Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House

[highplainsdem]

Source: WP

The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, according to officials briefed on the matter.

Intelligence agencies have identified individuals with connections to the Russian government who provided WikiLeaks with thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee and others, including Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, according to U.S. officials. Those officials described the individuals as actors known to the intelligence community and part of a wider Russian operation to boost Trump and hurt Clinton’s chances.

“It is the assessment of the intelligence community that Russia’s goal here was to favor one candidate over the other, to help Trump get elected,” said a senior U.S. official briefed on an intelligence presentation made to U.S. senators. “That’s the consensus view.”

-snip-

The CIA shared its latest assessment with key senators in a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill last week, in which agency officials cited a growing body of intelligence from multiple sources. Agency briefers told the senators it was now “quite clear” that electing Trump was Russia’s goal, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html

---

This is breaking news, with the link posted on the Washington Post Twitter account minutes ago.

[juxtaposed]

1. "The CIA has concluded" I do not think the cia has said anything at this point yet..

[bettyellen]

7. They did to senators, who are now leaking it to WaPo. That's how it works.

Have you caught WaPo making up large stories like this?
I think DJT is the only one accusing them of lying these days.

[TheBlackAdder]

53. Trump says US Intel got Sadam's WMD wrong. No, the IC was right-GWB's administration pushed the lie!

[Midnight Writer]

88. Trump knows more than CIA. And Generals. He gets those gut things.

Last I saw, Trump had refused 18 Intelligence Briefings.

18.

He has actually sat through 2.

[bdamomma]

128. trump is getting his intel from

Russia, this stupid man can't comprehend anything that's why he tweets.

[lanlady]

126. The CIA leaked its own report

To say this is highly unusual would be an understatement. They are trying to warn everyone this shit is real.

[psychopomp]

130. Oh, okay, so the Agency are wearing the white hats now?

I remember when DU was united in the criticism of the agency, now many would believe that they are saving the USA from...what? FSB? Trump? Or, are they admitting that they blew it and are just letting everybody know that the FSB outsmarted them again? I think this is significant, but let's not jump to conclusions. I'd rather not take intentional leaks from spooks to the US press at face value.

[orleans]

132. they did not leak their own report

they briefed senior officials in the government
and that is how the news is getting out
watch this video from rachel's show

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show

[pangaia]

2. Pangaia knew this weeks ago.. LOL

BUT,,, this is good to see.... I guess.....

The russians are also all over next year's elections in Germany, for just one other..

[ck4829]

3. Disqualifying

Between this and the Flynn clan, as far as this goes, there will be no legitimate executive branch starting on January 20, 2017. Any pundit, media organization, or lawmaker that does the same will also share in this zero legitimacy that the Trump occupation has.

[bettyellen]

4. So ironic they used our "nationalistic" tendencies against us - with a big assist from

The super misogynistic hacker community. Anybody else not surprised Anonymous didn't lift a finger this past year? But dudes everywhere salivated over the antics of Wiki and Guccifer. Useful idiots.

[AgadorSparticus]

15. That is so true, isn't it? Those people that wrap themselves around the flag

Are blinded by it. Makes them easy to manipulate.

[Jacob Boehme]

117. As Gil Scott-Heron said:

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised."

[yardwork]

25. Useful idiots who call themselves progressives.

[bettyellen]

71. I've started to see "so what, America has done it too" responses as if that justifies it.

UGH there is so much at stake. This, people... is huge.

[BigDemVoter]

85. EXACTLY what I was just telling my brother.

This may be one of the biggest stories of our lives if it can be proven, and damn any of the neanderthals who can't believe it.

I can't even fathom how this will pan out should this really come out, as these damned Republicans will deny ANYTHING--even if you have it on video with audio included (think of "pussy grabbing&quot . . ..

In any case, THIS would be something that would blow up in their faces for generations--AND it's treason.

[truebluegreen]

112. People can "call" themselves ham sandwiches,

does that make them so?

