
The Intelligence Gaps Where the Saudis Hid Their October Surprise
A NYT piece on how the Biden Administration falsely believed Saudi Arabia had made a deal to increase oil production seems to suggest that belief was wishful thinking. But it also seems to require pretty major intelligence gaps.

"Fuck! Two years or three years, screw you, they will get you when it's time"
Two of the three charging documents rolled out at a big press conference yesterday captured how China has used networked recruitment to exert its power in the US.

Friends of Sedition: The Networked January 6 Conspiracy
On Thursday, DOJ revealed that Stewart Rhodes informed other participants on the Friends of Stone list where the Oath Keepers were as they prepared to storm the Capitol.

Trash Talk: Kiss My Ash
Another beautiful autumn weekend in the Midwest for sports or leaf peeping. This is an open thread.

Trump Subpoena: The Revolution Will Not Be Signaled
The subpoena to the former President is premised on the former President planning a coup on the Signal messaging app.

Bill Barr Complains that His Special Counsel Was Unable to Match Robert Mueller's Record of Success
Bill Barr says false statement verdicts are hard.
And yet, Robert Mueller was able to get them over and over and over.

In Both Bannon and Stolen Document Cases, Trump's Associates Claim He Is Still President
Both Steve Bannon and Trump's own lawyers submitted filings yesterday pretending that Donald Trump was still the President after January 20, 2021.

Jim Trusty Tells Hand-Picked Special Master Raymond Dearie to Fuck Off
Yesterday, Jim Trusty started unilaterally blowing off Raymond Dearie's deadlines.

Fronting for OVD: A Third Deripaska-Focused Indictment from Late September
With the unsealing of the arrest in Germany of Oleg Deripaska's former procurement manager, DOJ has rolled out three indictments -- all obtained in late September -- arresting three key Deripaska associates in the last month.

"Sometimes We Fall in Love with Our Sources"
A reporter who was searched by the FBI in April told me fifteen years ago that "sometimes we fall in love with our sources."

John Eastman Emails Show Trump Knowingly Lied in Georgia Lawsuit
The January 6 Committee and John Eastman continue to fight over how many of his emails he can withhold from the Committee under a claim of attorney-client (and related) privilege.
Judge David Carter just ruled on what may be the last 500-so…

John Durham Avenged Warrants Targeting Carter Page by Getting a Warrant Targeting Sergei Millian
The same frothy right wingers who complain that Carter Page was unfairly targeted by a warrant that John Durham falsely claimed Igor Danchenko caused seem not to have thought through all the warrants that Durham boasted of getting, including at least one targeting Sergei Millian.

Judge Aileen Cannon Risked the Safety of the Country to Protect Two Probably Public Letters
In yesterday's status hearing before Raymond Dearie, DOJ identified a second letter that has already been published.

Sabrina Shroff Really Wants to Meet in Person with Josh Schulte
In the wake of the government's accusations that Josh Schulte had loaded CSAM materials onto his laptop, the government and his lawyer are squabbling about simple things like consulting on post-trial motions schedule.

Igor Danchenko Acquitted on All Remaining Charges
John Durham keeps accusing people of lying when only he is.

Judge Dearie Confirms Trump Has Claimed Executive Privilege Over a Personal Document
Among the details revealed at a Special Master status conference is that Trump has claimed Executive Privilege over a document he claims to be a personal document.

1,500 Investigative Subjects: A Competent Google GeoFence Motion to Suppress for January 6
Lawyers for David Rhine have mounted one of the most serious challenges to the way the FBI used a Google GeoFence to identify suspects inside the Capitol on January 6. The motion to dismiss describes that the FBI identified 1,500 investigative subjects this way, which may be just a third of the people who were inside the building.

John Durham's Last Word: An Outright Lie about the Mueller Conclusions
It is unclear what the jury in the Igor Danchenko case thinks of the confusing nested set of claims they were presented last week; we may get a verdict today. But it is fitting that John Durham ended his own attempt to find someone to blame for investigating things that -- in this trial -- he said should be investigated, by lying about the results of the Mueller investigation.

On Steve Bannon's Epically Bad Faith
Among the bad faith efforts DOJ describes in their sentencing memo for Steve Bannon, they describe a last minute effort to get a January 6 Committee staffer to help stave off his trial.

Trash Talk: Get (Fourth) Down and Dirty
It's peak fall color here in Michigan -- a good time to enjoy autumn's best and air out the trash. This is an open thread.