WaPo gives Schiff(California) three Pinocchois on whistleblower anonymity claim

The Hill  "The Washington Post gave House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-California) three Pinocchios on Wednesday for his claim that the whistleblower in the impeachment process against President Trump "has a statutory right to anonymity."  

"The Post's fact-checker applies Pinocchios ranging from one to four, with three and four being reserved for what the column considers the more egregious statements.  

"Schiff(of California) has said repeatedly, including during impeachment hearings on Tuesday, that the whistleblower who filed a formal complaint about Trump’s July 25 phone call with the president of Ukraine has a statutory right to remain anonymous. 

“The whistleblower has the right, a statutory right, to anonymity. These proceedings will not be used to out the whistleblower," Schiff (of California) said Tuesday.

"The Post fact-checker disagreed, stating "it's not a right spelled out in any statute." 

"The analysis also cites the Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection Act in coming to its conclusion to award Schiff (of California) three Pinocchios. 

"The case for Three: The ICWPA doesn’t include language granting whistleblowers a right to anonymity. Neither do other statutes, directives or court rulings that apply to the intelligence community," it reads. "The argument that whistleblower-protection laws implicitly provide anonymity is more nuanced, and debatable, than what Schiff said in a nationally televised hearing. And what good is a statutory right anyway if there’s no mechanism to enforce it?" 

" 'We found the case for Three Pinocchios more compelling. (California) Schiff says the whistleblower has a 'statutory right' to anonymity, and it apparently, in Schiff’s understanding, extends to congressional hearings and settings that don’t involve the inspector general," the fact-check concludes. "That’s debatable at best." 

"The three Pinocchios comes after (California) Schiff was given four Pinocchios in October for claiming his panel had "not spoken directly with the whistleblower," with the paper calling the claim "flat-out false.' "  . . .

Nancy Pelosi Is Already Attacking the Legitimacy of the 2020 Election

David Harsanyi

Democrats are unable to accept the fact that a bunch of voters will simply disagree with them.

"Nancy Pelosi just stated that ‘it is dangerous to let the voters decide Trump’s fate.’ @FoxNews In other words, she thinks I’m going to win and doesn’t want to take a chance on letting the voters decide. Like Al Green, she wants to change our voting system. Wow, she’s CRAZY!” tweeted Donald Trump Tuesday.
"Well, not exactly. Trump’s tweet quotes a Fox News reporter summarizing Pelosi’s position, not the speaker’s statement verbatim. Left-wing Twitterverse, of course, was immediately able to jump all over the president’s clumsy wording and act as if the substance of his contention was wholly untrue. It wasn’t.
"In her Dear Colleague letter pushing back against Republican anti-impeachment talking points, Nancy Pelosi wrote this: “The weak response to these hearings has been, ‘Let the election decide.’ That dangerous position only adds to the urgency of our action, because the President is jeopardizing the integrity of the 2020 elections.” Is he?
"If a Republican had suggested that a presidential election was a “dangerous” notion, he would have triggered around-the-clock panic-stricken coverage on CNN and a series of deep dives in The Atlantic lamenting the conservative turn against our sacred democratic ideals.
"What Pelosi has done is even more cynical. She’s arguing that if Democrats fail in their efforts to impeach Trump — and, I assume, remove him from office — then the very legitimacy of the 2020 election will be in question before any votes are cast." . . .

Lara Logan says mistrust in mainstream media is increasing: 'Middle ground has been taken from us'

Fox News

. . . "Logan, a former "60 Minutes" war correspondent, signed this week with Fox Nation to present a four-part docuseries reporting from the front lines of America’s political and ideological war zones on a number of hot-button issues with on-the-ground coverage and expert interviews.

"No Agenda with Lara Logan" will feature four 90-minute installments that will be released on the Fox Nation streaming service. The series will focus on four key subjects: media bias, immigration, socialism and veterans."

But there are a few dedicated, non-partisan press people who maintain their journalistic standards. CNN's Don Lemon assures us all he is one of those:

CNN’s Don Lemon claims he’s not ‘some liberal’ Democrat: ‘I’m not a partisan’

. . . “Don Lemon is a Trump-hating left-wing activist and even liberals are embarrassed by him," Gainor said. "The left has criticized him at times because he's also prone to saying some of the most stupid things in the history of television, like asking if the Malaysian jet's disappearance was either ‘supernatural’ or that it might have gone into a black hole. Hardly a candidate for the Ronald Reagan award.”  

