

n 1992, Tim Sebastian published a story about the memorandum in the London Times. Here in the U.S., Sebastian's story received no attention. In his 2006 book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, historian Paul Kengor reprinted the memorandum in full. "The media," Kengor says, "ignored the revelation."

"The document," Kengor continues, "has stood the test of time. I scrutinized it more carefully than anything I've ever dealt with as a scholar. I showed the document to numerous authorities who deal with Soviet archival material. No one has debunked the memorandum or shown it to be a forgery. Kennedy's office did not deny it."

Apr 14, 2018 at 1:54 PM | tomo

That is an interesting story for the BBC to report on. A month ago, they reported:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43439066

FBI ex-deputy director Andrew McCabe sacked days before retirement. 17 March 2018

"The report has not been released but it is thought to refer to an interview Mr McCabe authorised between two FBI officials and a Wall Street Journal reporter in October 2016 to explain the agency's position in the Clinton emails inquiry."

So who led the BBC to think that, and why?

tomo, the BBC is covering itself in something, but it does not smell of glory.

The BBC is not the only media outfit to treat Trump with contempt, and remain unapologetic, having got it wrong, so consistently.

The BBC is damaging its own reputation for credibility, integrity and reliability. St Hillary must have promised the BBC some great White House party invites.

Questions being asked at the top as I understand it.

- Why was Hillary not put under oath when questioned by FBI?

- Why were 5(!) of her staff given immunity, including suspect Cheryl Mills, who was also allowed to act as Hillary’s counsel?

- Who gave the order to FBI agents to destroy Hillary’s laptops?

@Comey knows...

Yep... this is warming up

Apr 15, 2018 at 10:30 PM | tomo

Not the first time that people have asked those questions..........

https://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/mills-immunity-228580

Does the USA have a 30 Year Rule similar to the UK? You would need to be in a very Senior position to instruct the FBI to cease and desist.