Why Are You Even Here? The Surprising Attitudes of Some Expats in Thailand

[webfact]

Rosenstein approved surveillance extension of former Trump adviser - NYT

 

Deputy U.S. Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testifies to the House Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Justice Department on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/Files

 

(Reuters) - U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein approved to extend surveillance of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page shortly after assuming office last spring, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with a secret Republican memo.

 

The extension shows the Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, saw reason to believe that Page was acting as a Russian agent, the paper reported on Sunday. (http://nyti.ms/2DTxV9t)

 

The memo paints the investigation into Russia's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election as tainted from the start, the paper said.

 

The Times report did not reveal the evidence Rosenstein relied on to authorize extension of the surveillance.

 

Rosenstein, also a Republican, took office in April after being nominated by Trump.

 

The Republican Party and the Democratic Party were not immediately available to comment late on Sunday. Reuters could not contact Carter Page for comment.

 

(Reporting by Shubham Kalia in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-01-29

[Boon Mee]

It's all unraveling now.

With the House just voting to release the Intel Memo...hang on to your hats! 

[Silurian]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The extension shows the Department of Justice, under President Donald Trump, saw reason to believe that Page was acting as a Russian agent, the paper reported on Sunday.

 

Rosenstein approved an extension of a previously approved surveillance of Carter Page. Which means the surveillance was already approved of in the first place. This memo release is being used to paint Rosenstein in a negative light so it will give reason for him to either resign or be removed from his position. One by one, the WH and Republicans are removing obstacles to remove Mueller or at least delegitimize the investigation.

 

I guess the WH and Republicans would rather not investigate potential Russian agents (Carter Page) but would be absolutely comfortable with possible Russian agents running free in the USA. Seems they are fans of "The Americans". Looks like America comes first (right after Russia).

 

Edited January 30, 2018 by Silurian

[kamahele]

2 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

It's all unraveling now.

With the House just voting to release the Intel Memo...hang on to your hats! 

You're funny. The memo was written by Republicans who then spent a month drumming up support to release a memo which they wrote and could have released any time they wanted. They then denied a request to release the response to reported inaccuracies in the memo written by the Democratic committee members....  Another fake and hard to believe news item which Trump supporters will fall for hook line and sinker. 

[boomerangutang]

Republicans love surveillance when it's against their enemies.  Wasn't long ago, they were shouting for months, like a Greek Chorus about Hillary's alleged breach of email protocol.

 

Now they don't like surveillance because it may reveal serious law-breaking by Trump and his insiders.  They're desperate and shrill to stop the investigation, and all reasonable Americans can see it plainly.   To quote Trump, 'sad.'   ....but mostly sad for US democracy. 

 

Apparently Republicans have no problem with Russia controlling US elections, ....as long as it's to advantage their fellow right-wingers.

[lannarebirth]

5 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

Republicans love surveillance when it's against their enemies.  Wasn't long ago, they were shouting for months, like a Greek Chorus about Hillary's alleged breach of email protocol.

 

Now they don't like surveillance because it may reveal serious law-breaking by Trump and his insiders.  They're desperate and shrill to stop the investigation, and all reasonable Americans can see it plainly.   To quote Trump, 'sad.'   ....but mostly sad for US democracy. 

 

Apparently Republicans have no problem with Russia controlling US elections, ....as long as it's to advantage their fellow right-wingers.

 

Are you saying that Trump should be granted the same legal leeway with respect to "protocol" as Hillary Clinton was? Or are you suggesting that Hillary Clinton should be subject to the same level of scrutiny and investigation that Trump is?

[Thaidream]

No one really cares about Hillary- she's not President and merely a note in the history books. Trump's term is unraveling.  The Mueller investigation is starting to follow the money. Ever wonder why Trump refuses to release his tax returns?  Simple, really, they will show massive amounts of money put into the Trump Business Empire from Russia.

 

At one point Trump was about to become  'broke'  He had filed so many bankruptcies banks would not lend to him. Along come the Russians with billions made through 'unusual means' and need a place to hide it. Donald Trump has plenty of high end properties.  The Russians will pay over the asking price and Trump all of a sudden is cash rich again. What Trump doesn't realize or simply doesn't care is that wealthy Russians are oligarchs with ties to Putin himself.

