The Morning Briefing: Feds Used Dossier for Trump Snoop Warrant and Much, Much More

Good Thursday morning.

Here is what’s on the President’s agenda today:

In the afternoon, President Donald J. Trump will lead a prison reform roundtable.
Later in the afternoon, the President will meet with his National Security team.

Sources: Feds used DNC/Clinton campaign dossier to get FISA warrant to spy on Trump campaign

Sara Carter is reporting that DOJ sources say the FBI indeed used the dossier –Clinton campaign propaganda– to obtain a warrant used to spy on Clinton’s political adversaries at the Trump campaign.

Multiple sources told this reporter that the dossier was used along with other evidence to obtain the warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, known as FISC. The sources also stressed that there will be more information in the coming week regarding systemic “FISA abuse.”

“(The dossier) certainly played a role in obtaining the warrant,” added another senior U.S. official, with knowledge of the dossier. “Congress needs to look at the FBI officials who were handling this case and see what, if anything, was verified in the dossier. I think an important question is whether the FBI payed anything to the source for the dossier.”

Ben Smith, editor of BuzzFeed, defended his decision to publish the dossier. BuzzFeed published the document despite other outlets taking a pass on it because they could not verify its allegations.

In a combative interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Smith said that BuzzFeed made the call to publish the dossier, because of the reported weight law enforcement and intelligence officials placed on the document, noting that the FBI briefed President Trump himself on the matter.

Trump’s FBI briefing on the dossier was leaked to the media and viola! instant news story. Now who leaked that meeting to the press?

Here’s a nice background on Fusion GPS and their ties to the Clinton campaign and the RUSSIANS. Yesterday, President Trump refused to agree to an “interview” with special counsel Mueller. DON’T DO IT.

Senators work to salvage awful Iran deal

Iran-friendly Senator Bob Corker and Democrat Ben Cardin are working hard to save the Iran deal.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and the panel’s top Democrat, Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland, both said Wednesday that they had the broad parameters of a proposal to amend the 2015 legislation that required congressional review of former President Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Tehran.

One big problem facing the senators is that Trump might decide to revoke the terror-country’s relief from sanctions.

Should Trump agree to continued sanctions relief for Iran, congressional talks would get critical running room — and, Corker suggested, potentially end up with an agreement that could get attached to a government funding measure that’s likely to come to a vote next month.

“This can’t go on forever, and it would be good if this legislation could be attached to something that must pass,” Corker told reporters. “And we have some must-pass stuff coming up soon.”

Developing…

[Alleged] sexual harassment update

Video shows a man slapping embattled Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in the face at a restaurant

Former top Fox News reporter left network following history of harassment allegations

House closes in on plan to fix its workplace harassment system

Mira Sorvino says she’ll never work with Woody Allen again

Democrats are planning to bring sexual assault victims to Trump’s first State of the Union address – will they bring their own victims or other people’s victims?

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens: I cheated on my wife in 2015

Washington Post suspends star reporter for ‘inappropriate workplace conduct’

Historical picture of the day:

A bomb crashed through the street surface outside the Mansion House and the Bank of England, London, on Jan 11, 1941,causing the Bank subway to cave in. The underground station booking-hall was wrecked, a number of people were killed and others trapped. Later Royal Engineers threw a temporary bridge across the crater. (AP Photo)

Other morsels:

The Trump administration has relaxed school lunch nutrition rules — here’s what kids can now eat

Police stand guard outside Florida university class on ‘white racism’

Twitter denies bias after a senior employee insults Trump in undercover video

Lawmakers compete to carry President’s mantle on DACA as talks continue

Bidding a fond farewell to the CFPB slush fund

Connecticut city votes to remove gender pronouns from rules of order

Judge denies CFPB official’s injunction against Mulvaney

American Psychiatric Association warns against diagnosing ‘public figures’ without examining them

NYC sues five major oil companies over climate change

Democrats say Americans want Trump impeached – here’s what new poll says

Soros Family Puts $250K Behind Democrat Running For Florida Governor