bonginoreport--2020-03-06--Federal Judge Attacks Bill Barr’s Credibility

A federal judge rebuked Attorney General William Barr over his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report .
In a Tuesday order , D.C. District Court Judge Reggie Walton second-guessed the redactions appearing in the 448-page report and demanded the Justice Department hand over an unredacted version so he could decide if more should be made public .
Walton , a President George W. Bush appointee , said , “ The Court has grave concerns about the objectivity of the process that preceded the public release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report ” as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s subsequent justifications ” that its redactions of the report were authorized under the Freedom of Information Act .
The judge said he agreed with the Electronic Privacy Information Center and BuzzFeed , which sued for the report in its entirety under FOIA , that Barr had “ dubiously handled the public release of the '' Mueller report .
A DOJ representative did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner 's request for comment .
Walton specifically took issue with the March 2019 letters Barr wrote prior to the release of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and press conference the attorney general gave the morning the report was made public .
“ The speed by which Attorney General Barr released to the public the summary of Special Counsel Mueller ’ s principal conclusions , coupled with the fact that Attorney General Barr failed to provide a thorough representation of the findings set forth in the Mueller Report , causes the Court to question whether Attorney General Barr ’ s intent was to create a one-sided narrative about the Mueller Report , ” the judge wrote , adding that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in some respects substantively at odds with the redacted version of the Mueller Report.
” The judge wrote , “ The Court can not reconcile certain public representations made by Attorney General Barr with the findings in the Mueller Report ” and claimed the “ inconsistencies ” between Barr ’ s statements in the lead-up to the Mueller report ’ s release and the contents of the report itself “ cause the Court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Mueller Report in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the redacted version of the Mueller Report to the contrary.
” Mueller delivered his report to the Justice Department on March 22 , and Barr informed Congress that day he was reviewing it and might be able to advise them of Mueller ’ s “ principal conclusions ” that weekend .
Barr told Congress on March 24 that Mueller ’ s investigation “ did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.
” The attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction.
” Mueller sent a letter on March 27 , claiming Barr ’ s letter “ did not fully capture the context , nature , and substance ” of his investigation ’ s “ work and conclusions.
” Barr followed up with another letter on March 29 stating some media and public figures “ mischaracterized ” his prior letter as a “ summary ” of Mueller ’ s report and emphasized that it “ was not and did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” of Mueller ’ s investigation .
The attorney general stated at an April news conference that , “ thanks to the special counsel ’ s thorough investigation , we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign.
” Mueller ’ s report noted his investigation “ identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign '' but `` did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of possible obstruction of justice , Mueller said he “ determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the president committed crimes ” but that , “ while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime , it also does not exonerate him.
” Walton said on Thursday that Barr ’ s “ lack of candor ” called into question his “ credibility.
” The judge said he would “ conduct an independent review of the unredacted version of the '' Mueller report to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much .

A federal judge rebuked Attorney General William Barr over his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report.
In a Tuesday order, D.C. District Court Judge Reggie Walton second-guessed the redactions appearing in the 448-page report and demanded the Justice Department hand over an unredacted version so he could decide if more should be made public.
Walton, a President George W. Bush appointee, said, “The Court has grave concerns about the objectivity of the process that preceded the public release of the redacted version of the Mueller Report” as well as its “impacts on the Justice Department’s subsequent justifications” that its redactions of the report were authorized under the Freedom of Information Act.
The judge said he agreed with the Electronic Privacy Information Center and BuzzFeed, which sued for the report in its entirety under FOIA, that Barr had “dubiously handled the public release of the" Mueller report.
A DOJ representative did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment.
Walton specifically took issue with the March 2019 letters Barr wrote prior to the release of the Mueller report and an April 2019 letter and press conference the attorney general gave the morning the report was made public.
“The speed by which Attorney General Barr released to the public the summary of Special Counsel Mueller’s principal conclusions, coupled with the fact that Attorney General Barr failed to provide a thorough representation of the findings set forth in the Mueller Report, causes the Court to question whether Attorney General Barr’s intent was to create a one-sided narrative about the Mueller Report,” the judge wrote, adding that it was “a narrative that is clearly in some respects substantively at odds with the redacted version of the Mueller Report.”
The judge wrote, “The Court cannot reconcile certain public representations made by Attorney General Barr with the findings in the Mueller Report” and claimed the “inconsistencies” between Barr’s statements in the lead-up to the Mueller report’s release and the contents of the report itself “cause the Court to seriously question whether Attorney General Barr made a calculated attempt to influence public discourse about the Mueller Report in favor of President Trump despite certain findings in the redacted version of the Mueller Report to the contrary.”
Mueller delivered his report to the Justice Department on March 22, and Barr informed Congress that day he was reviewing it and might be able to advise them of Mueller’s “principal conclusions” that weekend.
Barr told Congress on March 24 that Mueller’s investigation “did not find that the Trump campaign or anyone associated with it conspired or coordinated with Russia in its efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election.” The attorney general also said Mueller “did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction.”
Mueller sent a letter on March 27, claiming Barr’s letter “did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance” of his investigation’s “work and conclusions.”
Barr followed up with another letter on March 29 stating some media and public figures “mischaracterized” his prior letter as a “summary” of Mueller’s report and emphasized that it “was not and did not purport to be an exhaustive recounting” of Mueller’s investigation.
The attorney general stated at an April news conference that, “thanks to the special counsel’s thorough investigation, we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign.”
Mueller’s report noted his investigation “identified numerous links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign" but "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.”
On the issue of possible obstruction of justice, Mueller said he “determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the president committed crimes” but that, “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”
Walton said on Thursday that Barr’s “lack of candor” called into question his “credibility.” The judge said he would “conduct an independent review of the unredacted version of the" Mueller report to see if the Justice Department blacked out too much.


bonginoreport--2020-03-06--Airlines Stand to Lose $100+ Billion in Revenue From Coronavirus

El Al Israel Airlines departure counter is pictured empty after it cancelled flights to Italy at Ben Gurion International Airport @ @ @ @ @ on February 27 , 2020 .
Airlines could lose $ 63 billion to $ 113 @ @ @ @ @ traffic globally in 2020 , depending on how the coronavirus spreads , International Air Transport @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday .
The last time the industry faced a revenue shock of this magnitude @ @ @ @ @ global financial crisis , IATA Chief Economist Brian Pearce said at a media briefing in @ @ @ @ @ billion figure is for a scenario where the disease is contained in current markets with @ @ @ @ @ March 2 , following a v-shaped recovery , IATA said .
The $ 113 billion @ @ @ @ @ with a broader spreading of the disease .
This fall would translate to 11 % @ @ @ @ @ revenue loss .
IATA on Feb. 20 estimated the outbreak would cost carriers $ 29.3 @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak was largely confined to markets associated with China .

El Al Israel Airlines departure counter is pictured empty after it cancelled flights to Italy at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, on February 27, 2020.
Airlines could lose $63 billion to $113 billion in revenue for passenger traffic globally in 2020, depending on how the coronavirus spreads, International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Thursday.
The last time the industry faced a revenue shock of this magnitude was in 2009 during the global financial crisis, IATA Chief Economist Brian Pearce said at a media briefing in Singapore.
The $63 billion figure is for a scenario where the disease is contained in current markets with over 100 cases as of March 2, following a v-shaped recovery, IATA said.
The $113 billion estimate is for a scenario with a broader spreading of the disease.
This fall would translate to 11%-19% of worldwide passenger revenue loss.
IATA on Feb. 20 estimated the outbreak would cost carriers $29.3 billion in revenue, if the outbreak was largely confined to markets associated with China.


bonginoreport--2020-03-06--NYT Ignored Fact Checker’s Criticism of 1619 Project

Leslie Harris is a Northwestern University historian who helped fact-check the 1619 Project , The New York Times 's recent package of articles that recast chattel slavery as a foundational aspect of America .
The project has been praised for drawing attention to underscrutinized racial inequities throughout American history .
But has also attracted criticism from historians who say that some of the project 's claims are false .
Harris is one of those critics—but when she raised her objections with Nikole Hannah-Jones , the Times reporter who spearheaded the 1619 Project , she received no response .
`` On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in stunned silence as Nikole Hannah-Jones , a reporter for the New York Times , repeated an idea that I had vigorously argued against , '' writes Harris in Politico .
When a fact-checker asked Harris to verify some of the project 's statements , Harris `` vigorously disputed '' the claim that protecting the institution of slavery was a major reason the American colonies rebelled against British rule : Far from being fought to preserve slavery , the Revolutionary War became a primary disrupter of slavery in the North American Colonies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ military strategy designed to unsettle the Southern Colonies by inviting enslaved people to flee to British lines , propelled hundreds of enslaved people off plantations and turned some Southerners to the patriot side .
It also led most of the 13 Colonies to arm and employ free and enslaved black people , with the promise of freedom to those who served in their armies .
While neither side fully kept its promises , thousands of enslaved people were freed as a result of these policies… .
Despite my advice , the Times published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway , in Hannah-Jones ' introductory essay .
In addition , the paper 's characterizations of slavery in early America reflected laws and practices more common in the antebellum era than in Colonial times , and did not accurately illustrate the varied experiences of the first generation of enslaved people that arrived in Virginia in 1619 .
Hannah-Jones has tended to be extremely dismissive of the project 's critics , who include The Atlantic 's Conor Friedersdorf and the American Institute for Economic Research 's Phil Magness .
Perhaps she will have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historian whose expertise her project drew on .
In any case , these ongoing issues with the project 's accuracy are a good argument against school districts ' swift mandates that it be taught in seventh-grade history classrooms .