 

Then when Trump runs for President and becomes the candidate- Russia knows they have a 'friend' who could become President. Russia interfered in the election and surprise, surprise- they want their 'friend' Donald Trump to win and they do everything they can to make that a reality.

 

The question is how much did Trump know about Russian interference and when did he know. There is no doubt Trump and his minions knew Russians were pouring billions into the Trump business empire. Did Trump know Russia was interfering in US elections?  Someone knew or suspected as the FBI starting wiretapping certain people.  

 

What amazes me is that so many people seem to be willing to ignore the fact that Russia -a former Communist State and now run by the head of their intelligence agency- may have laundered money in America; used leverage  and  even direct interference into the American election system and had a plan to elect Trump as president and did.  The Republican Party and Donald Trump should be applauding the Mueller Commission in its attempt to root out  any interference in the election process by a foreign state and by not doing so appear to have something to hide.

 

Steve Bannon, a former Trump aide, who I would never agree with- said one truthful thing- he indicated that people meeting with Russians in secret meetings without telling the appropriate authorities may be guilty of treason.

 

It is true Trump may have never been aware of the  total amount of Russian interference in the election but he sure as hell has obstructed the investigation by his own statements and his firing of James Comey and his attempt to fire Mueller which means Trump knew after he won that his election may have been compromised.

 

A Democracy such as America needs to have free and unfettered elections and have a President with the highest moral and ethical  standing as they represent America not only to its own citizens but to the World.  

 

Let the truth come out- follow the money. If Trump is cleared- so be it and wish him success. However, if he is not- he must resign or be impeached/convicted/

 

 

[boomerangutang]

2 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

Are you saying that Trump should be granted the same legal leeway with respect to "protocol" as Hillary Clinton was? Or are you suggesting that Hillary Clinton should be subject to the same level of scrutiny and investigation that Trump is?

I wasn't saying either of those things, but since you asked......

 

Rule of law should be followed. Currently, Trump and his inner circle are being investigated for breaking laws.  The investigators should be allowed to do their jobs.  They're paid by taxpayers to protect Americans and American interests.  One basic interest, for Americans, is reasonably free and fair election processes.  That didn't happen in 2016, and most Americans know why, in part from conclusions/data of all US intel agencies.

 

Ms Clinton was investigated several time, for things which pale in comparison to what Trump and his cohorts are suspected of.  Clinton was cleared.  What will Trumpistas' fates be?  Some have already been found guilty.  Some are turning 'states witnesses'.  There's a lot more to come from the Trump investigation.

 

Note:  If it weren't for the Bill Clinton investigation in the 80's/90's ....which segued into many other issues, Republicans would now be screaming for the Trump investigation to be strictly limited.  Bill's investigation started on a real estate deal and wound up focused on a stain on Monica's dress.   So, Republicans may desperately want to limit the scope of the Mueller probe into Trumpistas' law-breaking, ....but precedent points to NO LIMITS, ha ha ha ha.

 

Trump is quaking in his rabbit fur slippers, and so he should be.

[lannarebirth]

13 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

I wasn't saying either of those things, but since you asked......

 

Rule of law should be followed. Currently, Trump and his inner circle are being investigated for breaking laws.  The investigators should be allowed to do their jobs.  They're paid by taxpayers to protect Americans and American interests.  One basic interest, for Americans, is reasonably free and fair election processes.  That didn't happen in 2016, and most Americans know why, in part from conclusions/data of all US intel agencies.

 

Ms Clinton was investigated several time, for things which pale in comparison to what Trump and his cohorts are suspected of.  Clinton was cleared.  What will Trumpistas' fates be?  Some have already been found guilty.  Some are turning 'states witnesses'.  There's a lot more to come from the Trump investigation.

 

Note:  If it weren't for the Bill Clinton investigation in the 80's/90's ....which segued into many other issues, Republicans would now be screaming for the Trump investigation to be strictly limited.  Bill's investigation started on a real estate deal and wound up focused on a stain on Monica's dress.   So, Republicans may desperately want to limit the scope of the Mueller probe into Trumpistas' law-breaking, ....but precedent points to NO LIMITS, ha ha ha ha.

 

Trump is quaking in his rabbit fur slippers, and so he should be.

 

OK