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→Net neutrality
====Net neutrality====
====Net neutrality====
Before the Obama administration began forcing its [[big government]] agenda into all spheres of the economy, the [[Internet]] was open and adaptive because it was free of government regulation.<ref>Conn Carroll. [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/27/if-the-fcc-had-regulated-the-internet/ If the FCC Had Regulated the Internet], [[Heritage Foundation|blog.heritage.org]], December 27, 2010.</ref> A ''[[Rasmussen Reports]]'' survey found that only 21 percent (21%) of likely U.S. Voters wanted the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to regulate the Internet as it does [[radio]] and [[television]]. Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters said they believe that the FCC would use its regulatory authority to promote a political agenda.<ref>The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on December 23, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. [http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2010/just_21_want_fcc_to_regulate_internet_most_fear_regulation_would_promote_political_agenda Just 21% Want FCC to Regulate Internet, Most Fear Regulation Would Promote Political Agenda], ''[[Rasmussen Reports]]'', December 28, 2010</ref> But [[President Obama|President Obama's]] appointed FCC Chairman [[Julius Genachowski]], along with three other Democrats on the commission, helped craft a plan to impose so-called "[[net neutrality]]" rules on [[Internet service providers]], by taking an unprecedented step to expand government's reach into the Internet by attempting to regulate its inner workings.<ref>James Gattuso, “FCC’s Christmas Gift for the Internet: Net Neutrality Regulation,” The Foundry, December 1, 2010, at [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/01/fcc%e2%80%99s-christmas-gift-for-the-internet-net-neutrality-regulation http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/01/fcc%e2%80%99s-christmas-gift-for-the-internet-net-neutrality-regulation].</ref><ref>'[[Net neutrality]]' sounds nice, but the [[World Wide Web|Web]] is working fine now. The new rules will inhibit investment, deter innovation and create a billable-hours bonanza for lawyers. [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703395204576023452250748540.html The FCC's Threat to Internet Freedom], ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', By Robert M. McDowell, December 19, 2010.</ref><ref>The Federal Communications Commission approved a plan to regulate the [[Internet]] despite warnings that it could strangle industry investment and damage an economy that is still struggling to recover. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/21/fcc-poised-pass-network-neutrality-rules/ FCC Approves Plan to Regulate Internet], [[Fox News Channel]], Published December 21, 2010.</ref> In doing so, the agency will circumvent [[Congress]] and disregard a federal court ruling; a federal appeals court in [[Washington D.C.]] previously ruled that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 did not authorize the FCC to regulate Internet use, and therefore that the FCC had no statutory authority to do so.<ref>Lachlan Markay. [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lachlan-markay/2010/12/21/opponents-fccs-new-internet-regulations-vow-swift-recourse Opponents of FCC's New Internet Regulations Vow Swift Recourse], ''[[NewsBusters]]'', December 21, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://blogs.findlaw.com/courtside/2010/04/fcc-and-net-neutrality-supporters-lose-case-against-comcast.html F.C.C. (and Net Neutrality Supporters) Lose Case Against Comcast], By Joel Zand on April 6, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/12/Red-Tape-Under-the-Tree-FCC-Plans-Internet-Regulation-for-Christmas Red Tape Under the Tree: FCC Plans Internet Regulation for Christmas], [[Heritage Foundation]], Published on December 17, 2010 by James Gattuso.
Before the Obama administration began forcing its [[big government]] agenda into all spheres of the economy, the [[Internet]] was open and adaptive because it was free of government regulation.<ref>Conn Carroll. [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/27/if-the-fcc-had-regulated-the-internet/ If the FCC Had Regulated the Internet], [[Heritage Foundation|blog.heritage.org]], December 27, 2010.</ref> A ''[[Rasmussen Reports]]'' survey found that only 21 percent (21%) of likely U.S. Voters wanted the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to regulate the Internet as it does [[radio]] and [[television]]. Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters said they believe that the FCC would use its regulatory authority to promote a political agenda.<ref>The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters nationwide was conducted on December 23, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. [http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2010/just_21_want_fcc_to_regulate_internet_most_fear_regulation_would_promote_political_agenda Just 21% Want FCC to Regulate Internet, Most Fear Regulation Would Promote Political Agenda], ''[[Rasmussen Reports]]'', December 28, 2010</ref> But [[President Obama|President Obama's]] appointed FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, along with three other Democrats on the commission, helped craft a plan to impose so-called "[[net neutrality]]" rules on [[Internet service providers]], by taking an unprecedented step to expand government's reach into the Internet by attempting to regulate its inner workings.<ref>James Gattuso, “FCC’s Christmas Gift for the Internet: Net Neutrality Regulation,” The Foundry, December 1, 2010, at [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/01/fcc%e2%80%99s-christmas-gift-for-the-internet-net-neutrality-regulation http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/01/fcc%e2%80%99s-christmas-gift-for-the-internet-net-neutrality-regulation].</ref><ref>'[[Net neutrality]]' sounds nice, but the [[World Wide Web|Web]] is working fine now. The new rules will inhibit investment, deter innovation and create a billable-hours bonanza for lawyers. [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703395204576023452250748540.html The FCC's Threat to Internet Freedom], ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', By Robert M. McDowell, December 19, 2010.</ref><ref>The Federal Communications Commission approved a plan to regulate the [[Internet]] despite warnings that it could strangle industry investment and damage an economy that is still struggling to recover. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/21/fcc-poised-pass-network-neutrality-rules/ FCC Approves Plan to Regulate Internet], [[Fox News Channel]], Published December 21, 2010.</ref> In doing so, the agency will circumvent [[Congress]] and disregard a federal court ruling; a federal appeals court in [[Washington D.C.]] previously ruled that the Telecommunications Act of 1996 did not authorize the FCC to regulate Internet use, and therefore that the FCC had no statutory authority to do so.<ref>Lachlan Markay. [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/lachlan-markay/2010/12/21/opponents-fccs-new-internet-regulations-vow-swift-recourse Opponents of FCC's New Internet Regulations Vow Swift Recourse], ''[[NewsBusters]]'', December 21, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://blogs.findlaw.com/courtside/2010/04/fcc-and-net-neutrality-supporters-lose-case-against-comcast.html F.C.C. (and Net Neutrality Supporters) Lose Case Against Comcast], By Joel Zand on April 6, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/12/Red-Tape-Under-the-Tree-FCC-Plans-Internet-Regulation-for-Christmas Red Tape Under the Tree: FCC Plans Internet Regulation for Christmas], [[Heritage Foundation]], Published on December 17, 2010 by James Gattuso.
*WebMemo On [http://www.heritage.org/Issues/Regulation Regulation], ''[[The Heritage Foundation]]''.</ref>
*WebMemo On [http://www.heritage.org/Issues/Regulation Regulation], ''[[The Heritage Foundation]]''.</ref>
As the Obama administration moved to implement big government policies by regulating use of the Internet, President Obama put plans in motion to give the [[Commerce Department]] authority to create an Internet ID for all [[Americans]]. The Obama administration wants to create a national "Internet ID" card to expand its goal of a government-controlled system.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/08/report-obama-administration-plans-create-internet-id-americans/ Obama Administration Reportedly Plans to Create Internet ID for All Americans], [[Fox News|FoxNews.com]], Published January 08, 2011.</ref>
As the Obama administration moved to implement big government policies by regulating use of the Internet, President Obama put plans in motion to give the [[Commerce Department]] authority to create an Internet ID for all [[Americans]]. The Obama administration wants to create a national "Internet ID" card to expand its goal of a government-controlled system.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/08/report-obama-administration-plans-create-internet-id-americans/ Obama Administration Reportedly Plans to Create Internet ID for All Americans], [[Fox News|FoxNews.com]], Published January 08, 2011.</ref>
===Domestic affairs===
====Tax policy====
The Obama administration never manage to enact tax reform. However, the IRS drew considerable public attention and Congressional investigations for its treatment of applications for non-profit status.<ref>[http://www.crisismagazine.com/2013/irs-targets-catholic-critics-of-obama-regime IRS Targets Catholic Critics of Obama Regime] at Crisis Magazine</ref>
====Immigration====
The Obama Administration proposed "comprehensive immigration reform" which would tie together increased border protection, a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already in the United States, and reform of the visa process. Although a bipartisan bill emerged in the Senate, immigration reform was never adopted by Congress. In the absence of a new law, President Obama sought adopted Executive Orders to prioritize deportation actions against illegal immigrants who violated laws. During his eight years, Obama deported more illegal aliens than did George W. Bush.<ref>[http://www.vdare.com/articles/obama-s-administrative-amnesty-impeachment-is-the-only-answer Obama Regime's Administrative Amnesty: Impeachment Is The Only Answer] at VDARE.com</ref>
====Gay Rights====
Gays complained that Obama was slow to act to fulfill his ppromises and meet their agenda A proclamation signed June 1, 2009 mentioned <ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/potus-honors-lgbt-pride-month-by-not-supporting-same-sex-marriage-while-cheney-disagrees.html POTUS Honors LGBT Pride Month by Not Supporting Same Sex Marriage, While Cheney Disagrees] [[ABC News]]</ref>
*his administration’s international efforts to decriminalize homosexuality, the President said he would continue to
*''“support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans”—enhancing hate crimes laws,''
*''supporting [[civil unions]], outlawing :discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing''
*repeal ''"[[Don't Ask, Don't Tell]]" policy for [[gays]] and [[lesbians]] in the armed services.''''
