bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Mona Charen: Bye-Bye William Barr

Mona Charen: Bye-Bye William Barr

Some heads snapped when Attorney General William Barr told the truth on Dec. 1 .
`` To date , we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election . ''
This was not the Bill Barr we had come to expect .
We were surprised again when we learned that Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation for some months , that this was known to Barr , and that he did n't disclose it to President Donald Trump for use in the campaign .
These are damning facts — if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corrupt president .
Contradicting Trump 's wild , absurdist fantasy of a Hugo-Chavez-orchestrated/hammer-and-scorecard/Dominion plot to steal the election that Trump had `` won by a landslide '' was bound to be a poker in the eye for the chief executive .
And to think that Barr had incriminating information about Hunter Biden — the sort of thing Trump had gotten himself impeached attempting to extort — and kept it under wraps ?
Well , Barr 's days were numbered .
Barr should be grateful that he was offered the chance to submit a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by tweet ( though , of course , there was a tweet ) .
And , frankly , it 's hard to feel sympathy for the guy .
Yes , those last two unexpected spasms of basic ethics must be weighed in the balance when considering his tenure , but Barr has much to answer for .
Unlike Omarosa , `` the Mooch , '' Cohen , Lewandowski and the other C-listers Trump surrounded himself with , William Pelham Barr , attorney general under George H. W. Bush , former CIA , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embodiment of the Republican establishment as you could find .
Most of Trump 's hangers-on were con men and frauds like their mentor .
If those had been Trump 's only enablers , he would n't have gone far .
No , in order to seize the Republican Party and the White House , he needed the assistance of a few key figures , people with credibility , if not quite gravitas .
The first to extend this was the governor of New Jersey , Chris Christie .
Sen. Jeff Sessions was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their reputations on the altar of Trump and watched them burn .
It was the tribute he demanded .
One of the more shocking revelations of this low , contemptible era is how much these seemingly self-respecting figures seemed to relish their servility .
Barr immolated his reputation first by misrepresenting the contents of the Mueller report .
Responding to a reporter 's question , Barr explicitly denied that `` but for '' the Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president , Mueller might have recommended action .
Mueller protested that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when the redacted report was released , it became clear to all that Barr had misled us about that very matter .
We know that Barr 's tolerance for deceit and disgraceful conduct had to be pretty robust because he auditioned for the attorney general job after watching his predecessor get flayed alive for following ethics rules .
This is a question for every one of Trump 's post-Sessions hires .
Sessions was a fool to endorse Trump in the primaries , but at least he was an early adopter unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also turned out to have some standards .
The rules said he needed to recuse himself .
So he did it .
The fact that Trump not only resented Sessions for this but could n't fathom how someone could mold their behavior to anything other than raw self-interest , or Trump-interest , told you everything you needed to know about Trump .
Trump 's selfishness is pathological .
Yet , there was Bill Barr , batting his eyes and lifting his skirt in Trump 's direction .
Barr was a weird amalgam of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Department precedent and ethical standards in service to his chief .
As Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith recount in `` After Trump : Reconstructing the Presidency , '' Barr appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to `` investigate the investigators '' in the Russia matter .
That much was not improper .
What followed was .
Against Justice Department norms and regulations requiring department officials to remain mum about ongoing investigations , Barr offered public comments about what Durham was finding .
He said the FBI had acted in bad faith .
Regarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opined : `` I think Comey has cast himself as being seven layers above the decision-making .
I do n't think that holds water .
The record will be clear that that 's not the case . ''
He intervened in Roger Stone 's case to decrease his sentence — a favor not offered to any non-Donald Trump friend .
He intervened in the Michael Flynn case as well .
But there were lines he would not cross .
He did n't participate in the latest and most damaging of Trump 's assaults @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election fraud .
He pushed back .
And he did n't hand over dirt on Hunter Biden .
Had he never joined the Trump administration , Barr would be remembered as an honorable man .
As it is , his legacy is badly tarnished .
Still , Barr had some standards .
How much worse could things have been if he had none ?
Mona Charen is policy editor of The Bulwark and host of the `` Beg to Differ '' podcast .
Her most recent book is `` Sex Matters : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love , and Common Sense . ''
To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists , visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com .

Some heads snapped when Attorney General William Barr told the truth on Dec. 1. "To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have effected a different outcome in the election." This was not the Bill Barr we had come to expect. We were surprised again when we learned that Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation for some months, that this was known to Barr, and that he didn't disclose it to President Donald Trump for use in the campaign. These are damning facts — if you're working for America's most corrupt president. Contradicting Trump's wild, absurdist fantasy of a Hugo-Chavez-orchestrated/hammer-and-scorecard/Dominion plot to steal the election that Trump had "won by a landslide" was bound to be a poker in the eye for the chief executive. And to think that Barr had incriminating information about Hunter Biden — the sort of thing Trump had gotten himself impeached attempting to extort — and kept it under wraps? Well, Barr's days were numbered.
Barr should be grateful that he was offered the chance to submit a letter of resignation rather than be fired by tweet (though, of course, there was a tweet). And, frankly, it's hard to feel sympathy for the guy. Yes, those last two unexpected spasms of basic ethics must be weighed in the balance when considering his tenure, but Barr has much to answer for.
Unlike Omarosa, "the Mooch," Cohen, Lewandowski and the other C-listers Trump surrounded himself with, William Pelham Barr, attorney general under George H. W. Bush, former CIA, former Verizon attorney, was as pure an embodiment of the Republican establishment as you could find. Most of Trump's hangers-on were con men and frauds like their mentor. If those had been Trump's only enablers, he wouldn't have gone far.
No, in order to seize the Republican Party and the White House, he needed the assistance of a few key figures, people with credibility, if not quite gravitas. The first to extend this was the governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. Sen. Jeff Sessions was the second. Others followed. They laid their reputations on the altar of Trump and watched them burn. It was the tribute he demanded. One of the more shocking revelations of this low, contemptible era is how much these seemingly self-respecting figures seemed to relish their servility.
Barr immolated his reputation first by misrepresenting the contents of the Mueller report. Responding to a reporter's question, Barr explicitly denied that "but for" the Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president, Mueller might have recommended action.
Mueller protested that this is not what the report said, and when the redacted report was released, it became clear to all that Barr had misled us about that very matter.
We know that Barr's tolerance for deceit and disgraceful conduct had to be pretty robust because he auditioned for the attorney general job after watching his predecessor get flayed alive for following ethics rules. This is a question for every one of Trump's post-Sessions hires. Sessions was a fool to endorse Trump in the primaries, but at least he was an early adopter unable to learn from others' mistakes. He also turned out to have some standards. The rules said he needed to recuse himself. So he did it. The fact that Trump not only resented Sessions for this but couldn't fathom how someone could mold their behavior to anything other than raw self-interest, or Trump-interest, told you everything you needed to know about Trump. Trump's selfishness is pathological.
Yet, there was Bill Barr, batting his eyes and lifting his skirt in Trump's direction.
Barr was a weird amalgam of toady and totem. He constantly disregarded Justice Department precedent and ethical standards in service to his chief. As Bob Bauer and Jack Goldsmith recount in "After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency," Barr appointed U.S. Attorney John Durham to "investigate the investigators" in the Russia matter. That much was not improper. What followed was. Against Justice Department norms and regulations requiring department officials to remain mum about ongoing investigations, Barr offered public comments about what Durham was finding. He said the FBI had acted in bad faith. Regarding former FBI Director James Comey, Barr opined: "I think Comey has cast himself as being seven layers above the decision-making. I don't think that holds water. The record will be clear that that's not the case."
He intervened in Roger Stone's case to decrease his sentence — a favor not offered to any non-Donald Trump friend. He intervened in the Michael Flynn case as well.
But there were lines he would not cross. He didn't participate in the latest and most damaging of Trump's assaults on America's democracy — the stolen election fraud. He pushed back. And he didn't hand over dirt on Hunter Biden.
Had he never joined the Trump administration, Barr would be remembered as an honorable man. As it is, his legacy is badly tarnished. Still, Barr had some standards. How much worse could things have been if he had none?
Mona Charen is policy editor of The Bulwark and host of the "Beg to Differ" podcast. Her most recent book is "Sex Matters: How Modern Feminism Lost Touch with Science, Love, and Common Sense." To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Star Parker: President Trump: Promises Made, Promises Kept

