Month: June 2022

Why was Jeffrey Clark’s home searched?

by Dave

For those who follow the January 6 hearing, Jeffrey Clark’s name is now very familiar. He was the relatively obscure DOJ environmental attorney that Trump wanted to install as Attorney General to perpetuate the “big lie” on election fraud.

It is unknow why his home was searched, or items like his cell phone, and computer seized. But, I am starting to get my suspicions based on what I’ve heard in the January 6 hearings in the House.

The Committee has decided to take a pause, as it has stated that they have received new information that will take time to review. Hearing will resume in July.

Reference: Jan 6 hearings (official record) NPR’s summary of Friday’s hearing

First, this search was done with a legal search warrant. Searches are often done early in the morning because they want to come in when the person is home and as soon as possible. The element of surprise is critical.

My suspicions are that Trump attempted to buy Jeffrey Clark’s loyalty by suggesting he could work for the Trump organization in some manner after Biden was sworn in. Jeffrey Clark would have to first have to set up a special counsel to investigate election fraud in the 2020 election, and send out a memo to all of the swing states, stating that they had discovered election fraud. To win Trump’s favor, he might also have inform VP Pence that the DOJ supported the “John Eastman” radical theory that the VP had sole discretion in counting the ballets. (see note below)

Jeffrey Clark did get subpoenaed by the House committee, and he appeared and plead the Fifth over 100 times. )The Fifth amendment to the Constitution gives people the right to refuse to answer questions that may be incriminating.

Big somehow, Trump and the campaign lawyers knew that Jeffrey Clark was their man inside the DOJ. How did that happen? It’s already on record that Clark violated Department policy by going to White House meetings without permission from his supervisors. I think for a search warrant at this stage, there was evidence of a more serious criminal action.

Trump had already talked to Attorney Sidney Powell about being special counsel for election fraud. In this ways, the “big lie” of an rigged election, and Biden as an illegitimate president could perpetuated beyond January 20. Money would continue to pour in to his SPAC, using the “Stop the Steal” theme to pay Trump’s legal expenses.

Note, these are marketing themes, “Promises made, Promises kept”, “Drain the Swamp”. “Lock her up” and of course “Hang Mike Pence.”

The Justice Department is not revealing anything about the search warrant. It could be for something occurring after his time in the Justice Department or related to his area of expertise – environmental law. DOJ isn’t going to be saying anything until they have an indictment.

If the search identifies anything that supports criminal charges against Jeffrey Clark, he will likely blame others, including Donald Trump. His excuse will be “blind loyalty” to number 45.

Stay tuned,

Dave

John Eastman’s radical theory on elections:

Eastman found ambiguity in the procedure for counting the Electoral College votes outlined in the 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, Eastman pointed to the phrase: “… and the votes shall then be counted.” He saw the fact that phrase was written in the passive voice as meaning that the vice president would have sole authority on which votes to count. Congress, in 1877, had passed a more specific law dictating how Electoral College votes would be counted, specifically how to settle disputes. But Eastman was among a set of scholars who saw that law as being unconstitutional.

I’m not exactly certain who this “set of scholars” are, but one can find a lawyer to advance almost any proposition in court, if one pays their bill.

The New MLRS Weapons for Ukraine

by Dave

Javelins and stingers shoot at advancing tanks and aircraft, respectively. They are hand held missile launchers, which is aimed at a target, and the missiles have tracking capability. There are definitely defensive weapons.

Switchblades are called kamikaze drones, as they will blow up on impact with a target. Cameras onboard the switchblades allow for course corrections, so they do not hit unintended targets.

President Biden has approved sending Multiple Launch Rocket Systems to Ukraine. Ukraine has begged the US to supply them with MLRS. The US has been reluctant to supply Ukraine with these systems as the Russians will view this as an escalation of the war, and take countermeasures. The missiles have a range of 80 km (62 miles) and enough firepower can wipe out up to an entire square kilometer area (0.39 miles squared).

They are not calling this a weapon of mass destruction, which is reserved for biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, but it is hard to avoid the analogy.

See Link: BBC, Ukraine may soon get US long-range MLRS rocket system

Multiple Launch Rocket Systems from C Battery, 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 210th Field Artillery Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division fire rockets during a cross-boundary live-fire March 25 near Cheorwon, South Korea. The live-fire was part of a larger combined joint exercise with elements from the U.S. Marines and Air Force as well as the Republic of Korea Army and Air Force.

These systems are not new. In fact, the Soviets were ahead of the US in the development of these truck mounted, multiple launch rocket systems in the early 1970’s. But, they are continuing to evolve, particularly with the sophistication and range of missiles they can fire. The missiles are guided ones to targets, such as a column of approaching tanks and troop carriers.

A total of 12 missiles can be fired, but the warhead breaks into fragments or bomblets. According to Wikipedia, one M270 firing 12 M26 rockets would drop 7,728 bomblets. From the BBC report, it appears the US has approved M270 systems. So, this has the potential of destroying more than the intended target, and innocent civilians may also be killed.

See link below on the M270:

Wikipedia: M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System

To avoid detection and reprisals, a “shoot and scoot” strategy is used, to immediately relocate after firing the missiles.

Previous to the M270, the US sent 108 M777 howitzers to Ukraine, which fires one missile at a time, and can be towed into location. Canada and Australia also sent M777 howitzers. The missiles launched from these howitzers can go up to 25 miles.

Wikipedia: M777 Howitzers

The Biden administration has stated that there is an agreement from Ukraine, not to fire missiles into Russia. This would be a devastating mistake. I wonder what would happen if accidentally, a missile crossed the border. Since the launchers are mobile, Russia will not know how close these systems are to their borders.

Foreign Minister Lavrov has called this a proxy war, but the US rejects this claim, as the war is being waged between Ukraine and Russia. Of course, Russia sees this as a much larger conflict, of retaking territory that rightfully belongs to their country (or more accurately the Soviet Federation).

I have no way of knowing if Biden was right. I am hoping that Russia does not escalate in terms of weapons at their disposal. They also have MLRS’s but don’t need them in Ukraine for now, as they can keep firing missiles at Ukraine from bases located in Russia.

It is not clear the overall strategy with the new weapons. I see the MLRS as a deterrent to Russia sending in large numbers of occupational troops to the Dunbas region, which they have obliterated with missile attacks. I wonder if the MLRS will be used to attack Russian ships in the Black Sea, as they prepare to attack Odesa. Putin will inevitably consider these weapons as further proof that this is a war between Russia and the US and NATO allies.

Somehow a negotiated settlement must be reached, which is difficult to see how a compromise in this war can be reached.

Stay tuned,

Dave