Obamas CIA chief just offered a Trump-Russia quote for the ages

[babylonsister]

Obama’s CIA chief just offered a Trump-Russia quote for the ages
“People who go along a treasonous path do not know they are on a treasonous path until it is too late.”
Updated by Yochi Dreazen May 23, 2017, 4:00pm EDT


It’s rare for a single quote to tell you something genuinely new and important about a story as big as the Trump-Russia scandal. There are exceptions — and former CIA Director John Brennan just gave us one for the ages.

Testifying in front of the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday, Brennan said that Russia “brazenly interfered” in the 2016 elections and had been in active contact with members of the Trump campaign. Brennan was careful to avoid explicitly saying that the two sides colluded, and said the Trump aides may not have even known the Russians were spies. Then he dropped the hammer.

"Frequently, people who go along a treasonous path do not know they are on a treasonous path until it is too late,” he said.

It’s important to note that Brennan wasn’t literally accusing anyone in the Trump campaign — let alone the president himself — of committing treason, which has so high a bar that almost no one in the history of the US has been tried and convicted of it.

Still, enough evidence of potential wrongdoing has piled up that the Justice Department recently tapped former FBI Director Robert Mueller to lead an expanding probe into the president’s Russia connections. The investigation is already reaching straight into the West Wing: The Washington Post reported late last week that a member of Trump’s inner circle — widely believed to be Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and main adviser — is a “significant person of interest” for the FBI.

Brennan stopped short of saying that the communications he saw between Russia and the Trump campaign amounted to actual collusion. His overall point was something damning in a different way: Trump aides were in regular contact with Russia and never stopped to ask themselves whom they were actually working with or why Russians would be taking so strong and direct an interest in an American presidential election.

“I know what the Russians try to do. They try to suborn individuals and try to get individuals, including US individuals, to act on their behalf, wittingly or unwittingly,” he told the panel. “I had unresolved questions in my mind as to whether or not the Russians had been successful in getting US persons involved in the campaign or not to work on their behalf.”

more...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/23/15681508/trump-russia-election-meddling-fbi-mueller-john-brennan

[unblock]

1. interesting insight, but i'm not happy about where this might lead

this whole mess could end up with the conclusion that benedict donald and several of his minions were duped.

maybe some get convicted of some kind of negligence, but, lacking intent, they largely escape the worst of it.

i'm not going to pretend to have all the facts and entirely judge the situation, but that would not be a pleasing result.

[leftstreet]

4. +1

"and said the Trump aides may not have even known the Russians were spies"

Oh we had no idea!

[babylonsister]

5. I think his remarks to the

Last edited Tue May 23, 2017, 07:20 PM - Edit history (1)

russkies, re: Comey, shows some level of complicity. We shall see... and follow the money. He's into corruption up to his eye balls.

[justiceischeap]

6. Isn't that like a getaway driver saying, "Your honor, I didn't know he was going to rob the bank."

Just because you didn't know a crime was being committed doesn't make you less guilty of committing the crime.

[unblock]

14. depends on the particular statutes, intent usually does matter.

indeed, if a taxi driver takes a fare who says "stay here while i make a quick withdrawal from the bank" and the cabbie complies and takes him to his next stop, how's he to know if what happened inside the bank as legal or illegal?

well, if the fare had a ski mask and a gun, that would be one thing, but if the fare appeared legit, it's hard to pin anything on the cabbie.


benedict donald, on the other hand, certainly appears to have known about contacts with russians and covering it all up, and likely knew damn well russian money was supporting his campaign (directly or indirectly) and of course he publicly solicited and used contraband from russian espionage.

so it's actually hard to say he didn't know it was illegal or didn't intend to be part of a crime. then again, i don't trust anyone involved in this investigation, so who knows....

[uponit7771]

15. The "intent" benefit of the doubt wouldn't be extended to Clinton...I wouldn't extend it to Red Don

[paleotn]

16. I hear you and hope that's not the case....

I don't think it is. These guys aren't dupes and knew what was going on. So, I find it highly unlikely they didn't take an active role. And why not, they probably thought. They're not going to win anyway, so what the hell? Until they won. Maybe the whole operation looks so sloppy only because they didn't think they'd have to go to extreme lengths to cover it up. Who's going to seriously investigate the loser, after all?

[unblock]

17. Donnie and the GOP have been cheating for ages, why would they stop now?

[LonePirate]

2. Brennan probably earned himself a vacation from any future Republican-led committee hearings.

They do not want people testifying to things they do not want the public to know.

[FakeNoose]

13. Brennan just gave them an "out"

He set up their best defense by saying they probably didn't know what the Russians were doing.

But WE know that Flynn and Manafort - and now it looks like Kushner too - were in on it and they knew exactly what they were doing. I'm sure the FBI already has documents proving their intentions. So Brennan can say all he wants and it won't matter.

I hope they bring Sally Yates back, and I know Comey has more to say for the investigation. I don't think it will be televised though.

[furtheradu]

3. Getting $ from ruskies is a big ole sign!

Big ole NEON SIGN you're on a "treasonous path".
No freakin excuses.

[MedusaX]

7. While those on the treasonous path may not have initially set out to follow such a path... the RICO

Worthy Pit stops along the way will be the key to ensuring they receive their just reward...

Treason is extremely difficult to prove ...
as intent is typically established thru circumstantial evidence.....

But every act which is found to be circumstantial relative to treasonous intent
is still an act which may be criminal in and of itself.

Plus, when a group of travelers find themselves on the treasonous path together..
having made several pit stops to engage in criminal acts (as a group, amongst themselves or with others...etc )
then those acts take on a collective significance
in addition to their significance as independent criminal acts and/or
Value as circumstantial evidence of treasonous intent.....
now they are eligible to be used
as evidence of criminal conspiracy, racketeering etc...

So, while one may Never be charged with treason....
They will find it hard to Escape from RICO !!

[babylonsister]

8. Follow the money and I think dt is screwed. nt

[Lyricalinklines]

9. Setting the stage for victim defense. How is it the people in this administration seem to be

gullible only when Russia is involved? I don't buy this at all.

[Deb]

10. a treasonous path is their memory lane and a new road unachievable

mafia is as mafia does, no questions asked

[librechik]

11. Good Samaritan Brennan throws the Trump Team a lifeline

and an unspoken request to come talk to the right people. You won't be hurt if you do.

Not what i would do, but we need some squealers.

[Stuart G]

12. A great quote...Thank YOU...for finding and posting it here.....k and r...nt

[Hekate]

18. KnRnThanks

[TheFrenchRazor]

19. i think trump never thought he would win, so no one would care about his russian connections. nt

[lindysalsagal]

20. Intelligence, clarity and sanity in an asylum.

It's brief, and will be ignored, but it makes me feel better.