A retrospective on President Donald Trump 's four years in office must be put in perspective of what he himself promised to accomplish when he ran : Make America Great Again .
To answer the question requires , of course , defining what makes America great and asking to what extent President Trump put the nation on course toward this goal .
If one believes , as I do , that what makes America great is that it must be a free nation under God , that this stands at the core of what makes the nation prosperous and moral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been significant .
Probably the greatest paradox of this election is the Gallup poll done in September asking whether registered voters were `` better off now '' than they were four years ago .
The 56 percent who responded yes was the highest percent under any president running for reelection since the question was first asked , when Ronald Reagan ran for reelection in 1984 .
Based on this , we would have expected President Trump to be reelected in a landslide .
I would list major achievements of the Trump presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restored robust economic growth ; appointment of federal judges across the nation , up to the Supreme Court , who will restore a federal judiciary guided by conservative principles ; and achievement of a new peace in the Middle East that seemed beyond anyone 's reach .
Another point of critical importance is that Trump policies have been a boon to America 's minorities .
Despite the success of left-wing demagogues in portraying the Trump presidency as racist , facts show truth to be the complete opposite .
The 2017 Tax Cuts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation had not seen in years .
This was aided further by deregulation .
Tax cuts and deregulation targeted at restoring the global competitiveness of American business and restoring conditions friendly to investment fueled job growth and an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent that no one thought possible .
And , as reported by the Wall Street Journal : `` Median weekly full-time earnings for blacks increased 19 % in Mr. Trump 's first three years , to $ 806 .
That followed a period of 11 % growth during Mr. Obama 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to the Federal Reserve 's 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances , the largest growth in household net worth from 2016 to 2019 occurred in households in the lowest 20 percent of income , 34.3 percent .
Black median household income increased 7.9 percent in 2019 , the largest annual increase in history .
And , in 2019 , for the first time ever , the percentage of black households earning above $ 75,000 , 29.4 percent , exceeded the percentage earning below $ 25,000 , 28.7 percent .
With the confirmation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett , we now have a Supreme Court with a solid 6-3 conservative majority .
This in the overall context of 220 federal judicial appointments made by President Trump , establishing a powerful conservative basis in law for our free nation under God .
Despite what liberals say , this is enormously important for minority Americans .
An example is the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year in the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case , which found unconstitutional the state prohibition of use of public funds for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as the Blaine Amendment ) .
This is a boon for school choice that poor and low-income Americans vitally need .
And , of course , a conservative court raises the possibility of stopping the abortion carnage that is devastating black America .
President Trump 's courage in moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel 's capital shined light throughout the world .
And now we are seeing new peace agreements between Israel and Arab and Muslim nations that no one ever thought possible .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , facts say that President Trump made major achievements in moving toward making America great again .
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education .
Readers can respond to Star 's column by emailing star-parker @ urbancure.org .

A retrospective on President Donald Trump's four years in office must be put in perspective of what he himself promised to accomplish when he ran: Make America Great Again.
To answer the question requires, of course, defining what makes America great and asking to what extent President Trump put the nation on course toward this goal.
If one believes, as I do, that what makes America great is that it must be a free nation under God, that this stands at the core of what makes the nation prosperous and moral, I think President Trump's achievements have been significant.
Probably the greatest paradox of this election is the Gallup poll done in September asking whether registered voters were "better off now" than they were four years ago. The 56 percent who responded yes was the highest percent under any president running for reelection since the question was first asked, when Ronald Reagan ran for reelection in 1984. Based on this, we would have expected President Trump to be reelected in a landslide.
I would list major achievements of the Trump presidency under three headlines: economic reform that restored robust economic growth; appointment of federal judges across the nation, up to the Supreme Court, who will restore a federal judiciary guided by conservative principles; and achievement of a new peace in the Middle East that seemed beyond anyone's reach.
Another point of critical importance is that Trump policies have been a boon to America's minorities. Despite the success of left-wing demagogues in portraying the Trump presidency as racist, facts show truth to be the complete opposite.
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act fueled economic growth that the nation had not seen in years.
This was aided further by deregulation. Tax cuts and deregulation targeted at restoring the global competitiveness of American business and restoring conditions friendly to investment fueled job growth and an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent that no one thought possible.
And, as reported by the Wall Street Journal: "Median weekly full-time earnings for blacks increased 19% in Mr. Trump's first three years, to $806. That followed a period of 11% growth during Mr. Obama's seven post-recession years in office."
According to the Federal Reserve's 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances, the largest growth in household net worth from 2016 to 2019 occurred in households in the lowest 20 percent of income, 34.3 percent.
Black median household income increased 7.9 percent in 2019, the largest annual increase in history.
And, in 2019, for the first time ever, the percentage of black households earning above $75,000, 29.4 percent, exceeded the percentage earning below $25,000, 28.7 percent.
With the confirmation of Trump's last Supreme Court appointment, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, we now have a Supreme Court with a solid 6-3 conservative majority.
This in the overall context of 220 federal judicial appointments made by President Trump, establishing a powerful conservative basis in law for our free nation under God.
Despite what liberals say, this is enormously important for minority Americans. An example is the Supreme Court ruling earlier this year in the Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue case, which found unconstitutional the state prohibition of use of public funds for scholarships to attend private religious schools (known as the Blaine Amendment). This is a boon for school choice that poor and low-income Americans vitally need.
And, of course, a conservative court raises the possibility of stopping the abortion carnage that is devastating black America.
President Trump's courage in moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital shined light throughout the world. And now we are seeing new peace agreements between Israel and Arab and Muslim nations that no one ever thought possible.
This is called leadership.
Despite the noise and distortions from the left, facts say that President Trump made major achievements in moving toward making America great again.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. Readers can respond to Star's column by emailing star-parker@urbancure.org.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Republicans Will Have the Edge in the Next Races for Governor

With some reshuffling of political alignments in the 2020 elections settled , expect high drama in the battles for governors ’ mansions in 2022 .
Republicans , though , still have an edge in the contests .
In 2020 , the 11 gubernatorial races resulted in only one change in party control over a state executive branch .
Republicans picked up Montana ’ s open seat , with Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte as governor-elect , while outgoing , term-limited Democratic Gov .
Steve Bullock lost a Senate bid .
That will be much different in 2022 .
More than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 36 , will hold gubernatorial elections in two years , with 16 controlled by Democrats and 20 by Republicans .
Many of those have incumbent governors in states that flipped their presidential preference from President Trump from 2016 to 2020 .
Republican Gov .
Doug Ducey of Arizona , which President-elect Joe Biden won by just 10,457 votes , is term-limited and can ’ t run again .
“ With an open contest , it could go either way , depending upon who runs and the national mood , ” Chad Kinsella , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ State University , told the Washington Examiner .
In Georgia , where Biden won by 11,779 votes , Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp has butted heads with both Republicans and Democrats on both his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and about his administration of the 2020 election .
On Tuesday , Trump retweeted a threat to put Kemp in jail , potentially damaging the governor 's ability to court the Republican base .
Kemp could face a rematch against Democratic star Stacey Abrams , whom he narrowly beat in 2018 .
Abrams , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is reportedly planning another run for governor .
But the 2022 cycle has some good news for Republicans .
“ Given that Joe Biden will occupy the White House and the party in power tends to underperform , it will likely be a good year for Republicans , ” Kinsella said .
Several Democratic governors eligible to run again in 2022 won less than 50 % of the vote in 2018 : Laura Kelly of Kansas , Ned Lamont of Connecticut , Steve Sisolak of Nevada , and Tony Evers of Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control in their strongholds of Hawaii , California , and New York , but many Republican strongholds are up in 2022 : Wyoming , Arkansas , Idaho , Tennessee , and Alabama .
There could be some surprises in store , too .
Democratic Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown is term-limited , but because she is “ deeply unpopular ” and only narrowly won reelection in 2018 , that “ may give Republicans an opening in this traditionally solid-blue state , ” Kinsella said .
Pennsylvania , which will be an open seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being term-limited , will get extra attention because there will be an open Senate seat that cycle .
“ Pennsylvania could be the focal point of the 2022 midterm election for both parties , ” Kinsella said .
One unknown , though , is how the coronavirus pandemic will affect gubernatorial races .
Some Democrats may face backlash for imposing strict business restrictions .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom , who attended an expensive restaurant dinner party in a group despite advising citizens against gathering in large groups , may face a primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gretchen Whitmer ’ s rise to national prominence due to being a potential pick to be Biden ’ s running mate and her strict coronavirus restrictions could make for a tough campaign .
But some Republicans , such as Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis or Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine , may face backlash for not taking more action against the virus .
It is possible , though , that the issue fades away altogether in the next two years .
“ Given that the COVID vaccine will be likely administered to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will be interesting to see how quickly the public forgets about that as a policy issue , ” Kinsella said .

