Comey: Trump Campaign officially under investigation by the FBI

[Deleted]

I have looked it up. The dnc and rnc did what was in there best interest and don't owe outsides anything. Trump won despite it though and was push through by people who are adults.

They didn't do nuffin.

[paralleluniverse]

Whether the Russian active measures campaign began as nothing more than an attempt to gather intelligence, or was always intended to be more than that, we do not know, and is one of the questions we hope to answer. But we do know this: the months of July and August 2016 appear to have been pivotal. It was at this time that the Russians began using the information they had stolen to help Donald Trump and harm Hillary Clinton. And so the question is why? What was happening in July/August of last year? And were U.S. persons involved?

Here are some of the matters, drawn from public sources alone, since that is all we can discuss in this setting, that concern us and should concern all Americans.

In early July, Carter Page, someone candidate Trump identified as one of his national security advisors, travels to Moscow on a trip approved by the Trump campaign. While in Moscow, he gives a speech critical of the United States and other western countries for what he believes is a hypocritical focus on democratization and efforts to fight corruption.

According to Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence officer who is reportedly held in high regard by U.S. Intelligence, Russian sources tell him that Page has also had a secret meeting with Igor Sechin (SEH-CHIN), CEO of Russian gas giant Rosneft. Sechin is reported to be a former KGB agent and close friend of Putin’s. According to Steele’s Russian sources, Page is offered brokerage fees by Sechin on a deal involving a 19 percent share of the company. According to Reuters, the sale of a 19.5 percent share in Rosneft later takes place, with unknown purchasers and unknown brokerage fees.

Also, according to Steele’s Russian sources, the Trump campaign is offered documents damaging to Hillary Clinton, which the Russians would publish through an outlet that gives them deniability, like Wikileaks. The hacked documents would be in exchange for a Trump Administration policy that de-emphasizes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and instead focuses on criticizing NATO countries for not paying their fare share – policies which, even as recently as the President’s meeting last week with Angela Merkel, have now presciently come to pass.

In the middle of July, Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign manager and someone who was long on the payroll of Pro-Russian Ukrainian interests, attends the Republican Party convention. Carter Page, back from Moscow, also attends the convention. According to Steele, it was Manafort who chose Page to serve as a go-between for the Trump campaign and Russian interests. Ambassador Kislyak, who presides over a Russian embassy in which diplomatic personnel would later be expelled as likely spies, also attends the Republican Party convention and meets with Carter Page and additional Trump Advisors JD Gordon and Walid Phares. It was JD Gordon who approved Page’s trip to Moscow. Ambassador Kislyak also meets with Trump campaign national security chair and now Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Sessions would later deny meeting with Russian officials during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Just prior to the convention, the Republican Party platform is changed, removing a section that supports the provision of “lethal defensive weapons” to Ukraine, an action that would be contrary to Russian interests. Manafort categorically denies involvement by the Trump campaign in altering the platform. But the Republican Party delegate who offered the language in support of providing defensive weapons to Ukraine states that it was removed at the insistence of the Trump campaign. Later, JD Gordon admits opposing the inclusion of the provision at the time it was being debated and prior to its being removed.

Later in July, and after the convention, the first stolen emails detrimental to Hillary Clinton appear on Wikileaks. A hacker who goes by the moniker Guccifer 2.0 claims responsibility for hacking the DNC and giving the documents to Wikileaks. But leading private cyber security firms including CrowdStrike, Mandiant, and ThreatConnect review the evidence of the hack and conclude with high certainty that it was the work of APT28 and APT29, who were known to be Russian intelligence services. The U.S. Intelligence community also later confirms that the documents were in fact stolen by Russian intelligence and Guccifer 2.0 acted as a front. Also in late July, candidate Trump praises Wikileaks, says he loves them, and openly appeals to the Russians to hack his opponents’ emails, telling them that they will be richly rewarded by the press.

