New Justice Dept. Corrections Regarding Freedon OF Religion

Today, in an article from "The Hill", Lydia Wheeler covers the announcement by US Atty Gen Jeff Sessions regarding roll-backs of President/King Obama's anti-Christian efforts which essentially assaulted the US Constitutionally guaranteed Freedom OF Religion (NOT Freedom from Religion, as so many people claimed under the Obama Presidency). While the detail in the announcement failed to go into specifics, the fact that the Justice Dept. is finally being directed to protect Freedom of Religion is most welcome as this vital right, emplaced in the First Amendment, has been under siege ever since Obama took office. Please read the article below...

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced Monday that the Department of Justice is creating a "religious liberty task force."

Sessions said the task force, co-chaired by Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio and the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy, Beth Williams, will help the department fully implement the religious liberty guidance it issued last year. 

The guidance was a byproduct of President Trump's executive order directing agencies to respect and protect religious liberty and political speech.

Sessions said on Monday that the task force will "ensure all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations."

The announcement came during the department's religious liberty summit.

Sessions said the cultural climate in this country —and in the West more generally — has become less hospitable to people of faith in recent years, and as a result many Americans have felt their freedom to practice their faith has been under attack.

"We've seen nuns ordered to buy contraceptives. We've seen U.S. senators ask judicial and executive branch nominees about dogma — even though the Constitution explicitly forbids a religious test for public office. We've all seen the ordeal faced so bravely by Jack Phillips," he said, referring to the Colorado baker who took his case to the Supreme Court after he was found to have violated the state's anti-discrimination laws for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding.

Sessions said the guidance he issued in October lays out 20 fundamental principles for the executive branch to follow, including the principles that free exercise means a right to act — or to abstain from action — and that government shouldn't impugn people's motives or beliefs.

"In short, we have not only the freedom to worship — but the right to exercise our faith. The Constitution's protections don't end at the parish parking lot nor can our freedoms be confined to our basements," he said, according to his prepared remarks.

Sessions said the federal government under the Trump administration is not just reacting but is actively seeking to accommodate people of faith.

"Religious Americans are no longer an afterthought," he said."

Illegal Immigrant Victims?!

An article in the San Francisco Chronicle highlighted one family's recent run-in with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, or ICE, during the department's recent sweep in Northern California. Here's an excerpt from the article:


"Jesus Manzo Ceja walked out of his Napa home before 6 a.m. Wednesday intending to move his truck from a spot where he worried it might get towed. Instead he found immigration officers waiting for him in the dark with a warrant for his arrest.
Now the 55-year-old construction worker and father of three — who came to the U.S. nearly 30 years ago but never gained legal status — faces potential deportation to his native Mexico, according to family members.
They wonder if an arrest nearly 15 years ago caught up to Manzo Ceja amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and this week’s big Northern California sweep, which ended Wednesday. They also worry about other undocumented family members being arrested, including Manzo Ceja’s wife, 54-year-old Guadalupe Manzo."

So, not only are Mayors in California disregarding Federal Immigration law, they are also announcing to illegal immigrants in their cities of impending ICE raids so that they can go into hiding to avoid deportation. Then, the media have the audacity to portray these illegal residents as victims whenever they get caught up in an ICE sweep. Seriously?

As stated in the excerpt above, Mr. Ceja came to this country--illegally--as an adult, but failed, over the course of thirty years, to seek the path to citizenship. As a result, both he and his family are targeted by ICE,...and he is somehow a victim?! Just how is a man, who chose for three decades to avoid obtaining his citizenship, a victim? His choice to enter the United States illegally was wrong. He knew it, he knows it and he is making his family suffer the consequences of his choices. Additionally, why is the media portraying Mr. Ceja's lack of personal responsibility as if he were an innocent? His choices led him and his family to this juncture. His lack of responsibility placed him in this position, and when Immigration officials caught up to him, he is somehow a victim.

The same goes for any illegal immigrant. They break the laws of the United States by entering without permission, then cry foul when they get caught.

Here's a mind-boggling idea... how about all these illegal immigration advocates, instead of coddling those who choose to enter the US illegally, then hide fearfully in the shadows, that these groups put their time, efforts and monies into foreign programs that educate potential immigrants on how to obtain LEGAL entry into the United States, and place themselves onto the path to citizenship? That way, no one enters illegally, and they have no need to hide from authorities for fear of deportation.

I know...that's a crazy thought, right? 

As I have stated in previous posts on this issue, I am all for immigration into the United States. Except for Native Americans, we are all immigrants (or descendants of immigrants) to this great country. It is the differences of cultural backgrounds that have made the US such a vibrant melting pot of thoughts and ideas.  However, the immigrants who choose to ignore the sovereign laws of our country should fully expect to be deported when immigration official catch up to them. 

Thanks to now former King Obama, illegal immigration in the name of 'humanitarianism' allowed millions more non-citizens to quite literally take OUR tax dollars because, as King Barry alleged, these illegal immigrants had "rights" that actually took precedence over citizens of the country he [supposedly] led. Programs, meant to benefit US citizens during hard economic times, are being drained to the tune of $361 BILLION every single year so that illegal immigrants can be given taxpayer funded foods, housing, education, medical coverage etc! $361 BILLION of OUR benefits!

How any supposed advocate for illegal immigration can stomach that number, knowing the real cost not only to taxpayers, but actual citizens of the United States who need those resources; well, that mindset is completely lost on me. Placing the well-being of Americans behind that of illegal immigrants is blatantly wrong...and frankly, incomprehensible.

A Compelling Argument Against Late-Term Abortions by Sen. Lee

I received the following newsletter from Senator Mike Lee (I-Utah) regarding late-term abortions and legislation he helped introduce to ban the practice here in the United States. His argument is compelling and is backed by real statistics. No matter what side of this divisive issue you are on, please read this intelligent, well-thought out opinion.  

January 26, 2017 "to elevate the condition of men--to lift artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudable pursuit for all, to afford all an unfettered start and a fair chance, in the race of life." --Abraham Lincoln Chairman's Note: The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act At twenty weeks past conception a baby can sleep and wake in the womb. She can suck her thumb, make faces, and see light filtering in through the womb. And by 20 weeks, if not before, science suggests that baby can also feel pain. Only seven countries in the entire world allow elective abortions at this late stage. And the United States is one of them. Each year in this country, more than ten thousand abortions occur after the twenty-week mark. We can stop this and we must. That is why this coming Monday’s vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is so important. The abortion lobby is attacking this bill by denying there is any evidence that unborn babies can feel pain at twenty weeks. That’s what the abortion lobby says. But what does the science say? According to a 2006 study from the International Association for the Study of Pain, “The available scientific evidence makes it possible, even probable, that fetal pain perception occurs well before late gestation.” The study goes on to say that pain perception develops in the “second trimester,” “well before the third trimester.” A 2012 study by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists concludes, “the basis for pain perception appear[s] at about 20 to 22 weeks from conception.” And another 2012 study that was published in the journal Fetal Diagnosis and Therapy found that “. . . from the second trimester onwards, the fetus reacts to painful stimuli . . . [T]hese painful interventions may cause long-term effects.” The authors of this study recommend that unborn children be given painkillers during “potentially painful procedures” such as surgeries—or, I would add, such as abortions. There are many more studies like these but the consensus is clear: The science at a minimum suggests that unborn children can feel pain at 20 weeks . . . Can feel the abortionists’ knife and suction tube as it rips them apart in the womb. That possibility alone should have us rushing to ban abortion at 20 weeks. A vote for that bill is a vote to protect some of the most vulnerable members of the human family. Together, we can move our country’s laws away from North Korea and China, and towards our most fundamental belief: That all human beings are created equal and have an unalienable right to life.

'FISA Memo DESTROYS Trump/Russia Collusion Narrative': Judicial Watch

(The Nunes Memo is explained by Tom Fitton of Judicial Watch.)

This is absolutely unbelievable!
And King Obama (and his former Administration) continues to deny any knowledge of, or involvement in, the attack on then-candidate Donald Trump. What a liar!
Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee are even worse in their complicity in this entire false narrative of Russian efforts to influence the 2016 Presidential election. Please watch this in its entirety. 
And for those who are staunch Democrats, how can you know/watch this and NOT feel like the actors involved betrayed the entire country?

Everyone involved a/o with knowledge of this deception should be in prison...including the entire Obama Administration and King Barry himself!

So-Called Trump Dossier is Nothing More than DNC Collusion to Steal 2016 Election

Well, after all the brouhaha regarding the supposed bombshell of the Trump dossier and Russian collusion to influence the outcome of the 2016 Presidential election, the just released Congressional Investigation memo regarding their findings clearly and unequivocally shows the actual collusion was between the FBI, DOJ, Clinton Campaign and the Obama Administration in order to unfairly and illegally influence the outcome of the election in order to favor the Democratic Party.

Please read...

Declassified by order of the President — February 2, 2018

January 18, 2018

To: HPSCI Majority Members

From: HPSCI Majority Staff

Subject: Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Abuses at the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Purpose

This memorandum provides Members an update on significant facts relating to the Committee’s ongoing investigation into the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and their use of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) during the 2016 presidential election cycle. Our findings, which are detailed below, 1) raise concerns with the legitimacy and legality of certain DOJ and FBI interactions with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), and 2) represent a troubling breakdown of legal processes established to protect the American people from abuses related to the FISA process.

Investigation Update

On October 21, 2016, DOJ and FBI sought and received a FISA probable cause order (not under Title VII) authorizing electronic surveillance on Carter Page from the FISC. Page is a U.S. citizen who served as a volunteer advisor to the Trump presidential campaign. Consistent with requirements under FISA, the application had to be first certified by the Director or Deputy Director of the FBI. It then required the approval of the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General (DAG), or the Senate-confirmed Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division.

The FBI and DOJ obtained one initial FISA warrant targeting Carter Page and three FISA renewals from the FISC. As required by statute (50 U.S.C. §1805(d)(1)), a FISA order on an American citizen must be renewed by the FISC every 90 days and each renewal requires a separate finding of probable cause. Then-Director James Comey signed three FISA applications in question on behalf of the FBI, and Deputy Director Andrew McCabe signed one. Then-DAG Sally Yates, then-Acting DAG Dana Boente, and DAG Rod Rosenstein each signed one or more FISA applications on behalf of DOJ.

Due to the sensitive nature of foreign intelligence activity, FISA submissions (including renewals) before the FISC are classified. As such, the public’s confidence in the integrity of the FISA process depends on the court’s ability to hold the government to the highest standard particularly as it relates to surveillance of American citizens. However, the FISC’s rigor in protecting the rights of Americans, which is reinforced by 90-day renewals of surveillance orders, is necessarily dependent on the government’s production to the court of all material and relevant facts. This should include information potentially favorable to the target of the FISA application that is known by the government. In the case of Carter Page, the government had at least four independent opportunities before the FISC to accurately provide an accounting of the relevant facts. However, our findings indicate that, as described below, material and relevant information was omitted.

1) The “dossier” compiled by Christopher Steele (Steele dossier) on behalf of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Hillary Clinton campaign formed an essential part of the Carter Page FISA application. Steele was a longtime FBI source who was paid over $160,000 by the DNC and Clinton campaign, via the law firm Perkins Coie and research firm Fusion GPS, to obtain derogatory information on Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.

a) Neither the initial application in October 2016, nor any of the renewals, disclose or reference the role of the DNC, Clinton campaign, or any party/campaign in funding Steele’s efforts, even though the political origins of the Steele dossier were then known to senior DOJ and FBI officials.

b) The initial FISA application notes Steele was working for a named U.S. person, but does not name Fusion GPS and principal Glenn Simpson, who was paid by a U.S. law firm (Perkins Coie) representing the DNC (even though it was known by DOJ at the time that political actors were involved with the Steele dossier). The application does not mention Steele was ultimately working on behalf of—and paid by—the DNC and Clinton campaign, or that the FBI had separately authorized payment to Steele for the same information.

2) The Carter Page FISA application also cited extensively a September 23, 2016, Yahoo News article by Michael Isikoff, which focuses on Page’s July 2016 trip to Moscow. This article does not corroborate the Steele dossier because it is derived from information leaked by Steele himself to Yahoo News. The Page FISA application incorrectly assesses that Steele did not directly provide information to Yahoo News. Steele has admitted in British court filings that he met with Yahoo News—and several other outlets—in September 2016 at the direction of Fusion GPS. Perkins Coie was aware of Steele’s initial media contacts because they hosted at least one meeting in Washington D.C. in 2016 with Steele and Fusion GPS where this matter was discussed.

a) Steele was suspended and then terminated as an FBI source for what the FBI defines as the most serious of violations—an unauthorized disclosure to the media of his relationship with the FBI in an October 30, 2016, Mother Jones article by David Corn. Steele should have been terminated for his previous undisclosed contacts with Yahoo and other outlets in September—before the Page application was submitted to the FISC in October—but Steele improperly concealed from and lied to the FBI about those contacts.

b) Steele’s numerous encounters with the media violated the cardinal rule of source handling—maintaining confidentiality—and demonstrated that Steele had become a less than reliable source for the FBI.

3) Before and after Steele was terminated as a source, he maintained contact with DOJ via then-Associate Deputy Attorney General Bruce Ohr, a senior DOJ official who worked closely with Deputy Attorneys General Yates and later Rosenstein. Shortly after the election, the FBI began interviewing Ohr, documenting his communications with Steele. For example, in September 2016, Steele admitted to Ohr his feelings against then-candidate Trump when Steele said he “was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate about him not being president.” This clear evidence of Steele’s bias was recorded by Ohr at the time and subsequently in official FBI files—but not reflected in any of the Page FISA applications.

a) During this same time period, Ohr’s wife was employed by Fusion GPS to assist in the cultivation of opposition research on Trump. Ohr later provided the FBI with all of his wife’s opposition research, paid for by the DNC and Clinton campaign via Fusion GPS. The Ohrs’ relationship with Steele and Fusion GPS was inexplicably concealed from the FISC.

4) According to the head of the FBI’s counterintelligence division, Assistant Director Bill Priestap, corroboration of the Steele dossier was in its “infancy” at the time of the initial Page FISA application. After Steele was terminated, a source validation report conducted by an independent unit within FBI assessed Steele’s reporting as only minimally corroborated. Yet, in early January 2017, Director Comey briefed President-elect Trump on a summary of the Steele dossier, even though it was—according to his June 2017 testimony—“salacious and unverified.” While the FISA application relied on Steele’s past record of credible reporting on other unrelated matters, it ignored or concealed his anti-Trump financial and ideological motivations. Furthermore, Deputy Director McCabe testified before the Committee in December 2017 that no surveillance warrant would have been sought from the FISC without the Steele dossier information.

5) The Page FISA application also mentions information regarding fellow Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos, but there is no evidence of any cooperation or conspiracy between Page and Papadopoulos. The Papadopoulos information triggered the opening of an FBI counterintelligence investigation in late July 2016 by FBI agent Pete Strzok. Strzok was reassigned by the Special Counsel’s Office to FBI Human Resources for improper text messages with his mistress, FBI Attorney Lisa Page (no known relation to Carter Page), where they both demonstrated a clear bias against Trump and in favor of Clinton, whom Strzok had also investigated. The Strzok/Lisa Page texts also reflect extensive discussions about the investigation, orchestrating leaks to the media, and include a meeting with Deputy Director McCabe to discuss an “insurance” policy against President Trump’s election.

UNCLASSIFIED

PROPERTY OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

What further proof is needed for the mainstream media to finally shed light on the illegal activities of the DNC et al to steal a Presidential election? 

If this doesn't wake up voters on both sides of the aisle to demand change and accountability from all parties involved, then apathy will be the order of the day, and the country will continue its slide from greatness to mediocrity, and we will no longer be able to lead the world towards a better future.