FOX NEWS: Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office on Friday issued an extraordinary statement disputing a bombshell news report that claimed [READ MORE]
The post Mueller team disputes BuzzFeed report claiming Trump told Cohen to lie appeared first on The Savage Nation.
(NBC News) A 14-year-old boy holding an airsoft gun was fatally shot by a Tempe, Arizona, police officer on Tuesday.
Officers responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle discovered a person “who was in the process of burglarizing the vehicle” just after 2:30 p.m. MST (4:30 p.m. ET) Tuesday, according to a statement from the Tempe Police Department.
As officers approached, the suspect ran away holding what they thought was a handgun, the statement said. An officer raced after the suspect giving “verbal commands,” and during the chase “perceived a threat” and fired his weapon, hitting the teen. They did not specify how many shots were fired.
The post 14-year-old with airsoft gun shot dead by police officer appeared first on WND.
Authored by Finian Cunningha, via The Strategic Culture Foundation,
With unseemly haste, US news media leapt on the killing of four American military personnel in Syria as a way to undermine President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw troops from that country.
The deadly attack in the northern city of Manbij, on the west bank of the Euphrates River, was reported to have been carried out by a suicide bomber. The Islamic State (ISIS) terror group reportedly claimed responsibility, but the group routinely makes such claims which often turn out to be false.
The American military personnel were said to be on a routine patrol of Manbij where US forces have been backing Kurdish militants in a purported campaign against ISIS and other terror groups.
An explosion at a restaurant resulted in two US troops and two Pentagon civilian officials being killed, along with more than a dozen other victims. Three other US military persons were among those injured.
US media highlighted the bombing as the biggest single death toll of American forces in Syria since they began operations in the country nearly four years ago.
The US and Kurdish militia have been in control of Manbij for over two years. It is one of the main sites from where American troops are to withdraw under Trump’s exit plan, which he announced on December 19.
Following the bombing, the New York Times headlined: “ISIS Attack in Syria Kills 4 Americans, Raising Worries about Troop Withdrawal”. The report goes on, “the news prompted calls from Republicans and Democrats for President Trump to reconsider his plans to withdraw troops from the country.”
A more pointed headline in The Washington was: “Killing of 4 Americans in Syria Throws Spotlight on Trump’s Policy”.
The Post editorialized, “the bombing showed that [ISIS] is likely to be a force to be reckoned with in Syria for the foreseeable future.” It quoted politicians in Washington claiming the “bombing deaths… were a direct result of a foolish and abrupt departure announcement [by Trump], and made the case for staying.”
Democrat Senator Jack Reed, who sits on the Senate Armed Forces Committee, said: “From the beginning, I thought the president was wrong [in ordering the withdrawal]. It was a strategic mistake for the whole region.”
With macabre smugness, anti-Trump politicians and news media appeared to exploit the death of US troops in Manbij to score points against Trump.
The president’s claims made just before Christmas of having defeated ISIS were widely replayed following the Manbij attack this week by way of ridiculing Trump’s order to pullout US troops from Syria.
Nevertheless, despite the deaths, Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence stated they were still committed to bring the 2,000 or so US troops home. Some military figures also went on US media to defend Trump’s pullout plan in spite of the terror attack in Manbij.
There clearly is a serious division in Washington over Trump’s policy on Syria. For Democrats and supportive media outlets, anything Trump does is to be opposed. But there are also elements within the military and intelligence nexus which are implacably against, what they see as, his “capitulation to Russia and Iran” in Syria. That was partly why his Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned days after Trump made his announced withdrawal at the end of last month.
Having invested years and money in regime-change machinations in Syria, there is bound to be US military and intelligence cabals which are resistant to Trump’s move to pack up. Not that Trump’s move portends a peace dividend for the region. It is more a “tactical change” for how US imperialism operates in the Middle East, as his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Cairo last week.
