homersapien 11,549 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Trump weighs firing FBI director after election as frustration with Wray, Barr grows By Devlin Barrett and Josh Dawsey Oct. 21, 2020 at 7:34 p.m. EDT President Trump and his advisers have repeatedly discussed whether to fire FBI Director Christopher A. Wray after Election Day — a scenario that also could imperil the tenure of Attorney General William P. Barr as the president grows increasingly frustrated that federal law enforcement has not delivered his campaign the kind of last-minute boost that the FBI provided in 2016, according to people familiar with the matter. The conversations among the president and senior aides stem in part from their disappointment that Wray in particular but Barr as well have not done what Trump had hoped — indicate that Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, his son Hunter Biden or other Biden associates are under investigation, these people say. Like others, they spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose internal discussions. In the campaign’s closing weeks, the president has intensified public calls for jailing his challenger, much as he did for Hillary Clinton, his opponent in 2016. Trump has called Biden a “criminal” without articulating what laws he believes the former vice president has broken. People familiar with the discussions say Trump wants official action similar to the announcement made 11 days before the last presidential election by then-FBI Director James B. Comey, who informed Congress he had reopened an investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state after potential new evidence had been discovered. Trump emphasized the point in an interview Tuesday with Fox News, saying “we’ve got to get the attorney general to act” and that Barr should do so “fast.” The president was alluding to information about Hunter Biden recently touted by Trump’s private lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and based on the contents of a laptop computer purportedly belonging to the former vice president’s son. “This is major corruption,” Trump added, “and this has to be known about before the election.” The White House does not speculate on personnel matters, said Judd Deere, a spokesman. “If the president doesn’t have confidence in someone, he will let you know,” Deere said. An FBI spokesman declined to comment. Polling data shows Comey’s late-October announcement four years ago cut significantly into Clinton’s lead over Trump. Yet while Trump may be hoping for a similar surprise from within his administration now, senior FBI officials are wary of repeating moves that were sharply criticized as unfair and inappropriate. In a letter sent Tuesday night to Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, an FBI official sought to dodge questions posed by Johnson about the bureau’s knowledge of Hunter Biden’s purported laptop. The FBI has “nothing to add” to a statement made by Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, who earlier this week dismissed suspicions that the Biden laptop was the product of a Russian disinformation campaign, the letter said. Ratcliffe told Fox Business Network on Monday that the U.S. government has no intelligence to support such claims. By not disputing accusations leveled by Democrats and some former intelligence officials that the laptop’s late-season reveal could be another form of foreign election interference, the FBI gave tacit support to the idea that the emails in question are genuine. But the bureau’s letter to Johnson was not that explicit, noting the criticism leveled by Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz over Comey’s actions in 2016. The FBI “can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any ongoing investigation or persons or entities under investigation, including to Members of Congress,” Tuesday’s letter from Assistant Director Jill C. Tyson said. “As the Inspector General firmly reminded the Department and the FBI in recent years, this policy is designed to preserve the integrity of all Justice Department investigations and the Department’s ability to effectively administer justice without political or other undue outside influences.” The letter marked the latest salvo in an increasingly fraught relationship between the president, the FBI and senior Justice Department officials. Trump considers Wray one of his worst personnel picks, according to people familiar with the matter. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also has sharply criticized Wray in internal discussions, as has another top Trump adviser, Dan Scavino, these people said. Meadows has expressed frustration that Wray will not declassify more documents relevant to the FBI’s 2016 probe of Russia’s election interference, though federal law enforcement officials have not been told specifically what documents Meadows wants, according to people familiar with the matter. Trump has publicly and privately vented about what he sees as Wray’s lackluster statements about the Russia investigation, antifa and voter fraud. Barr says he does not expect Obama or Biden will be investigated by prosecutor reviewing 2016 Russia probe The attorney general has been drawn into some of those disputes as the president has complained that a hoped-for report from Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham, who is scrutinizing the Russia investigation’s origins, is not expected to surface before Election Day. The president has stopped praising Barr and instead strikes a more critical tone toward him. Trump declined to answer a Newsmax reporter recently when asked if Barr would be kept around for a second term. Trump was so focused on the Durham report that he would turn up the television volume when segments would air about it, people around him said. Trump has told allies that he once believed Barr would deliver “scalps” in the