[Hekate]

122. If the "ham sandwiches" busy themselves disrupting the local Subway shop, yes, it matters.

[truebluegreen]

133. So you're sticking with the idea

that Hillary was a great candidate who only lost because of Bernie, Bernie or Busters, Jill Stein, Comey, the Russians, Assange, the vast right-wing conspiracy, misogynists and/or haters (pick one or several).

[Hekate]

134. Take it one by one, because as each day goes by more is revealed.If something really IS a conspiracy

...it is entirely appropriate and the truth to call it a conspiracy. The VRWC was and is a real conspiracy of lies and smears. I can't tell you what piece of their brains went sproing when Hillary came on the scene, but certain people on the Right have had an unreasoning hatred of her for 30 years. It is vast. It is RW. And yes, it is a conspiracy.

They are misogynists and haters.

They wanted to destroy her. And you know what? It took them 30 years, but they finally did it. She is politically destroyed. Congratulations.

Bernie is fairly trivial, but he played his part. So did his most adamant followers, who picked up and disseminated the lies and smears of the VRWC. They made it personal. She did not.

Breitbart/Bannon and their creatures are vile haters, particularly of women who don't know their place. They had Hillary in their sites.

Assange is a Russian tool. So is Comey. So are Trump and the people he is appointing to the Cabinet and to national security positions. They used every means at their disposal including electronic means.

You don't believe this by now? There's nothing I can do to fix whatever is wrong with you that you can't see that by now.

Jesus Christ himself would be brought low by such a concatenation of hostile forces.

[truebluegreen]

135. My point, which apparently sailed over your head,

was that Hillary, a powerful woman, also had some agency here, wouldn't you agree? She was not a nonentity with no capacity for action herself, was she? Not just a helpless victim? Right?

Sure there is and has been a VRWC and every Democrat, liberal or progressive has had to cope with that, not just Hillary. Some, like our current president, succeeded anyway.

If she was the best, most experienced, most qualified candidate ever shouldn't she have been one of them?

The truth is she was a weak candidate with more baggage than Samsonite--not all of it of her enemies' manufacture--and she lost* to a racist misogynist fascist pig. A combination of hubris and incompetence did her in, imo: Not listening to warnings, even from Bill. Building a ground game that was apparently far less professional than rumor made it. Spending time chasing Arizona and Georgia instead of securing the upper Mid-West.

I don't know what is wrong with people who can't get that.

*yes, I know she actually won by near 3 million votes but you go to the voting booth with the system you have, not the system you want. Don't you.

[Cha]

97. Mahalo for that observation, bettyellen

[bettyellen]

110. Mahalo, Cha!

[sarcasmo]

5. The electoral college is the only hope to save the Planet.

[Doreen]

34. I think most of them are involved so no they will not help.

[Aimee in OKC]

37. Contact possibility

http://asktheelectors.org/

[Doreen]

39. Thank you.

[cstanleytech]

6. Unfortunately I doubt this will cause many in the electoral college to

change their votes.

[duffyduff]

70. That is because they are stupid partisans. They will see the USA go down a shithole

than ever put the popular vote winner in the White House.

[Baitball Blogger]

8. Where do we go from here?

[elmac]

10. Canada! nt

[lastlib]

32. Australia--abt. as far away....

... from Trump and the GOPeee as you can get without rocket power........

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

9. Trump repiles

[riversedge]

31. ha ha.

[rzemanfl]

11. I posted this novel idea Monday and am going to post it again.

I am thinking of a novel. A political thriller.

The leader of the free world has lots of evidence that a foreign power has influenced the outcome of an election that chose a dangerous moron sociopath as his successor. He has information from multiple super-secret agencies regarding the interference. The problems he is facing are-

1) he doesn't know who he can trust, the FBI, for one, is certainly involved in the plot
2) he needs absolute, incontrovertible proof-confessions, transcripts of phone calls, proof of software hacks and machine tampering
3) he cannot tip his hand until the time is right
4) he wants to avoid a civil war
5) he has very little time

I think I will call my main character "Barack."

