But that, in effect, is precisely what the FBI — the self-proclaimed greatest investigative agency in the world — did when faced with this purportedly monumental foreign attack on the Democrat Party apparatus.
Now keep Comey’s testimony in focus as we review the remarkable appearance of Shawn Henry, President of CrowdStrike Services, before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (“HPSCI”).
The HPSCI convened in closed executive session on December 5, 2017. Present were Henry, the Committee members and staff, as well as a lawyer representing CrowdStrike and a lawyer from Perkins Coie.

Under questioning, Henry confirmed that CrowdStrike’s examination of the DNC server was done pursuant to its contract with Michael Sussmann of Perkins Coie. Consequently, as explained by the Perkins Coie lawyer, CrowdStrike’s findings were protected by the attorney-client privilege. Therefore, it would be up to Perkins Coie, acting on behalf of the DNC, to decide what information Henry would be allowed to share with the HPSCI.
First up was Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) who wanted to know why the FBI hadn’t taken “the lead in this investigation.”
And that’s when the fun and games began.
Once it was established that the FBI did not have access to the server, Stewart asked, “Could they [the FBI] conduct their own investigation in a thorough fashion without access to the actual hardware?”
To that Henry went out on a limb and firmly replied, “Maybe.”
Undeterred, Stewart asked, “Are you comfortable that someone could complete a thorough investigation, using other tools, without direct access to the hardware or equipment?”

Up to the challenge, Henry proceeded to answer a question that wasn’t asked.
“Could they come to a conclusion? You’re asking a nuanced question. And I’m not being cagey. I want to be clear, because this is an important point.”
But would it be better if the FBI had access?
Henry replied, “The more information you have access to, the better any investigation. But it doesn’t mean that a lack of a piece of information precludes you from coming to a conclusion.”
The determined Stewart tried again. If you “could have a better investigation if you had access to all of the equipment or hardware” would there be “reasons for not making that available [to the FBI] that override the benefit of having a more conclusive investigation?”

To which Henry replied, “You’re asking me to speculate. I don’t know the answer.”
At which point, an exasperated Stewart said to the Perkins Coie lawyer, “By the way, you need to pay him well, because he’s obviously serving you well today as you guys have your conversations back and forth.”

Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) in 2019
So just what evidence did CrowdStrike find on the DNC server?
Over the course of the hearing, Henry grudgingly gave ground with answers such as these:

“Counsel just reminded me that, as it relates to the DNC, we have indicators that data [the DNC emails] was (sic) exfiltrated [taken by hackers off the server]. We did not have concrete evidence that data was (sic) exfiltrated from the DNC, but we have indicators that it was exfiltrated…. There’s not evidence that they were actually exfiltrated. There’s circumstantial evidence … we didn’t have direct evidence. But we made a conclusion that data left the network.” (Emphasis added.)

Okay, there was no direct, concrete, or other proof that the emails were actually taken from the DNC computer. But what were these “indicators” that led CrowdStrike to conclude that the emails were hacked?
According to Henry, CrowdStrike found “indicators of [server] compromise, which are pieces of malware, et cetera.” He then explained that CrowdStrike’s investigative report states that the data [emails] were “staged for exfiltration” by the purported Russian hacker.

