Russiagate - Images

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Quid Pro Quo

"The Democratic leaders in the room unanimously agreed on the need to take the threat seriously. Republicans, however, were divided, with at least two GOP lawmakers reluctant to accede to the White House requests. According to several officials, McConnell raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics." Some of the Republicans in the briefing also seemed opposed to the idea of going public with such explosive allegations in the final stages of an election, a move that they argued would only rattle public confidence and play into Moscow's hands. McConnell's office did not respond to a request for comment. After the election, Trump chose McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, as his nominee for transportation secretary.

"The Democratic leaders in the room unanimously agreed on the need to take the threat seriously. Republicans, however, were divided, with at least two GOP lawmakers reluctant to accede to the White House requests. According to several officials, McConnell raised doubts about the underlying intelligence and made clear to the administration that he would consider any effort by the White House to challenge the Russians publicly an act of partisan politics." Some of the Republicans in the briefing also seemed opposed to the idea of going public with such explosive allegations in the final stages of an election, a move that they argued would only rattle public confidence and play into Moscow's hands. McConnell's office did not respond to a request for comment. After the election, Trump chose McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, as his nominee for transportation secretary.

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Information warfare

More tactics: Trolls and bots are used to create a sense of public opinion so it is picked up by media. Journalists are harassed and intimidated, also by trolls and bots. They exploit volume: "When information volume is low," says RAND, "recipients tend to favor experts, but when information volume is high, recipients tend to favor information from other uses." And they exploit speed: "Russian propaganda has the agility to be first," Rand observes. "It takes less time to make up facts than it does to verify them." And the first impression sets the agenda. 02

More tactics: Trolls and bots are used to create a sense of public opinion so it is picked up by media. Journalists are harassed and intimidated, also by trolls and bots. They exploit volume: "When information volume is low," says RAND, "recipients tend to favor experts, but when information volume is high, recipients tend to favor information from other uses." And they exploit speed: "Russian propaganda has the agility to be first," Rand observes. "It takes less time to make up facts than it does to verify them." And the first impression sets the agenda. 02

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We weren't the only ones to notice

Despite the intelligence the CIA had produced, other agencies were slower to endorse a conclusion that Putin was personally directing the operation and wanted to help Trump. "It was definitely compelling, but it was not definitive," said one senior administration official. "We needed more." Some of the most critical technical intelligence on Russia came from another country, officials said. Because of the source of the material, the NSA was reluctant to view it with high confidence.

Despite the intelligence the CIA had produced, other agencies were slower to endorse a conclusion that Putin was personally directing the operation and wanted to help Trump. "It was definitely compelling, but it was not definitive," said one senior administration official. "We needed more." Some of the most critical technical intelligence on Russia came from another country, officials said. Because of the source of the material, the NSA was reluctant to view it with high confidence.

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Direct orders for cyber-warfare

arly last August, an envelope with extraordinary handling restrictions arrived at the White House. Sent by courier from the CIA, it carried "eyes only" instructions that its contents be shown to just four people: President Barack Obama and three senior aides. Inside was an intelligence bombshell, a report drawn from sourcing deep inside the Russian government that detailed Russian President Vladimir Putin's direct involvement in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race But it went further. The intelligence captured Putin's specific instructions on the operation's audacious objectives - defeat or at least damage the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and help elect her opponent, Donald Trump

arly last August, an envelope with extraordinary handling restrictions arrived at the White House. Sent by courier from the CIA, it carried "eyes only" instructions that its contents be shown to just four people: President Barack Obama and three senior aides. Inside was an intelligence bombshell, a report drawn from sourcing deep inside the Russian government that detailed Russian President Vladimir Putin's direct involvement in a cyber campaign to disrupt and discredit the U.S. presidential race But it went further. The intelligence captured Putin's specific instructions on the operation's audacious objectives - defeat or at least damage the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, and help elect her opponent, Donald Trump

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Party before Country

8:32 AM a theguardian.com According to CIA sources who spoke anonymously ..ooo T-Mobile o the Washington Post, Senate majority leader itch McConnell told Obama and leading Democrats that he would regard any effort to release evidence of Russian interference before the election as partisan. In other words, he put his own party's interest in electing Trump and gutting the welfare state ahead of the national interest Neither he, nor House speaker Paul Ryan, nor any other leading Republican seems the slightest bit apologetic about the Republican party's all but open alliance with Putin. Before 2016, it would have been unthinkable that Russia, or any foreign power, could exert this kind of influence on the US political process. That's because no national politician before Trump would ever have been comfortable aligning so shamelessly with a rival government. Trump has obliterated this norm, along with so many others, and his party has gone along with him. The Republicans' contempt for the democratic process and the national interest have created an opening Putin never could have created himself. Besides the Republican party, America's weakness Tweet link

8:32 AM a theguardian.com According to CIA sources who spoke anonymously ..ooo T-Mobile o the Washington Post, Senate majority leader itch McConnell told Obama and leading Democrats that he would regard any effort to release evidence of Russian interference before the election as partisan. In other words, he put his own party's interest in electing Trump and gutting the welfare state ahead of the national interest Neither he, nor House speaker Paul Ryan, nor any other leading Republican seems the slightest bit apologetic about the Republican party's all but open alliance with Putin. Before 2016, it would have been unthinkable that Russia, or any foreign power, could exert this kind of influence on the US political process. That's because no national politician before Trump would ever have been comfortable aligning so shamelessly with a rival government. Trump has obliterated this norm, along with so many others, and his party has gone along with him. The Republicans' contempt for the democratic process and the national interest have created an opening Putin never could have created himself. Besides the Republican party, America's weakness Tweet link

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Robert Mueller: The Lie Detector

The Lie Detector Someone's not telling the truth By David Von Drehle Former FBI director and now special counsel Robert Mueller

The Lie Detector Someone's not telling the truth By David Von Drehle Former FBI director and now special counsel Robert Mueller

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Sound familiar

Same thing Comey said Trump told him. Different conclusion reached.

Same thing Comey said Trump told him. Different conclusion reached.

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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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