Leslie Harris is a Northwestern University historian who helped fact-check the 1619 Project, The New York Times's recent package of articles that recast chattel slavery as a foundational aspect of America. The project has been praised for drawing attention to underscrutinized racial inequities throughout American history. But has also attracted criticism from historians who say that some of the project's claims are false. Harris is one of those critics—but when she raised her objections with Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Times reporter who spearheaded the 1619 Project, she received no response.
"On August 19 of last year I listened in stunned silence as Nikole Hannah-Jones, a reporter for the New York Times, repeated an idea that I had vigorously argued against," writes Harris in Politico.
When a fact-checker asked Harris to verify some of the project's statements, Harris "vigorously disputed" the claim that protecting the institution of slavery was a major reason the American colonies rebelled against British rule:


bonginoreport--2020-03-06--Biden and Sanders Spar Over Social Security

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders feuded about Social Security as the two Democratic presidential hopefuls prepare for the next round of primaries on Tuesday .
After Biden won 10 states on March 3 , Super Tuesday , securing a solid delegate lead and resurrecting his 2020 campaign , Sanders has revived his criticism of the former vice president for his remarks in 1995 advocating freezing federal spending for Social Security , Medicare and Medicaid .
On Thursday , Biden shared a video of President Trump admitting during a Fox News town hall that “ we ’ ll be cutting ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballot this year , and the choice couldn ’ t be clearer , ” Biden wrote .
“ I ’ ll protect and expand it .
Donald Trump will cut it and take it away.
” “ Here 's the deal , ” he wrote .
“ Joe Biden has repeatedly advocated for cuts to Social Security .
I 've fought my whole career to protect and expand it.
” Biden fired back , criticizing Sanders for attacking a fellow Democrat instead of Trump .
Both candidates are currently vying to headline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incumbent Trump in the November general election .
“ Maybe you should spend your time attacking him , ” Biden wrote .
Trump waded into the Democratic candidates ’ feud , hitting “ sleepy Joe Biden ” and suggesting he ’ d destroy Social Security if he were elected .
“ I will protect your Social Security and Medicare , just as I have for the past 3 years .
Sleepy Joe Biden will destroy both in very short order , and he won ’ t even know he ’ s doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has called for expanding Social Security and paying for it by imposing taxes on the wealthy , that ’ s a marked shift from his time in the Senate , when he and other moderate Democrats flirted with the possibility of either cutting benefits or increasing the retirement age .
Biden ’ s comments at the time are frequently used in attack ads launched by Sanders ’ campaign .
“ When I argued that we should freeze federal spending , I meant Social Security as well , ” Biden said on the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicare and Medicaid .
I meant veterans ’ benefits .
I meant every single solitary thing in the government .
And I not only tried it once , I tried it twice , I tried it a third time , and I tried it a fourth time.
” Biden has maintained that Sanders ’ camp took the comments out of context .
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Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders feuded about Social Security as the two Democratic presidential hopefuls prepare for the next round of primaries on Tuesday.
After Biden won 10 states on March 3, Super Tuesday, securing a solid delegate lead and resurrecting his 2020 campaign, Sanders has revived his criticism of the former vice president for his remarks in 1995 advocating freezing federal spending for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
On Thursday, Biden shared a video of President Trump admitting during a Fox News town hall that “we’ll be cutting” entitlements.
“Social Security is on the ballot this year, and the choice couldn’t be clearer,” Biden wrote. “I’ll protect and expand it. Donald Trump will cut it and take it away.”
Sanders, a Vermont senator, pounced.
“Here's the deal,” he wrote. “Joe Biden has repeatedly advocated for cuts to Social Security. I've fought my whole career to protect and expand it.”
Biden fired back, criticizing Sanders for attacking a fellow Democrat instead of Trump. Both candidates are currently vying to headline their party’s ticket against the incumbent Trump in the November general election.
BOOSTED BY BLOOMBERG, 2020 AD SPENDING TOPPLES $1 BILLION
“Maybe you should spend your time attacking him,” Biden wrote.
Trump waded into the Democratic candidates’ feud, hitting “sleepy Joe Biden” and suggesting he’d destroy Social Security if he were elected.
“I will protect your Social Security and Medicare, just as I have for the past 3 years. Sleepy Joe Biden will destroy both in very short order, and he won’t even know he’s doing it!” Trump wrote.
Although Biden has called for expanding Social Security and paying for it by imposing taxes on the wealthy, that’s a marked shift from his time in the Senate, when he and other moderate Democrats flirted with the possibility of either cutting benefits or increasing the retirement age. Biden’s comments at the time are frequently used in attack ads launched by Sanders’ campaign.
“When I argued that we should freeze federal spending, I meant Social Security as well,” Biden said on the Senate floor in 1995. “I meant Medicare and Medicaid. I meant veterans’ benefits. I meant every single solitary thing in the government. And I not only tried it once, I tried it twice, I tried it a third time, and I tried it a fourth time.”
Biden has maintained that Sanders’ camp took the comments out of context.
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bonginoreport--2020-03-06--Iran Caught Hiding Nuclear Work

Iran Caught Hiding Nuclear Work

Iran 's stockpiling of highly enriched uranium is raising new questions about the scope of its undisclosed nuclear work and the efficacy of soon-to-be-lifted restrictions on its missile program , which develops the primary vehicle to carry a nuclear payload , U.S. officials told the Washington Free Beacon .
Iran has been blocking inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) from accessing key sites that the watchdog group has cited for having traces of undisclosed nuclear materials , fueling speculation that Tehran is again engaged in the secret construction of nuclear weapons-grade material .
Recently installed IAEA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week of going public about Iran 's intransigence , telling Reuters on Tuesday the Islamic Republic is not living up to multiple commitments under the landmark nuclear accord .
`` We have insisted and despite all our efforts we have not been able to get that [ access ] , so the situation requires on my part such a step because what this means is that Iran is curtailing the ability of the agency to do its work , '' Grossi said .
While the Trump administration removed the United States from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , administration officials maintain they can still petition the United Nations Security Council for a `` snapback '' of all international sanctions lifted under the accord , which still counts several European countries as members .
The administration 's long-awaited decision on snapback has emerged as a flashpoint ahead of the lifting of a U.N. embargo on Iran 's missile program in October .
If the U.N. ban is lifted on Iran 's missile program , which includes medium and long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload , Iran will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons that will further embolden its power grab across the Middle East , U.S. officials warn .
Already , Russia has signaled that it will stand in the way of Trump administration efforts to maintain the arms embargo , setting the stage for a showdown at the U.N. over the embargo and sanctions snapback .
State Department officials told the Free Beacon that Russia is taking a significant risk with its position , which could spark a massive arms race across the Middle East and throw the region into further chaos .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran 's ability to buy and sell advanced weapons will lead to an escalating arms race in the Middle East , '' a State Department official , speaking only on background about the situation , told the Free Beacon on Wednesday .
`` That should worry every nation , including Russia . ''
If Russia and other traditional foes such as China buck the United States on the arms embargo , the Trump administration may be forced to invoke snapback , a failsafe mechanism built into the nuclear accord that permits nations involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions lifted as part of the deal .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Free Beacon late last month that he and the president are undecided on the issue of snapback .
However , if the arms embargo is set to be lifted , the Trump administration may be forced to invoke snapback as a last-ditch effort to keep sanctions on Iran in place .
Sen. Jim Risch ( R. , Idaho ) , chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , told the Free Beacon that the Trump administration should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.N. '' It would be foolish to expect that any amount of unconditional sanctions relief would change Iran 's behavior , '' Risch said in his first comments since the IAEA 's bombshell disclosure .
`` Yesterday 's report from the IAEA , the U.N. 's nuclear watchdog , should give the U.N. cause to trigger a full snapback of sanctions .
There is no reason to trust Iran and reward their bad and dangerous behavior .
It is also no surprise to see Russia undermining our efforts at the U.N. on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides of this matter and this is just one more example of that conduct . ''
Risch , in a separate statement on the IAEA 's findings , said it has now become clear Iran is flagrantly violating restrictions on the amount of enriched uranium it can produce .
`` This report affirms what many of us have long suspected—the Iranian regime is violating legally binding obligations and commitments , '' Risch said .
`` I applaud the IAEA 's ongoing efforts to push Iran to fulfill its nonproliferation obligations and I urge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , reverse its recent nuclear activities , and accept the invitation from the Trump administration to begin talks . ''