form of Durham’s findings, according to an adviser who recently spoke to Trump about it. “But they aren’t doing s---,” the president said, according to this person. Some administration officials have grown concerned that Barr could become a casualty of the White House’s desire to remove Wray after the election. But people familiar with the discussions caution there are still many variables that could affect or alter the president’s thinking, most importantly how America votes, and whether Republicans remain in charge of the Senate. Trump often complains about members of his Cabinet and contemplates dismissing them, without doing so. And Trump’s decision to fire Comey in early 2017 only fueled further problems for the president. Conservative allies of the president have escalated their campaign against Wray on television and through social media, with some calling for him to be fired. Wray has largely stayed away from meetings with the president, officials said. But throughout Wray’s tumultuous tenure under Trump, Barr often has acted as the FBI director’s ally and a shield, and it’s not clear that the president would act on his displeasure with Wray as long as Barr is still the attorney general. Current and former law enforcement officials worry that firing Wray so early into his 10-year term would be harmful to the FBI and further erode its political independence, after Comey’s stint lasted less than four years. Brian O’Hare, president of the FBI Agents Association, said Wray has faced “unprecedented challenges” over the past three years and has sought to preserve the bureau’s impartiality and integrity. “Director Wray,” O’Hare said, “is committed to the truth and focused on the facts.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/trump-wray-biden-barr/2020/10/21/6ce69f02-13b0-11eb-ad6f-36c93e6e94fb_story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 52 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: You are incorrect. As per usual, you overstate your case. 52 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: There are emails that clearly link Joe to meetings. There is an email saying his children must pay him half of their earnings. There is an email that indicates Joe gets 10% off the top. Correction: There are emails, supposedly from Hunter Biden, that make claims about getting meetings with Joe and such. What there isn't is any actual proof that this was anything more than just drug-addled Hunter making boasts he couldn't back up. What there isn't is any proof that any of these proposed meetings ever occurred. 52 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: I’m expecting the media to ask Joe the hard questions about these emails that show he has lied about not knowing anything about Hunter’s business dealings and show that he sold out his office in order to enrich himself. Others who received these emails have already confirmed them as being legit. Until the people who possess a copy of this hard drive allow it to be independently verified and forensically analyzed or the FBI who's had it in their possession for a year now step forward to authenticate the emails and ownership of the laptop, it's speculative to start grilling Joe over it. 52 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: Joe can’t deny the laptop or the emails because he knows it will be proven he is a liar if he does so. He is hoping (and he might be right) that he will not be forced to answer these questions before the election. Likewise, it would be insane to confirm or deny anything at this point because the veracity and authenticity of it is in question. You don't make comments on something when you can't ascertain the validity of it in the first place. 52 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: Any reasonable person should be demanding answers. The D party and the media covering for them already have been proven to be lying as it is not Russian misinformation. Any reasonable person would be wondering why Giuliani pitched this to Fox News and they PASSED on the story due to being uncomfortable with the veracity of the information and because he wouldn't let them get it independently analyzed. Any reasonable person would be wondering why the NY Post couldn't get any of their veteran journalists to attach their names to the byline and they had to force-feed it to a couple of folks who barely have any experience. Any reasonable person would wonder why the story from the store owner keeps changing - did Hunter himself bring it in, or did someone else? Did he reach out to the FBI, or did the FBI initiate contact with him first? If this exact same circumstance were happening but instead of Hunter Biden, it was Eric Trump, and The NY Times and Washington Post turned the article down due to concerns about its veracity but it was only picked up by the Daily Beast, and the one pitching it to them was Donna Brazile refused to let anyone get the hard drive independently verified, and the store owner who was a known Biden supporter couldn't keep his story straight, you'd be screaming bloody murder that its a totally sketchy hit job late in the election. Dirty politics and the whole nine. I don't know if the emails are valid or if the laptop is really Hunter's or if that latter part was fabricated to come up with a plausible way for it to get into someone else's hands. I do know the story was so sketch that even FoxNews wouldn't take it on. And thus far, I know that there's no actual connection to Joe himself. If some actual proof of that comes out, then we have a story on our hands. But we aren't there yet - not by a long stretch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 16 minutes ago, TitanTiger said: As per usual, you overstate your case. Correction: There are emails, supposedly from Hunter Biden, that make claims about getting meetings with Joe and such. What there isn't is any actual proof that