With some reshuffling of political alignments in the 2020 elections settled, expect high drama in the battles for governors’ mansions in 2022.
Republicans, though, still have an edge in the contests.
In 2020, the 11 gubernatorial races resulted in only one change in party control over a state executive branch. Republicans picked up Montana’s open seat, with Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte as governor-elect, while outgoing, term-limited Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock lost a Senate bid.
That will be much different in 2022. More than half of the states in the nation, 36, will hold gubernatorial elections in two years, with 16 controlled by Democrats and 20 by Republicans.
Many of those have incumbent governors in states that flipped their presidential preference from President Trump from 2016 to 2020.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona, which President-elect Joe Biden won by just 10,457 votes, is term-limited and can’t run again.
“With an open contest, it could go either way, depending upon who runs and the national mood,” Chad Kinsella, a professor of political science at Ball State University, told the Washington Examiner.
In Georgia, where Biden won by 11,779 votes, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has butted heads with both Republicans and Democrats on both his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and about his administration of the 2020 election. On Tuesday, Trump retweeted a threat to put Kemp in jail, potentially damaging the governor's ability to court the Republican base.
Kemp could face a rematch against Democratic star Stacey Abrams, whom he narrowly beat in 2018. Abrams, the former Georgia state House minority leader, is reportedly planning another run for governor.
But the 2022 cycle has some good news for Republicans.
“Given that Joe Biden will occupy the White House and the party in power tends to underperform, it will likely be a good year for Republicans,” Kinsella said.
Several Democratic governors eligible to run again in 2022 won less than 50% of the vote in 2018: Laura Kelly of Kansas, Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Steve Sisolak of Nevada, and Tony Evers of Wisconsin.
Democrats are safe to keep gubernatorial control in their strongholds of Hawaii, California, and New York, but many Republican strongholds are up in 2022: Wyoming, Arkansas, Idaho, Tennessee, and Alabama.
There could be some surprises in store, too.
Democratic Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is term-limited, but because she is “deeply unpopular” and only narrowly won reelection in 2018, that “may give Republicans an opening in this traditionally solid-blue state,” Kinsella said.
Pennsylvania, which will be an open seat due to Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf being term-limited, will get extra attention because there will be an open Senate seat that cycle.
“Pennsylvania could be the focal point of the 2022 midterm election for both parties,” Kinsella said.
One unknown, though, is how the coronavirus pandemic will affect gubernatorial races. Some Democrats may face backlash for imposing strict business restrictions. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who attended an expensive restaurant dinner party in a group despite advising citizens against gathering in large groups, may face a primary challenge. And in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s rise to national prominence due to being a potential pick to be Biden’s running mate and her strict coronavirus restrictions could make for a tough campaign.
But some Republicans, such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, may face backlash for not taking more action against the virus.
It is possible, though, that the issue fades away altogether in the next two years.
“Given that the COVID vaccine will be likely administered to the bulk of the population in 2021, it will be interesting to see how quickly the public forgets about that as a policy issue,” Kinsella said.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--FDA Panel Endorses Moderna Vaccine for Emergency Use

An group of independent experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency usage @ @ @ @ @ expected to swiftly lead to final agency approval potentially as soon as later on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 20-0 in support of the @ @ @ @ @ treatment , with one person abstaining .
It is anticipated that the FDA will quickly @ @ @ @ @ for the vaccine .
The FDA last week approved the first coronavirus vaccine in the @ @ @ @ @ Americans started receiving shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Monday .

An group of independent experts advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration endorsed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for emergency usage on Thursday, which is expected to swiftly lead to final agency approval potentially as soon as later on Thursday or sometime Friday.
Individuals on the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 20-0 in support of the agency authorizing use of the treatment, with one person abstaining. It is anticipated that the FDA will quickly issue an emergency use authorization for the vaccine.
The FDA last week approved the first coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. for emergency use. Americans started receiving shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Monday.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Cryptocurrency Exchange Coinbase Announces IPO

Sen. David Perdue ’ s suspicious stock success shows why members of Congress shouldn ’ t be allowed to trade @ @

Cryptocurrency giant Coinbase announced on Thursday that it has confidentially filed for a public offering, becoming the latest in a parade of high-profile startups to pursue an IPO in 2020.
Founded in 2012 as a simple way for consumers to purchase Bitcoin, Coinbase has since become a conglomerate of crypto-related business and the standard-bearer for an industry long regarded with suspicion by regulators and the traditional financial establishment.
Coinbase’s announcement comes at a time when both the IPO market and cryptocurrency prices are red-hot. The price of Bitcoin is currently near a record $23,500, and trading volumes are surging—a boon for firms like Coinbase, which makes the bulk of its revenue from trading commissions.
In its IPO announcement, which came in a company blog post, Coinbase did not provide details about how it would structure its offering. A traditional IPO, whereby banks arrange for institutions to get first dibs on the stock for a fixed price, would likely be anathema to many crypto enthusiasts and Coinbase employees.
In a recent interview, Coinbase cofounder Fred Ehrsam told Fortune the company is “spiritually” built to go public via an offering involving digital tokens on a blockchain—the ledger technology that underpins Bitcoin, and which crypto enthusiasts view as the future of financial infrastructure.
It’s far from clear, however, whether the Securities and Exchange Commission would sign off on such an arrangement. If the agency refuses to do so, another option would be for Coinbase to pursue a direct listing in which it sells shares directly to the public. This model was recently employed by Spotify and Slack, and veteran tech journalist Alex Wilhelm has noted that Coinbase is an “archetypal” candidate for such a listing, in part because of its hefty balance sheet.
Coinbase did not immediately respond to queries about the nature of listing it would pursue.
The company has yet to reveal how much money it is making, though sources close to Coinbase say it has regularly turned a profit in recent years. The company’s last fundraising round, for $300 million, valued it near $8 billion. That figure, however, is from 2018, and it’s likely Coinbase will seek a much higher valuation owing to the booming crypto market and the recent surge in demand for IPOs.
Coinbase’s IPO will give its early shareholders, including CEO Brian Armstrong and venture firm Andreessen Horowitz, an opportunity to cash out. But it will also represent a milestone in the crypto industry’s long-running quest for legitimacy.
When Coinbase launched, many dismissed Bitcoin as a fad, while many government officials regarded it as primarily a vehicle for crime and money laundering. While some policymakers—and President Trump—continue to treat the digital currency with hostility, the past two years have seen a surge in acceptance by mainstream institutions. Indeed, a new crypto fund run by cofounder Ehrsam has attracted investments from the likes of the endowments of Harvard and Stanford universities.
Meanwhile, Coinbase has made dozens of acquisitions in recent years to help its diversify its revenue model beyond trading fees. This has included buying custody operations, which involve charging clients to safely store large amounts of cryptocurrency.
The company has been dogged by recent controversy, however, related to a decision by CEO Armstrong to publish a blog post declaring Coinbase to be an “apolitical” company. The post came in the midst of upheaval related to the Black Lives Matter protests and was regarded by many as tone deaf and insensitive. The controversy gained further traction last month when the New York Times published a piece describing how numerous Black employees had left Coinbase, with some of them citing racist attitudes among their coworkers.
In the past few months, Coinbase appears to have been laying groundwork for its IPO with a series of boardroom shuffles. The most recent of these involved adding Cisco CFO Kelly Kramer to its board and elevating the veteran Silicon Valley investor Marc Andreessen to full board member status.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Texas Governor: It’s Time to Put Lockdowns Behind Us

Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott said that with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine , that it is `` time @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The governor announced that 200,000 doses of the vaccine will be distributed across @ @ @ @ @ coming weeks , as Texas continues to deal with new a spike in cases and @ @ @ @ @ 14,805 cases and 252 new deaths were announced on Wednesday , with more than 9,400 @ @ @ @ @ in Texas have remained minimal , though , with Abbott saying that no businesses would @ @ @ @ @ `` We will not have any more shutdowns in Texas ... People 's lives have @ @ @ @ @ said he will be receiving the vaccine `` at the appropriate time . ''
Healthcare @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine first .
Abbott said that a million Texans could be vaccinated by the @ @ @ @ @ `` Every adult in Texas has the responsibility to follow the safe practices , '' @ @ @ @ @ they do that , we can contain COVID-19 . ''

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that with the introduction of the COVID-19 vaccine, that it is "time to put shutdowns behind us."
The governor announced that 200,000 doses of the vaccine will be distributed across the longhorn state in the coming weeks, as Texas continues to deal with new a spike in cases and deaths, reports KHOU.
14,805 cases and 252 new deaths were announced on Wednesday, with more than 9,400 having been hospitalized.
WATCH: Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks out against shutdowns. pic.twitter.com/T4bwBy8XxL — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 17, 2020
Lockdowns in Texas have remained minimal, though, with Abbott saying that no businesses would be forced to close.
"We will not have any more shutdowns in Texas... People's lives have been crushed."
Abbott said he will be receiving the vaccine "at the appropriate time."
Healthcare workers and seniors will receive the vaccine first. Abbott said that a million Texans could be vaccinated by the end of the month.
"Every adult in Texas has the responsibility to follow the safe practices," Abbott said. "If they do that, we can contain COVID-19."