Iran's stockpiling of highly enriched uranium is raising new questions about the scope of its undisclosed nuclear work and the efficacy of soon-to-be-lifted restrictions on its missile program, which develops the primary vehicle to carry a nuclear payload, U.S. officials told the Washington Free Beacon.
Iran has been blocking inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from accessing key sites that the watchdog group has cited for having traces of undisclosed nuclear materials, fueling speculation that Tehran is again engaged in the secret construction of nuclear weapons-grade material.
Recently installed IAEA chief Rafael Grossi took the unprecedented step this week of going public about Iran's intransigence, telling Reuters on Tuesday the Islamic Republic is not living up to multiple commitments under the landmark nuclear accord.
"We have insisted and despite all our efforts we have not been able to get that [access], so the situation requires on my part such a step because what this means is that Iran is curtailing the ability of the agency to do its work," Grossi said.
While the Trump administration removed the United States from the Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, administration officials maintain they can still petition the United Nations Security Council for a "snapback" of all international sanctions lifted under the accord, which still counts several European countries as members.
The administration's long-awaited decision on snapback has emerged as a flashpoint ahead of the lifting of a U.N. embargo on Iran's missile program in October. If the U.N. ban is lifted on Iran's missile program, which includes medium and long-range ballistic missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload, Iran will be free to purchase a range of offensive weapons that will further embolden its power grab across the Middle East, U.S. officials warn.
Already, Russia has signaled that it will stand in the way of Trump administration efforts to maintain the arms embargo, setting the stage for a showdown at the U.N. over the embargo and sanctions snapback.
State Department officials told the Free Beacon that Russia is taking a significant risk with its position, which could spark a massive arms race across the Middle East and throw the region into further chaos.
"Failure to extend the U.N. ban on Iran's ability to buy and sell advanced weapons will lead to an escalating arms race in the Middle East," a State Department official, speaking only on background about the situation, told the Free Beacon on Wednesday. "That should worry every nation, including Russia."
If Russia and other traditional foes such as China buck the United States on the arms embargo, the Trump administration may be forced to invoke snapback, a failsafe mechanism built into the nuclear accord that permits nations involved to unilaterally reapply all of the international sanctions lifted as part of the deal.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the Free Beacon late last month that he and the president are undecided on the issue of snapback. However, if the arms embargo is set to be lifted, the Trump administration may be forced to invoke snapback as a last-ditch effort to keep sanctions on Iran in place.
Sen. Jim Risch (R., Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the Free Beacon that the Trump administration should not hesitate to initiate sanctions snapback at the U.N.
"It would be foolish to expect that any amount of unconditional sanctions relief would change Iran's behavior," Risch said in his first comments since the IAEA's bombshell disclosure. "Yesterday's report from the IAEA, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, should give the U.N. cause to trigger a full snapback of sanctions. There is no reason to trust Iran and reward their bad and dangerous behavior. It is also no surprise to see Russia undermining our efforts at the U.N. on this issue—the Russians have always played on both sides of this matter and this is just one more example of that conduct."
Risch, in a separate statement on the IAEA's findings, said it has now become clear Iran is flagrantly violating restrictions on the amount of enriched uranium it can produce.
"This report affirms what many of us have long suspected—the Iranian regime is violating legally binding obligations and commitments," Risch said. "I applaud the IAEA's ongoing efforts to push Iran to fulfill its nonproliferation obligations and I urge Iran to fully cooperate with the IAEA, reverse its recent nuclear activities, and accept the invitation from the Trump administration to begin talks."


bonginoreport--2020-03-06--FISA Court Incorrectly Claims Fusion GPS Gathered Oppo Research on Hillary Clinton

A ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on Wednesday mistakenly said Fusion GPS , the opposition research firm which hired British ex-spy Christopher Steele in 2016 , was looking for dirt on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rather than on then-candidate Donald Trump .
The court fixed the glaring error only after the Washington Examiner brought it to its attention .
Judge James Boasberg , the court ’ s presiding judge , cited the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act applications against former Trump campaign associate Carter Page in a Wednesday opinion and , in the midst of pointing out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and factual errors in the electronic surveillance filings uncovered by the Justice Department ’ s watchdog , he made a mistake himself .
“ Although from the outset the applications acknowledged the likely political bias of the person who had hired Steele … information that confirmed the political origins of the Steele reporting was not , ” Boasberg stated .
He then incorrectly quoted a footnote from the first FISA application , writing : “ The FBI speculates that the [ person who hired Steele ] was likely looking for information that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s ] campaign.
” In reality , the FISA application stated , “ the FBI speculates that the identified U.S. person was likely looking for information that could be used to discredit Candidate # 1 ’ s campaign.
” “ Thank you for pointing this out , ” David Sellers , a public affairs officer for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts , told the Washington Examiner when the factual inconsistency was relayed to the court .
“ It is an error that will be corrected.
” Boasberg acknowledged the error in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s website Thursday afternoon .
“ On March 4 , 2020 , this Court issued an Opinion and Order in the above-captioned docket .
It has come to the Court 's attention that the Opinion and Order contained an error on page 6 .
The Court is therefore issuing a Corrected Opinion and Order herewith , ” the judge said .
After the Washington Examiner reached out , the judicial order was updated to correctly state Fusion GPS was looking to damage “ [ Trump ’ s ] campaign ” rather than “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report in December that criticized the Justice Department and the FBI for at least 17 “ significant errors and omissions ” related to the FISA surveillance of Page , who was suspected of being an agent for Russia but was never charged with wrongdoing , and for its heavy reliance on Steele ’ s salacious and unverified dossier .
Steele put his research together in 2016 at the behest of Fusion GPS , which was funded by Clinton 's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steele ’ s Democratic benefactors , including the fact that a presidential campaign was ultimately paying him , were not revealed to the FISA court until well after the Page surveillance had ended .
Boasberg said Wednesday there was “ little doubt that the government breached its duty of candor to the Court with respect to those applications ” and the “ frequency and seriousness of these errors … have called into question the reliability of the information proffered in other FBI applications.
” Marc Elias , who heads Perkins Coie ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel for California Sen. Kamala Harris ’ s failed presidential bid and held the same position in Clinton 's campaign .
Clinton ’ s former presidential campaign manager Robby Mook said in 2017 that he authorized Elias to hire an outside firm to dig up dirt on Trump ’ s connections with Russia in 2016 .
“ I asked our lawyer , and I gave him a budget allocation to investigate this , particularly the international aspect , ” he said .
Mook said Elias was receiving information from Fusion GPS about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that Elias then periodically briefed the Clinton campaign about the findings .
“ We were getting briefings that were put together by the law firm with information , ” Mook said .
“ I ’ m proud that we were able to assemble some of the research that has brought this to light.
” The FBI told Steele in October 2016 it was looking into Page as well as Trump campaign associate George Papadopoulos , future Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn , and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort .
Steele passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Fusion .
Perkins Coie was paid more than $ 12 million between 2016 and 2017 for its work representing Clinton and the DNC .
According to its co-founder Glenn Simpson , Fusion GPS was , in turn , paid $ 50,000 per month from Perkins Coie , and Fusion paid Steele roughly $ 168,000 for his work .
Perkins Coie said in an October 2017 letter that it had hired Fusion GPS , claiming the opposition research firm “ approached Perkins Coie ” in March 2016 with the knowledge that Perkins Coie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that Perkins Coie then “ engaged ” Fusion in April of that year “ to perform a variety of research services during the 2016 election cycle.
” Elias himself personally “ retained Fusion GPS … to conduct the research ” and did so “ on behalf of the Clinton campaign and the DNC , ” according to a report from the Washington Post .
Brian Fallon , the former national press secretary for the Clinton campaign , defended Elias .
“ Marc is known as one of the most skilled professionals in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the party 's top election lawyer , '' Fallon said in 2017 .
“ I am damn glad he pursued this on behalf of our campaign and only regret more of this material was not verified in time for the voters to learn it before the election .
”

