Tag: Hillary Clinton

A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership-James Comey

On By Genyc79In BiographiesLeave a comment

comeyIt is not often that a former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation writes a book.  In fact, it is almost unprecedented.   In all fairness, there have been books written by former members of the Central Intelligence Agency and U.S. intelligence apparatus.  When James Comey published this book, news outlets were eagerly waiting to get a copy of one of the most anticipated book releases in history.   The political climate of the United States is unlike anything most of us have ever seen.   There are a number of adjectives that come to mind, any of which could be rightfully applied to Washington, D.C.   Time will tell what will happen in the oval office.  The firing of James Comey through the media left many of us shocked, confused and even angry.   For some, it was just one more act by a vindictive and childish commander-in-chief.  Others believed that it was the right call as they believed the FBI was out of control.  I watched broadcasts that day and found myself astonished at the day’s events and wondering if this was just the start of a regrettable trend developing in the United States government.

During the 2016 president election, James Comey became a celebrity of sorts as a result of the bureau’s investigation of improper use of e-mail by Hillary Clinton.  She was never charged with a crime and given a warning about improper use of a mail server.  Several weeks later, it was announced that once again, the FBI was looking into the e-mail issue.  Critics of the FBI jumped on the announcement and blasted it as a smear campaign to discredit Clinton and tilt the election in favor of Donald Trump.   Whether the e-mails was the deciding factor that caused Clinton to lose the election, is still up for debate.  Comey was labeled all sorts of names by Clinton supporters and disliked even by some Trump supporters for not fully going after Clinton as they believed he should have.  Seemingly a man caught in the middle, he did his best to wade through difficult waters.  I have often wondered what really did happen and why did the FBI put out the statement about re-opening the investigation in Clinton’s emails?  Well, here in this book Comey answers that question and many others that have crossed the minds of millions of Americans.

The book is largely an autobiography where we learn about Comey’s childhood, his role as a husband and father and experiences in the U.S. Department of  Justice.  The young kid from Yonkers, NY, probably never imagined that one day he would lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation and find himself at the center of an election controversy.   What I found most interesting about the book is that Comey does not come off arrogant or self-pitying.   He is a neutral as you could expect.  It is clear that he truly believes in the bureau and the laws of the United States. But any beliefs about him being out to sabotage Clinton, help Trump or just make a mockery of the Department of Justice is ludicrous.  In fact, his revelation about his true feelings towards the election says a lot about how he approached his job.

Many of us are unaware of the sacrifices made by those who work in top positions in the U.S. Government. Long hours and time away family is often the norm and the jobs are sometimes quite unorthodox.  Comey speaks on this and the several times his family had to relocate as his career took yet another term is an example of the chaotic life that can come with service in government.   But not once does Comey complain and is grateful for everything he has done.  His story reads like that of an accomplished employee looking back on all that he has done.  That is until we get to the current President.

To say that the story takes a dramatic turn would be an understatement.   I do not believe that any of us knew exactly what would happen once Donald Trump took office.  The celebrity television star and real estate figure ran a campaign that bordered on the unreal at times.  But he received the electoral votes needed to become the next President of the United States.  Almost immediately, the relationship between Trump and Comey is filled with uneasiness and bizarre situations.   Readers might be tempted to believe that the book has turned into fiction but it does not.  The recollections come from Comey’s memos and memory of the meetings, the substance of which will make most people scratch their heads in bewilderment.  In addition, Comey puts to rest any notion people might hold about any relationship he has with Donald Trump.  And I would like to think that his very public firing confirms what Comey says about their prior encounters.  Most of the story will sound unbelievable but then again, the man in office was elected on a campaign that many thought was also unbelievable.

Regardless of party affiliation, if you believe in the laws of the United States and our  democratic institutions, the book is a good read about the Department of Justice.  And now we know the story of James Comey, who went from FBI Director to a man known to millions of people as the person unfairly fired by a President whose is beyond unpredictable. I do not know what the future holds for Donald Trump of James Comey but with this statement, the former FBI Director has taken a large step in clearing his name and reputation and telling his side of a most interesting story.

