General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRemember Louise Mensch and Claude Taylor?
They were all the rage not too long ago, but they seem to have disappeared, pretty much. Louise hasn't posted anything new on her patribotics blog since September 24. She's still on Twitter, but seems to just be retweeting old stuff. Claude Taylor is still tweeting, but not about any Trump investigation stuff any more. No more leaks from "sources linked to" anyone. The only self-promotional link on his Twitter feed now leads to his travel photography website.
So, what happened? Did their source of funding dry up? Have they seen the light and are no longer taking leaks from those many "sources" they used to mention? Do they have some other things to do, somehow?
It wasn't long ago that GD was full of their "exclusive" information from those "sources." You couldn't read down the post list without seeing several "really important" revelations from them. Apparently, all that has ended. It sort of makes a guy wonder....will they just fade into the background from whence they emerged? Will they sort of disappear without anyone noticing?
Odd, that...
underthematrix
(5,811 posts)Link to tweet
10/13/2017 from Claude Taylor pinned tweet
Link to tweet
Why did you make a post of misinformation? This was so easy to check before you posted.
Kingofalldems
(38,451 posts)Orrex
(63,203 posts)Are they still getting their bullshit from Russian propaganda sources?
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)underthematrix
(5,811 posts)Orrex
(63,203 posts)underthematrix
(5,811 posts)I recommend you go to her timeline and read her tweets.
Claude Taylor is doing a campaign to adopt a Dem in local, state or federal race. I retweet all f those.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)I don't necessarily think she's a fraud, but she doesn't have anything new
Eyeball_Kid
(7,430 posts)The IC and the FBI have collected all of the information they need to successfully prosecute Mueller's targets, which are substantial in number. Mensch writes as if her task is complete, that she assisted with exposing previous revelations that are now part of the Trump-Russia time line. She now expresses solid confidence that Mueller has what he needs to proceed.
I'm not sure why anyone should expect an unending stream of leaks from undisclosed sources. If Mensch and Taylor have indeed done all they can for now, it would foolish to just make stuff up to stay in the news. As one who's followed both of their feeds through their web pages, I admire what they've done.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Surely that should be the last straw even for those who innocently believed her stories that only she had information that real journalists already had. That can happen. But this last development?
Frankly, their backing off big time is the most interesting thing I've heard about either of these opportunistic charlatans. Could their unethical social media activities have somehow gotten them in trouble? Dishonest, flaky behaviors tend to do that, you know.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)world-class newspapers that still do investigative journalism. Also, these days keep an eye on NY Mag and The New Yorker (both have really good connections with people in this current government). You'll find a lot of good journalists to be impressed with.
underthematrix
(5,811 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,674 posts)Real journalists with real sources were getting the real story. Real, verifiable sources were supplying info to reliable journalists, leaving Mensch and Taylor with nothing to do but make stuff up, and apparently they've stopped doing even that.
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)I think it's very interesting, really. They're still tweeting, sort of, but no more shocking stories supported by unnamed sources. It's like a faucet was shut off suddenly.
Hekate
(90,645 posts)Tavarious Jackson
(1,595 posts)She is a RW nutjob. Claude ging along with her made him not credible either
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)@20committee on Twitter
Eyeball_Kid
(7,430 posts)all communicate with one another. They normally concur with one another on their messaging and perspectives.
BTW, it seems that every tweeter who's anti-Trump has h/h own collection of naysayers and critics. Schindler is no different. He's always commenting on tweets from trolls, same as Taylor and Mensch. From my POV, reading their tweets and their correspondence with others always has its risks. I want to carefully listen to their "voice", as well as their content.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)He's respected enough the the Kremlin tried to honeypot him with a woman online.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)I think they have their particular styles and they mean well to our country.
They are not everyone's cup of tea so I don't try to push them on people.
My .2
cilla4progress
(24,726 posts)Mother Jones that lists Mensch as a "Hyperventilator"!