Obama declared he is {{cquote|proud to be the first President to appoint openly [[LGBT]] candidates to Senate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an Administration.}}
====Environmental policy====
[[File:Slide 6569 89213 small.jpg|right|300px|thumb|President Obama waited nine days before his first response and photo-op in the Gulf oil spill disaster.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/opinion/01sat1.html Unanswered Questions on the Spill] [[The New York Times]]</ref>]]
:''Main article : '''''[[Gulf oil spill disaster]]'''
The ''[[New York Times]]'' has reported since January 2009 the [[Obama]] administration has approved at least three huge oil and gas lease sales, 103 seismic blasting projects and 346 oil drilling plans.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/us/14agency.html?partner=rss&emc=rss U.S. Said to Allow Drilling Without Needed Permits,] Ian Urbina, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 13 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.</ref> Documents from the [[Department of Interior]]'s [[Mineral Management Service]] (MMS) show that permission for those projects and plans was granted without getting the permits required under federal law.<ref>''NYT'', ibid.</ref> Federal records show one of the permits issued was for the well drilled by the Deepwater Horizon rig, which exploded on 20 April 2010, killing 11 workers<ref>''NYT,'' ibid.</ref> and resulting in nearly 30 million barrels of [[crude oil]] dumped into the [[Gulf of Mexico]], contaminating shorelines and killing wildlife, and by far the largest environmental disaster in the history of the [[United States]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/us/28flow.html Estimates Suggest Spill Is Biggest in U.S. History,] Tom Zeller, Jr., ''[[The New York Times]], 27 May 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/law_order_corporate_crime_unit_20100518/</ref>
President Obama personally approved offshore oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico<ref name="csmonitor.com"/> and was widely criticized for his slow reaction to the drilling disaster. While authorizing offshore drilling<ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] [[Paul Krugman]], ''[[New York Times]]'', April 30, 2010.</ref> the president stated, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills. They are technologically very advanced."<ref name="whitehouse.gov">White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from [[The White House|whitehouse.gov]] 3 May 2010.</ref><ref name="members.greenpeace.org">''[http://members.greenpeace.org/blog/greenpeaceusa_blog/2010/04/30/president_obama_committed_to_endangering President Obama must reinstate moratorium on offshore drilling,]'' [[Greenpeace]] USA blogs, 30 Apr 2010.</ref><ref name="wonkroom.thinkprogress.org">http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/04/28/obama-katrina-spill/</ref>
BP's exploration plan received in the Obama administration's MMS field office on 23 March 2009 states "no mitigation measures other than those required by regulation and BP policy will be employed to avoid, diminish or eliminate potential impacts on environmental resources." It declared any spill would have only "sub-lethal" effects on fish and marine [[mammal]]s but it was "unlikely that an accidental oil spill would occur from the proposed activities."<ref>[http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/documents/initial_exploration_plan050410.pdf Initial Exploration Plan] [[Washington Post]]</ref> BP was granted a “categorical exclusion” by the Obama administration from a detailed environmental impact statement required under [[law]]<ref>[http://ceq.hss.doe.gov/nepa/regs/nepa/nepaeqia.htm The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended.]</ref> according to reports in the ''[[Washington Post]].''<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/04/AR2010050404118.html U.S. exempted BP's Gulf of Mexico drilling from environmental impact study,] Juliet Eilperin, ''[[Washington Post]],'' 5 May 2010.</ref>
BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig was inspected by the Obama administration's [[Minerals Management Service]] (MMS) only two weeks before it exploded<ref>White House Press Office, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/press-briefing-bp-oil-spill-gulf-coast Press Briefing on the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf Coast,] 29 April 2010. Retrieved from [[The White House|whitehouse.gov]] 12 May 2010.</ref> killing 11 people and dumping 30 million barrels of oil in the Gulf. The rig had been awarded the ''Safety Award for Excellence'' in 2009 by the Obama MMS.<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=66303 Democratic Leader Hoyer Doesn’t Know Whether Obama Administration was Prepared for Oil Spill,] Matt Cover, [[Cybercast News Service]], May 20, 2010.</ref><ref>MMS Thought Deepwater Horizon was Award-Winningly SAFE, The Project on Government Oversight, Exposing Government Corruption, 29 April 2010.</ref>
The Obama [[Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) gave BP the green light to apply its dispersant, Corexit as cosmetic relief to the spill.<ref>[http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/05/epa-bp-dispersants Why Is the EPA Letting BP Use Dirty Dispersants?], Kate Sheppard, ''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]'', 19 May 19, 2010.</ref> Corexit was found to be 10 to 20 times more [[toxic]] to human and wild life than a dozen other dispersants approved by the EPA.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/13/business/energy-environment/13greenwire-less-toxic-dispersants-lose-out-in-bp-oil-spil-81183.html Less Toxic Dispersants Lose Out in BP Oil Spill Cleanup,] Paul Quinlan, ''Greenwire'', May 13, 2010. Retrieved from [[The New York Times]] 25 May 2010.</ref> Corexit is manufactured by Nalco of Naperville, Illinois, a company's whose current leadership includes several executives from BP. "It's a chemical that the oil industry makes to sell to itself, basically," said Richard Charter, a senior policy adviser for Defenders of Wildlife.<ref>''Greenwire'', ibid.</ref> At Congressional hearings investigating the Gulf oil spill disaster, [[Democratic]] Representative Jerrold Nadler of [[New York]] raised the prospect of "thousands and thousands of people getting sick or dying" as a result of the Obama administration's sanctioned use of the dispersant.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/science/earth/28workers.html Worry About Dispersant Rises as Men in Work Crew Complain of Health Problems,] Leslie Kaufman and Elizabeth Rosenthal, ''[[The New York Times]]'', 27 May 2010.</ref>
====Revolving door====
As Senator, and while running for president, [[Barack Obama]] has received more money from BP's [[Political Action Committee]] and individuals connected with BP than any other candidate over the past two decades, according to [[Federal Election Commission]] disclosure records.<ref>[http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0505/obama-biggest-recipient-bp-political-action-money-20-years Obama is biggest recipient of BP’s political action cash in the last 20 years,] John Byrne, 5 May 2010. Retrieved from rawstory.com 9 May 2010.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/white-house-idea-that-bp-given-special-exemption-because-of-campaign-cash-to-obama-silly-and-ridiculous.html?cid=6a00d8341c4df253ef0134807669a3970c|title=White House: Idea that BP Given Special Exemption Because of Campaign Cash to Obama "Silly and Ridiculous"|date=May 5, 2010|first=Jake|last=Tapper|work=[[ABC News]] Political Punch}}</ref><ref>http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/04/on-thursday-oil-giant-bp.html</ref>
====Uranium One scandal====
:''Main article:'' [[Uranium One bribery scandal]]
According to court filings in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, in 2009, the [[FBI]] began an investigation into corruption and extortion by senior managers of Tenex, a subsidiary of Rosatom, a Russian entity.<ref>Government’s Response to Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss for Pre-Indictment Delay, United States v. Vadim Mikerin, Criminal No. TDC-14-0529 (D. MD) at 1. http://fcpa.stanford.edu/enforcement-action.html?id=583 </ref> [[Robert Mueller]] was FBI Director at the time the investigation into the Rosatom subsidiary began.<ref>
http://www.newsweek.com/how-robert-mueller-connected-probe-hillary-clintons-uranium-one-deal-688548 </ref>
The investigation began as an intelligence probe into Russian nuclear officials. Mueller's investigation also obtained an eyewitness, William Campell (known as CS-1 in court records) — backed by documents, recordings, and emails — indicating Russian nuclear officials routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit former President [[Bill Clinton]]’s foundation during the time [[Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] served on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) a government body that provided the approval of the sale of Uranium One to Rosatom.<ref>http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/355749-fbi-uncovered-russian-bribery-plot-before-obama-administration </ref>
The investigation found kickbacks paid in cash and some in foreign wire transfers. From April 2009 to April 2011, the wire transfers went to Wiser Trading, registered in the [[Seychelles]]. From July 2011 to July 2013 - to the British Leila Global Limited account in a Latvian bank. And from August 2013 to May 2014 - to Ollins Development in the British Virgin Islands.