On August 8th, Roger Stone, a longtime Trump political advisor and self-proclaimed political dirty trickster, boasts in a speech that he “has communicated with Assange,” and that more documents would be coming, including an “October surprise.” In the middle of August, he also communicates with the Russian cutout Guccifer 2.0, and authors a Breitbart piece denying Guccifer’s links to Russian intelligence. Then, later in August, Stone does something truly remarkable, when he predicts that John Podesta’s personal emails will soon be published. “Trust me, it will soon be Podesta’s time in the barrel. #Crooked Hillary.”

In the weeks that follow, Stone shows a remarkable prescience: “I have total confidence that @Wikileaks and my hero Julian Assange will educate the American people soon. #Lockherup. “Payload coming,” he predicts, and two days later, it does. Wikileaks releases its first batch of Podesta emails. The release of John Podesta’s emails would then continue on a daily basis up to election day.

On Election Day in November, Donald Trump wins. Donald Trump appoints one of his high profile surrogates, Michael Flynn, to be his national security advisor. Michael Flynn has been paid by the Kremlin’s propaganda outfit, RT, and other Russian entities in the past. In December, Michael Flynn has a secret conversation with Ambassador Kislyak about sanctions imposed by President Obama on Russia over its hacking designed to help the Trump campaign. Michael Flynn lies about this secret conversation. The Vice President, unknowingly, then assures the country that no such conversation ever happened. The President is informed Flynn has lied, and Pence has misled the country. The President does nothing. Two weeks later, the press reveals that Flynn has lied and the President is forced to fire Mr. Flynn. The President then praises the man who lied, Flynn, and castigates the press for exposing the lie.

Now, is it possible that the removal of the Ukraine provision from the GOP platform was a coincidence? Is it a coincidence that Jeff Sessions failed to tell the Senate about his meetings with the Russian Ambassador, not only at the convention, but a more private meeting in his office and at a time when the U.S. election was under attack by the Russians? Is it a coincidence that Michael Flynn would lie about a conversation he had with the same Russian Ambassador Kislyak about the most pressing issue facing both countries at the time they spoke – the U.S. imposition of sanctions over Russian hacking of our election designed to help Donald Trump? Is it a coincidence that the Russian gas company Rosneft sold a 19 percent share after former British Intelligence Officer Steele was told by Russian sources that Carter Page was offered fees on a deal of just that size? Is it a coincidence that Steele’s Russian sources also affirmed that Russia had stolen documents hurtful to Secretary Clinton that it would utilize in exchange for pro-Russian policies that would later come to pass? Is it a coincidence that Roger Stone predicted that John Podesta would be the victim of a Russian hack and have his private emails published, and did so even before Mr. Podesta himself was fully aware that his private emails would be exposed?

Is it possible that all of these events and reports are completely unrelated, and nothing more than an entirely unhappy coincidence? Yes, it is possible. But it is also possible, maybe more than possible, that they are not coincidental, not disconnected and not unrelated, and that the Russians used the same techniques to corrupt U.S. persons that they have employed in Europe and elsewhere. We simply don’t know, not yet, and we owe it to the country to find out.

Rep. Adam Schiff, Comey Hearing

[Deleted]

You deserve all of this and the consequences.

[Ahovv]

Lol. Approval rating down to 37% from poll aggregate.

I guess the potential of collusion isn't very popular with most people huh.

The average person doesn't give a fuck about this Russia hysteria. They care about making enough money to provide for their family, and not worrying about their healthcare.

If Democrats gave a damn about policy they would dominate the next election, but sadly it seems they want to double-down on "Russia."

Democrats are a far-right party at this point, and it's pathetic.

Can't wait to see the DNC push Cory Booker, and when he loses in 2020 everyone scratching their heads "No way we could have predicted this. Amazing!"

[Jun]

You deserve all of this and the consequences.

No, not really. That's like saying we all deserve Sinbad as a comedian.

[Gorgodeus]

Out of curiosity: What could this actually mean? Contacts with Russia aren't illegal, are they? It's highly dubious, of course.

They are illegal, if done before you take office and while campaigning.

[shimerra]

Look it up. Who do you take me for, your personal informer? And maybe next time look it up BEFORE engaging in a debate.

