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grantcart

(53,061 posts)
Wed Jan 11, 2017, 11:58 AM Jan 2017

Remember this is based on a Republican contracted source.


Discussions about the authenticity of the memo and whether it is a "Dan Rather" type trap miss an important point, the source was not MI6 or CIA but a privately paid for source originally contracted by Republicans.


http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/10/politics/donald-trump-intelligence-report-russia/index.html

CNN has reviewed a 35-page compilation of the memos, from which the two-page synopsis was drawn. The memos have since been published by Buzzfeed. The memos originated as opposition research, first commissioned by anti-Trump Republicans, and later by Democrats. At this point, CNN is not reporting on details of the memos, as it has not independently corroborated the specific allegations. But, in preparing this story, CNN has spoken to multiple high ranking intelligence, administration, congressional and law enforcement officials, as well as foreign officials and others in the private sector with direct knowledge of the memos.


There seems to be little doubt that the material on the internet is from the original memo. Criticisms that the format doesn't appear to be either MI6 or CIA source material miss the point, it was a privately commissioned project by Republicans to find out if Trump could be compromised by material that the Russians had.

This was an effort by Republicans who had serious doubts about Trump to try and vet him before the nomination and whether the material is based on facts or rumors avoids several key points, not the least of which is why didn't the Republicans act on substantial allegations before they handed him the keys to their party.

Is there a video? Did Trump go to that hotel? All of these are questions that Republicans should have asked and answered because after all it is they who financed the operation and found the contractor reliable enough to make the investment to raise the questions.

Another level of irony in a campaign that has surpassed all known parameters for irony.
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Remember this is based on a Republican contracted source. (Original Post) grantcart Jan 2017 OP
Yes. Also see Guardian Article emulatorloo Jan 2017 #1
and sourced by Republicans grantcart Jan 2017 #3
Yes indeed. emulatorloo Jan 2017 #4
It's reportedly from JEB! which makes sense considering the Bush family has deep pockets KittyWampus Jan 2017 #2
The company was first hire by a Jeb Bush superPAC, but the funding switched to a Democratic source. FarCenter Jan 2017 #5
Exactly. Not a Clinton or Democratic pick but one that was picked by Republicans grantcart Jan 2017 #6
 

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)
2. It's reportedly from JEB! which makes sense considering the Bush family has deep pockets
Wed Jan 11, 2017, 12:02 PM
Jan 2017

and connections.

And I question whether Democrats DID get the oppo-research.

Reid sent a letter to Comey about it and that letter makes it sound like he didn't actually have it.

And he'd have to write to Comey and not the CIA because they can't legally investigate intelligence on American candidates/presidents.

So it looks like Comey is dirtier than we thought.

And somewhere it's also mentioned info on kompromat over Trump is also being corroborated now by eastern European intelligence sources.

 

FarCenter

(19,429 posts)
5. The company was first hire by a Jeb Bush superPAC, but the funding switched to a Democratic source.
Wed Jan 11, 2017, 12:08 PM
Jan 2017
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."



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

Apparently the guy continued working without funding to complete the report. Possibly he was still working for British intelligence, since they have an interest in keeping US - Russian relations in the deep freeze.

If you are in the UK government and want to influence US elections, why not send one of your spies to work in an opposition research firm in the US?

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
6. Exactly. Not a Clinton or Democratic pick but one that was picked by Republicans
Wed Jan 11, 2017, 02:13 PM
Jan 2017

and beyond the salacious rumors found an "established exchange" of information.

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