Former FBI Agent on the Trump Impeachment

[Stanyon]

Interesting interview with Mark Ruskin about the impeachment process, media, etc.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Can nobody summarize things anymore?

 

[Father Heathen]

This YT Channel is part of Epoch Times.

Pass.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

This YT Channel is part of Epoch Times.

Pass.

That is pretty much why Thomas Paine published Common Sense anonymously. Its easier to dismiss a claim outright when its from some a source we dont like.

 

[Father Heathen]

That is pretty much why Thomas Paine published Common Sense anonymously. Its easier to dismiss a claim outright when its from some a source we dont like.

It's more than "not liking it", but rather has to do with an already established lack of trustworthiness. Epoch Times has a history of propagating nonsense such as QAnon. Not the kind of material I would care to watch for half an hour.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's more than "not liking it", but rather has to do with an already established lack of trustworthiness. Epoch Times has a history of propagating nonsense such as QAnon. Not the kind of material I would care to watch for half an hour.

Which is why its on the OP to summarize it. But a claim is a claim, regardless the source. Knowing them is how you debate them.

 

[Stanyon]

Which is why its on the OP to summarize it. But a claim is a claim, regardless the source. Knowing them is how you debate them.

Which is exactly why I did not summarize anything, there is a lot of materiel to cover and I did not want to attempt to tell anyone how they are supposed to think and what they are to think about before they watch the video. There are plenty of people who would be more than happy to do that but I am not one of them as I prefer that people listen to the information and come to their own conclusions and questions whether they post them or not. I did post this for informational purposes and not debate, if you wish to debate certain points I am sure you will find a few takers.

 

[Terry Sampson]

• Joshua Philipp interviewed Marc Ruskin.
  • Marc Ruskin, a former undercover FBI agent, adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and author of “The Pretender”: an autobiographical account or Ruskin's "inside story" of operations within the FBI and his observations/opinions.
  • Joshua Philipp, host of Crossroads, is an investigative reporter at The Epoch Times, who specializes in analysis of politics, cybersecurity, and defense.
  • The Epoch Times is a multi-language newspaper founded in 2000 by John Tang and a group of Chinese Americans associated with the Falun Gong spiritual movement. The Epoch Times is one of the outlets of Epoch Times Media Group and has a far-right media bias, backs Trump, and occasionally promotes conspiracy theories critical of Communist Chinese oppression of the Falun Gong.
• In the interview,
  • Ruskin describes "the Deep State" as "(08:35) the deep state which is essentially the entrenched long-term career bureaucracy and the fact that they have established such a strong power over the last few decades and like a snowball down the hill it's going faster and faster accounts for why they are able now to pose a threat to the President himself to the White House and and to cabinet ministers and even really to elected representatives..."
  • Ruskin goes on to say: "(09:22) so the powers which are long term entrenched have the security that and the self-confidence and some now being to see, hopefully, the over-confidence to think that they can actually challenge the will of the people and its elected representatives and now this you have individuals like Comey, the former director of the FBI, James Clapper, John Brennan, ... these high-level bureaucrats who essentially mock the the democratic process have contempt for it to the point that they've acted the way they have and it looks like thanks to the Attorney General Barr and Durham, the US Attorney who's working hand-in-hand that maybe now some of this power is gonna be reined in."
• Witnesses in the latest Public "Impeachment Hearings":
  • Who is Testifying in Impeachment Hearings, And How to Watch
    
  • William Taylor, the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine,
    • Political appointee with prior State Department experience
      