That is why Trump’s order to take troops out of Syria may not be a clear-cut withdrawal. His National Security adviser John Bolton on a tour of the Middle East last week has already tried to undermine Trump by attaching all sorts of vague conditions to the troop pullout. Bolton and Pompeo have talked about the need to ensure the total defeat of ISIS and of the countering of Iranian presence in Syria.
This brings up the question of who may have carried out the bombing in Manbij? Was it really a suicide bomber? Was it really ISIS? Several observers have pointed out that ISIS have not had any presence in Manbij for the past two years since the Americans and Kurds took control of the city.
As always, the key question arises: who stands to benefit from the killing of the American troops? The scale of the attack suggests it was carried out with a sharp political message intended for Trump.
One potential beneficiary are the Kurdish militants who are being abandoned by the putative US withdrawal. Without their American sponsor on the ground, the Kurds are in danger of Turkish forces launching cross-border operations to wipe them out, as Ankara has vowed to do. A Machiavellian Kurdish calculation could be to “disprove” Trump about “ISIS being defeated”, and that US forces are needed to prevent any resurgence of the terror group in Manbij and northeast Syria.
Another sinister player is the CIA or some other element of US military intelligence. It is certainly not beyond the realm of plausibility that the CIA could facilitate such an atrocity against American personnel in order to discredit Trump’s withdrawal plan.
Certainly, the way the anti-Trump media in the US reacted with such alacrity and concerted talking points suggests there was something a bit too convenient about the massacre.
It would in fact be naive to not suspect that the CIA could have pulled off such a false flag in Manbij. As in 1950s Vietnam, as told by Graham Greene in ‘The Quiet American’, the CIA have been doing such dirty tricks with bombing atrocities and assassinations for decades in order to precipitate wars in foreign countries that the agency calculates are in America’s geopolitical interests.
BATON ROUGE – Another fraternity has been shuttered at LSU over allegations of hazing and other violations.
According to a letter obtained by WBRZ Friday, Delta Kappa Epsilon announced the closure of its LSU chapter earlier this week. All chapter activities and operations have been ordered to cease and the chapter must disband immediately.
The letter from the fraternity's national chapter says the closure is due to an internal investigation which revealed student members "made choices inconsistent with the policies and values of DKE." The letter specifically cites alleged hazing and violations of the fraternity's alcohol policies as reasons for the shutdown.
DKE, known for the abrasive, homemade banners its members displayed on LSU gamedays, has been on interim suspension since August over separate allegations not related to hazing. The controversial displays frequently drew ire from passersby, and a particularly offensive banner in 2013 referencing the infamous 1970 killings of unarmed college students at Kent State prompted reprimand from the university.
The fraternity says it has filed a report with the LSU Police Department and has reached out to university administrators. An LSU spokesperson confirmed the closing of the chapter and said the university will be conducting its own investigation.
Rudy Giuliani has gone ballistic over Twitter following a BuzzFeed News report alleging that President Trump told former attorney Michael Cohen to lie about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow - only to have special counsel Robert Mueller's office issue a rare statement denying the report's validity.
"BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s Congressional testimony are not accurate," said the statement by the Special Counsel, which was clarified by the Washington Post to mean the entire report.
WASHINGTON POST: “Mueller’s denial, according to people familiar with the matter, aims to make clear that NONE of the statements in the Buzzfeed story are accurate.” https://t.co/vS6P6evJDc
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 19, 2019
On Friday night, Giuliani praised Mueller's office for "correcting the BuzzFeed false story that Pres. Trump encouraged cohen to lie." He then called for the DOJ to "reveal the leakers of this false BuzzFeed story which the press and Democrats gleefully embraced."
I commend Bob Mueller’s office for correcting the BuzzFeed false story that Pres. Trump encouraged Cohen to lie. I ask the press to take heed that their hysterical desire to destroy this President has gone too far. They pursued this without critical analysis all day. #FAKENEWS
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) January 19, 2019
Now the DOJ must reveal the leakers of this false BuzzFeed story which the press and Democrats gleefully embraced. And maybe House Dems should wait to investigate until the Mueller report is filed. 4 have started already.There may be nothing to legitimately investigate.
