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The Russia Investigation: Trump Pardons Flynn (15 Viewers)
- Thread starter whoknew
- Start date
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
'The secretary barely testified': Pelosi rebukes Mnuchin after Russia sanctions meeting
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was 'somewhat shocked' by the remarks following a briefing about lifting sanctions on three Russian companies.
The Treasury secretary testified after a group of House Democrats sent a letter questioning the Trump administration's plans to lift sanctions on three companies linked to a Russian oligarch.
#itdidnotgowell
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he was 'somewhat shocked' by the remarks following a briefing about lifting sanctions on three Russian companies.
The Treasury secretary testified after a group of House Democrats sent a letter questioning the Trump administration's plans to lift sanctions on three companies linked to a Russian oligarch.
#itdidnotgowell
House Democrats excoriated Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday following a classified briefing about the Trump administration's decision to ease economic sanctions on three companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
"One of the worst classified briefings we've received from the Trump administration," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters. "The secretary barely testified."
She said that while lawmakers did receive an intelligence assessment, officials "spent most of the time reading an unclassified document ... wasting the time of the members of Congress."
House Democrats called for the briefing after Treasury announced last month that it would lift sanctions on Rusal, one the world's largest aluminum producers, as well as En+ Group, the holding company that owns roughly half of Rusal, and EuroSibEnergo, a Russian power company. Deripaska — an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who was one of several associates sanctioned last year over Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election — has a large stake in all three companies .
Seven House Democratic chairmen sent Mnuchin a letter earlier this week expressing concerns about the move, which came after Deripaska agreed to lower his ownership stake in the firms. Personal sanctions on Deripaska are still in place.
The announcement to terminate sanctions against the companies started a 30-day review period for lawmakers to decide whether to block the move or not.
“We’ll see,” Pelosi replied when asked whether she would consider a resolution of disapproval to block the removal of sanctions.
With the sanctions slated to be lifted in coming days, members said they asked Mnuchin and his team to extend the deadline.
“To rush this through with the action taken as the calendar was running, almost on Christmas Eve, and expect the Congress to act during the government shutdown is really unjustified,” said Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mnuchin vowed to get back to lawmakers “quickly.”
“We want to make sure that Congress has the appropriate amount of time to do this,” he said.
Mnuchin also said he was “somewhat shocked” by Pelosi’s remarks, arguing she didn’t stay for the entire session and that he answered half of the questions posed by members and had technical experts on hand.
He stressed that the December announcement was the “best judgment” of his department.
“This is not politically motivated,” Mnuchin said. “These companies were picked upon because they did bad things; these companies were picked up because of their ownership and their control and we're trying to segregate it.”
However, it’s unclear whether the new House Democratic majority will ever be comfortable with the proposed step.
“I'm afraid this is the tip of the iceberg of the undoing of the sanctions regime,” said Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Oversight Committee.
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, who serves on the Financial Services and Intelligence committees, told POLITICO that he “didn't hear a clear rational to do this transition now.”
In a statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, agreed that the session “did not resolve” his concerns about Deripaska, and other Kremlin allies, holding sway over the sanctioned firms.
“It will be incumbent upon Congress to maintain pressure on the Treasury to explain its reversal of course and why Deripaska or his companies are suddenly deserving of this relief,” added Schiff, one of seven Democratic House chairmen who sent Mnuchin the letter.
Doggett, meanwhile, lauded his colleagues for attending the classified briefing, one of the first tangible steps the new majority has taken to oversee the White House.
“We are saying to the Trump administration — and to the Russians — we are looking carefully at every transaction you're involved with," he said.
"One of the worst classified briefings we've received from the Trump administration," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters. "The secretary barely testified."
She said that while lawmakers did receive an intelligence assessment, officials "spent most of the time reading an unclassified document ... wasting the time of the members of Congress."
House Democrats called for the briefing after Treasury announced last month that it would lift sanctions on Rusal, one the world's largest aluminum producers, as well as En+ Group, the holding company that owns roughly half of Rusal, and EuroSibEnergo, a Russian power company. Deripaska — an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who was one of several associates sanctioned last year over Moscow’s interference in the 2016 presidential election — has a large stake in all three companies .
Seven House Democratic chairmen sent Mnuchin a letter earlier this week expressing concerns about the move, which came after Deripaska agreed to lower his ownership stake in the firms. Personal sanctions on Deripaska are still in place.
The announcement to terminate sanctions against the companies started a 30-day review period for lawmakers to decide whether to block the move or not.
“We’ll see,” Pelosi replied when asked whether she would consider a resolution of disapproval to block the removal of sanctions.
With the sanctions slated to be lifted in coming days, members said they asked Mnuchin and his team to extend the deadline.
“To rush this through with the action taken as the calendar was running, almost on Christmas Eve, and expect the Congress to act during the government shutdown is really unjustified,” said Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mnuchin vowed to get back to lawmakers “quickly.”
“We want to make sure that Congress has the appropriate amount of time to do this,” he said.
Mnuchin also said he was “somewhat shocked” by Pelosi’s remarks, arguing she didn’t stay for the entire session and that he answered half of the questions posed by members and had technical experts on hand.
He stressed that the December announcement was the “best judgment” of his department.
“This is not politically motivated,” Mnuchin said. “These companies were picked upon because they did bad things; these companies were picked up because of their ownership and their control and we're trying to segregate it.”
However, it’s unclear whether the new House Democratic majority will ever be comfortable with the proposed step.
“I'm afraid this is the tip of the iceberg of the undoing of the sanctions regime,” said Illinois Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a member of the House Oversight Committee.
Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, who serves on the Financial Services and Intelligence committees, told POLITICO that he “didn't hear a clear rational to do this transition now.”
In a statement, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, agreed that the session “did not resolve” his concerns about Deripaska, and other Kremlin allies, holding sway over the sanctioned firms.
“It will be incumbent upon Congress to maintain pressure on the Treasury to explain its reversal of course and why Deripaska or his companies are suddenly deserving of this relief,” added Schiff, one of seven Democratic House chairmen who sent Mnuchin the letter.
Doggett, meanwhile, lauded his colleagues for attending the classified briefing, one of the first tangible steps the new majority has taken to oversee the White House.
“We are saying to the Trump administration — and to the Russians — we are looking carefully at every transaction you're involved with," he said.
apalmer
Footballguy
So if it's inexplicable that the Trump admin would turn down an opportunity to be be briefed about what could have been exculpatory evidence, what other explanation is there? Could it be that they know the evidence isn't exculpatory? That would remove the inexplicable part of turning down the opportunity.ren hoek said:
Banger
Footballguy
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
This came up with the Manning leaks. Why wouldn’t he just do this to protect people? It sounds more like extortion to refuse to do it unless he gets what he wants.ren hoek said:
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BobbyLayne
Footballguy
It’ll take some time for them to get used to the transition from overlook to Oversight.
Banger
Footballguy
ya, it's been rubber stamping, high fiving and marauding for 2 years with the congress....
Banger
Footballguy
sure we can totally trust the most corrupt Presidency in the history of our country to be factual and truthful....this is the same guy that says it's fine for the President to lie because he's not under oath...and you want him to "correct the record"? the stuff these idiots come up with....
apalmer
Footballguy
The Trump admin. can't even correct Donald's tweets. Unless the report is made up of pictures, Trump has no chance of being able to make it through the entire thing.
That’s fine, based on how he’s done representing Trump so far, he’ll probably add in crimes that Mueller didn’t find.
If Trump feels the report is going to need correcting, he still has time to sit with Mueller and discuss his findings.
Banger
Footballguy
he was sooo anxious to talk with him...he said it 100 times...I wonder what happened...
I bet the string of his buddies getting indicted for lying to investigators played a minor role.he was sooo anxious to talk with him...he said it 100 times...I wonder what happened...
sho nuff
Footballguy
They talked about this meeting...why didn't they discuss the other 3 meetings Trump personally had with these oligarchs offering them eased sanctions? Tell me that? I mean how good of investigator can someone be and miss those big meetings?
Mile High
Footballguy
Amused to Death
Footballguy
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
The Myth of the Mueller Report
I think this is a good read - and worth the time for many here. There is a building expectation that Mueller is preparing a grand report - and that we will all be privy to its contents. The reality is that no such report is required, nor is there any guarantee that any report will be released in whole, or in part, to the public.
"Here’s the problem with all this speculation and anticipation: Mueller is under no obligation to produce a final report that shares with the public the full breadth of what he has uncovered.
The Justice Department guidelines governing the work of a special counsel do not compel Mueller to compile such a report. They only include one sentence about a report: “At the conclusion of the Special Counsel’s work, he or she shall provide the Attorney General with a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel.”
This description is rather elastic. It could entail a brief report that merely lists the indictments Mueller has brought, briskly explains why he decided to pursue these cases, and perfunctorily states that he found no other activity he deemed worthy of prosecution. Yet this regulation would seemingly also allow for a lengthy report that details all the investigative digging conducted by Mueller and his crew—everything they unearthed—with explanations of why he did and did not initiate criminal cases. This sort of report could be comprehensive and disclose the specifics of wide-ranging political skullduggery that did not draw indictments—perhaps even name names—and might be horrific for Trump and his henchmen. But Mueller is under no official commitment to perform such a grand finale."
I think this is a good read - and worth the time for many here. There is a building expectation that Mueller is preparing a grand report - and that we will all be privy to its contents. The reality is that no such report is required, nor is there any guarantee that any report will be released in whole, or in part, to the public.
"Here’s the problem with all this speculation and anticipation: Mueller is under no obligation to produce a final report that shares with the public the full breadth of what he has uncovered.
The Justice Department guidelines governing the work of a special counsel do not compel Mueller to compile such a report. They only include one sentence about a report: “At the conclusion of the Special Counsel’s work, he or she shall provide the Attorney General with a confidential report explaining the prosecution or declination decisions reached by the Special Counsel.”
This description is rather elastic. It could entail a brief report that merely lists the indictments Mueller has brought, briskly explains why he decided to pursue these cases, and perfunctorily states that he found no other activity he deemed worthy of prosecution. Yet this regulation would seemingly also allow for a lengthy report that details all the investigative digging conducted by Mueller and his crew—everything they unearthed—with explanations of why he did and did not initiate criminal cases. This sort of report could be comprehensive and disclose the specifics of wide-ranging political skullduggery that did not draw indictments—perhaps even name names—and might be horrific for Trump and his henchmen. But Mueller is under no official commitment to perform such a grand finale."
whoknew
Footballguy
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
squistion
Footballguy
Wow.
This is a bombshell.
This is not just the FBI was just looking into campaign collusion, it is whether the President of the United States is literally a Russian asset
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I'm not so sure. I do believe he collided with Russia to win the election. I also believe he is compromised by the Russians that's why he is scared to death of Putin and will never say a bad thing about him. But if there was a conscientious effort to work with Russia against American interests and was an actual security risk, I'm pretty sure the department of Justice and FBI would have had an emergency meeting with Congress and the Senate to inform them and the Trump slobbering would have stopped.
Yes if Mueller had found anything solid on this front I doubt he would have sat on this information till he was finished with the report. If Trump was a Russian asset that would indeed constitute a national emergency.
mrip541
Footballguy
Sammy3469
Footballguy
I mean he has now had what 2 or 3 1v1 meetings with Putin with no other US personnel in the room. It was weird at the time and is still weird.
I'll admit - I think this story alone ensures that Mueller gets to reveal whatever he wants to reveal - and Congress will get it, and the US public will get a non-classified version.
There is no chance any AG sits on a report - with this kind of allegation hanging in the balance.
There is no chance any AG sits on a report - with this kind of allegation hanging in the balance.
Kyle GriffinVerified account @kylegriffin1 27m27 minutes ago
JOY REID: From what you know as of now, what you've learned about the President of the United States so far, do you trust Donald Trump with the national security of the United States?
REP. JIM HIMES: I absolutely do not.
Easy for a Dem to say at this point, its the GOP that will be recovering a bit this weekend - Sunday shows will be must-watch, imo.
JOY REID: From what you know as of now, what you've learned about the President of the United States so far, do you trust Donald Trump with the national security of the United States?
REP. JIM HIMES: I absolutely do not.
Easy for a Dem to say at this point, its the GOP that will be recovering a bit this weekend - Sunday shows will be must-watch, imo.
Sammy3469
Footballguy
It would explain why lapdog Whitaker hasn’t done anything to Mueller. Seems like both Sessions and him have gotten some religion.
Sammy3469
Footballguy
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
There was never any chance this report wasn't made public. One way or another it's coming out. And this isn't new -- it's just never been explicitly reported before.
Dinsy Ejotuz
Footballguy
Sure seems like they're close on the main plot line anyhow. Rosenstein stepping down. Reports before the election that they'd started the final report. etc.
I will add this - as the story starts to sink in - you have to think (or at least hope) there was nothing to substantiate the investigation - other than as maybe an unwitting dupe which was actually floated a long time ago.
Right now the story is simply that an investigation was commenced, and taken over by Mueller. Nothing about any conclusions drawn by anyone who has been part of the investigation.
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Sammy3469
Footballguy
If they were so careful not to leak the investigation itself of a trump himself, I find it sort of implausible that they would leak it now without something there. It doesn’t make any sense to hold it so tight and then leak now if there is nothing there.
Earlier today, I would have put it as a 9-12 month legal fight - at leas - to settle the Congressional Subpoena and subsequent Executive privilege claims - with a fair bit of uncertainty in how the SC might rule.
That might also have played a part in Trump dropping hints about replacing RBG soon...hope she is under heavy guard...
Maybe - part of me simply does not want to believe a President would be an active asset for a foreign government.
So, I guess I hold out hope that Trump was simply a rube, who was manipulated.
Rirruto
Footballguy
This is an underrated point. If I'm running for president in 2024 and Germany infiltrates my campaign and otherwise interferes in free and fair elections to get me to win, I'm coming hard at the krauts. First, to inspire confidence in the American people that I am not a puppet (you're the puppet). But more importantly, to show the Germans that I won't be their lap dog or little ##### boy in the parlance of our time.