this was anything more than just drug-addled Hunter making boasts he couldn't back up. What there isn't is any proof that any of these proposed meetings ever occurred. Until the people who possess a copy of this hard drive allow it to be independently verified and forensically analyzed or the FBI who's had it in their possession for a year now step forward to authenticate the emails and ownership of the laptop, it's speculative to start grilling Joe over it. Likewise, it would be insane to confirm or deny anything at this point because the veracity and authenticity of it is in question. You don't make comments on something when you can't ascertain the validity of it in the first place. Any reasonable person would be wondering why Giuliani pitched this to Fox News and they PASSED on the story due to being uncomfortable with the veracity of the information and because he wouldn't let them get it independently analyzed. Any reasonable person would be wondering why the NY Post couldn't get any of their veteran journalists to attach their names to the byline and they had to force-feed it to a couple of folks who barely have any experience. Any reasonable person would wonder why the story from the store owner keeps changing - did Hunter himself bring it in, or did someone else? Did he reach out to the FBI, or did the FBI initiate contact with him first? If this exact same circumstance were happening but instead of Hunter Biden, it was Eric Trump, and The NY Times and Washington Post turned the article down due to concerns about its veracity but it was only picked up by the Daily Beast, and the one pitching it to them was Donna Brazile refused to let anyone get the hard drive independently verified, and the store owner who was a known Biden supporter couldn't keep his story straight, you'd be screaming bloody murder that its a totally sketchy hit job late in the election. Dirty politics and the whole nine. I don't know if the emails are valid or if the laptop is really Hunter's or if that latter part was fabricated to come up with a plausible way for it to get into someone else's hands. I do know the story was so sketch that even FoxNews wouldn't take it on. And thus far, I know that there's no actual connection to Joe himself. If some actual proof of that comes out, then we have a story on our hands. But we aren't there yet - not by a long stretch. @SocialCircleconsistently lies about what even Rudy’s October surprise says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Here’s your new outrage, @SocialCircle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 10 minutes ago, TexasTiger said: Here’s your new outrage, @SocialCircle In other words, Junior has become a mouthpiece for QAnon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 hour ago, TexasTiger said: Are you a teacher? What do you teach? No, I am not a teacher. These claims are verified by identified people willing to go on record including people who received some of these emails. You get media absolutely willing to run with comments allegedly made by Trump but refuted by over a dozen of people who was with him at the time because of anonymous sources. Now we have identified people on record and most of the media is unwilling to even see if there is anything here at all. Just be honest. These are serious allegations that need to be investigated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homersapien 11,549 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 What were the comments "allegedly" made by Trump that the media "ran with" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 hour ago, TitanTiger said: As per usual, you overstate your case. Correction: There are emails, supposedly from Hunter Biden, that make claims about getting meetings with Joe and such. What there isn't is any actual proof that this was anything more than just drug-addled Hunter making boasts he couldn't back up. What there isn't is any proof that any of these proposed meetings ever occurred. Until the people who possess a copy of this hard drive allow it to be independently verified and forensically analyzed or the FBI who's had it in their possession for a year now step forward to authenticate the emails and ownership of the laptop, it's speculative to start grilling Joe over it. Likewise, it would be insane to confirm or deny anything at this point because the veracity and authenticity of it is in question. You don't make comments on something when you can't ascertain the validity of it in the first place. Any reasonable person would be wondering why Giuliani pitched this to Fox News and they PASSED on the story due to being uncomfortable with the veracity of the information and because he wouldn't let them get it independently analyzed. Any reasonable person would be wondering why the NY Post couldn't get any of their veteran journalists to attach their names to the byline and they had to force-feed it to a couple of folks who barely have any experience. Any reasonable person would wonder why the story from the store owner keeps changing - did Hunter himself bring it in, or did someone else? Did he reach out to the FBI, or did the FBI initiate contact with him first? If this exact same circumstance were happening but instead of Hunter Biden, it was Eric Trump, and The NY Times and Washington Post turned the article down due to concerns about its veracity but it was only picked up by the Daily Beast, and the one pitching it to them was Donna Brazile refused to let anyone get the hard drive independently verified, and the store owner who was a known Biden supporter couldn't keep his story straight, you'd be screaming bloody murder that its a totally sketchy hit job late in the election. Dirty politics and the whole nine. I don't know if the emails are valid or if the laptop is really Hunter's or if that latter part was fabricated to come up with a plausible way for it to get into