THE TRUTH ABOUT CHAIRMAN NUNES & HIS GOP INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE

 

…The is the way everyone should look at GOP Rep. Devin Nunes

 

Nunes is free to allege anything, even if false, and nobody, by law, can contradict him.

 

For years, I have been a great fan of Washington Post’s opinion writer, Dana Milbank.  If you get a chance, I would recommend that if you have the availability, read his latest column titled, “U.S. history, as taught by Devin Nunes”

 

Basically, Milbank makes it clear that, as the GOP Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, he personally tried to exonerate President Trump in the Russia probe by using cherry-picked information, and imply wrongdoing by the FBI.  All this while at the same time, blocking declassification of a memo from the committee Democrats which provides context and exculpatory information that Nunes purposely omitted in the majority memo.

 

In essence, as Chairman, Nunes is free to allege whatever he wants, even if false, and nobody, by law, can contradict him.

 

But, in Milbank’s own satiric humor, he asks the rhetorical question: “What if our understanding of other moments in history had been similarly under the sole control of one man [like Nunes], operating free of any context, mitigating facts and with no fear of contradiction?”

 

After asking that question, Milbank then takes different statements made by other famous individuals in past U.S. history, and he takes the same approach taken by Devin Nunes in his bogus published memo of cherry-picked information and he applies that approach to these individuals historical statements.

 

Here are some examples from Dana’s article that show just how ridiculous the Nunes memo is, especially in the way it was published:

 

First he take these famous lines by Thomas Paine:

 

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.”

 

According to Milbank, Paine would probably be interpreted by Chairman Nunes of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as follows:

 

“Treasonous Remarks by Thomas Paine

 

The committee has, based on its review of the evidence, determined that Mr. Paine is guilty of rank insubordination for accusing Gen. George Washington, commander of the Continental Army, of being a “summer soldier” and “sunshine patriot.” Paine, according to highly classified documents in the committee’s possession, alleges that Gen. Washington will “shrink from the service” of country, and likens dealing with Washington to “tyranny” and “hell.”

 

But then, what would Nunes and his committee say about John Paul Jones saying “I have not begun to fight”.

 

According to the Nunes committee, they would probably have said: We feel that the naval officer John Paul Jones should be court –martialed for desertion. Jones, according to the committee review of classified information, has not “begun to fight,” even though he was ordered to do so.“

 

Oh, and what about Nathan Hale?  According to Nunes and his committee, they would most likely, “Recommend that Nathan Hale be dishonorably discharged, posthumously, for expressing “regret” about serving his country.”

 

The dishonorable Devin Nunes would also probably recommend that, “Gov. Patrick Henry of Virginia, who upon being offered a choice between liberty and death, stated, ‘give me death,’ he should then be examined for these un-American activities.”

 

But let’s not forget President Abraham Lincoln when at Gettysburg he stated: “But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.”

 

According to Nunes and his committee: “Per Abraham Lincoln’s Anti-American Communications, classified intercepts reviewed by this committee, President Lincoln has, in deeply unpatriotic remarks, refused “to dedicate,” “to hallow” or “to consecrate” land where so many fell dead at Gettysburg. Furthermore, Lincoln alleged he would use his “power” to “detract” from their sacrifice — these are sentiments hurtful to Gold Star families.”

 

And let’s not forget Col. William Prescott.  This would be the Nunes committee’s comments on comparing Lincoln to Prescott’s Bunker Hill episode: “This is consistent with Lincoln’s previous advocacy of a “house divided” policy in which all white Americans would be “permanently half slave.” This sort of anti-white sentiment dates back to the Battle of Bunker Hill, when, according to this committee’s confidential information, Col. William Prescott remarked, “Don’t fire until you see the whites.”

And finally of course, this is how the Nunes committee would have treated the honorable Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., when he gave his “I have a dream” speech and also the committee’s comments about President John F. Kennedy:  Per MLK “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! “

 

The anticipated Nunes committee response:

 

“Highly classified information received by the committee contains clear and incontrovertible evidence that Dr. King is not an American citizen. He has, our information shows, repeatedly identified himself as a “Dreamer,” which is a direct admission that he was born a foreign national and emigrated to the United States illegally as a child.  The panel also has found evidence that President John F. Kennedy is a noncitizen. Classified records indicate he has admitted to being part of a “new generation of Americans,” further corroborating foreign birth.  Intelligence indicates that the president confessed to being a German national — specifically, a citizen of Berlin. He made this admission in a German speech. In another classified intercept, Kennedy was heard speaking to “fellow citizens of the world” — that is, fellow foreigners.

 

We recommend the creation of a select committee probing the president’s [JFK's] true nationality. Chairman Nunes should lead that committee, too.” [And shouldn't President Trump be in on that probe?]

 

Yes, Dana Milbank is a true satirist, but it appears that his idea of how Chairman Nunes’ House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence would most likely have responded to these historical Americans is probably closer to the truth than we would want to admit.

 

It also frightens the hell out of me about what going on in our capital, and the White House.

 

Copyright G.Ater  2018