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Recent Appearances... Rantburg

-Lurid Crime Tales-
Second ex-Senate staffer charged in aiding doxxing of GOP senators
2019-06-20
[THEHILL] A second ex-aide to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) has been charged in connection with the leaking of Republican senators’ personal information during Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings last year, according to Politico.

Samantha Deforest Davis was charged Wednesday with evidence tampering and aiding and abetting computer fraud, according to the publication, and is expected to plead guilty to the two misdemeanors.

Another former aide to Hassan, Jackson Cosko, is facing more than four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to felony charges involving copying sensitive data and publishing the home addresses and phone numbers of Sens. Lindsey Graham
... the South Carolina RINO, fellow maverick of Honest John McCain...
(R-S.C.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), as well as then-Sen. Orrin Hatch
...former Republican Senator-for-Life from Utah. His successor was Mitt Romney, former Republican presidential candidate who used to be governor of Massachussetts...
(R-Utah).

Davos, whose office keys Cosko used to access Hassan’s office after being fired, allegedly did not give Cosko permission to use the keys the first time but later loaned him the keys and agreed to wipe his fingerprints from office computers, according to Politico.

Cosko initially intended to harass his former colleagues, who he held responsible for his firing, but has admitted he eventually used the data to publish the personal information during Kavanaugh’s hearings, according to the publication.

Davis, who worked as a legislative correspondent for Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) this year, does not yet have a arraignment date set.

"Senator Hassan appreciates the work of Capitol Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in pursuing justice in this case," Hassan's communications director Aaron Jacobs told The Hill in a statement.

A spokesperson for Spanberger told The Hill the congresswoman's office could not comment on internal staffing matters.
Link


Home Front: Politix
Sen Orrin Hatch ‘killing it!’ on Twitter. Response to Warren’s DNA results wins the internet!
2018-10-17
[BIZPACREVIEW] For those who haven’t been paying attention, Sen. Orrin Hatch
...Republican Senator-for-Life from Utah. The state does have two senators but nobody can remember who the other guy is...
’s Twitter account can be lit, with the Utah Republican dishing out snark on an epic level, as seen Monday when he mocked Sen. Elizabeth Fauxchahontas Warren
...Dem Senatrix from Massachussetts, who traces her noble lineage all the way back to Big Chief Spouting Bull. It has been alleged that she speaks with forked tongue but she denies that...
over her just released DNA test.

Hatch killed it when he tweeted, "These DNA tests are quite something."

Included in the tweet was a joke that he may have the same percentage T-Rex in him as Warren has Native American: "DNA Test Results 1/1032 T-Rex. The rest: other dinosaurs."

Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
Facing 50 years breaking rocks! Doxing at work!
2018-10-07
[Washington Examiner] Staffer who 'doxed' GOP senators faces nearly 50 years in federal prison.

The former Democratic congressional staffer who posted personal information about Republican senators online faces nearly 50 years in prison.

Jackson Cosko, a 27-year-old Washington, D.C., resident, was arrested Wednesday by U.S. Capitol Police when he was caught sneaking into the offices of Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., after 10 p.m. Tuesday and using an aide’s computer and log-in.

He was charged with five federal offenses: making public restricted personal information, making threats in interstate commerce, unauthorized access of a government computer, identity theft, and witness tampering.

The criminal complaint against him also charges him with second-degree burglary and unlawful entry, which are both criminal offenses in D.C.

Cosko appeared Thursday afternoon before Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, who ordered him detained pending a Tuesday hearing.

From August until his arrest, Cosko worked as an unpaid fellow with the office of Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, which said it ended his fellowship and is cooperating in the investigation.

Prior to that, he worked for roughly 17 months as an aide to Hassan and before that was employed by former Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. According to an affidavit, five U.S. senators’ restricted personal information was posted on Wikipedia.com by Cosko.

The investigation began on Sept. 27 when it was found the Wikipedia pages of three U.S. senators had been edited to include restricted personal information without their knowledge or permission — information that included home addresses and personal telephone numbers.

Three edits took place nearly in parallel with the high-stakes Senate hearings on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

Then, on Oct. 2, according to the affidavit, similar information was posted on the Wikipedia pages of two additional senators.

The senators are not named in the court documents, but the pages of Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch, both of Utah, appeared to be edited during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Kavanaugh.
Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
GOP-doxxing suspect arrested; worked or interned for Feinstein, Jackson Lee, other Dems
2018-10-04
[FoxNews] A Democratic congressional intern was arrested Wednesday and accused of posting the personal information of at least one Republican senator during last week's hearing about sexual assault claims against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, authorities said.
Working for?
U.S. Capitol Police said 27-year-old Jackson Cosko was charged with making public restricted personal information, witness tampering, threats in interstate communication, unauthorized access of a government computer, identity theft, second-degree burglary and unlawful entry. Police added that the investigation was continuing and more charges could be filed.

Senior congressional sources tell Fox News that Cosko most recently worked as an unpaid intern for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas.
Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Stupid Weave)
He previously worked with Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and former Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California. He also worked or interned with the office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, as well as with at least one other unnamed lawmaker. A LinkedIn page with Cosko's name on it describes him as a "Democratic Political Professional & Cybersecurity Graduate Student."
So... worked for all those that pushed the hardest against Kavanaugh... and is unpaid? Uh huh. Either a true believer or plausible deniability?
Jackson Lee's office told Fox News that Cosko had only worked there for a couple of months, but has now been terminated.

"It's unfortunate," Glenn Rushing, Jackson Lee's chief of staff, told Fox News. Rushing added that the congresswoman's office is "cooperating with law enforcement."
Oh I'm sure they are as their hands are "clean". They didn't give all this info and suggest things to this man. No sir. Rogue agent and all that.
Hassan's office has had two substantial personnel issues in recent months. Earlier this year, an intern for the senator shouted "Mr. President, f--- you!" across the Capitol Rotunda at President Trump as he was being escorted into the office of House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Hassan's office declined to comment on Cosko's arrest.

Personal information of Sens. Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch was posted on their respective Wikipedia pages Thursday as the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Kavanaugh over allegations that he assaulted Christine Blasey Ford at a high school party in the early 1980s. All three have professed their belief that Kavanaugh is innocent of the claims brought against him by Ford, with Graham telling the federal judge "you've got nothing to apologize for" amid a fiery rant denouncing Democrats' handling of the allegations.

The intentional publication of the information was first caught by a Twitter bot that automatically tracks any changes made to Wikipedia entries from anyone located in the U.S. Congress and publicizes them on the social media site. The bot account later deleted the tweets because the edits contained personal information. According to the bot, whoever posted the information did so from a computer in the House of Representatives.

The home addresses of the senators appeared to be correct, though the phone numbers didn't appear to be entirely accurate. A "home" phone number listed for Graham appeared to direct callers to the Sexual Minority Youth Assistance League (SMYAL), a Washington D.C.-based advocacy group.

Sources tell Fox News that authorities are looking into the possibility that at least two other senators were doxxed.

Fox News has also learned that Cosko was discovered by aides Tuesday night working on a computer in a Capitol Hill office that did not belong to Jackson Lee. He was arrested at his Washington home the following day. Capitol Hill security officials plan to scrub the computers in question.
So there isn't any nasty evidence left behind huh?

I got an idea. Just shoot the fucker and bill the Dems he worked for for funeral, security and IT cleaning costs. Should run into $45,000 each. Only payable from personal funds and not reimbursable from the taxpayers.

Oyh... and also a 30 year ban on hiring interns. Unpaid or otherwise. Have fun, darlings!

Lots of interest in this story. Here is the US Capitol Police press release, courtesy of Besoeker:
Today, the United States Capitol Police arrested the Suspect who allegedly posted private, identifying information (doxing) about one or more United States Senators to the internet.

Jackson A. COSKO, age 27, of Washington, D.C., has initially been charged with 18 USC § 119 Making Public Restricted Personal Information; 18 USC § 1512(b)(3) (Witness Tampering); 18 USC § 875(d) (Threats in Interstate Communications); 18 USC §1030(a)(3) (Unauthorized Access of a Government Computer); 18 USC § 1028(a)(7) (Identity Theft); DC Code § 22-801(b) (Second Degree Burglary), and DC Code §22-3302 (b) (Unlawful Entry).

