Natasha Bertrand: IC would *not* have told Sanders to remain silent about campaign meddling

[Dennis Donovan]

Natasha Bertrand, just now on Weekends w/ Alex Witt, re: source says IC would *not* have objected to the Sanders campaign speaking publicly about efforts to meddle in campaign, indicating he had no such directive *not* to speak. FYI. (I was wrong in other replies since this news broke).

Sanders folks, If Bernie knew and sat on this info for a month *for whatever reason*, it was wrong to do so. We *needed* to know a month ago (before Iowa).

She also said IC wouldn't tell the campaign to keep it quiet because that, in itself, would help the Russian efforts.

I'm sorry, but this pisses me off...

[Cha]

1. No need to be sorry.. it should piss

everyone off.

[mr_lebowski]

12. Doesn't piss me off at all ... for the record nt

[Roy Rolling]

23. It doesn't piss me off...

But it does raise a question I didn’t have before: by NOT disclosing, was it because the Sanders campaign thought they’d use the Russian intervention for their advantage?.

Which is all the more reason Sanders should have gotten ahead of the story. By not proactively disclosing it, the Sanders campaign blew a gigantic opportunity. And now I’m wondering why, which I didn’t wonder about before.

I’m sure others are, too.

[mr_lebowski]

25. If I thought that was the reasoning, then yes I'd be pissed off ...

But there's a ton of other possible reasons that are more plausible, esp. in totality.

[JudyM]

77. How could he "use it" even if he wanted to?

[brush]

28. Me too, polls cnd results may have been different. IMO both may have been influenced by russian help

Seems he took advantage of knowing Russians were helping him and he decided not to disclose it.

Not good, and certainly not transparent—kind of sneaky really.

[Cha]

69. Very!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

67. Doesn't piss me off.

For the record.

[George II]

2. He was clearly angry yesterday that this didn't remain quiet until tonight or tomorrow.

[NurseJackie]

19. This was a test of leadership and integrity and Bernie failed it... BIG TIME!

He was clearly angry yesterday that this didn't remain quiet until tonight or tomorrow.

The help may have come to him "unsolicited"... but he did NOTHING proactive to STOP IT, or to alert voters that it was happening!!! The way I see it... his silence was a sign of approval or gratitude. Or, he just didn't care BUT HE SHOULD HAVE CARED!!!

This was a test of leadership and integrity and Bernie failed it... BIG TIME!

In my mind, he does not deserve to be POTUS. He's disqualified. He should withdraw now.

[pnwmom]

68. And he's like Trump in blaming the WAPost for reporting the truth. n/t

[DemoTex]

3. Help me out ..

What/who is "IC?"

[dalton99a]

4. U. S. Intelligence Community

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Intelligence_Community

[DemoTex]

45. Thanks

I should have known!

[Dennis Donovan]

5. Intel community

It seems to be fairly new shorthand that's surged since Trump came on the scene.

[DemoTex]

46. Thanks, DD

Sometimes I'm dense.

[Dennis Donovan]

60. It's newer shorthand

I hadn't seen it used much before 2016.

[PatSeg]

8. The Illinois Central Railroad

Sorry, couldn't resist. Years ago I road the IC to work every day!

[DemoTex]

47. That's the ticket!

Literally!

[PatSeg]

65. Very literally!

[Prue]

6. It was a strategic decision - a wrong strategic decision

We should all be concerned how Sanders handled this. He should have used this situation as a way to look presidential and leading by example. Showing us he will be transparent with the american people.

It was an interesting strategy on his campaigns part. I think he was gambling on all the democratic voters defaulting and voting for him if he received the nomination without care of whether he was helped by russia or not.

[SunSeeker]

15. Transparency is also lacking about his health records, tax returns and Our Revolution PAC donors.

Why can't he just turn over his health records? Even McCain did that. Those doctors letter are little better than what Trump did.

He has yet to disclose FULL tax returns. Why?

And the Our Revolution PAC has 6-figure anonymous donations. Who are they? Isn't transparency about this needed now more than ever, now that we know Russia is helping him?

[sheshe2]

81. His health is my number1 concern right now.

He is the only candidate that had a heart attack on the campaign trail. He said he would release full records then announced he would not. That does not sit right with me.

On top of that I am concerned, very concerned who he would pick as VP. His choice of execs on his team gives me pause since at least three of them voted Stein.

If it had been Warren, my candidate of choice, I would demand it of her as well.

[SunSeeker]

84. The DNC will pick our nominee if Bernie gets the nom but dies before 11/3.

The Party Chair calls a meeting of the National Committee, and the Committee members at the meeting vote to fill the vacancy on the ticket. A candidate must receive a majority of the votes to win the party's nod. https://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/20431

But after that, it's Bernie's VP. And I am almost sure Bernie will not pick one of the other candidates as his VP.