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Federal Reserve Revises Predictions After Underestimating Trump Coronavirus Economic Recovery

The Federal Reserve raised economic expectations for the rest of the year and into 2021 , projecting better growth and lower unemployment than previously expected as many industries continue to recover from pandemic restrictions .
The central bank now expects real gross domestic product to fall just 2.4 % in 2020 , compared to a decline of 3.7 % predicted in September .
The Fed also upped its 2021 real GDP forecast to 4.2 % from 4.0 % expected previously .
The Jerome Powell-led Fed estimates the unemployment rate to fall to 6.7 % this year , further below the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate should fall to 5.0 % in 2021 , compared to the central bank ’ s previous estimate of 5.5 % .
The news comes as President Trump ’ s economy has proven remarkably resilient to COVID-19 related lockdowns and the slowdown of economic activity that came with them .
Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic , unemployment was close to a half-century low and inflation remained low as well .
Meanwhile , the Trump stock market rally from the day he was elected until December , 2019 more than doubled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into their term .
A lot of the Trump economic boom came crashing down when states started imposing strict lockdown policies , leading to a March surge of over 45 million jobless claims .
But it didn ’ t take Trump ’ s economy long to come roaring back , with over 11.4 million jobs added since April , while other jobs have returned from their temporary hiatus .
Perhaps more promising , GDP surged to an annualized rate of 33.1 % in the third quarter of 2020 , besting expectations and smashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council of Economic Advisers : While the pandemic hit every major economy around the world , the United States experienced the least severe economic contraction of any major Western economy in the first half of 2020 , with the Euro Area economy ’ s contraction being 1.5 times as severe as the contraction of the U.S. economy .
While Trump ’ s economy has benefited from his 2017 tax cuts and the furious pace at which the president slashed regulations , a potential Biden Administration would likely see a slower recovery .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s administration , Biden helped oversee the slowest economic recovery in 50 years .
That ’ s eight years of virtually zero income gain .
And Obama and his Washington pals wonder why voters are in such a cranky mood .
Last week , the Joint Economic Committee of Congress issued a new report on the Obama recovery that ’ s loaded with even more bleak news .
On almost every measure examined , the 2009-15 recovery since the recession ended in June of 2009 has been the meekest in more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous results , Biden has promised to undo much of Trump ’ s economic agenda , which would reshape expectations for the recovery again – in the opposite again .

The Federal Reserve raised economic expectations for the rest of the year and into 2021, projecting better growth and lower unemployment than previously expected as many industries continue to recover from pandemic restrictions.
From CNBC:
The central bank now expects real gross domestic product to fall just 2.4% in 2020, compared to a decline of 3.7% predicted in September. The Fed also upped its 2021 real GDP forecast to 4.2% from 4.0% expected previously. The Jerome Powell-led Fed estimates the unemployment rate to fall to 6.7% this year, further below the 7.6% previously predicted. The unemployment rate should fall to 5.0% in 2021, compared to the central bank’s previous estimate of 5.5%.
The news comes as President Trump’s economy has proven remarkably resilient to COVID-19 related lockdowns and the slowdown of economic activity that came with them. Prior to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, unemployment was close to a half-century low and inflation remained low as well. Meanwhile, the Trump stock market rally from the day he was elected until December, 2019 more than doubled the average gains of presidents three years into their term.
A lot of the Trump economic boom came crashing down when states started imposing strict lockdown policies, leading to a March surge of over 45 million jobless claims.
But it didn’t take Trump’s economy long to come roaring back, with over 11.4 million jobs added since April, while other jobs have returned from their temporary hiatus. Perhaps more promising, GDP surged to an annualized rate of 33.1% in the third quarter of 2020, besting expectations and smashing through a 70-year-old record.
From the Council of Economic Advisers:
While the pandemic hit every major economy around the world, the United States experienced the least severe economic contraction of any major Western economy in the first half of 2020, with the Euro Area economy’s contraction being 1.5 times as severe as the contraction of the U.S. economy.
While Trump’s economy has benefited from his 2017 tax cuts and the furious pace at which the president slashed regulations, a potential Biden Administration would likely see a slower recovery. As a member of former President Barack Obama’s administration, Biden helped oversee the slowest economic recovery in 50 years.
From Investors.com:
That’s eight years of virtually zero income gain. And Obama and his Washington pals wonder why voters are in such a cranky mood. Last week, the Joint Economic Committee of Congress issued a new report on the Obama recovery that’s loaded with even more bleak news. On almost every measure examined, the 2009-15 recovery since the recession ended in June of 2009 has been the meekest in more than 50 years.
Not deterred by his previous results, Biden has promised to undo much of Trump’s economic agenda, which would reshape expectations for the recovery again – in the opposite again.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Rand Paul to Rep. Swalwell: Just Resign

Rand Paul to Rep. Swalwell: Just Resign

In the wake of reports that Representative Eric Swalwell was sleeping with a Chinese agent , Rand Paul said he `` ought to just resign from Congress . ''
Swalwell is a very prominent member of Congress , and even ran for president last year for a brief period of time .
It has come to light recently that he had a close , possibly even sexual , relationship with known Chinese asset Christine Fang .
According to the Washington Examiner , Paul was interviewed on Fox News on Wednesday when the subject came up : Paul said `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ be ] cautious , he should actually resign from the intelligence committee . ''
`` If he 's not willing to do that , '' Paul said , `` he should be removed from the Intelligence Committee .
But I also think that—what hypocrisy !
This is a guy who was hurling stones and accusations , all kinds of false accusations at President Trump .
'Oh , he ’ s controlled by spies , ' and this and that .
He was the most over-the-top critic of President Trump on Russia collusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sleeping with a Chinese spy . ''
`` I mean , my goodness , the hypocrisy !
It ’ s appalling , and he really should be red-faced and ashamed of himself , and really probably ought to just resign from Congress . ''
Perhaps the most shocking part of these allegations is that Swalwell , as Paul mentioned above , is a part of the House Intelligence Committee , and as such has access to sensitive and classified information .

In the wake of reports that Representative Eric Swalwell was sleeping with a Chinese agent, Rand Paul said he "ought to just resign from Congress."
Swalwell is a very prominent member of Congress, and even ran for president last year for a brief period of time. It has come to light recently that he had a close, possibly even sexual, relationship with known Chinese asset Christine Fang.
According to the Washington Examiner, Paul was interviewed on Fox News on Wednesday when the subject came up:
"He was the most over-the-top critic of President Trump on Russia collusion, and it turns out he's sleeping with a Chinese spy."@RandPaul says @ericswalwell "ought to just resign from Congress," after his association with an alleged Chinese spy was revealed. pic.twitter.com/84bmxfmHsn — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 16, 2020
Paul said "I think, to be careful and to [be] cautious, he should actually resign from the intelligence committee."
"If he's not willing to do that," Paul said, "he should be removed from the Intelligence Committee. But I also think that—what hypocrisy! This is a guy who was hurling stones and accusations, all kinds of false accusations at President Trump. 'Oh, he’s controlled by spies,' and this and that. He was the most over-the-top critic of President Trump on Russia collusion, and it turns out he’s sleeping with a Chinese spy."
"I mean, my goodness, the hypocrisy! It’s appalling, and he really should be red-faced and ashamed of himself, and really probably ought to just resign from Congress."
Perhaps the most shocking part of these allegations is that Swalwell, as Paul mentioned above, is a part of the House Intelligence Committee, and as such has access to sensitive and classified information.


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--Deal on Coronavirus Relief Likely to Drag Into Weekend

