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.

  • Sanctus@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    How much corruption can we take before he’s even installed? For real. This is way fucken nuttier than last time. It seems so malicious.

  • villainy@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

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

    Come the fuck on. The FBI background checks are a “norm” too? Do we have actual laws for anything?

  • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
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    4 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

  • Furbag@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    A crook and convicted felon fills his cabinet with folk who probably can’t pass an FBI security screening? Color me shocked.

    The robber barons are back, baby

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    5 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.

  • lennybird@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Gabbard is the biggest threat here, in my view.

    You couldn’t dream of putting a spy in a better position than the DNI whose position is literally to oversee all intelligence agency silos.

    Russia will know literally everything.

      • azuth@sh.itjust.works
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        5 days ago

        Not to defend those nutjobs but ‘religion’ (aka cults that reached critical mass) are far more dangerous, whether Catholicism or mainstream US Protestantism.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          Not at all true. These are cultists who would happily march queer people into gas chambers and don’t make a secret about it.

          This is a Nazi cult. This is super fucking dangerous.

          • azuth@sh.itjust.works
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            5 days ago

            Dude there are certainly more Americans that would happily march queer people into gas chambers and don’t make a secret about it while being Christian.

            There already are “conversion” camps run by Christians for queer children. They are horrendous.

            Were hatred against queer people not normalized by Christianity her cult would be unable to use her to persecute them.

            Also, some Christian denominations are not troubled by someone being a Nazi.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              5 days ago

              Okay? And plenty of Christians are not like that at all. And I say that as a life-long atheist.

              This is like saying the KKK isn’t extra dangerous because lots of non-Klan members are just as racist.

              You’re really missing the point here.

              Also, you don’t have to tell me about conversion therapy camps. We’re getting my daughter out of this country specifically because Trump selects people in dangerous bigoted cults to be in his cabinet.

              But sure, she’s not dangerous at all. Not compared to 10 out of 10 Christians, all of whom hate queer people, including the Christians who are themselves queer.

              • azuth@sh.itjust.works
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                5 days ago

                I am not missing the point, you are, by miles.

                That cult is less dangerous than Christianity. You don’t fear them, you fear an extremely anti-queer government. That government will take power due to Christianity’s influence. Those cultist might be invited along for the ride.

                But sure, she’s not dangerous at all. Not compared to 10 out of 10 Christians, all of whom hate queer people, including the Christians who are themselves queer.

                Not, all Christians hate queer people. It’s irrelevant if they do not seriously try to stop the ones that do from promoting hate. Which most Christian denominations officially do, for most of them any queerness is a sin. Which explains why even non hateful Christians will not seriously challenge the more extreme ones.

                As for queer people who identify as Christians, that’s not an argument in your favor, for Christianity being less dangerous. Christianity has probably driven more queer people to suicide for not being “good” Christians than this cult could even dream of hurting. It gets people to run conversion camps and parents to send their own children there. It probably also keeps good people who would otherwise help queer people from helping.

                So yeah Christianity is far more dangerous than some nobodies.

                • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                  5 days ago

                  Some nobodies? Her genocidal cult is now going to be officially part of the U.S. government. Why does this not bother you just because there are lots of bigoted Christians as well?

                  Christians have been in charge of the United States since its inception. The current president is a devout Catholic. Queer people have been getting more and more rights despite that.

                  By your logic, queer people are in less danger now that this genocidal cultist can get all of their private information because she isn’t a Christian. Is that really what you think? Queer people will be safer under Trump? Or are you going to argue that Trump’s professed Christianity is genuine?

                  And your “queer Christians hate queer people” argument is also noted.

    • MIDItheKID@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      "Nikolai Patrushev, part of the Russian president’s inner circle and former Secretary of the Security Council, told the Russian newspaper Kommersant that Trump was duty-bound to act on his words.

      Patrushev said: “To achieve success in the elections, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. And as a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.”

      So yeah, sounds about right.

  • SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world
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    4 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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      4 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.

  • finitebanjo@lemmy.world
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    5 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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        4 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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          4 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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            4 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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              4 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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                4 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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                  4 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.

  • nutsack@lemmy.world
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    5 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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    5 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?

  • psycho_driver@lemmy.world
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    5 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.

  • eran_morad@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    My only confidence and hope is that these guys are such monumental fuckups that they won’t be able to string together enough executive function to realize their dark vision.

  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Cadet Bone Spurs relied on (PAID!!!) a private doctor to give him bone spurs and completely avoided the military doctors who would have found his worthless fit for duty. How in the fuck can one avoid an FBI background check for any government position and contract work?