[AgadorSparticus]

20. Civil War should not be a determining factor in getting to the truth.

The preservation of theach United State is at hand. If knuckle draggers want a war, then so be it. We will NOT be bullied. Truth always prevail.

[rzemanfl]

22. I said "wants to avoid."

President Obama should declare martial law, cancel the inauguration and schedule a new election. The Supreme Court will tie on anything that gets to it. I trust the President and the military more than I trust Orange Julius Caesar and the FBI. If the Trumpsters go for their guns, then there will be Civil War. I think they are fucking cowardly big mouths.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

30. +1 nt

[AgadorSparticus]

47. I agree. I just don't want Obama to roll over b/c he wants to avoid a civil war.

I agree with what you said: Declare martial law, cancel inauguration, and have a redo.

I could give 2 shits about Trumpsters and their guns. The military has bigger guns.

[Kotya]

114. Do you expect the military will support

Obama's order to cancel the inauguration and have a "redo" election?

How would he cancel the inauguration in the first place? Donald Trump becomes the President of the United States precisely at noon on January 20th, 2017. No inauguration is necessary. Only the Oath of Office is required, and can be administered by any notary public. At exactly this time, President Obama becomes former President Obama.

It's in the Constitution.

I suppose Obama could stand in front of the White House, blocking the door with his arms and refuse to hand over the keys but that would look childish and silly.

[AgadorSparticus]

131. Do you think the revolution just happens overnight?

Bypass the national guard? That is not what I said. Go ahead and try to make this black and white. And try to make this just about Obama. This will be a bipartisan effort. But yeaaa.....Obama will be standing there with keys in his hand. Feel better?

[gordianot]

50. I was once told that right wingers are armed and liberals are not.

I heard this revelation at a gun range and I never discuss politics at the gun range. I also know for a fact he would be shocked if he ever took up armed resistance against hated assumed unarmed liberals. Civil War II would not work like the movies or other related wing nut fantasies. Fat man Rambo militias would not last 10 minutes in the field that includes the Bundy style militia.

[rzemanfl]

51. Until 1/20 the President has jet planes and cluster munitions. n/t

[alfredo]

75. Liberals have guns, we just don't brag about them.

[jmowreader]

64. I can only accept that if neither Trump nor Hillary is allowed to stand for election

Trump, we can well understand: Donald Trump needs to be locked up for our own protection. But if we let Hillary stand against whoever the GOP puts up, the Redhats will assume we're trying to overthrow the "elected president" and will start a civil war.

Let's start with two nice fresh candidates - none of whom ran in 2016 - create a "caretaker" board of three Democratic governors and three Republican ones to do nothing but keep the country running on an even keel until a new president can be legitimately elected, and have a clean election.

[duffyduff]

72. Not going to happen. Fuck the GOP if HRC ever got in.

n/t

[AgadorSparticus]

78. We are not making new rules because you don't like Hillary.

There was no election fraud committed in the primaries. Did the Russians help Hillary defeat Bernie sanders?

Hillary won the primaries. She won the popular vote in the primaries and she won it fair and square.

You want to get rid of her.....because you're afraid of trumpsters reaction?

Let there be civil war then.....the military has bigger guns than the whackadoodles on the right. And not all liberals are anti guns.

[jmowreader]

80. I "don't like Hillary"? I don't think so!

I am a VERY strong supporter of Hillary.

I am also a very strong supporter of not allowing civil wars to break out if they don't have to - which is PRECISELY what would happen if we just throw Trump in jail and elevate Hillary to the presidency. The military has bigger guns than the right - but the military can't go up against American civilians, it's totally illegal per the Posse Comitatus Act. The National Guard could, but there aren't enough of them to shut down a civil war before it killed a few million people. (And you realize the alt-right wants every Democrat in America dead right now, correct? Let them start shooting and they'll manage to eliminate a lot of us.)

