Erik Prince in the news lately -- here's something I almost forgot

[RandomAccess]

and it dovetails very nicely with the current news. All too nicely.

Current news:
Basically, Eric was in the Seychelles at that meeting that George Nader also attended to help set up backchannel communications with Russia. A backchannel would, by definition, bypass our own IC, and other agencies and institutions. The better to conduct inappropriate business with, my dear.

Mueller has evidence effort to establish back channel to Russia at Seychelles meeting
Prince said he went to Seychelles as a private businessman, not as an official or unofficial emissary of the Trump transition team. During the congressional interview, which became testy at times as Democratic lawmakers pressed him to be more specific in his answers, Prince repeatedly complained that he had reason to believe U.S. intelligence agencies were leaking information about his activities.

Asked to comment on assertions that new evidence appears to contradict Prince’s description of the Seychelles meeting, a spokesman for Prince referred to his previous statements to the committee and declined further comment.

A spokesman for the special counsel declined to comment.

. . . Prince had no formal role with the Trump campaign or transition. However, according to people familiar with the Seychelles meeting, he presented himself as an unofficial envoy for Trump to high-ranking Emiratis involved in setting up his discussion with the Russian official.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/mueller-gathers-evidence-that-2016-seychelles-meeting-was-effort-to-establish-back-channel-to-kremlin/2018/03/07/b6a5fb8c-224b-11e8-94da-ebf9d112159c_story.html

Almost-forgotten news:

11:25 3/3/2018
Erik Prince and Oliver North are trying to sell Trump on a secret spy force
http://theweek.com/speedreads/741481/erik-prince-oliver-north-are-trying-sell-trump-secret-spy-force

"Pompeo can't trust the CIA bureaucracy, so we need to create this thing that reports just directly to him," a former senior U.S. intelligence official tells The Intercept, paraphrasing White House discussions. "The whole point is this is supposed to report to the president and Pompeo directly." Maguire was on Trump's transition team and used to work for Prince, and North, a Fox News regular, was reportedly brought in to help enlist Trump's support. The apparent pitch to Trump was creating an intelligence apparatus that will counter the "deep state" trying to undermine his presidency.

[SharonAnn]

1. Oh, I hadn't forgotten that.

[BigmanPigman]

2. He sounds as idiotic as his sister Betsy Devos

when interviewed by 60 min. When asked a question they are backed into a corner so easily and have no response. The two of them have the combined IQ of 74. I am sure their parents are so proud.

[smirkymonkey]

5. How do so many stupid people get so rich?

[Kajun Gal]

3. Oliver North goes way back. Contra? Guess they all hang together...

[RandomAccess]

4. Yes, Iran-Contra

[handmade34]

6. The Intercept has

some interesting articles on Erik Prince

https://theintercept.com/2016/04/11/blackwater-founder-erik-prince-drive-to-build-private-air-force/

[RandomAccess]

7. Thanks --

I'm a little iffy on Intercept articles, but I almost always have a look first. I think these 2 authors should be fine.