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned lawmakers that the chamber is likely to remain in session this weekend to vote on a new round of coronavirus aid legislation and a massive 2021 spending bill .
Democratic and Republican leaders have yet to finalize a must-pass deal on the coronavirus aid package , which will make it harder to clear the bill by Friday , as lawmakers had hoped .
Instead , Congress may be forced to pass another short-term federal spending bill to extend government funding beyond a Friday deadline .
“ For the information of all senators , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are finished , even if that means working into or through the weekend , ” McConnell warned in a floor speech on Thursday morning .
Top House and Senate lawmakers are negotiating a coronavirus aid deal worth roughly $ 908 billion .
The package would include a new round of stimulus checks for certain individuals and families and a four-month extension in supplemental federal unemployment insurance .
The measure may also include $ 90 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist states coping with decreased tax revenue .
But nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to agree to the terms of the deal .
Some lawmakers want the stimulus checks to pay more than the proposed $ 700 for individuals , for example .
The two parties also disagree on a proposal to increase food stamp benefits by 15 % for the next four months .
McConnell warned the negotiators that time is running out to pass a year-end deal that constituents are demanding in response to increases in coronavirus cases and economic lockdowns .
“ We ’ re near the point in this process where we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay on the fast track or drift back toward business as usual , ” the Kentucky Republican said .
“ I say the answer is obvious .
After all these months , struggling Americans don ’ t just need action .
They need action fast.
” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , a New York Democrat , said a deal was close .
“ While many , if not all of the difficult topics are behind us , a few final issues must be hammered out , ” he said .
The virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 spending bill that expires on Friday .
Republican leaders say if a stopgap bill is needed to keep the government open , it will last only a day or two to put pressure on lawmakers .
“ I hope we only extend it for a very , very short window of time , ” McConnell said .
“ Our citizens can ’ t afford for us to get bogged down in the back-and-forth .
Let ’ s finish up our bipartisan framework .
Let ’ s make law as soon as possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deserve .
”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned lawmakers that the chamber is likely to remain in session this weekend to vote on a new round of coronavirus aid legislation and a massive 2021 spending bill.
Democratic and Republican leaders have yet to finalize a must-pass deal on the coronavirus aid package, which will make it harder to clear the bill by Friday, as lawmakers had hoped.
Instead, Congress may be forced to pass another short-term federal spending bill to extend government funding beyond a Friday deadline.
“For the information of all senators, we are going to stay right here until we are finished, even if that means working into or through the weekend,” McConnell warned in a floor speech on Thursday morning.
Top House and Senate lawmakers are negotiating a coronavirus aid deal worth roughly $908 billion. The package would include a new round of stimulus checks for certain individuals and families and a four-month extension in supplemental federal unemployment insurance.
The measure may also include $90 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist states coping with decreased tax revenue.
But nothing has been finalized, and Democrats have yet to agree to the terms of the deal. Some lawmakers want the stimulus checks to pay more than the proposed $700 for individuals, for example. The two parties also disagree on a proposal to increase food stamp benefits by 15% for the next four months.
McConnell warned the negotiators that time is running out to pass a year-end deal that constituents are demanding in response to increases in coronavirus cases and economic lockdowns.
“We’re near the point in this process where we decide if we’re going to stay on the fast track or drift back toward business as usual,” the Kentucky Republican said. “I say the answer is obvious. After all these months, struggling Americans don’t just need action. They need action fast.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said a deal was close.
“While many, if not all of the difficult topics are behind us, a few final issues must be hammered out,” he said.
The virus aid bill will be packaged with the 2021 spending bill that expires on Friday.
Republican leaders say if a stopgap bill is needed to keep the government open, it will last only a day or two to put pressure on lawmakers.
“I hope we only extend it for a very, very short window of time,” McConnell said. “Our citizens can’t afford for us to get bogged down in the back-and-forth. Let’s finish up our bipartisan framework. Let’s make law as soon as possible. That’s what our people deserve.”


bonginoreport--2020-12-17--DOJ Declassifies More Peter Strzok Communications

• The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok , the former counterintelligence investigator who oversaw Crossfire Hurricane .
• The messages provide a real-time glimpse into the probe , which began on July 31 , 2016 , and looked at possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia .
• Senate Republicans pushed for the messages to be released as part of their investigation into Crossfire Hurricane .
The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok , the former counterintelligence official who oversaw the bureau ’ s investigation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Russia .
The messages , which Senate Republicans released Thursday , provide new insights into the thinking of investigators who worked on Crossfire Hurricane , the code name for the investigation into the Trump campaign .
The documents , obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation ahead of their release , show Strzok and his colleagues discussing strategies for how to handle the investigation , as well as how to approach interviews with targets of Crossfire Hurricane .
The declassified documents also show that Strzok was provided with real-time updates as FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign advisers Carter Page and George Papaodpoulos , who were early targets of the investigation .
Republican Sens .
Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley had asked Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray to declassify the documents on Oct. 30 , to help with their investigation of Crossfire Hurricane .
The Justice Department declassified the records on Dec. 1 .
Strzok ’ s messages , which are from the FBI ’ s Lync system , also contain numerous references to Christopher Steele , the former British spy whose dossier the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carter Page .
( RELATED : Mueller Found No Collusion ) One message suggests that Strzok knew early on that Steele was a source for a story published in Yahoo !
News alleging that Page had a secret meeting in Moscow with two Kremlin insiders .
“ Looking at the Yahoo article , I would definitely say at a minimum Steele ’ s reports should be viewed as intended to influence as well as to inform , ” Strzok wrote on Sept. 23 , 2016 .
Strzok , who was fired from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a report from Yahoo !
News about Page ’ s visit to Moscow in July 2016 .
It would later be revealed that Christopher Steele was a source for the article , and that he had met with a handful of journalists in Washington , D.C. as part of an opposition research campaign commissioned by the DNC and Clinton campaign .
While Strzok indicated that he thought Steele was a source for the Yahoo !
article , the FBI maintained its relationship with Steele and failed to inform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had contact with journalists .
The FBI cut ties with Steele , who had been a confidential human source for the bureau since 2013 , after he spoke to a journalists for Mother Jones for another dossier-related story on Oct. 31 , 2016 .
The dossier has since come under intense scrutiny , as several of its allegations have been debunked .
A Justice Department inspector general ’ s report released on Dec. 9 , 2019 , blasted the FBI ’ s Crossfire Hurricane team for failing to disclose key details about Steele @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strzok ’ s messages also show that he and others at the FBI had inside information about CNN ’ s plans to publish a story about then-FBI Director James Comey ’ s briefing to Trump regarding allegations in the dossier .
“ Story no longer Sciutto , now Evan Perez .
Internal nervousness about nature of allegations , ” Strzok wrote to Page on Jan. 9 , 2017 , referring to two CNN reporters .
“ Also Carl Bernstein ( yes that Carl ) called OPA , said he got a ‘ dossier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jan. 10 , 2017 , that Comey had briefed Trump on Jan. 6 , 2017 , regarding an allegation in the dossier that the Kremlin had a sexual blackmail tape against Trump .
CNN ’ s report prompted BuzzFeed News to publish the dossier in full .
David Kramer , a close associate of McCain ’ s , testified that he provided a copy of the dossier to multiple reporters in December 2016 and January 2017 , including Bernstein and the BuzzFeed reporter who published the salacious document .
( RELATED : McCain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regarding Dossier ) McCain had provided a copy of the dossier to Comey in a private meeting on Dec. 9 , 2016 .
The messages also provide a glimpse into Strzok ’ s theories about Papadopoulos ’ s role in the alleged collusion scheme with Russia .
Strzok ’ s initial suspicions would later be debunked by the special counsel ’ s investigation , which found no evidence that any Trump associates conspired with the Russian government .
The FBI opened Crossfire Hurricane on July 31 , 2016 , based on a tip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The diplomat , Alexander Downer , claimed that Papadopoulos had told him during a meeting in London on May 10 , 2016 that the Russian government might help the Trump campaign .
Strzok wrote that the FBI wanted to find out more about the alleged offer to assist the Trump team .
He speculated that Papadopoulos would have information that would implicate Carter Page and Paul Manafort .
Strzok did not explain why he thought those two Trump aides would have knowledge about collusion with Russia , but the theory is likely derived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dossier , former British spy Christopher Steele alleged that Page worked at the direction of Manafort on a “ well-developed conspiracy of cooperation ” with the Kremlin .
“ I think our anticipation is he has visibility into a conversation about the Russian offer of help ( and I ’ d be willing to bet if he talks , he fingers Page or Manafort ) , ” Strzok wrote to Jennifer Boone , a deputy assistant director , the messages show .
Strzok wrote to Jonathan Moffa , a supervisory special agent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Papadopoulos ’ s “ demeanor ” in the FBI interview .
“ If he ’ s willing to work with us against either of them , I ’ ll reconsider.
” Strzok was notified shortly after that Papadopoulos , who was given the code name Crossfire Typhoon , was speaking to the FBI agents .
An FBI employee and Strzok then joked that Papadopoulos ’ s mother , who was with her son when the FBI approached for an interview , urged him not to go to the FBI ’ s offices for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway .
“ Ha , that ’ s funny re Typhoon , ” Strzok wrote .
“ That ’ s what you get for not listening to mom.
” Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 , 2017 , to making false statements to the FBI during the Jan. 27 , 2017 interview .
He was never charged with any crimes related specifically to Russia or any conspiracy involving the Trump campaign .
Instead , he was charged with making false statements about the timeline of his meetings in 2016 with Joseph Mifsud , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told him that the Russian government had “ dirt ” on Hillary Clinton .
Papadopoulos volunteered the information about Mifsud to the FBI , but the special counsel ’ s office later charged him with lying about the dates of his meetings .
On Jan. 30 , 2017 , an FBI employee messaged Strzok to say that they had “ opened ” a case file on Mifsud .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok, the former counterintelligence investigator who oversaw Crossfire Hurricane.
The messages provide a real-time glimpse into the probe, which began on July 31, 2016, and looked at possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Senate Republicans pushed for the messages to be released as part of their investigation into Crossfire Hurricane.
The Justice Department declassified a batch of internal FBI messages from Peter Strzok, the former counterintelligence official who oversaw the bureau’s investigation of the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia.
The messages, which Senate Republicans released Thursday, provide new insights into the thinking of investigators who worked on Crossfire Hurricane, the code name for the investigation into the Trump campaign.
The documents, obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation ahead of their release, show Strzok and his colleagues discussing strategies for how to handle the investigation, as well as how to approach interviews with targets of Crossfire Hurricane.
The declassified documents also show that Strzok was provided with real-time updates as FBI agents or undercover sources were meeting with Trump campaign advisers Carter Page and George Papaodpoulos, who were early targets of the investigation.
Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley had asked Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray to declassify the documents on Oct. 30, to help with their investigation of Crossfire Hurricane. The Justice Department declassified the records on Dec. 1.
Strzok’s messages, which are from the FBI’s Lync system, also contain numerous references to Christopher Steele, the former British spy whose dossier the FBI used to obtain surveillance warrants against Carter Page. (RELATED: Mueller Found No Collusion)
One message suggests that Strzok knew early on that Steele was a source for a story published in Yahoo! News alleging that Page had a secret meeting in Moscow with two Kremlin insiders.
“Looking at the Yahoo article, I would definitely say at a minimum Steele’s reports should be viewed as intended to influence as well as to inform,” Strzok wrote on Sept. 23, 2016.
Strzok, who was fired from the FBI in August 2018, was referring to a report from Yahoo! News about Page’s visit to Moscow in July 2016.
It would later be revealed that Christopher Steele was a source for the article, and that he had met with a handful of journalists in Washington, D.C. as part of an opposition research campaign commissioned by the DNC and Clinton campaign.
While Strzok indicated that he thought Steele was a source for the Yahoo! article, the FBI maintained its relationship with Steele and failed to inform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) that the ex-spy had contact with journalists.
The FBI cut ties with Steele, who had been a confidential human source for the bureau since 2013, after he spoke to a journalists for Mother Jones for another dossier-related story on Oct. 31, 2016.
The dossier has since come under intense scrutiny, as several of its allegations have been debunked. A Justice Department inspector general’s report released on Dec. 9, 2019, blasted the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane team for failing to disclose key details about Steele and the dossier to the FISC.
Strzok’s messages also show that he and others at the FBI had inside information about CNN’s plans to publish a story about then-FBI Director James Comey’s briefing to Trump regarding allegations in the dossier.
“Story no longer Sciutto, now Evan Perez. Internal nervousness about nature of allegations,” Strzok wrote to Page on Jan. 9, 2017, referring to two CNN reporters.
“Also Carl Bernstein (yes that Carl) called OPA, said he got a ‘dossier’ from McCain.”
“Awesome,” Page replied. “Let Carl run it down then.”
CNN reported on Jan. 10, 2017, that Comey had briefed Trump on Jan. 6, 2017, regarding an allegation in the dossier that the Kremlin had a sexual blackmail tape against Trump.
CNN’s report prompted BuzzFeed News to publish the dossier in full.
David Kramer, a close associate of McCain’s, testified that he provided a copy of the dossier to multiple reporters in December 2016 and January 2017, including Bernstein and the BuzzFeed reporter who published the salacious document. (RELATED: McCain Associate Had Contact With A Dozen Reporters Regarding Dossier)
McCain had provided a copy of the dossier to Comey in a private meeting on Dec. 9, 2016.
The messages also provide a glimpse into Strzok’s theories about Papadopoulos’s role in the alleged collusion scheme with Russia. Strzok’s initial suspicions would later be debunked by the special counsel’s investigation, which found no evidence that any Trump associates conspired with the Russian government.
The FBI opened Crossfire Hurricane on July 31, 2016, based on a tip from an Australian diplomat regarding Papadopoulos. The diplomat, Alexander Downer, claimed that Papadopoulos had told him during a meeting in London on May 10, 2016 that the Russian government might help the Trump campaign.
Strzok wrote that the FBI wanted to find out more about the alleged offer to assist the Trump team. He speculated that Papadopoulos would have information that would implicate Carter Page and Paul Manafort.
Strzok did not explain why he thought those two Trump aides would have knowledge about collusion with Russia, but the theory is likely derived from the Steele dossier. In the dossier, former British spy Christopher Steele alleged that Page worked at the direction of Manafort on a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation” with the Kremlin.
“I think our anticipation is he has visibility into a conversation about the Russian offer of help (and I’d be willing to bet if he talks, he fingers Page or Manafort),” Strzok wrote to Jennifer Boone, a deputy assistant director, the messages show.
Strzok wrote to Jonathan Moffa, a supervisory special agent, that he wanted to find out about Papadopoulos’s “demeanor” in the FBI interview.
“If he’s willing to work with us against either of them, I’ll reconsider.”
Strzok was notified shortly after that Papadopoulos, who was given the code name Crossfire Typhoon, was speaking to the FBI agents.
An FBI employee and Strzok then joked that Papadopoulos’s mother, who was with her son when the FBI approached for an interview, urged him not to go to the FBI’s offices for an interview, but that he went anyway.
“Ha, that’s funny re Typhoon,” Strzok wrote. “That’s what you get for not listening to mom.”
Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2017, to making false statements to the FBI during the Jan. 27, 2017 interview. He was never charged with any crimes related specifically to Russia or any conspiracy involving the Trump campaign.
Instead, he was charged with making false statements about the timeline of his meetings in 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a shadowy Maltese professor who Papadopoulos says told him that the Russian government had “dirt” on Hillary Clinton.
Papadopoulos volunteered the information about Mifsud to the FBI, but the special counsel’s office later charged him with lying about the dates of his meetings.
On Jan. 30, 2017, an FBI employee messaged Strzok to say that they had “opened” a case file on Mifsud.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