Reinstate the Voting Rights Act in toto. Publicize how the GOP attempted to use Russian legerdemain to steal the election. Throw a D and R candidate who didn't enter the 2016 primaries - yes, this means no Bernie - into the ring, and let the best person win.

[AgadorSparticus]

105. If there is a civil war to the point that the national guard can't handle it,

I think it is safe to say the posse comitatus act will be thrown out the window. They won't stand by in a state of emergency. I think anything is possible at that point.

I would be OK, actually, with your proposal as long as it isn't anyone who ran in the primaries---including Bernie. I can see your point. I really just want a clean election without outside influence or media propaganda putting their thumb on the scale to influence an elecrion.

[True_Blue]

76. ITA!

We need a redo on the election. I bet a lot more will show up to vote this time.

[Cha]

98. Mahalo, rzemanfl Can I borrow it and pass it around to those who

are screaming he's not fast enough?

I am thinking of a novel. A political thriller.

The leader of the free world has lots of evidence that a foreign power has influenced the outcome of an election that chose a dangerous moron sociopath as his successor. He has information from multiple super-secret agencies regarding the interference. The problems he is facing are-

1) he doesn't know who he can trust, the FBI, for one, is certainly involved in the plot
2) he needs absolute, incontrovertible proof-confessions, transcripts of phone calls, proof of software hacks and machine tampering
3) he cannot tip his hand until the time is right
4) he wants to avoid a civil war
5) he has very little time

I think I will call my main character "Barack."

by rzemanfl http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1636187

[rzemanfl]

102. Be my guest. This came in at 3:22 a.m. my time.

My first waking thought this morning was nothing is going to happen until after Christmas. Multi-dimensional chess is happening.

[Cha]

103. Oh yes it is.. Thank you!

Some of our best thoughts.. late at night/early in the morning.

[Hekate]

104. Spot on.

[Raster]

108. Excellent summation!

[vrguy]

12. This gonna be huge!

But I fear that this is some people in the streets type situation, I dont have a good feeling about this but as much as i hate Cheeto Jesus..He made his bed and ......................................

[HoneyBadgerDontCare]

13. Snowden involved?

He is familiar with hacking and the CIA is familiar with him.

[FailureToCommunicate]

14. Electoral College members, are you seeing this?

[no_hypocrisy]

27. + 1,000,000

[trueblue2007]

84. my letter to the electors

Dear Elector,

My name is mmmmmmmmmmm from mmmmmmmm

I have read the Washington Post article ..... Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House. I think Donald Trump won the presidential election only because Russia somehow HACKED our election. The voting machines.
Russia provided FAKE NEWS that hurt Sec of State Hillary Clinton. Comey may be complicit in the actions against Clinton. Clinton is now ahead of Trump in the popular vote BY ALMOST 3 MILLION VOTES!!! I believe she honestly and truly won the election.


Thank you for your time and consideration, I appreciate and respect the role you serve in our electoral process.

Sincerely,
Mmmmmmmmmm

. Contact possibility

http://asktheelectors.org/

[Cha]

99. Thank you, trueblue!

[FailureToCommunicate]

113. Worthwhile effort. We all should contact them!

[DFW]

16. The report probably was short and to the point

УСПЕХ !!!!


( "oo-SPYEKH" Success!!!!)

[AgadorSparticus]

17. Wow. This is BIG. I am hopefully that powers that be will intervene to preserve our country.

I notice that the FBI isn't in this....interesting. Their feet need to be held to the fire since they CLEARLY overstepped. They stink like hell and I hope that agency gets fumigated.

[Ilsa]

18. Well, trump said it was American hackers, so

it must be, right? He'd never lie to us. And what does he have to hide?

I can't wait until the whole story is released to the public by the national intelligence community.

[mitty14u2]

19. Rex Tillerson, a Candidate for Secretary of State, Has Ties to Vladimir Putin

http://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-candidate-for-state-has-close-ties-to-vladimir-putin-1481033938

Tillerson, Putin and $500 Billion oil/gas deal to make Trump President!

