Whom to Trust?

For John, BLUF:  Question everything.  Tear and compare.  Trust few, unless they have proven themselves worthy of trust.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Meet the Leakers!  Russiagate Was More Incestuous Than You Could Believe

From PJ Media, by Columnist Stephen Green, 13 August 2025, 11:20 AM.

Here is the lede plus four:

Many years ago, Bill Whittle gave me the sharpest definition you might ever read for the proper role of journalism in a healthy republic:  "They're the antibodies of the body politic." But we do not live in a healthy republic — and journalists too often are part of the cancer we're trying to eliminate.

Case in point:  So-called journalists who, instead of investigating Russiagate claims, performed as marionettes for the Obama-era intelligence community, determined to rig and then undo a presidential election.

And now we have at least two names.

I'll get to those in just a moment, but first, this important reminder.

At the center of the Obama White House’s fabricated Russia collusion narrative is Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) — currently under investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland for mortgage fraud.

The two are Reorter Ellen Nakashima, of The Washington Post, and Reporter Michael Schmidt, of The New York Times.

Then there is this:

John Solomon and Jerry Dunleavy reported late on Tuesday that "Columbia University law professor Daniel Richman admitted to [FBI] agents in interviews he routinely communicated on behalf of [then-FBI director James] Comey, his longtime friend, with Times reporter Michael Schmidt, whose work was among the newspaper's 2018 Pulitzer-winning stories on Russian election interference."

Pulitzer-winning fake news — good grief.

The sad part of this, for me, is that a Pulitzer Prize was awarded and likely won't be revoked.  Just as Reporter Walter Duranty's Pulizer for what turned out to be the Holodomor, was never revoked.

I am counting on the Press to aim for the target and to come close.  For them to be a partisan hack is not only very disappointing, but is bad for our Republic.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Let's Not Be Brazil

For John, BLUF:  Ms Tulsi Gabbard has uncovered corrupt action by a orevious Administratio.  We need ro takeaction, to send a signal, while avoiding actions where former presidents or recent Candidates are pursued in a way that appears political  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Gabbard Refers Barack Obama for Criminal Investigation Over Russiagate Scandal

From PJ Media, by Columnist Matt Margolis, 23 JULY 2025, at 3:22 PM.

Here is the lede plus three:

Barack Obama has long pretended that he had no hand in the Russia collusion hoax, but that narrative is crumbling fast. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has just declassified a trove of explosive documents that reveal the Obama administration’s direct role in fabricating the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) — the cornerstone of the bogus claim that Donald Trump was a Russian asset.

One key piece of evidence is a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report that flatly states that there was no Russian cyber interference connected ato Trump’s win. Despite that, Obama demanded a rushed intelligence assessment in the final weeks of 2016, deliberately designed to push the false claim that Vladimir Putin helped install Trump. The goal? To sabotage the incoming president before he was even sworn in.

According to the documents, Obama and his top advisers — working hand in glove with Hillary Clinton’s campaign and their loyal media allies — staged a coordinated, calculated effort to weaponize U.S. intelligence for political warfare. What began as a smear campaign has now turned into something much bigger.

On Wednesday, Gabbard confirmed during a White House press briefing that her office has officially referred Obama to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation over his leading role in the conspiracy.

I like and respect DNI Tulsi Gabbard.  Her actions to reveal criminal actions during the RussiaGate activities is fundamental to restoring order to our politics.  That saud, I think Attorney Geenerral Pam Bonfi should use some discretion in who is prosecuted.  In particular, we should avoid legal action against presidents andmajor contenders.♠ 

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro< is an example of a high ranking politician being harrassed by the opposition in office.  We should avoid that king of thing strongly.  It could destroy our Republic.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  In the election of 1920, Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist Party presidential candidate, polled nearly a million votes without ever hitting the campaign trail.&  Candidate Debs was in the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, serving a 10-year sentence for sedition. It was a not a bum rap. Debs had defiantly disobeyed a law he deemed unjust, (Under President Wilson's Sedition Act of 1918.

Let the Little Children Come to Me

For John, BLUF:  Jesus reaches out to the little ones.

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By Evelyn Virginia Krieger.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Forth of July as seen by a 17 year old

For John, BLUF: I'm proud to be a Catholic American! (: .

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What Does The Church Say About Patriotism? (Morning Air)

From Relevant Radio, by Mr. Moralies, 3 July 2025.

Here is the lede plus one: Here is a quote from the Catholic Catechism:

"The love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity."

.

.

It is importent that as young people we understand that we are not given things becouse we desere them, but because somone before us loved us, even though they never knew us and died for a county they would no longer get to live in.  Graditude is severly lacking in our culture because people have forgotten what it means to need something. I'm not talking about needing the next new iphone or car or a better house, but really NEEDING somthing like the freedom to pray, to sell your goods at a price that you set, without the crushing weight of taxes sucking the life out of you. 

