Maggie's Farm

JLawson: It really doesn't matter what's true or false in a perjury trap, does it?

Of course it does. For a charge of perjury, the statement has to be a willful misstatement of fact, and it has to be relevant to the proceedings. For instance, Clinton was not found guilty of perjury, because the court determined his lie wasn't relevant to the proceedings, and the case was tossed for lack of merit. Instead, Clinton was found to be in civil contempt. Judges and juries will hear the evidence, so they are the ones who have to be convinced it meets the lawful standard.

What Corsi did was lie about something of significance to the investigation of Russian interference in the election.

Aggie: The ability to twist and distort testimony words

Corsi's foreknowledge is documented in his emails.

steve walsh: It is automatically a lie and false testimony to assert that you do not remember writing and sending a specific email?

Nope.

Texan99: Is there a jury that would convict someone for perjury because he couldn't remember something?

Nope.


Gee whiz! Truth? Jerome Corsi was a birther. This is an excellent example of the right-wing echo chamber. Jerome Corsi lies about his lies, and Tucker Carlson encourages him to do so. Either Carlson is blind to the truth, or simply doesn't care. And people believe this because it confirms their prejudices and avoids having to face unpleasantries.

The facts are easily attainable; from public records and from Corsi's own statements. The allegation doesn't concern that Corsi forgot sending an email, but his lie about not having had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks possession and schedule for release of stolen emails from the chair of Hillary Clinton's campaign, John Podesta, and whether he shared this information with others connected to candidate Trump. Corsi's emails reveal not only his foreknowledge, but that he shared the information with Roger Stone, who directed Corsi to contact Julian Assange of WikiLeaks.

Here's Corsi's latest story: “Jeannie Rhee, one of the prosecutors, said, ‘Dr. Corsi, you are asking us to believe, on an extended international flight with your wife for your anniversary, you had divine intervention? God inspired your mind and told you Assange has Podesta’s emails and they’re going to be dumped in October and dumped in a serial fashion? Is that what you’re saying?’ I said, ‘Yes, Ms. Rhee, that’s about what I’m saying.'”

Now ask yourself why all these people associated with Trump are lying.

Rusty: He's lying about (A) because I disagree with him about (B).

No. Corsi is a liar; a liar who demonstrably lied about (B) birtherism, and demonstrably lied about (A) WikiLeaks. His current problem is that he demonstrably lied to the FBI.

The reason to bring up birtherism was to address the author's claim about "the ring of truth".

Sam L: There are many of us who do not believe what you say.

We don't expect you to accept what we say at face value, but based on the evidence. Corsi lied and his emails show that he did. His defence is now that he knew based on "divine intervention".

"Word is friend in embassy plans 2 more dumps. One shortly after I'm back. 2nd in Oct. Impact planned to be very damaging."

Jerome Corsi Doesn’t Understand Why Mueller Isn’t Accepting His ‘Divine Intervention’ Defense

mudbug: If Corsi did lie than he deserves to be in trouble.

It's more than Corsi. Many top officials have lied about their contacts with Russia and WikiLeaks. Trump lied about his financial dealings with Russia. Why would they all be lying?

Hank_M: And the bots first link was even worse, the fake newsworthy Washington Post.

The document is almost certainly authentic, and is much better evidence than saying "Is not!", even if you say it more than once.

Hank_M: ALMOST certainly authentic?

It's much better evidence than saying "Is not!".

Gee whiz. Corsi himself provided the draft statement of offense.

Hank_M: Tell you what.

Let us know when you become open to evidence.

Bill Carson: Hillary Clinton was almost certainly going to become our 45th President a couple of Novembers ago!

There is no reasonable doubt as to the authenticity of the draft statement of offense. Did you have a point to make, or are you just trolling?

Rusty: The birth certificate was so obviously doctored and edited numerous times that the reasonable default position must be one of doubt.

Zombie lies that never die and the modern American political right.

The State of Hawaii officially certified Obama's birth. There was never any real doubt.

Rusty: So you ignore the very obviously faked document (which was available for download and debunked ad nauseam) and you appeal to the noble and honest Government Workers of Hawaii.

Half of Republicans still don't think Obama was born in the U.S. Zombie lies never die.

The U.S. has struggled with the issue of race. There is the legacy of chattel slavery, and institutional racism persisted until the 1960s. Is America unique in this regard? Not at all. Most societies exhibit some aspects of xenophobia, though racism has been especially pernicious. But there are also people who seek peace across cultural and ethnic divides.

Look for the helpers.

Bird Dog: No. There is almost no racism in America today.

While overt racism is not as common as it once was, there is still a strong undercurrent of racism and ethnic hatred in American society.

mudbug: Even during the Democrat instituted Jim Crow laws, there were no college classes that overtly taught that blacks were inferior.

Well, that's not true. White supremacy pervaded textbooks at every educational level during the Jim Crow period, even depicting the KKK in positive terms.

Textbook Racism

mudbug: Text books were slanted but that's different from having a class devoted to explaining why the world's problems are because of white people.

No. They taught that the KKK was a righteous response to the depravities of blacks.

Assistant Village Idiot: As my essay says - compared to whom?

As our comment says — Is America unique in this regard? Not at all.

Assistant Village Idiot: Racism is humanity's default setting.

Racism per se is fairly new, a product of the Age of Discovery. However, xenophobia is intrinsic to the human condition. In group - out group is an important distinction for all cultures.

Assistant Village Idiot: America has done more unlearning of it than anyone else.

What's interesting about U.S. history is that it isn't that the Americans haven't had problems, but that it has often faced its problems, made progress, and served as a model for other countries. The key is to avoid the paired problems of despair at continuing racism and self-satisfaction with incomplete progress, both resulting in passive inaction.

Nona Mouse: Conviction doesn't matter all that much. Not many (any?) convictions have out of this probe

Trump's national security advisor, campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, foreign policy advisor for the campaign, and even his personal attorney have all been found guilty or pleaded guilty.

Hank_M: Mueller, who helped keep 4 innocent men in prison after they'd been framed by the FBI. That was in Boston when Whitey had the FBI in his back pocket.

The families of the four men sued the U.S. government and won a $100 million judgment. The judge in the case, Nancy Gertner, has said, "I can say without equivocation that Mr. Mueller, who worked in the United States attorney’s office in Boston from 1982 to 1988, including a brief stint as the acting head of the office, had no involvement in that case."

Hank_M: Then explain why, according to the Boston Globe, Mueller, first as an assistant US attorney then as the acting U.S. attorney in Boston, wrote letters to the parole and pardons board throughout the 1980s opposing clemency for the four men framed by FBI lies.

You are probably referring to Kevin Cullen's 2011 Boston Globe column. He was told about such letters, but said he never saw the letters, and there is no evidence of the letters in the files.

Hank_M: I was referring to a Boston Globe Metro section story from Jan 1970 referenced in an article written by Rep Gohmert last may.

At that time, Robert Mueller was still serving as a decorated Marine, including Bronze Star (with valor), having returned wounded from Vietnam.

Jerryskids: So even Chris Cuomo agrees that the illegal immigrants should go back home?

Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem for Augustus's census, not to live. Before that, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus went into Egypt as political refugees, to escape Herod, only returning after Herod's death.

Z: Before that ...

After that...