[hedda_foil]

77. Tillerson, the head of Exxon, is now said to be Orange Shitface's pick for State.

[Cha]

100. So action on Climate Change is dead in the water.. and putin

can do what he wants.. no sanctioning what so ever.

[TrollBuster9090]

21. October 28th BREAKING: CIA Director John Brennan Releases Statement Russia Helping Trump Win

October 28th BREAKING NEWS:
CIA Director John Brennan Releases Statement That CIA Has Evidence Russia Is Helping Donald Trump Win Presidential Election. Jason Chafetz forwards tweet on CIA evidence to 100,000 followers...

Trump's polls take a sudden nose dive just days before election....

NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mpcamb]

23. I think the press liked the other story about the email re-hash better.

[FormerOstrich]

24. Ponder on this...

Kaspersky is a Russian company and the worlds largest privately-held software developer of security/threat management systems.

Kaspersky is running on millions servers and workstations worldwide (400 million USERS according to Wiki)

I have always considered this to be problematic or at least it seems that way to me. I have posted comments back in 2014:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014839869
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014862027

Here is the wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaspersky_Lab

[jberryhill]

29. I've never understood the trust of Kaspersky

[Spitfire of ATJ]

62. ....or Windows.

[FormerOstrich]

82. I don't think..

windows is the same, not that there isn't a host of potential cyber issues with it but it is home grown. Kaspersky is a Russian company with headquarters in Moscow.

There business is cyber security. I would think the potential for the Russian government to lean on them in a way they wouldn't be able to do with Microsoft.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

92. On this, yes. However I'm talking about needing some blinds on Windows....

10 out of the box is like doing naked toe touches in a glass house.

[Aimee in OKC]

38. Absolutely on the mark to question Kaspersky!!! {n/t}

[AgadorSparticus]

48. Interesting...thank goodness I have never used it.

[duffyduff]

73. That crap ruined my old computer. n/t

[leftyladyfrommo]

26. This election was thrown.

Between the Russian hackers. All the fake news sites and Comey's phoney email announcement.

This is so sickening. I hope these assholes rot in hell.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

28. K&R nt

[keithbvadu2]

33. "It turns out that United Russia won the elections in America,"

Last edited Fri Dec 9, 2016, 11:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Trump supporters celebrate and are proud.

"It turns out that United Russia won the elections in America," Viktor Nazarov, the governor of Omsk, Russia, declared in a radio interview.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article118666158.html

[bucolic_frolic]

35. And who invited the Russians to hack HRC's emails? Who is

now refusing to listen to intelligence briefings, in effect attempting
to undermine intelligence credibility? Who doesn't trust anything the
intelligence community says, and why?

[elfin]

36. Plan to finally subscribe to digital WP based on their recent reporting

Rather than erasing my history upon hitting their pay wall and then reading more.

Already subscribe NYT hard copy Sunday, which has digital access), and the Guardian.

Time to support real journalism.

[LiberalFighter]

40. The way I see it. The Republicans in Congress conspired with the Russians to elect Trump.

[adigal]

45. And Giuliani was inbolved in the Comey asoect, which is why he's not going to be

Secretary if State.

[Hekate]

41. Treason

[leftofcool]

42. McConnell, Comey and Trump are Russian spies and maybe others

[Hekate]

44. They don't have to be spies to be "useful idiots"

[okasha]

123. Or agents.

Subversion is as good a charge as espionage. In this case

[Hekate]

125. Agreed

[Aimee in OKC]

46. U.S. Code Title 18 Part I Chapter 115 2381

18 U.S. Code § 2381 - Treason

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.


(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/2381

[rzemanfl]

49. I just posted the same as a new thread. n/t

[Aimee in OKC]

52. Good! Missed that, bouncing here & to DKos on this.

MeteorBlades posted it & the comments' section is exploding.

[rzemanfl]

59. We both posted at 9:36 so it was a photo finish. n/t

[lonestarnot]

55. Yes. And I want the fuckers arrested! All of them.

[adigal]

43. Im so pissed at Obama - this is what the Senators asked him to release this

And he didn't. I understand he didnt want to seem partisan, but his job is to defend the Constitution.