— Rudy Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) January 19, 2019
President Trump also slammed BuzzFeed Friday night, telling his 57.5 million Twitter followers: "Remember it was Buzzfeed that released the totally discredited “Dossier,” paid for by Crooked Hillary Clinton and the Democrats (as opposition research), on which the entire Russian probe is based!"
Remember it was Buzzfeed that released the totally discredited “Dossier,” paid for by Crooked Hillary Clinton and the Democrats (as opposition research), on which the entire Russian probe is based! A very sad day for journalism, but a great day for our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019
BuzzFeed editor-in-chief, Ben Smith, said in a statement that the outlet stands "by our reporting and the sources who informed it," and called on Mueller "to make clear what he's disputing."
To which Mueller's team told WaPo: all of it.
An artwork depicting a crucified Ronald McDonald will be removed from an exhibit at an Israeli art gallery, the mayor said.
Update 2: In an almost unprecedented event - having rarely commented on stories related to the special counsel's investigation - Robert S. Mueller III's office put out a statement firmly disputing the reporting of the news site BuzzFeed reported that the president instructed his personal attorney to lie to Congress about his push for a Moscow real estate project
"BuzzFeed's description of specific statements to the Special Counsel's Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen's Congressional testimony are not accurate," the special counsel's office said.
As The Hill reports, BuzzFeed had released a statement earlier Friday defending the reporters behind the story and saying that it "stands by this story 100%," and for his part, Cohen adviser Lanny Davis refused to confirm or deny the report during an interview with MSNBC on Friday afternoon.
President Trump retweeted a few social media reactions...
I told you all that the BuzzFeed story was nonsense. pic.twitter.com/gbTXPjpVtk
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) January 19, 2019
We called it. FAKE NEWS!
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) January 19, 2019
“More Buzzfeed B.S.” https://t.co/aOIPJJu0vH
And then made his own views clear:
Remember it was Buzzfeed that released the totally discredited “Dossier,” paid for by Crooked Hillary Clinton and the Democrats (as opposition research), on which the entire Russian probe is based! A very sad day for journalism, but a great day for our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019
Fake News is truly the ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2019
* * *
Update 1: Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani has called the BuzzFeed report that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie "categorically false."
Fourteen hours after the Buzzfeed story hit, @RudyGiuliani finally denies it: "Any suggestion – from any source – that the President counseled Michael Cohen to lie is categorically false." per @HallieJackson
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) January 18, 2019
***
Skeptics are taking aim at a Thursday night BuzzFeed report that President Trump "personally instructed" his former attorney Michael Cohen to lie to congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Less than 12 hours after the report, its credibility has been called into question after the two journalists who wrote the story gave vastly different answers as to whether they had actually the evidence - while many have pointed to the "dubious past" of reporter Jason Leopold.
Leopold came under fire for a 2006 Truthout.org article incorrectly reporting that Karl Rove had been indicted over the Valerie Plame CIA leak case - claiming that multiple anonymous sources "confirmed Rove's indictment is imminent."
As we learned last week, Rove isn't being indicted, and the supposed Truthout scoop by reporter Jason Leopold was wildly off the mark. It was but the latest installment in the tale of a troubled young reporter with a history of drug addiction whose aggressive disregard for the rules ended up embroiling me in a bizarre escapade -- and raised serious questions about journalistic ethics. -Joe Lauria, WaPo, 2006
Was just tipped off via DM. This reporter is the first name on the buzzfeed byline. So yeah, my skepticism wasn’t unwarranted. https://t.co/IySHs1Zv0l
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) January 18, 2019
The other journalist from the Thursday night BuzzFeed report, Anthony Cormier, admitted to CNN's "New Day" that he hasn't actually seen the evidence in the case.