A ruling by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court on Wednesday mistakenly said Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm which hired British ex-spy Christopher Steele in 2016, was looking for dirt on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rather than on then-candidate Donald Trump.
The court fixed the glaring error only after the Washington Examiner brought it to its attention.
Judge James Boasberg, the court’s presiding judge, cited the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act applications against former Trump campaign associate Carter Page in a Wednesday opinion and, in the midst of pointing out the multitude of flaws, omissions, and factual errors in the electronic surveillance filings uncovered by the Justice Department’s watchdog, he made a mistake himself.
“Although from the outset the applications acknowledged the likely political bias of the person who had hired Steele … information that confirmed the political origins of the Steele reporting was not,” Boasberg stated.
He then incorrectly quoted a footnote from the first FISA application, writing: “The FBI speculates that the [person who hired Steele] was likely looking for information that could be used to discredit [Clinton’s] campaign.”
In reality, the FISA application stated, “the FBI speculates that the identified U.S. person was likely looking for information that could be used to discredit Candidate #1’s campaign.”
“Candidate #1” was Trump, not Clinton.
“Thank you for pointing this out,” David Sellers, a public affairs officer for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, told the Washington Examiner when the factual inconsistency was relayed to the court. “It is an error that will be corrected.”
Boasberg acknowledged the error in a filing on the FISA court’s website Thursday afternoon.
“On March 4, 2020, this Court issued an Opinion and Order in the above-captioned docket. It has come to the Court's attention that the Opinion and Order contained an error on page 6. The Court is therefore issuing a Corrected Opinion and Order herewith,” the judge said.
After the Washington Examiner reached out, the judicial order was updated to correctly state Fusion GPS was looking to damage “[Trump’s] campaign” rather than “[Clinton’s] campaign.”
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz released a report in December that criticized the Justice Department and the FBI for at least 17 “significant errors and omissions” related to the FISA surveillance of Page, who was suspected of being an agent for Russia but was never charged with wrongdoing, and for its heavy reliance on Steele’s salacious and unverified dossier.
Steele put his research together in 2016 at the behest of Fusion GPS, which was funded by Clinton's presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee through the Perkins Coie law firm.
Steele’s Democratic benefactors, including the fact that a presidential campaign was ultimately paying him, were not revealed to the FISA court until well after the Page surveillance had ended.
Boasberg said Wednesday there was “little doubt that the government breached its duty of candor to the Court with respect to those applications” and the “frequency and seriousness of these errors … have called into question the reliability of the information proffered in other FBI applications.”
Marc Elias, who heads Perkins Coie’s political law group, was the general counsel for California Sen. Kamala Harris’s failed presidential bid and held the same position in Clinton's campaign.
Clinton’s former presidential campaign manager Robby Mook said in 2017 that he authorized Elias to hire an outside firm to dig up dirt on Trump’s connections with Russia in 2016. “I asked our lawyer, and I gave him a budget allocation to investigate this, particularly the international aspect,” he said.
Mook said Elias was receiving information from Fusion GPS about the research into Trump and Russia in 2016 and that Elias then periodically briefed the Clinton campaign about the findings.
“We were getting briefings that were put together by the law firm with information,” Mook said. “I’m proud that we were able to assemble some of the research that has brought this to light.”
The FBI told Steele in October 2016 it was looking into Page as well as Trump campaign associate George Papadopoulos, future Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, and Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Steele passed along at least some of this information to Fusion.
Perkins Coie was paid more than $12 million between 2016 and 2017 for its work representing Clinton and the DNC. According to its co-founder Glenn Simpson, Fusion GPS was, in turn, paid $50,000 per month from Perkins Coie, and Fusion paid Steele roughly $168,000 for his work.
Perkins Coie said in an October 2017 letter that it had hired Fusion GPS, claiming the opposition research firm “approached Perkins Coie” in March 2016 with the knowledge that Perkins Coie was representing Clinton and the DNC, and that Perkins Coie then “engaged” Fusion in April of that year “to perform a variety of research services during the 2016 election cycle.”
Elias himself personally “retained Fusion GPS … to conduct the research” and did so “on behalf of the Clinton campaign and the DNC,” according to a report from the Washington Post.
Brian Fallon, the former national press secretary for the Clinton campaign, defended Elias.
“Marc is known as one of the most skilled professionals in Democratic politics, in addition to being the party's top election lawyer," Fallon said in 2017. “I am damn glad he pursued this on behalf of our campaign and only regret more of this material was not verified in time for the voters to learn it before the election.”


bonginoreport--2020-03-06--Pentagon Didn’t Vet Saudi Terrorist Who Killed Three Americans in Pensacola

The Pentagon failed to adequately screen a Saudi military recruit who carried out a deadly 2019 attack at a U.S. military installation in Pensacola , Fla. , officials testified on Wednesday .
Garry Reid , director for defense intelligence at the Pentagon , said during a public congressional hearing that a failure to properly screen and share critical information about Saudi military recruits led to the attack , which killed three American service members and wounded eight others .
In addition to relying too heavily on State Department vetting procedures , the Pentagon found in its review of the incident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi terrorist to legally obtain a firearm in the United States , despite not being a citizen or having an immigrant visa .
The attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola triggered a nationwide crackdown on foreign nationals participating in U.S. military programs .
Despite security screening of these individuals , it became clear in the wake of the attack that the federal government failed to pick up on clear warning signs , such as the attacker 's anti-American social media posts .
`` We found that the Department of Defense has been overly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of State , '' Reid told the Senate Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities .
`` There is insufficient information sharing in place between DoD and the Department of State in that process , '' he said .
`` We also found that DoD programs meant to detect and mitigate events such as the Pensacola attack did not cover international military students—for instance , our insider threat programs . ''
The government-wide security review also found that `` policies for international military student possession of firearms varied at the installation level , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are ways to bypass firearms restrictions for non-immigrant visa holders . ''
These loopholes should be closed to prevent another attack , officials said .
Following last year 's attack , all Saudi Arabian military students in the United States for training were screened `` using new procedures we had recently put in place as part of our personnel vetting transformation initiative , '' Reid said .
Twenty-one Saudis were also ejected from the country for misconduct as the result of an FBI investigation .
Reid said the new vetting procedures `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that required additional analysis within the Department of Defense . ''
He added that none of the returns `` triggered any remedial action or further investigation by federal authorities relative to the current population . ''
The Defense Department is currently using these enhanced screening techniques to review the 5,000 or so other foreign military students from more than 150 countries who are currently in the United States .
Continuous screening will also take place under the new security plan .
Sen. Joni Ernst ( R. , Iowa ) , a combat veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the hearing that more must be done to ensure an attack of this nature does not take place again .
While the foreign military exchange programs are vital to building closer global alliances , they can not come at the risk of American service members ' lives , she said .
`` The attacker … arrived in the United States in 2017 and harbored anti-U.S. sentiments , which he broadcasted on social media , '' Ernst said .
`` All the while he was able to purchase a firearm , access U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deadly attack against Americans .
We must do more to protect our military personnel . ''
Following the hearing , the Defense Department official and members of Congress later participated in a closed-door session to discuss sensitive national security matters relating to the attack .

The Pentagon failed to adequately screen a Saudi military recruit who carried out a deadly 2019 attack at a U.S. military installation in Pensacola, Fla., officials testified on Wednesday.
Garry Reid, director for defense intelligence at the Pentagon, said during a public congressional hearing that a failure to properly screen and share critical information about Saudi military recruits led to the attack, which killed three American service members and wounded eight others.
In addition to relying too heavily on State Department vetting procedures, the Pentagon found in its review of the incident that gaps in federal law enabled the Saudi terrorist to legally obtain a firearm in the United States, despite not being a citizen or having an immigrant visa.
The attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola triggered a nationwide crackdown on foreign nationals participating in U.S. military programs. Despite security screening of these individuals, it became clear in the wake of the attack that the federal government failed to pick up on clear warning signs, such as the attacker's anti-American social media posts.
"We found that the Department of Defense has been overly reliant on the vetting conducted by the Department of State," Reid told the Senate Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities.
"There is insufficient information sharing in place between DoD and the Department of State in that process," he said. "We also found that DoD programs meant to detect and mitigate events such as the Pensacola attack did not cover international military students—for instance, our insider threat programs."
The government-wide security review also found that "policies for international military student possession of firearms varied at the installation level, and that at the federal level, there are ways to bypass firearms restrictions for non-immigrant visa holders."
These loopholes should be closed to prevent another attack, officials said.
Following last year's attack, all Saudi Arabian military students in the United States for training were screened "using new procedures we had recently put in place as part of our personnel vetting transformation initiative," Reid said. Twenty-one Saudis were also ejected from the country for misconduct as the result of an FBI investigation.
Reid said the new vetting procedures "produced only a small number of returns that required additional analysis within the Department of Defense." He added that none of the returns "triggered any remedial action or further investigation by federal authorities relative to the current population."
The Defense Department is currently using these enhanced screening techniques to review the 5,000 or so other foreign military students from more than 150 countries who are currently in the United States.
Continuous screening will also take place under the new security plan.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), a combat veteran and the subcommittee's chair, said in the hearing that more must be done to ensure an attack of this nature does not take place again. While the foreign military exchange programs are vital to building closer global alliances, they cannot come at the risk of American service members' lives, she said.
"The attacker … arrived in the United States in 2017 and harbored anti-U.S. sentiments, which he broadcasted on social media," Ernst said. "All the while he was able to purchase a firearm, access U.S. military installations, and ultimately carry out a deadly attack against Americans. We must do more to protect our military personnel."
Following the hearing, the Defense Department official and members of Congress later participated in a closed-door session to discuss sensitive national security matters relating to the attack.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Hillary Clinton Says Apology for Using Private Email Server Was Fake

Hillary Clinton said she gave a false apology for her use of an unauthorized email server during her time as secretary of state .
`` We 'll just say what you did was a mistake .
It was dumb .
It 's over .
And that will end it , '' Clinton said in the Hulu documentary released Friday , Hillary , about her life .
`` I did n't not believe that .
I was n't convinced of that .
But I understood the frustration of my campaign . ''
`` So against my better judgment , I said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said about giving a series of interviews which led to an apology on ABC News .
`` As I look back at it now , even though it was allowed , I should have used two accounts .
That was a mistake .
I ’ m sorry about that .
I take responsibility , '' Clinton said in the September 2015 interview .
`` It turned out to be a mistake because look at all the oxygen it was sucking out of my campaign .
But it did n't end it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Hulu documentary about the criticism she received over her emails .
`` It did n't end it at all .
And it never ended , it never ended . ''
In her book What Happened following the 2016 election , Clinton reaffirmed taking responsibility for the email scandal , saying , `` I own that , '' but she also argued it was a factor in her 2016 election loss to then-candidate Donald Trump .
`` The further we get from the election , the stranger it seems that this controversy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monumental consequences , '' she wrote .
The FBI conducted a criminal investigation into Clinton 's use of an unauthorized email server during the 2016 election .
In July 2016 , former FBI Director James Comey publicly recommended that no charges be brought against Clinton or anyone else involved with her private email network , but he admonished Clinton and her team for being `` extremely careless '' in handling classified information .
All this played out while Clinton was a presidential candidate , and in late October the FBI reopened the investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nov. 8 election maintaining the same position Comey asserted months earlier .
Clinton has often cited the FBI 's handling of the emails investigation as one of the reasons why she believes she lost the contest to Trump .