bonginoreport--2020-12-18--Loeffler and Perdue Lead by Three Points in Runoff Race Polls

Georgia ’ s Senate runoffs have become a tag-team match — and the red leotards might be pulling ahead on points .
A new poll out by Emerson shows “ nearly identical ” three-point leads for Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler over their Democrat challengers , Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
That ’ s still within the polls ’ margins of error , but it does look as though a trend might be developing in the GOP ’ s favor : In the two US Senate run-off elections in Georgia , Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 % advantages over Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock .
The winners of these contests will determine which political party will control the U.S. Senate .
Spencer Kimball , Director of Emerson College Polling concludes that “ the data revealed there is little crossover support , which suggests one party should win both seats.
” … The biggest problem for the two Democrats might be — counter-intuitively — in early voting .
Democrats dominated early voting in the general election , thanks in large part to Donald Trump ’ s concerted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edge has almost completely evaporated , although not among the first wave of early voters : Those planning on voting early are split , with Perdue and Ossoff each receiving 49 % .
In the other contested election , Warnock is at 50 % with Loeffler at 49 % .
Sixty-one percent ( 61 % ) of those who have already voted break for Ossoff and Warnock , with 39 % supporting the Republican candidates .
Election day voters are breaking for the Republicans , with 68 % support for Perdue and 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though Democrats will have much less of a cushion against the Election Day wave this time around .
Republicans spent a ton of money in Georgia to quickly shore up their competitive stance in early voting , and that appears to have paid off .
More importantly , though , the two Republicans appear to have an edge in the suburbs against their challengers .
In an echo of November ’ s vote , the GOP has a five-point edge in the suburbs , 52/47 , and a 2:1 edge in rural areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % in urban areas , but that ’ s probably not going to be enough balance out in Georgia against the non-urban areas .
The numbers on all of these demos show almost no difference between the two races .
This has become , in effect , one election , an all-or-nothing for both parties .
And if Emerson ’ s polling holds up — and Republican voters in Georgia show up — right now that favors the GOP .
That ’ s not the only new poll suggesting that Loeffler and Perdue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fox also moved Perdue from a dead heat to a one-point lead this week , while moving Loeffler from a point behind to a point ahead .
Trafalgar now has Loeffler three points ahead , although they still have Perdue in a tie with Ossoff .
It ’ s still very close , but in looking at all of the polls so far , the best thing Republicans have going appears to be tying both races to Warnock ’ s radical rhetoric .
If they win these runoffs , it will almost certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warnock and inoculate themselves against these attacks .

