AP coverage leaves out key details

To the editor:

I get tired of reading fake news from the Associated Press.

A recent example is the article about charges against Gen. Michael Flynn being dropped. The AP created a false equivalency between Republican and Democrat opinion by leaving out all of the pertinent facts.

There was a major release of documents that proved the FBI had transcripts of the wiretapped call between Flynn and Russian diplomat Sergey Kislyak that proved no crime had been committed. Because they had no legitimate reason to interrogate Flynn, nothing he said, true or false, met the requirement of “material” necessary for a crime.

We also learned that the FBI had decided to end the investigation of Flynn until a Jan. 5 meeting in the Oval Office with CIA Director John Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and more. When Stephanopoulos asked Biden about the investigation he said he knew nothing. When ABC’s George Stephanopoulos mentioned the Oval Office meeting, Biden changed his tune but he only knew that there was an investigation. However, we also learned that Biden requested Flynn’s name be unmasked the same day it was illegally leaked to the press. Of course, that could have been done by any of the over 30 people who requested unmasking.

And we learned that Brennan, Clapper, Comey, White House national security adviser Susan Rice and United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Powers, who were all over the media for two years claiming Donald Trump/Russia collusion, all testified under oath behind closed doors that they had never seen any actual evidence that it was true.

It seems that the FBI also knew that there was no Trump/Russia collusion even before the special prosecutor was appointed.

So Obama, Biden, Brennan and Clapper were all involved in investigating the Trump campaign and Biden lied about it. Nothing at all newsworthy there.

Stephen Erwin

Portland



Project critiqued

To the editor:

Hey Portland, how about we set up some concrete barricades, like they use on the interstate and funnel all the northbound traffic through downtown into one lane?

Then paint some temporary back-in parking spots, say, between High and Arch streets, and try backing into those spots. Just as a trial, so we can experience it.

Oh, and let’s take out the traffic light at Walnut Street so the truckers will have a good head of steam going. Let’s see how that works out.

And if we put some bump outs on either end of these, they will have to push the snow onto the sidewalk in front of city hall because there will be no lane in the center where they use to pile it, if the plows can even get between the bump outs to move the snow.   

And let’s try getting across Meridian Street at Arch Street with all that condensed traffic now. And throw in a bunch of golf carts trying to cross there during the tractor and engine show.

But I guess if someone would be so kind to stop all the northbound traffic to back into a parking spot at city hall it would make it easier to cross at Arch.

Let's give it a try.

Maybe the mayor could try it?

What do you think? 

Jeffrey Steed

Portland