WSJ Asks: Why Is The Media Ignoring The Real Bombshell FISA Memo?

Authored by Guy Benson via Townhall.com,

We'll bring you Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberly Strassel's tweetstorm in a moment, but I'll take a stab at answering her question about the media right out of the gate.  

Three possibilities:

(1) The GOP hyped the Nunes memo, which quickly became the center of this whole firestorm -- replete with counter-memos, FBI objections, etc.  The press followed the spotlight.

(2) As we've been saying, there are so many complex pieces of this larger puzzle, following the plot is difficult.  It's not just news consumers wondering, "which memo is this now?" -- it's many of the people trying to cover this drama, too.  The document in question here is a second, less redacted, version of a Senate memo that few people have even heard of. 

(3) The Senate memo, produced by non-bomb-throwers Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham, is substantially more disruptive to the Democrats' narrative than the Nunes document.  And the press generally prefers Democratic narratives to Republican ones because most journalists are liberals. 

My guess is that some blend of all three factors helps explain why the Grassley/Graham memo has barely registered on the national radar, even after we've endured multiple high-octane news cycles starring Nunes and Schiff.  But on the substance, does Strassel have a point, or is this just the latest shiny object the right-wing is waving around to distract from "the real story," now that the Nunes memo was arguably a bit of a dud?  Here's her case:

Does that all of check out?  Allahpundit digs into the document (a much more redacted version had been released previously) and seems to agree that Grassley/Graham is a significantly bigger deal than Nunes.  In our analysis of the latter document last week, we wrote that a major question was how much the DOJ relied on the Steele dossier itself to gain a FISA warrant against former Trump adviser Carter Page.  According to Grassley/Graham, the answer is a lot.  I posited that if investigators had used the unverified dossier as a starting point from which to chase down leads and produce more solid evidence to present to a FISA judge, that'd be one thing.  But if they leaned heavily on Steele's file itself as the "evidence," that would be sketchier.  According to the two GOP Senators, the FBI did the latter.  From AP's excellent summary (the relevant bits of the memo itself are here and here):

...“The bulk of the application” against Page was dossier material...

“The application appears to contain no additional information corroborating the dossier allegations against Mr. Page.”

In other words, they seem to have treated the dossier as evidence, not as a lead. That’s big news.

But that's not all. Grassley/Graham allege, based on intelligence, that the man behind the anti-Trump dossier was known to be unreliable by the FBI (they eventually severed ties with him) because he was caught lying either to US law enforcement or to British courts, telling each entity different stories about a key fact. Either way, FISA judges who approved and renewed the Page warrants weren't told about the proven unreliability of the foreign agent whose work product was (apparently) the central basis for said warrants. The FBI might counter that Steele seemed credible at first, then they dumped him when he burned them, but that doesn't mean their hands are clean, Allahpundit writes:

(a) that doesn’t solve the problem that the original FISA application against Page evidently relied “heavily” on information passed from a not-very-credible foreign agent and

(b) that doesn’t explain why the Bureau allegedly failed to tell the FISA Court in later applications to renew their surveillance of Page that Steele’s info maybe hadn’t been so credible...Grassley and Graham make another good point about Steele’s chattering to the press while his investigation was still ongoing: Once bad actors were aware that he was digging for dirt on Trump, they could have sought him out and fed him any amount of BS in hopes of it trickling through to the FBI and deepening the official suspicion surrounding Team Trump. That’s how Clinton cronies — maybe even Sid Blumenthal — got involved in this clusterfark. Because Steele was supposedly willing to accept even unsolicited tips about Trump, the Clinton team may have fed him rumors to help fill a dossier for which their boss was paying.

Two big points there:

Even after the FBI recognized Steele was an established liar, his dishonesty was not disclosed to judges deciding whether to keep the warrants active during renewal applications, which were largely predicated on Steele's credibility.

And the topic about which he apparently lied was whether he blabbed to folks in the media about his work, which could have opened up the floodgates for disinformation from shady characters eager to make the anti-Trump case as juicy and brimming with salaciousness as possible.

