Investigation of Trump delayed
June 19, 2023 5:35 AM Subscribe
FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year In the DOJ’s investigation of Jan. 6, key Justice officials also quashed an early plan for a task force focused on people in Trump’s orbit
Cloudflare and the archive.is owners have some disagreements about how to implement DNS, so if you're using 1.1.1.1 for DNS it won't work.
Absolutely fine from here, though.
posted by Dysk at 6:45 AM on June 19, 2023
Absolutely fine from here, though.
posted by Dysk at 6:45 AM on June 19, 2023
Christopher Wray belongs in prison too.
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:17 AM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 7:17 AM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
Christopher Wray belongs in prison too.
Biden didn't demand his head on Jan 20, 2021 in order to not look like he was politicizing law enforcement. Wray's had 29 months to wreak havoc in the agency. Fox News still runs chyrons calling Biden a "wannabe dictator" for being at arms length of a justice system prosecuting a former President who did felonious activities on fucking tape.
We did it, Joe!
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 7:27 AM on June 19, 2023 [19 favorites]
Biden didn't demand his head on Jan 20, 2021 in order to not look like he was politicizing law enforcement. Wray's had 29 months to wreak havoc in the agency. Fox News still runs chyrons calling Biden a "wannabe dictator" for being at arms length of a justice system prosecuting a former President who did felonious activities on fucking tape.
We did it, Joe!
posted by Your Childhood Pet Rock at 7:27 AM on June 19, 2023 [19 favorites]
Here's a different Wayback Machine link if the one up top doesn't work for you
posted by achrise at 7:28 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by achrise at 7:28 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
My iphone/safari keep returning “cannot establish a secure connection” with archive.org links.
Is this common or just me? Deliberate or a snafu? If it’s not just me, does anyone know of a way around it?
Happens for me all the time on desktop Linux in Firefox. Same link will open just fine in Chrome, though.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 7:30 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
Is this common or just me? Deliberate or a snafu? If it’s not just me, does anyone know of a way around it?
Happens for me all the time on desktop Linux in Firefox. Same link will open just fine in Chrome, though.
posted by a non mouse, a cow herd at 7:30 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
A big failure - a nation of laws or not? I know, I know, for some, only for some.
posted by From Bklyn at 7:39 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by From Bklyn at 7:39 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
“Only after they were embarrassed did they start looking,” the person said.
Yes. I think we knew this during the time of the House hearings. The House had to shame DOJ into acting.
posted by eustatic at 8:30 AM on June 19, 2023 [15 favorites]
Yes. I think we knew this during the time of the House hearings. The House had to shame DOJ into acting.
posted by eustatic at 8:30 AM on June 19, 2023 [15 favorites]
Yes. I think we knew this during the time of the House hearings. The House had to shame DOJ into acting.
Wait until you find out that the now retired FBI agent involved in stalling the search of Trump's residences for the classified documents is the father-in-law of a Trump white house staffer and the major media outlets are just sitting on the story. Of course he is now doing the right-wing news media talking head circuit as a "former FBI agent" opining on Biden as if he were dispassionate law enforcement.
posted by srboisvert at 8:55 AM on June 19, 2023 [30 favorites]
Wait until you find out that the now retired FBI agent involved in stalling the search of Trump's residences for the classified documents is the father-in-law of a Trump white house staffer and the major media outlets are just sitting on the story. Of course he is now doing the right-wing news media talking head circuit as a "former FBI agent" opining on Biden as if he were dispassionate law enforcement.
posted by srboisvert at 8:55 AM on June 19, 2023 [30 favorites]
>a nation of laws or not? I know, I know, for some, only for some.
