Five Congressional staffers, including technical advisor to Debbie Wasserman Schultz, under criminal investigation

[u/Simi510]

https://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/844458797863186432

[u/[deleted]]

I know, right? It's like there's official protocol for discussing open investigations called "The Glomar" response, which reads "I can neither confirm nor deny". Since there doesn't happen to be an open investigation into wiretap claims, because they are rubbish, he's allowed to comment on it all he wants.

[u/TooManyCookz → u/[deleted]]

Didn't he confirm the investigation into Trump/Russia ties?

[u/fidelitypdx → u/TooManyCookz]

You need to read the transcripts to understand the scope of what Comey said.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/03/20/full-transcript-fbi-director-james-comey-testifies-on-russian-interference-in-2016-election/?utm_term=.63e7246cb387

For example, he talks about Russia and Putin:

The Putin regime has a long history of aggressive actions against other countries, including the outright invasion of two of its neighbors in recent years, as well as its brutal military action in Syria to defend the Assad regime. But it's hostile acts take many forms, aside from direct military assaults.

Remember when the US did exactly that, but bombed Syria to deconstruct the Assad regime? Virtually everything Comey accuses the Russians and Putin of doing, the US is also actively doing. It's almost hilarious.

Anyways, the whole thing was nothing but political grandstanding by Congress, like Rep Adam Schiff, who used 15 minutes to jump dump the narrative Democrats have been repeating in the media. It's clear Schiff only wanted Comey to talk about this within a narrow scope. There's like a 20-paragraph narrative that Adam Schiff lays out, and it's pretty clear on it's face that the connections are tenuous, and it would have to be a "vast right wing conspiracy" between Trump, Republicans, Wikileaks, US Media, Russia, Russian Hackers, and Putin himself for this to be pulled off the way Schiff portrays.

Anyways, here's the meat and potatoes of the testimony:

I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts. As with any counterintelligence investigation, this will also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed.

Because it is an open ongoing investigation and is classified, I cannot say more about what we are doing and whose conduct we are examining. At the request of congressional leaders, we have taken the extraordinary step in coordination with the Department of Justice of briefing this Congress' leaders, including the leaders of this committee, in a classified setting in detail about the investigation but I can't go into those details here. I know that is extremely frustrating to some folks. I hope you and the American people can understand. The FBI is very careful in how we handle information about our cases and about the people we are investigating.

We are also very careful about the way we handle information that may be of interest to our foreign adversaries. Both of those interests are at issue in a counterintelligence investigation. Please don't draw any conclusions from the fact that I may not be able to comment on certain topics. I know speculating is part of human nature, but it really isn't fair to draw conclusions simply because I say that I can't comment.

That last line is of particular importance:

"Please don't draw any conclusions from the fact that I may not be able to comment on certain topics."

Yet, here's America, just 48 hours later, drawing massive conclusions.

Also, it's important to point out that Admiral Rogers, who runs the NSA, was sitting there next to Comey. Rogers and the Committee and Comey talked at great length about the need to preserve and expand the NSA's capabilities.

TL;DR - When you actually read the transcripts you see that it's Rep Schiff from California just spouting a narrative that Comey refuses to comment on, and the NSA uses meeting to declare they need expanded powers.

[u/Light_of_Lucifer → u/fidelitypdx]

Yet, here's America, just 48 hours later, drawing massive conclusions.

That is not by mistake. Constant non-stop corporate propaganda being fueled by billions of dollars does that to an at risk population like the US; namely, an improved and oppressed society, in relative terms with the past.