That's where Blumenthal and company, whom I wrote about here, may have come in. What a mess. Also, speaking of not revealing pertinent information to the courts, it looks like Nunes was technically incorrect that the judges weren't made aware that the Steele dossier was paid political oppo research. But he was more broadly correct that the judges didn't have even close to the full picture of who was behind the unverified partisan document upon which they were primarily basing the surveillance of a US citizen -- who happened to be a former aide to a major presidential campaign from the out-of-power party.

"As Nunes himself later admitted, the Bureau apparently did disclose in a footnote that the material was paid political research. It just didn’t mention who, precisely, had paid for it," AP writes.  The memo reads, "in footnote 8, the FBI stated that the dossier information was compiled pursuant to the direction of a law firm that had hired an "identified US person" -- now known as Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS...the application failed to disclose that the identities of Mr. Simpson's ultimate clients were the Clinton campaign and the DNC."  

So the disclosure came in a footnote and didn't mention that the parties who paid for the unverified dossier were the Trump campaign's explicit opposition.  Maybe there was no misconduct in any of this, but even as someone who believes neither that suspicion of Carter Page was unreasonable, nor that this is all part of a grand anti-Trump conspiracy (remember, the Trump angle of the Russia probe started earlier, for an unrelated reason), there's enough in the Grassley/Graham memo to make me uncomfortable with the standards by which Page was surveilled by the US government.

Comments

Dilluminati SilverDOG Feb 9, 2018 11:10 AM Permalink

The corporate media doesn't care about people, countries, rights, quality of life, morals, national security, or have any human values.  These cocksuckers are sycophants pandering to the Uber wealthy globalist who own private islands, have bodyguards, can molest and abuse and evade the law, in short behave like the Clinton Crime Family.

 

In reply to by SilverDOG

D503 JimmyJones Feb 9, 2018 12:22 PM Permalink

Stop living on the plantation. The MSM is not "democrat" or "republican," it is the mouthpiece of whoever pays for it; as are most politicians. 

Just because some prefer the blue koolaid to the red koolaid, doesn't make either color better. You're still drinking the fucking koolaid retards.

There is a new party forming. No RINOs, no race and gender baiting Democrats. No elephants, no donkeys. Lions only.

https://qcodefag.github.io

Wake up or get swept away in your soap opera left right paradigm. 

In reply to by JimmyJones

D503 Dr. Acula Feb 9, 2018 1:34 PM Permalink

Whites who hate (((jews))) are as pathetic as blacks who hate the"white devils."

If whites are so great, then how does the jew outsmart you? If blacks are so great, then how does the white man keep you down?

Caledonia fears no jew, wears no collar, prays to no Abraham religion. You go to churches because you are too weak to know "God" directly. You're a dog of your master, and your master tells you to fear the jew. 

Keep trying to goosestep in laces and braces though, stormfront. Christians and catholics still pray to their jewish savior and won't follow you back to futhark no matter how much you explain your inferiority complex.

In reply to by Dr. Acula

D503 grizfish Feb 9, 2018 3:00 PM Permalink

 I'd argue there is no difference between a religion that prays to a bible or a religion that prays to a group of people in a self appointed argument to authority over other men.  

If you actually read my post you'll see I decimated the racist argument made by "Dr Acula" above,  not asserted one of my own. 

In reply to by grizfish

Yogapith D503 Feb 9, 2018 4:45 PM Permalink

Oh oh...so you hint in your comment that you know God directly? Well arrogance is not a divine quality. Im hindu and my lineage originates from Brahma whose wife s name is Sara-Swati, the goddess of learning...funny isnt it...so call it Brahmanic religion (Vedas)....Sara-Swati is always competing with the goddess of fortune. (((J.))) worship the owl, the shadow of the goddess of fortune which brings inauspicious results to societies and not permanent happiness. This is why they.are despised because they promote immoral things, are greedy materialists and power hungry to a high degree. Individually they can be great people collectively they really suck. And they use other groups for their own benefits.