''The Hill'' reported that {{Quotebox|the FBI had gathered substantial evidence that Russian nuclear industry officials were engaged in bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering designed to grow Vladimir Putin’s atomic energy business inside the United States, according to government documents and interviews.
Federal agents used a confidential U.S. witness working inside the Russian nuclear industry to gather extensive financial records, make secret recordings and intercept emails as early as 2009 that showed Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm with bribes and kickbacks in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FBI and court documents show.
They also obtained an eyewitness account — backed by documents — indicating Russian nuclear officials had routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit former President Bill Clinton’s charitable foundation during the time Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on a government body that provided a favorable decision to Moscow, sources told The Hill.
The racketeering scheme was conducted “with the consent of higher level officials” in Russia who “shared the proceeds” from the kickbacks, one agent declared in an affidavit years later.
Rather than bring immediate charges in 2010, however, the Department of Justice (DOJ) continued investigating the matter for nearly four more years, essentially leaving the American public and Congress in the dark about Russian nuclear corruption on U.S. soil during a period when the Obama administration made two major decisions benefiting Putin’s commercial nuclear ambitions...
Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] was among the Obama administration officials joining Hillary Clinton on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States at the time the Uranium One deal was approved. Multiple current and former government officials told The Hill they did not know whether the FBI or DOJ ever alerted committee members to the criminal activity they uncovered.<ref>http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/355749-fbi-uncovered-russian-bribery-plot-before-obama-administration </ref>}}
Mueller's investigation was centered in Maryland, Tenex's home base. There, the U.S. attorney was Obama appointee Rod Rosenstein — later appointed deputy attorney general. The Maryland District Court indictment of Tenex boss Vadim Mikerin and three others said that the FBI paid attention to suspicious financial transactions after a tip from William Campbell, or CS-1.<ref>http://compromatwiki.org/Ядерные_схемы_Вадима_Микерина </ref> Camphell said the FBI informed him President Obama was briefed while the investigation was ongoing.<ref>https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/atty-toensing-uranium-scandal-obama-was-briefed-russian-bribery-kickback </ref>
In 2009, according to the prosecution, Mikerin asked Campbell for kickbacks for the right to sign a contract with Tenex for lobbying and consulting services, as well as assistance in public relations for the Russian nuclear industry. These payments, according to Campbell, Mikerin called the "system" or "window". Cambell was worried about this agreement and went to the FBI, where he was asked to continue to participate in the kickback scheme, giving the bureau all the information.
According to Campbell's testimony he paid $460,000 as kickbacks. Moreover, the appetite of Tenex grew. For implementation of the first contract in 2009, Tenex was supposed to pay William's company $150,000 for three months, and Mikerin wanted a third of this sum as a kickback. Payments under the second contract were $550,000 for 11 months, and Mikerin required about half as a kickback. In 2011, Mikerin allegedly extended the contract for 11 months in the interests of Tenex.
Mikerin was arrested on a complaint describing a racketeering scheme that stretched back to 2004 and included [[extortion]], [[fraud]], and money laundering. Money-laundering carries a penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment — not only for [[conspiracy]] but for each act of money laundering (at section 1956 of the penal code). But Mikerin was permitted by Rod Rosenstein to plead guilty to an offense charged under the catch-all federal conspiracy provision (section 371) that criminalizes agreements to commit any crime against the United States. Section 371 prescribes a sentence of zero to five years’ imprisonment. The plea agreement shows that the Obama DOJ’s Fraud Section was then run by Andrew Weissmann.
[[File:2015-08-07-d47f891b large.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Some of the details of the Uranium One deal and "the future of the energy industry" were worked out in a private meeting between Bill Clinton. Frank Giustra, and Kazatomprom President Moukhtar Dzhakishev in Chappaqua, New York on February 27, 2007. The 'Russian Reset' was necessary to complete the deal.]]
The Justice Department instructs prosecutors that when Congress has given a federal offense its own conspiracy provision with a heightened punishment (as it has for money laundering, racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and other serious crimes), they may not charge a section 371 conspiracy. Section 371 is for less serious conspiracy cases. Using it for money laundering — which caps the sentence below Congress’s intent for that behavior — subverts federal law and signals to the court that the prosecutor does not regard the offense as major. Yet, that is exactly what Rosenstein’s office did, in a plea agreement his prosecutors co-signed with attorneys from the Justice Department’s Fraud Section. (See in ''The Hill''’s report, the third document embedded at the bottom, titled “Mikerin Plea Deal.”) No RICO, no extortion, no fraud — and the plea agreement does not to mention any of the extortions in 2009 and 2010, before Committee on Foreign Investment (CFIUS) in the US approved Rosatom’s acquisition of Uranium One. Mikerin just plead guilty to a nominal “money laundering” conspiracy charge, insulating him from a longer sentence. Thus, he got a term of only four years’ for a major [[national security]] crime.
Before Hillary Clinton could assume her post as [[Secretary of State]] in 2009, the White House demanded that she sign a memorandum of understanding placing limits on Bill Clinton's foundation activities. To avoid the perception of conflicts of interest, beyond the ban on foreign government donations, the foundation was required to publicly disclose all contributors. None of the Uranium One shareholders donations were disclosed after the Rosatom approval. These donations to the [[Clinton Foundation]] totaled some $130 million.<ref>Uranium One Chairman Ian Telfer alone donated through his private Fernwood Foundation $1 million in 2009, the year his company appealed to the U.S. Embassy to help it keep its mines in Kazakhstan; $250,000 in 2010, the year the Russians sought majority control; $600,000 in 2011; and $500,000 in 2012. Telfer’s undisclosed donations came in addition to between $1.3 million and $5.6 million in contributions, which were reported, from a constellation of people with ties to Uranium One or UrAsia, the company that originally acquired Uranium One’s most valuable asset: the Kazakhstan mines.<br>
Under Canadian law the identity of donors to a non-profit entity are are allowed anonymity. Giustra formed with Bill Clinton the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership as part of the Clinton Foundation, which could receive anonymous donations.<br>
After the transfer of Uranium One to Rosatom, Giustra and others donated over $130 million to the Clinton Foundation.
https://www.clintonfoundation.org/our-work/clinton-giustra-enterprise-partnership </ref>
According to the ''[[New York Times]]'',
{{Quotebox|Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the [[Obama]] [[White House]] to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well.<br><br>
And shortly after the Russians announced their intention to acquire a majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech ... The $500,000 fee — among Mr. Clinton’s highest — was paid by Renaissance Capital, a Russian [[investment bank]] with ties to the [[Kremlin]] ...Renaissance Capital analysts talked up Uranium One’s stock, assigning it a “buy” rating and saying in a July 2010 research report that it was “the best play” in the uranium markets.... [[Putin]] personally thanked Mr. Clinton for speaking.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-foundation-as-russians-pressed-for-control-of-uranium-company.html?_r=0</ref> }}
The Department of Justice's National Security Division (NSD) reviewed this transaction in consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and CFIUS agencies. In accordance with standard procedure, NSD evaluated the factors listed in section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended, and ultimately communicated to CFIUS the Department's clearance of this transaction.<ref>https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2017-10-12%20CEG%20to%20OSTP%20(Uranium%20One%20Follow%20up).pdf p.2 fn.4.</ref> With the purchase of Uranium One, Rosatom also bought the uranium exploration rights in [[Arizona]], [[Colorado]], and Utah.<ref>http://www.defenddemocracy.org/media-hit/moscows-american-uranium/</ref> Evidence suggests the [[Hillary Clinton email scandal|33,000 emails Hillary Clinton admitted to destroying]] are related to the Uranium One bribery scandal.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.files.wordpress.com/2017/11/katica-foia-1.jpg <</ref>
[[File:Bill-clinton-moscow-speech.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Pay day: Bill Clinton in Moscow to pick up a $500,000 bribe for his wife Sec. of State Hillary Clinton's approval of the Russian purchase of Uranium One mining company.]]
On June 29, 2010, [[Bill Clinton]] received $500,000 for a [[Moscow]] speech to Renaissance Capital in a pay-to-play bribery scam arranged by Sec. of State [[Hillary Clinton]] for State Dept. approval of Russian purchase of Uranium One, an American mining company. Clinton was thanked personally by Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] after the speech.<ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/24/us/cash-flowed-to-clinton-foundation-as-russians-pressed-for-control-of-uranium-company.html?mtrref=www.breitbart.com&gwh=18536F8B60E8680A988CF8CB1C3C10B2&gwt=pay&assetType=nyt_now </ref> Renaissance Capital is a controlled entity of the Russian government. Bill & Hillary Clinton file joint taxes, are a joint economic unit, therefore any money received by one spouse is joint income to both spouses.
