A great deal of things occurred. Here are a few of the important things. This is TPM’s Morning Memo. Register for the e-mail variation
Run for Them Hills!
What a wonderful day of viewing Republicans and their media enablers respond in significant style to the explosive discovery that an essential source– their primary source, no less– of the phony Biden bribery claims underlying their impeachment push made it all up and remained in bed with foreign intel services, consisting of the Russians.
The bumbling action from the main traffickers of the Biden false information project extended from early morning into late at night. The indictment of Alexander Smirnov recently on charges he produced the Biden claims was turbocharged by federal government filings today that declared Smirnov had “comprehensive and incredibly current” contacts with foreign intel services, consisting of Russia.
The day began with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) declaring “it does not alter the … basic truths.” Like hell it does not. By last night Rep. James Comer (R-KY) was crawfishing difficult:
As committee chairs– Oversight and Judiciary, no less!– Comer and Jordan were the vibrant duo who led dissemination of the Smirnov disinformation, however they were barely alone. Aaron Blake determines 10 Republicans who dealt with the Biden bribery claim like gospel.
Sean Hannity Is A Special Case
After investing months promoting the incorrect claims that come from with previous FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, Fox News’ Sean Hannity was on the air last night grumbling about the FBI not having much better informants. Poor, Sean. Preyed on by the FBI:
On an associated side note, Hannity is having a hard time strongly with the discovery that the federal government’s claim that Hunter Biden had an image of lines of drug was in fact a picture of sawdust.
Can’t Get Enough
More on the Smirnov disinformation operation:
- Josh Marshall: A Bigger Story Than You Can Possibly Imagine
- Philip Bump: A brand-new lens into the continuous recklessness of Republican ‘Russia scam’ rhetoric
- Aaron Blake: Another GOP Biden ‘informant.’ Another indictment and link to Russia.
- NYT: Who is Alexander Smirnow?
On A More Serious Note …
A federal magistrate judge in Nevada, where Alexander Smirnov was jailed, inexplicably permitted his release from custody today. The Justice Department Wednesday appealed that choice to a district judge, arguing that Smirnov has the