Hillary Clinton said she gave a false apology for her use of an unauthorized email server during her time as secretary of state.
"We'll just say what you did was a mistake. It was dumb. It's over. And that will end it," Clinton said in the Hulu documentary released Friday, Hillary, about her life. "I wasn't convinced of that. But I understood the frustration of my campaign."
"So against my better judgment, I said, 'OK, fine,'" she said about giving a series of interviews which led to an apology on ABC News.
"As I look back at it now, even though it was allowed, I should have used two accounts. That was a mistake. I’m sorry about that. I take responsibility," Clinton said in the September 2015 interview.
"It turned out to be a mistake because look at all the oxygen it was sucking out of my campaign. But it didn't end it," the former secretary of state said in the Hulu documentary about the criticism she received over her emails. "It didn't end it at all. And it never ended, it never ended."
In her book What Happened following the 2016 election, Clinton reaffirmed taking responsibility for the email scandal, saying, "I own that," but she also argued it was a factor in her 2016 election loss to then-candidate Donald Trump. "The further we get from the election, the stranger it seems that this controversy could swing a national election with such monumental consequences," she wrote.
The FBI conducted a criminal investigation into Clinton's use of an unauthorized email server during the 2016 election. In July 2016, former FBI Director James Comey publicly recommended that no charges be brought against Clinton or anyone else involved with her private email network, but he admonished Clinton and her team for being "extremely careless" in handling classified information.
All this played out while Clinton was a presidential candidate, and in late October the FBI reopened the investigation only to close it again days before the Nov. 8 election maintaining the same position Comey asserted months earlier. Clinton has often cited the FBI's handling of the emails investigation as one of the reasons why she believes she lost the contest to Trump.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--The End of Catch and Release is a Success

During the past five months , federal law enforcement officials deported or repatriated approximately 14,000 more migrants than arrived at the U.S.-Mexico Border .
CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said this illustrated the results of ending “ Catch and Release.
” “ In the past 5 months , since the president announced the end of ‘ Catch and Release , ’ approximately 14,000 more unlawful aliens were deported or returned than arrived at the southwest border , ” DHS officials tweeted on Thursday .
Commissioner Morgan told reporters on Thursday that new policies put in place by the Trump Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the interior of the United States .
“ The last five months , the number of those we remove have outpaced the number of those we encounter at the Southwest border , ” Morgan said .
“ We are applying a consequence or a removal pathway to 95 percent of those we encounter , ” Morgan said .
He went on to describe this as “ the end of catch and release.
” Since the beginning of the current fiscal year ( October 1 , 2019 ) , Border Patrol agents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 202,226 migrants .
During that same period , immigration officers or CBP officers removed or repatriated 216,132 migrants .
This resulted in a net outflow of 13,904 .
The number of migrant crossings historically increase from January to February .
In 2019 , the number of migrant apprehensions increased by 30 percent .
However , this year , the numbers only increased by about 1.3 percent ( 430 migrants ) .
“ Because of our reforms , we are not positioning ourselves for another 2019 , ” DHS officials said in a written @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Officials said February 2020 was the 3rd best February in the past 21 years .
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team .
He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team .
Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston ’ s What ’ s Your Point ?
Sunday-morning talk show .
Follow him on Twitter @ BobPriceBBTX and Face book or contact him at BPrice @ Breitbart.com .

During the past five months, federal law enforcement officials deported or repatriated approximately 14,000 more migrants than arrived at the U.S.-Mexico Border. CBP Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said this illustrated the results of ending “Catch and Release.”
“In the past 5 months, since the president announced the end of ‘Catch and Release,’ approximately 14,000 more unlawful aliens were deported or returned than arrived at the southwest border,” DHS officials tweeted on Thursday.
In the past 5 months, since the president announced the end of “Catch and Release,” approximately 14,000 more unlawful aliens were deported or returned than arrived at the southwest border. pic.twitter.com/QbGdtoOl9I — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 5, 2020
Commissioner Morgan told reporters on Thursday that new policies put in place by the Trump Administration led to fewer asylum seekers being released into the interior of the United States.
“The last five months, the number of those we remove have outpaced the number of those we encounter at the Southwest border,” Morgan said. “We are applying a consequence or a removal pathway to 95 percent of those we encounter,” Morgan said. He went on to describe this as “the end of catch and release.”
Since the beginning of the current fiscal year (October 1, 2019), Border Patrol agents and CBP officers apprehended or classified as inadmissible 202,226 migrants. During that same period, immigration officers or CBP officers removed or repatriated 216,132 migrants. This resulted in a net outflow of 13,904.
The number of migrant crossings historically increase from January to February. In 2019, the number of migrant apprehensions increased by 30 percent. However, this year, the numbers only increased by about 1.3 percent (430 migrants).
“Because of our reforms, we are not positioning ourselves for another 2019,” DHS officials said in a written statement. “We’re averting it.
Officials said February 2020 was the 3rd best February in the past 21 years.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Face book or contact him at BPrice@Breitbart.com.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Sanders Supporters Cheer After Two AIPAC Conference Attendees Test Positive for Coronavirus

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee announced Friday evening that two of its annual , Washington , D.C. , conference attendees from New York tested positive for the coronavirus .
“ We have confirmed that at least two Policy Conference attendees from New York have tested positive for the coronavirus , ” AIPAC said in a letter sent to everyone who attended .
Bernie Sanders supporters online wasted no time in mocking the pro-Israel group for the serious healthcare threat posed to their bipartisan conference attendees .
“ Justice is served , ” wrote one , while others simply laughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anti-Biden , pro-Bernie accounts such as the one below offered up a “ chef ’ s kiss ” , and pro-Palestinian accounts chimed in with “ too meta .
lol ” .
The reactions follow weeks of back and forth between AIPAC and Bernie Sanders and his supporters .
“ I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights .
For that reason I will not attend their conference , ” Sanders tweeted last week .
Sanders had never attended the AIPAC conference , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to rile up his anti-Israel supporter base .
The Bernie Bros – much like the hardline , socialist “ CyberNats ” during the Scottish referendum in the United Kingdom in 2014 – have come under much scrutiny for their demeanor both in person and online .
“ If Bernie doesn ’ t get the nomination or it goes to a second round at the DNC Convention , f**king Milwaukee will burn , ” said senior Bernie organizer Kyle Jurek , adding : “ We ’ re going to make 1978 [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a f**king girl ’ s scout f**king cookout , ” referring to riots in more than 100 American cities .
More recently Mayor Pete Buttigieg , who recently ended his campaign for president and threw his support behind Joe Biden , addressed the problem amongst Bernie Bros during a televised debate .
“ …at a certain point you ’ ve got to ask yourself , why did this pattern arise ?
Why is it especially the case among your supporters , ” the ex-South Bend Mayor asked of Senator Sanders .
Still , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ish ) Bernie Bro in the AIPAC comments on Twitter .
Patrick Bruck wrote , “ I hate you guys , but I hope everyone is safe and gets tested and recovers ” .
Hate might be a strong word to use for a bipartisan group like , AIPAC , but it ’ s better than what others had to offer :