Host Alisyn Camerota opened the interview by asking Cormier if he had seen the evidence to which Cormier replied: “Not personally.” He then clarified that “the folks we have talked to — two officials we have spoken to are fully, 100 percent read into that aspect of the Special Counsel’s investigation” -Mediaite
Except Leopold told MSNBC "We have seen the documents. We have been briefed on documents."
“We have seen documents. We have been briefed on documents. We are very confident in our reporting," BuzzFeed News reporter Jason Leopold, who co-wrote bombshell new report, says. pic.twitter.com/5RXOx8rvo0
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 18, 2019
“I don’t think that we’ve said that we haven’t seen them.” - Leopold's exact quote on MSBC after being asked about Cormier's comments on CNN earlier.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) January 18, 2019
Cormier's quote - “No, I’ve not seen it personally.” when asked by Alisyn Camerota
And now, The two BuzzFeed reporters on the "Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie" story have given two entirely separate accounts re whether they have seen the physical evidence detailed in their own report. 🤷♂️#ThisisFineGIF pic.twitter.com/ZQiVmZqUs0
— Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) January 18, 2019
Wait wait wait...
— Harlan Z. Hill (@Harlan) January 18, 2019
BuzzFeed’s reporter hasn’t seen ANY of the “evidence” on which his entire story is predicated???
Like all the other Russia collusion BS, this all hearsay and slander. No proof of anything.
BuzzFeed is #fakenews.#MAGA 🇺🇸 https://t.co/4QJg8za8hq
Despite not having seen the evidence at hand, Cormier explained his sources at length: "[Our sources] have been working the Trump Moscow tower portion of the investigation…before Mueller. So they had access to a number of different documents, 302 reports which are interview reports," he explained. "That stuff was compiled as they began to look at who the players were speaking with, how those negotiations went, who all from the Trump organization and outside the organization were involved in getting that tower set up."
Cormier was then asked about Jason Leopold's dubious past, with CNN's Alisyn Camerota asking: "He was in trouble for perhaps claiming to have sources he really didn’t have. His stories didn’t wash. Executive directors and editors have had to apologize after some of his big blockbuster stories," adding "How can you be certain today?"
To which Cormier said: "My sourcing on this goes beyond the two on the record," adding "It’s 100 percent. I am the individual who confirmed and verified that it I am telling you our sourcing goes beyond the two I was able to put on the record. We were able to gather information from individuals who know this happened."
Cormier told NPR's "Morning Edition" that they had "managed to find ways to verify these people's stories off the record."
BuzzFeed News reports that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. @a_cormier_, one of two reporters who broke the story, says of their two law enforcement sources, "we've managed to find ways to verify these people's stories off the record." https://t.co/93EjJl0Js6 pic.twitter.com/owzl9iKkjR
— Morning Edition (@MorningEdition) January 18, 2019
President Trump on Friday tweeted in response to the story:
Kevin Corke, @FoxNews “Don’t forget, Michael Cohen has already been convicted of perjury and fraud, and as recently as this week, the Wall Street Journal has suggested that he may have stolen tens of thousands of dollars....” Lying to reduce his jail time! Watch father-in-law!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019
Trump Jr. chimed in as well, tweeting "Here we go again... another CNN/Buzzfeed "bombshell" with no evidence. The usual clickbait BS... and when it fails as all the others have there will be ZERO coverage."
Here we go again... another CNN/Buzzfeed "bombshell" with no evidence. The usual clickbait BS... and when it fails as all the others have there will be ZERO coverage. Textbook #fakenews https://t.co/VNHN9ndz36
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 18, 2019
On Friday morning, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) said "We will do what's necessary to find out if it's true," of the BuzzFeed report, calling the allegation the "most serious to date."
“We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true,” House Intel Cmte. Chairman Schiff says of new BuzzFeed News report that President Trump told Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. https://t.co/BybYlmFCkW
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 18, 2019
"The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date," Schiff tweeted on Friday - one day after President Trump canceled his 7-day overseas trip with Nancy Pelosi.
The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date. We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true. https://t.co/GljBAFqOjh
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 18, 2019