In reply to by D503

D503 Yogapith Feb 9, 2018 6:10 PM Permalink

 So did you learn your religion from books written by men, or from the mouth of them? Who is Brahma? You know this directly, or did someone else explain it to you? Full faith in the claims of others. 

Why do I need those degrees of separation?

To be fair, if I were to grade the major religions, Hindi and its derivative Buddhism receive my highest marks. But saying so just pissed you off more I'm afraid.  Lol

Project your ego here:

In reply to by Yogapith

Al Gophilia D503 Feb 9, 2018 12:41 PM Permalink

Come, children. Gather round and sit in front of me on the Story Mat. I have a story about a Republic and its Constitution. "Once upon a time, Long, long ago, there lived a country where people were unchained from the tyranny of government and its armies.

"Everyone was equal under the law because, well, under the law, everyone is treated as equal".

"One day a group of naughty, nasty men, with evil and greed in their hearts, stole the Constitution from the people and convinced them democracy was necessary so that everyone could have a say."

"The People fell for the ruse and forgot about the Constitution and its wisdom. Instead, they learned to vote for their champions and have been divided and unequal ever since."

(Look at the division on this board. We're being played and the division must stop before we can get our republic back).

Just sayin.

In reply to by D503

Expendable Container D503 Feb 9, 2018 1:17 PM Permalink

Best comment yet! They are just 2 cheeks on the same Bum, the Rothschild Dynasty Backside. There is so much more evil going on against we, the people (Black, White, Yellow and Brown). Its all distraction and fake 'democracy' while far worse cometh.

Find out about this Big Picture Hell that is being rolled out for you and your family. ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE ROTHSCHILDS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeJkYovY0AM This affects YOU and your family wherever you are, whoever you are. Know Thy Enemy (or how can you defend yourselves). Listen right through for Forewarned Is Forearmed.

In reply to by D503

optimator GunnyHerd Feb 9, 2018 5:31 PM Permalink

14K a month, and you're bragging about it?  Well, my wife's Grandfather, who came from Italy with out a penny and only spoke three words of English, made ten times that amount a month.  And he only put in a few minutes a day unlike yourself.  And he never gave away what he did to anyone.  His only three words of English were, "Stick 'em Up".

In reply to by GunnyHerd

pods Ghost of PartysOver Feb 9, 2018 11:37 AM Permalink

If there was an actual watchdog media, this would be (properly) classified as bigger than Watergate. It would shake DC to the core. Frog marches everywhere.

As it is, it is being treated like a political issue. In reality, it is a criminal abuse of power.

OTOH, why is the TRUMP Just-us department not frog marching the perps at this moment?  We can blame the press all we want, but in reality, this is a criminal issue.  They have ALL the information, why not sling some indictments?  Why is this being prosecuted in a rep/dem he said/she said affair?  There is no need for any public approval for enforcing the law. If we have reached that level of government, then spying on the opposing party really isn't that big of a deal.

So which is it?

pods

In reply to by Ghost of PartysOver

CuttingEdge Jim in MN Feb 9, 2018 12:30 PM Permalink

@Pods

 

I said in another thread that Nunez, Grassley and the other Senate and Congress seniors are painting a very detailed and intricate picture, dropping bombshell after bombshell based on truth (at least on the surface, to anyone who has morals higher than that of a swamp rat). The next target being the State Department. One angle, over 250 people (Trump people, that is) "unmasked" by Susan Rice, who claims someone "hacked" her authourization. Then there's the Fusion GPS feedback loop to the FBI - look no further than Jarrett and Nuland on that score.

 

The Nunez memo, Grassley memo, and phase two of Nunez' interests? It's all co-ordinated in laying the groundwork for the MOAB. That which sets the ball rolling oWord is, the codeword for the operation is "No fucking pensions for the traitors, Comey, McCabe and Rosenstein."n indictments will be the IG's report. Nunez and co are filling in all the blanks in preparation for the nuke that is coming from Horowitz. These guys are fighting against an MSM who refuse to report the truth, and the more they put out there before the shit truly hits the fan, the more credible the indictments which must ensue if the rule of law is to be re-established.