The investigation will continue and additional charges may be forthcoming.
Ummm... Pajama Boy? Is that you?
Anomalous Sources gives us Heavy.com’s Jackson Cosko: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, which includes the gentleman’s busy political work history going back to 2011. AS also gives us an image of this particular Pajama Boy and comments, “What is it with Dems and the mysteries of "cybersecurity?"”
Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
Sen. Orrin Hatch Expresses Concerns in Letter to FBI Director
2018-09-30
[Townhall] Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) on Saturday sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, expressing concerns about the department's investigation into Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

Hatch's main concern stems from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's lawyers refusing to convey the Senate Judiciary Committee's previous interview offerings, which forced Ford to testify in front of the public.

Here's a copy of the letter (emphasis mine):
The Honorable Christopher Wray
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

Dear Director Wray:

I write regarding President Donald J. Trump's recent request that the FBI conduct a supplemental investigation to update Judge Brett Kavanaugh's background investigation file. The President noted that this request should be limited to scope and completed in one week from yesterday.

With your leadership and professional career staff handling the matter. I have no doubt that the FBI is capable of conducting the necessary interviews well within that time frame. It is my understanding that Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and those identified as attending the gathering at which the alleged assault took place have publicly agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

I am writing to request, however, that you notify the White House Counsel's Office immediately if any witness(es) or their representatives seek to delay or are uncooperative in this process. One key reason for my concern regarding possible delay comes from testimony during the hearing this past Thursday. According to Dr. Ford, she would have preferred to have been interviewed in California, away from the spectacle of a public hearing. But her lawyers apparently refused to convey to their client numerous offers by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley to conduct a public or private interview in the location of her choosing. The lawyers' refusal led directly to a public hearing, against Dr. Ford's express wishes. This is deeply troubling.

The FBI is widely renowned for conducting fair, thorough, and expeditious investigations. Those Senators and members of the public who feel that additional investigation is required can trust this matter will be handled fairly.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Senator Orrin G. Hatch
The FBI is currently updating Kavanaugh's background check with a limited investigation which is supposed to span one week.
Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
IP Range Indicates Maxine Waters' Staffer May Have Doxxed GOP Senators
2018-09-30
[Red State] While the drama surrounding the hearing on the "allegation" by Christine Ford was going on a different drama was playing out on Wikipedia. Someone, or some group of people, was editing the biographies of Republican senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee making public their private phone numbers and their home addresses.

Personal information of Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham, Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch were posted by an unknown person located in the House of Representatives on Thursday during the hearing of Supreme Court Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

The information, which supposedly included home addresses and phone numbers, was posted ‐ or doxxed ‐ on the senators’ respective Wikipedia pages, where users are allowed to update the information at any time. The information has since been removed.

Does this mean that Waters’s staff tried to expose sensitive personal information about three Republican Senators? I am not conversant with how the IT system in the House of Representatives is configured. I know that the IP range 143.231.249.0 ‐ 143.231.249.255 is assigned to the House of Representatives. People who claim to be experts say that the odds that this woman did it are low but the common IP address indicates it is in a block of IP addresses assigned to Waters’s office.

Regardless, it shows with specificity that someone in the House was trying to make personal information on three US Senators very public for what can only be retaliation in how Ford’s hearing was going. One would think that with a time hack and IP, the office using that IP could be identified. Assuming anyone is interested in finding out.
Link


Home Front: Politix
Daily Caller: Republican Senators Doxxed By Someone In House Shortly After Questioning Kavanaugh
2018-09-28
[Daily Caller] An unknown person located in the House of Representatives on Thursday posted the personal information of Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, as well as Mike Lee and Orrin Hatch of Utah.

All three senators sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and their personal information was posted shortly after each questioned Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during Thursday’s hearing.

“They appear to be targeting Republican members of the committee after they question Judge Kavanaugh,” a Hatch spokesman told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

The staffer noted the change revealed Hatch’s home address and that Thursday was the senator’s wife’s birthday.

The changes were immediately highlighted by a watchdog account that monitors Wikipedia changes made using IP addresses located in the House.
Link


Home Front: Politix
Romney Loses Utah GOP Convention, Derailing Senate Coronation
2018-04-24
[NYMAG] Months before 84-year-old Utah senator Orrin Hatch
...Republican Senator-for-Life from Utah. The state does have two senators but nobody can remember who the other guy is...
announced his retirement, polls showed Willard Mitt Romney
...former governor of Massachussetts, the Publican nominee for president in 2012. He is the son of the former governor of Michigan, George Romney, who himself ran for president after saving American Motors from failure, though not permanently. Romney has a record as a successful businessman, heading Bain Capital, and he rescued the 2002 Winter Olympics from the midst of bribery and mismanagement scandals....
easily winning the race to replace him. When Romney received Hatch’s blessing to enter the contest, and quickly secured an endorsement from President Trump, he had every reason to think that he’d sail to victory. But that’s not how things work for Willard Mitt Romney.

Romney was narrowly defeated at Saturday’s Republican state convention, receiving 49 percent of the vote to state Representative Mike Kennedy’s 51 percent. That means he’ll have to face a primary race, like some pleb who wasn’t governor of Massachusetts and the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, with a car elevator to boot.

While this is a setback, Romney is still very likely to win the Senate race in November. He’d already qualified for the June 26 primary ballot by collecting more than 28,000 signatures ‐ which Romney pointed to as the reason for his second-place finish. As the Salt Lake Tribune reports, for the past few years Utah conservatives have been fighting to overturn the law that allows signature gathering, since it weakens the power of the state convention.

"I know there were many people who were not enthusiastic about someone gathering signatures," Romney said, adding that pursuing the nomination through both signatures and the convention "was right for me. I’m glad I did it that way."

Link


Home Front: Politix
Trump Endorses Romney in Utah Senate Race: ‘He Has My Full Support'
2018-02-20
[PJ] President Donald Trump endorsed Mitt Romney on Monday in his bid for the U.S. Senate in Utah, calling a man who once lambasted him as a fraud to be a "worthy successor" to Sen. Orrin Hatch (R., Utah.).

"@MittRomney has announced he is running for the Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!" Trump wrote.
Link


Home Front: Culture Wars
Hatch 'Shocked' His Democratic Colleagues Opposed Common Sense Anti-Abortion Bill
2018-01-30
[Townhall] The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which bans abortion after 20 weeks, failed to pass the Senate Monday. The legislation passed the House of Representatives last year, but Democrats derailed it today in the upper chamber, with a final vote of 51-46.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) could not understand how his colleagues on the other side of the aisle could be so heartless.

"I am truly shocked by those who declare it 'extreme' to oppose late-term abortions that we know to cause fetal pain," Hatch said in a statement. "The facts on this matter are indisputable: Democrats have willfully ignored science for the sake of political expediency. As for myself, I was proud to vote for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and I am eager to continue fighting on behalf of the unborn."

Pro-life groups shared Hatch's outrage.
Link


Home Front: Politix
Utah Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch to retire, clearing way for Mitt Romney
2018-01-03
[CNN] Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch
...Republican Senator-for-Life from Utah. The state does have two senators but nobody can remember who the other guy is...
announced Tuesday that he won't seek re-election this year, clearing the way for Willard Mitt Romney
...former governor of Massachussetts, the Publican nominee for president in 2012. He is the son of the former governor of Michigan, George Romney, who himself ran for president after saving American Motors from failure, though not permanently. Romney has a record as a successful businessman, heading Bain Capital, and he rescued the 2002 Winter Olympics from the midst of bribery and mismanagement scandals....
to return to the national stage by running for his seat.

He said in a social media message, "after much prayer and discussion with family and friends I've decided to retire at the end of this term."

Hatch, the Senate's longest serving Republican, has wrestled with the decision for months, emboldened by the entreaties of President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
to seek an eighth term.

Now, it sets up a potential path for Trump critic Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, to reclaim the spotlight as a conservative counterpoint to the President.

Link


Government
Trump shrinks two nat'l monuments covering more than 3.6 million acres in Utah protected by Democratic presidents
2017-10-28
[DailyMail] That which was created by a presidential executive order can be destroyed by another one, as President Trump's list of such things gets ever longer.
  • Utah Senator Orrin Hatch said that Trump called him Friday to approve shrinking two national monuments protected by Democratic presidents

  • Trump will follow Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's recommendation to reduce the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments

  • Conservation groups and tribes have vowed to file lawsuits if Trump attempts to rescind or reduce the monument designations
Link



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