Schiff says on ABC the National Security Agency is starting to "withhold documents" on Ukraine...

[demmiblue]

Schiff says on ABC the National Security Agency is starting to “withhold documents” on Ukraine from the House, saying the documents could be relevant in the Senate trial. There are “signs the CIA may be on the same tragic course,” Schiff said.

Schiff also confirmed that Intelligence Committee officials are resisting testifying at an annual open hearing on worldwide threats for fear of “angering the president”

Link to tweet

[Iliyah]

1. K & R . . .

[KPN]

2. The rubber is hitting the road folks. This next couple

of weeks will tell us a lot. It could be time soon for all Americans to “shit or get off the pot.” Will we have it in us?

[WhiteTara]

8. We can only hope. It has to be sustained

no one day and go home affair. I guess households will have to go in shifts to keep it all together. Yikes. I'm rather old for this; but these are still our times.

[KPN]

11. Agreed. But let's just hope this is all needless worry.

Last edited Sun Jan 19, 2020, 04:39 PM - Edit history (2)

We still have an impeachment trial. If that fails, we still have an election. ... But it is sometimes hard to be optimistic, especially as we’ve watched ... resignations, the Mueller flop, lenient sentences for treasonous crimes really, continuing Russian interference, cleaning out of the DOJ/FBI, and so on. I’m ready already.

[PatrickforO]

20. Maybe sixty million Americans are die-hard white supremacists

who are convinced the 'fed'ral gummint' is committing genocide against the white race. They want a Hitler, and would be very happy with another Holocaust.

So, yeah, up to the rest of us to slam the brakes on that shit.

[KPN]

42. Exactly!

[CrispyQ]

56. I'm not optimistic.

I have too many friends who still believe it can't happen here, a deadly form of American exceptionalism.

There's also the fact that many of us don't have the means, wherewithal, or support system to sustain a longtime protest. And then there's the fact that our country is so big. If we were the size of France and we could all descend on DC every weekend, that would get media attention, but we're spread out and each city has its own protest which gives the appearance our protests aren't as large or as organized. And then there's the media, who like to diminish the left while building up the right. I could go on & on.

We needed a strong opposition party the past forty years, not a party that "goes along to get along," which is what I think the dems have done. I'm a dem. I always have been, always will be, probably, since the only end to the two party system that I see is one-party rule that the GOP has just about sewn up, thanks to not having a strong opposition party.

On a good day I give us about a 30% chance of surviving Trump/McConnell/Barr.

Cheers!

[Leghorn21]

3. The single most chilling news I've heard in a while...not surprising, of course, but

damn

hang tough, everybody
this shit is hard

[dewsgirl]

6. I imagine this was expected, nonetheless chilling.

[calimary]

53. No kidding! Keeping hope alive is even harder.

Sometimes, in a time like this, it even feels damn foolish.

[demmiblue]

4. Schiff says NSA, CIA withholding Ukraine info due to White House pressure

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff alleged that the NSA and CIA may be withholding documents on Ukraine from Congress due to pressure from the White House, even as the Senate prepares to move forward on the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Schiff was asked about a POLITICO report that intelligence agencies officials don’t want to testify in public during an upcoming hearing in the House Intelligence panel on global security threats, asking that the session be held in private instead. Trump slammed the intelligence chiefs one year ago for the assessment of Iran, calling them “extremely passive and naïve” on the issue.

Schiff confirmed that report, and then asserted that Ukraine-related information is being withheld from Capitol Hill. Schiff blamed the White House for the failure to turn over the information to lawmakers.

“And I'll say something even more concerning to me, and that is the intelligence community is beginning to withhold documents from Congress on the issue of Ukraine,” Schiff said. “The NSA, in particular, is withholding what are potentially relevant documents to our oversight responsibilities on Ukraine, but also withholding documents potentially relevant that the senators might want to see during the trial.”

Schiff added: “There are signs that the CIA may be on the same tragic course. We are counting on the intelligence community not only to speak truth to power, but to resist pressure from the administration to withhold information from Congress because the administration fears that they incriminate them.”

An Intelligence Committee official later said, “Both the NSA and CIA initially pledged cooperation, and it appears now that the White House has interceded before production of documents could begin.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/19/adam-schiff-nsa-cia-ukraine-info-100952

[triron]

7. This gets more insane as time goes on.

How can any democracy have any respect for the U.S.?

[olegramps]

38. Not when our own citizens could care less, like Malaria Trump.

[dalton99a]

15. +1. This is very serious.

[Scarsdale]

18. Can anyone explain to me

what it is that this orange oaf, repulsive bully and worst president EVER has that makes people shake in their shoes? What power does he have? The "man" is a joke worldwide. Overweight low intelligence, borderline dementia. Where are the representatives with spines, to stand up to this creep, mafia wannabe? I mean apart from the brave democratic souls in Congress. The House seems to be full of wimps.