 

In reply to by Jim in MN

Chupacabra-322 CuttingEdge Feb 9, 2018 2:06 PM Permalink

@ Cutting 

 

This Steele Guy is going to get a visit from some “Wet Work” Individuals.

 

He was also feeding Victoria Nuland “Intelligence” on Ukraine to Kerry’s State Dept.  The Connection to the State Dept was through State Dept Official Johnathan Wiener who was the US Special Envoy to Lyiba from 2013-2016.

 

BENGAZI.

 

Weiner had a prior friendship with Steele, and passed on Steele’s analysis as a courtesy to The State Dept. Europe Bureau, lead at the time by assistant secretary Victoria Nuland.  The State Dept. received at least one Steele report a month. A coupe a dozen in total officials said.  

 

Who is Johnathan Wiener?

 

Lawer, Consultant & Diplomat from Maryland.  Served as the State Depts first Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Law Enforcement from 1994-1999 during the Clinton Administration and until January 2017 as the US Specual Envoy to Lybia in the Obama Administration.

 

The Washington Post (Deep State) is already acknowledging it feed / sent information to the FBI, is tight with Victoria Nuland? Who prepared the BENGAZI talking points?  All while Wiener was the Special Envoy to Lybia?  And, (Wiener) has a friendship with special friendship with Steele who’s being briefed by Hillary Clinton?

 

http://www.bongino.com/february-6-2018-ep-649-more-disturbing-revelations/

 

In reply to by CuttingEdge

FreeMoney pods Feb 9, 2018 12:46 PM Permalink

The media clearly have a dog in this fight, and they are hell bent on destroying Trump in any way possible for their paymasters.

This is definitely a law enforcement issue.  Unfortunately, it is the highest and most powerful law enforcement that has broken the law.  Getting the very top of the Justice Department and the FBI in shackles for lying to the secret court so they could spy on political enemies is problematic.  How deep in either department does the swamp reach?  Just remembering that one tiny little fuckup in the investigation or prosecution results in scumbags walking free.

I suspect the investigators are moving very carefully so that they can actually nail these bastards, or this is all part of the distraction to keep us from paying attention to the real shit show going on.  How many countries do we have troops in?  What are our unfunded liabilities?  What are our fiscal and trade deficits?

In reply to by pods

booboo SilverDOG Feb 9, 2018 11:38 AM Permalink

 This whole thing is actually a distraction away from Hillary Clinton‘s private server in the basement of her house, unencrypted phones, laptops, unencrypted servers. Any nation worth it’s salt has all of the classified information that Hillary, Huma, Sidney Blumenthal et al put on those devices and this is the red thread that if pulled on will unravel the Clinton Foundation and just how corrupt the entire festering septic tank called DC is and this includes republicans as well. 

In reply to by SilverDOG

chunga Pure Evil Feb 9, 2018 11:16 AM Permalink

Yeah, the whole thing is actually silly. They're all up there in DC standing in a haystack of swindles pretending to look for just the right little needle.

It's such a drag bringing it up but the murdered staffer is central to this whole business and it's nowhere on the radar. That's a pretty conspicuous omission and makes any and all investigations look fake.

In reply to by Pure Evil

woody188 Pure Evil Feb 9, 2018 12:43 PM Permalink

The lamestream media had a full week to make unsubstantiated claims about the Nunes memo and spin it as partisan drivel before it was released. Knowing that Grassley/Graham are full blown Globalist scum, the whole memo-gate ordeal is feeling like kabuki theater. Confuse and obfuscate until no one knows what is real.

In reply to by Pure Evil

chubbar wee-weed up Feb 9, 2018 12:24 PM Permalink

The fact WSJ asks this question without sarcasm makes me question their sanity and/or ability to comprehend what is clearly visible to anyone who looks at what the MSM has been reporting for at least a decade. There is no impartiality at all in their reporting and it is apparent to everyone.

This is a fucking joke. Seriously WSJ? You are unaware of the complete bias against all things Trump? You are completely unaware of the MSM support of Clinton and all things Dem? Where have you been living the past 10 years, in a fucking cave?

In reply to by wee-weed up