Summary

Donald Trump’s transition team has bypassed standard FBI background checks for key cabinet nominees, relying instead on private investigators, as reported by CNN.

This breaks decades-old norms meant to vet candidates for criminal history and conflicts of interest.

Controversial appointees include Matt Gaetz (attorney general), Tulsi Gabbard (director of national intelligence), and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (health secretary), all facing scrutiny for past investigations, pro-Russian views, or personal admissions.

Critics argue Trump seeks to undermine traditional vetting, with potential security risks tied to bypassing these checks.

  • prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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    7 days ago

    So… About that “deep state” I kept hearing about for the past 30 years… Think maybe now it’s probably the time, if there ever was one, to do something to preserve the world order.

    Turns out the “deep state” are a bunch of rich people who don’t want to pay taxes. Oops.

    • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      The deep state was always meant to mean the FBI, FDA, EPA, and other agencies that while not always forces for good are forces of career bureaucrats that keep the United States a functioning nation.

  • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    It’s crazy that all these things I thought were laws my whole life turn out to just be “norms” that can be totally ignored

  • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    No shit, one of his picks has white supremacist tats all over his body, one paid a minor for sex and gave them hardcore drugs, and the other is an actual Russian Agent.

      • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        Whether she has a direct chain of command from Russia or not, she is a Russian Asset by her actions.

        She has been non-interventionist and spoke positively of Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad for decades.

        Gabbard promoted party division during the 2016 elections by supporting Bernie Sanders for president even after Sanders asked people to vote for Hillary Clinton. This aligns with Russian psyops on social media at the time.

        When Russia Invaded Ukraine she parroted Kremlin Newspapers on the false claims that the USA operated 36 Biolabs in Ukraine.

        She sued Hillary Clinton for calling her a Russian Asset for some good press but then dropped the suit shortly after announcing it to the news. Meaning she thought Hillary could have actually won such a case if it went to court.

        • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          She has been non-interventionist and spoke positively of Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad for decades.

          Diplomatic can often be confused with positivity

          Gabbard supported Bernie Sanders for president even after Sanders asked people to vote for Hillary Clinton.

          No, before

          When Russia Invaded Ukraine she parroted Kremlin Newspapers on the false claims that the USA operated 36 Biolabs in Ukraine.

          Well, The US did fund biolabs in the Ukraine.

          She sued Hillary Clinton for calling her a Russian Asset for some good press but then dropped the suit shortly after announcing it to the news. Meaning she thought Hillary could have actually won such a case if it went to court.

          Meaning value was gained in publicity and saved in legal fees.

          • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            Fucking tankies, bro…

            Diplomacy supporting war and death is not a good thing.

            You linking to before doesnt argue the point.

            She had a lot more to gain by successfully suing Hillary. The only reason to drop the case already filed would be because the allegations were true enough that the opponent could provide evidence and the supposed victim couldn’t demonstrate otherwise.

            • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              Diplomacy reduces the war and death.

              Supporting Sanders over Clinton could be exactly why she started the “Russian Asset” lazy mudslinging.

              The only reason to drop the case already filed would be because

              Winning a case, quickly, cleanly and cheaply is impossible.

              It certainty doesn’t prove guilt.

              • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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                5 days ago

                Diplomacy with fucking Assad certainly never reduced war or death. I bet 80+ years ago you would have been the type to advocate the USA allying with actual Adolf Hitler.

                I’ve got an idea to win the case quickly and cleanly: not have anything to do with Russia and having the court send Clinton the bill (pun not intended).

                • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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                  5 days ago

                  Diplomacy with fucking Assad certainly never reduced war or death.

                  Gabbard said they discussed her meeting with Assad and stressed the importance of meeting “with adversaries or potential adversaries, not just our friends, if we are serious about the pursuit of peace.”

                  Asked if she viewed Assad as an “adversary” of the US, Gabbard demurred and said it was important to look at who posed a threat to the US and how the interests of other nations compare to those of the US.

                  Pressed on the point, she said, “You can describe it however you want to describe it.”

                  When asked later in the interview if she thought Assad was a good person, Gabbard said, “No, I don’t,” and asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was an adversary to the US, she responded, “Yes.”

                  https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/06/politics/tulsi-gabbard-syria-assad/index.html

                  I bet 80+ years ago you would have been the type to advocate the USA allying with actual Adolf Hitler.

                  Gabbards stance against Assad is exactly equal to America’s in 1945.

                  I’ve got an idea to win the case quickly and cleanly: not have anything to do with Russia and having the court send Clinton the bill (pun not intended).

                  That is a shitty, and ironically slow and expensive, idea.

  • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Tulsi Gabbard as the head of intelligence means the US intelligence community will have a blind spot in Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East. Plus many field agents are going to die. It’s going to be massive set back for Ukraine. And she’s probably going to relay everything to dictators like Putin and Assad. Mahalo Tulsi /s. And fuck your sPiRIt of alOHa

    • Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Talking about US funded biolabs, that are already public knowledge, is hardly evidence of being a Russian spy.

      Saying solutions in Syria need to involve Assad is common sense, not heretical.

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    So, Cheeto is relying on private investigators…run by the Russian FSB. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, the Deep State is going to filled with neo-Nazis, religious nutters and Russian agents.

  • nutsack@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    to his supporters, this just looks like someone who gets things done. and they probably don’t trust the FBI

  • zeppo@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    I assume if they’re investigating or vetting anything it’s: will they be loyal to Trump? Anything good to hang on to as blackmail or extortion material?

  • 100_kg_90_de_belin @feddit.it
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    6 days ago

    It turns out that the erosion of rights will be done for fun during the real task of butchering the federal infrastructure and agenci6snd selling them to the highest bidding friend

  • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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    5 days ago

    Given that last time they weren’t even real proper investigations, they were directed by the White House and didn’t actually look into things (in spite of Trump saying otherwise repeatedly), this is really only saving unnecessary spending.

    • TheLowestStone@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Well, the FBI agents are still getting paid and they are paying private investigators so I’m pretty sure these fake investigations are costing even more than the other fake investigations did.

  • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    Lemmy doesn’t offer a way to filter posts by words in the title do they? I’m over hearing anything about this waste of oxygen and his buddies.

  • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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    5 days ago

    Of course je did. How else is he going to appoint criminals and people with conflicts of interest ?

    Well call this process “efficient” and say that Musk came up with it in his big brain

  • MeaanBeaan@lemmy.world
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    7 days ago

    Maybe because the whole fucking thing is a rat king of tangled conflicts of interest. If I were them I wouldn’t want anyone with half a spine to so much as look at me.