[SergeStorms]

30. I think everyone else....

is still playing by the rules. They still believe in the Office of the President, the rule of law, the Constitution, and their oaths of office. They're playing by the rules when all republicans have become fascist bullies. Of course, the intelligence community will quickly become an arm of this fascist government once it's leaders are replaced with republican loyalists. It's terrifying to think these fascist assholes are never going to allow another fair and honest election in the United States again, and that our beloved country is becoming the antithesis of what we once were.

[Locrian]

49. absolutely agree

I won't name names - but that's one of the reasons it infuriates me when any dem continues to act like the house or senate is still a group of "distinguished gentlemen/women" - the honorable etc.

Traitors and cowards - thieves and murderers.

The US may be "done" as a democracy very soon if a lot of people don't fine their spine.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

35. I think the same thing as you...

Why are people so afraid of him? His ranting and belittling, name calling, verbal abuse...so what?

Basic training in the Army during the early 70’s calloused me to anything anyone could throw toward me verbally.

One of them somewhere has to be okay with the abuse and find slight enjoyment in standing up to him and seeing his skin literally crawl in front of your eyes while his eyes start bulging outward covered in bloodshot whites as the head their loosely contained in turns every shade of color from orange to crimson, bellowing for you to shut up and get the fuck outta the room.

I’d be ok to do that.

[Scarsdale]

43. Remember that photo of

Nancy Pelosi standing with her finger pointing at him, in a room full of men? She has more courage than the entire senate put together. Nancy can "dish it out" as well as she can take it. Nancy is not afraid of tRump, she has his number.

[triron]

44. Yes she does.

[people]

24. Here's the only hopeful part of the above:

That someone from the intelligence community said this to someone in the press:

An Intelligence Committee official later said, “Both the NSA and CIA initially pledged cooperation, and it appears now that the White House has interceded before production of documents could begin.”

That means that this person in the intelligence community wanted this known and out there.

[scarletwoman]

40. I'm sorry, but your "hopeful part" is a misreading of the source of that quote.

An Intelligence Committee official later said, “Both the NSA and CIA initially pledged cooperation, and it appears now that the White House has interceded before production of documents could begin.”

It was not "someone from the intelligence community", it was someone from the Intelligence Committee - in other words, someone from the Legislative Branch, not anyone from the NSA or CIA.

I wish the news was better.

[Eyeball_Kid]

5. After the Senate Acquittal, Trump will have no reason to honor Court Orders to disclose

ANY documents or information because he will know that he's untouchable, and can defy any Court Orders, any Congressional subpoenas, and get away with it.

This is how it will play out, because virtually NO ONE is considering the Consequences of an Acquittal, and virtually NO ONE is issuing this logical warning on Trump's expanding power.

I've been harping on this for weeks, everywhere I can: When the Senate acquits, the Constitution dies.

Our esteemed army of Constitutional scholars/media celebrities who appear on cable news shows are curiously silent on this topic. It seems that NO ONE is warning us of the pending death of the Constitution. WHY is that?

[pandr32]

12. I agree, sadly.

[Mr. Ected]

16. It's only dead when applied to Republicans

If the Dems win the presidency in 2020 and attempt to use the same arguments that Trump and McConnell have used to insulate the executive branch, the GOP will do a 180 and argue against the same things they're arguing for right now. Their true believers will go on the 180 degree journey with them, seemingly not realizing the harsh change in their response.

[warmfeet]

28. I have been saying the same thing for quite a while as well.

The death of the Constitution is the death of our democratic republic. The rule of law is hanging by a thread and republican senators have nice, sharp scissors ready to cut.

[DENVERPOPS]

39. With more and more

Of the media owned by wealthy corporate republicans. This whole entire mess started back in the first day of Bush/Cheney under Reagan......

It used to be that there was majority of individual media ownership. Then Reagan’s minions started changing the laws and for the last 40 Years they have been chipping away.

A few years back it was reported that 80% of all media was owned by 8 wealthy Republicans.
A couple of weeks ago I heard the 80% is now down to being owned by just 5 huge Republican owned corporations.

Most interesting, each and everyone of all the things they are doing is exactly what Hitler did to gain his tyranny. Read some of the history of Hitler’s rise to power and compare it to the past couple of decades around these parts....

[triron]

9. knr

[Mike 03]

10. Deeply upsetting that the CIA is now dragged into this mess.

How does it get any more serious than this?

Maybe it's time to organize something dramatic, like stopping all discretionary spending--or some other economically impactful activity--for a set period of time and threatening to do it again if there's not immediate change.

They have shut down a branch of government. Our institutions are on the verge of becoming adversarial to the citizens. Our leaders don't fear us any more.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

14. we can shut it all down

[shanti]

19. We CAN

but do Americans actually have the cojones to do so? We appear to have become a lazy, soft, and unmotivated bunch.

