Corker: Trump administration 'clamped down' on Saudi intel, canceled briefing

[Judi Lynn]

Source: The Hill


BY JORDAIN CARNEY - 10/17/18 10:18 PM EDT

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday that the Trump administration is restricting access to information about a missing Saudi journalist, a move that comes as President Trump has publicly echoed denials of wrongdoing from top Saudi officials.

Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Post that the administration had "clamped down" on sharing intelligence about Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi government who has been missing for more than two weeks.

“I can only surmise that probably the intel is not painting a pretty picture as it relates to Saudi Arabia,” Corker told The Post.

Corker added that the administration canceled an intelligence briefing scheduled for Tuesday and that he was told additional information would not be shared with the Senate at this time, a development he described as "disappointing."

Read more: https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/411979-corker-administration-clamped-down-on-saudi-intel-cancelled

[RockRaven]

1. Consciousness... of... guilt...

But Congressional GOPers, even those already set to leave at the end of the term, will... do... NOTHING.

[PearliePoo2]

2. More work for Adam Schiff and the House Intelligence Committee to do in January!

They're going to need wheelbarrows for all the subpoenas coming out the door.

[ejbr]

3. Not sure if I'm ready

to hear Trump apologists tell us how even if Saudi Arabia did it, it’s okay to torture journalists to death.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

8. They're gonna say it's none of our business.

[Scurrilous]

4. Trump to meet with Pompeo as Khashoggi crisis engulfs White House

<snip>

"President Donald Trump will meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday as the White House struggles to contain a spiraling crisis over a journalist's apparent death at a Saudi consulate.

Trump stressed Wednesday that he does not want to abandon Riyadh as it comes under increasing pressure to explain the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who has not been seen since entering the consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on October 2.

Trump denied that he was "giving cover" to Saudi Arabia, insisting that he wants to get to the bottom of what happened.

"I want to find out what happened, where is the fault, and we will probably know that by the end of the week. But Mike Pompeo is coming back, we're gonna have a long talk," he said.

Pompeo, who returned to Washington on Wednesday after an emergency diplomatic mission to meet Saudi and Turkish leaders, has also faced criticism that the US was giving the Saudis "the benefit of the doubt."

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/18/middleeast/trump-pompeo-khashoggi-saudi-intl/index.html


Mike Pompeo fails to bring Jamal Khashoggi scandal under control

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/17/mike-pompeo-fails-to-bring-jamal-khashoggi-scandal-under-control

Trump’s fix backfires as Saudi Arabia and Turkey dig into opposing positions

<snip>

"Mike Pompeo’s visit to the region was supposed to be a face-saver that explained away the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, while sparing further blushes in Riyadh, Washington - and Ankara.

It did not go to plan. The US secretary of state’s two-day trip has seemingly led Saudi Arabia and Turkey to dig further into positions that are starting to seem irreconcilable. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has not taken Washington’s bait – a push to blame elements of the Saudi state for Khashoggi’s death, but not the royal court itself. Instead, he has reiterated denials of any state connection to Khashoggi’s death inside the consulate.

Turkey appears to be furious. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who had purportedly reached a weekend understanding with Riyadh, no longer appears bound by talk of “brotherly fraternity” between the two regional rivals."

[LakeSuperiorView]

12. Remember that tRump likes Putin, with oponents disappearing all the time.

Practice for 5th Ave?

[RhodeIslandOne]

5. If Obama or Hillary did this....

....you know the rest....

[Achilleaze]

6. KGOP republicans hiding some deep, dark shit about Dirty Donny* & JarJar

* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[groundloop]

10. Yep.... Tiny is trying to keep his baby girls hubby out of prison for treason

[FloridaBlues]

7. This is what will happen to Dems when they take over as well for every request

Into an investigation.

[ananda]

9. Idiot. It's pretty clear to me what happened and who knew, including 45!

Don't need intel to know the truth here.

[watoos]

11. I mean, c'mon man,

I thought people would turn on Trump because he is a crook, nope. Thought people would turn on Trump because he is 3 time adulterer, nope. Thought people would turn on Trump because he is a sexual assaulter, most likely a pedophile, I mean he looked at a 10 year old girl with sexual thoughts, nope. Thought people would turn on Trump because he supports brutal dictators, nope.

I mean, c'mon man, are people going to turn on Trump because he is complicit to a murder of a US permanent resident? I thought he was joking when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and no one would care, he was being serious.

[Nitram]

13. The Trump administration is engaged in a full-blown coverup of the Saudi murder of a journalist.

Impeachable offense?

[watoos]

14. Clinton was impeached for lying about a blow job.

Of course this is an impeachable offense for a Democrat.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

17. Remember who lead the charge on that ?

Ken Starr's top legal dog -- Brett Kavanaugh.

[Scurrilous]

15. Peas in a pod...

Jamal Khashoggi case: All the latest updates

<snip>

US gives Saudi Arabia 'few more days' on Khashoggi

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he told President Donald Trump that the US should give Saudi Arabia a few more days to wrap up its investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance.

"I told President Trump this morning that we ought to give them a few more days ... so that we too have a complete understanding of the facts" before deciding on a response, Pompeo told reporters at the White House.

Putin wants more evidence on Khashoggi's fate

Vladimir Putin says Russia would wait for the outcome of an investigation into Khashoggi's disappearance before deciding what impact the writer's fate may have on relations with Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at an international policy forum in Sochi, the Russian president called Khashoggi's disappearance a "tragedy", but said Moscow needs "to understand what happened" before deciding what impact it may have on ties with Riyadh.

"Those who believe that there was a murder must present evidence," he said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/10/jamal-khashoggi-case-latest-updates-181010133542286.html

[Power 2 the People]

16. So a co-equal branch of government is going to shrug its shoulders

and say "oh well" when Trump refuses to give them information that they are entitled to view? Kabuki fucking theater.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

18. I must disagree.

Kabuki is all about morality.