"Meanwhile, Vanity Fair reported earlier this year that The New York Times blocks its reporters from appearing on Lemon’s show because its “too partisan.” The magazine reported that Times' executive editor Dean Baquet is concerned that his reporters who appear on particular programs, including “CNN Tonight,” would be "perceived as being aligned" with the show's far-left politics."

Ten Reasons Vindman’s Testimony Was Bad for Democrats (Updated)

PJ Media

National Security Council aide Mr. Alexander Vindman

"Forget the Democrats' talking points. Forget the media spin. If you watched Lt. Col. Vindman's testimony today it was a total dud for the Democrats and their impeachment witch hunt. Need proof? I've compiled ten reasons that the show today did not advance the Democrats' narrative one bit." . . .

3. Vindman said he couldn’t recall Ukrainians feeling pressured to do investigationsIt's kind of hard to claim that they were pressured when there's no evidence they felt pressured.

One must acknowledge that Vindman does wear the Combat Infantryman's Badge which means the wearer was in the presence of enemies who wanted to kill him. But many who earned that honor in Vietnam also were guilty of "fragging" their superiors.

Updates:
Vindman busted for resume enhancement during yesterday’s testimony

Vindman previously claimed in his opening statement to be the “principal advisor to the National Security Advisor and the president on Ukraine and the other countries in my portfolio.”

 Strange media silence after Vindman testified he was offered job of Ukraine Minister of Defense 3 times

. . . "Update: I wish that Republicans had asked Vindman about his intereactions with Ukraine'sofficials  when that country's government was interfering with the US presidential election in 2016.  Victoria Toensing remembers:Hey Dems. #ukraine ALSO interfered in 2016 election ...to help HRC. @NellieOhr testified Ukrainians helped her write dossier; Ukr Amb to US wrote OpEd in @thehill criticizing candidate @realDonaldTrump; DNC and Obama WH in Jan 2016 asked Ukr Embassy for dirt on Manafort.

Touchy devil: Vindman pulls rank on Nunes
. . . "In reality, people who are assured of their self-worth don't need to turn to titles and ranks to let the world know how important they are. The elite military units sure don't. If Nunes had treated Vindman rudely, which he did not, the onus would be on Nunes, not Vindman, as such arrows would bounce right off. This guy, though, acts like a human pincushion, concerned about the opinions of Twitterati no less. Kind of unbecoming. And worse still, would an enlisted man want to follow such a person? Not a normal one." . . .

Ben Carson scolds Maxine Waters: 'Basic manners elude you'

 "Basic manners elude you and it seems that instead of producing results, you're more interested in producing cheap headlines at the President's expense — like a true career politician."

CBN

The Blaze:  The HUD secretary did not mince words
"Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson gave a scolding to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) on Monday, accusing her of caring more about show-boating than working to addressing homelessness in her district and telling the congresswoman: "Basic manners elude you."

What are the details?

"My mother always taught me that people shouldn't throw rocks, especially while they live in a glass house," Carson wrote to Waters in a letter obtained by Politico. "Because of that wise lesson, I was a little surprised to read your hostile letter to President [Donald] Trump regarding the record number of homeless Americans in California, particularly in your district."
"Sec. Carson was reacting to a letter Rep. Waters wrote President Trump last month, where she told the president, "Your shamelessness knows no bounds," demanding details on his administration's "reported plans to unilaterally demolish homeless tent camps and relocate homeless individuals to federally-owned facilities."
"Shamelessness is a career politician of 30 years laying blame," Carson wrote in response. "Shamelessness is allowing more than 55,000 Americans to live on the very streets they represent."
"The HUD chief went on to defend the Trump administration's plans by saying, "To me, the most compassionate, obvious, and logical solution would be to get as many homeless Americans off the streets — with a roof over their heads — as soon as humanly possible."

" 'I have sent multiple letters to your office and requested numerous meetings, but each time you've refused," Carson continued. "Basic manners elude you and it seems that instead of producing results, you're more interested in producing cheap headlines at the President's expense — like a true career politician.' " . . .Read the full article

A Week in the Life of ABC ‘News’ Trump-bashing, race-baiting, and fear-mongering. Or as they call it at the network, Tuesday. Edward Ring

American Greatness  "ABC Nightly News,” televised daily across the nation at 5:30 p.m., offers what is perhaps the lowest common denominator of the mainstream media’s liberal, anti-Trump bias. But even if you compare what ABC has to say to what actually constitutes balanced reporting, as well as to what qualifies as newsworthy reporting, ABC falls short.

"By these standards—by what used to be the basic editorial criteria for good journalism—ABC “news” is a dangerous fraud. They spew propaganda, calibrated at an almost infantile level, calculated to reinforce carefully nurtured biases within their television audience.

"ABC News is anchored by the dashing metrosexual, David Muir, an actor of extraordinary skill. Muir, along with a laudably diverse collection of equally telegenic thespians masquerading as “journalists,” manages to exude convincing gravitas despite delivering, night after night, an embarrassing infotainment sham, mixing in equal parts pablum and agenda-driven propaganda. Forget about the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism, or the Edward R. Murrow Award. Give David Muir an Oscar.

"ABC’s nightly “news” is easily dissected. Their 30-minute formula, which all three legacy networks follow, consists of a prolonged opening segment, about 15 minutes in length, in which the  top national and international stories are presented (or so they tell us). An examination of what they reported on last week, during the five days from August 5 through August 9, provides ample evidence of just how far removed they are from genuine journalism.

"Monday, August 5

"Top story: the shootings in Dayton and El Paso. Almost immediately Muir had to connect the shootings to “growing scrutiny on the president.” Video clips were shown of Trump responding to someone who shouted “shoot them” at one of Trump’s rallies, followed by commentary stressing how “Trump has downplayed the threat of white supremacists.” With respect to the two shooters, the focus was on evidence of the El Paso shooter’s racism, with the left-wing lunacy of the Dayton shooter barely mentioned." . . . and on through the week.

Hat tip to Ruthfully Yours, via American Greatness

"Americans Should Demand an End to This Impeachment Absurdity"

http://www.terrellaftermath.com/

Conrad Black: Americans Should Demand an End to This Impeachment Absurdity
. . . "Any American adult who believes any substantial part of that should seek psychiatric help at once, regardless of his healthcare plan. Henry Kissinger is fond of quoting Metternich that public “policy is a drama that ends by following the script to its conclusion or because the audience mounts the stage and stops it.” What is left of American national dignity requires that the audience mount the stage, stop the media auto-da-fé and let their congressmen and senators know that this farce must end. There was never a legal basis to it and there is no longer even an entertainment justification for it. It merely makes the United States appear absurd, to itself and to the world."

Impeachment: The great 'Why should I care?'  . . . "For myself, who has watched not a single minute of these proceedings on TV, nor even the snatches that have made it to the various blogs I read, it has come down to a few simple questions: "Why are the people doing this? Concern about law or justice? Or are they simply looking for personal (or political) gain?"
"The answer is obviously #2, so why should I even give them my attention?" . . .

Jim Jordan nails it on the impeachment scam
Need I remind you, Rep. Jordan, that you were once told by Mazie Hirono to "just shut up"?

Tuned Out: Impeachment Circus A Ratings Dud  . . . "Will this lackluster ratings performance spell doom for the Trump impeachment hearings? How long are the Democrats willing to go on with something that Americans are actively – and in great numbers –tuning out. In TV-land, a ratings dud spells only one thing: It’s time to cancel the show." . . .

CNN Admits That Nancy Pelosi’s Shift to ‘Bribery’ Verbiage is a Political Stunt

Washington Sentinel

With US military aid to Ukraine contingent upon that nation’s anti-corruption work, the idea of bribery seems laughable.

 "Impeachment, now that it has become a public matter, is largely a game of perception.r

"You see, the Democrats will not impeach and remove the President; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has intimated that any trial in his chamber of Congress would be a swift one.  Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that enough Republicans would change their minds on the President’s conduct to warrant his removal.

"That means that this is all for show, and the Democrats know this.  Impeachment, the process itself, has now been reduced to little more than a 24/7, cable news, anti-Trump campaign ad for whomever the Democrats eventually choose to run for President in 2020.  Their goals now are not to win an impeachment trial, (no one wins in impeachment), but to damage Donald Trump enough to let the American people vote him out.

"This is why Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi has adjusted her language when referring to the President alleged misconduct on the subject of Ukraine, from “quid pro quo” to “bribery”.

"Even CNN was forced to admit as much today." . . .

Armed citizen puts a stop to fatal shooting at Walmart by putting gun to suspect’s head

American Thinker  "Thank goodness the Duncan, Oklahoma Walmart is not a “gun-free zone.” Because an armed citizen happened to be doing his shopping Monday morning and spotted a gunman shooting, victim fatalities were limited to two people. Brandon Curtis of Concealed Nation writes:
. . . 

. . .
"We will never know if the gunman, who was clearly mentally disturbed, would have gone on to shoot others had an armed citizen not intervened. But it is clear that an armed citizen stood in his way if he had wanted to spread the carnage."

Just making sure you and Adam Schiff knew this

Eric Ciaramella, Eric Ciaramella, Eric Ciaramella, Eric Ciaramella

https://www.americanthinker.com/cartoons/

The Radicalizing of Eric Ciaramella "While the lawyers representing Eric Ciaramella, the alleged “whistleblower” in the Trump impeachment fiasco, describe him as having spent his entire career in “apolitical civil servant positions,” the truth is that Eric Ciaramella has been involved in radical political behavior throughout his life — including his years at Yale.

"In fact, long before he was digging up dirt with the DNC’s Alexandra Chalupa about President Trump’s mythical collusion with Russia, Ciaramella was involved in leading a protest over what he believed was the poor treatment of Bassam Frangieh, a radical professor of Arabic studies at Yale. On April 15, 2005, then first-year Yale student Ciaramella dressed in all white to lead a contingent of 10 similarly dressed first-year Yale Arabic students to the offices of the provost and the president of the university to demand that the university provide an incentive to encourage Frangieh to stay at Yale. The students were unhappy because Frangieh had decided earlier in the school year to accept a tenure-track position at the University of Delaware."
. . . "Eric Ciaramella was radicalized at Yale by professors like Bassam Frangieh. He was quickly recognized as a fellow traveler and became an insider in the Obama administration. Unfortunately, he continued that through the first two years of the Trump administration. In October 2016, Ciaramella was the guest of Vice President Joe Biden at a lunch to honor the prime minister of Italy. But, in July 2017, as members of the Trump administration began to suspect that Ciaramella, by then a career CIA analyst and Ukraine director on the National Security Council, was responsible for “high-level leaks,” he was removed from his post.
"Journalist Mike Cernovich exposed Ciaramella back in 2017 in an article claiming that Ciaramella wanted to “sabotage” President Donald Trump.

Cernovich was documenting meetings and lunches that Ciaramella was having with high-ranking officials at the DNC — including Alexandra Chalupa and the NSA. And, although ForeignPolicy.com and others attempted to disparage Cernovich as an “alt-right blogger” and one of “Trump’s Trolls, ” it seems that Cernovich was right all along." . . .

Plot thickens the day after Mollie Hemingway outed so-called whistleblower on Fox News


Will Mollie Hemingway still have a job at Fox News after naming the whistleblower on live TV Sunday?

Iran’s top leader warns ‘thugs’ as protests reach 100 cities

Politico

The government recently raised gasoline prices by 50 percent.

. . . "Since the price hike, demonstrators have abandoned cars along major highways and joined mass protests in the capital, Tehran, and elsewhere. Some protests turned violent, with demonstrators setting fires as gunfire rang out.
. . .
"In a statement issued Sunday, the Trump administration condemned “the lethal force and severe communications restrictions used against demonstrators.”
“Tehran has fanatically pursued nuclear weapons and missile programs, and supported terrorism, turning a proud nation into another cautionary tale of what happens when a ruling class abandons its people and embarks on a crusade for personal power and riches,” the White House statement said.
"In Dubai, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates told The Associated Press that America was “not advocating regime change. We are going to let the Iranian people decide for themselves their future.”
“They are frustrated. They want freedom,” Ambassador John Rakolta said at the Dubai Airshow. “These developments that you see right now are their own people telling them, ‘We need change and to sit down with the American government.’”

Nick Short 
@PoliticalShort
A courageous woman tears down a "Death to America" poster in Iran. The crowd is chanting, "Death to the dictator," in a reference to @Khamenei_ir.
h/t @HeshmatAlavi https://twitter.com/i/status/1196415462038482944

Alireza Nader@AlirezaNader
“We have no money or fuel, to hell with Palestine.” Anti regime protests in Islamshahr,