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee announced Friday evening that two of its annual, Washington, D.C., conference attendees from New York tested positive for the coronavirus.
“We have confirmed that at least two Policy Conference attendees from New York have tested positive for the coronavirus,” AIPAC said in a letter sent to everyone who attended.
Bernie Sanders supporters online wasted no time in mocking the pro-Israel group for the serious healthcare threat posed to their bipartisan conference attendees.
“Justice is served,” wrote one, while others simply laughed or wrote, “lol”.
Anti-Biden, pro-Bernie accounts such as the one below offered up a “chef’s kiss”, and pro-Palestinian accounts chimed in with “too meta. lol”.
The reactions follow weeks of back and forth between AIPAC and Bernie Sanders and his supporters.
“I remain concerned about the platform AIPAC provides for leaders who express bigotry and oppose basic Palestinian rights. For that reason I will not attend their conference,” Sanders tweeted last week.
Sanders had never attended the AIPAC conference, and his statement was widely viewed as a way to rile up his anti-Israel supporter base.
The Bernie Bros – much like the hardline, socialist “CyberNats” during the Scottish referendum in the United Kingdom in 2014 – have come under much scrutiny for their demeanor both in person and online.
James O’Keefe’s Project Veritas group uncovered high-level Bernie staffers making violent threats.
“If Bernie doesn’t get the nomination or it goes to a second round at the DNC Convention, f**king Milwaukee will burn,” said senior Bernie organizer Kyle Jurek, adding: “We’re going to make 1978 [he means ’68] look like a f**king girl’s scout f**king cookout,” referring to riots in more than 100 American cities.
More recently Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who recently ended his campaign for president and threw his support behind Joe Biden, addressed the problem amongst Bernie Bros during a televised debate.
“…at a certain point you’ve got to ask yourself, why did this pattern arise? Why is it especially the case among your supporters,” the ex-South Bend Mayor asked of Senator Sanders.
Still, at least there was one level-headed(ish) Bernie Bro in the AIPAC comments on Twitter. Patrick Bruck wrote, “I hate you guys, but I hope everyone is safe and gets tested and recovers”.
Hate might be a strong word to use for a bipartisan group like, AIPAC, but it’s better than what others had to offer:


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--The Real Reason Elizabeth Warren Lost: Herself

Just about the only upside of Elizabeth Warren winning the presidential election would have been that my home state of Massachusetts would have finally gotten a senator who gave a damn about the job .
So while it ’ s good news for the country that Warren ’ s campaign failed , it ’ s bad news for Massachusetts residents — who are now stuck with one of the worst senators in America .
This isn ’ t an ideological or partisan criticism .
Sure , I disagree with just about everything the senator stands for policy-wise , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most Massachusetts voters are far more amenable than I to all of this .
Still , though , they deserve a progressive senator who is actually willing to perform the duties of the office , not just interested in using it as a stepping stone for higher ambitions or a microphone for attention-grabbing .
According to ProPublica , Warren has during this session of Congress .
This makes her the third-most absent member of the Senate .
( Remember : We lowly taxpayers pay Warren $ 175,000 for this job . )
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a valid excuse to neglect and ignore her Senate duties .
Yes , this despite the fact that she pretty much promised Massachusetts voters in 2018 that if they reelected her , she would not run for president .
Then , of course , she changed her mind just a few months later and decided to run and skip out on her current office to do so .
This is a slap in the face to the people of Massachusetts , who elected her to a six-year term just in 2018 , undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term in mind .
Turns out , serving in the Senate was just a backup option for Warren in case her presidential aspirations didn ’ t work out .
Bay State voters deserve a senator who doesn ’ t view serving them in the nation ’ s capital as a fallback option .
And Warren ’ s negligence to the state of Massachusetts goes beyond just her duties as a senator .
As the Boston Herald ’ s Howie Carr : Plus , while Warren ’ s in a safely Democratic Senate seat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly crazy about her .
She in 2018 compared to how Hillary Clinton fared in 2016 — despite the midterm election being a wave year for Democrats .
And in the 2020 Democratic primary , she finished just a in her home state .
Is it any wonder why ?
During her time in the national spotlight , Warren hasn ’ t exactly prioritized Massachusetts .
One Boston College political scientist telling Vox that “ she ’ s not prioritized a Massachusetts-based political persona … She ’ s had her sights on national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And now , Massachusetts voters are stuck with Warren for at least five more years , a senator seemingly determined to do anything other than actually represent them in Congress .

Just about the only upside of Elizabeth Warren winning the presidential election would have been that my home state of Massachusetts would have finally gotten a senator who gave a damn about the job. So while it’s good news for the country that Warren’s campaign failed, it’s bad news for Massachusetts residents — who are now stuck with one of the worst senators in America.
This isn’t an ideological or partisan criticism. Sure, I disagree with just about everything the senator stands for policy-wise, and I find both her never-ending woke pandering and rampant dishonesty repelling. But most Massachusetts voters are far more amenable than I to all of this. Still, though, they deserve a progressive senator who is actually willing to perform the duties of the office, not just interested in using it as a stepping stone for higher ambitions or a microphone for attention-grabbing.
According to ProPublica, Warren has missed 53.5% of her votes during this session of Congress. This makes her the third-most absent member of the Senate. (Remember: We lowly taxpayers pay Warren $175,000 for this job.)
She clearly decided that running for president was a valid excuse to neglect and ignore her Senate duties. Yes, this despite the fact that she pretty much promised Massachusetts voters in 2018 that if they reelected her, she would not run for president. Then, of course, she changed her mind just a few months later and decided to run and skip out on her current office to do so.
This is a slap in the face to the people of Massachusetts, who elected her to a six-year term just in 2018, undoubtedly with her promise to actually serve this term in mind. Turns out, serving in the Senate was just a backup option for Warren in case her presidential aspirations didn’t work out. Bay State voters deserve a senator who doesn’t view serving them in the nation’s capital as a fallback option.
And Warren’s negligence to the state of Massachusetts goes beyond just her duties as a senator. As the Boston Herald’s Howie Carr wrote :
It’s one thing to skip a few unimportant votes in the Senate. But some duties are required of anyone in public office, and she couldn’t even be bothered to attend the funeral Mass of Worcester Fire Lt. Jason Menard on Monday. Everybody else in state politics showed up — the governor, lieutenant governor and the AG. Ed Markey flew up from Maryland. His opponent, JoJoJo Kennedy, was likewise in attendance.
Plus, while Warren’s in a safely Democratic Senate seat in Massachusetts, voters aren’t exactly crazy about her. She underperformed in 2018 compared to how Hillary Clinton fared in 2016 — despite the midterm election being a wave year for Democrats. And in the 2020 Democratic primary, she finished just a humiliating third in her home state.
Is it any wonder why? During her time in the national spotlight, Warren hasn’t exactly prioritized Massachusetts. One Boston College political scientist confirmed this, telling Vox that “she’s not prioritized a Massachusetts-based political persona … She’s had her sights on national issues.”
Indeed, she has. And now, Massachusetts voters are stuck with Warren for at least five more years, a senator seemingly determined to do anything other than actually represent them in Congress.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Joe Biden Appears to Have Accidentally Revealed Forthcoming Kamala Harris Endorsement

Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared to leak his next major endorsement during a Saturday rally in St. Louis , Missouri .
During his stump speech , Biden offered his thanks to those who had come to his campaign along with their candidates who had previously dropped out of the race .
“ To all of Amy ’ s folks , to all of Pete ’ s folks , to all of Kamala ’ s folks , to all of the folks who have , Beto ’ s folks , I ’ ll tell you what , what a gigantic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re gon na unite this party and unite this country , ” Biden said .
Of the four he mentioned — Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar , Mayor Pete Buttigieg , California Sen. Kamala Harris and former Texas Rep. Beto O ’ Rourke — only three have publicly endorsed Biden .
Harris , who dropped out of the race in early December of 2019 , has not yet endorsed anyone .
( RELATED : Amy Klobuchar Verbal Slip Raises Questions About The Reason She Rallied Behind Biden ) Sen. Klobuchar , stumping for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let something slip on Saturday when she said that she “ couldn ’ t think of a better way to end my candidacy than join the ticket , ” later correcting herself to say that she was joining Biden ’ s “ terrific campaign .
”

Former Vice President Joe Biden appeared to leak his next major endorsement during a Saturday rally in St. Louis, Missouri.
During his stump speech, Biden offered his thanks to those who had come to his campaign along with their candidates who had previously dropped out of the race. “To all of Amy’s folks, to all of Pete’s folks, to all of Kamala’s folks, to all of the folks who have, Beto’s folks, I’ll tell you what, what a gigantic difference it’s made. We’re gonna unite this party and unite this country,” Biden said.
Biden today at his St. Louis rally: “To all of Amy’s folks, to all of Pete’s folks, to all of Kamala’s folks, to all of the folks who have, Beto’s folks, I’ll tell you what, what a gigantic difference it’s made. We’re gonna unite this party and unite this country.” — Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) March 7, 2020
Of the four he mentioned — Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, California Sen. Kamala Harris and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke — only three have publicly endorsed Biden. Harris, who dropped out of the race in early December of 2019, has not yet endorsed anyone. (RELATED: Amy Klobuchar Verbal Slip Raises Questions About The Reason She Rallied Behind Biden)
joe biden just thanked “amy’s folks, pete’s folks, kamala’s folks, beto’s folks” so… joe biden… just leaked that kamala is endorsing him …at a rally pic.twitter.com/ov2O0t0fS0 — Brett Banditelli ????✂ (@banditelli) March 7, 2020
Sen. Klobuchar, stumping for Biden in Grand Rapids, also appeared to let something slip on Saturday when she said that she “couldn’t think of a better way to end my candidacy than join the ticket,” later correcting herself to say that she was joining Biden’s “terrific campaign.”


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Trump on Choosing Between Biden and Sanders: Senility or Socialism?

