CYBERCRIME EXPERT PROSECUTOR RYAN DICKEY ADDED TO TEAM MUELLER
Let’s welcome the newest member of the Justice League.
Ryan K. Dickey is a United States Attorney who specializes in cyber crimes. He was the prosecutor who convicted the original Guccifer, and is the man behind the shutdown of MegaUpload. He is one of the best attorneys in the world for prosecuting computer crimes.
And he joined Team Mueller back in November.
There’s a few takeaways on this story.
First, there were a spate of stories in early November about Cambridge Analytica, the Mercer family, and Wikileaks. Remember how those weird stories about Donnie Jr getting DM’ed by Julian Assange broke around then? They make a lot more sense now, considering that a new lawyer joined the team.
Second, Mueller’s team is tighter than an airlock. It took two months to confirm that this dude even works there.
Finally, this isn’t just about Obstruction of Justice. You don’t need a cybercrime expert to look into a firing memo, or if a press statement lying about a meeting is legal. This man has a particular set of skills. Sure, he can do that job, but he’s an expert in explaining how computers work to a jury. He can tell them how IP addresses work, how data can be traced from one system to another, and how sharing stolen passwords is a bad thing.
You don’t hire seventeen prosecutors with precise specialties just for Obstruction of Justice. This is about a lot more.
SENATOR CARDIN RELEASED REPORT ON RUSSIAN ELECTION INTERFERENCE FROM OVER TWENTY YEARS
Ben Cardin of Maryland released this report today.
This is a damning report, and his recommendations don’t pull any punches. He’s proposing that NATO expand Article Five mutual protection to include cyber war.
Damn. We’re done fucking around.
FBI ANNOUNCED TASK FORCE TO EXPOSE RUSSIAN SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITY
The FBI is taking Russian Activity very seriously.
I’m interested in seeing what happens the first time the FBI identifies Russian propaganda.
GOP REPRESENTATIVE ISSA TO RETIRE
We’re around two dozen GOP incumbents retiring. That is insane. Almost ten percent. What makes it even more interesting is that a two dozen seat margin is how many seats the Democrats would need to win to a majority in the House.
TRUMP ADMIN WAIVES PUNISHMENT ON BANKS INCLUDING DEUTCHE BANK, TO WHOM HE OWES MILLIONS
Trump waived a fine against a bank that he owes over $130 million. If this isn’t a conflict of interest, than I’m not a balding white guy.
TRUMP PROPERTY SALES WITH LLC’S ACCOUNT FOR SEVENTY PERCENT OF SALES SINCE ELECTION
Nothing like a little Quid Pro Quo to lighten the mood.
What makes this disgusting, aside from using property purchases to gain political favors, is the new tax bill includes a tax break on selling real estate to an LLC.
SPEED ROUND!
VOX: The Strong Case of Obstruction
WaPo Opinion: Foreign Spies Likely Targeting Fox News
That’s it for today. When I started this article, I was watching one of my favorite television episodes of all time. “The Drumhead” from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Watch it if possible. It’s about an act of sabotage on the Enterprise which then leads to a special investigation and catching a spy. You’d think that would be the end of it, but then they get whipped up into a jingoistic fervor looking for enemies of the state. They find one, an innocent man whose only crime was having a grandfather that belonged to an enemy state. Captain Picard sees what’s happening and what they are becoming…a paranoid people taking part in a witch hunt. Speaking out against this crusade put the Captain in the crosshairs of the investigation, which could have cost him everything. He survived the interrogation, and tells Worf that vigilance is the price we have to pay for freedom. Not just vigilance against physical and external threats, but also from those claiming to have our best interests at heart.
I love this episode. Sure, it’s as subtle as a kick to the dick, but it tells us that freedom has a price that we must pay, while at the same time reminding us that it’s far too easy to get swept up in the hunt for traitors.
That’s something I have to remind myself of during times like these. It’s easy to see spies and traitors everywhere, but I have to remember that not everyone who’s a dick is committing treason. Some of them are just dicks, some are assholes, and some are just idiots.
But, we must stay vigilant.
Thank you, and have a good one.
“Without Journalists, it’s just propaganda.”
– Katy Tur
None of this is Normal 