Having said that, we have known this all along about the hacked emails - and our media was complicit, day after day, releasing them.

[NRaleighLiberal]

54. Manchurian candidate? Or a whole cabal of them? Who is going to be the hero is the big ???

This country - whichever leaders we have that are yet to be corrupted -hell, we the people - can't just watch this all happen and do nothing!

[Control-Z]

60. This.

Damn it. I've been saying this since election night. Every single person I've spoken to feels the same. None of us know what to do. Everyone knows it's wrong. Worse than wrong. Criminal.

It is time to stand up and stop this. The Clinton campaign needs to get involved NOW. No Inauguration for fuck face. No. Not my president. Never will be.

I am so angry!

[NRaleighLiberal]

61. I am beyond angry. And feel more angry each day since Nov 8 - and every single sickening news item

[Control-Z]

95. I know your posts, NRaleighLiberal.

Of all the posts I read yours are the ones that stand out to me. I swear, just about every time I read one I think I could have written it myself. I don't reply much lately. But I often think about responding to something you've written. I'm just so angry. I don't know how to process it - especially in a public forum.

[pbmus]

56. Declare fraudulent election... Redo the election

[hedda_foil]

57. The real question is what did the president-elect know and when did he know it.

With all those campaign officials and former officials who have close ties to Russia/Putin... running back and forth to their Russkie buddies ...

And don't forget the private Trumpco server that only connected with a major Russian bank ...
And the Orange Invader loving himself some Putin ...

W
Well... what do you think?

[KewlKat]

69. I think Hillary knew. Remember that one debate where she said 17 agencies said Russia was hacking

and she kept repeating it since he was saying he didn't think so.....I bet on her initial briefing she was told.

[hedda_foil]

74. You're right, KewlKat. She did say that more than once.

I'd expect her to be briefed on the September findings.

[SunSeeker]

101. Yes, and she called Trump Putin's puppet.

It was a great debate. She kicked Trump's ass in that debate. To no avail.

[lanlady]

127. That was public info - only the FBI was not on board

Reported in the NYT and WP. Sensational stuff.

Still, it barely survived one news cycle. Sometimes, the truth seems so unbelievable that people choose to file it away under "I can't deal with this."

[AJT]

58. "It's Obama's CIA

they'll say what ever Obama want's them to!!!"

That's the current Trump worshippers reasoning. Just read the comments in the Wapo article.

[lonestarnot]

63. Your headline should be editing removing the word "trying."

[sofa king]

65. This is the beginning of the end.

I've been writing about it here at DU all year, and you can hear me now or wish you had later. Here's what's happening:

* There will be a full media push, starting now and becoming crashingly loud by Sunday, to call the election results into question, particularly directed at getting several states to withhold their electoral votes;

* If they can succeed in getting 37 electoral votes taken away from Trump, NOBODY wins in the electoral college meetings on December 19. Even if it doesn't work, the election goes to the next Congress to either certify or decide between January 3 and January 20, and if they can drum up enough public support for it, the Republican Congress will no what they do best: nothing;

* Congress will not hold a vote on who shall be President, or will not vote to certify the election;

* The deadlocked Supreme Court cannot compel Congress to act;

* The Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, becomes Acting President by default on January 20.

Don't be happy about this. This is a Republican-orchestrated coup and this is the important part: it was the Republican plan the whole time. That is why the GOP never laid off of the Clinton email scandal, even though it was bullshit, because the statute they claim she violated renders the violator disqualified from holding public office.

I think that at this point, judging by the CIA/Washington Post angle, the Obama Administration is complicit in the move, simply because Trump really is a disaster waiting to happen. But they trust the Republicans too much. If the GOP pulls it off, they're never giving it back. Never.

