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Carolyn's avatar

That whole shebang should be investigated and cleansed. The FBI, the judges, the AGs, the DAs... Sounds like pretty much everyone in the Southern District of NY is suspicious

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Especially seeing how NY FBI director James Dennehy was sent off--to bagpipes and a cheering crowd of employees. Rotten to the Big Apple core.

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Granny Snakebite's avatar

“I tried to…distance us from [Williams] enough that [Judge Dale] Ho and [President] Trump will know we don’t approve of what he did, but not so much that we magnify the scandal.”

The games played at USDA office are so comparable to every political office in DC. There is no justice at the DOJ; just maneuvering and ladder climbing.

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Steve's avatar

Too many Democrats

James Piereson

Mar. 5 2025

On the real problem in Washington.

https://newcriterion.com/dispatch/too-many-democrats/

Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency is turning over the rocks in the nation’s capital, every day revealing some ridiculous federal expenditure for DEI programs in Serbia, LGBTQ+ comic books in Guatemala, and climate programs everywhere. These abuses, as many say, are the inevitable by-product of allowing unelected bureaucrats to make regulations and decisions about spending without proper review or oversight. It comes as no surprise to find out that they have been abusing their privileges.

Some of this is no doubt true: bureaucracy is a longstanding challenge in democratic societies. But there is a deeper problem: nearly all of these bureaucrats are Democrats—and Democrats think differently about power and public service than Republicans do. This is the main factor that gives rise to the slanted politics of the capital. It has a parallel in Marshall McLuhan’s dictum from decades ago that “the medium is the message”: the content of a television show is immaterial compared to the fact that people are watching television in the first place. The key factor in the capital is not so much what is decided, but who decides it. The medium, so called, is more important than the message.

Washington, D.C., as an urban center, is something of a joke compared to other important capitals around the world, like London, Paris, and Berlin, and compares unfavorably with the capitals of many impoverished nations. Crime has been out of control in Washington for decades but has now moved into areas frequented by politicians, office workers, and visitors, thanks to recently approved legislation that reduced penalties and eliminated bail for many crimes. The public schools are like those in other major cities: lavishly funded but poorly performing. Several years ago, in the midst of the pandemic, protestors and rioters ran amok through the city, smashing storefronts, tearing down statues, and threatening the White House, with the implied support of the mayor and city council.

The city is overwhelmingly populated by Democrats—and, on top of that, by the most partisan and far-left Democrats. Over the past five presidential elections, an average of 91 percent of the vote in the city has gone to Democratic candidates. In neighboring counties in Maryland and Virginia, Democrats typically carry between 70 and 80 percent of the vote. A majority of the between 200,000 and 300,000 federal bureaucrats living in those jurisdictions are Democrats, and they (quite logically) use their powers to advance Democratic Party causes.

(Snip)

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Washington used to be my favorite city to visit. Not anymore unfortunately. You don't feel safe walking around, homeless and graffiti everywhere. I think Trump will force Bowser to clean up her act--I see the city is already dismantling the obnoxious "Black Lives Matter" letters in front of the Hay Adams hotel. Good start.

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Steve's avatar

I have read that f you get away from the tourist spots, and into DC, t gets dangerous.

(Side Note)

I read, when we pulled out of Iraq, Baghdad had a lower crime rate than DC.

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A. Jeannette's avatar

OMG that sounds just like Los Angeles, CA! I won't go there.

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Pat Smith's avatar

Great article by Mr. Piereson. The cure for this is to move all of these agencies out of the beltway. Once the bureaucratic money tree is banished to the territories, the Democrats will melt away. Ill gotten money is their oxygen.

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Steve's avatar

" The cure for this is to move all of these agencies out of the beltway."

Bingo We Have A Winner! Thee was a time when having all bureaucracy's in one place made sense. Those days are Long Gone.

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A. Jeannette's avatar

And yet, those morons probably still want to claim that Donald Trump OR Michael Sussmann could get a fair trial there!

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Granny Snakebite's avatar

Scatter whatever government agency headquarters that survive Doge to small cities across America.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

And of course the media that swooned over Sassoon and Scotten is totally ignoring this part of the story.

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El Principito's avatar

Thank you so much, dear Julie Kelly.

You’re wonderful.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Much appreciated, thank you!

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A. Jeannette's avatar

You ARE THE BEES KNEES!

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A. Jeannette's avatar

She's the BEST!

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A. Jeannette's avatar

Holey Crap! Do the Democrats, et. al. have any thing to do, other than grandstanding? At Trump's lengthy oration it was a whole lot of mouthy losers cartooning around with just plain embarrassing behavior with stupid perceived fanfare. And they are truly "losers" because they ALL lost the November 2024 elections across the entire nation.

Sassoon, I guess, believes herself to be some kind of martyr and, let's see, that sort of goes around for all of these (I want to die on my sword) yet fully living whiners, who keep pushing the same stupid agendas THAT LOST THEM THE ELECTIONS! I guess when you come in with nothing and refuse to accept reality, with 71 million voting against ya, maybe you should start looking out for that 18 wheeler comin' at cha at a fast clip.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

I am working on another column about this. I see some frustration among MAGA at Bondi and Patel. I am willing to be patient but not for long. I want people in cuffs.

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A. Jeannette's avatar

Cuff em and perp walk em too!

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Susan G's avatar

Julie, Jeff Childers (Coffee and Covid on Substack) devoted a section of one of his daily posts last week to Pam Bondi. That post significantly altered my thinking on AG Bondi.

