By Robert A. Vella
President Trump’s hostile reaction to the Inspector General report, which refuted his delusion about a “deep state” conspiracy opposed to his presidency, has triggered a civil war of sorts inside the Department of Justice. Attorney General William Barr – who heads the DOJ – is pandering to Trump’s megalomania, while FBI Director Christopher Wray is pushing back along with other honest career professionals in the department who only want the truth and justice to prevail (see: Christopher Wray, basically: Don’t Listen to Trump’s Ukraine Conspiracy Theories). Think about that, folks. The nation’s top criminal prosecutor and the nation’s top law enforcement officer are taking opposite sides in a heated controversy created by a madman who is doing the bidding of a foreign adversary (i.e. Russia).
Vladimir Putin must really be enjoying this.
Others are joining the fray including Senate Republicans who want to grill the Inspector General, and a central target of Trump’s conspiracy theory who is defending the report he authored on Russian collusion during the 2016 U.S. election.
We’ll also cover the latest opinion polls, another dubious executive order by President Trump, and today’s other headlines.
Civil war inside the DOJ
From: Inspector general to testify about FBI’s investigation of Trump campaign
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is set to testify Wednesday about his findings that the FBI investigation of President Trump’s 2016 campaign featured “serious performance failures” but was not motivated by political bias.
The inspector general is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee two days after releasing a 434-page report analyzing the FBI investigation, launched in the summer of 2016 to determine if anyone in the Trump campaign was conspiring with Russia to interfere in the presidential election.
The report has exposed major disagreements among Trump, Attorney General William P. Barr, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and Horowitz, and lawmakers are likely to press the inspector general further on the areas where there are disputes.
From: Chris Steele refutes key points in DOJ watchdog report on Russia probe
Horowitz, whose review looked into the role that [former British Intelligence officer Christopher] Steele’s dossier played in the FBI investigation, determined that the FBI did not rely upon Steele’s reporting in opening the investigation, according to his report released on Monday. However, Horowitz noted that the FBI relied heavily on Steele’s reporting for its FISA applications to conduct surveillance on [former Trump campaign aide Carter] Page.
[…]
Responding to the IG report, which questioned the reliability of Steele’s reporting and reprimanded the FBI for failing to reassess the validity of the information, Steele said releasing information about sources is “highly risky” for their safety and for others involved, and that if they had been given an opportunity to respond to interviews in a private manner, the statements would be “put in a very different light.”
Steele’s team also alleged in the statement that contrary to the IG report’s “apparent suggestion” that none of his reporting about Page has been corroborated, Page’s own statements as well as special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, released earlier this year, supported some of the key aspects of his firm’s research [i.e. Orbis Business Intelligence, and Fusion GPS].
Steele also refuted the IG report’s description of himself as a confidential human source — in other words, an FBI informant — saying that though he had provided investigative work for the FBI as a contractor, he is prohibited from serving as a confidential human source for the FBI because of his obligation to his former government employer — the British government.
Related story: Lisa Page sues DOJ, FBI over alleged privacy violations
Latest polls
From: Trump’s approval dips among independent voters amid impeachment
The survey shows 39 percent of independent voters approve of Trump’s job performance, while 56 percent said they disapprove.
The new approval rating among independent voters is down from 44 percent in early November.
Trump’s job approval rating also saw a dip among Republican voters, dropping 3 points to 85 percent compared to the previous poll.
Nate Silver’s 538 blog currently has Trump’s aggregate job approval numbers at 41.8% approve and 53.4% disapprove, and the aggregate impeachment numbers at 48.1% in support and 44.8% opposed.
Another dubious executive order
From: Trump to Sign Order Targeting Anti-Semitism on College Campuses
WASHINGTON — President Trump plans to sign an executive order on Wednesday targeting what he sees as anti-Semitism on college campuses by threatening to withhold federal money from educational institutions that fail to combat discrimination, three administration officials said on Tuesday.
[…]
But critics have complained that such a policy could be used to stifle free speech and legitimate opposition to Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the name of fighting anti-Semitism. The definition of anti-Semitism to be used in the order, which matches the one used by the State Department, has been criticized as too open-ended and sweeping.
For instance, it describes as anti-Semitic “denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination,” and offers as an example of such behavior “claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.”
Headlines
GOP Rep. [Ted] Yoho [FL] to retire from Congress, honor term-limit pledge
Federal judge blocks Trump plan to spend $3.6 billion in military funds on border wall
DeVos overruled Education Dept. staff on student loan debt relief: report
Federal Authorities Arrest Doctors Campaigning to Give Migrants Free Flu Vaccinations
GOP senator blocks bill aimed at preventing Russia election meddling
House Democrats and the White House have a deal to move forward with USMCA trade agreement
New York attorney general intensifies investigation into the NRA
The Secular Jurist 
Barr is a criminal and a cancer on this country.
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He also looks like Jabba the Hutt.
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Jabba’s much cuter. 🙂
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There is a brand new surgical procedure available now Jeff! Barrectomy! The chance of survival? Consult the Oval office for iffy pseudo-facts. 😛
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He really needs to be disbarred. What a scum-bag.
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HAH! “Disbarred.” Good one. Should we keep this going? 😉
Hey, whatever you do, do NOT pickup the Barr of soap in his shower! 😮
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I’ve asked and/or insinuated this question a few times here Robert, but in light of proceedings in Washington D.C. I think it deserves being presented again…
So WHEN did this country cease to be governed by a Constitution and Checks-n-Balances by a collaborative 3-Branched system?
And another question I find myself asking more and more…
WHEN and HOW did the Executive Branch accumulate so much power and influence, even over said Constitution and our Justice system!?
Btw, both questions are indeed rhetorical. 😉
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Those are excellent rhetorical questions.
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In my 7th grade Social Studies classes when I was teaching, I’d sometimes ask this question—3-4 days after covering U.S. Gov’t with the DoI, BoR, Constitution, etc, for test review and hopefully several students (or all of them was the hope – LOL)—would give me bewildered expressions with brows drawn together! 😉 Of course, when a student or 3-4 of them worked up the courage to challenge my erroneous questions, the lesson was made.
However, ask these two questions to certain voting adults? HAH!!! The responses are ridiculously unpredictable!!! 😖
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Gotta’ say I didn’t see the Ivanka was fucking Steele twist.
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I’ll tell ya right now John, the ones who publicly portray a Puritan, innocent, faithful image… denying anything hinting of promiscuity(?), they are absolutely the opposite, at least in private or semi-private!
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Yeah, but Steele… Dossier Steele!
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Haha! Is that the code-name for an iron/steel chastity cover, male and female? ⛓️🔒😈
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Ha, ha! 😀
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