It's Official, Trump's Team Full Contact with Russian Intelligence.

[Machismo]

So unless there's some damning new details yet to be released, this is looking more and more like much ado about nothing. Which is disconcerting. That would mean we have an intelligence community actively trying to take down a democratically elected president.

If nothing else comes out, it looks damn suspicious. At the very least, there needs to be a widespread, independent investigation.

[cubby]

Actually they do and more than once if you go through my post history you'll see I gladly changed my opinion when proven wrong.

Please don't encourage Zenkai - he's just a neo-con deflectionist who will never admit he's wrong while continuing a line of argumentation that is intellectually bankrupt.

[Breccia]

Oh yeah, this fucking Dumbass.

This was not a one-off.

This article on Slate goes over the Tuesday morning Conway interview. She basically mirrors Rep. Smith in that regard.

[Height]

I'm gay and Pence worries me less than Trump at this point. Pence seems like he can communicate in a way that doesn't cause a world crisis which is nice. Pence could do stuff against people like me, but it'll just be reverted in a few years since the majority of the American public doesn't agree with anti gay stuff anymore.

[cubby]

More leftists are condemning the report.

Sanders: Connection between Trump campaign, Russian intelligence would be 'game changer'

Reports that President Trump's campaign aides had regular contact with Russian intelligence officials would be a "game changer" if true and would warrant a select committee to investigate, according to Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT).

The Democratic senator in an interview early Wednesday called for a "preliminary investigation" to see if further scrutiny is warranted after The New York Times and CNN reported that Trump campaign aides and allies spoke regularly with members of Russian intelligence.

"We are not going to make a decision based on what a newspaper says, but now is time for Congress to up its game," the veteran Senator and presidential candidate told ABC's Good Morning America. "If there's contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence officials outside the norm, that’s not only big-league bad, that’s a game changer. And I would change my view as to what Congress would do."

While the Times said there was no evidence of corruption, Sanders said that Congress would need to play a larger investigatory role if the reports of communication alone are true.

"If there are contacts between Trump officials and Russian intelligence, we need a joint select committee in Congress to get to the bottom of this and also look at Trump's business ties to Russia," he said.

"I want to do a preliminary investigation ... I want to make sure myself that these intercepts exist, that the communications are outside the norms. if that's the case, its time for the Congress, in my view the Senate, to do a joint select committee where we can look at it holistically."

He went on to add that the reports are very "disturbing" and that Russia and any Trump campaign official who was working with Russia also needs to "pay a price."

Sanders has long expressed unease with Trump's posture toward Russia, criticizing him about his skepticism about Russia's role in recent hacks on Democratic groups, hacks that the intelligence community blames on Russia.

On Tuesday, Sanders called for further congressional investigation into the conduct of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who resigned on Monday night after admitting he spoke to the Russian ambassador to the U.S. about American sanctions before Trump took office.

--------------

Pretty obvious comments there from Sanders. Waiting for the day that someone on the GOP side says something similar, preferably someone with some political clout behind them. Wonder how long that'll take.

McConnell has already indicated that he feels an investigation is "highly warranted". While not the same thing, it could get the ball rolling for less conservative GOP Senators and Congresspeople to jump on board the impeachment train.

[Breccia]

If nothing else comes out, it looks damn suspicious. At the very least, there needs to be a widespread, independent investigation.

You would think the GOP would be fine with this. You'd think they'd want to stomp this out with proof, rather than handwaving it away.

[Casterbridge]

Here's an NPR article summing of what is some going around, nothing really new in it.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...sian-intellige

[Orbitus]

It's about time to start executing the leftist filth tbh. Utter subhuman trash, this thread just proves it.

Executing "leftists" for what? Telling the truth? Because Trump has already basically fucking confirmed this. If anything, your posting privileges should be revoked permanently.

[burzian]

It's NY Times. Nothing is truth with them

NEW YORK -- The New York Times offices are in an uproar today after the vote of no confidence came through earlier this morning from sethman75. Executive Editor Dean Baquet spoke with our reporters and shared his thoughts from the bustling newsroom floor. "Obviously this is the kind of situation we at the Times fear the most. Decades of quality reporting, 119 Pulitzer prizes, and it's all in jeopardy. We simply need to do better to earn the trust of sethman75."

[Machismo]

Here's an NPR article summing of what is some going around, nothing really new in it.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-w...sian-intellige

Actually, there's a lot of new information that came out of it.

[Orbitus]

It's NY Times. Nothing is truth with them

Except Trump confirmed this. Why would he be complaining about "leaks" if they weren't true? Pretty much fucking confirms that this is true.

- - - Updated - - -

OK, I am not going to read through 42 pages just to see if this has been posted or not, but right from the article.

Several of Mr. Trump’s associates, like Mr. Manafort, have done business in Russia. And it is not unusual for American businessmen to come in contact with foreign intelligence officials, sometimes unwittingly, in countries like Russia and Ukraine, where the spy services are deeply embedded in society. Law enforcement officials did not say to what extent the contacts might have been about business.

The officials would not disclose many details, including what was discussed on the calls, the identity of the Russian intelligence officials who participated, and how many of Mr. Trump’s advisers were talking to the Russians. It is also unclear whether the conversations had anything to do with Mr. Trump himself.

So, no evidence that the discussions had anything to do with Trump or were at all out of the ordinary for international businessmen. Talk about trying to sensationalize things.