Freedom is not the government helping us when we need help, but stepping out of the way so that others might come to our aid. it is incredible what human beings will do when left to their own devises with the government there only was a light guideline for their our actions. 

So the 4th of July, I belive is not the only day to remember The United States of America, but simply one in which we remeber it in a special way.  We have to live out our graditude because it belongs to the order of charity, that is, love, and if we can't love our county how can we look into the eyes of the One who gave it to us and say we love Him. 

Regards  —  Cliff's granddaughter

v

Impeach President Trump!

For John, BLUF:  Calls for Impeachment make Democrats appear unhinged, or at least badly disoriented  But, bring it on.  Maybe it would give a boost to the Big Beautiful Bill.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Ocasio-Cortez says Iran bombing is grounds for Trump impeachment

From The Hill, by Reporter Mychael Schnell, 21 June 2025, 11:33 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus four:

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Saturday night said President Trump’s decision to strike three of Iran’s nuclear sites is grounds for impeachment, becoming one of the first elected Democrats to back the constitutional punishment after the attack in the Middle East.

Trump announced Sunday night that the U.S. executed a “spectacular military success” in Iran, striking three nuclear facilities — including Fordow, which is hidden deep in a mountain south of Tehran. He warned that the U.S. would order additional strikes if Iran does not come to the table to negotiate a peace agreement.

While several House Democrats slammed Trump’s strike as unconstitutional, Ocasio-Cortez was one of a select few to go a step further and categorize the move as impeachable.

“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote in a post on the social platform X. “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Article 1 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority to “declare war,” one of the largest powers held by the legislative branch. In the past, however, presidents of both parties have struck adversaries militarily without approval from Congress.

Aside from the fact that Democratic Presidents before President Trump have set precedent for this koind of act withuot prior conosultation with Congress, there is the question of if this Operation could have been pulled off if it had been briefed to a Congress that leaks like a seive.

The other side of this issue is a successful impeachment with a Senate Conviction would end up with a new President.  I would be very sad to see President Trump go, given his efforts to meet the desires of those who elected him back in November.  On the other hand, JD Vance would be a great President and Usha Vance a great First Lady.

Before we contemplate such an upheavel, we need to ask what are the odds Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer could gather the required two-thirds of Senators present to vote for Conviction (that would be 67 with a full Senate of 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats)?  Slim to none.

Regards  —  Cliff

Senator Chuck Schumer Confirms SCOTUS Ruling by His Dissent

For John, BLUF:  Senator Schumer and his clique, blow hot and cold on the Federal Judiciary, including the US Supreme Court.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Schumer:  ‘Disgraceful’ Trump immunity decision will ‘weaken’ democracy

From The Hill, by Reporter Alexander Bolton, 1 Jult 2024, 12:43 PM ET.

Here is the lede plus three:

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed the Supreme Court’s “disgraceful” decision Monday to shield former President Trump’s official acts from prosecution, which will delay his trial on Jan. 6-related charges.

Schumer warned the 6-3 decision “enables the former President to weaken our democracy by breaking the law.”

“This is a sad day for America and a sad day for our democracy. The very basis of our judicial system is that no one is above the law. Treason or incitement of insurrection should not be considered a core constitutional power afforded to a president,” he said.

Schumer also warned that the Supreme Court has undermined its credibility, echoing the criticisms of other Senate Democrats who have accused conservative justices on the court of becoming partisan players.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumr (D-NY) has a history of opposing rulings of the US Supreme Court, even threatennig Justices..

I use Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer as a sort of bellweather.  If he is against it, it must be good.

I wonder if Senator Schumer has even read the US Supreme Court decision, TRUMP v. UNITED STATES, which is 111 pages, with dissents.  The decision itself, written by Chief Justice John Robers, is 43 pages.

Probably not.  Too much work.

Regards  —  Cliff

Great Performance

For John, BLUF:  Peacetime practice leads to great operational execution.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Lloyd Austin gave us Kabul.

@PeteHegseth gave us Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

From 𝕏, by Captain Ed.

Here is the Tweet:

Ed Morrissey
@EdMorrissey

Consider the opsec in place, along with the rapid marshaling of assets to the region and the expert logistics demonstrated in this mission ... and tell me if anyone will be arguing that @SecDef is some kind of amateur in over his head after today.
x.com/MaryMargOlohan…

Past performance is not indicative of future results.  But, it gives hope.

I think this performance may be due to what I call Middle Leadership Syndrome.$nbsp; This is where middle level leadership thinks they could have done a better job than the "political" military leadership under which they have served in the past.  Thus, there is strong motivation to provide an excellent military performance, rather than some politically correct outcome.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff