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Originally posted by parabellum:
Why am I seeing angry comments in this thread today?

[...]

Come on, guys. Stand up, shake your fist in the faces of those who wish to destroy this nation, and defy them to do their worst.

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I tried to watch Maguire's testimony, but my mental health self-protection mechanism kicked in about 5 seconds into Adam Schiff's condescending comments

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Originally posted by Veeper:
. . . Schiff was doing a freestyle improv of the phone conversation . . .

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Originally posted by sjtill:
I tried to watch Maguire's testimony, but my mental health self-protection mechanism kicked in about 5 seconds into Adam Schiff's condescending comments.

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Originally posted by Tubetone:

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Originally posted by Veeper:
. . . Schiff was doing a freestyle improv of the phone conversation . . .

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'He Had Help': Former CIA, NSC Official Questions 'Too Convenient' And 'Too Perfect' Whistleblower Report


In light of Thursday's public release of a 'whistleblower' complaint, who was "not a witness to most of the events described" in their allegation that President Trump abused his office to request that Ukraine investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's dealings in the country, former CIA analyst and National Security Council (NSC) official Fred Fleitz has provided his take on the whole thing via Twitter.

Notably, Fleitz - CEO of the Center for Security Policy - points out that "The way this complaint was written suggested the author had a lot of help," adding "I know from my work on the House Intel Committee staff that many whistleblowers go directly to the intel oversight committees. Did this whistleblower first meet with House Intel committee members?"
Fleitz then writes that "that this whistleblower complaint is too convenient and too perfect to come from a typical whistleblower," adding "Were other IC officers involved? Where outside groups opposed to the president involved?"



1/ As a former CIA analyst and former NSC official who edited transcripts of POTUS phone calls with foreign leaders, here are my thoughts on the whistleblower complaint which was just released. . . intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…


2/ This is not an intelligence matter. It is a policy matter and a complaint about differences over policy. Presidential phone calls are not an intelligence concern. The fact that IC officers transcribe these calls does not give the IC IG jurisdiction over these calls.


3/ It appears that rules restricting access and knowledge of these sensitive calls was breached. This official was not on this call, not on the approved dissem list and should not have been briefed on the call.


.3/ The way this complaint was written suggested the author had a lot of help. I know from my work on the House Intel Committee staff that many whistleblowers go directly to the intel oversight committees. Did this whistleblower first meet with House Intel committee members?


.4/ It is therefore important that Congress find out where this complaint came from. What did House and Senate intel committee dem members and staff know about it and when? Did they help orchestrate this complaint?


5/ My view is that this whistleblower complaint is too convenient and too perfect to come from a typical whistleblower. Were other IC officers involved? Where outside groups opposed to the president involved?


6/ This complaint will further damage IC relations with the White House for many years to come because IC officers appear to be politicizing presidential phone calls with foreign officials and their access to the president and his activities in the White House.


7/ Worst of all, this IC officer -- and probably others -- have blatantly crossed the line into policy. This violates a core responsibility of IC officers is to inform, but not make policy.


8/ This is such a grievous violation of trust between the IC and the White House that it would not surprise me if IC officers are barred from all access to POTUS phone calls with foreign officials.