Wednesday, January 11, 2017

On January 20th Trump will be inaugurated while Ms. Conway is attempting to plow the road to compromised USA national security.

Americans should have a profound appreciation for the double standard at work with Trump and I am not just talking women. 

He denies reports by the FBI about compromised status, while embracing Director Comey's irreverent rantings about Secretary Hillary Clinton. Trump runs a populist campaign based in anti-establishment values and wins; but; now as verbalized his nominations and policies are anything but anti-establishment.

Donald Trump is a national security issue. His increased irreverence for USA law only proves his administration is anything but trustworthy.

Dylann Roof was sentenced to death in Charleston yesterday. (click here) What do the White Supremacists in the Trump White House have to say regarding this sentence?

Donald Trump should not be denying Russia is attempting to force certain performances by the Trump White House, but, should be the best informant the CIA and FBI have.

Compliance with USA national security is not a political witch hunt. The problems Trumps 24/7 campaigning will bring to USA national security cannot be understated. Trump should be stating any and all information pertinent to national security in his possession as being made available to the CIA and FBI.

This issue is a two sided sword. One edge states Russia has an advantage and the other edge provides a "Hoover-esque" power within the intelligence agencies. Congress is the security within the country. What the intelligence agencies knows the USA Congress should know as well to the point there is no leverage of power over the Executive Branch.

I find Comey's outspoken critique that caused Hillary Clinton her election loss curious and Hoover-like. Comey exercised power over a presidential candidate. That is even more of a concern to me because of the compromised status of 'The Vote' in this past election.

January 11, 2017

Russia has denied claims its intelligence agencies have compromising material about Donald Trump.
Dmitry Peskov, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, (click here) said the allegations were "pulp fiction" and a "clear attempt to damage relations".
The unsubstantiated claims say his presidential campaign secretly communicated with Moscow. They also say Russia has information about the US president-elect involving prostitutes.
Mr Trump has condemned the reports.
The president-elect tweeted: "FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!"
Later on Wednesday, he went on to write: "Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING!"
Mr Trump is due to hold a news conference on Wednesday, nine days before he takes office.
It was meant to be about his attempts to separate himself from his business commitments, to address concerns about conflicts of interest.
But it now comes at an awkward time for the Republican president-elect.
Last week, US intelligence agencies released an unclassified report saying Russia ran a hacking campaign to influence the US presidential elections.
Separate reports circulating in US media now say Moscow has damaging information about the president-elect's business interests and salacious video evidence of his private life....
The USA needs to understand the standing of it's allies as well. The national security of the USA involves many levels of knowledge. The country simply cannot be compromised in any manner.

The knowledge and depth of information the USA accumulates is far more than "good walls makes for good neighbors." Information of security reaches into those that serve government to protect the SOVEREIGN STATE OF THE USA.

The new Secretary of State will be working with our allies. The CEO of Exxon Mobile is about to dive into international agreements, including trade, that can compromise the security of the USA. Think about it. The agreements cannot be compromised by underhanded contract dealings.

What the USA is facing with the Trump administration is the introduction of the plutocracy to set government standards. It's ridiculous the changes that will take place to facilitate Wall Street and oppress the American people.

Trump can act to secure the country or compromise it. The choices to such decisions should be obvious and in full disclosure of the American people.

January 11, 2017
By Choe Sang-Hun

Seoul, South Korea — A special prosecutor (click here) investigating the corruption scandal that led to President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment summoned the de facto head of Samsung for questioning on Wednesday, calling him a bribery suspect.

The de facto leader, Jay Y. Lee, the vice chairman of Samsung, will be questioned on Thursday, according to the special prosecutor’s office, which recommended that he also be investigated on suspicion of perjury. Mr. Lee effectively runs Samsung, South Korea’s largest conglomerate; he is the son of its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who has been incapacitated with health problems.

He is expected to be asked whether multimillion-dollar donations that Samsung made to two foundations controlled by Choi Soon-sil, a longtime friend of the president, amounted to bribes, and what role, if any, he played in the decision to give the money. Investigators at the special prosecutor’s office have questioned other senior Samsung executives as suspects about the bribery accusations....

...Last month, Mr. Lee testified at a National Assembly hearing that he was not involved in the decision by Samsung to make the donations. He also said that the donations were not voluntary, suggesting that the company was a victim of extortion, not a participant in bribery....

It is ludicrous for any hearing of nominees to go forward without completing the LAWFUL submission of all ethical documents.

The reason such laws exist is to protect the public trust. How is any Senate committee member suppose to know what questions to ask if a nominee for the presidential cabinet was never in government before?

Donald Trump has laid out his nominees and submitted them to the US Senate. It is now time for the nominee to submit all necessary paperwork to allow the US Senate Judiciary Committee to do their work.

KELLYANNE CONWAY, (click here) Senior Adviser to President-elect Trump: Judy, as I understand it, some of the materials just aren’t — have not been complete in the process.
And so there is no reason to delay hearings that we expect will cover the substance of the duties that each of those men and women would have in those respective departments and agencies.
In addition, it’s my understanding that some of the designees have been requested to turn over tax information that has not been part of the regular course of action in the past. So I’m not sure where that stands, but we really need a fully functioning government next week as we have the transition of power from President Obama to President Trump....

The idea the Trump administration can steam roll over top of standards of government is reason for impeachment.

Every nominee needs to comply with USA FEDERAL LAW and submit necessary documents to be reviewed by the US Senate Judiciary Committee. The process set up is to provide information to the US Senate to facilitate voting for or against the nominee. If any Trump administration nominee submits to a hearing without completing the lawful process, he or she should be automatically rejected for office.

The governance of this nominating process is through a long standing law, "The Ethics in Government Act of 1978." (click here)

How current is this? Recent updates to this law include the years 2012 and 2013. (click here) There is nothing out of sync with reality.

The changes of 2012 and 2013 modified the law to end the online publishing of information. It was justified in that online information created a national security problem.

April 7, 2013
By Mark Gongloff

...The STOCK Act change (click here) does not apply to the president, vice president, members of Congress or candidates for Congress. Obama and Congress loudly passed the original STOCK Act last year after reports in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere, along with academic studies, noted that lawmakers with access to market-moving information were suspiciously lucky in the timing of their stock trades. One widely-cited estimate suggests congressional portfolios outperform the broader market by 12 percent annually, though there are reasons to doubt that figure.

The rationale for changing the law was that its disclosure requirements created a national security risk, according to a study ordered by Congress and completed by the National Academy of Public Administration. Federal employees’ unions had objected to the law from the start, saying it could put federal staffers at risk....

This is not Trump World anymore where "The Boss" is allowed to do as he pleases. These are long standing procedures of government that are necessary and correct.

Who Is Required to File: (click here) 

The law requiring public disclosure of personal financial information applies to the President, the Vice President, all Members of Congress (as well as candidates for President, Vice President, and Congress), federal judges and justices, and to high-level staff in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the federal government....

Besides the USA demanding disclosure of elected officials, there are other governments that demand those doing business with them disclose certain information. Hello? There is a reason for government processes and I suggest those in the proposed Trump administration adhere to them and/or EXCEED them to prevent any threat to the USA national security.

Top US intelligence officials provided Trump on Friday with intelligence that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about the billionaire real estate mogul and incoming President, several US officials told CNN....