That same June Uranium One and Rosatom notified the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) of the Russian government’s intent to acquire twenty percent of the United States’ uranium assets.<ref>Jo Becker and Mike McIntire, “Cash Flowed to Clinton Foundation Amid Russian Uranium Deal,” THE NEW YORK TIMES(April 23, 2015).</ref>In July Renaissance Bank of Moscow reportedly assigned Uranium One a “buy” rating, a move that would principally benefit its Russian investors. Later the Department of Justice investigation into Prevezon Holdings determined that $13 million from the crime that Sergei Magnitsky uncovered, exposed, and was killed over went to the bank accounts of Renaissance Capital in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>Senate Comm. on the Judiciary, Oversight of the Foreign Agents Registration Act and Attempts to Influence U.S. Elections: Lessons Learned from Current and Prior Administrations, Testimony from Mr. Bill Browder at 20-21 (July 27, 2017).</ref>
After Russia took control of the Uranium, the Podesta Group received $180,000 to lobby for Uranium One during the same period that the Clinton Foundation was receiving millions from U1 interests, and after Russia took majority ownership in the “20 percent” deal (source – you have to add up the years).<ref>http://theduran.com/robert-mueller-looks-to-take-down-john-and-tony-podesta/ </ref><ref>https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientlbs.php?id=D000065156&year=2015 </ref> The uranium company states on its web site it is a “wholly owned subsidiary” of RUSANO, the Russian State Corporation for Nuclear Energy, a Rosatom entity. Tony Podesta’s lobbying firm, the Podesta Group, represented the Russian-owned company Uranium One during former President Barack Obama’s administration and did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, The Daily Caller News Foundation has determined.<ref>http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/05/tony-podesta-lobbied-for-russias-uranium-one-and-did-not-file-as-a-foreign-agent/?utm_source=site-share </ref> The Podesta Group lobbied on behalf of Uranium One for part of 2012 and in 2014 and 2015, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The Podesta Group was not listed as a lobbyist for Uranium One during its sale to ROSATOM in 2010. The Podesta Group did not file under FARA during any of the years when it lobbied both Congress and the executive branch.
Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) is composed of the leaders of 14 US government agencies involved in [[national security]] and commerce. In 2010, these included Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and [[Attorney General]] [[Eric Holder]], whose [[Justice Department]] and lead agency, the FBI, were conducting the investigation of Rosatom’s ongoing U.S. racketeering, extortion, and money-laundering scheme.<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/10/22/senate-probe-investigating-whether-robert-mueller-alerted-obama-administration-russian-bribery-scheme/ </ref>
Four senior House national security xperts — [[Peter King]] (R., N.Y.), [[Ileana Ros-Lehtinen]] (R., Fla.), [[Spencer Bachus]] (R., Ala.), and Howard McKeon (R. Calif.) — voiced grave concerns, pointing out that Rosatom had helped Iran build its Bushehr nuclear reactor. The members concluded that “the take-over of essential US nuclear resources by a government-owned Russian agency . . . would not advance the [[national security]] interests of the United States.” Republican senator [[John Barrasso]] objected to [[Kremlin]] control of uranium assets in his state of [[Wyoming]], warning of Russia’s “disturbing record of supporting nuclear programs in countries that are openly hostile to the United States, specifically [[Iran]] and [[Venezuela]].”
On October 22, 2010 CFIUS certified to Congress the sale of Uranium One to Rosatom of the Russian Federation.<ref>CFIUS Certification to Congress, Case 10-40: Rosatom (Russian Federation)/Uranium One, Inc, (October 22, 2010). </ref> No disclosure of Russian racketeering and strong-arm tactics was made to Congress — not by Secretary Clinton, Attorney General Holder, or President Obama.
====Clinton email scandal====
:''Man article:'' [[Hillary Clinton email scandal]]
On June 27, 2014 an Intelligence Community Directive ICD 732 was issued requiring a damage assessment be conducted whenever there is 'an actual or suspected unauthorized disclosure or compromise of classified national intelligence that may cause damage to U.S. national security. Despite Dir. Comey's finding Hillary Clinton's server did indeed contain classified information, no such damage assessment was ever made following [[Wikileaks]] disclosure of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails.
In early April 2016 President Obama intervened in an ongoing FBI criminal investigation when he publicly stated on national television that Hillary Clinton has shown “carelessness” in using a private e-mail server to handle classified information. Obama insisted that Clinton had not intended to endanger [[national security]]. Intent is not an element of the criminal statutes relevant to the handling of classified information. Obama acknowledged that classified information had been transmitted via Sec. Clinton’s server, but he suggested its importance was overstated.
On May 2, 2016 FBI Dir. James Comey wrote an internal memorandum saying Hillary Clinton and others were guilty of [[felony|gross negligence]] which is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.<ref>http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/06/report-comey-accused-clinton-of-gross-negligence-in-email-case/?utm_source=site-share</ref> On July 5 Comey announced that Sec. Clinton and staff were “extremely careless in their handling of very sensitive, highly classified information," and "there is evidence of potential violations of the [[statute]]s regarding the handling of classified information…There is [[evidence]] to support a conclusion that any reasonable person in Secretary Clinton’s position, or in the position of those with whom she was corresponding about the matters, should have known that an unclassified system was no place for that conversation." Comey referred the matter to the Justice Dept. for a prosecutorial decision. In the absence of prosecution, security or administrative sanctions are the norm.<ref>[https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/statement-by-fbi-director-james-b-comey-on-the-investigation-of-secretary-hillary-clinton2019s-use-of-a-personal-e-mail-system Statement by Director James Comey on the Investigation of Secretary Hillary Clinton’s Use of a Personal E-Mail System] (July i5, 2015).</ref> Comey's decision to by-pass DoJ rules and take matters into his own hands may have been part of a counterintelligence operation.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/james-comey-is-maxwell-smart-1501022653?mod=e2fb</ref>
Sen. [[Ron Johnson]] of Homeland Security committee stated, "The edits to Director Comey’s public statement,<ref>http://dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Screen-Shot-2017-12-14-at-3.59.10-PM-620x363.png</ref> made months prior to the conclusion of the FBI’s investigation of Secretary Clinton’s conduct, had a significant impact on the FBI’s public evaluation of the implications of her actions." Johnson stated the edits “raise profound questions about the FBI’s role and possible interference in the 2016 presidential election.”<ref>https://www.conservativeinstitute.org/government-corruption/comey-concluded-hillary-hacked.htm</ref>
The list of FBI conspirators who exonerated Hillary Clinton includes: James Comey, Andrew McCabe, Bill Briestap, Peter Strzok, James Rybecki, Johnathan Moffa, James Baker, Trisha Anderson, David Bowdich and several names redacted.<ref>https://vault.fbi.gov/drafts-of-director-comeys-july-5-2016-statement-regarding-email-server-investigation/Drafts%20of%20Director%20Comeys%20July%205%2C%202016%20Statement%20Regarding%20Email%20Server%20Investigation%20Part%2001%20of%2001/view</ref><ref>http://thegatewaypundit.com/2017/12/386625/</ref>
FBI Deputy Counterintelligence investigator Peter Strzok personally interviewed Hillary Clinton after Barack Obama directed the FBI to exonerate her. No oath, video, or transcript was made. Strzok then procured Hillary Clinton's ''Steele dossier'' for the FBI's Russia investigation. Strzok also conducted liaison with other [[intelligence community]] agencies, including the [[CIA]] led by Director [[John Brennan]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/03/mueller-aide-fired-for-anti-trump-texts-now-facing-review-for-role-in-clinton-email-probe.html</ref>
====Snowden revelations====
One of the focal points of the documents [[Edward Snowden]] leaked is not so much the technical marvels of intelligence collectors, rather the existence of, and extent to which intelligence agencies worldwide share information through cooperative sharing agreements (also known as 'shell game eavesdropping' or 'third party relationships').<ref>https://theintercept.com/document/2014/03/13/third-party-relationships/%20/?Edi</ref> While the programs are billed as efforts to fight terrorism, international drug cartels, [[money laundering]], and safeguard [[national security]], they exist and function only on the basis of circumventing national laws in the respective countries whose agencies cooperate in the efforts.
[[File:Full-spectrum-cyber-effects-final-p4-large.gif|right|300px|thumb|US Government document from 2010 part of the Snowden leaks and sharing agreements with the [[UK]]. The Five Eyes program of the English speaking world (United States, United Kingdom, [[Canada]], [[Australia]], and [[New Zealand]]) use [[social media]] for “[[propaganda]],” “[[deception]],” “mass messaging,” “pushing stories”, and "discrediting” the intelligence agencies' enemies with false information spread online.<ref>https://theintercept.com/document/2014/04/04/full-spectrum-cyber-effects/</ref>]]
Fort Meade, MD, for instance, home of the [[NSA]] which has the technical ability to monitor and spy on any American with an Obama phone or flat screen TV in their living room, cannot do so without [[probable cause]] or a [[warrant]]. So two employees of the UK's [[GCHQ]] in residence standby at the ready to man the helm and perform the operation ''legally'' under the guise of international intelligence sharing and national security.<ref>http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2013/0614/Another-US-UK-special-relationship-between-intelligence-services</ref>
While the United States possessed greater capacity and resources in surveillance technology, the United Kingdom was less scrupulous in violating privacy rights and civil rights, and more aggressive in cyber attacks and the use of [[fake news]] to discredit and harass their political enemies, including domestic opponents. Under Obama, the marriage of passive [[surveillance]] and active cyber warfare against political opponents accelerated, with both the UK and US extending cooperative agreements and technology to other third party agencies [[globalism|globally]].
Snowden leaks reveal Britain's GCHQ and other European spy agencies work together to conduct mass surveillance. The files also make clear that GCHQ played a leading role in advising its European counterparts how to work around national laws intended to restrict the surveillance power of intelligence agencies. ''The Guardian'' article reports,<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/01/gchq-europe-spy-agencies-mass-surveillance-snowden</ref>
{{Quotebox|It is clear from the Snowden documents that GCHQ has become Europe's intelligence hub in the internet age, and not just because of its success in creating a legally permissive environment for its operations. Britain's location as the European gateway for many transatlantic cables, and its privileged relationship with the NSA has made GCHQ an essential partner for European agencies. The documents show British officials frequently lobbying the NSA on sharing of data with the Europeans and haggling over its security classification so it can be more widely disseminated. In the intelligence world, far more than it managed in diplomacy, Britain has made itself an indispensable bridge between America and Europe's spies.}}
The ''[[Guardian]]'' revealed tapping through back doors into US internet companies such as [[Apple]], [[Google]] and [[Facebook]] with a program called Prism> Its GCHQ counterpart is called Tempora.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data</ref> UK government struck a secret deal with the NSA to share phone, internet, and email records of UK citizens. Lake on how Britain's GCHQ taps fiber-optic cables to collect and store global email messages, Facebook posts, internet histories, and calls, and then shares the data with the NSA. And the top-secret procedures the NSA must take to target and collect data from "non-US persons" and how the NSA must minimize, or mask, data collected on 'US persons'.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/20/fisa-court-nsa-without-warrant</ref> The ''[[washington Post]]'' published a new slide detailing NSA's "Upstream" program of collecting communications from tech companies through fiber-optic cables to then feed into its Prism database.
On June 9, 2013 Snowden stepped forward as the source of the leaks published in ''The Guardian''.<ref name="theguardian.com">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/09/nsa-secret-surveillance-lawmakers-live</ref> Introducing himself Snowden says,<ref>https://youtu.be/9u5ecSR_rag</ref>
{{Quotebox|“'''I, sitting at my desk, certainly had the authorities to wiretap anyone''', from you or your accountant, to a federal judge, to '''even the president''' if I had a personal e-mail.<br><br>
It’s getting to the point you don’t have to have done anything wrong. You simply have to eventually fall under suspicion from somebody, even by a wrong call, and then they can use the system to go back in time and scrutinize every decision you have ever made.”}}
Training materials provided by Snowden for XKeyscore propgram detailed how analysts can use it and other systems to mine enormous NSA databases by filling in a simple on-screen form giving only a broad justification for the search. The request is not reviewed by a court or any NSA personnel before it is processed. The program covers "nearly everything a typical user does on the internet", including the content of emails, websites visited and searches, as well as their metadata. Under US law, the NSA is required to obtain an individualized [[FISA]] warrant only if the target of their surveillance is a 'US person', though no such warrant is required for intercepting the communications of Americans with foreign targets. But '''XKeyscore provides''' the technological capability, if not '''the legal authority, to target even US persons''' for extensive electronic surveillance '''without a warrant provided''' that some identifying information, such as '''their email or IP address, is known.''' NSA analysts, using the XKeyscore program, can search through enormous databases of emails, online chats, and browsing histories of targets.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/31/nsa-top-secret-program-online-data</ref><ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/jul/31/nsa-xkeyscore-program-full-presentation</ref>
As the 4th of July holiday approached, [[Pentagon Papers]] and [[Watergate]] hero [[Daniel Ellsberg]] called for a Congressional probe of “abuses of American intelligence agencies” and to “restore the protections in the [[Bill of Rights]]."<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/01/daniel-ellsberg-issues-call-for-a-new-church-committee-to-probe-nsa.html</ref>
====Intimidation of journalists====
In April of 2010 Obama Attn. Gen. Eric Holder renewed a subpoena of ''New York Times'' reporter James Risen in a leak investigation. Risen and a colleague reported on warrantless wiretaps. The coverage won Risen and colleague a [[Pulitzer Prize]] for “carefully sourced stories on secret domestic eavesdropping that stirred a national debate.” The Justice Dept. opened an investigation into the wiretap stories. John Brennan played a key role in the illegal wiretap program, overseeing the production of what personnel in the program called the “scary memos” intended to justify the domestic spying exposed by Risen. Brennan later admitted that he relied on information from CIA’s torture program rather than domestic spying, which was used as a cover. In a frontpage May 13, 2004 story the torture program was exposed with Risen as the lead reporter.
In September an internal email entitled “Obama Leak Investigations” at “global intelligence” company Stratfor claimed Obama’s then-White House adviser [John Brennan was targeting [[journalist]]s.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120925054433/http://wikileaks.org:80/gifiles/docs/1210665_obama-leak-investigations-internal-use-only-pls-do-not.html</ref><ref>http://www.breitbart.com/big-journalism/2013/05/22/wikileaks-stratfor-e-mail-brennan-behind-witch-hunt-of-journalists-reporting-leaks/</ref>
{{Quotebox|"Brennan is behind the [[witch hunt]]s of investigative journalists learning information from inside the beltway sources,” writes one Stratfor official to another. The email continues: “Note — '''There is specific tasker from the [White House] to go after anyone printing materials negative to the Obama agenda''' (oh my.) Even the FBI is shocked. The Wonder Boys must be in meltdown mode…”}}
“The Wonder Boys” refers to the [[National Security Agency]] (NSA).<ref>Credit:Sharyl Attkisson. https://wikileaks.org/gifiles/docs/12/1210665_obama-leak-investigations-internal-use-only-pls-do-not.html</ref>
On May 13, 2013 the [[Associated Press]] announced telephone records for 20 of their reporters had been subpoenaed by the Justice Department. News sources reported the US Attorney's office for the District of Columbia was conducting a criminal investigation into publication of a foiled terrorist plot in May of 2012. The Justice Dept. subpoenaed the phone records of AP from [[Verizon]] and other service providers.<ref name=verizonslate>{{cite web|last=Gallagher|first=Ryan|title=Verizon Wireless Secretly Passed AP Reporters' Phone Records to Feds|publisher=www.slate.com|date=May 16, 2013|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/05/16/verizon_wireless_passed_ap_reporters_phone_records_to_the_feds.html|accessdate=}}</ref> The AP claimed these acts were a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into news-gathering.<ref name=TTSanchez>{{cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Raf|title=US Justice Department secretly seizes Associated Press phone records|publisher=The Telegraph|date=May 13, 2013|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/10055318/US-Justice-Department-secretly-seizes-Associated-Press-phone-records.html|accessdate=}}</ref><ref name=TG130513>{{cite web|author=Washington (AP)|title=US government secretly obtained Associated Press phone records|publisher=The Guardian|date=May 13, 2013|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/may/13/america-government-associated-press-phone-records|accessdate=}}</ref> CEO Gary Pruitt of AP stated: "These records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources across all of the newsgathering activities undertaken by the AP during a two-month period, provide a road map to AP's newsgathering operations and disclose information about AP's activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know."<ref name=CNNJohns>{{cite web|author=Matt Smith and Joe Johns|title=AP blasts feds for phone records search|publisher=CNN|date=May 14, 2013|url=http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/13/us/justice-ap-phones/?hpt=hp_t2|accessdate=}}</ref><ref name=holder>{{cite web|author=Gary B. Pruitt|title=AP letter to Eric Holder on seizure of phone records|publisher=USA Today|date=May 13, 2013|url=http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/05/13/doj-seizes-ap-phone-records/2156819/|accessdate=June 1, 2013}}</ref>
On March 10, 2014, Emmy Award-winning News Anchor [[Sharyl Attkisson]] resigned from [[CBS News]] alleging the network was spiking news stories that were unflattering to Barack Obama.<ref name=Macneal-resignation>{{cite news|last=Macneal|first=Caitlin|title=CBS Investigative Reporter Sharyl Attkisson Resigns From Network|url=http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sharyl-attkisson-cbs-resigns|accessdate=|newspaper=Talking Points Memo|date=March 10, 2014}}</ref> In her Best Seller, ''Stonewalled: One Reporter's Fight for Truth Against the Forces of Obstruction, Intimidation, and Harassment in Obama's Washington'',<ref name="NYT Best Stonewalled">{{cite news|title=Best Sellers: Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-11-23/combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction/list.html|accessdate=|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=November 23, 2014}}</ref> Attkisson tells how her work and personal computers had been hacked for more than two years after she began filing stories about the [[Benghazi massacre]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/sharyl-attkisson-computers-compromised-cbs_n_3313199.html|title=CBS' Sharyl Attkisson: My Computers Were Compromised, 'Could Be Some Relationship' To DOJ Scandals|last=Mirkinson|first=Jack|date=May 21, 2013|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|accessdate=November 1, 2014}}</ref> Attkisson is a recipient the ''Edward R. Murrow Award'', named for the journalist who had the courage to challenge Sen. [[Joseph McCarthy]]. Attkisson reported on the Obama administration's sales of illegal guns to Mexican drug cartels used to kill US Immigration Enforcement officers in [[Operation Fast and Furious]],<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/09/chaffetz-subpoenas-atf-agents-who-skipped-hearing-on-death-ice-officer.html</ref> and Hillary Clinton's bogus claim she landed under sniper fire in Serbia.
CBS News investigated and found evidence of multiple unauthorized accesses by a third party in late 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/sharyl-attkisson_n_3442019.html|title=CBS News Confirms Sharyl Attkisson's Computer Breached|date=June 14, 2013|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|accessdate=}}</ref> The hackers were identified by experts as a US Government intelligence agency.<ref>{{Citation|last=Smith|first=Kyle|author-link=Kyle Smith|last2=Golding|first2=Bruce|title=Ex-CBS reporter: Government agency bugged my computer|newspaper=[[New York Post]]|date=October 27, 2014|url=http://nypost.com/2014/10/27/ex-cbs-reporter-government-related-entity-bugged-my-computer|accessdate=}}</ref> In March 2015, Attkisson and her family initiated suit against Eric Holder, Patrick R. Donahoe and unnamed agents of the [[US Department of Justice]], the US Postal Service and the United States claiming to have been subjected to illegal surveillance activities and [[4th Amendment]] violations of their [[civil rights]].<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/01/05/attkisson-sues-government-over-computer-intrusions Attkisson sues government over computer intrusions], ''Washington Post''; Retrieved March 6, 2015.</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2015/01/05/Editorial-Opinion/Graphics/attkisson-lawsuit.pdf Editorial Opinion re Attkisson], ''Washington Post''; Retrieved March 6, 2015.</ref>
====CIA abuses====
[[File:Feinstein.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Sen. Diane Feinstein, Chair of the Intelligence Committee entrusted with oversight of CIA was hacked by Brennan's CIA looking into Brennan and CIA use of torture. This egregious abuse of power by the Obama Executive branch was papered over by the Democrats in the administration and Senate by having Brennan offer Feinstein an apology. No one was prosecuted. No one went to jail. No reforms were initiated or proposed in Congress.]]
On March 4, 2014 ''McClatchy'' reported on CIA spying on Congressional oversighters.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article24764752.html</ref> Sen. Mark Udall wrote President Obama: "As you are aware, the CIA has recently taken unprecedented action against the committee in relation to the internal CIA review and I find these actions to be incredibly troubling for the committee's oversight responsibilities and for our democracy," he writes. "It is essential that the committee be able to do its oversight work – consistent with our constitutional principle of the [[separation of powers]] – without the CIA posing impediments or obstacles as it is today."<ref>http://www.scribd.com/doc/210597656/Udall-Challenges-White-House-to-Support-Fullest-Possible-Declassification-of-Intelligence-Committee-s-Torture-Study</ref><ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20140627161317/http://www.markudall.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3536</ref>
The following week Senate [[Democrat]] Intelligence Committee Chair [[Diane Feinstein]] took to the Senate floor to accuse the Obama CIA of violating "the [[Fourth Amendment]], the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as Executive Order 12333, which prohibits the C.I.A. from conducting domestic searches or surveillance," and "breaching a constitutional boundary" of intimidation and spying on the US Senate.<ref>https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/a-brief-history-of-the-cias-unpunished-spying-on-the-senate/384003/</ref> Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] backed the investigation into Obama CIA hacking of the Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee's computers,<ref name="theguardian.com/world">https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/31/cia-admits-spying-senate-staffers</ref> and notifies Brennan and Attn. Gen. [[Eric Holder]] that the Capital Police will investigate charges that the CIA accessed the Intelligence Oversight Committee’s computer network.
On July 31 the CIA admited to hacking into the Senate Intelligence oversighter committee's computers, and spying on the Senate.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article24771274.html</ref> Brennan lied to Congress.<ref>https://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/08/01/world/senate-intelligence-commitee-cia-interrogation-report.html_r=0&referer=https://www.google.com/</ref> Democratic Sen. [[Mark Udall]] called for John Brennan's resignation.<ref name="theguardian.com/world"/>
In the Spring of 2016 Brennan received information from British GCHQ intelligence as part of a "routine" intelligence sharing agreement about Trump associates' business dealings in Russia.<ref>https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/interview-richard-dearlove-europe-intelligence-mi6 </ref> The information is said to have originated with Estonian intelligence. [[Estonia]] was requesting an expensive missile defence system at this time,<ref>https://www.ft.com/content/b9453544-228c-11e6-9d4d-c11776a5124d</ref><ref>http://linkis.com/atlanticcouncil.org/fAWKh</ref> Trump adviser [[Newt Gingrich]] refered to the country of 1.3 million inhabitants as a 'suburb of St. Petersberg', which has 5.3 million inhabitants. Gingrich, rumoured to be on the short list for Secretary of State, said he doubted if American leaders would risk [[nuclear war]] over [[Putin]]'s actions in the Baltic region.
Brennan formed a joint counterintelligence task force based on the Estonian report, and continued intelligence sharing with GCHQ. The CIA cannot act domestically against American citizens. Allegedly, the information that triggered Brennan to act was a tape recorded conversation that mentioned money from the Kremlin to the Trump Campaign. The FBI began an investigation into Paul Manafort's associations.<ref>''NYT'', 1/19/17</ref>
On January 3, 2017 Attn. Gen. Loretta Lynch signed off on new rules permitting the [[NSA]] to disseminate “raw signals intelligence information.”<ref>[https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3283349-Raw-12333-surveillance-sharing-guidelines.html PROCEDURES FOR THE AVAILABILITY OR DISSEMINATION OF RAW SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION BY THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY UNDER SECTION 2.3 OF EXECUTIVE ORDER 12333 (RAW SIGINT AVAILABILITY PROCEDURES). OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. UNCLASSIFIED]</ref> This constitutes Obama's amending Executive Order 12333.<ref>http://circa.com/politics/some-us-intelligence-officials-want-trump-to-rescind-obamas-expansion-of-nsa-data</ref> DNI James Clapper previously signed off on 15 December 2016.
Three days later Brennan issued his scathing attack on Donald Trump.<ref>[https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ICA_2017_01.pdf ]</ref><ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/46546.htm</ref> Simultaneously, FBI Dir. Comey asked for one-on-one meeting with Trump to alert him to the ''Steele dossier'', which which the Obama administration already leaked.<ref>https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/sites/default/files/documents/os-jcomey-060817.pdf</ref>
The ''New York Times'' reported "In its final days, the [[Obama administration]] has expanded the power of the [[National Security Agency]] to share globally intercepted personal communications with the government’s 16 other intelligence agencies before applying privacy protections," basically, an authorization to circulate Brennan's memo, a rehash of old reports on [[RT]] with a few pages of the ''Steele dossier''.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/nsa-gets-more-latitude-to-share-intercepted-communications.html ]</ref> The expansion of the order makes it difficult to narrow in on leaks.