They were planning to steal it from either candidate, no matter who won, and if they get away with it, America wanders off into a dark one-party fascist night, and we'll all be first against the wall they want to build. I don't know if they'll succeed, and I don't know what to do about it, but I know they're sure as hell trying.

Edit: From the "I told you so" file:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=7696342

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1408794

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1441888

[Jon Ace]

66. As much as I'd love to see some heads roll for this...

Don't hold your breath on anything happening.

[mitty14u2]

67. A Veteran Spy Has Given the FBI Information Alleging a Russian Operation to Cultivate Donald Trump

In June, the former Western intelligence officer—who spent almost two decades on Russian intelligence matters and who now works with a US firm that gathers information on Russia for corporate clients—was assigned the task of researching Trump's dealings in Russia and elsewhere, according to the former spy and his associates in this American firm. This was for an opposition research project originally financed by a Republican client critical of the celebrity mogul. (Before the former spy was retained, the project's financing switched to a client allied with Democrats.) "It started off as a fairly general inquiry," says the former spook, who asks not to be identified. But when he dug into Trump, he notes, he came across troubling information indicating connections between Trump and the Russian government. According to his sources, he says, "there was an established exchange of information between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin of mutual benefit."

Carlo Allegri/ZUMA
On Friday, FBI Director James Comey set off a political blast when he informed congressional leaders that the bureau had stumbled across emails that might be pertinent to its completed inquiry into Hillary Clinton's handling of emails when she was secretary of state. The Clinton campaign and others criticized Comey for intervening in a presidential campaign by breaking with Justice Department tradition and revealing information about an investigation—information that was vague and perhaps ultimately irrelevant—so close to Election Day. On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid upped the ante. He sent Comey a fiery letter saying the FBI chief may have broken the law and pointed to a potentially greater controversy: "In my communications with you and other top officials in the national security community, it has become clear that you possess explosive information about close ties and coordination between Donald Trump, his top advisors, and the Russian government…The public has a right to know this information."

Reid's missive set off a burst of speculation on Twitter and elsewhere. What was he referring to regarding the Republican presidential nominee? At the end of August, Reid had written to Comey and demanded an investigation of the "connections between the Russian government and Donald Trump's presidential campaign," and in that letter he indirectly referred to Carter Page, an American businessman cited by Trump as one of his foreign policy advisers, who had financial ties to Russia and had recently visited Moscow. Last month, Yahoo News reported that US intelligence officials were probing the links between Page and senior Russian officials. (Page has called accusations against him "garbage.&quot On Monday, NBC News reported that the FBI has mounted a preliminary inquiry into the foreign business ties of Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chief. But Reid's recent note hinted at more than the Page or Manafort affairs. And a former senior intelligence officer for a Western country who specialized in Russian counterintelligence tells Mother Jones that in recent months he provided the bureau with memos, based on his recent interactions with Russian sources, contending the Russian government has for years tried to co-opt and assist Trump—and that the FBI requested more information from him.

"This is something of huge significance, way above party politics," the former intelligence officer says. "I think [Trump's] own party should be aware of this stuff as well."
Does this mean the FBI is investigating whether Russian intelligence has attempted to develop a secret relationship with Trump or cultivate him as an asset? Was the former intelligence officer and his material deemed credible or not? An FBI spokeswoman says, "Normally, we don't talk about whether we are investigating anything." But a senior US government official not involved in this case but familiar with the former spy tells Mother Jones that he has been a credible source with a proven record of providing reliable, sensitive, and important information to the US government.


http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump

Can you Say Coup?

[jalan48]

68. Seven Democratic Senators sent a letter to Obama asking him to release something two weeks ago.

No wonder Trump is loading his cabinet with generals. It's a coup.

[kentuck]

79. OMG! What do we do now ??

Knowingly or unknowingly, Trump is an instrument of the Russian government. How much does he owe the banks in Russia, anyway?

[DesertRat]

81. Trump publicly ENCOURAGED Russia to get involved and hack!

Trump publicly ENCOURAGED Russia to get involved and hack, remember that? That's treason!!