[sheshe2]

85. Tulsi is a possibility.

Gawd help us.

[SunSeeker]

86. Oh.Dear.God.

[sheshe2]

88. No kidding.

[Docreed2003]

7. Well you're not alone

I'm fucking pissed for a bunch of reasons and frankly really disappointed in Bernie. If he knew there was an issue, and he alluded to this crap several times while trying to take some "high road" when discussing some of his surrogates behavior, he clearly didn't open up about this for a reason. For Bernie to say, oh this was leaked now right before NV and SC to hurt our campaign, is just shitty. Frankly, I can totally understand why people would say well, if it's leaked now to hurt you, did you keep it quiet for a month so that it WOULDNT hurt you in NH and Iowa?

Bernie has been on record diminishing Russian interference in '16 and even blamed the Clinton camp for not doing more as recently as '18. Why is he refusing to lead on this?? I'm not a Bernie hater. I have issues with the way his campaign is being run right now but I'm not a hater. In fact, I was a full throated supporter in '16. I'm really disappointed in the way he is choosing to handle this. I'm sorry but blaming the "Republican and Democratic establishment" isn't going to cut it this time.

[PatSeg]

9. Voters have the right to know

what is likely to affect our elections.

[JudyM]

78. Like how we were informed about the Russians helping trump in '16?

[MrsCoffee]

10. Him, not us.

It’s been apparent for some time now.

[CentralMass]

11. She is a national aecurity correspondent who works for Politico snd appears on NBC and MSNBC

lets hear from someone on Semate Intelligence comitte instead of getting things from leakers and journalists

[rzemanfl]

14. Spell check is your friend.

[SMC22307]

18. "Leakers"?

LOL I just flashed back to George Dubya and that mangled Texas accent of his.

[rzemanfl]

13. In many states ballots were cast and mailed while he kept mum.

I am pissed as well, or as hell.

[SunSeeker]

16. Yep. Ballots in CA were sent out weeks ago.

I bet a big chunk of them have already been returned since people know to mail them back well ahead of the March 3 CA primary date.

Do you think Pete's victory in Iowa would have been so narrow if Iowa caucus goers had this news about Putin helping Bernie?

[rzemanfl]

17. FL ballots were out too and our primary isn't until 3/17.

Then there are the overseas ballots.

[mr_lebowski]

33. Yes, because everyone has known for 3+ years Putin is interfering in our elections (nt)

[SunSeeker]

37. That's different than knowing that Putin was specifically helping Bernie in the 2020 Dem primary.

Why did Bernie keep that a secret for over a month--and get angry when it leaked?

[mr_lebowski]

43. No, it's really not ... everyone already knows Putin was helping Bernie and IQ45 in 2016.

If I was to speculate a POSSIBLE reason?

Because everyone was told to keep quiet while the investigation was ongoing, and Bernie suspects that someone else on the Intel Committee (perhaps even a Democrat) leaked that information before the NV primary in order to derail his candidacy?

Why ... did you have proof it's some other reason?

[SunSeeker]

59. Where is evidence Bernie was told not to tell anyone Putin was helping him?

Sure, he can't reveal sources and methods, but nothing forbade him from divulging the conclusion, particularly if, as you claim, it was common knowledge.

Bernie didn't release the info because it would have hurt him in the crucial first states of Iowa and NH. Duh.

That is why he was so angry when it was finally leaked, causing him to snap that it was no coincidence it was leaked on the eve of the Nevada voting. He thus acknowledged that the info could hurt him in primary voting.

Bernie needed to win those states to develop momentum going into the diverse states, and even more crucially, to look electable. Plus, during that time the huge CA mail in voting was going on. Over a million CA ballots have already been turned in.

And Bernie got away with it. Now it doesn't matter, the momentum is going to carry him. God help us in November. Putin won't be helping Sanders then.

[mr_lebowski]

61. i just posted my counter-argument. at length. in this forum ...

[JudyM]

79. Response to your question further down the thread

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=559940

[H2O Man]

20. I like Natasha.

I respect her as a journalist. However, she is simply wrong about this. Senators and Representatives who are part of the Intelligence Committees are definitely NOT allowed to speak about the information they learn in meetings with the IC publicly.

[Tom Rinaldo]

21. And the IC at any point could have chosen to release any declassified version of nformation

that they deemed it in the public interest to reveal. But they didn't. Instead it comes out on the literal eve of the Nevada caucus through unnamed sources.

[H2O Man]

30. Actually, the IC

could not declassify it, as this would require the backing of one of two people -- Trump and/or Barr (Trump "gave" Barr this power over the entire IC in 2019). It falls into "Counter-Intelligencewhich is remarkably difficult to declassify. Thus, for example, The FBI/Mueller counter-intelligence information isn't public. That's not only due to DOJ/FBI rules, but because it is part of a larger counter-intelligence investigation, coordinated with the CIA and ONI.

