"The Hannigan resignation is not occurring in a vacuum, and some in the large and highly networked retired intelligence community have come to believe that it is connected to the investigation and downfall of Trump’s first national-security advisor, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. Former federal prosecutor Andrew McCarthy has detailed exactly how the Flynn case does not appear to fit into any acceptable category that would have mandated an investigation and interrogation by the FBI. Surveillance of a Russian official would be authorized under FBI guidelines, but to extend that type of monitoring or investigation to a U.S. citizen would require specific authority from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court to issue a warrant based on probable cause.
There is no evidence that that was ever done. Flynn was not an actual or suspected foreign intelligence agent, and it would be ridiculous to suggest that he might be so inclined. Nor was he engaged in any criminal activity or unwittingly connected to an ongoing investigation. Indeed, apart from possibly dissimulating over what he said, he basically did nothing wrong. There were no grounds for him to be questioned (“grilled” according to the New York Times) by the FBI, and whether or not he misled Vice President Pence over the content of his December phone calls with Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak is a matter for the president and his advisers to sort out from a political perspective, which is indeed what eventually took place.
Regarding the actual development of the investigation of Flynn, recall for a moment that we are dealing with at least some individuals at the top levels of national-security organizations who did not hesitate to break the law, leaking information to the media on the highly classified telephone intercepts. " Giraldi
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Impressive stuff. I have queried UK sources about this. pl
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/is-there-more-to-the-flynn-story/
All,
Using (maybe even soliciting) materials gathered by GCHQ in the Flynn case, and then disguising or dissimulating the source is textbook “parallel construction”; i.e., using these deceptive means to suggest that the information was discovered via US law enforcement services in the normal conduct of their work, instead of obtained by a nod and a wink from the NSA’s sister’s surveillance.
This might explain Comey’s near-panicked reaction to this starting to leak out. That a head of the FBI would have been complicit in this activity would not look good at all to The Boss, would it?
JerseyJeffersonian,
It wouldn’t look good to a grand jury either.
I thought Hannigan left because he knew or should’ve known about the ‘dossier’ smear by a former British agent with high-level contacts at MI-6. Maintaining the ‘special relationship’ requires polishing and pruning from time to time.
But I’m very interested in what pl’s sources have to say.
Nothing new here…. they have been at it for decades… what wasn’t possible in the US Intel vacuum cleaners was subcontracted to the Britts and or The Izzies….then resent back to the US in a flash….. Fiveeyes+1 at work day n and day out.
Willybilly,
It is like the long standing undersea cable tapping, yes even the fibre optic cables using amps and optical couplers at the repeater level. The amplifying point before the last 40/80 kms must be a busy place!
What do we know about Flynn’s loss of clearances post-resignation?
It’s also sometimes called ‘deflective source disinformation’. Another example was when the neocons leaked bogus intelligence to Britain’s MI6, so that Bush could claim that “the British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” They thought it would sound more credible if the people thought the source was somewhere other than Washington.
Based on my understanding of FARA and the Dual Compensation Act of 1947 Flynn better retain criminal counsel!
P.L.! Am I correct that in your opinion a flag rank officer is never retired but only active or inactive?
Does an inactive flag rank risk court martial by registering under FARA?
WRC
Only five star officers are never retired. The rest are just like all other military officers. A retired officer is effectively a civilian in terms of what employment he/she can take. There would be nothing illegal in retired general registering under FARA. pl
Thanks P.L.!
Following you. In your thanks, that is.
Although recent media hypes, referred to by some here. Pundita linked to a The Hill article. Give the impression that he may not have known who employed him or his firm. … Never mind his article in support of Turkey. I vaguely recall I missed precise dates, or a timeline. But I am more likely to be wrong with that suspicion then right. Basic setting: Innocent until proven guilty. But?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_T._Flynn#Registration_as_foreign_agent
I vaguely recall that Pat may have dropped a remark about his attendance at the RT Gala dinner in Moscow before matters heated up. Irony Alert: ACT! For America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT!_for_America
David Yerushalmi drew my attention before. Lost trace after one of his web-activities went undercover.
LeaNder
Yes, Flynn attended that dinner. there is tape pf him sitting with Putin. I have never bee to Russia and have never been on Russian media. they asked repeatedly but I declined. pl
Anyone know of any flag rank other than Flynn registering under FARA?
WRC
I know many. the consultant money is sweet. pl