[triron]

86. 100%. Fucker belongs in prison!!

[Richard D]

83. The wording is interesting . . .

"Russia was trying to help Trump win the WH"

vs. "Russia helped Trump win the WH"

"Trying to help" is so watered down. "Helped" would be much more of an an outrage.

[triron]

87. That's whitewash bullshit.

They "tried"--yeah they were successful. wtf!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

89. no shit, Sherlock. *smirk*. n/t

[triron]

90. I believe they actually mucked with election

results. They did more than "try to help".
That's why all the pre-election polling predictions and raw exit polls were not borne out in the supposed "actual vote".

[Kablooie]

91. Wasn't this announced many weeks ago? What's new about this?

I predict a large wave of outrage passing through the left and a big yawn from the right.
The outrage will be justified but the yawns will win.

I don't see any justice, law or or reality having any effect on our country's future anymore.
Manufactured propaganda is the sole mover of national events today.

[triron]

93. Organize resistance

[McCamy Taylor]

94. Glad to see our intelligence community doing what they are supposed to do---

protecting us from foreign powers.

How can the "Make America Great Again" Bubbas tolerate their man selling us to Putin? If they do not even have pride in being Americans then what do they have?

[Flatpicker]

96. Ok

So now common sense would say that we stop the inauguration until this gets resolved.

That would make sense right?

[INdemo]

106. Any other country including Third World Country would have already

called for and insisted on new elections, now.

[jaxind]

107. Trump is Putin's Puppet

It's already started...Trump being Putin's puppet....The person that Trump wants as Secretary of State (the head of Exxon), is Putin's buddy!

[blitzburgh55]

109. And Ghouliani slithers away

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2016, 11:23 AM - Edit history (1)

Says he doesn't want to be in Cheeto's cabinet. I bet that little weasel was part of this.

Giuliani: We Have Some Big Things Up Our Sleeves to Turn This Thing Around

[Vermijelli]

111. Well I guess the CIA would know

They're experts in throwing elections.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

115. adding links

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2016, 03:11 PM - Edit history (2)

Secret CIA assessment says Russia was trying to help Trump win White House

By Adam Entous, Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller December 9 at 10:45 PM

Adam Entous writes about national security, foreign policy and intelligence for The Post. He joined the newspaper in 2016 after more than 20 years with The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, where he covered the Pentagon, the CIA, the White House and Congress. He covered President George W. Bush for five years after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Follow @adamentous
https://twitter.com/adamentous

Ellen Nakashima is a national security reporter for The Washington Post. She focuses on issues relating to intelligence, technology and civil liberties.
Follow @nakashimae
http://twitter.com/nakashimae

Greg Miller covers intelligence agencies and terrorism for The Washington Post.
Follow @gregpmiller
http://twitter.com/gregpmiller

[INdemo]

116. We have spoken out,the WaPo,the CIA has, but where in the hell

are the spineless Democratic Senators, and House Members at on this Russian hacking and the hijacking of our Democracy..
I could guess what they are doing..

[Smickey]

118. Good Morning all,

Last edited Sat Dec 10, 2016, 01:49 PM - Edit history (1)

If a "leaker" were truly about getting the truth out there why would they wait until the absolute worst time in the newsweek to release this? Friday night news dump? Hmmmm

Also, is it possible that this is why Trump did not want/attend his daily intellegence breifings? Plausible deniability?

[Aimee in OKC]

120. To brook no delay in distribution?

One could hope it's that they were finally able to pull the information all tightly together, and decided not to wait because this was crucially important to the nation.

[Smickey]

124. I would truly like to believe that,

I think what is more likely is that the timing is exactly what they want so our national apathy will kick in and off to work on Monday.
(yes I am cynical at this point) but we/I can still hold out hope and I do.

[triron]

119. knr

[FreeStateDemocrat]

121. But the asswipe has DICTATED this to be untrue so just fahgettaboudit per the M$M.

[agalisgv]

129. No, Mr. Trump, YOU'RE the puppet.

Adding: