Ash writes: "Based on the backgrounds of the senators involved, the
participation of NSA director James Clapper, and the statements being made,
it is clear this is a highly focused effort to move Russian involvement in
the elections to center stage - prior to Donald Trump's inauguration and
perhaps before the Electoral College convenes on December 19th."
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has been asked to brief
Electoral College electors on Russian involvement in the November 2016
presidential elections. (photo: Evan Vucci/AP)
A Constitutional Crisis Is Brewing
By Marc Ash, Reader Supported News
13 December 16
The Russian election interference issue is heating up quickly. A lot of
very powerful Congressional leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, are
taking quite seriously the CIA's findings that Russia deliberately
influenced the recently concluded U.S. presidential election.
Leaving aside for the moment serious concerns about the CIA's ability to be
a fair broker of public information, in addition to the U.S. government's
own record on effecting regime change, often through unilateral military
action, Russian involvement in the outcome of the November 8th election is
absolutely being treated as an urgent matter at the highest echelons of
American government, on both sides of the political divide.
Based on the backgrounds of the senators involved, the participation of NSA
director James Clapper, and the statements being made, it is clear this is a
highly focused effort to move Russian involvement in the elections to center
stage - prior to Donald Trump's inauguration and perhaps before the
Electoral College convenes on December 19th.
A bipartisan group of 10 Electoral College electors have authored an open
letter to James Clapper requesting a briefing on Russian involvement. The
letter is extraordinary in its detail, attention to fact, and readily
apparent alarm over the potential that a foreign actor played a hand in
determining the presidential election. The letter contains a request for a
briefing on potential foreign involvement in the election. The letter reads
in part:
"The Electors require to know from the intelligence community whether there
are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his campaign or
associates, and Russian government interference in the election, the scope
of those investigations, how far those investigations may have reached, and
who was involved in those investigations. We further require a briefing on
all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core
factors in our deliberations of whether Mr. Trump is fit to serve as
President of the United States.
"Additionally, the Electors will separately require from Donald Trump
conclusive evidence that he and his staff and advisors did not accept
Russian interference, or otherwise collaborate during the campaign, and
conclusive disavowal and repudiation of such collaboration and interference
going forward."
Having published the letter publicly prior to the vote that will determine
the presidency puts the result of the Electoral College vote in play; it can
no longer be viewed as a foregone conclusion. In less than 24 hours from the
time the letter was published the number of signers has nearly tripled from
11 to 29.
Many in Washington are very uneasy with Donald Trump's irreverent and
unorthodox style. Nothing Trump has done in assembling his cabinet has eased
those concerns. To the contrary, Trump's picks are among the most deeply
conflicted ever considered for positions within a presidential
administration. That, coupled with unprecedented opposition to Mr. Trump by
leaders of his own party, has set the stage for a confrontation that now
appears to be taking shape.
The situation is fluid and developing very quickly. However, the trajectory
of events could easily put Mr. Trump's ascension to the presidency in
question.
All of this takes the country into uncharted waters. It would appear that is
where we now are.
________________________________________
Marc Ash is the founder and former Executive Director of Truthout, and is
now founder and Editor of Reader Supported News.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has been asked to brief
Electoral College electors on Russian involvement in the November 2016
presidential elections. (photo: Evan Vucci/AP)
http://readersupportednews.org/http://readersupportednews.org/
A Constitutional Crisis Is Brewing
By Marc Ash, Reader Supported News
13 December 16
he Russian election interference issue is heating up quickly. A lot of very
powerful Congressional leaders, both Democrats and Republicans, are taking
quite seriously the CIA's findings that Russia deliberately influenced the
recently concluded U.S. presidential election.
Leaving aside for the moment serious concerns about the CIA's ability to be
a fair broker of public information, in addition to the U.S. government's
own record on effecting regime change, often through unilateral military
action, Russian involvement in the outcome of the November 8th election is
absolutely being treated as an urgent matter at the highest echelons of
American government, on both sides of the political divide.
Based on the backgrounds of the senators involved, the participation of NSA
director James Clapper, and the statements being made, it is clear this is a
highly focused effort to move Russian involvement in the elections to center
stage - prior to Donald Trump's inauguration and perhaps before the
Electoral College convenes on December 19th.
A bipartisan group of 10 Electoral College electors have authored an open
letter to James Clapper requesting a briefing on Russian involvement. The
letter is extraordinary in its detail, attention to fact, and readily
apparent alarm over the potential that a foreign actor played a hand in
determining the presidential election. The letter contains a request for a
briefing on potential foreign involvement in the election. The letter reads
in part:
"The Electors require to know from the intelligence community whether there
are ongoing investigations into ties between Donald Trump, his campaign or
associates, and Russian government interference in the election, the scope
of those investigations, how far those investigations may have reached, and
who was involved in those investigations. We further require a briefing on
all investigative findings, as these matters directly impact the core
factors in our deliberations of whether Mr. Trump is fit to serve as
President of the United States.
"Additionally, the Electors will separately require from Donald Trump
conclusive evidence that he and his staff and advisors did not accept
Russian interference, or otherwise collaborate during the campaign, and
conclusive disavowal and repudiation of such collaboration and interference
going forward."
Having published the letter publicly prior to the vote that will determine
the presidency puts the result of the Electoral College vote in play; it can
no longer be viewed as a foregone conclusion. In less than 24 hours from the
time the letter was published the number of signers has nearly tripled from
11 to 29.
Many in Washington are very uneasy with Donald Trump's irreverent and
unorthodox style. Nothing Trump has done in assembling his cabinet has eased
those concerns. To the contrary, Trump's picks are among the most deeply
conflicted ever considered for positions within a presidential
administration. That, coupled with unprecedented opposition to Mr. Trump by
leaders of his own party, has set the stage for a confrontation that now
appears to be taking shape.
The situation is fluid and developing very quickly. However, the trajectory
of events could easily put Mr. Trump's ascension to the presidency in
question.
All of this takes the country into uncharted waters. It would appear that is
where we now are.
Marc Ash is the founder and former Executive Director of Truthout, and is
now founder and Editor of Reader Supported News.
Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission
to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader
Supported News.
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
http://e-max.it/posizionamento-siti-web/socialize