And it wasn't just Manafort, but hey, keep deflecting. You aren't helping your fucking case.

[Docturphil]

The article is very clear that the concern was how often this happened, when it happened, and how many people close to Trump did this.

It's just like the Flynn issue. One call could be dismissed as an oopsies, maybe. Five calls is a full-blown conversation with intent.

This needs to be investigated, especially if it's nothing.

How many people? I thought the article mentioned they weren't sure how many people there were communicating with Russian agents.

Anyways, sure, it may be enough to warrant an investigation considering the implications if there turns out to be something there. But I doubt the investigation will turn up anything worth mentioning. We'll just have to wait and see.

[alexw]

So unless there's some damning new details yet to be released, this is looking more and more like much ado about nothing. Which is disconcerting. That would mean we have an intelligence community actively trying to take down a democratically elected president.

Errr what?

How the hell do you come to the conclusion that multiple members of Trump's inner circle having clandestine and secret contact with Russian spies is "much ado about nothing"? I mean just that this happened alone without considering the reasons for those contacts is extremely damning, given that just the existence of these contacts (which you can be sure the FSB have taped on their end) provides plenty of blackmail material against those involved.

There is no world or planet where this is much ado about nothing. You Trumpists can spin all you like. But this is extremely damaging. In no way shape or form is it OK for presidents or their close confidants to knowingly have long term clandestine contact with spies working for a hostile power.

[mage21]

Errr what?

How the hell do you come to the conclusion that multiple members of Trump's inner circle having clandestine and secret contact with Russian spies is "much ado about nothing"? I mean just that this happened alone without considering the reasons for those contacts is extremely damning, given that just the existence of these contacts (which you can be sure the FSB have taped on their end) provides plenty of blackmail material against those involved.

There is no world or planet where this is much ado about nothing. You Trumpists can spin all you like. But this is extremely damaging. In no way shape or form is it OK for presidents or their close confidants to knowingly have long term clandestine contact with spies working for a hostile power.

I think you're buying into your own spin, particularly with the "clandestine" and "secret" language. The NYT article even admits the contact could have very well been unwitting.

I have to admit though, it's a strange feeling being called a Trumpist!

[Machismo]

Trump just blamed the "fake media" for deciding to fire Flynn. How disingenuous can a person get? Either the media reports are real, and he was right to fire him... or they were fake, and he fired him for no reason. Trump just admitted to being incompetent.

[Cthulhu 2020]

I try to. My end goal is to get a better understanding of all of this sort of stuff.

It started during the Obama Administration but has really ramped up since Trump got the election. I really want to know more about our government, it's various laws, and how all of that works.

Respect for you then. I used to have a worse impression of you, but this changes that. There are people who are willing to sit down, ask questions, and listen to the answers. You're doing great there.

Then there are the people in this thread who ask questions, get an answer they don't like, and scream it's fake news or something. At the end of the day, none of us are professionals on political laws, but it's looking like Flynn did indeed break the Logan Act. And for those who just keep screaming over and over that he didn't... If his calls were so innocent, why did Trump call for him to resign so quickly? The administration seemed pretty ready to just immediately throw Flynn under the bus, and Flynn himself even said he'd be the "scapegoat", which is an interesting choice of words, since scapegoat means he's taking the blame for the actions of others.

Now, whether he actually meant that as Trump himself has been negotiating with Russia, or Flynn just not fully understanding what scapegoat even means, is up in the air.

[Breccia]

NEW YORK -- The New York Times offices are in an uproar today after the vote of no confidence came through earlier this morning from sethman75. Executive Editor Dean Baquet spoke with our reporters and shared his thoughts from the bustling newsroom floor. "Obviously this is the kind of situation we at the Times fear the most. Decades of quality reporting, 119 Pulitzer prizes, and it's all in jeopardy. We simply need to do better to earn the trust of sethman75."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

If I was within reach I'd give you a high5 and a cup of coffee for that epic burn. Congrats dude, you won this morning.

- - - Updated - - -

How many people? I thought the article mentioned they weren't sure how many people there were communicating with Russian agents.

The stories so far, as a collective whole, have said at least four, with three of them being Flynn, Manafort, and Page.

[Edge-]

Trump just blamed the "fake media" for deciding to fire Flynn. How disingenuous can a person get? Either the media reports are real, and he was right to fire him... or they were fake, and he fired him for no reason. Trump just admitted to being incompetent.

Well, it depends on which version of reality we're talking about.

The version in which Flynn voluntarily stepped down without being asked by the president.

The version in which Flynn was asked to resign by the president.

The version in which Flynn "retired".

Or we'll just wait for the next version of reality that the Trump administration presents.

[Breccia]

Well, it depends on which version of reality we're talking about.

Alternative realities. It's become a thing.

[alexw]

I think you're buying into your own spin, particularly with the "clandestine" and "secret" language. The NYT article even admits the contact could have very well been unwitting.

I have to admit though, it's a strange feeling being called a Trumpist!

Clandestine/secret = not out in the open/hidden. These contacts sure as hell were not conducted in public view.

And no the NYT did not admit that these contacts could have been unwitting. The NYT stated that if you are in Russia or the Ukraine where Russian agents are widespread and deeply embedded in society that contacts such as this could have been unwitting. None of that applies here.