Why Nunes Memo Exposes Worse Scandal Than Watergate

Legal commentary thread on #Memo It is important to remember that FISA courts are not like other courts; there needs to be specific evidence of a particular national security threat to circumvent regular federal courts. It is a HIGHER standard because its jurisdiction is LIMITED. FISA courts have LIMITED jurisdiction because the scope of the invasive tools of the NSA is far more INVASIVE than regular wiretaps, due to the SECRET nature of such courts, and from the risk of forum shopping with the limited number and deferential nature of FISA Judges. That is why Congress imposed SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS on access to FISA courts and use of FISA evidence. To access FISA courts, only the HIGHEST RANKING FBI officials MUST VET and approve, a high ranking DOJ official must authorize, and they must re-vet and re-approve every 90 days. To spy on Americans through a FISA court, the FBI must show the target is an "agent of a foreign power," not merely in contact with a foreign power. The law makes it difficult to show someone is an "agent of a foreign power" to make sure it is not misused to spy on Americans. The law does not allow the FBI to call an American an "agent of a foreign power" unless they can show the person "knowingly engages in clandestine intelligence gathering activities for or on behalf of a foreign power" AND the nature of their activity is criminalized. Claiming someone is an "agent of a foreign power" is a difficult standard to ever show, and should never happen to a domestic political opponent in a domestic political campaign. That is why the FBI had to cook the books -- put a bogus informant on their team & lie to the courts. Trump's winning caused a problem for Comey & Comey's firing caused a problem for Rosenstein. Both Comey & Rosenstein signed off on the bogus affidavits to the FISA court to continue spying on Trump team members post-election and post-inauguration. They needed Mueller to cover up. Key fact about Mueller: he is very close friends with Comey, and was the mentor and close friend of Rosenstein. Mueller is also expert at covering up for lawless law enforcement: see his role with Whitey Bulger, BCCI, HSBC, Waco, Noriega, IRS/Tea Party & Fast & Furious. FBI turned over their NSA spying capacity to a private lobbying company in order to promote a smear campaign against a domestic political opponent. Fearing being caught, they appointed a special counsel (Mueller) to cover for them by accusing the man (Trump) who might expose them.