[BSdetect]

13. Disgusting that they could be afraid of a designated "fucking moron".

[triron]

22. Maybe they know something about what happened to others that Trump found disposable.

Like Epstein, Khashoggi, the Kurds, Brown-skinned migrants, etc.

[onecaliberal]

17. The House needs to zip up the purse and defund this bullshit.

[Frustratedlady]

29. More or less put sanctions on the Repukes and their leader?

Trump keeps mentioning that he could stay in office for additional terms...Putin looks like he has something sinister in the wind with Russia...Ever get the feeling we may be facing the beginning of a takeover?

We need to get rid of Barr (all this sh*t turned even more sour when he was appointed) and that will take Trump's imaginary power away. But, how?

[onecaliberal]

31. IMO the takeover is complete. Barr can stop everything with no oversight.

The founders never envisioned an entire side of the isle turning traitorous.

[Frustratedlady]

33. I hope we're both wrong, but animals cornered are dangerously spiked with adrenalin.

Didn't the NYBar, or whatever group is responsible for attorney removal, send a letter about Barr? I don't remember seeing anything more about that and don't remember the group that sent it, but was momentarily excited that something might be in the works. However, justice slogs through processes like molasses in January.

I may be old, but I still DO have a pitchfork, and...

Onward and upward.

[onecaliberal]

37. Same. It was a letter from the NY Bar. I'm ready with my pitchfork too.

[NewJeffCT]

46. Neal Katyal has been advocating for that for nearly a year no

since early on after Dems took over the House

[Martin Eden]

21. "Fear of angering the president"

Another step towards dictatorship.

[blueinredohio]

23. I'm shocked!!!

[DallasNE]

25. Since They Took An Oath To Uphold The Law

Rather than a man then file criminal charges and lock them up. This cannot be let to stand.

[Turbineguy]

26. The Intelligence Committee has been infiltrated

with at least one Russian agent.

[Demovictory9]

27. K&r

[LiberalFighter]

32. Giving the House Democrats more ammo to impaeach the idiot.

[ArtTownsend]

34. Don't wanna upset the Fuhrer. Chilling...

[sarcasmo]

36. If our intelligence community is afraid of Trump, we're nearing Dictator territory.

[Takket]

41. the next president/congress has their hands full

this bullshit of "no, you can't have documents" has GOT to stop. when congress asks for documents, they get documents. and there shouldn't need to be a lawsuit to enforce it. same shit with the taxes. the law says when a tax return is requested it shall be turned over. it doesn't say "it shall be turned over if you file a case in court and wait a year or more for it to be appealed and ruled by SCOTUS"

[triron]

45. knr

[Blue Owl]

47. Fuck the guy claiming to be president

Cheaters should never be winners -- and Russia ushered this miserable fuck into the White House

[moondust]

48. Remember George "Slam Dunk" Tenet?

The former CIA director who supported the bogus WMD claims which then allowed GWB/Cheney to later blame the whole "mistake" on the intelligence community?

So this wouldn't be the first time someone in the IC has placed politics over the truth and allowed politics to prevail with potentially devastating consequences.

I've never had any doubt that there were lower level analysts in the CIA and elsewhere in the IC who followed the intelligence on Iraq and who knew Tenet was lying. Maybe it's them again keeping their mouths shut for yet another gang of Republican liars.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have enough intel right now to warrant hauling Dumpy out of the WH in cuffs.

[UCmeNdc]

50. How can government agencies with hold documents from congress?

Schiff needs to play hardball now!

[disndat]

51. We Still have the Supreme Court

with Chief Roberts swing vote.

[calimary]

52. For now...

[UniteFightBack]

54. I really thought there would of been more patriots, boy was I wrong. nt

[DonaldsRump]

55. Watergate was similar

Nixon had the CIA tell the FBI to stop its investigation of the Watergate break-in. The CI complied for about 10 days or so and told the FBI not to investigate. After several days of being told to stand down, FBI agents urged the FBI acting director to continue the investigation. Finally, the FBI Director had no choice, and called Nixon to tell him that his own men were going to "mortally wound" him if the delay continued.

When initially confronted with this several months later after the Watergate affair broke wide upon, the Deputy Director of the CIA knew this was a potential problem and raised it with the White House. Nixon ok'ed the disclosure of the scheme, but said it was done for national security, rather than political, reasons.

It was the release of an audio tape of Nixon's ordering his chief of staff to undertake this scheme that directly resulted in Nixon's resignation. Even Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee who had voted against the abuse of power impeachment article at the Committee said that this conduct was an impeachable abuse of power.

Truth has its own way of coming out, sometime and somehow, no matter what people do to keep it under the carpet. Nixon taped himself, but he was a smart man. Trump and his fools are not smart, and like with the Parnas pictures etc, there is no doubt a paper/digital trail five miles wide and deep.

[CrispyQ]

57. We are in as dire a situation as we've ever been in & could topple either way. -nt