Georgia’s Senate runoffs have become a tag-team match — and the red leotards might be pulling ahead on points. A new poll out by Emerson shows “nearly identical” three-point leads for Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler over their Democrat challengers, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. That’s still within the polls’ margins of error, but it does look as though a trend might be developing in the GOP’s favor:
In the two US Senate run-off elections in Georgia, Republican incumbents David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler hold nearly identical 51% to 48% advantages over Democratic challengers Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. The winners of these contests will determine which political party will control the U.S. Senate. Spencer Kimball, Director of Emerson College Polling concludes that “the data revealed there is little crossover support, which suggests one party should win both seats.” …
The biggest problem for the two Democrats might be — counter-intuitively — in early voting. Democrats dominated early voting in the general election, thanks in large part to Donald Trump’s concerted efforts to discourage mail-in voting. That edge has almost completely evaporated, although not among the first wave of early voters:
Those planning on voting early are split, with Perdue and Ossoff each receiving 49%. In the other contested election, Warnock is at 50% with Loeffler at 49%. Sixty-one percent (61%) of those who have already voted break for Ossoff and Warnock, with 39% supporting the Republican candidates. Election day voters are breaking for the Republicans, with 68% support for Perdue and 70% for Loeffler.
That sounds as though Democrats will have much less of a cushion against the Election Day wave this time around. Republicans spent a ton of money in Georgia to quickly shore up their competitive stance in early voting, and that appears to have paid off.
More importantly, though, the two Republicans appear to have an edge in the suburbs against their challengers. In an echo of November’s vote, the GOP has a five-point edge in the suburbs, 52/47, and a 2:1 edge in rural areas. Warnock and Ossoff get above 70% in urban areas, but that’s probably not going to be enough balance out in Georgia against the non-urban areas.
The numbers on all of these demos show almost no difference between the two races. This has become, in effect, one election, an all-or-nothing for both parties. And if Emerson’s polling holds up — and Republican voters in Georgia show up — right now that favors the GOP.
That’s not the only new poll suggesting that Loeffler and Perdue might be getting a little momentum. Fox also moved Perdue from a dead heat to a one-point lead this week, while moving Loeffler from a point behind to a point ahead. Trafalgar now has Loeffler three points ahead, although they still have Perdue in a tie with Ossoff. It’s still very close, but in looking at all of the polls so far, the best thing Republicans have going appears to be tying both races to Warnock’s radical rhetoric. If they win these runoffs, it will almost certainly be from Democrats’ failure to vet Warnock and inoculate themselves against these attacks.


bonginoreport--2020-12-19--Senate Passes Two-Day Spending Bill to Avert Shutdown

US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi leaves a meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington , DC on December 18 , 2020 .
Congress voted Friday to prevent a government shutdown for two days , sending a temporary funding measure to President Donald Trump .
Federal funding will lapse at 12:01 a.m .
ET on Saturday if Washington fails to approve a spending bill .
The stopgap measure would keep the government running through Sunday until 12:01 a.m .
ET Monday morning while congressional leaders try to finalize a full-year funding and coronavirus relief package .
Trump will have hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expires .
Once Trump approves the measure , Congress will once again find itself on a tight deadline .
The House will meet again on Sunday at noon ET and will not vote earlier than 1 p.m .
The Senate will return at 11 a.m .
ET Saturday and will likely address nominations .
Senators including independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri had warned they could delay approval of a spending bill as they lobby for leadership to include a $ 1,200 direct payment in a pandemic aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the warning .
Before the Senate unanimously passed the spending bill , Sanders said he would `` object to any attempt '' by the chamber to pass a full-year spending plan without also approving a pandemic relief package that includes `` substantial direct payments . ''
Hawley earlier tweeted that he would not block the legislation after top Republicans assured him a final relief deal would include `` direct assistance to working people . ''
Lawmakers are expected to include $ 600 payments , down from the $ 1,200 checks approved as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @

U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Camp David, November 29, 2020.
President Donald Trump signed a two-day government funding bill into law Friday night as Congress tries to buy time to strike a spending and coronavirus relief deal.
The president inked the legislation to keep the government running about an hour-and-a-half before a midnight deadline to pass spending legislation. The stopgap measure would fund federal operations through Sunday until 12:01 a.m. ET Monday morning while congressional leaders try to finalize a full-year funding and coronavirus relief package.
Even after lawmakers avoided a shutdown, Congress again finds itself on a tight deadline. The House will meet again on Sunday at noon ET and will not vote earlier than 1 p.m. The Senate will return at 11 a.m. ET Saturday and will likely address nominations.
Senators including independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri had warned they could delay approval of a spending bill as they lobby for leadership to include a $1,200 direct payment in a pandemic aid package. Neither lawmaker followed through on the warning.
Before the Senate unanimously passed the spending bill, Sanders said he would "object to any attempt" by the chamber to pass a full-year spending plan without also approving a pandemic relief package that includes "substantial direct payments."
Hawley earlier tweeted that he would not block the legislation after top Republicans assured him a final relief deal would include "direct assistance to working people." Lawmakers are expected to include $600 payments, down from the $1,200 checks approved as part of the CARES Act in March.


bonginoreport--2020-12-18--Ric Grenell Refutes Reports That Pentagon Stopped Biden Transition Briefings

It was reported on Friday that the Pentagon was told by to stop giving briefings to the transition team that will see President-elect Joe Biden into office .
That claim was refuted by Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller .
A statement issued on Friday from the Miller 's office repudiated this claim , however , saying : '' The Department of Defense will continue to provide all required support to the Agency Review Team ( ART ) to keep our nation and her citizens safe .
As of today , we have supported 139 interviews sessions more than 200 DoD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents , exceeding prior transitions .
At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview .
Our key focus in the next two weeks is supporting essential requests for information on OWS and COVID-19 information to guarantee a flawless transition .
This is my major focus area .
After the mutually-agreed upon holiday pause , which begins tomorrow , we will continue with the transition and rescheduled meetings from today .
Again , I remain committed to a full and transparent transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the DoD will deliver AS IT ALWAYS HAS . ''
The Axios story was then disputed on Twitter by Rick Grenell , who said `` This is n't true .
The current Pentagon team has given more transition meetings than were given in 2016 .
These anonymous sources have political agendas and it 's definitely not about sharing facts .
This is click bait reporting . ''
According to Axios , who claimed to have heard this from senior administration officials , the transition briefings that they said were stopped on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holidays .
They were unsure , however , why the decision was made to stop the briefings .
When asked to justify his sources , Grenell said that the Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller said that the termination of briefings report was untrue .
Which he did in the above statement .
Axios reported that Miller halted the briefings on Thursday night , ordering `` officials throughout the building to cancel scheduled transition meetings . ''
Miller took over for the previous Defense Secretary Mark Esper after Esper was fired by Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pentagon official who Axios identified as a senior Defense Department official , called it `` a simple delay of the last few scheduled meetings until after the new year . ''
The official said that `` We had fewer than two dozen remaining meetings on the schedule today and next week '' and that `` the DoD staff working the meetings were overwhelmed by the number of meetings . ''
`` These same senior leaders needed to do their day jobs and were being consumed by transition activities , '' the official said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking a knee for two weeks .
We are still committed to a productive transition . ''
Axios reported that the stoppage of briefings was a surprise to Pentagon officials , and may be an indicator , of `` animus and mistrust toward the Biden team from the top level fo the Trump administration . ''
But it appears to have also been a surprise to Miller , who laid out the work he and his team had done to enable and facilitate the transition to the new administration .
Miller stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential transition aligned with the President Transition Act , White House and Biden-Harris Transition Team Memorandum of Understanding , and DoD policy .
`` In 2016 , a total of approximately 175 RFIs were responded to and 180 interviews were conducted from November 19th through January 12th .
Most of these interviews were with junior career officials , not senior leaders .
Implementing guidance from the Secretary , DoD has made available leaders at the highest levels of our organization , many senate-confirmed as well as other politically appointed leaders , and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also part of the interview process . ''

