By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

The Justice Department said it needs more time to provide information on President Trump’s wiretapping claims.

The House Intelligence Committee has asked for wiretapping applications, orders and warrants involving President Trump or his associates.

The Justice Department called the committee “to ask for additional time to review the request in compliance with the governing legal authorities and to determine what if any responsive documents may exist,” the Washington Post reports. 

The committee wants the records by Monday’s deadline.

President Trump has yet to provide a shred of evidence that Obama ordered wiretapping of the Trump campaign.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer walked back some of the claims.

“If you look at the president’s tweet, he said very clearly, quote, ‘wire tapping’ — in quotes,” Spicer said, gesturing with his fingers to symbolize quotes. “There’s been substantial discussion in several reports. . . . There’s been reports in the New York Times and the BBC and other outlets about other aspects of surveillance that have occurred. The president was very clear in his tweet that it was, you know, ‘wiretapping’ — that spans a whole host of surveillance types of options.”

Kratom pill, via Wikipedia.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are urging the DEA to reconsider its decision to make kratom, an herbal supplement, a Schedule I drug because of its potential to help heroin addicts.

A letter from 45 representatives asked the acting DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg to delay the ban, which could take effect as early as this week, until authorities “engage consumers, researchers, and other stakeholders, in keeping with well-established protocol for such matters,” Huffington Post reports. 

“This significant regulatory action was done without any opportunity for public comment from researchers, consumers, and other stakeholders,” reads the letter, drafted by Reps. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., and Matt Salmon, R-Ariz. “This hasty decision could have serious effects on consumer access and choice of an internationally recognized herbal supplement.”

Lawmakers also appealed to the Office of Management and Budget to stop the DEA’s scheduling process so authorities could determine if kratom should be placed into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

Kratom users and some scientists said the DEA’s proposed ban is premature because of potential medical benefits to people dependent on prescription painkillers or heroin.

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Democratic lawmakers are urging the FBI to investigate Donald Trump campaign advisers to determine whether they were involved in the suspected Russian hacking of election systems in two states and the party’s political organizations.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid wrote a letter to FBI Director Jame Comey on Aug. 27, asking for an investigation into suspected Russian interference in the presidential election, The Washington Post reports. 

The letter refers to two Trump advisors who have been accused of having connections to Russia. One of Trump’s longtime friends, Roger Stone, claimed he was in touch with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. And Trump’s foreign policy advisor, Carter Page, traveled to Moscow in July.

“The prospect of individuals tied to Trump, Wikileaks and the Russian government coordinating to influence our election raises concerns of the utmost gravity and merits full examination,” Reid wrote, referring to Stone.

Four House Democrats made a similar request of Comey on Tuesday afternoon.

“Serious questions have been raised about overt and covert actions by Trump campaign officials on behalf of Russian interests,” they wrote. “It is critical for the American public to know whether those actions may have directly caused or indirectly motivated attacks against Democratic institutions and our fundamental election process.”

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Lawmakers are offering potential solutions to long wait times at airport.

After Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, suggested $28 million in extra funding for three busy northeast airports, another lawmaker suggesting adding private screeners.

The Hill reports that Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., wants the TSA to use more private screeners.

Of the 472 commercial airports, only 22 have help from private contractors.

“My question is: why?” Black said. “Congress must ensure that TSA culture and policies aren’t standing in the way of allowing businesses the ability to compete for these opportunities.”

Black also wants a realistic cost of private contractors.

“Congress can’t keep throwing taxpayer money at a broken agency that, by every metric, is failing our travelers, without demanding reform,” Black said.

Other Stories of Interest

• Yahoo Publishes 3 FBI National Security Letters Previously Under Gag Order
• Border Patrol Finds 2 Kids After Smuggler Abandon Them
• FBI Wants Biometrics Database Exempt from Federal Privacy Law
• FBI Seeks Information in Shenandoah National Park 1996 Double Murder
• Four Men Arrested After Allegedly Impersonating DEA Agents in Michigan 

Rep. Chris Van Hollen

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

Maryland is at least the second state pursing a ban on firearm sales to people on the federal terrorism watch lists.

The Associated Press reports that state Rep. Chris Van Hollen is asking the governor to “explore every possible state action” to prevent guns from getting into the hands of terrorists.

Van Hollen, a Democrat, sent the letter to Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, on Thursday, the same day the Connecticut governor said he would sign an executive order banning people from the no-fly list from purchasing firearms.

President Obama said Sunday that he supports a similar measure on the federal level.

Other Stories of Interest

• FBI Acknowledges Using Hacker Tools to Investigate Crimes
• FBI Sweep Nets 12 Arrests for Gang-Related Crimes in Alaska
• Police Discover Large Load of Liquid Meth in Austin, Texas
• Tenth Minnesota Man Charged with Conspiracy to Support ISIS
• FBI to Help Investigate Excessive Force Complaints Against KC Police

By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com

U.S. officials sought to assure skeptics that refugees settling in the U.S. are properly vetted to ensure terrorists don’t slip through.

MassLive reports that federal officials said the process involves in-person interviews and a myriad of other security checks by Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State.

Lawmakers have expressed concern about how refugees from Syria and Iraq are vetted and want guarantees that “would in essence stop the relocations of refugees,” MassLive wrote.

Concerns have been heightened following the Paris attacks.

Brian Lamkin/fbi photo

The FBI in Georgia is trying to hone in on corrupt judges and legislators.

The Associated Press reports that the FBI has created a new squad to investigate those folks. Brian Lamkin, who heads the FBI office in Georgia, told The Associated Press he formed the team after months of reviewing the agency’s priorities.

“It impacts the everyday system. It’s not just a dirty law enforcement officer that might be shaking you down,” he said, according to AP. “You’re talking about people that you elect to an office to represent you who try to line their pockets.” To read more click here

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• Mystery Million Dollar Romney Donor Revealed (NBC)
• FBI Hunting Oklahoma Fugitive (Bellaire Examiner)
• GPS Used to Track Down Robber, FBI Says (AP)
• Man Robs Three Orange County Banks in 2 Hours (LA Times)
• Officer Shot in Dramatic Standoff Caught on Tape (CBS)
• Strauss-Khan Case Likely to be Dropped (AP)
• Man Throws Molotov Cocktail into Crowd (NBC Chicago)

house photo

WASHINGTON — Politics can be a dirty game. It can also be a dangerous one.

The FBI reports that lawmakers were the target of more threats of violence in 2010 than in any other year on record, according to The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Some threats involved health care legislation, The Hill reported. And politicians from both sides of the isle were targets including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The Hill reported the FBI opened, investigated and closed at least 26 threats against lawmakers.

Last March, The Hill reported, Pelosi got a call from a man who said: “I’m going to come down there and put a bullet in your a– when you leave.”

A McConnell staff member got a call last year from someone who said: “I’m going to kill you and your senator and your staff.”

OTHER STORIES OF INTEREST

• FBI Claims Chinese Hackers Targeting Small and Medium U.S. Based Businesses (ITProPortal)
• FBI Raid Brings Arrest in Indiana Meth Case (South Bend Tribune)
• Docu-Drama Features Chandra Levy’s Murder (Fox News)
• Marijuana Outlets Raided (Spokesman Review)
• Convicted RFK Assassin Says Girl Manipulated Him (AP)
• Jury Convicts 2 and Acquits 2 in Liberia-NY Drug Case (AP)
• Ex-Bush Lawyer Faces Attempted Murder Trial For Trying to Kill Wife (AP)
• Feds Say They’ve Broken Detroit Airport Drug Ring (AP)