President Trump participated in a town hall event with Fox News ' Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier in Scranton , Pennsylvania on Thursday night .
The president was asked whether he prefers to run against Sen. Bernie Sanders ( D-VT ) or former Vice President Joe Biden in the general election .
`` I 'll tell you , I was all set for Bernie because I thought it was going to happen , '' Trump began .
Sanders was the front-runner heading into Super Tuesday , but the Biden campaign experienced a resurgence following a win in South Carolina on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday .
`` So mentally , '' Trump continued , `` I 'm all set for Bernie .
Communist -- I had everything down .
He 's a communist .
I was all set .
Then we have this crazy thing that happened , right , on Tuesday , which he thought was Thursday . ''
Biden , 77 , told a crowd of supporters on Monday , `` tomorrow is Super Thursday . ''
`` But he also said 150 million people were killed with guns and he was running for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going on there , '' Trump warned .
The crowd laughed as Trump recalled some of Biden 's most recent gaffes , but there were several more the president could have mentioned .
Trump said , `` in a certain way Bernie would be tougher because he 's got a base . ''
But , after Super Tuesday , the president concluded , `` I think it 's going to be very hard for him to come back . ''
Sanders canceled a rally in Mississippi to campaign in Michigan on Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar .
10 , along with five other states .
Polls currently show Biden with a small lead over Sanders in Michigan , a state Sanders narrowly won against Hillary Clinton in 2016 .
Maybe the burn voters once felt for Bernie has since burned itself out .
Either way , senility or socialism ?
Pick your poison , Democrats .

President Trump participated in a town hall event with Fox News' Martha MacCallum and Bret Baier in Scranton, Pennsylvania on Thursday night. The president was asked whether he prefers to run against Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) or former Vice President Joe Biden in the general election.
"I'll tell you, I was all set for Bernie because I thought it was going to happen," Trump began.
Sanders was the front-runner heading into Super Tuesday, but the Biden campaign experienced a resurgence following a win in South Carolina on Saturday and a better-than-expected performance on Super Tuesday.
"So mentally," Trump continued, "I'm all set for Bernie. Communist -- I had everything down. He's a communist. I was all set. Then we have this crazy thing that happened, right, on Tuesday, which he thought was Thursday."
Biden, 77, told a crowd of supporters on Monday, "tomorrow is Super Thursday."
"But he also said 150 million people were killed with guns and he was running for the United States Senate ... There's something going on there," Trump warned.
The crowd laughed as Trump recalled some of Biden's most recent gaffes, but there were several more the president could have mentioned.
Trump said, "in a certain way Bernie would be tougher because he's got a base." But, after Super Tuesday, the president concluded, "I think it's going to be very hard for him to come back."
Sanders canceled a rally in Mississippi to campaign in Michigan on Friday. Michigan holds a primary on Tuesday, Mar. 10, along with five other states. Polls currently show Biden with a small lead over Sanders in Michigan, a state Sanders narrowly won against Hillary Clinton in 2016. Maybe the burn voters once felt for Bernie has since burned itself out.
Either way, senility or socialism? Pick your poison, Democrats.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Sanders Warns Trump Will Crush Biden in Rust Belt States

Sen. Bernie Sanders is telling Democratic voters that front-runner Joe Biden 's modestly pro-free trade stance makes him unelectable against President Trump .
In interviews and stump speeches over the last week , Sanders 's campaign has said that Biden 's 1993 vote as a Delaware senator in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement will give the president an edge in crucial Midwest states where manufacturing has suffered and where trade deals are often blamed .
In effect , Sanders , who opposed NAFTA as a Vermont congressman , is saying that Trump will steal his own line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will work better for the president .
The Vermont senator told the San Francisco Chronicle , `` What do you think Trump will do with him in Michigan and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ?
He ’ ll decimate him on that issue . ''
Faiz Shakir , Sanders 's campaign manager , said on Thursday that Biden pushed `` disastrous '' trade deals and that `` Trump will exploit that vulnerability in an effort to obscure his own record and win the battleground states that could swing the general election . ''
Shakir made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Trump on Thursday that attacked Biden on NAFTA : `` He approved it .
He was pushing it .
It ’ s the worst trade deal ever made .
We ’ re terminating NAFTA . ''
It 's a line of attack Sanders himself often uses against Biden .
`` Decimated '' was the title of an attack ad that Sanders rolled out on Wednesday that featured an auto union factory worker praising Sanders as the only candidate that `` has consistently opposed every disastrous trade deal . ''
The ad also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Joe is going to have to explain to the people , to the union workers in the Midwest , why he supported disastrous trade deals like NAFTA , which have cost the country millions of good-paying jobs , '' Sanders told reporters in Vermont on Wednesday .
`` Does anybody think that Joe can go to Michigan or Wisconsin or Indiana or Minnesota and say , 'Vote for me .
I voted for those terrible trade deals ' ? ''
Sanders asked at a rally in St. Paul , Minnesota , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , though he has often qualified his support .
`` I think that , back in the time during the Clinton administration , it made sense at the moment , '' he said last year .
He supports seeking out trade deals because `` we need to write the rules of the road for international trade , '' according to his campaign website .
At a January debate , Biden warned that , if the United States did n't take the lead , then China would fill the vacuum and `` continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice president has modified his positions on trade in response to pressure from liberal groups but avoided taking an anti-trade stance .
He was a lead proponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership , a 12-nation trade deal negotiated by the Obama administration .
He touted it at the time as an update of NAFTA , since the deal included Mexico and Canada among its 11 signatories .
TPP was opposed by many liberal groups , however , who saw it as benefiting corporations at the expense of the environment .
Trump opposed it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. out .
Last year , Biden backtracked and said , `` I would not rejoin the TPP as it was initially put forward .
I would insist that we renegotiate . ''
There 's little evidence that attacking trade is an issue that most voters support .
A February Gallup found that 82 % of Democrats and 78 % of Republicans see trade as a boost to the economy .
However , skepticism of trade arrangements may play better in key states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania .
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's 25 % tariffs on steel imports during a tough but successful 2018 reelection bid in the steel-producing state .
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey , another Democrat representing a steel-producing state , also applauded Trump 's tariffs prior to his reelection the same year .
NAFTA lowered trade barriers among the U.S. , Canada , and Mexico .
It is generally considered a success by economists .
Data shows that all the economies of all three countries grew following its passage .
By some metrics , the U.S. 's trade partners did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller to start with , so they had much more room to grow .
Critics nevertheless contend that the trade deal was harmful because it spurred U.S. manufacturing to move supply chains out of the country .
It is a rare point of agreement between Sanders and Trump .
The president regularly savaged the deal during his 2016 presidential campaign and made replacing NAFTA with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement a focus of his administration .
The deal passed Congress in January , though Canada has yet to ratify it .
The new trade deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. by requiring that 75 % of an automobile ’ s parts be made in North America to be duty-free , up from 62.5 % , and that at least 40 % be built by people making at least $ 16 an hour .
Sanders opposed USMCA as well , arguing that it did n't go far enough to address things such as climate change .

Sen. Bernie Sanders is telling Democratic voters that front-runner Joe Biden's modestly pro-free trade stance makes him unelectable against President Trump.
In interviews and stump speeches over the last week, Sanders's campaign has said that Biden's 1993 vote as a Delaware senator in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement will give the president an edge in crucial Midwest states where manufacturing has suffered and where trade deals are often blamed.
In effect, Sanders, who opposed NAFTA as a Vermont congressman, is saying that Trump will steal his own line of attack against Biden and that it will work better for the president. The Vermont senator told the San Francisco Chronicle, "What do you think Trump will do with him in Michigan and Pennsylvania and Wisconsin? He’ll decimate him on that issue."
Faiz Shakir, Sanders's campaign manager, said on Thursday that Biden pushed "disastrous" trade deals and that "Trump will exploit that vulnerability in an effort to obscure his own record and win the battleground states that could swing the general election." Shakir made the comment in response to a comment by Trump on Thursday that attacked Biden on NAFTA: "He approved it. He was pushing it. It’s the worst trade deal ever made. We’re terminating NAFTA."
It's a line of attack Sanders himself often uses against Biden. "Decimated" was the title of an attack ad that Sanders rolled out on Wednesday that featured an auto union factory worker praising Sanders as the only candidate that "has consistently opposed every disastrous trade deal." The ad also showed Biden defending his NAFTA vote.
"Joe is going to have to explain to the people, to the union workers in the Midwest, why he supported disastrous trade deals like NAFTA, which have cost the country millions of good-paying jobs," Sanders told reporters in Vermont on Wednesday.
"Does anybody think that Joe can go to Michigan or Wisconsin or Indiana or Minnesota and say, 'Vote for me. I voted for those terrible trade deals'?" Sanders asked at a rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Monday.
Biden has defended this NAFTA vote, though he has often qualified his support. "I think that, back in the time during the Clinton administration, it made sense at the moment," he said last year. He supports seeking out trade deals because "we need to write the rules of the road for international trade," according to his campaign website. At a January debate, Biden warned that, if the United States didn't take the lead, then China would fill the vacuum and "continue to abuse their power."
The former vice president has modified his positions on trade in response to pressure from liberal groups but avoided taking an anti-trade stance. He was a lead proponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal negotiated by the Obama administration. He touted it at the time as an update of NAFTA, since the deal included Mexico and Canada among its 11 signatories. TPP was opposed by many liberal groups, however, who saw it as benefiting corporations at the expense of the environment. Trump opposed it, as well, and pulled the U.S. out. Last year, Biden backtracked and said, "I would not rejoin the TPP as it was initially put forward. I would insist that we renegotiate."
There's little evidence that attacking trade is an issue that most voters support. A February Gallup found that 82% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans see trade as a boost to the economy. However, skepticism of trade arrangements may play better in key states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, a liberal Democrat, strongly backed Trump's 25% tariffs on steel imports during a tough but successful 2018 reelection bid in the steel-producing state. Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, another Democrat representing a steel-producing state, also applauded Trump's tariffs prior to his reelection the same year.
NAFTA lowered trade barriers among the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It is generally considered a success by economists. Data shows that all the economies of all three countries grew following its passage. By some metrics, the U.S.'s trade partners did do better, but their economies were smaller to start with, so they had much more room to grow.
Critics nevertheless contend that the trade deal was harmful because it spurred U.S. manufacturing to move supply chains out of the country. It is a rare point of agreement between Sanders and Trump. The president regularly savaged the deal during his 2016 presidential campaign and made replacing NAFTA with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement a focus of his administration. The deal passed Congress in January, though Canada has yet to ratify it. The new trade deal attempts to shift supply chains back to the U.S. by requiring that 75% of an automobile’s parts be made in North America to be duty-free, up from 62.5%, and that at least 40% be built by people making at least $16 an hour.
Sanders opposed USMCA as well, arguing that it didn't go far enough to address things such as climate change.