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/06/russia-trump-putin-scandal-key-players-dossiers/
This article and Bill Moyers interactive timeline which I recently found are two of the best breakdowns of the tRump-Russia story, in my opinion.
http://billmoyers.com/story/trump-russia-timeline/
More_Cowbell
(2,191 posts)"The day before the presidential election, Mensch, whos known for making fantastical claims, reported that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court had granted the FBI a warrant to surveil Americans with ties to Trump as part of its investigation. Another two months would pass before the New York Times confirmed the existence of a warrant from the court in the case of Carter Page."
That MJ article *is* a really good wrap-up of all the people involved.
In my opinion, the MSM has caught up to what LM and CT reported early, and now information is being tightly controlled. In their twitter accounts, LM said the other day that she was working on something that was not for publication. And CT is being sued for defamation by Sputnik reporter Cassandra Fairbanks.
I think it's possible that sources might have been frustrated by being ignored early on (such as the NYT suppressing information it had about Trump) and they sought out people who were willing to spread information. I also think it's possible that the intelligence community might strategically leak things in order to make some people cooperate. Now, I hope, the investigation is circling in, finally, on the Trumps and so we might not hear anything else until everything comes crashing down. Even if that's not true, it helps me get through the day!
edited to add: I've never understood LM's insistence that we'd end up with Hatch or Mattis as president. Besides the fact that the succession for the position of VP is not set out, like it is for the president, I just don't see a situation where all of them are arrested with *no* time, not even a moment, to use their authority to appoint someone else somewhere along the line.
unc70
(6,110 posts)There was a discussion here a couple of days ago with fresh Mensch tweets and posts. I think you have somehow missed their activity.
Mensch has continued to have a pretty decent record for having outrageous claims later be confirmed. Far from all of them, but a significant minority. I view her work with caution, but I think it unwise to ignore her completely. She is usually several months ahead of the MSM on things she gets right.
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)Orrex
(63,203 posts)With the following basic (and quite reasonable) requirements:
1. The claim must be sufficiently specific to enable confirmation. e.g., "Big Trump news coming tomorrow" is too vague to be considered a "hit," even if Trump does something monumental.
2. The claim must be something that can't reasonably have been ascertained by any interested party: e.g., "Gen Kelly on the way out?"
3. The claim must be verifiably accurate within its own context. That is, it can't only be considered correct from a certain point of view.
4. Any corroboration of the claim must be independent of Mensch and Taylor. e.g., they cannon verify each others' tales, nor can they confirm their own.
I'd be interested to read more about her "decent record."
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)Odd, that.
Orrex
(63,203 posts)Fabulous hair cut, by the way.
Eyeball_Kid
(7,430 posts)Follow her articles and the corresponding MSM "revelations" that follow up weeks or months later. It's not magic that she seems prescient. She simply has good sources. IMO, it's okay to have good sources, AND it's okay to be skeptical and to think critically.
Dr. Strange
(25,919 posts)And that the clown would be a Russian spy.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Manafort had dirty ties to Russia
FISA warrant for Trump associates was live
Oleg Deripaska was in deep with Manafort
Flynn was dirty
Cassandra Fairbanks was acting as a Russian agent
Trump Jr meeting was with a Russian spy
Those are all things that Mensch/Taylor/Schindler got right.
They were out in front of the Facebook stuff. Way out. It's now confirmed by the real investigative media.
Orrex
(63,203 posts)I'm not being a jerk about this. If the claim is that she was the early bird, we need to know when she got the worm.
And I'm not sure about that "Trump associates" thing, either. The story that I recall was for "Trump's server" that Mensch alledged to be communicating with Russia. If we're talking about the same tale, that's very different from what you're asserting here.
Also, let's have a list of the times she's been wrong, which is honestly just as important as her list of hits.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Can you go back and find her FISA and Facebook stories?
I'm confident that she gave some facts before others.