In which country is this not the case?
posted by Fupped Duck at 9:00 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
In which country is this not the case?
posted by Fupped Duck at 9:00 AM on June 19, 2023 [1 favorite]
Wait until you find out that the now retired FBI
So, are you going to write his name?
posted by eustatic at 9:08 AM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
So, are you going to write his name?
posted by eustatic at 9:08 AM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
Garland is weirdly reminding me of this old British film called The Life And Death of Colonel Blimp. "Colonel Blimp" is actually the name of this stock character from UK political cartoons of the late 1930s; he's an older man, usually with a big walrus moustache, who's usually shooting his mouth off about the government and what it should be doing, but he's always speaking from an ill-informed and reactionary position. The film was an apologetic for the Colonel Blimp type, telling the story of an older career military officer in the UK right before World War II; it opens with him doing pretty much the kinds of things that the Colonel Blimp cartoons did, before jumping back 40 years to show him as a young man and take us through his life story, and makes the argument that Blimp-types weren't just ignorant and reactionary; they were more stuck in the past, doing the same things that had worked for them in the past and should work on paper. By the end of the film, our main character realizes that hang on, things are different now and maybe the rules have changed.
I feel like Garland is the same way. Yes, there very likely were FBI staffers who were sympathetic to Trump's cause and were subtly also pulling strings, but I think Garland was also treating this like any other conspiracy investigation and following that playbook; starting with the little guys and following the trail up is a solid, sensible strategy. Garland's mistake was in not recognizing that this was not like any other conspiracy, and thus a different and more aggressive approach might make more sense.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:11 AM on June 19, 2023 [71 favorites]
I feel like Garland is the same way. Yes, there very likely were FBI staffers who were sympathetic to Trump's cause and were subtly also pulling strings, but I think Garland was also treating this like any other conspiracy investigation and following that playbook; starting with the little guys and following the trail up is a solid, sensible strategy. Garland's mistake was in not recognizing that this was not like any other conspiracy, and thus a different and more aggressive approach might make more sense.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:11 AM on June 19, 2023 [71 favorites]
EmpressCallipygos, that is an incredibly astute and apt comparison. That is just exactly right. (Also, Colonel Blimp is just such a damned good movie.)
posted by nushustu at 9:15 AM on June 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by nushustu at 9:15 AM on June 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
A series of people putting their careers over the country, again. One bit of consolation is that the FBI numpties who did this failed to adequately coordinate with the House and Senate GOP while dramatically underestimating the GOPs willingness to burn anyone not 100% at all times loyal to party over country. So the specific players here are absolutely toast if a Republican wins the presidency and they know it (belatedly).
More broadly, there's a lot of just general corruption going about in all branches at various levels. How much of, say, SCOTUS being on the take was an open secret inside the beltway that then began to inform on how seriously other offices took their ethical obligations?
How much can the decisions of any particular office be trusted beyond what is explicitly restricted by law?
posted by Slackermagee at 9:21 AM on June 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
More broadly, there's a lot of just general corruption going about in all branches at various levels. How much of, say, SCOTUS being on the take was an open secret inside the beltway that then began to inform on how seriously other offices took their ethical obligations?
How much can the decisions of any particular office be trusted beyond what is explicitly restricted by law?
posted by Slackermagee at 9:21 AM on June 19, 2023 [5 favorites]
It’s not really a conventional conspiracy, in that there doesn’t seem to be much secretiveness about it: Trump just very loudly does crimes and dares anyone to make a thing of it. The FBIs strategy of not making a thing of it in this case is just losing in the same way everyone else loses, not an actual strategy.
posted by Artw at 9:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [11 favorites]
posted by Artw at 9:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [11 favorites]
At this point in a old political movie, some absolute nobody (to really drive how badly he's screwed up) from the White House would turn up in Wray's office to deliver his ghost written letter of resignation.
posted by Slackermagee at 9:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Slackermagee at 9:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [3 favorites]
Not to make the classic mistake of attributing Trump’s actions to any actual strategy, but there does seem to be some institutional befuddlement about how to deal with someone who doesn’t behave like a criminal, in the sense of making any attempt to conceal the crimes.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 10:12 AM on June 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 10:12 AM on June 19, 2023 [8 favorites]
The Special Counsel Who Indicted Trump Is No Democrat. They Never Are. Also, no Democrat has ever headed the FBI.
posted by hydropsyche at 10:26 AM on June 19, 2023 [22 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 10:26 AM on June 19, 2023 [22 favorites]
Wait until you find out that the now retired FBI
So, are you going to write his name?
probably this guy? (Marcy Wheeler for emptywheel)
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
So, are you going to write his name?
probably this guy? (Marcy Wheeler for emptywheel)
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:23 AM on June 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
From the article linked by hydropsyche
It’s impossible to know exactly why Democrats aren’t permitted to fill these positions.
