OSC sent me two unrelated NDAs (click here and here), but told me I had to get the Comey NDA directly from the FBI. The FBI, meanwhile, has refused to even search for NDAs. Government transparency? Yeah, go pound sand.
When I was a journalist in the 90s, most of my colleagues would have been outraged by the fact the FBI is signing contracts with other agencies to hide public records, then refusing to produce the contracts that purport to hide the public records. Unfortunately, the rules have changed, and most journalists don’t seem to care what federal law enforcement or intelligence agencies do so long as they’re trying to bring down Donald Trump.
Frankly, I haven’t had time to analyze the redacted transcripts of Comey’s former chief of staff, James Rybicki, and the FBI’s second-ranking lawyer under Comey, Trisha B. Anderson, because I still have to work the day job. Nonetheless, you can download the Rybicki transcript by clicking here and the Anderson transcript by clicking here, and you can write your own analysis in the comments section below (or anywhere else you choose).
In related news, the FBI’s information office is still refusing to ask the FBI Computer Analysis Response Team (“CART”) about records related to unlocking the electronic devices of murdered Democratic National Committee employee Seth Rich. In contrast, the information office did ask the FBI Washington Field Office (“WFO”) whether it had records related to Mr. Rich, and WFO admitted that it offered its assistance to DC police. WFO claims DC police declined the offer of assistance, yet there are no records – even emails or texts – regarding these communications. I find that hard to believe.
I’ll be asking the federal court in Brooklyn to order FBI officials to answer some specific questions under oath about the NDAs, Seth Rich records, etc. Unfortunately, the corrupt FBI leadership will have already achieved its objective, i.e., hiding information from the public until most of the media have lost interest. FBI Director Christopher Wray needs to get his house in order quickly or President Trump needs to fire another FBI director.