There is a significant issue of understanding and comprehension that must be addressed for anyone interested in actually learning about what is happening, and what has happened.

The issue surrounds recusal.

Effective March 2nd, 2017, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions was recused from any involvement in DOJ issues, investigations and decision-making, that surrounded the “Russia Probe” or “Russia Investigation”. FULL STOP.

Setting aside the for/against argument around the decision by Sessions, the recusal meant that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was recused from any involvement in the Mueller investigation. FULL STOP.

Within this dynamic DAG Rod Rosenstein was/is the central DOJ decision-maker for anything surrounding the Mueller investigation and larger Russia investigation. FULL STOP.

Does that make sense?

If yes, continue….

On August 4th, 2017, AG Jeff Sessions and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats made an announcement they were initiating a “Classified Intelligence Leak Task Force.” [DOJ LINK]

The “just don’t do it” program, as launched by an obviously angered Sessions, included three measures. They were:

♦First, I directed my Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein—whose district in Maryland encompassed the NSA headquarters and who has personally led these kinds of investigations— and FBI Director Christopher Wray to oversee all classified leak investigations and actively monitor the progress of each and every case.

♦Second, I directed the National Security Division and U.S. Attorneys to prioritize cases involving unauthorized disclosures. The Department will not hesitate to bring lawful and appropriate criminal charges against those who abuse the nation’s trust.

♦Third, as I said, we tripled the number of active leak investigations. In response, the FBI has increased resources devoted to leak cases and created a new counterintelligence unit to manage these cases. Simultaneously, the Department is reviewing policies that impact leak investigations.

The DC-based intelligence leaking community was put on notice.

Does that make sense?

If yes, continue….

As a result of that August 4, 2017, announcement we discover an effort by the DOJ and ODNI to launch a task force to track down the leakers within the intelligence apparatus who have been revealing unauthorized, often ‘classified, information to the media.

Later, we discover in hindsight, that in October 2017, not coincidentally when AG Jeff Sessions hires Matthew Whitaker as his chief-of-staff, the leak task force, as part of ONE of their investigative reviews, zeros-in on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI).

As a result of that singular FBI/DOJ/ODNI investigation into the SSCI, the head SSCI security official James Wolfe was identified as a leaker of classified information. [Indictment Available Here which has all the details]

Are you familiar?

If yes, continue….

When you review this specific SSCI investigation; and overlay the outcome therein (Wolfe); against the backdrop of the Sessions recusal; this is what you discover:

For the leak task force objectives, Sessions is involved, briefed.

As the leak task force focuses in on the SSCI Sessions is still involved, briefed.

When the leak task force identifies the specific evidence of what was leaked; ie. the FISA Application against Carter Page – which is part of the Russia Investigation; *NOW* Jeff Sessions is removed; no longer briefed.

*NOW* the recusal firewall is crossed.

Do you see how that works?

If yes, continue….

When the leaking by James Wolfe is discovered to be information specifically related to the FBI and DOJ Counterintelligence Operation (the Russia investigation); the resulting evidence now causes the decision-making to jump from AG Jeff Sessions, to DAG Rod Rosenstein. (Sessions is now in his recusal bubble)

Does that make sense?

This is an example of how the recusal firewall works. This example is specifically focused on a factual classified leak investigation within the DOJ and FBI. The most important part of this example is to show how the decision-making oversight shifts from Jeff Sessions to Rod Rosenstein just by the nature of the evidence within the events.

I cannot emphasize enough how important this distinction is; because it is the source of mountains of misunderstanding, misinformation, and disinformation. If you don’t understand how the recusal issues impacted the events of the past 18 months you are going to be completely lost as I expand on some stunning revelations.

This understanding of “recusal” may seem like a small and common sense issue; but more than 80% (estimated) of people following the DOJ and FBI corruption story don’t understand it. However, when you understand it the role of, and previous action by, Matthew Whitaker and Rod Rosenstein makes almost immediate sense.

Overseeing the leak investigations was part of AG Jeff Sessions office; that specifically would include his chief-of-staff Matthew Whitaker. However, as soon as one of those leak investigations crossed the recusal firewall, all subsequent action is then decided by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

I must ask again, before I can expand further, if readers understand this dynamic?

Please answer in the comments section.

Thanks.

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IMHO one of the more *consequential* background objectives of Whitaker has nothing to do with Mueller; and more to do with Horowitz. As in: stopping a DOJ/FBI administrative state officials from doing what they did with the prior IG report (June '18) on DOJ/FBI bias & misconduct. pic.twitter.com/22pDEEBHFo — TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) November 11, 2018