OH, REALLY. It's impossible to know? Really?
posted by Glinn at 11:37 AM on June 19, 2023 [13 favorites]
It’s impossible to know exactly why Democrats aren’t permitted to fill these positions.
OH, REALLY. It's impossible to know? Really?
posted by Glinn at 11:37 AM on June 19, 2023 [13 favorites]
From the article linked by hydropsyche
It’s impossible to know exactly why Democrats aren’t permitted to fill these positions.
OH, REALLY. It's impossible to know? Really?
I mean, the author immediately went on to explain that Democrats appoint Republican to look bipartisan, and Republicans don’t care about that and just appoint Republicans
posted by smelendez at 2:07 PM on June 19, 2023 [22 favorites]
It’s impossible to know exactly why Democrats aren’t permitted to fill these positions.
OH, REALLY. It's impossible to know? Really?
I mean, the author immediately went on to explain that Democrats appoint Republican to look bipartisan, and Republicans don’t care about that and just appoint Republicans
posted by smelendez at 2:07 PM on June 19, 2023 [22 favorites]
Okay, but think about a future FBI leadership composed of todays Republicans… oh boy.
Also should be remembered that it’s an organization that occasionally goes rogue and assassinated Martin Luthor King, and that the vast majority of resources that could have been used to check on what white supremicists were up to instead is employed trying to get some commune living hippy to commit a crime so they can bust them as an antifa terrorist.
posted by Artw at 2:35 PM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
Also should be remembered that it’s an organization that occasionally goes rogue and assassinated Martin Luthor King, and that the vast majority of resources that could have been used to check on what white supremicists were up to instead is employed trying to get some commune living hippy to commit a crime so they can bust them as an antifa terrorist.
posted by Artw at 2:35 PM on June 19, 2023 [9 favorites]
Indeed, the FBI had an informant in the Proud Boys on Jan 6 to help them keep tabs on the expected bad actions of "antifa" that day. They expected bad behavior from "antifa" of course, because that's what their Proud Boy informant told them was going to happen, and obviously the left are the real terrorists in the US, not the white supremacist groups that attack our capitol with ax handles (as their informant did).
posted by hydropsyche at 3:43 PM on June 19, 2023 [33 favorites]
posted by hydropsyche at 3:43 PM on June 19, 2023 [33 favorites]
Martin Luthor King
The time traveling Fed bee eye coulda just stolen the 95 Thesis.
posted by clavdivs at 4:57 PM on June 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
The time traveling Fed bee eye coulda just stolen the 95 Thesis.
posted by clavdivs at 4:57 PM on June 19, 2023 [4 favorites]
I’m not shocked that the FBI didn’t investigate a former President. What is shocking is we have a former President who we need to have the FBI investigate.
posted by interogative mood at 5:01 PM on June 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
posted by interogative mood at 5:01 PM on June 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
“Only after they were embarrassed did they start looking,” the person said.
Yes. I think we knew this during the time of the House hearings. The House had to shame DOJ into acting.
The person who grabbed everything they could from the AWS buckets is the unsung hero here.
How would the resulting large number of connections been made by others to get pressure on the House without that data dump?
While the 1946 legal reforms had positive elements the loss of citizens presenting to Grand Juries because of racism is a net loss for justice.
posted by rough ashlar at 5:28 AM on June 20, 2023
Yes. I think we knew this during the time of the House hearings. The House had to shame DOJ into acting.
The person who grabbed everything they could from the AWS buckets is the unsung hero here.
How would the resulting large number of connections been made by others to get pressure on the House without that data dump?