Orrex
(63,203 posts)I don't bring her up at all, in fact, though I respond when people praise her pointlessly. Especially after one of her lead sources was revealed as bullshit.
kstewart33
(6,551 posts)That's quite close to her batting average.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)MineralMan
(146,286 posts)I hadn't heard about that.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)I have no idea what became of it though. He probably has been sidetracked by the legal BS of it, I would guess.
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)begging for donations to pay his lawyer's fees.
Ellipsis
(9,124 posts)GeorgeGist
(25,319 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)His attorney didn't even dignify the suit with a legal response, just wrote a letter reminding Cassandra Fairbanks, Russian employees, that truth is an absolute defense to defamation. In the United States.
Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)around as a Trumper w/swastikas and all
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Sputnik is a Russian propanganda organization in America, widely assumed to be controlled by Putin.
Cassandra Fairbanks is paid by Sputnik.
Fairbanks sued Taylor. It looks like a harassment lawsuit. It was filed by an attorney who also has a connection to Sputnik.
This article is an expose about Sputnik. An employee quit and shared emails with the FBI in which Sputnik management told him to take a pro-Russia, anti American spin on stories.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/fbi-document-cache-sheds-light-inner-workings-russias-u-s-news-propaganda-network-172317008.html
roamer65
(36,745 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)have a great evening!
coolsandy
(479 posts)MineralMan
(146,286 posts)That seems more likely, somehow.
I think they've just run out of money and people willing to donate to them. That'll stop a lot of things.
chowder66
(9,067 posts)"The sources false tips included an allegation, which has been aggressively circulated by Mensch and Taylor, that Trumps inactive fashion model agency is under investigation by New York authorities for possible sex trafficking."
https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/28/trump-tweets-hoax-louise-mensch-claude-taylor
Ellipsis
(9,124 posts)PufPuf23
(8,767 posts)get the narratives out into mass media.
Surprised how many at DU put so much stock into these tools.
Demit
(11,238 posts)as if that validated their "journalism." For one thing, a statement like that proves absolutely nothing at all, except how gullible they figure you are that you would be impressed by it. For another, can you picture real investigative reportersfrom the NYT and WaPo, sayfreely trading the names of their sources with one another? LOLOLOL Journalists go to great lengths to protect the identities of their sources.
Igel
(35,300 posts)Or that guy who predicted Christ's return a couple of days after Rosh hashanah, only to move it at the last minute to, um, just after Sukkoth--which would make it what, yesterday?
That last point is precisely relevant: They made predictions that didn't pan out, or panned out on in ways that required a bit of interpreting.
Those who didn't believe the predictions find that the Lethe is the best place for such marginalia of life. Why dwell on things of no import?
Those who did believe the predictions mostly find that they'd prefer everybody forget that they believed. Some may have learned something from it, but let's not get our hopes up too much.
Most of those who believed and still believe the predictions are like Maduro supporters. It looks bad, but they're convinced that they'll be vindicated and shown to have been right all along when others doubted. A few continue on street corners with signs that read, "The End of the Trump is Near" and "The Last Trump shall soon pass". Of course, it's like bidding "no trump" on every hand, you don't rack up many ABS points.
MineralMan
(146,286 posts)the TSA for not having proper identification documents. Plans to deport him are uncertain, since they have no idea where he came from. So, into immigration limbo he goes. They're looking for someone who can understand 2-millenia old Aramaic, I believe. Once they find the appropriate linquist, they'll probably deport him to somewhere in the Middle East.
It's complicated, I guess.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Work on turnout and stopping GOP voter suppression
pnwmom
(108,976 posts)that she wouldn't be posting much stuff about this anymore because the Mueller investigation, aided by intelligence from our allies, was on it now. It was just a matter of time. (Which, as we know from Watergate, could be quite a long time.)
From everything I know about Mueller, I do trust him. And if DT manages to get rid of him, then I think Eric Schneiderman will step forward.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)New phase of investigation... It's Mueller time now.