someone else's hands. I do know the story was so sketch that even FoxNews wouldn't take it on. And thus far, I know that there's no actual connection to Joe himself. If some actual proof of that comes out, then we have a story on our hands. But we aren't there yet - not by a long stretch. The news division of Fox News is reporting on it. You have multiple people now who are on record (not anonymous sources) saying these emails are legit. All it takes is for any Biden to say it these emails aren't real. They will never do that because they are real and they are busted. Their only hope is the media can cover for him and he gets elected. It might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: No, I am not a teacher. These claims are verified by identified people willing to go on record including people who received some of these emails. You get media absolutely willing to run with comments allegedly made by Trump but refuted by over a dozen of people who was with him at the time because of anonymous sources. Now we have identified people on record and most of the media is unwilling to even see if there is anything here at all. Just be honest. These are serious allegations that need to be investigated. Be honest. If the emails are legit— and, frankly, Biden choosing not to let this become a focus tells me nothing other than he’s utilizing good judgment— they’re the assertions of a Coke head trying to cash in on Dad’s fame and position. There is nothing even alleged that implicates Joe. If Barr thinks he has a basis to investigate, no one’s stopping him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: They will never do that because they are real and they are busted. Why investigate— you already know with certainty what happened! Hope like hell you never sit on a jury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 3 minutes ago, TexasTiger said: Be honest. If the emails are legit— and, frankly, Biden choosing not to let this become a focus tells me nothing other than he’s utilizing good judgment— they’re the assertions of a Coke head trying to cash in on Dad’s fame and position. There is nothing even alleged that implicates Joe. If Barr thinks he has a basis to investigate, no one’s stopping him. There are emails showing Joe Biden and his family is corrupt and that he lied about it. I am not even arguing whether what they did is legal or not. It is corrupt. Just be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 4 minutes ago, TexasTiger said: Why investigate— you already know with certainty what happened! Hope like hell you never sit on a jury. I'm giving you my opinion. This is something every citizen should want to get to the bottom of. If Rudy is corrupt, then he should be exposed as well. If the multiple people now on record saying these emails are legit are corrupt, then they should be exposed. Let's find out the truth and let the chips fall where they may. The media ran with a false dossier story about Trump that was unverified. Where is the curiosity about this? Just be honest and expose whoever it is that needs to be exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 minute ago, SocialCircle said: There are emails showing Joe Biden and his family is corrupt and that he lied about it. I am not even arguing whether what they did is legal or not. It is corrupt. Just be honest. You are utterly incapable of assessing evidence. That’s honest. If a coke addict claims things about you because he thinks it makes someone more likely to give him money, that’s proof that what says about you is true? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 minute ago, SocialCircle said: I'm giving you my opinion. This is something every citizen should want to get to the bottom of. If Rudy is corrupt, then he should be exposed as well. If the multiple people now on record saying these emails are legit are corrupt, then they should be exposed. Let's find out the truth and let the chips fall where they may. The media ran with a false dossier story about Trump that was unverified. Where is the curiosity about this? Just be honest and expose whoever it is that needs to be exposed. That dossier was handed to the FBI by John McCain at Lindsey Graham’s urging. Clinton’s lawyer didn’t push it. If the FBI thinks this warrants investigation, they will. Barr is eager to find anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homersapien 11,549 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 5 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: There are emails showing Joe Biden and his family is corrupt and that he lied about it. I am not even arguing whether what they did is legal or not. It is corrupt. Just be honest. What projection! Dear Leader is talking about firing Wray - and maybe even Barr - because they aren't delivering the investigation he so desperately wants. That's corruption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 4 minutes ago, TexasTiger said: You are utterly incapable of assessing evidence. That’s honest. If a coke addict claims things about you because he thinks it makes someone more likely to give him money, that’s proof that what says about you is true? Investigate the emails. A business partner of the Biden's claims Joe was getting a cut and the emails are legit. Is he a coke head too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 6 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: There are emails showing Joe Biden and his family is corrupt and that he lied about it. This is what I can't seem to get you to see. For the sake of argument, we'll ignore the reasons to call the authenticity of the emails into doubt. What there is here are emails that show Hunter Biden is corrupt. What there is NOT are emails showing Joe Biden is corrupt. If you can't get this basic fact straight, nothing you say has any credibility whatsoever. 