While the 1946 legal reforms had positive elements the loss of citizens presenting to Grand Juries because of racism is a net loss for justice.
posted by rough ashlar at 5:28 AM on June 20, 2023
The timidity about going after Trump directly is disappointing but at least a little understandable. But I haven’t seen any explanation for not swiftly indicting anyone who signed a phony electoral vote slate.
posted by Xalf at 6:25 AM on June 20, 2023 [9 favorites]
posted by Xalf at 6:25 AM on June 20, 2023 [9 favorites]
The time traveling Fed bee eye coulda just stolen the 95 Theses.
posted by y2karl at 9:04 AM on June 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
...Luthor does not view any other being as an intellectual peer. His exceptional intellectual gifts act as his "superpowers", allowing him to craft advanced weapons and equipment, outthink opponents much stronger and more powerful than himself, and manipulate others into doing his bidding.clavdivs, I dunno, the Reformation aside, maybe we need to work out what sort of kryptonite is being brought to this knife fight first.
His genius also extends to business (he is one of the world's wealthiest people) and politics (he was elected U.S. president, and he is often the leader of super-villain groups he has belonged to). Luthor has been trained in hand-to-hand combat, specifically Karate.
posted by y2karl at 9:04 AM on June 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Also should be remembered that it’s an organization that occasionally goes rogue and assassinated Martin Luthor King, and that the vast majority of resources that could have been used to check on what white supremicists were up to instead is employed trying to get some commune living hippy to commit a crime so they can bust them as an antifa terrorist.
I'm not sure the MLK thing is certain but Oh Boy is the Fred Hampton murder/assassination just sitting right there in plain view and they even know who the killers are (The Chicago Police and FBI). Also it suggests it is not going rogue at all but instead functioning as it is intended to.
We've seen enough failed prosecutions from the FBI recently that maybe they need to have Jack teach a few seminars.
Are they failures if they all fail in same direction though?
posted by srboisvert at 10:30 AM on June 20, 2023
I'm not sure the MLK thing is certain but Oh Boy is the Fred Hampton murder/assassination just sitting right there in plain view and they even know who the killers are (The Chicago Police and FBI). Also it suggests it is not going rogue at all but instead functioning as it is intended to.
We've seen enough failed prosecutions from the FBI recently that maybe they need to have Jack teach a few seminars.
Are they failures if they all fail in same direction though?
posted by srboisvert at 10:30 AM on June 20, 2023
There is only one direction the FBI can fail in.
Only if you see all failed/unbrought prosecutions as the same. Failing to (successfully) prosecute only the rich, powerful, and well-connected is absolutely a record of a certain kind of failure out of the ones available.
posted by Dysk at 10:52 AM on June 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
Only if you see all failed/unbrought prosecutions as the same. Failing to (successfully) prosecute only the rich, powerful, and well-connected is absolutely a record of a certain kind of failure out of the ones available.
posted by Dysk at 10:52 AM on June 20, 2023 [1 favorite]
sort of kryptonite is being brought to this knife fight first.
you sir, are conspiring to make me smarter.
Google: Martin Luthor....see even autocorrect corrects. and who do you get. so I'll exchange the kryptonite for nice slab of lapis and fashion knives into tacks(x).
Hoover as lex luthor would be like Richard Nixon being Spider-Man. it is no secret that the FBI harassed MLK to no end and as others I believe Ricky Hampton was murdered by the Chicago Police.
delvig into conspiracies theories is one thing but to make a blanket assertion without a few general cites it's just yapping in class I mean in history class you just yapped that out and teachers going to shut you down you know that I know that.
one aspect of this case always bothered me and it's this:
"If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the deepest hopes of men the world over. So it is that those of us who are yet determined that America will be are led down the path of protest and dissent, working for the health of our land."
-Martin Luther King April 4th 1967.
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
-Martin Luther King April 4th 1968.
posted by clavdivs at 1:24 PM on June 20, 2023
you sir, are conspiring to make me smarter.
Google: Martin Luthor....see even autocorrect corrects. and who do you get. so I'll exchange the kryptonite for nice slab of lapis and fashion knives into tacks(x).
Hoover as lex luthor would be like Richard Nixon being Spider-Man. it is no secret that the FBI harassed MLK to no end and as others I believe Ricky Hampton was murdered by the Chicago Police.
delvig into conspiracies theories is one thing but to make a blanket assertion without a few general cites it's just yapping in class I mean in history class you just yapped that out and teachers going to shut you down you know that I know that.
one aspect of this case always bothered me and it's this:
"If America's soul becomes totally poisoned, part of the autopsy must read: Vietnam. It can never be saved so long as it destroys the deepest hopes of men the world over. So it is that those of us who are yet determined that America will be are led down the path of protest and dissent, working for the health of our land."
