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Deny collusion publicly. Sound familiar?

Intel Chiefs to Mueller: Trump Suggested We Deny Collusion

Intel Chiefs to Mueller: Trump Suggested We Deny Collusion

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Pompeo owes an explanation

Time and again, the Trump administration looked the other way in the face of warning signs about Mr. Flynn. Mr. Trump entrusted him with the nation's secrets despite knowing that he faced a Justice Department investigation over his undisclosed foreign lobbying. Evern a personal warning from President Obama did not dissuade him Mr. Pompeo sidestepped questions from senators last month about his handling of the information about Mr. Flynn, declining to say whether he knew about his own agency's concerns. "I can't answer yes or no," he said. "I regret that I'm unable to do so." His words frustrated Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Either Director Pompeo had no idea what people in the C.I.A. reportedly knew about Michael Flynn, or he knew about the Justice Department's concerns and continued to discuss America's secrets with a man vulnerable to blackmail," Mr. Wyden said in a statement. "I believe Director Pompeo owes the public an explanation."

Time and again, the Trump administration looked the other way in the face of warning signs about Mr. Flynn. Mr. Trump entrusted him with the nation's secrets despite knowing that he faced a Justice Department investigation over his undisclosed foreign lobbying. Evern a personal warning from President Obama did not dissuade him Mr. Pompeo sidestepped questions from senators last month about his handling of the information about Mr. Flynn, declining to say whether he knew about his own agency's concerns. "I can't answer yes or no," he said. "I regret that I'm unable to do so." His words frustrated Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "Either Director Pompeo had no idea what people in the C.I.A. reportedly knew about Michael Flynn, or he knew about the Justice Department's concerns and continued to discuss America's secrets with a man vulnerable to blackmail," Mr. Wyden said in a statement. "I believe Director Pompeo owes the public an explanation."

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CIA knew Flynn was a problem

WASHINGTON - Senior officials across the government became convinced in January that the incoming national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, had become vulnerable to Russian blackmail. At the F.B.I., the C.L.A., the Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence - agencies responsible for keeping American secrets safe from foreign spies - career officials agreed that Mr. Flynn represented an urgent problem Yet nearly every day for three weeks, the new C.I.A. director, Mike Pompeo, sat in the Oval Office and briefed President Trump on the nation's most sensitive intelligence-with Mr. Flynn listening. Mr. Pompeo has not said whether C.I.A. officials left him in the dark about their views of Mr. Flynn, but one administration official said Mr. Pompeo did not share any concerns about Mr. Flynn with the president. The episode highlights another remarkable aspect of Mr. Flynn's stormy 25-day tenure in the White House: He sat atop a national security apparatus that churned ahead, despite its own conclusion that he was at risk of being compromised by a hostile foreign power.

WASHINGTON - Senior officials across the government became convinced in January that the incoming national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, had become vulnerable to Russian blackmail. At the F.B.I., the C.L.A., the Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence - agencies responsible for keeping American secrets safe from foreign spies - career officials agreed that Mr. Flynn represented an urgent problem Yet nearly every day for three weeks, the new C.I.A. director, Mike Pompeo, sat in the Oval Office and briefed President Trump on the nation's most sensitive intelligence-with Mr. Flynn listening. Mr. Pompeo has not said whether C.I.A. officials left him in the dark about their views of Mr. Flynn, but one administration official said Mr. Pompeo did not share any concerns about Mr. Flynn with the president. The episode highlights another remarkable aspect of Mr. Flynn's stormy 25-day tenure in the White House: He sat atop a national security apparatus that churned ahead, despite its own conclusion that he was at risk of being compromised by a hostile foreign power.

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Weissman joins the hunt!

A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors. Russi S. President Donald T Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.

A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors. Russi S. President Donald T Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.