6 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: Just be honest. Physician, heal thyself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 15 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: The news division of Fox News is reporting on it. The news division of Fox is reporting on the NY Post's story. But when Giuliani approached them about being the news outlet to break the story, they turned him down because he wouldn't let them get an independent forensic analysis of the hard drive and emails. Oh, they're more than happy to talk about it with someone else's reputation on the line if it falls apart. But when push came to shove and they had the chance for the exclusive 'bombshell' story that would damage Biden, they passed. Ponder that for a bit and see if the penny drops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 6 minutes ago, SocialCircle said: Investigate the emails. A business partner of the Biden's claims Joe was getting a cut and the emails are legit. Is he a coke head too? He claims the coke head told him that— does he have deposit slips? Any actual evidence of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 13,215 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 minute ago, TitanTiger said: The news division of Fox is reporting on the NY Post's story. But when Giuliani approached them about being the news outlet to break the story, they turned him down because he wouldn't let them get an independent forensic analysis of the hard drive and emails. Oh, they're more than happy to talk about it with someone else's reputation on the line if it falls apart. But when push came to shove and they had the chance for the exclusive 'bombshell' story that would damage Biden, they passed. Ponder that for a bit and see if the penny drops. And the writer of the Post story didn’t want his name on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennypowers 1,431 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 On 10/14/2020 at 7:24 PM, TitanTiger said: Why has the far right become such suckers for wild ass conspiracy bull****? Desperation to get a Nazi re-elected. A vote for trump is literally a vote for intolerance, racism, and hate. I will never understand why so many people vote red, when blue is actually for their best interest. Oh wait...yes I do...fear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 minute ago, kennypowers said: Desperation to get a Nazi re-elected. A vote for trump is literally a vote for intolerance, racism, and hate. I will never understand why so many people vote red, when blue is actually for their best interest. Oh wait...yes I do...fear. There are principled reasons to vote for conservatives so I don't subscribe to the view that everything should boil down to purely economic or utilitarian interests. The problem is when one can't see that having an "R" behind your name on the ballot doesn't baptize everything you do into being good. You can't discard your principles to play team ball and bend the knee to the god of political tribalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SocialCircle 570 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 1 hour ago, TitanTiger said: The news division of Fox is reporting on the NY Post's story. But when Giuliani approached them about being the news outlet to break the story, they turned him down because he wouldn't let them get an independent forensic analysis of the hard drive and emails. Oh, they're more than happy to talk about it with someone else's reputation on the line if it falls apart. But when push came to shove and they had the chance for the exclusive 'bombshell' story that would damage Biden, they passed. Ponder that for a bit and see if the penny drops. Ok I pondered it. Are the emails real? If they aren’t say so and then the media can then expose Rudy and all of the others now claiming they are legit as liars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,559 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Just now, SocialCircle said: Ok I pondered it. Evidently not. Just now, SocialCircle said: Are the emails real? Don't know. The pusher(s) of the story refuse to allow anyone to independently authenticate them. Just now, SocialCircle said: If they aren’t say so and then the media can then expose Rudy and all of the others now claiming they are legit as liars. If they are legit, then Giuliani has nothing to fear from independent forensic analysis. He refuses to allow it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I_M4_AU 8,110 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Bombshell report: "The reference to 'the Big Guy' in the much publicized May 13, 2017 email is in fact a reference to Joe Biden," Bobulinski said in a statement to Fox News. Bobulinski said he is the CEO of Sinohawk Holdings, which he explained "was a partnership between the Chinese operating through CEFC/Chairman Ye and the Biden family." He said he was brought on as CEO by Hunter Biden and James Gilliar, who was listed as the sender of the email. Bobulinski went on to say he does not believe Joe Biden's past claim that he and Hunter did not discuss his son Hunter's business, claiming that Hunter "frequently referenced asking him for his sign-off or advice on various potential deals." "I've seen Vice President Biden saying he never talked to Hunter about his business. I've seen firsthand that that's not true, because it wasn't just Hunter's business, they said they were putting the Biden family name and its legacy on the line," Bobulinski said. "The Biden family aggressively leveraged the Biden family name to make millions of dollars from foreign entities even though some were from communist controlled China," he added. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hunter-biden-business-partner-email-genuine-joe-biden-advice Should questions be asked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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