It was reported on Friday that the Pentagon was told by to stop giving briefings to the transition team that will see President-elect Joe Biden into office. That claim was refuted by Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller.
A statement issued on Friday from the Miller's office repudiated this claim, however, saying:
"The Department of Defense will continue to provide all required support to the Agency Review Team (ART) to keep our nation and her citizens safe. As of today, we have supported 139 interviews sessions more than 200 DoD personnel, 161 requests for information, and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents, exceeding prior transitions. At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview.
Our key focus in the next two weeks is supporting essential requests for information on OWS and COVID-19 information to guarantee a flawless transition. This is my major focus area.
After the mutually-agreed upon holiday pause, which begins tomorrow, we will continue with the transition and rescheduled meetings from today.
Again, I remain committed to a full and transparent transition – this is what our nation expects and the DoD will deliver AS IT ALWAYS HAS."
The Axios story was then disputed on Twitter by Rick Grenell, who said "This isn't true. The current Pentagon team has given more transition meetings than were given in 2016. These anonymous sources have political agendas and it's definitely not about sharing facts. This is click bait reporting."
This isn’t true. The current Pentagon team has given more transition meetings than were given in 2016.
These anonymous sources have political agendas and it’s definitely not about sharing facts.
This is click bait reporting. https://t.co/ghmZNM1YxE — Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 18, 2020
According to Axios, who claimed to have heard this from senior administration officials, the transition briefings that they said were stopped on Thursday may be taken up again after the holidays. They were unsure, however, why the decision was made to stop the briefings.
When asked to justify his sources, Grenell said that the Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller said that the termination of briefings report was untrue. Which he did in the above statement.
How about the Acting Defense Secretary himself? https://t.co/jp04nCYNmC https://t.co/fFk4hsfUhI — Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 18, 2020
Axios reported that Miller halted the briefings on Thursday night, ordering "officials throughout the building to cancel scheduled transition meetings." Miller took over for the previous Defense Secretary Mark Esper after Esper was fired by Trump, shortly after the election.
A Pentagon official who Axios identified as a senior Defense Department official, called it "a simple delay of the last few scheduled meetings until after the new year."
The official said that "We had fewer than two dozen remaining meetings on the schedule today and next week" and that "the DoD staff working the meetings were overwhelmed by the number of meetings."
"These same senior leaders needed to do their day jobs and were being consumed by transition activities," the official said. "With the holidays we are taking a knee for two weeks. We are still committed to a productive transition."
Axios reported that the stoppage of briefings was a surprise to Pentagon officials, and may be an indicator, of "animus and mistrust toward the Biden team from the top level fo the Trump administration."
But it appears to have also been a surprise to Miller, who laid out the work he and his team had done to enable and facilitate the transition to the new administration.
Miller stated that the "DoD continues to support the presidential transition aligned with the President Transition Act, White House and Biden-Harris Transition Team Memorandum of Understanding, and DoD policy.
"In 2016, a total of approximately 175 RFIs were responded to and 180 interviews were conducted from November 19th through January 12th. Most of these interviews were with junior career officials, not senior leaders. Implementing guidance from the Secretary, DoD has made available leaders at the highest levels of our organization, many senate-confirmed as well as other politically appointed leaders, and has ensured senior career officials and experts were also part of the interview process."


bonginoreport--2020-12-18--McCarthy and Pelosi Briefed by FBI on Swalwell’s Contact With Alleged Chinese Spy

GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthy said Friday that an FBI briefing on Rep. Eric Swalwell 's contact with an alleged Chinese spy made clear one thing : The California Democrat should not have access to the nation 's secrets .
McCarthy said the House Intelligence Committee is a special panel that 's entrusted with classified information and he renewed his demand that Swalwell be removed from the committee .
`` He should not be on Intel , '' McCarthy , R-Calif. , told reporters after he exited the closed-door FBI briefing at the Capitol .
MCCARTHY TO BE BRIEFED BY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : ' I WILL NOT GIVE UP' '' I just think there are definitely 200 other Democrats that I know could fill that place , '' McCarthy added .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , was also briefed Friday by the FBI about Swalwell ’ s relationship six years ago with a suspected Chinese spy known as Fang Fang or Christine Fang .
STANDING BY SWALWELL , PELOSI SAYS BACKGROUND CHECK ON EVERY INTERN IS N'T NECESSARY Pelosi left the meeting without making any comments to reporters .
Pelosi has previously stood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to the Intelligence Committee in January of 2015 .
`` I do n't have any concern about Mr. Swalwell , '' Pelosi said last week .
Swalwell 's judgment has been in the spotlight after Axios reported that Fang targeted up-and-coming local politicians , including those who had the potential to become national figures .
Swalwell has not commented publicly about the extent of his relationship with Fang , who reportedly had sexual interactions with at least two Midwestern mayors .
Fox News ’ Jake Gibson caught up with Swalwell outside his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including one about Fang .
This comes after his office declined to comment on the nature of their relationship beyond what they had told Axios and then ignored subsequent requests for information .
`` Rep. Swalwell , long ago , provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago , and whom he hasn ’ t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI , '' Swalwell 's office told Axios , which broke the story about Fang .
They added that Swalwell `` will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about possible classified information .
SWALWELL REFUSES TO ANSWER FOX NEWS QUESTIONS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH SUSPECTED CHINESE SPY Fang reportedly took part in fundraising for Swalwell 's 2014 reelection campaign -- although she did not make donations nor was there evidence of illegal contributions .
Fang ’ s earliest known engagement with Swalwell occurred through the Chinese Student Association , Axios reported , and by 2014 , she had developed `` close ties '' to Swalwell ’ s office .
Investigators became so alarmed by Fang ’ s behavior and activities that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns , and gave him a `` defensive briefing . ''
Swalwell then cut off all ties with Fang and has not been accused of any wrongdoing , according to an official who spoke to the outlet .
Officials do not believe Fang received or passed on classified information .
Republicans have pounced on the Swalwell revelations and have demanded he be stripped of his Intelligence Committee assignment for the sake of national security .
McCarthy has questioned Pelosi ’ s judgment for not removing him .
MCCARTHY CALLS SWALWELL A 'NATIONAL SECURITY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MUST REMOVE HIM FROM INTEL COMMITTEE Pelosi said GOP and Democratic leadership were briefed `` at the same moment '' in the spring of 2015 about a suspected Chinese spy targeting members of Congress and the issue was addressed at the time .
`` In terms of Mr. Swalwell -- in the spring of 2015 , the leadership of the House and the [ Intelligence ] Committee were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress , '' Pelosi said last week .
`` When that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was over . ''

GOP House Leader Kevin McCarthy said Friday that an FBI briefing on Rep. Eric Swalwell's contact with an alleged Chinese spy made clear one thing: The California Democrat should not have access to the nation's secrets.
McCarthy said the House Intelligence Committee is a special panel that's entrusted with classified information and he renewed his demand that Swalwell be removed from the committee.
"He should not be on Intel," McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters after he exited the closed-door FBI briefing at the Capitol.
MCCARTHY TO BE BRIEFED BY FBI ON SWALWELL TIES TO CHINA SPY: 'I WILL NOT GIVE UP'
"I just think there are definitely 200 other Democrats that I know could fill that place," McCarthy added.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., was also briefed Friday by the FBI about Swalwell’s relationship six years ago with a suspected Chinese spy known as Fang Fang or Christine Fang.
STANDING BY SWALWELL, PELOSI SAYS BACKGROUND CHECK ON EVERY INTERN ISN'T NECESSARY
Pelosi left the meeting without making any comments to reporters. Pelosi has previously stood by Swalwell and her decision to appoint him to the Intelligence Committee in January of 2015. "I don't have any concern about Mr. Swalwell," Pelosi said last week.
Swalwell's judgment has been in the spotlight after Axios reported that Fang targeted up-and-coming local politicians, including those who had the potential to become national figures.
Swalwell has not commented publicly about the extent of his relationship with Fang, who reportedly had sexual interactions with at least two Midwestern mayors.
Fox News’ Jake Gibson caught up with Swalwell outside his home Thursday and he ignored all questions, including one about Fang. This comes after his office declined to comment on the nature of their relationship beyond what they had told Axios and then ignored subsequent requests for information.
"Rep. Swalwell, long ago, provided information about this person — whom he met more than eight years ago, and whom he hasn’t seen in nearly six years — to the FBI," Swalwell's office told Axios, which broke the story about Fang. They added that Swalwell "will not participate" in the story out of concerns about possible classified information.
SWALWELL REFUSES TO ANSWER FOX NEWS QUESTIONS ON RELATIONSHIP WITH SUSPECTED CHINESE SPY
Fang reportedly took part in fundraising for Swalwell's 2014 reelection campaign -- although she did not make donations nor was there evidence of illegal contributions. Fang’s earliest known engagement with Swalwell occurred through the Chinese Student Association, Axios reported, and by 2014, she had developed "close ties" to Swalwell’s office.
Investigators became so alarmed by Fang’s behavior and activities that they alerted Swalwell in 2015 to their concerns, and gave him a "defensive briefing." Swalwell then cut off all ties with Fang and has not been accused of any wrongdoing, according to an official who spoke to the outlet.
Officials do not believe Fang received or passed on classified information.
Republicans have pounced on the Swalwell revelations and have demanded he be stripped of his Intelligence Committee assignment for the sake of national security. McCarthy has questioned Pelosi’s judgment for not removing him.
MCCARTHY CALLS SWALWELL A 'NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT,' SAYS PELOSI, SCHIFF MUST REMOVE HIM FROM INTEL COMMITTEE
Pelosi said GOP and Democratic leadership were briefed "at the same moment" in the spring of 2015 about a suspected Chinese spy targeting members of Congress and the issue was addressed at the time.
"In terms of Mr. Swalwell -- in the spring of 2015, the leadership of the House and the [Intelligence] Committee were informed that overtures from a Chinese person were being made to members of Congress," Pelosi said last week. "When that was made known to the members of Congress, it was over."