    • "Taylor testified in his closed-door hearing that U.S. military aid to Ukraine was explicitly tied to the country announcing an investigation into Trump’s political rivals. That’s the quid pro quo that the Trump administration has so strenuously sought to deny."
  • George Kent, a State Department official focused on European and Eurasian affairs
    • "Kent testified that Trump wanted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation of the Bidens and the 2016 election. “POTUS wanted nothing less than President Zelenskyy to go to microphone and say investigations, Biden, and Clinton,” Kent said. He confirmed much of Taylor’s testimony, and said that he was concerned that the investigations Trump was demanding were politically motivated."
  • Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was ousted from the post in May after a campaign to have her removed by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani
    • "Yovanovitch was confused by her ouster and the comments made by conservatives and Trump, who called her "bad news." She said she raised concerns about the shadow campaign pushed by Giuliani and how it ran counter to U.S. policy."
  • Kurt Volker, former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine
    • "A career State Department official, Volker worked with Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and various White House officials to set up Trump's phone call July 25 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a potential White House visit. This happened as military aid for the country was on pause."
    • "In his public testimony Nov. 19, Volker told lawmakers he was not aware of or knowingly took part in any efforts to pressure Kyiv to open an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden. At the time, he told lawmakers, he did not realize investigations into the Bidens and into Burisma had been conflated."
  • Timothy Morrison, National Security Council senior director for European and Russian affairs
    • political appointee and not a career official
    • "Morrison confirmed testimony given by Taylor that outlined a quid pro quo, basically halting aid until Ukraine committed to investigations. Morrison testified that he didn't believe Trump's call July 25 was illegal."
    • "In his Nov. 19 public testimony, Morrison said fellow NSC staffer Fiona Hill warned him of the “Gordon problem” regarding Sondland’s dealings in Ukraine."

 

[Terry Sampson]

From previous post:

• Jennifer Williams, Pence foreign policy Aide
  • "In her closed-door interview, Williams told lawmakers and staff it was “folly” to withhold military aid to Ukraine and that the call was “unusual.”
  • "In her Nov. 19 public testimony, Williams said she found Trump’s July 25 phone call “unusual” because of the discussion of “a domestic political matter.”

• Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, Ukraine Expert
  • "Vindman said in prepared remarks he twice reported concerns to superiors that the president and those working for him linked foreign aid to Ukraine with political investigations. He said he worried the efforts undermined U.S. national security."
  • "In his public testimony on Nov. 20, Vindman said he reported his concerns about a July 10 meeting between Sondland and Ukrainian officials, as well as Trump's July 25 call with Zelensky, out of a sense of duty.." "I was concerned by the call," Vindman said. "What I heard was inappropriate."
• Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union
  • Political appointee, whom--according to Trump--Trump hardly knows.
  • "Sondland amended his original testimony and told lawmakers he communicated a quid pro quo to a Ukrainian official, linking military aid for Ukraine to a public statement committing to investigations Trump and Giuliani wanted."
  • "In his Nov. 20 public testimony, Sondland gave more details not previously included in his closed-door interview, telling lawmakers that "everyone was in the loop" on the pressure campaign – including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence."

• Catherine Croft, State Department official , worked for Volker and had expertise in Ukrainean affairs, and arms sales and security assistance
  • "According to a copy of her opening statement, Croft told lawmakers she received calls from a lobbyist trying to oust Yovanovitch. She said she learned that aid was put on hold stemming from an order from the president."
• David Hale, State Department, 3rd highest official
  • Career Diplomat
  • "Hale told lawmakers about the political considerations in dismissing Yovanovitch and how those decisions affected military aid for Ukraine."
  • "In his Nov. 20 public testimony, Hale said the State Department's decision not to issue a statement of support for Yovanovitch could only be made by someone "more senior to me. The Secretary most likely would have been the person."
• Laura Cooper, Department of Defense, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia.official
  • Career employee
  • "Behind closed doors, Cooper gave lawmakers further details about the withholding of aid."
  • "In her Nov. 21 public testimony, Cooper provided new details about emails from the Ukrainians showing they had concerns about security assistance on July 25 – the day of Trump's infamous call with Zelensky."
• David Holmes, State Department, Counselor for Political Affairs, under Ambassador William Taylor, U.S. Embassy in Ukraine
  • Career employee
  • "Holmes confirmed he overheard the call and that he "heard President Trump ask, 'So, he's gonna do the investigation?' Ambassador Sondland replied that 'he's gonna do it,' adding that President Zelensky will do 'anything you ask him to.'"
  • "In his Nov. 21 public testimony, Holmes said U.S. foreign policy towards Ukraine "became overshadowed by a political agenda being promoted" by Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and a "cadre of officials operating with a direct channel to the White House."
• Fiona Hill, former White House advisor
  • Hill worked for years on the National Intelligence Council and as Trump's senior adviser on the Kremlin and Europe. She held a key role in U.S. policy in Ukraine and was part of several meetings where she expressed concerns over the shadow policy led by Giuliani and White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney."
  • "Hill told lawmakers national security adviser John Bolton likened the policy in Ukraine to a "drug deal" and called Giuliani a "hand grenade" who was going to blow everyone up, according to The New York Times and NBC News."
  • "In her Nov. 21 public testimony, Hill slammed the "fictional narrative" of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election. Congressional Republicans have argued Ukraine colluded with Democrats to hurt Trump in the election."
  • "Everyone knew that Burisma was 'code' for the Bidens."
    