-Martin Luther King April 4th 1967.
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
-Martin Luther King April 4th 1968.
posted by clavdivs at 1:24 PM on June 20, 2023
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS REGARDING THE ASSASSINATION OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. - JUNE 2000
posted by clavdivs at 1:25 PM on June 20, 2023
posted by clavdivs at 1:25 PM on June 20, 2023
Martin Luther King April 4th 1968
King was assassinated the next morning.
posted by kirkaracha at 2:31 PM on June 20, 2023
King was assassinated the next morning.
posted by kirkaracha at 2:31 PM on June 20, 2023
FBI doesn't have that kind of timing.
The point is chronological aspects go beyond history, one violent act stands still historically then splinters exponential chronology usually devolving into conspiracy theory(s), It dampens discourse and can cheapen memory.
So, is like the FBI seemingly trreading on trump. is there a room with his name on it for him or about him.
That's the tricky counter intelligence PR. if they are dragging, why, politics, lackeys?
"Top FBI aides told D’Antuono and Sherwin that Wray wanted to stay on as Biden’s FBI director. They said they would not put the top boss “out there” — in the public eye — because they feared any public comments might spur Trump to unceremoniously fire him."
oh there it goes, politics as perception via power change.
"in the public eye "
posted by clavdivs at 3:10 PM on June 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
The point is chronological aspects go beyond history, one violent act stands still historically then splinters exponential chronology usually devolving into conspiracy theory(s), It dampens discourse and can cheapen memory.
So, is like the FBI seemingly trreading on trump. is there a room with his name on it for him or about him.
That's the tricky counter intelligence PR. if they are dragging, why, politics, lackeys?
"Top FBI aides told D’Antuono and Sherwin that Wray wanted to stay on as Biden’s FBI director. They said they would not put the top boss “out there” — in the public eye — because they feared any public comments might spur Trump to unceremoniously fire him."
oh there it goes, politics as perception via power change.
"in the public eye "
posted by clavdivs at 3:10 PM on June 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm very sure the FBI doesn't only fail to prosecute only the rich and powerful. They aren't a terribly effective agency overall. But I can't answer this immediately and will maybe return tomorrow with a researched response.
I'm not making any claims about what the FBI does or doesn't do effectively, just pointing out that your framework does in fact allow for failing in several directions.
posted by Dysk at 3:22 PM on June 20, 2023
I'm not making any claims about what the FBI does or doesn't do effectively, just pointing out that your framework does in fact allow for failing in several directions.
posted by Dysk at 3:22 PM on June 20, 2023
...Hoover as lex luthor would be like Richard Nixon being Spider-Man. it is no
Calm down big fella, I agree with you on everything but, sheesh, I was just funnin'.
posted by y2karl at 3:30 PM on June 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
Calm down big fella, I agree with you on everything but, sheesh, I was just funnin'.
posted by y2karl at 3:30 PM on June 20, 2023 [2 favorites]
My framing of this? I was providing it as a hypothetical/illustrative example of how you absolutely could be failing in a specific direction, not suggesting that they actually are doing it. Not all failure to prosecute is the same. Being picky about cases, or being picky about which ones to prosecute well and which to prosecute poorly, are all avenues for bias, or failing in a particular direction. The FBI may or may not be doing so, I don't know or have a particular opinion. I just contend that it is possible that not all 'failures to prosecute' actually represent a failure in the same direction, politically.
posted by Dysk at 3:59 PM on June 20, 2023
posted by Dysk at 3:59 PM on June 20, 2023
oh I know it's just I wanted to envision Spiderman as Nixon.
posted by clavdivs at 7:57 PM on June 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by clavdivs at 7:57 PM on June 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
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Is this common or just me? Deliberate or a snafu? If it’s not just me, does anyone know of a way around it?
posted by heyitsgogi at 6:37 AM on June 19, 2023