Many other recent stories have been from Congressional sources.. about Facebook and Twitter and Russian and GOP manipulation of the platforms.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)I have not signed in for a long time. Threads like this one are unnecessarily unpleasant.
I beg to differ with the pointless and uninformed attacks on Louise Mensch and Claude Taylor. I wish I had time to reply to each and every one of them. Suffice it to say crow will be served to the OP and others very soon. Until then, why take time to bash anyone who is working against Trump/Russia? RT has decided that Louise is #3 most anti-Putin in a field of ten. Before her came only John McCain and NATO. After her came Hillary Clinton.
About Claude's legal problem: He accused Cassandra Fairbanks of working for Sputnik. She is suing him. He is not a wealthy man, so he started a legal defense fund. No money goes to Claude directly from that fund. He attends art shows nearly every weekend, and his photographs are amazing. You do know who Cassandra Fairbanks is, don't you? She worked for Bernie Sanders and then for Trump and may have been heavily involved in Russia's anti-Hillary disinformation campaign in the social media. I believe that the role of Cassandra Fairbanks and her relation to both Bernie and Trump would be a more suitable topic than bashing Louise and Claude for their effort opposing Trump/Russia on Twitter.
I could say more. But why do you scoff? Claude and Louise are on our side. They are hated by Trump/Russia. They have been right about many things long before the MSM is able to or desires to report. If you read patribotics.blog with an open mind, rather than with filters, you can compare the dates of those essays' statements with confirmations in the media much later. Most of all, these two have encouraged myself and my wife throughout this dark period.
Claude is presently promoting support of democratic candidates in 2018. He also drops a sourced tidbit now and then. Louise has very little more to say at this point. Mueller is wrapping up, and he is running a very tight ship. He releases bits of information via the media periodically as part of a strategy to rattle the White House and get even more witnesses to turn against Trump.
I like and respect Claude and Louise very much. The OP's insinuation that they may be "funded" to do what they do is so over the top that it leaves me speechless. But there are other insinuations in that original post and in some replies to it which are based at least partly on malice and/or uninformed opinion.
Edited to correct link to patribotics.blog.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)I continue to suspect Mensch has GCHQ sources.
The_jackalope
(1,660 posts)Madam45for2923
(7,178 posts)Very good. Thanks for coming out to post this.
KPN
(15,642 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Both of them seemed to be full of nonsense rumors imo.
chowder66
(9,067 posts)It walks you through the FISA report claims made by Mensch that originally got peoples attention.
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/10/youre-not-mad-at-facebook-youre-mad-at-america.html
BeyondGeography
(39,369 posts)Just like Claude Taylor kinda predicted.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Ellipsis
(9,124 posts)Think he's going to need a bigger cannon.
pnwmom
(108,976 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Trump is in big doo doo about Russia.
Deripaska and oligarchs are involved.
Mueller is in control.
Schneiderman is pursuing state charges.
They have been wrong on details but right on the important stuff.
Also russian propagandists have been fighting to discredit them.
pnwmom
(108,976 posts)his unfortunate actions during 2016.
And they were right about Rosenstein, too, who is the reason we have Mueller now.
The_jackalope
(1,660 posts)is being circulated through the same social media channels (botnets etc.) that were responsible for the pro-Trump disinformation during the campaign. They are both resolutely anti-Trump after all.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)It's not enough to show they were right, of course, but it is strange they get so many Russian troll attacks.
Orrex you seem to be pretty anti Mensch
The_jackalope
(1,660 posts)I used to be someone else, with 20,000 posts here over 12 years. My account was suspended because I tried to defend Mensch and Taylor too enthusiastically. Now I keep it on the down-low.
It doesn't matter anyway. It's all in the hands of Mueller and Schneiderman. We know what the right side of the big issue is, who is on it and who is not. That's enough.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)And they've been out in front of the very important social media propaganda story.
That said both have made errors: Mensch, anything about tech, and Taylor with Trump model management and a few others.
