Senate Intelligence Committee Member Suggests FBI Is Sitting on Information on Trump-Russia Ties

[babylonsister]

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/fbi-information-investigation-trump-russia-wyden


Senate Intelligence Committee Member Suggests FBI Is Sitting on Information on Trump-Russia Ties
At a hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden pushed FBI Director James Comey to release it by inauguration day.

David Corn
Jan. 10, 2017 2:54 PM



It was only a couple of questions in the middle of a hearing, but the queries posed to FBI Director James Comey by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) during a Senate intelligence committee gathering on Tuesday afternoon had potentially explosive implications, for they suggested that Wyden believes the FBI has been sitting on information regarding ties between Donald Trump's inner circle and Russia.

The hearing was focused on the intelligence community's recently released report concluding that Vladimir Putin's regime had mounted an extensive secret operation to influence the US election in order to help Trump. At the start of the hearing, outgoing Director of National Intelligence James Clapper emphasized that the report did not assess whether the Russian meddling had affected the outcome of the election. This was an indirect rebuke to Trump and his partisans, who have repeatedly said the report concluded the Russian intervention did not affect the results. Comey also noted that Russian hackers had targeted Republican targets but that the FBI had no found evidence that Moscow had penetrated the Trump campaign or current accounts of the Republican National Committee.

The most dramatic exchange came with Wyden's questions. He noted that several media outlets have reported that Trump campaign associates, including Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, had maintained connections with Russians tied to Putin. He asked Comey, "Has the FBI investigated these reported relationships?" Comey answered, "I would never comment on investigations...in an open forum."

Wyden pushed Comey further. He asked if the FBI chief would declassify information related to this matter and "release it to the American people" by January 20. No, Comey said, adding, "I can't talk about it."

Wyden then declared, "The American people have a right to know this." He continued: "If it doesn't happen by January 20, I'm not sure it's going to happen."

Wyden's line of questioning indicated that he believes (or knows) the FBI has collected information on Trump ties to Moscow. And Wyden is in a position to know. As a member of the committee, he can see classified material gathered by the FBI and other national security agencies. With these questions to Comey, Wyden was seemingly referring to specific information. In fact, on November 30, he led all the Democratic members in sending a short letter to President Barack Obama that stated, "We believe there is additional information concerning the Russian Government and the U.S. election that should be declassified and released to the public. We are conveying specifics through classified channels." The letter gave no hint of the nature of this information.

But it is not hard to read between the lines: Intelligence committee members have received classified briefings that included information regarding contacts between the Trump camp and Russians.

more...

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/01/fbi-information-investigation-trump-russia-wyden

[Girard442]

1. A reality where Comey is employed by Russia and reports directly to Putin...

...would look different from ours how, exactly?

[montanacowboy]

2. 1. Why does this traitor Comey still have a job?

2. The USA continues on its path of destruction by bullheadedly continuing down the rabbit hole and allowing this Putin Puppet to become the leader of our country.

We need to stop it before its too late but we won't.

[uponit7771]

16. +1

[SharonAnn]

18. it's a 10 year apointment.

[Raster]

3. While I believe tRump is a Russian Asset, I believe Comey...

...is a Patriot, though somewhat misguided, meaning NOT in Putin's pocket like tRump.

[malaise]

4. Comey refused to answer questions

He sure had answers re Hillary

[uponit7771]

17. +1

[dem4decades]

5. I found it disgraceful

when Comey stated that he would never comment on whether or not there was an ongoing investigation, when questioned.

[yodermon]

6. I still think Comey will be the darth vader to trump's emporer

and bring balance to the force.
Or, maybe the FBI will just use it to blackmail the POTUS like the good old days.

[delisen]

7. I think Obama, as president, needs to tell us this week about the investigation..

[.99center]

8. When did the FBI or any other agency open an investigation into Putin-Trump ties?

Why wasn't the public aware of these investigations, everyone in D.C. seems to be aware that there were investigations looking into Trump-Putin ties.

“Are there still active investigations going on to try to figure out if there was coordination between campaigns and Moscow?” asked host Chuck Todd.

“You asked me what should we do. We should get to bottom of all things Russia when it came to the 2016 election, period,” Graham responded. “Wherever it leads in whatever form.”

“Is that currently happening now in other investigative agencies? F.B.I., a joint task force, anything like that?” asked Todd. “Is that currently happening and we just don’t know about it?”

“I believe that it’s happening. But you need to talk to them because I don’t want to speak for them,” Graham said.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1659564

[riversedge]

9. Chuck Todd soing segment on this now-showing Wyden questioning Comey: Was there coordination

between Trump camp and Russia

[mopinko]

10. what traitors. these committees. sheesh.

wtf is the point of civilian oversight if no one can talk about what they know?and they cant make them release it?

traitors.

thank you sen wyden for letting us know what color the cat in the bag is.

[Rex]

11. So what was that business about going to Congress right before the election?

Oh right, that was completely different!

[Achilleaze]

12. Release the Republican traitor's Krappen (R)

[nini]

13. I'd bet money on it

Why is Comey still around????

[Baitball Blogger]

14. Why is the FBI playing offensive tackle for Trump?

What reason can they possibly have to favor Russian ties?

[SunSeeker]

21. Oil ca$h, the GOP's lifeblood.

That trillion dollar Exxon deal with Putin to open the arctic for oil drilling gives Republicans woodies. Comey is first and foremost a Republican, FBI director second.

[Amaryllis]

15. When the Comey letter first came out, Harry Reid said Comey was sitting on explosive information

about the Trump campaign and people deserved to know about it. Explosive was the word he used. Someone must be able to order the FBI to release info. Maybe they truly can't in an ongoing investigation, but...it didn't stop Comey with Clinton and there didnt seem to be any repercussions. I wish someone would just go rogue and spill it.

[Plucketeer]

19. Go find a mirror

Look straight into it and ask the image you see: WHO does Comey and all the rest here - work for? Nothing but gamesmanship from the whole rotten lot of them. And WE pay their salaries! And we think the Trump loons are the stupids of this nation.

[jmg257]

20. So that is why the Russians wanted Trump to win - they have comprimising info on him!

Per British MI6 agent report.

[SunSeeker]

22. K & R for exposure.

[Blue Owl]

23. Sitting or standing?