After first denying involvement, the UK's GCHQ spying agency admitted to spying on Trump since 2015 and sharing information with US intelligence since the '''spring of 2016''',<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/apr/13/british-spies-first-to-spot-trump-team-links-russia</ref> <ref>http://upnorth.eu/if-trump-wins/</ref><ref>
https://web.archive.org/web/20161014165625/https://arvamus.postimees.ee/v2/3786189/jueri-luik-kui-trump-voidab</ref><ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/04/13/judge-napolitano-vindicated-british-intelligence-was-used-by-obama-administration-to-obtain-fisa-warrants-on-trump-team/</ref><ref>
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/04/no_author/judge-napolitano-vindicated/</ref>
[[Seymour Hersh]] reported that the Trump-Russia collusion story was invented by the [[intelligence community|US Intelligence Community]] to help defeat Donald Trump in the [[2016 Presidential election]] and as an "insurance policy" in the event he might win. The scam was invented by CIA Dir. John Brennan, DNI James Clapper and Director of the NSA Mike Rogers. <!--He accuses them of “peddling false information” and misleading President Barack Obama.--> Hersh attributes their treachery to wanting to keep their jobs in a Hillary Clinton administration.<ref>https://youtu.be/giuZdBAXVh0</ref>
''Circa'' reported "As his presidency drew to a close, Barack Obama’s top aides routinely reviewed intelligence reports gleaned from the National Security Agency’s incidental intercepts of Americans abroad, taking advantage of rules their boss relaxed starting in 2011 to help the government better fight terrorism, espionage by foreign enemies and hacking threats. ...Among those cleared to request and consume unmasked NSA-based intelligence reports about U.S. citizens were Obama’s national security adviser [[Susan Rice]], his CIA Director John Brennan and then-Attorney General [[Loretta Lynch]]."<ref>http://circa.com/politics/barack-obama-changed-how-nsa-intercepts-of-americans-like-donald-trump-could-be-shared</ref>
====James Clapper====
On March 12, 2013 in public testimony before the Senate Intelligence Oversight Committee [[Democrat]]ic Sen. [[Ron Wyden]] asked Obama Director of National Intelligence ([[DNI]]) James Clapper, "Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on millions, or hundreds of millions, of Americans?" Clapper replied, “No sir. Not wittingly."<ref>https://youtu.be/nsmo0hUWJ08</ref> One month later the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court secretly approved the latest FBI request to continue obtaining daily telephone records of millions of [[Verizon]] customers.<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/jun/06/verizon-telephone-data-court-order</ref> The judge ordered Verizon to turn over the information to the National Security Agency (NSA).<ref>https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/nsa-phone-records-verizon-court-order</ref> This directly contradicted Clapper’s sworn testimony to Congress. Obama defended the wiretapping.<ref>https://usnews.newsvine.com/_news/2013/06/07/18824941-obama-nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls?lite</ref>
Asked at a hearing if the Justice Dept. spies on members of Congress, Attn. Gen. Holder refuses to answer.<ref>http://www.mediaite.com/tv/asked-if-justice-department-is-spying-on-congress-holder-refuses-to-answer/</ref>
A letter in late July from Clapper posted on Sen. Wyden's website, Clapper acknowledged that NSA analysts have exceeded even [[legal]] limits as interpreted by the NSA in domestic surveillance.<ref name="wyden.senate.gov"/> Sen. Wyden responded on the Senate floor: "These violations are more serious than those stated by the [[intelligence community]], and are troubling."
In mid 2014 Clapper fired [[Defense Intelligence Agency]] Chief [[Mike Flynn]].<ref>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/head-of-pentagon-intelligence-agency-forced-out-officials-say/2014/04/30/ec15a366-d09d-11e3-9e25-188ebe1fa93b_story.html?utm_term=.45a637102303</ref><ref>http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/michael-flynn-isis-memoir/2016/07/10/id/737937/</ref> Flynn opposed Obama's support for the [[Islamic State]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20170216061621/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/obama-secret-syria-order_n_1730712.html?tw_p=twt</ref><ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41943.htm </ref><ref>https://archive.org/stream/10ALQAEDATRAININGMANUELOperationCyclone1979179/U.S.%20MILITARY%20ARMS%p20SYRIAN%20REBELS,%20CREATING%20ISIS%20-%20Al%20Qaeda%20Iraq%20Syria%20ISIS%20-%20DOCUMENTS%20-7_djvu.txt </ref> A US Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan with a new generation of US Stinger missile procured by the [[Taliban]] from [[Qatar]]. A serial number from the missile casing was recovered, tracing the Stinger's origin to a lot disbursed to the CIA which the CIA delivered to Qatar, intended for Libya and Syria durng the Libyan war. Hillary Clinton's State Dept. and John Brennan's CIA jointly ran a covert weapons supply program (Operation Zero Footprint).<ref>http://nypost.com/2014/06/08/how-the-taliban-got-their-hands-on-modern-us-missiles/</ref> Flynn was outraged at the findings of the DIA investigation, that US weapons supplied by Obama/Hillary/Brennan's covert assistance to [[jihad]]is were used to kill Americans.
Dir. James Comey testified before the House Intelligence Committee that Barack Obama, James Clapper's, Loretta Lynch, Sally Yates, [[Susan Rice]], and John Brennan all had access to sensitive wiretap information which contained the name of Gen. Mike Flynn. Leaking to the press the identity of Flynn was a [[felony]] because the information was part of a confidential intelligence gathering operation and the information had been “masked” to protect Flynn's identity.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/20/while-questioning-fbis-comey-gowdy-accuses-obama-team-leaks-no-proof/99412100/</ref>
An attorney for Freedom Watch representing a whistleblower<ref>http://www.aim.org/special-report/a-watergate-style-threat-to-the-democratic-process/</ref> allegd his client has evidence that "spy agencies were engaged for years in systematic illegal surveillance on prominent Americans, including the chief justice of the [[Supreme Court]], other justices, 156 judges, prominent businessmen such as Donald Trump... Working side by side with Obama's former Director of National Intelligence (DNI), James Clapper, and Obama's former Director of the CIA, John Brennan," his client "witnessed 'up close and personal' this 'Orwellian Big Brother' intrusion on privacy, likely for potential coercion, blackmail or other nefarious purposes."<ref>http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-22/bombshell-cia-whistleblower-leaked-proof-trump-under-systematic-illegal-government-s</ref> Evidence has been made public by a federal judge that [[SCOTUS]] Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] was hacked in an operation overseen by John Brennan and James Clapper.<ref>http://bigleaguepolitics.com/evidence-supreme-court-justice-john-roberts-hacked-obama-officials/</ref>
====Election interference====
:''[[Deep state coup]]''
{{See also|FBI scandal}}
A month after [[Donald Trump]]] announced his intention to seek the presidency in 2015, Dep. Attn. Gen. Sally Yates blocked the Office of Inspector General (OIG) oversight of the DOJ National Security Division (DOJ-NSD). The OIG, Michael Horowitz, requested oversight and Sally Yates responded with a lengthy 58-page legal explanation saying essentially, ‘no – not allowed.’ All of the DOJ was subject to oversight, except the National Security Division.
President Obama’s political operatives within the DOJ-NSD were conducting illegal surveillance to monitor the Trump campaign. The NSD unit was working in coordination with Peter Strzok and others of the FBI Counterintelligence Division.
Sometime in early 2016 NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers became aware of “ongoing” and “intentional” violations of the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]] (FISA) - Section 702 surveillance. Specifically item #17 “About Queries” of US persons. Rogers suspected FISA 702 (#17 – email and phone calls) surveillance activity was being used for reasons he deemed unlawful. In mid 2016 Rogers ordered the NSA compliance officer to run a full audit on 702 NSA compliance. In October 2016 Rogers told the FISA court he became aware of unlawful surveillance and collection of US persons. The FBI counterintelligence division was monitoring Trump through FISA 702(17) upstream surveillance collected by a DOJ National Security Division that had no oversight.
Ten days after the election, on November 17, 2016, Dir. Rogers traveled to Trump Tower without telling DNI James Clapper. Rogers likely informed President-elect Trump of the illegal activity by the FBI and DOJ, including the probability that all of Trump Tower’s email and phone communication were being collected. Clapper then demanded Rogers be fired. It would appear Obama’s Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, is complicit as well, although Clapper denies participating.<ref>https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2018/01/05/operation-condor-how-nsa-director-mike-rogers-saved-the-u-s-from-a-massive-constitutional-crisis/ </ref>
----
[[FusionGPS]] was hired by the law firm of BakerHostetler to compile a dossier on Bill Browder, a [[London]] banker. Browder lobbied strongly for passage of the [[Magnitsky Act]], or Russia sanctions bill. The bill is named for an employee of Browder who died under suspicious circumstances in a Russian while investigating the loss of $350 million dollars. The sanctions bill must he re-authorized every several years. Glenn Simpson, a founding partner of Fusion GPS, compiled the dossier for the anti-Browder project and worked closely with Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer. Denis Katsyv, the owner of Prevezon Holdings, sought to undo and limit the impact of sanctions in the 2016 re-authorization bill. BakerHostetler, the firm representing Katsyv and Prevezon Holdings made a payment to FusionGPS on March 7, 2016, court records indicate. Through October 31, 2016 BakerHostetler paid FusionGPS $523,651.<ref>http://dailycaller.com/2017/11/21/unsealed-fusion-gps-bank-records-show-russia-related-payments/?utm_source=site-share</ref>
Natalie Veselnitskaya was granted special immigration parole status by Obama Attn. General Loretta Lynch to represent Prevezon Holdings in an asset forfeiture agreement for $6 million with the U.S. government over a Russia money-laundering suit on May 12, 2016. Veselnitskaya overstayed her immigration parole status to work for FusionGPS in illegal lobbying scheme for repeal of Russian sanctions. Neither Veselnitskaya nor FusionGPS registered as Russian agents under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).