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Blackwater Founder Enlisted Former Spies to Help Project Veritas

Blackwater founder Erik Prince helped enlist former American and British spies to help Project Veritas infiltrate liberal groups .
His role in recruiting ex-MI6 officer Richard Seddon and others was revealed in the discovery process of a legal battle between Project Veritas , a conservative organization , and the American Federation of Teachers , according to the New York Times .
Documents show Seddon directed a 2017 operation to make copies of files and make secret recordings in a Michigan office of the teachers ' union .
He also oversaw an operation , using the same undercover operative , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger , who won the contest .
That operative , Liberty University graduate Marisa Jorge , was discovered and removed from the campaign .
ATF Michigan sued Project Veritas in 2017 , accusing Jorge and Project Veritas of fraud , trespass , theft , conspiracy , and unauthorized surveillance .
The union seeks more than $ 3 million in damages from the group that it described as a “ vigilante organization which claims to be dedicated to exposing corruption .
It is , instead , an entity dedicated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is led by James O'Keefe , claims its actions are protected by the First Amendment .
The case is expected to go to trial in the fall .
Prince , a former Navy SEAL and former head of Blackwater Worldwide , is the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos , who has criticized unions .
Both grew up in Michigan .
Prince declined to comment for the report , and Seddon and Jorge did not respond to a request for comment .
O'Keefe would not specifically address Prince or Seddon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proud independent news organization . ''
Last month , the Justice Department said it was reviewing a 10-month-old criminal referral by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff that accused Prince of misleading congressional investigators in their inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election .
“ There is nothing new here .
Erik Prince ’ s House testimony has been public for more than a year and was available at all times that Mr .
Prince met with the Department of Justice during the special counsel ’ s investigation , '' Schwartz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told the Washington Examiner .
`` Mr .
Prince cooperated completely with the special counsel ’ s investigation , as its report demonstrates .
There is nothing new for the Department of Justice to consider , nor is there any reason to question the special counsel ’ s decision to credit Mr .
Prince and rely on him in drafting its report . ''

Blackwater founder Erik Prince helped enlist former American and British spies to help Project Veritas infiltrate liberal groups.
His role in recruiting ex-MI6 officer Richard Seddon and others was revealed in the discovery process of a legal battle between Project Veritas, a conservative organization, and the American Federation of Teachers, according to the New York Times.
Documents show Seddon directed a 2017 operation to make copies of files and make secret recordings in a Michigan office of the teachers' union. He also oversaw an operation, using the same undercover operative, to infiltrate the 2018 Democratic congressional campaign of former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger, who won the contest. That operative, Liberty University graduate Marisa Jorge, was discovered and removed from the campaign.
ATF Michigan sued Project Veritas in 2017, accusing Jorge and Project Veritas of fraud, trespass, theft, conspiracy, and unauthorized surveillance. The union seeks more than $3 million in damages from the group that it described as a “vigilante organization which claims to be dedicated to exposing corruption. It is, instead, an entity dedicated to a specific political agenda.”
Project Veritas, which is led by James O'Keefe, claims its actions are protected by the First Amendment. The case is expected to go to trial in the fall.
Prince, a former Navy SEAL and former head of Blackwater Worldwide, is the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who has criticized unions. Both grew up in Michigan.
Prince declined to comment for the report, and Seddon and Jorge did not respond to a request for comment. O'Keefe would not specifically address Prince or Seddon, but he called his group a “proud independent news organization."
Last month, the Justice Department said it was reviewing a 10-month-old criminal referral by House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff that accused Prince of misleading congressional investigators in their inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Matthew Schwartz, a lawyer for Prince, downplayed the Justice Department's review.
“There is nothing new here. Erik Prince’s House testimony has been public for more than a year and was available at all times that Mr. Prince met with the Department of Justice during the special counsel’s investigation," Schwartz, a partner at Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, told the Washington Examiner. "Mr. Prince cooperated completely with the special counsel’s investigation, as its report demonstrates. There is nothing new for the Department of Justice to consider, nor is there any reason to question the special counsel’s decision to credit Mr. Prince and rely on him in drafting its report."


bonginoreport--2020-03-07--Tragedy Strikes as Costco Suspends Free Samples Amidst Coronavirus Fears

• Costco is no longer serving free food samples at some of its stores around the world as a hygiene measure against the novel coronavirus .
• Representatives for the company that handles Costco 's product demonstrations in certain countries confirmed that it had pulled samples from stores in the US and China .
• A spokesperson for Costco was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Business Insider .
Costco 's free food samples have become an iconic part of its image and a key reason why its megafans stay so loyal to the chain .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about whether the warehouse chain should be serving up these tasty bites amid the coronavirus outbreak .
`` Eating samples from the same tray and then we put the food in our mouths and lick our fingers/wipe our mouths and go on to the next sample tray ... Everyone is at Costco right now ...
This is how stuff travels fast , '' one shopper wrote on Reddit this week .
It seems that Costco has taken note and has temporarily stopped handing out samples in some of its stores around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Reddit on Thursday .
One Reddit user , whose spouse works as a manager at a Costco store on the West Coast told Business Insider that his spouse was told by the warehouse manager that they would be suspending the production demonstrations until further notice .
Costco was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Business Insider to confirm whether all US stores are going to be impacted .
CDS , the company hired by Costco to handle its samples across several different countries , was also not immediately available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a representative for CDS France said that they were aware that demonstrations in the US had been pulled and were awaiting instruction in their own country .
CDS Spain confirmed it was business as usual in their own region .
A representative for CDS China , where Costco has one store , said they are no longer allowed to hand out samples ; this representative would not confirm when this came into effect .
And it 's business as usual in the UK , according to two employees at its stores in Croydon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday that samples are still being handed out despite concerns about the spread of the virus in the UK .

Costco is no longer serving free food samples at some of its stores around the world as a hygiene measure against the novel coronavirus.
Representatives for the company that handles Costco's product demonstrations in certain countries confirmed that it had pulled samples from stores in the US and China.
A spokesperson for Costco was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Business Insider.
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Costco's free food samples have become an iconic part of its image and a key reason why its megafans stay so loyal to the chain. But in recent weeks, some shoppers have raised concerns about whether the warehouse chain should be serving up these tasty bites amid the coronavirus outbreak.
"Eating samples from the same tray and then we put the food in our mouths and lick our fingers/wipe our mouths and go on to the next sample tray... Everyone is at Costco right now... This is how stuff travels fast," one shopper wrote on Reddit this week.
It seems that Costco has taken note and has temporarily stopped handing out samples in some of its stores around the world.
Reports of this first surfaced on Reddit on Thursday. One Reddit user, whose spouse works as a manager at a Costco store on the West Coast told Business Insider that his spouse was told by the warehouse manager that they would be suspending the production demonstrations until further notice.
Costco was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Business Insider to confirm whether all US stores are going to be impacted.
CDS, the company hired by Costco to handle its samples across several different countries, was also not immediately available to comment in the US.
However, a representative for CDS France said that they were aware that demonstrations in the US had been pulled and were awaiting instruction in their own country. CDS Spain confirmed it was business as usual in their own region.
A representative for CDS China, where Costco has one store, said they are no longer allowed to hand out samples; this representative would not confirm when this came into effect.
And it's business as usual in the UK, according to two employees at its stores in Croydon and Milton Keynes who told Business Insider on Friday that samples are still being handed out despite concerns about the spread of the virus in the UK.