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In his blog entry (See: here), Ty Clevenger includes a link to an important October 12, 2020 letter (See: h ere) he sent to Attorney General William Barr, US Attorney John Durham (who for the past year and a half has been investigating the FBI inquiry into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia), and Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz. Clevenger writes that he has learned that "Durham will not be investigating whether former Democratic National Committee employee Seth Rich provided DNC emails to WikiLeaks in 2016." [Emphasis added.]
Mr. Clevenger says former FBI agent John Eckenrode explained to him that inquiry into a possible internal, non-Russian, source for the emails leaked to WikiLeaks does not have a direct bearing on Mr. Durham's investigation. Clevenger registered strong dissent, pointing out that "Robert Mueller himself acknowledged the possibility that the DNC emails were not transmitted remotely by email to Wikileaks, but were provided by hand delivery from someone originating in the United States."
In his letter Clevenger notes: "Shawn Henry of Crowdstrike has testified under oath that Crowdstrike did not observe any exfiltration of emails from the DNC, but that had observed "preparation for exfiltration', which would be consistent with a local download to a DNC user." Taking the gloves off, Clevenger claims that "the failure of the relevant agencies to investigate thoroughly the possibility of an internal source is an indication of the type of result-driven, error-ridden and highly damaging investigative work identified by Inspector General Horowitz in his review of various FISA abuses."
Seymour Hersh Deposed
In his indictment of the Justice Department's lackadaisical approach to the Seth Rich issue, Clevenger cites what Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh asserted in a deposition in a pending court case. Hersh stated that it was "absolutely true that his source told him that Seth Rich transmitted emails to Wikileaks and requested payment". Hersh described his source as "very, very knowledgeable," someone "senior" in the intelligence community, and a person Hersh had known for over 30 years.
The information provided by Hersh's source cries out for either confirmation or denial. Such could readily come from the National Security Agency which collects everything on the Internet. Has NSA not been asked?
Hersh said during his deposition that he had not been contacted by anyone from Robert Mueller's team, nor from Durham's team, nor from the Attorney General's office. Clevenger added the following footnote, which speaks for itself:
"Likewise, no one from the Office of Special Counsel made any attempt to interview Julian Assange," even though Assange had hinted that Seth Rich might have been a source for the DNC emails: "As far as I can determine, nobody from Mr. Durham's team, the FBI, nor the Justice Department has made any attempt to interview Mr. Assange ... even though Mr. Assange would know better than anyone else how and from whom he obtained the emails." VIPS called attention to this strange anomaly as soon as the Mueller report was released (See: "VIPS Fault Mueller Probe, Criticize Refusal to Interview Assange," Click Here ).
Attorney General William Barr, who jumped ship on Dec. 23, has left John Durham to an unenviable, uncertain future. (See: Click Here)
So, Were the "Investigations" a Sham?
Seems so, from the looks of it. By all appearances, the top officials at the Justice Department, the FBI, and intelligence agencies who for political purposes conjured up the "Russian hack," emasculated Trump, and led the U.S. into a new Cold War with Russia will walk free. Section Chief David Hardy may get a slap on the wrist or a letter of reprimand in his personnel file. And it is a safe bet that FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who committed an earlier fraud on the court, by altering a consequential email relating to a FISA application, is not likely to face much, if any, jail time.
Presumably, many senior law enforcement and intelligence officials eagerly await the arrival of President Joe Biden, who has zero incentive to hold them accountable for what they did over the last four years. (As if any president would be courageous or foolish enough to try to hold them accountable, in any case).
Biden has been on the Washington scene for so many years that he does not need Sen. Chuck Schumer to warn him as Schumer warned President-elect Donald Trump indirectly via Rachel Maddow on Jan. 3, 2017 not to get crosswise with the "intelligence community," noting that it has six ways to Sunday to get back at you. (See: Click Here)
President Donald Trump's weird combination of arrogance, ineptitude, and naà ¯vete' made him an easy target. As the years went by, it became clearer and clearer that the president was not really in charge. The Security State is riding higher than ever. And that's not good.
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