You are aware Obama was in essentially the same situation as Bernie was and won right? Trump too actually. People like you just gobble up all the shit you can and swallow it whole like you'd never tasted good food. The DNC favored Hillary but not enough to absolve Bernie of his campaign failings. And I say that fully as someone who wanted him to win. Those emails constantly heralded by people like @supertony51 as daming the dnc and total kyrptonite don't mean shit. The establishment supported the Establishment candidate and liked them more than bernie? holy shit big surprise to anyone who is totally a moron. Not entirely dissimilar to what was done to Trump or Obama but partisans like to blow it up into something infinitely more than it was, Bernie had a shit ton of money left over when Hillary crushed him and he relied to much on being a "viral" campaign. Bernie could have down despite the DNC not feeling he was their guy it wasn't the evil corrupt DNC that cost him the nomination.


Of the two of you it seems like you are the one who needs more edification before coming to the adults debate.

[Gorgodeus]

The intended system worked perfectly in this case. Perhaps you should study its origins.

Actually, the "system" failed the US population miserably. One of the functions of the Electoral College, and one of the reasons it was formed, was to prevent a populist demagogue from becoming President. In the event there was a danger of this happening, the EC is supposed to break ranks and not put such a person in office. Trump is a text book example of a populist demagogue, and the EC failed horribly at one of its' main duties.

[Deleted]

Rep. Adam Schiff, Comey Hearing

Really should just refer to him as Adam Schitt (head.)

He laid out a nice case of hyperbole. He is on the committee that is leading the investigation. He has access to all of the relative info that could prove the inferences that he making. If he is so confident that his hyperbole is actual fact then he should have no problem backing up.

But until he does he should SHUT THE FUCK UP and quite propagating a bunch of fucking innuendo. The dude strikes me as just another feckless Democrat seeking his 15 minutes of fame every night on the Mr. Madcow show and the losers over at the Least Trusted Name in News.

Elected Democrats are just so pathetic.

Can't wait to see the DNC push Cory Booker, and when he loses in 2020 everyone scratching their heads "No way we could have predicted this. Amazing!"

My hope is that it is a Booker/Warren ticket! Talk about a Democratic wet dream - a racial minority and a woman? It would make Trump a shoe-in for 2020! I would love to see him belittle and destroy both of them on the campaign trail.

The Democrats have NO one and NO platform that is even remotely worth a shit. They have NOTHING to run with or run on.

[kail]

Good, I can't wait to see;

Right's outrage when they find something on Trump's campaign.

You really think that's going to happen? Really?

If a consistent Trump supporter starts chanting "Lock him up!", I'll eat my wallet.

[Flarelaine]

The average person doesn't give a fuck about this Russia hysteria. They care about making enough money to provide for their family, and not worrying about their healthcare.

If Democrats gave a damn about policy they would dominate the next election, but sadly it seems they want to double-down on "Russia."

Last year's election has not left me with the impression that talking sense is the way to the White House.

[thilicen]

Last year's election has not left me with the impression that talking sense is the way to the White House.

Nor has the last two months.

[Rotted]

Jesus fucking christ,

You'd think, at the very least until they have solid evidence and charges, they'd keep this quiet. If this turns out to be true the erm, political tension should we call it will be massive,

[Varvara Spiros Gelashvili]

The average person doesn't give a fuck about this Russia hysteria. They care about making enough money to provide for their family, and not worrying about their healthcare.

If Democrats gave a damn about policy they would dominate the next election, but sadly it seems they want to double-down on "Russia."

Democrats are a far-right party at this point, and it's pathetic.

Can't wait to see the DNC push Cory Booker, and when he loses in 2020 everyone scratching their heads "No way we could have predicted this. Amazing!"

The democrats and protesters are fighting trumpcare are as we speak. While Republicans like Trump are trying to pass it...

The democrats wanted to raise the minimum wage, invest in green energy, expand reducation program's in rural areas, renogtiate trade deals, and reform healthcare. This may shock you but we can focus on more than one thing.

The republicans and democrats want this investigation done by the way.

[paralleluniverse]

The average person doesn't give a fuck about this Russia hysteria. They care about making enough money to provide for their family, and not worrying about their healthcare.

If Democrats gave a damn about policy they would dominate the next election, but sadly it seems they want to double-down on "Russia."

Democrats are a far-right party at this point, and it's pathetic.

Can't wait to see the DNC push Cory Booker, and when he loses in 2020 everyone scratching their heads "No way we could have predicted this. Amazing!"

- - - Updated - - -

Really should just refer to him as Adam Schitt (head.)

He laid out a nice case of hyperbole. He is on the committee that is leading the investigation. He has access to all of the relative info that could prove the inferences that he making. If he is so confident that his hyperbole is actual fact then he should have no problem backing up.

But until he does he should SHUT THE FUCK UP and quite propagating a bunch of fucking innuendo. The dude strikes me as just another feckless Democrat seeking his 15 minutes of fame every night on the Mr. Madcow show and the losers over at the Least Trusted Name in News.

Elected Democrats are just so pathetic.

Delusional Trumpster can't explain all these convenient coincidences so doesn't even try.

Schiff laid out the case using public information, a consistent narrative backed up by a lot of evidence. But just as Comey made clear in the hearing, Schiff is likewise unable to comment on nonpublic information that he has as a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

[Flarelaine]

Jesus fucking christ,

You'd think, at the very least until they have solid evidence and charges, they'd keep this quiet. If this turns out to be true the erm, political tension should we call it will be massive,

For all we know, the FBI did keep it hushed. Someone in Congress decided to start the show - since Republicans run Congress now, actually helping the investigation may not have been a priority.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Look it up. Who do you take me for, your personal informer? And maybe next time look it up BEFORE engaging in a debate.

There was the super delegate thing that Bernie bros were mad about at first, but remind me how much of the vote Bernie got without even beginning to take into account super delegates?

Now, tell me what exactly the DNC did to hurt poor Bernie. An email correspondence where five of them said they didn't want Bernie to win doesn't count as doing something to Bernie, just as a reminder.

[Mormolyce]

Also an official denouncement of the "wiretaps" hokum.

More information please. Under investigation for what?

Illegally downloading Finding Dory.

- - - Updated - - -

The average person doesn't give a fuck about this Russia hysteria.

A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found 53% of Americans agreed Congress should investigate contact between Russia and President Donald Trump’s inner circle believed to have happened before the election.

Only 25% of people who responded to the NBC/WSJ poll believed Congress should stay out of it, and 21% did not have an opinion, the poll found.

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/p...17-2?r=US&IR=T

How bout this, I got Fox AND CNN agreeing on this:

Majorities of voters think Congress should investigate if Russia interfered with the election and allegations of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia.

That’s according to the latest Fox News Poll, taken amidst a new volley of allegations of ties between Trump and Russia, and wiretapping of Trump Tower.

Sixty-six percent want a Congressional investigation into Russia’s attempts to influence the election, and 63 percent want lawmakers to look into possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Washington (CNN)About two-thirds of Americans say a special prosecutor should investigate contacts between Russians and Trump campaign associates, according to a new CNN/ORC poll, and 55% say they are at least somewhat concerned by reports that some connected to the Trump campaign had contact with suspected Russian operatives.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/06/po...g-russia-poll/

[zenkai]

Also an official denouncement of the "wiretaps" hokum.



Illegally downloading Finding Dory.

- - - Updated - - -




https://www.businessinsider.com.au/p...17-2?r=US&IR=T

How bout this, I got Fox AND CNN agreeing on this:




http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/06/po...g-russia-poll/

Trumps campaign was wiretapped or at least part of it, we know this to be true, but who did it is a whole different story. Trump is a dumbass for naming Obama without proof, it could have been someone else.

[Daelak]

How do you rig an election?

By inundating secondary/tertiary news sources and blogs with conspiracy theories and lies about your opponent while the US conservatives add their own flair of conspiracy and lies. What, did you expect someone who believed in pizzagate and that Clinton was a mass murderer would vote for her?