Friday, May 18, 2018

'Crossfire Hurricane' New York Times Report Buries Ledes

If you're a fading Baby Boomer, you're faintly amused that the FBI code-named its Trump-Russia investigation "Crossfire Hurricane." It's an homage to the Rolling Stones golden oldie "Jumpin' Jack Flash" - which, come to think of it, might just be a perfect handle for John Brennan, the former Obama CIA director whose specter hovers over each critical juncture of the case.

Just because the two FBI cases are both referred to as "Investigations" does not make them the same kind of thing.

The Clinton case was a criminal investigation that was predicated on a mountain of incriminating evidence.

The scandal is that the FBI, lacking the incriminating evidence needed to justify opening a criminal investigation of the Trump campaign, decided to open a counterintelligence investigation.

There would have been nothing inappropriate about the FBI's opening up a counterintelligence investigation against Russia.

Opening up a counterintelligence investigation against Russia is not the same thing as opening up a counterintelligence investigation against the Trump campaign.

To the contrary, the bureau opened a counterintelligence investigation in the absence of any incriminating evidence, or evidence implicating the Trump campaign in Russian espionage.

https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/05/crossfire-hurricane-new-york-times-report-buries-lede/

No comments: