They're very dishonest people. I think they're crooked as hell and uh maybe they have to pay a price for that. I I believe they are truly bad people and dishonest people.So, whatever happens happens. >> Hi again, everybody. It's now 5:00 in New York.Those comments made by Donald Trump about former FBI director Jim Comey and former director of the CIA John Brennan land a little differently after the series of political indictments of several of Donald Trump's critics, including that of Jim Comey himself. Mon ...

All right, in the latest push, we'll move on uh to prosecute President Trump's perceived political foes. The Republican chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio is asking the Justice Department to take legal action against former CIA Director John Brennan for allegedly lying to Congress back in 2023. In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Jordan claims that Brennan, who led the CIA during a probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election, quote, "Knowingly and willfully ...

Marc, what do we know about the election results so far and what the reaction is likely to be then in Moscow. Yeah. So it looks as though the pro-EU party has won just enough to get another majority in Parliament.They, you know, it will be contested even before the vote began to be counted. The Patriotic Bloc, which is made up of a group of, you know, and demonstrably pro Moscow parties. They already said that they didn't believe that it would be a fair vote and that they they called for protests.That was b ...

Geopolitical Landscape - Moldova awaits pivotal election results [1] - Leader warns of potential Russian interference in the election [1]

Allegations of Political Motivation and Abuse of Power - The report suggests that indictments against figures like James Comey are politically motivated as part of a "revenge tour" [4] - The Department of Justice is portrayed as being manipulated, becoming "putty" in the hands of the President, raising concerns about the integrity of the justice system [5] - The report claims the President is using prosecutions to undermine confidence in the US judicial system [14] - The President is accused of pushing the boundaries of presidential executive authority, causing unease among government officials [15] - The revocation of security clearances of potential witnesses is seen as an appalling act that complicates efforts to build a case [16] Impact on Institutions and Individuals - Actions are undermining confidence in institutions like the CIA, FBI, and the Department of Justice [14] - Individuals within the CIA and FBI are reportedly worried about potential directives from the President [14] - The report highlights the personal toll on individuals and their families who are targeted, including reputational damage and legal battles [9][19] Call for Action and Resistance - The report calls for Republicans in Congress to express outrage over the situation [6] - There's a call for more people to speak out against injustice and abuse of power within the government [21] - Individuals are encouraged to resign if pushed to do something illegal, unethical, or unprincipled [25] - The report emphasizes the importance of national security and law enforcement professionals continuing to carry out their duties with integrity [26]

Geopolitical Risk - The elections in Moldova are being closely watched in Brussels as an indicator of Russian interference in Europe [1] - The elections are also seen as a bellwether for hybrid attacks in Europe [1]

Geopolitical Analysis - The report suggests potential external influence from Russian sources [1]

Investigation & Justice Department Concerns - The Trump administration is perceived as using the Justice Department to appease supporters who believe crimes were committed by the Biden and Obama administrations [2] - The leaking of a criminal investigation to the press is considered unusual and potentially intended to embarrass individuals and inflict legal costs [3][4][5] - Concerns exist that the Justice Department is becoming a political tool of the presidency, undermining the independence of career prosecutors [12][13] Legality & Timing - The investigation's timing is questioned, particularly in relation to deflecting attention from other issues [8] - Even if a crime had occurred, the statute of limitations (5 years) has likely passed, making an investigation unwarranted [10] - It is considered unprecedented for an attorney general to order prosecutors to open a case without sufficient evidence [11] Russian Interference & Prior Investigations - The intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election is not considered startling [9] - Previous investigations, including one by Special Counsel John Durham, found no evidence to charge key individuals [5][6] - John Durham's report did not even address the intelligence community's assessment on Russian interference [7]

Political & Legal Implications - The Justice Department is ordered to revisit the 2016 election and investigate the Obama White House and intelligence community's assessment of Russian interference [1] - This action follows President Trump's accusations of treason against former President Obama without evidence [1] - Democrats and former Justice Department officials condemn the move as a dangerous political stunt [2] - A bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee review found significant evidence of Russian interference in 2016, contradicting claims of an Obama administration conspiracy [2]

Investigation Overview - The Justice Department, under the Attorney General's direction, is launching a grand jury investigation into how Obama-era officials assessed Russian interference during the 2016 election [1] - This move follows criminal referrals sent to the Justice Department alleging a "treasonous conspiracy" by top Obama administration officials against then-candidate Donald Trump [2] - Democrats are characterizing this investigation as an attempt to divert attention from the Jeffrey Epstein case [2] - Past probes, including those conducted by Republicans, found no crimes committed by Obama-era officials [3] - The process is considered abnormal because grand jury proceedings are typically secret, and the Department of Justice usually doesn't publicly announce such investigations [4] - No specific alleged crimes have been explicitly named by the Attorney General, although "conspiracy against rights" has been suggested as a potential crime [5][6] Context and Concerns - The investigation is questioning efforts by the Obama administration after Trump's 2016 election win, alleging an attempt to undermine his incoming presidency by suggesting collusion with Russia [7] - A three-year investigation by special counsel John Durham found no conspiracy and brought no charges of that kind [7] - A bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee report in 2020 also declared that Russia had meddled in the 2016 campaign [8] - Former DOJ officials have called the investigation a "political stunt" [6]