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Data stolen by Russians

The hacking of state and local election databases in 2016 was more extensive than previously reported, including at least one successful attempt to alter voter information, and the theft of thousands of voter records that contain private information like partial Social Security numbers, current and former officials tell TIME. In one case, investigators found there had been a manipulation of voter data in a county database but the alterations were discovered and rectified, two sources familiar with the matter tell TIME. Investigators have not identified whether the hackers in that case were Russian agents The fact that private data was stolen from states is separately providing investigators a previously unreported line of inquiry in the probes into Russian attempts to influence the election. In Illinois, more than 90% of the nearly 90,000 records stolen by Russian state actors contained drivers license numbers, and a quarter contained the last four digits of voters' Social Security numbers, according to Ken Menzel, the General Counsel of the State Board of Elections.

The hacking of state and local election databases in 2016 was more extensive than previously reported, including at least one successful attempt to alter voter information, and the theft of thousands of voter records that contain private information like partial Social Security numbers, current and former officials tell TIME. In one case, investigators found there had been a manipulation of voter data in a county database but the alterations were discovered and rectified, two sources familiar with the matter tell TIME. Investigators have not identified whether the hackers in that case were Russian agents The fact that private data was stolen from states is separately providing investigators a previously unreported line of inquiry in the probes into Russian attempts to influence the election. In Illinois, more than 90% of the nearly 90,000 records stolen by Russian state actors contained drivers license numbers, and a quarter contained the last four digits of voters' Social Security numbers, according to Ken Menzel, the General Counsel of the State Board of Elections.

"It's ridiculous to think that I wouldn't be investing in Russia."

influence, according to interviews with government investigators, legislators, and others in Reykjavik, Brussels, Paris and London. Trump testified under oath in a 2007 deposition that Bayrock brought Russian investors to his Trump Tower office to discuss deals in Moscow, and said he was pondering investing there. It's ridiculous that I wouldn't be investing in Russia," Trump said in that deposition Russia is one of the hottest places in the world for investment One of Bayrock's principals was a career criminal named Felix Sater who had ties to Russian and American organized crime groups. Before linking up with the company and with Trump, he had worked as a mob informant for the U.S. government, fled to Moscow to avoid criminal charges while boasting of his KGB and Kremlin contacts there, and had gone to prison for slashing apart another man's face with a broken cocktail glass

influence, according to interviews with government investigators, legislators, and others in Reykjavik, Brussels, Paris and London. Trump testified under oath in a 2007 deposition that Bayrock brought Russian investors to his Trump Tower office to discuss deals in Moscow, and said he was pondering investing there. It's ridiculous that I wouldn't be investing in Russia," Trump said in that deposition Russia is one of the hottest places in the world for investment One of Bayrock's principals was a career criminal named Felix Sater who had ties to Russian and American organized crime groups. Before linking up with the company and with Trump, he had worked as a mob informant for the U.S. government, fled to Moscow to avoid criminal charges while boasting of his KGB and Kremlin contacts there, and had gone to prison for slashing apart another man's face with a broken cocktail glass

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Dilbert strip 6/22/2017 - "Dilbert is Cleared of Colluding"

IVE INVESTIGATED BUT THERE ARE MANY, DILBERT'S EMAIL ANDMANY OTHER CRIMES WASN'T MAKING THAT STOP PHONE RECORDS AND I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE HE DID NOT COLLUDE WITH HE MIGHT HAVE COMMITTED, AND YOUHELPFUL. IT ALL SHOULD PAY ME TO ABOUT YOU INVESTIGATE THEM. ELBONIA. CO

IVE INVESTIGATED BUT THERE ARE MANY, DILBERT'S EMAIL ANDMANY OTHER CRIMES WASN'T MAKING THAT STOP PHONE RECORDS AND I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE HE DID NOT COLLUDE WITH HE MIGHT HAVE COMMITTED, AND YOUHELPFUL. IT ALL SHOULD PAY ME TO ABOUT YOU INVESTIGATE THEM. ELBONIA. CO

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Dilbert strip 6/21/2017 - "Dogbert the Special Counsel"

I'VE ASSIGNED A SPECIAL COUNSEL EVERYONE SAYS I'VE DONE YOU'VE BEEN COLLUDING WITHTO REVIEW ALL OF NOTHING STOP OUR ELBONIAN COMPETITORS YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE LOGS. URONG. TRYING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.