Almost all, if not all, of the witnesses were "Deep State" characters.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I did not want to attempt to tell anyone how they are supposed to think and what they are to think about before they watch the video

Are you incapable of attempting an unbiased brief summary? Doing such is, after all, elementary English. With a 30 minute video, im not doing your work for you. I assume its not that import or that good of a point if you are unable to put proper effort.

 

[Terry Sampson]

What I find interesting is that yesterday, my latest former "deep state" heroine, Dr. Fiona Hill told members of the House Intelligence Committee:

• "Based on questions and statements I have heard, some of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country—and that perhaps, somehow, for some reason, Ukraine did. This is a fictional narrative that has been perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves.
  The unfortunate truth is that Russia was the foreign power that systematically attacked our democratic institutions in 2016. This is the public conclusion of our intelligence agencies, confirmed in bipartisan Congressional reports. It is beyond dispute, even if some of the underlying details must remain classified.
  The impact of the successful 2016 Russian campaign remains evident today. Our nation is being torn apart. Truth is questioned. Our highly professional and expert career foreign service is being undermined.
  U.S. support for Ukraine—which continues to face armed Russian aggression—has been politicized.
  The Russian government’s goal is to weaken our country—to diminish America’s global role and to neutralize a perceived U.S. threat to Russian interests. President Putin and the Russian security services aim to counter U.S. foreign policy objectives in Europe, including in Ukraine, where Moscow wishes to reassert political and economic dominance.
  I say this not as an alarmist, but as a realist. I do not think long-term conflict with Russia is either desirable or inevitable. I continue to believe that we need to seek ways of stabilizing our relationship with Moscow even as we counter their efforts to harm us. Right now, Russia’s security services and their proxies have geared up to repeat their interference in the 2020 election. We are running out of time to stop them. In the course of this investigation, I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests."

And yet ...
The MaddowBlog on MSNBC

@Kangaroo Feathers

 

[Stanyon]

Are you incapable of attempting an unbiased brief summary? Doing such is, after all, elementary English. With a 30 minute video, im not doing your work for you. I assume its not that import or that good of a point if you are unable to put proper effort.

It's information, you can listen to it not and either way the wind will still blow and the grass will still grow.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Interesting interview with Mark Ruskin about the impeachment process, media, etc.

A few points to consider:

1. He starts by connecting this impeachment process to something Trump’s political opponents have wanted to do since 2016. That is an extremely misleading, self-serving Republican talking point. It simply ignores what is really important and the detailed sequence of events: Trump is the one who held up the aid, without explanation. Trump is the one who so alarmed his own staff that a whistleblower made a complaint. Trump’s behavior is what sparked the inquiry. Trump’s behavior should be the first and foremost salient point to discuss.

