The Morning Briefing: DoJ's Hottest 'It' Couple Back in the News

Good Friday morning.

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

The president delivers remarks at the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Indiana
President Trump meets with the Prime Minister of Japan in Washington D.C.
The president participates in a restricted bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan
President Trump participates in an expanded bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Japan

DoJ’s hottest “it” couple back in the news

I’m talking about Strzok & Page, of course! Fox News is reporting that some of the infamous texts between the anti-Trump duo are getting a fresh look. As more information comes to light about the Trump investigations, the timing and content of the couple’s text messages become even more significant.

Fox News has learned the texts, initially released in 2018 by a Senate committee, are under renewed scrutiny, with GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley and Homeland Security Committee chair Ron Johnson sending a letter Thursday night to Attorney General Bill Barr pushing for more information on the matter.

“Any improper FBI surveillance activities that were conducted before or after the 2016 election must be brought to light and properly addressed,” the senators wrote.

The letter refers to Strzok & Page’s conversations about who to send to the WH to ~~brief~~ spy on the Trump team and how they can exploit the opportunity.

“Were these efforts done to gain better communication between the respective parties, or were the briefings used as intelligence gathering operations?” Grassley, R-Iowa, and Johnson, R-Wis., wrote. “Further, did any such surveillance activities continue beyond the inauguration, and in the event they did, were those activities subject to proper predication?”

“Intelligence gathering operations?” Oh my.

The letter states:

In text messages exchanged between former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok and former FBI Attorney Lisa Page, the two discussed the possibility of developing “potential relationships” at a November 2016 FBI briefing for presidential transition team staff.

Specifically, it appears they discussed sending “the CI guy” to assess an unnamed person(s) “demeanor” but were concerned because it might be unusual for him to attend. A few weeks after the presidential election, Mr. Strzok and Ms. Page discussed the logistics for the briefing.

Now that Attorney General Barr is running the DoJ and seems to recognize the severity of corruption in the agency, we may finally get some answers and accountability.

Maria Butina is not a spy, but a ‘spotter’: DOJ revives intrigue over gun-totting Russian native

Trump: Russia investigations an attempted ‘coup’

Ex-campaign adviser Michael Caputo says he met with Trump, vows to plead the fifth if subpoenaed

Trump blasts Russia probe as ‘an attempted overthrow of the United States government’

Trump accuses Hillary Clinton of ‘destroying the lives’ of his campaign staffers

Absolutely not. ‘He needs to let it go’: Trump’s allies urge him to shut up about Mueller

How the Obama White House engaged Ukraine to give Russia collusion narrative an early boost

Rosenstein speaks

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein spoke last night in New York at the Public Servants Dinner of the Armenian Bar Association. He had some words for Former FBI Director James Comey and other Obama administration officials.

Rod Rosenstein, in a speech in NYC tonight: https://t.co/BNwhyLgail pic.twitter.com/UXIo0zcYtc

— Byron York (@ByronYork) April 26, 2019

Rosenstein will be leaving his post in two months but I suspect we will see and hear about him again. Oh yes.

One important question Rosenstein answered at the dinner: what was going on with you when AG Barr presented the Mueller report to the public? I remarked on Twitter that it looked like someone was holding his dog hostage. Rosenstein explained: “Last week, the big topic of discussion was, ‘What were you thinking when you stood behind Bill Barr at that press conference, with a deadpan expression?’ The answer is: I was thinking, “My job is to stand here with a deadpan expression.’”

Biden’s announcement fallout

Obama admin Veep announced he was throwing his hat the ring for the Democrats’ 2020 nomination yesterday. He released an announcement, a rather dark one, that left some people scratching their heads. Biden claimed he asked Obama not to endorse him, but that can’t possibly be true.

Anita Hill revealed Biden had reached out to her, probably a bad choice of words, she was not impressed. Biden was chair of the Senate Judiciary committee when Justice Clarence Thomas was confirmed. There wasn’t any #metoo back in those days so Biden has been criticized for not allowing Thomas to get Kavanaugh’d.

“I cannot be satisfied by simply saying I’m sorry for what happened to you. I will be satisfied when I know there is real change and real accountability and real purpose,” Hill told The New York Times in an interview published Thursday.

Alyssa Milano Pulled Back The Curtain On Brewing Democrat Civil War

Donald Trump slams Joe Biden as ‘not the brightest bulb’

#HerToo: Anita Hill Not Impressed with Biden’s Belated Regret

Joe Biden Says Trump is the Worst Thing in His Lifetime…Here’s a List of Much Worse

Other morsels:

North Korea demanded $2 million to release comatose Otto Warmbier

This is a wild story. Baltimore mayor not lucid enough to decide whether to resign

White House to House Oversight: No way will Stephen Miller testify

House Democrats eye post-Mueller agenda

Trump rips AOC, calls de Blasio’s skyscraper plan ‘crazy’

Kentucky BBQ Truck Catches Grief for Tongue-In-Cheek ‘LGBTQ’ T-Shirt

Progressive Caucus Leaders Didn’t Disclose Ties To Dark Money Group, Violating House Ethics Rules, Lawyers Say