DNI chief Tulsi Gabbard’s public pronouncements regarding RussiaGate have drawn much attention, some plaudits, and lots of conspiracy theorizing. Regardless of theories, the biggest hurdle will be to build a legal case around the information now available. The fact that it looks bad doesn’t mean it’s actionable. At best, Brennan, Clapper, and Comey might be tagged for lying to Congress.
However…
There is another way. And this one begins with the other “Page” in the horror/comedy book that is the 2016 elections.
By that, I mean Lisa Page, Peter Strzok’s paramour. The two bureaucrats conducted a painfully pathetic textual correspondence, which was somehow revealed to the public in late 2017. A February 2016 text message may be the roadmap to justice, for it proves that the Oval Office players always knew that Russia was not a risk.
Image by ChatGPT.
Back then, the Benghazi congressional hearings had somehow actually yielded some fruit: the discovery that Hillary Clinton had installed a server in her home’s basement to handle all of her correspondence while she was Secretary of State. This blatantly violated national security laws governing classified documents.
Although Comey later moved the goalposts, recall that Hillary was caught dead to rights. The very act of installing the server meant she knowingly was “removing” and/or “concealing” classified government records from a secured server, thereby violating 18 U.S. Code § 1924.
After months of dawdling, the FBI finally scheduled an interview with the soon-to-be-nominated candidate for the presidency. Not so coincidentally, the code-name for this investigation was MYE, which stood for “Mid Year Exam.” In other words, the matter would be wrapped up by July, giving Hillary enough time between the inevitable decision not to prosecute and the scheduled Democratic convention for everyone to “move on” from the matter, so her candidacy could continue unhindered.
This brings us to the text messages. Outbox messages are from Page. Inbox messages are from Strzok. I have added the yellow highlight for clarity:
Note that phrase in the last message: “Best outcome.” Not “best agents.”
In the context of the thread and given what else we know of the principals, that can only mean exoneration.
Strzok’s last text provides the roadmap.
The DOJ’s plan was always to exonerate Hilary in time for her candidacy to roll on against the Dems’ dream; namely, the flawed Republican candidate, Mr. ‘Grab ‘em by the P’ Donald Trump.
They certainly weren’t concerned about “national security.” Whether in February or mid-year 2016, the Democrats could still have jettisoned Hillary and brought in a replacement. Nor were they worried then about a Russian puppet in the White House. (To be specific, the Crossfire Hurricane investigation was only putatively begun in late July, three plus weeks after Comey had delivered his public exoneration of HRC, in a July 5th press conference.)
And that is why this “best outcome” text is the key. It outlines the beginnings of the conspiracy, a conspiracy inter alia to obstruct justice. Per 18 U.S. Code § 1503, the FBI and DOJ were (1) acting corruptly, (2) taking measures to influence, obstruct or impede the due administration of justice, and (3) doing so knowing that a judicial proceeding was pending or imminent at that time. (The fact that the DOJ could foresee that Comey would exonerate Hillary and obviate any worry of a judicial proceeding is just evidence of the first prong.)
This conspiracy can be extended to all those who wished Clinton to defeat Trump, and who continued to seek Trump’s destruction, by fair means or foul, from 2016 until today. All one conspiracy, with hundreds of conspirators, committing overt acts to this very day—all connected to the 2016 election campaign and the continuation of the same causally-linked effort since.
The roadmap begins with that little text exchange between two little people. That strategy has the chance to ‘catch ‘em all.’
Note: The fact that Strzok and Page message reveals their understanding that there was no risk from Russia in February 2016 or that they supported Hillary Clinton is not an accusation that they, personally, were part of a criminal conspiracy, and should not be understood as such. Instead, it reflects the IC’s understanding of the status quo at that time and marks the point at which the real players started playing their hand.
Norman Krieg is the pseudonym of a detached observer who may be getting sick of the nonsense. A bit.