They're just lead info, raw and unfiltered. If you want confirmation you have to wait for the real media to chase down multiple sources and confirm.
Did you see btw how Russia's agents on Facebook figured out how to get Ukrainian resistance accounts suspended? And Zuckerberg blew it off?
Takket
(21,561 posts)elias7
(3,997 posts)Leaks galore from IC when it was not in our consciousness as to the extent of Russia's attempted coup. Now, with Mueller, investigation on more stable ground, less concern by IC that justice will be swept away by those in control.
But this of course has been stated by these bloggers. You choose to ignore.
Secondly, do some research and see, for example, she has come out with patribotic pieces every month or two since last fall. No fall off in production. And if you would take time to do some fact checking instead of scoffing, you'd find that she has been proven right for many things, and rarely been proven wrong.
Take her for what she is, an ally in the fight for our country. Doing more than you are. Unless you don't perceive any danger at this time. unless you just think she's a Russian troll, I don't see why you are so negative,
FBaggins
(26,729 posts)Acting, of course, through their Marshall... The Supreme Court executed a rare Article III Section III (Revocation of Rights) declaration after a FISA grand jury approved the move.
Koinos
(2,792 posts)We have a red alert situation of a malignant narcissist with dementia who has been installed in the White House by Russian and Republican collaboration. Day by day, despite the efforts of our intelligence community and those of our allies, the military, former presidents, other retired politicians, psychologists, brave members of the official and informal media, and good folks everywhere, this morally deficient nutcase and his associates are working hard to dismantle healthcare, whole departments of government, education, law and order, the constitution, and so much else. And yet we have people on DU taking the time to attack Louse and Claude on DU? To what end? Are they merely cynics? Do they seize upon minor details and miss the whole picture? Do they strain at gnats and swallow camels? Are they themselves funded? Are they carrying grudges against Hillary and sour grapes for Bernie? My advice to the sleepy ones is to wake up. My advice to the bad ones is to be gone.
Louise and Claude are two of the good guys. Let us focus our attacks on the bad guys, who are in fact and as I write funding operatives on social media to discredit anti-Putin and anti-Trump initiatives. These operatives are hard at work trying to convince us that among other things resistance is ill-fated, that Trump will pardon everyone, that we should just wait to vote in the 2018 election, despite the fact that many registrations were deleted and votes uncounted in 2016. These operatives are manipulating genuine feelings of depression and hopelessness that have followed us like shadows since November of last year. These are psychological operations the most sophisticated and elaborate we have ever seen. They fed the Hillary haters what they wanted to hear, and they provided red meat for every type of angered or disenfranchised group. They got people to vote Trump, vote Stein, write in Bernie, or stay home. They fed the disgruntled, the cynical, the oppressed. To use another metaphor they didn't start the fires, but they provided loads of propaganda gasoline. Like some weird sci-fi monster from a B movie, they draw energy from other people's hatred, anger, and misery.
The monsters have tried to convince us to attack each other, and they laughed when they got their short-term win. Folks, Mueller and Schneiderman are coming; and they have our backs. Waiting is painful, and we must work hard to change things in the 2018 election. But we have to stop attacking and smearing our friends, whoever they may be. Schneiderman says, We have your backs. Who is the we? Lots of people who aren't talking may never reveal their roles, but are working behind the scenes. Our former president is keeping our allies on board. Other heroes with stature and influence are working with the military and the IC to restrain and contain the monster, whose brain is rotting from dementia and whose soul is rotting from the sins of a lifetime.
People are dying in Puerto Rico, because of one man's racism and sadism. People will die from lack of healthcare, because of one man's hatred and envy of Obama. People are being attacked for their race or speech, because of the rants of a madman who hasn't even read the constitution. Folks, unless your priorities are to make sure the bad guys win, let's stick with going after the bad guys and respecting the good guys. We all make mistakes, but we keep on trying. Louise and Claude keep trying. And they are not paid by Trump or Russia.