I'VE ASSIGNED A SPECIAL COUNSEL EVERYONE SAYS I'VE DONE YOU'VE BEEN COLLUDING WITHTO REVIEW ALL OF NOTHING STOP OUR ELBONIAN COMPETITORS YOUR EMAIL AND PHONE LOGS. URONG. TRYING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.

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Lisa Page joins the team!

7:33 PM a theguardian.com T-Mobile LTE One of the more recent recruits is reported to be Lisa Page, a justice department trial attorney with a substantial record of investigating Russian and former Soviet organised crime and in particular its reputed godfather, Semion Mogilevich Mogilevich associates are reported to have owned condos in Trump Tower in New York, and the father of Trump's business partner in the Trump Soho hotel, Felix Sater, was a Mogilevich lieutenant. Vladimir Putin is known to use oligarchs and organised crime bosses as instruments of Kremlin influence abroad "This pick really shows that Mueller recognises that Russian organised crime and sophisticated financial transactions involving them are going to be right at the centre and Page is definitely a leading expert there," said Scott Horton, a US lawyer with experience of working in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union Another sign that the Mueller team will take a “follow the money" approach is the recruitment of Andrew Weissmann, an organised crime expert who oversaw lengthy cases in the US district court for the eastern district of New York focused on the city's mafia families and their infiltration of Wall Street.

7:33 PM a theguardian.com T-Mobile LTE One of the more recent recruits is reported to be Lisa Page, a justice department trial attorney with a substantial record of investigating Russian and former Soviet organised crime and in particular its reputed godfather, Semion Mogilevich Mogilevich associates are reported to have owned condos in Trump Tower in New York, and the father of Trump's business partner in the Trump Soho hotel, Felix Sater, was a Mogilevich lieutenant. Vladimir Putin is known to use oligarchs and organised crime bosses as instruments of Kremlin influence abroad "This pick really shows that Mueller recognises that Russian organised crime and sophisticated financial transactions involving them are going to be right at the centre and Page is definitely a leading expert there," said Scott Horton, a US lawyer with experience of working in eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union Another sign that the Mueller team will take a “follow the money" approach is the recruitment of Andrew Weissmann, an organised crime expert who oversaw lengthy cases in the US district court for the eastern district of New York focused on the city's mafia families and their infiltration of Wall Street.

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They were told to publicly deny evidence

On March 20, Comey testified that his investigation into Russian interference was looking at whether Trump's campaign colluded with the foreign power. British intelligence agencies first picked up contact between Trump's campaign members and associates in 2015 Two current and two former officials told The Washington Post that in March Trump asked Rogers and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats to publicly deny the existence of any evidence of collusion between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.

On March 20, Comey testified that his investigation into Russian interference was looking at whether Trump's campaign colluded with the foreign power. British intelligence agencies first picked up contact between Trump's campaign members and associates in 2015 Two current and two former officials told The Washington Post that in March Trump asked Rogers and Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats to publicly deny the existence of any evidence of collusion between his campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.

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"I am being investigated for firing the FBI Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director"

Donald J. Trump . @realDonaldTrump I am being investigated for firing the FBl Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt

Donald J. Trump . @realDonaldTrump I am being investigated for firing the FBl Director by the man who told me to fire the FBI Director! Witch Hunt

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"You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history"

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people! AGA

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history - led by some very bad and conflicted people! AGA

trump witch hunt tweet

"They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice"

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice

donald trump twitter nice

Putin compares Comey to Snowden? WTF?

Putin said "What makes the FBI director different from Mr Snowden then? It seems to me that in that case he's not so much the head of the FBI as an activist who has a particular point of view. By the way, if he faces some sort of prosecution in this regard, we are ready to give him political asylum as well. He should know that."