Simpson’s Russian lobbying work involved passing stories to his deep network of [[journalism]] contacts in order to undermine the Magnitsky Act. Bill Browder, a London banker whom the Russians cheated out of $350 million, confirmed FusionGPS was paid by [[Russia]] through the Katsyv family. The Katsyv family is headed by Pyotr Katsyv, Vice President of ‘Russian Railways’, a huge Russian transportation company, in which the Russian government is the sole shareholder.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/checking-facts-there-evidence-fusion-gps-was-paid-russia-while-compiling-trump</ref> The Obama FBI and [[DOJ]] ignored Browder's Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) complaint.
Ike Kaveladze<ref>https://ru.linkedin.com/in/ikekaveladze</ref> and FusionGPS operatives Natalia Veselnitskaya<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-seeks-more-information-pro-russia-lobbyist-present-trump-jr-meeting</ref> and Rinat Akhmetshin<ref>http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/rinat-akhmetshin-who-russian-lobbyist-who-met-trump-team-n783161</ref> met with Donald Trump Jr. and [[Jared Kushner]] on June 9,
2016.<ref>https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/complaint-firm-behind-dossier-former-russian-intel-officer-joined-lobbying-effort</ref> The meeting was arranged by Fusion GPS associate Rob Goldstone. Hours before the Trump Tower meeting, Simpson met with Veselnitskaya and again after.<ref>https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-01-06/fusion-gps-bank-records-handed-over-may-shed-light-payments-russian-embezzler </ref> Veselnitskaya told [[NBC News]] she received the information she brought to the meeting — describing alleged tax evasion and donations to Democrats — from Simpson.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/11/07/fusion-gps-official-met-with-russian-operative-before-and-after-trump-jr-sit-down.html </ref><ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-dossier-firm-also-supplied-info-used-meeting-russians-trump-n819526 </ref><ref>https://pjmedia.com/trending/honeypot-confirmed-russian-lawyer-met-with-fusion-gps-before-and-after-meeting-with-trump-camp/ </ref> Veselnitskaya also shared Simpson’s work with Yuri Chaika, the prosecutor general of Russia. FusionGPS hired Christopher Steele to author the ''Steele dossier'' three days after the meeting.<ref>http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/03/how-the-explosive-russian-dossier-was-compiled-christopher-steele</ref><!--???*'''June.''' Civilian(?) From the industry probe(?) into the (2015?) hack finds servers in two Moscow banks (what does this have to do with probe of DNC servers?) (Alfa and Sperbank) directly pinging one server in Trump Tower.--> Mark Corallo, attorney for Donald Trump, Jr. revealed that FusionGPS misrepresented themselves to arrange a meeting between Donald Trump Jr, and the Russian lawyer Natalie Veselnitskaya in an effort to compromise the Trump organization.<ref>https://www.circa.com/story/2017/07/08/donald-trump-jr-met-with-russian-lawyer-during-election-but-didnt-follow-up</ref>
In late June, after former President [[Bill Clinton]]'s meeting with Attn. Gen. [[Loretta Lynch]] on the airport tarmac in [[Phoenix]], the Justice Department sought [[FISA]] warrants to eavesdrop on Donald Trump, Carter Page, Paul Manafort, and Boris Epshteyn. The FISA court denied the initial request.<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/article/443768/obama-fisa-trump-wiretap-may-have-been-sought </ref> It is improbable that the [[Attorney General]] would act on her own against a presidential nominee of another party without consulting [[President Obama]].<ref>https://youtu.be/5CSZKmssG2o</ref> Simultaneously FBI agent Peter Strzok had direct contact with Christopher Steele and received a preliminary draft of the ''Steele dossier''.<ref>https://www.wsj.com/articles/lifting-the-steele-curtain-1510274070 </ref> Former Trump campaign associate Carter Page flew to [[Moscow]] in early July to deliver the graduation commencement speech at the New Economic School, an honor President Obama held in 2009.<ref>https://youtu.be/bu8vI4js_OE</ref> Obama agents used Carter's trip as pretext to obtain a FISA warrant on Page.<ref>https://sharylattkisson.com/when-incidental-intel-collection-isnt-incidental/</ref> After whitewashing the Hillary Clinton investigation, Strzok signed the documents initiating an FBI investigation into Russian interference in the [[2016 presidential election]].
----
On May 7, 2017 Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were summoned to FBI headquarters for an emergency meeting with bureau cybersecurity agents, CIA representatives, and Dir. [[James Comey]].<ref>http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fbi-probing-attempted-hack-trump-organization-officials/story?id=47652150</ref> Comey was fired the next day and Andrew McCabe became Acting Director.<ref>http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/alan-dershowitz-history-precedent-and-james-comeys-opening-statement-show-that-trump-did-not-obstruct-justice/article/2625318</ref> Despite being under no less than three Inspector General investigations into the Clinton, Russia, and [[FusionGPS]] matters, McCabe still failed to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.<ref>https://www.circa.com/story/2017/06/28/fbi-chief-mccabe-faces-three-separate-federal-inquiries-into-his-behavior</ref><ref>http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/new-fbi-director-mccabe-compromised-by-serious-conflict-941110851569</ref> A week before being ousted as Director by Christopher Wray, McCabe staged a highly publicized raid on Paul Manafort's home to seize Manafort's Senate Intelligence Committee transcript containing privileged information under attorney-client and immunity deals with Congress.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/politics/russia-mueller-hill/index.html</ref><ref>http://heavy.com/news/2017/08/trump-manafort-raid-fbi-director-mccabe-tweets-fired-removed/</ref>
By December outrage of the Obama FBI abuses was omnipresent; in seven hours of testimony before House Permanent Select Intelligence Committee (HPSCI) Dep. Dir. Andrew McCabe made statements that contradicted evidence, and was unable to provide any substantive examples of verified allegations in the ''Steele dossier''. When pushed for examples of what was verified in the anti-Trump dossier, McCabe was only able to cite the fact that Trump campaign advisor Carter Page traveled to Moscow — McCabe could not verify anything about the meetings that Page supposedly had. McCabe claimed he could not recall — despite documents with McCabe’s own signature on them establishing the fact of his knowledge of the dossier’s financing and provenance.<ref>https://www.dailywire.com/news/24938/report-mccabe-contradicts-himself-testimony-unable-ryan-saavedra</ref><ref>https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/25/fbi-says-russia-dossiers-collusion-charges-unsubst/</ref>
FBI Chief Counselor James Baker was fired two hours after McCabe's testimony.<ref>http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-22/fbi-fires-suspected-leaker-and-comey-ally-james-baker</ref> Associate Dep. Attn. Gen. Bruce Ohr was demoted, and there were calls for McCabe's firing.<ref>https://www.populistwire.com/politics/top-republican-senator-grassely-wants-mcgabe-replaced-after-fbi-trail-of-corruption-comes-to-fruition/</ref> Ohr withheld from his boss, Rod Rosenstein, his secret meetings with Steele and Simpson, and the fact his wife Nellie Ohr helped author the phony dossier.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/20/mccabe-draws-blank-on-democrats-funding-trump-dossier-new-subpoenas-planned.html</ref> The House Committees began investigating possible criminal activity among Obama holdovers in DOJ & FBI.<ref>https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/20/house-republicans-quietly-investigate-doj-fbi-310121?lo=ap_f1</ref>
The information the FBI collected, and the material Christopher Steele and [[FusionGPS]] manufactured, were used to create the [[fake news]] [[Trump-Russia conspiracy theory]], and to manipulate the FISA Court into granting a FISA warrant - what Peter Strzok called “the insurance policy” against Trump's election.
====Riots====
:''Main article:'' '''[[Riots during the Obama Administration]]'''
The riots during the Obama Administration were a series of racially motivated conflagrations that erupted nationwide in the last half of [[President Barack Obama]]'s second term. Initially elected as America's first "post-racial" president,<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18489466 A New, 'Post-Racial' Political Era in America] [[NPR]]</ref> many African-Americans became increasingly disillusioned as Obama's presidency progressed.<ref>http://www.people-press.org/2014/12/08/sharp-racial-divisions-in-reactions-to-brown-garner-decisions/12-8-2014_08/</ref> Critics charged Obama personally inflamed the rioters and lawless elements responsible for the destruction of property, businesses, and jobs in several American cities.<ref>http://blog.blackbusiness.org/2014/08/black-businesses-in-ferguson-missouri-recovering-from-looting.html#.VWPqLzY4nTb</ref><ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2015/04/protests-baltimore Protests in Baltimore It's chaos] [[The Economist]]</ref> [[Pat Caddell]] and [[Doug Schoen]] noted early on in the [[Wall Street Journal]], "Rather than being a unifier, Mr. Obama has divided America on the basis of race, class and partisanship." Caddell and Schoen further stated, "President Obama's divisive approach to governance has weakened us as a people and paralyzed our political culture."<ref>Caddell, P.H. & Schoen, D.E. (2010, July 28). [http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703700904575391553798363586.html Our Divisive President]. ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref>
===Foreign Policy===
===Foreign Policy===