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JOHN R PENCE's avatar

Scumbags! Every last one of them.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

And these are just the ones we know about. Imagine the thousands of AUSAs just like them.

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Pat Smith's avatar

I need to add 26 Federal Plaza to the list of buildings to be demolished along with the RFK Building in DC. The DoJ is a fetid sewer of corruption. Luckily for our civilzation yheyvare also imcompetent. What kind of moron writes emails like this and emails drafts of letters to oneself? Thankfully, this bunch. Imagine the damage they could do if they were even slightly competent.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

She never thought they would investigate her conduct. She doesn't realize the Blanche and Bove had a front row seat to DOJ weaponization in Jack Smith's documents case. They know better than anyone how rotten these prosecutors and investigators are--and not just the ones who get the headlines.

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Evil Incarnate's avatar

I don't know what the law is, but the retention of an outside attorney by Judge Ho to review the case and determine if dismissal of the charges was appropriate seems improper. Decisions to prosecute or not are Article I Executive decisions. Perhaps if there's evidence of wrongdoing, such an independent review is appropriate. Baseless claims by those with political ambitions aren't evidence.

It's reminiscent of Judge Emmett Sullivan's hiring of a retired judge to review the DOJ's decision to dismiss charges against Michael Flynn. There's a big difference though; the retired judge Sullivan retained had already made known his biases against Flynn.

Since Judge Ho's reviewer found no wrongdoing, the various attorneys claiming wrongdoing should be rebuked and maybe sanctioned by the court.

In a perfect world, congress would look into Judge Sullivan's actions. His position is created by congress, not the constitution. It's within their powers to investigate irregularities, including hauling Sullivan in to give sworn testimony before a congressional committee. Unfortunately, so many other irregularities in the operation of the government are being discovered, Sullivan's apparent abuse of his office is a lower priority.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Right-- it is too late to investigate Sullivan but this finding by Clement should be considered a basis for prosecutorial misconduct charges.

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Michael Smith's avatar

Climbers like Sassoon and Scotten have long pervaded the DOJ. And as these texts appear to confirm, their pompous departure screeds just continued the climbing in another form.

Biglaw and/or the Conservative Legal Establishment no doubt will provide both a soft place to land.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

I LOVE how Trump removed security clearances for Perkins Coie. This is a much needed approach to fighting the lawfare and the revolving door between DOJ and private law.

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Gregory Roman's avatar

Hi Julie. Please read this attached Substack article I wrote and posted October 17, 2024 regarding the “revolving door”. gtr

https://open.substack.com/pub/gregoryroman/p/the-corporate-underworld-of-the-doj?r=lpguy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

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Pat Smith's avatar

In addition to the supposedly conservative National Review the equally supposedly conservative Wall Street Journal editorial writers were clutching their perils over Saint Danielle's resignation letter. "Quid pro quo!" one cried. "Unprecedented politization of the sacred Department of Justice!" howled another. To no one's surprise, not a ton of ink has been spilled over these recent revelations. I'm sure they will get around to it some day. Of course, I won't know since I cancelled my subscription upon reading that editorial. When asked for my reason for canceling, I paraphrased the great Dean Wormer of Animal House fame: Fat, drunk and Trump Deranged is no way to go through life.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Andy McCarthy has yet to retract his swooning endorsement of Cassidy Hutchinson. He claimed things would "never be the same" after her perjured testimony. Must be nice to be able to make outlandish statements/analysis and once proven wrong, never own up to it.

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Gregory Roman's avatar

McCarthy is the perfect Fox News toadie as he’ll carefully critique the DOJ but rarely crucify the bad actors within. Unless I missed it, I haven’t heard a peep out of him regarding Sassoon and Scotten, or their obvious insubordination directed towards their superiors at Main Justice.

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Frank Lee's avatar

I have had two recurring dreams since about 2018.

One - that Trump would win a second term and it would be his time to crush the old political establishment into the dust that it deserves.

Two - Malicious, power-abusing actors in government positions that attempted to destroy Trump and have caused so much harm to the nation, get sent to prison.

Half of my dream has been realized. I demand the other half!

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Julie Kelly's avatar

I agree, Frank. Investigations without consequences is thin gruel. I have confidence in Blanche and Bove--I don't think they will come up empty handed.

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Brian Ahier's avatar

It was obvious payback for daring to stand up to the Biden administration.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Yep

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Gary Arvidson's avatar

Thanks for your great reporting! Hopefully, the rotten eggs will be discarded soon, especially before Easter!

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Haha let's hope!

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Jccan's avatar

Great report Julie.

The best part:

"But headaches for former officials at SDNY are just beginning."

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Julie Kelly's avatar

I hope this is true anyway, lol

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Ernie Rockwell's avatar

Thanks once again Julie for bringing us well researched relevant content that AFAIK isn’t available anywhere else.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

Thank you, Ernie, for your support!

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sylviaodon's avatar

I agree with your comment about National Review questionably beaning conservative.

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Julie Kelly's avatar

I mean, in what sense are they conservative? Pro-life alone doesn't cut it. Now they are resistant to DOGE cuts? After howling about big spending and big deficits for decades? What a bunch of frauds.

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Rev. Karlan Fairchild, MDiv's avatar

An interesting piece, Julie, and all I can say is that the rot permeates virtually anything the radical lefties touch. I'm reminded of something which Dennis Prager said frequently and that is the the left destroys everything it touches...

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Julie Kelly's avatar

The notion that the rot and corruption are relegated only to the top officials at DOJ/FBI is a joke. Every field office--DOJ and FBI--is infected with politics. Bondi and team have a huge undertaking before them so speed is important. This is a very good start.

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