ISBN-10: 1250192455
ISBN-13: 978-1250192455

The Plot to Hack America: How Putin’s Cyberspies and WikiLeaks Tried to Steal the 2016 Election-Malcolm Nance

On By Genyc79In American HistoryLeave a comment

NanceThe 2016 presidential election remains an event that bordered on the surreal and shocked not just American citizens but people around the globe. Donald J. Trump, the political outsider and least likely candidate to win, secured the Republican nomination and the electoral votes needed to become the 45th President of the United States of America.  As we begin 2018 we can look back on his first year and office and reach various conclusions depending on our political outlook and beliefs about the state of the nation.   What is certain, is that from the start, his administration has been plagued with allegations of collusion with nefarious figures hailing from Russia.  Prior to his election, he often showed admiration for Vladimir Putin and since taking office, has taken a passive stance on the country that is believed by intelligence experts to have interfered in the elections of several nations.  Former FBI Director Robert Mueller has been appointed Special Counsel to investigate the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia and as of today, the investigation is still ongoing. And while there is no fire yet, there is a lot of smoke.

Malcolm Nance, a former U.S. Navy senior chief petty officer in Naval Cryptology with over thirty years in intelligence and counter-intelligence decided to put together a short book that puts the known pieces of the Russia hacking scandal together giving us a clear and concise picture of what did happen and when.   The book is not a smoking gun linking Trump directly to any Russian hackers and Nance does not imply such.    However, there is a lot of potentially incriminating evidence and we know today that at least four people of Trump’s inner circle have pleaded guilty to charges of lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and money laundering.  The recent news of the publication of Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury in which he interviews former Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon has added more fuel to the fire and has mad the future grim for the 45th Commander-In-Chief.  But what exactly did happen prior to November 8, 2016?  And what did authorities know for certain? Further, Nance reveals a lot of interesting information, but how much more is there that is still unknown?

Nance takes us back to the beginning when officials realized that the servers of the Democratic National Convention had been hacked.  Unlike Watergate, there were no intruders with flashlights who would later stand trial and attempt to extort the White House.  This was all done through cyber warfare and the fallout would be staggering. Some may even say there is still more to come.  As an IT Administrator (IT), I have experienced cyber threats on several fronts and can say with certainty that if the average person knew just how many cyber threats there are in existence, they would be scared nearly to death.   To read the book, you do not need a background in Information Technology, Nance presents each topic in an easy to read format for the layman to follow.  If you do have experience in IT, then you will nod your head at many of the things that he discusses.  Regardless of your technical aptitude, what is revealed in this book should open the eyes of every American that cares about our electoral process.

Supporters of President Trump may be quick to dismiss the book as fake news or left-wing smear tactics.  However, Nance does not take any sides politically and makes no direct accusations against Trump. What he does declare is that without a doubt, Russian hackers interfered with the 2016 presidential election and there is strong evidence that the orders came from Putin himself.  At first it sounds like a very bold statement but Nance supports his conclusions with sound evidence that is thoroughly explained.  And throughout the book, he reminds us that more investigations are needed to see if there was in fact direct collusion and/or espionage between Trump’s team and Russia operatives.  According to Bannon, the answer is yes. But before we accept the proclamations of an individual that is as cunning as they come, it is imperative that a full investigation is conducted.  We may not like what we find and the truth is rarely pleasant.   No matter which party you belong to or how you voted in the election, what transpired prior to November 8, 2016, should be of grave concern to you for if it happened once, there is the fear that it could happen again.  Nance gives us a dire warning imploring us not to make the same mistake again and to proactively fight cyber attacks in the future.  But with a Commander-In-Chief who doesn’t believe in cyber attacks or seek to understand them, how safe will we be?

The title of the book sounds like it could be a television special or motion picture. But I assure you it is not fiction, this is a real as it gets.  The United States and its democratic institutions were attacked and the depth of the crime is something that many people still do not fully understand.   But with books such as this one by Nance, a clear picture emerges that can be used as a reference guide in understanding what really was the plot to hack America.

