Three (3) 2-17-17 articles that indicate “Something BIG time is happening at the State Department” (Draining the swamp?) (and what’s this “7th floor” deal?)

The infamous 7th floor

These three sort of sum up a few things I’ve been viewing on my various news type feeds (sorry, MSM lovers, only one of them is an MSM). There’s something big time going on at the State Department. Now, of course, by my adding the question “Draining the swamp?” to the title, I’m implying that’s exactly what’s happening!!

The first one is the CBS News article that the next one references.

Among these, there’s mention of a “7th floor Shadow Government”, which was a first for me. I’d not heard of that. A couple quotes, “…the State Department rogue Shadow Government… operated in secret from the 7th floor… is known as the home to powerful, high-ranking State Department officials”. “They were behind the corrupt handling of the Clinton documents” and “… did everything in their power to shield Hillary Clinton from justice”.

So read on, and discern for yourself. Titles and highlights below (and I’m posting one more article separately, that kind of emphasizes the past problems with the State Department).

State Dept. carries out layoffs under Rex Tillerson (CBS News)

“While Rex Tillerson is on his first overseas trip as Secretary of State, his aides laid off staff at the State Department on Thursday. Much of seventh-floor staff, who work for the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and the Counselor offices, were told today that their services were no longer needed. These staffers in particular are often the conduit between the secretary’s office to the country bureaus, where the regional expertise is centered.

“There are clear signals being sent that many key foreign policy portfolios will be controlled directly by the White House, rather than through the professional diplomats. Not a single State Department official was included in the White House meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week.”

It Has Begun, Tillerson Fires Most of the 7th Floor (Independent Sentinel)

“…Rex Tillerson, the new Secretary of State, fired most of the 7th floor policy makers who so famously called themselves the “shadow government”.

“…Undersecretary Patrick Kennedy even offered the FBI a quid pro quo for changing the classification of the Clinton emails… an FBI summary says. “In exchange for marking the email unclassified, State would reciprocate by allowing the FBI to place more agents in countries where they were presently forbidden.” That’s a promise to help alter US policy in order to make it seem like Clinton hadn’t casually endangered national security.

“Former Deputy Assistant Secretary Raymond Maxwell told the House Select Committee on Benghazi that Hillary Clinton confidants were part of an operation to “separate” damaging documents before they were turned over to the Accountability Review Board investigating security lapses surrounding the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attacks on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya…”

The Great Draining Begins: Trump Purges State Department’s 7th Floor ‘Shadow Government’

“CBS is reporting that Tillerson is handing out pink slips like candy, specifically to the State Department’s “7th floor”… Why is this significant? Because the “7th floor” is known as the home to powerful, high-ranking State Department officials who did everything in their power to shield Hillary Clinton from justice.

“The FBI also released the summary of an interview that revealed a cabal at State that oversaw the email release… This group met every Wednesday afternoon to discuss . . . everything CLINTON-related to FOIA/Congressional inquiries.”

“You can bet this is part of Trump’s counter-offensive, now that he realizes how many Beltway snakes are out to get him. The great draining begins.”