Putin said "What makes the FBI director different from Mr Snowden then? It seems to me that in that case he's not so much the head of the FBI as an activist who has a particular point of view. By the way, if he faces some sort of prosecution in this regard, we are ready to give him political asylum as well. He should know that."

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Trump trying to intimidate Mueller? Obstruction!

A second senior administration official pointed to Trump's role in propagating the rumor that he might fire Mueller-according to the Times, he felt the prospect of being sacked might convince Mueller to resolve the investigation in Trump's favor-and suggested that the leak to the Post on Wednesday might have been an unintended consequence of that move. Trump "shot himself in the foot again with this cockamamie scheme to get Mueller to play ball

A second senior administration official pointed to Trump's role in propagating the rumor that he might fire Mueller-according to the Times, he felt the prospect of being sacked might convince Mueller to resolve the investigation in Trump's favor-and suggested that the leak to the Post on Wednesday might have been an unintended consequence of that move. Trump "shot himself in the foot again with this cockamamie scheme to get Mueller to play ball

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Money Laundering!

A former senior official said Mr. Mueller's investigation was looking at money laundering by Trump associates. The suspicion is that any cooperation with Russian officials would most likely have been in exchange for some kind of financial payoff, and that there would have been an effort to hide the payments, probably by routing them through offshore banking centers.

A former senior official said Mr. Mueller's investigation was looking at money laundering by Trump associates. The suspicion is that any cooperation with Russian officials would most likely have been in exchange for some kind of financial payoff, and that there would have been an effort to hide the payments, probably by routing them through offshore banking centers.

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Trump doubts the investigations? Obstruction!

Neither the Washington Post, which first reported Wednesday that the special counsel was looking into whether the president obstructed justice, nor The Wall Street Journal named the people who confirmed the news. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mr. Mueller, declined to comment While Mr. Ledgett was still in office, he wrote a memo documenting a phone call that Adm. Rogers had with Mr. Trump, according to people familiar with the matter. During the call, the president questioned the veracity of the intelligence community's judgment that Russia had interfered with the election and also tried to persuade Adm. Rogers to say there was no evidence of collusion between the campaign and Russian officials, they said Mr. Ledgett declined to comment, and spokespersons for the NSA didn't respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Mr. Coats declined to comment.

Neither the Washington Post, which first reported Wednesday that the special counsel was looking into whether the president obstructed justice, nor The Wall Street Journal named the people who confirmed the news. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mr. Mueller, declined to comment While Mr. Ledgett was still in office, he wrote a memo documenting a phone call that Adm. Rogers had with Mr. Trump, according to people familiar with the matter. During the call, the president questioned the veracity of the intelligence community's judgment that Russia had interfered with the election and also tried to persuade Adm. Rogers to say there was no evidence of collusion between the campaign and Russian officials, they said Mr. Ledgett declined to comment, and spokespersons for the NSA didn't respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Mr. Coats declined to comment.

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RICO (Suave)

I canit seem 0 @ACJJustice

I canit seem 0 @ACJJustice

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Financial crimes? RICO!

The move by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III to investigate Trump's own conduct marks a major turning point in the nearly year-old FBI investigation, which until recently focused on Russian meddling during the presidential campaign and on whether there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Investigators have also been looking for any evidence of possible financial crimes among Trump associates, officials said.

The move by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III to investigate Trump's own conduct marks a major turning point in the nearly year-old FBI investigation, which until recently focused on Russian meddling during the presidential campaign and on whether there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Investigators have also been looking for any evidence of possible financial crimes among Trump associates, officials said.

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Things change

Trump had received private assurances from former FBI Director James B. Comey starting in January that he was not personally under investigation. Officials say that changed shortly after Comey's firing.

Trump had received private assurances from former FBI Director James B. Comey starting in January that he was not personally under investigation. Officials say that changed shortly after Comey's firing.

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