He added, “There are times when we can see data exfiltrated, and we can say conclusively. But in this case, it appears that it (sic) was set up to be exfiltrated, but we just don’t have the evidence that says it actually left.” (Emphasis added.)
Got that? With no evidence that the emails were actually hacked, CrowdStrike nevertheless concluded that the Russians hacked the emails.
Despite the spin, the whole DNC hack story had just flatlined.
But there was one more issue to be addressed: exactly what evidence was shared with the FBI?
I will spare you the tedious details of the interrogation. The questioners kept asking Henry what information CrowdStrike provided to the FBI, and he repeatedly said that they got whatever they asked for.
But the problem with this line of questioning is that it failed to consider the fact that CrowdStrike was working for Perkins Coie. Consequently, the questions should have focused on what information Perkins Coie allowed to be transmitted to the FBI.
The closest anyone came to getting at this issue was when Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX) asked, “Did the DNC restrict anything that you shared with the FBI or that the FBI asked for? Did they tell you ‘no’ at any point?”
Henry replied, “No, I have no recollection. Again, I know that there are redacted reports and there was some restriction on the reports. That’s the only thing that I can recall.”
Wait. What? Redacted? Restriction? Does this mean that the DNC withheld some of CrowdStrike’s findings and work product from the FBI?
The answer to that question can be found lurking in the pre-trial pleadings in the case of United States v. Roger Stone. In an effort to debunk the DNC hack story, Stone’s lawyers requested that the Department of Justice produce the full, unredacted CrowdStrike investigative report.
And that’s when the cowpie hit the fan. It turned out that, in addition to not examining the DNC server, neither the FBI nor the DOJ actually saw the full, final CrowdStrike report.
The following is lifted directly from the prosecution’s response to Stone’s discovery request:

Ponder  that carefully. The referenced “counsel for the DNC and DCCC” is Perkins Coie. The reports provided were marked “draft” and had redactions. But the FBI and DOJ had the assurances of Perkins Coie that the  drafts were, in fact, the last version of the report and “no redacted information concerned the attribution of the attack to Russian actors.”

But thanks to the release of Shawn Henry’s testimony before the HPSCI, what we now know is that CrowdStrike never found any “direct,” “concrete,” or other evidence that proves the DNC emails “actually left” the DNC server.
Or, as we used to say in the old Justice Department: turn out the lights, the party’s over.

"They never thought she would lose".

All of this would have been hidden but used to convict Trump and jail him if Clinton won.

They didn’t previously announce it, but Buttigieg’s office told West Wing Playbook that the secretary has actually been on paid leave since mid-August to spend time with his husband, Chasten, and their two newborn babies.
https://t.co/LqXOJOnnbJ

Can u fucking believe this.

Melania Trump wasn't seen for 6 days and it was a week long news cycle on CNN.

Transportation Secretary takes two months off in the middle of port and supply chain crisis and not a single journalist somehow knew about it.

https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/1448830006247911425?s=19

A cabinet member has been on leave for two months and nobody noticed. That is incredible. https://t.co/lSNKrFkDxT

NEW: Oklahoma Attorney General tells private employers to disregard Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate. https://t.co/baqrcPKPXH

Oklahoma Attorney General tells businesses to ignore Biden's vaccine mandate.
https://www.theintelligencer.com/news/article/Oklahoma-governor-attorney-general-blast-vaccine-16533450.php

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association votes to leave the National School Boards Association, partly due to letter to Biden Admin invoking antiterrorism laws against protesting parents.

https://twitter.com/JoanieBaloney90/status/1448836285653786625?s=19

I bet he had a unitary track infection. I've seen how that turns into sepsis in old folks.


https://twitter.com/TheInsiderPaper/status/1448822226162171907?s=19

Another conspiracy comes true. New UK law will mandate electric car chargers be connected to the internet so they can be shut off or monitored remotely. http://theculturechronicles.com/index.php/2021/10/14/another-conspiracy-comes-true-new-uk-law-will-mandate-electric-car-chargers-be-connected-to-the-internet-so-they-can-be-shut-off-or-monitored-remotely/

Steele is trying to get out ahead of Durham. This is a PR move motivated by fear. 👇

Guess who's about to be indicted?
😎
https://news.yahoo.com/michael-steele-comes-shadows-stephanopoulos-161100382.html

Biden: I will only tax the extremely wealthy.

Also Biden: I am hiring 87,000 new IRS agents and I want to track every single paypal, venmo, crypto, and bank account holding more than $600.

Also Also Biden: Except my crack-smoking son and his Chinese, Russian, and Ukrainian bank accounts. Not those.

@KanekoaTheGreat