The recent debate included Senator Sander's coming right up to the line, hinting that the most aggressive and divisive "campaign supporters" might have an agenda distinct from the actual campaign. He even brought up Russian interference in the 2016 election. I assume that a number of us had already recognized it for what it is, and hoped more people -- no matter which candidate they support -- would catch on.

The manner in which it was released is fairly obvious. That a large group of good Democrats don't get it is sad, but not surprising.

[Tom Rinaldo]

31. Good analysis. Thank you

I too noted the relevancy of Bernie's comments about disrupters in light of this development, but you placed it very nicely in context. I'll just say then that I assume whatever legally could have been revealed by Sanders could also have legally been revealed by members of the IC committee themselves.

[H2O Man]

35. You might find

this expanded analysis interesting:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287559915

[Tom Rinaldo]

42. Thank you. I had missed it and I'm glad you called mmy attention to it

Could only do a very quick scan now as I have a commitment now calling out to me, but I will read it in full later.

[mr_lebowski]

34. Well said (nt)

[JudyM]

80. Oh right, I forgot he said that!

🤔

If he was not permitted to disclose this, he ought to say that outright.

[Dennis Donovan]

57. I realize if Sanders was briefed as a US Senator or if he were on the Intel committee

...it would (likely) contain classified intel (so he wouldn't be able to talk about it). However, his campaign would've gotten a different briefing w/o the classified info. What they received would've been ok'd for public consumption.

I'm not a Sanders-slammer at all. I supported him in 2016 because I believed what he was proposing (M4A, tighter restrictions on business, organized labor, climate change) was, after 8 years of prosperity, an opportunity to change the 40-year, right-ward political and economic trajectory, to pull it back towards the center-left. Once it was clear Secretary Clinton was getting the nom, I switched my allegiance to her and worked towards her election.

Now, we're in a MUCH different place than 4 years ago. My support of Biden isn't because I believe he's in the best position to beat Trump - any of our candidates will beat Trump, I'm sure. It's because we, US citizens not in the cult of Trump, have been abused. Traumatized. Terrorized. All of our institutions are *burning* as we speak.

After the last 3+ years, I'm weary, and I prefer someone who will not shake the living shit out of the system from day one. I want someone to put out the blaze, assess the damage, and repair what needs to be repaired.

Once that's done, I'll re-join the revolution.

[uponit7771]

73. No, Sanders could've denounced outside involvement in US elections the second he found out & decided

... not to.

He could've done it without violating IC rules by speaking as general as possible, screw this ... Sanders is dead wrong.

[ecstatic]

22. Shouldn't the other campaigns have been warned as well?

This affected then too.

[Dennis Donovan]

62. Yes. Absolutely.

Each campaign had the right to know what the Sanders campaign was told.

[DIVINEprividence]

24. Excellent point. Why are we hearing about this now

when he knew for months. Russians also helped Sanders’ campaign last time. The Bernie Bros were Bernie Bots

[dalton99a]

26. +1. They never stopped helping him. Their assistance was evident on social media last year.

[still_one]

27. Early voting began today in California where voting centers will be open everyday through March 3

I haven't voted yet, but vote by mail

I will vote after the SC primary

[totodeinhere]

29. Don't you find it odd that Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee also didn't

say anything about it? They were also briefed. That leads me to believe that contrary to the opinion voiced on MSNBC , this was a confidential briefing. And remember that the Sanders campaign has been berating MSNBC for its biased coverage of the Sanders campaign. So I would take what I hear on MSNBC on this topic with a grain of salt.

[NurseJackie]

32. Nice try. Bernie failed this test of integrity and leadership and honestly.

He does not deserve to be our party's nominee. He was the beneficiary, it was HIS call to make, yet he remained silent. That disqualifies him. He's proven to me that I can't trust him. He should withdraw now... suspend his campaign... or whatever.

And remember that the Sanders campaign has been berating MSNBC for its biased coverage of the Sanders campaign.

Spare me.

[mr_lebowski]

38. Aside from the MSNBC part, that's a perfectly logical question to ask ...

Why DIDN'T any other Democrats say anything?

Why aren't ALL their feet being held to the fire for 'not telling us'?

Hmmm?

And if it turns out he was barred from saying anything, will you take your outrage ... back?

Just wonderin ...

[NurseJackie]

49. The same reason that Obama said nothing... it wasn't "his place" to say anything.

Why aren't ALL their feet being held to the fire for 'not telling us'?

You know perfectly well that they'd be "crucified" in the same way that the Post is being smeared. It wasn't their place, and they'd be accused of "interfering". This was a test of Bernie's integrity and honesty and he failed it. I can't trust him, ever.

[mr_lebowski]

50. So, in other words all this crap about ZOMG THE VOTERS NEEDED TO KNOW!?!

that some people are arguing here ... is a buncha garbage?