ISBN-10: 1510723323
ISBN-13: 978-1510723320

Partners In Crime: The Clinton’s Scheme To Monetize The White House For Personal Gain-Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.

On By Genyc79In politics3 Comments

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The 2016 presidential election campaign will be remembered by voters as one of the most bitter and comical races ever seen.  The actions of both candidates ranged from disappointing to the surreal.   The Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State and Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton, was often referred to as a liar and criminal by her adversary.   Her supporters believed that the charges were unfounded and amplified by a Republican candidate that capitalized on fear, despair and paranoia.  But the question remains even after the election, what was really going on behind closed doors in the Clinton campaign and was criminality involved?  Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D., examines the history of the former first couple in this investigative report that dives deep inside the Clinton Foundation and its many ties to corporations, crooks, thieves and the power-hungry elite.

Supporters of the Clintons will find this book hard to accept.  However, Corsi has done his homework and details the complicated web of financial deals and exploits that have resulted in millions of dollars in revenue.  For those who voted against Clinton, many of the facts in this book might already be known. And for others, the book will leave them indifferent towards Clinton.  In fact, it could be argued that in spite of the information in the book, she could have been a good president.  As it stands now, that is something we will never know. What we do know through Corsi’s book, is that there is more than meets the eye with regards to Bill and Hillary Clinton.

The story begins in 2001 following the devastating earthquake that struck Gujarat, India on January 26, 2001.  Out of this tragedy came the American India Foundation and the beginning of a long list of shadowy figures, questionable acquisitions, offshore accounts, nearly non-existent bookkeeping, insufficient auditing and a very dark legacy.  Corsi has carefully researched each and explains all of them in detail.  The revelations are shocking and eye-opening.  Incredibly, Corsi states that the reason behind his book was to prevent future first couples from following the lead of the Clintons once they have left office. He is not a law enforcement offer and does not have any legal authority to bring charges against the Clintons or commence any investigative committee.  But he does a provide a voice of reason in trying to make sense of how the Clintons have become exceedingly wealthy following their time in the White House.

Following his service as president, Bill Clinton became an even bigger celebrity bringing celebrity star power and political clout to charity groups worldwide.  And as valued public speaker, he found himself in high demand at organizations, school and other public events worldwide.  His travels and speeches have earned him great wealth, far more than most would believe.   To say that it is unreal would be an understatement. And after the reader has finished this book, he or she will see the former commander-in-chief in a different light.  In this review I make no attempt to demonize Mr. and Mrs. Clinton.  It is not my place nor my intention.  Corsi also does not appear to have a personal vendetta.  In fact, he never mentions his political affiliation if any.   But he does make it clear that he feels that what has happened as a result of their actions, is both regrettable and unfortunate.  And also highly suspicious and in some cases possibly illegal.

The Clinton Foundation and it subsidiaries formed a nucleus of companies determined to make as much money as possible regardless of those affected.  The American India Foundation is the tip of the iceberg and is followed by other scandals such as UNITAID, the Haiti earthquake relief effort, Ranbaxy, the 2004 Tsunami, Uranium One and the email scandal that erupted during her second presidential campaign.  The information is sobering and absurd but it is necessary in understanding how charities are supposed to operate and why many people feel that they never have good intentions.  Sadly, this book confirms what many have believed about global initiatives and the true nature of the Clinton family.

Today, Hillary is out of the public spotlight on a daily basis.  It should be noted that she did in fact win the popular vote by several million votes.  And while she did not win the needed 270 electoral votes, she earned the votes of millions of Americans who believed she was better for the country in the long run.  Have millions of people read this book? Probably not.  Would they have voted differently if they had? Possibly.  Now that the election is long done and she is not in the oval office, most will not care about the book at all for it is not relevant to the current state of the union.  However, I feel that the target audience of this book is America’s youth for they are the future of this nation and will become the politicians of tomorrow that hopefully not make the same mistakes made by the power couple.   This is the inside story of the Clinton empire as dark as it gets.

ISBN-10: 1944229337
ISBN-13: 978-1944229337