The DNI
The acting Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Joseph McGuire was just fired by President Trump. The “proximate cause” of his removal: testimony from his office to the House Intelligence Committee that Russian Intelligence is interfering in the 2020 US election process. But the damning statement that got him fired: the Russians are supporting Donald Trump for President.
Now this isn’t the first time that McGuire’s honesty has gotten him in trouble. You might remember him from his very first testimony about the “whistleblower”. He appeared before Adam Schiff’s committee last September, and gave very open and forthright statements about the sincerity of the whistleblower’s report. Listening to it then, it was surprising to hear someone from the Trump Administration be so honest. I guess that truthfulness finally caught up with him.
The 400 Pound Man
Nothing about this should be a surprise. The President hasn’t taken any action to convince the Russian government to stay out of the 2020 elections. In fact, Mr. Trump has “covered” for Russia’s 2016 actions, consistently suggesting that maybe somebody else was responsible. And that wasn’t just the “400 pound guy in his parents’ basement” statement from the debate. In the past couple of weeks, the President has continued to investigate the bogus CrowdStrike/Ukraine theory as if it were for real, and not just Russian Intelligence disinformation. He sent Giuliani back to Ukraine, and his Attorney General mandated that the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York take on an investigation.
By the way, McGuire also testified that Russian Intelligence might be supporting Bernie Sanders, following Trump’s cue that a Sanders nomination would be his best chance of re-election. Bernie’s comment was succinct: Russia should stay out of our elections. But Sanders also used this to help cover the totally inappropriate actions of some of his “Bernie Bro” followers in Nevada. Maybe the Russians did it.
Another Fox Newsie
So McGuire is gone, and Richard Grenell, former Fox News commentator and Trump’s Ambassador to Germany is taking over, at least temporarily. Grenell knows nothing, zero, nada, bupkis, about the intelligence world. But he is a loyal follower of the President. More insidious than Grenell is the appointment of “Kash” Patel as his senior advisor. Patel is a former aide to Republican Congressman Devin Nunes, and is one of those instrumental in smearing the Russia probe and Mueller Report. He is the aid that had long phone conversations with Lev Parnas, the indicted Giuliani helper. His avowed job now is to “root out Deep State and Obama operatives” from the intelligence agencies.
The “blood letting” in the intelligence community will continue.
The “deconstruction” of the intelligence structure will mean that real information; information needed to make correct decisions about international crises, won’t be available. It means that when analysts have information that they know the President doesn’t want to hear, they won’t share it.
And it isn’t just in the intelligence agencies. Attorney General Barr has made it clear to the Justice Department that he won’t tolerate negative actions towards the administration. And Secretary Pompeo has hollowed out the senior staff of the State Department.
The ghost of Steve Bannon still haunts the White House.
True Believers
America knows Donald Trump. We know that he believes that his “gut” decisions are right. Mr. Trump has his own fantastical view of the government and the world. It’s not that he is lying to us; he truly believes his lies are true.
What seems even sadder is that the Republican leaders around him know better, but still lie. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien spent Sunday morning trying to convince the world that he doesn’t “know” that Russia is backing Trump. Republican Senators “rally to the President,” knowing full well that in doing so they are fulfilling Russian intelligence objectives. They don’t believe the lies, but they are still lying.
They do it to protect themselves from the wrath of the President. Trump has made it clear: cross him, and face the consequences. Ask McGuire, or Vindman, or any one of many Republican politicians burned by the President. But those Senators know the truth, and continue to tell lies. They think that their personal political futures are more important than the truth. They are telling us:
Don’t believe your lying eyes.