We're in agreement on that?

[SunSeeker]

63. No. You know damn well it was Sanders' place to disclose the info.

If the Dems who knew disclosed it, Bernie would accuse them of being a cabal to stop him. Bernie did exactly that after it was finally leaked. He unleashed with his "the Democratic establishment won't stop us" tweet.

[totodeinhere]

39. Give me a break. If he gets the most primary and caucus votes then he deserves to be our nominee.

He has throughout his political career demonstrated his integrity and he will make a great president. You are basing all of this on a leak from a Jeff Bezos owned newspaper on the eve of the Nevada caucuses and now suddenly Bernie lacks integrity and leadership? I think that more than anything else this is Bernie haters grasping at straws in an attempt to derail his candidacy, and the voters who who are choosing Bernie be damned.

[NurseJackie]

53. I do not believe it show "integrity" to accuse the Democratic party of...

I do not believe it show "integrity" to accuse the Democratic party of being "feeble" and saying that the Democrats are the "same as the GOP". That's not integrity. I guess I just have higher standards. He doesn't deserve to be our party's nominee. The candidate that I choose to support will not be someone who sits idly by saying nothing while Russia helps his campaign.

[delisen]

56. 50 +1 wins not the most votes

[luvtheGWN]

41. Can anyone here give one good, legitimate reason

why this info should have remained secret? After all, it affects the voting public.

[totodeinhere]

48. I can only guess, but premature disclosure of this information might have compromised an ongoing

investigation. Besides, it's only a leak from an anonymous source in one newspaper.

[Dennis Donovan]

44. They didn't get the same briefing the campaign did

Theirs would've contained classified info.

[PubliusEnigma]

36. Like medical records, this needed to be hidden from voters.

[mr_lebowski]

40. I know, I can't believe how many Democrats in the Senate knew about it

For a WHOLE MONTH ... and didn't tell any of us!

Left us COMPLETELY IN THE DARK on the idea that Russia might be interfering with our elections.

I mean, this is totally the first I'm hearing of such a thing, myself. And they knew for a month.

It's just crazy.

[SunSeeker]

64. As Nurse Jackie explained to you, It was BERNIE'S place to disclose the info:

The same reason that Obama said nothing... it wasn't "his place" to say anything.

Why aren't ALL their feet being held to the fire for 'not telling us'?

You know perfectly well that they'd be "crucified" in the same way that the Post is being smeared. It wasn't their place, and they'd be accused of "interfering". This was a test of Bernie's integrity and honesty and he failed it. I can't trust him, ever.

If the Dems who knew disclosed it, Bernie would accuse them of being a cabal to stop him. Bernie did exactly that after it was finally leaked. He unleashed with his "the Democratic establishment won't stop us" tweet.

[nycbos]

51. Thank you

[subana]

52. he could have made this much easier on his campaign...

...if he had made a brief statement about it. That way he could have controlled that message much more than he is now!

[onetexan]

54. One just can't trust a candidate who just had a heart attack and won't release his medical records

to come out and admit the russians are helping him get the nomination, just so he can be beaten in the General election by the Orange Blob of course.

[shadowmayor]

55. And we trust our IC

Why?

[Dennis Donovan]

58. What is our choice at this point???

Christ!

[shadowmayor]

66. WMD's

I don't trust them at all.

[uponit7771]

74. That was the Bush admin, the IC did NOT stay quiet IE Valery Plame getting outed.

[shadowmayor]

75. It's the folks at the top

Slam Dunk. Our new "friend" Mueller testified on the veracity of WMD's. I'm sure there are plenty of hard working IC people in the trenches doing great work, but when their leadership speaks up, I for one never give them the benefit of the doubt. It's too costly. Just ask the good people of Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya how effective our IC community is.

[rzemanfl]

70. Yep. n/t

[Cha]

71. KICK

[uponit7771]

72. Jus damn ... jus ... damn

[KPN]

76. Ummm .... Obama and Biden kept it quiet in 2016 didn't they?

[revmclaren]

82. We're they candidates for POTUS in 2016???

Sanders is a candidate and he benefited by not letting the other candidates and the voters know for over a month.



ONLY!!! 2020 and beyond.

[KPN]

83. Not exactly true. Reports I've seen were that

Russian meddling included trolls masquerading as antagonistic “Bernie Bros. Bros” does that help him? Everyone already knew and knows the Russians are meddling in a lot of ways. Their purpose is to sow division and confusion. They’ve been masters at it, especially with the assistance of this administration.

I keep thinking we are so far down Alice’s rabbit hole because of their mind messing efforts that we don’t know whether up is down or right is wrong. Nothing we hear about any of this seems trustworthy anymore. And that’s their point. They’ve accomplished their goal if we keep playing along by letting our perceptions be shaped.

[betsuni]

87. K&R