It is remarkable to me how his defenders, like over-indulgent parents of a bratty child, resist holding him responsible for the consequences of his own actions and come up with all kinds of excuses and deflections.

Yes, It’s true that some of his political opposition anticipated the Tweeter-in-Chief would sooner or later blunder over the line of what is impeachable. Call it a hunch (/sarcasm). And some, but not most, were even calling for it before the latest inquiry - I guess they didn’t think it was cool that Trump’s campaign tried to coordinate with Russia and then tried to obstruct the investigation, but ultimately, didn’t. Tangentially, Trump arguably DID embark on a pattern of impeachable behavior before taking office (“Russia are you listening ... I hope you find her emails”, etc.) Again: don’t blame the opposition blame Trump for acting this way, and his apologists for normalizing it.

2. Since I didn’t watch the video after that, I have some questions: does the guest in the video address President Trump’s assessment that his call with Zelensky was “perfect”?

3. Does the guest deny there was a quid pro quo?

Thanks.

 

[Mr Spinkles]

I also note that there are 35,000 agents in the FBI. Does the interviewer plan to post a video of someone from the FBI with a different view or did he just find someone with the view he was looking for?

 

[Mr Spinkles]

Almost all, if not all, of the witnesses were "Deep State" characters.

So if someone wasn’t a direct witness, it’s hearsay and can be dismissed. And if someone was a direct witness, it’s Deep State, and can be dismissed. Check mate!

Even Gordon Sondland, a guy who has never been in government before, who donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, a guy Trump personally appointed. Sondland admitted there was a quid pro quo at the express direction of the President. Never mind - Deep State!

 

[Terry Sampson]

ven Gordon Sondland, a guy who has never been in government before, who donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, a guy Trump personally appointed. Sondland admitted there was a quid pro quo at the express direction of the President. Never mind - Deep State!

After praising Sondland, Trump now claims to "hardly know" him

 

[Shadow Wolf]

It's information, you can listen to it not and either way the wind will still blow and the grass will still grow.

Looks like someone else started it for you. Im not wasting 30 minutes because you cant properly present something. Makes me wish I couod have just copy/pasted something and that work for research papers.

 

[Stanyon]

Looks like someone else started it for you. Im not wasting 30 minutes because you cant properly present something. Makes me wish I couod have just copy/pasted something and that work for research papers.

Well...there you go

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Well...there you go

Really, it seems like you care so little about it you wont even tell people what its about. If you put zero effort into, why should I put more effort into it?

 

[wellwisher]

After praising Sondland, Trump now claims to "hardly know" him

View attachment 34594

The US borrows money from China; deficit spending, and then gives it to countries around the world, leaving behind more debt for the US tax payers. The National Debt is over $20 trillion. Trump does not agree with this policy, but rather believes countries who need and get money from the US, at least need to show that US generosity is good for the USA; better deal, and not just a money pit.

Ukraine, under the Obama Administration, was very corrupt. Obama also withheld funds, which allowed Russia to invade and annex Ukrainian territory. Ukraine needed weapons to defend itself, Obama refused. allowing Putin to annex part of Ukraine. Ukraine was not a country Trump wanted to give US tax payer dollars, unless they cleaned up the corruption. Part of this corruption included election tampering, against Trump, on behalf of the Democrats and Hillary. Why give money to a someone who tried to stab you in the back unless they reformed.

Trump as the top law enforcement official of the US, wanted assurance, from the newly elected President of Ukraine, that the new President would deal with all the corruption. This change of policy bothered the Democrats since a corrupt Ukraine was a cash cow for Biden's son and others. It also exposed the hypocrisy of the Democrats when it came to foreign meddling. But in the end, Ukraine got the money as defense aid against Russian invasion. Biden's son gave up his cushy job, and other corrupt elements were displaced. The impeachment delusion is a political punishment for Trump, because he interfered with their money laundering scheme and threatened to expose Democrat crimes and incompetence connected to Ukraine.