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pnwmom

(108,980 posts)
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 04:44 PM Feb 2018

There was a FISA warrant on Manafort while he was in contact with DT.

The warrant extended "at least" into early January, so it must have been operative during the transition. This story came out in September but it's that much more interesting in light of recent events.

https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/politics/paul-manafort-government-wiretapped-fisa-russians/index.html

Washington (CNN)US investigators wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort under secret court orders before and after the election, sources tell CNN, an extraordinary step involving a high-ranking campaign official now at the center of the Russia meddling probe.

The government snooping continued into early this year, including a period when Manafort was known to talk to President Donald Trump.

Some of the intelligence collected includes communications that sparked concerns among investigators that Manafort had encouraged the Russians to help with the campaign, according to three sources familiar with the investigation. Two of these sources, however, cautioned that the evidence is not conclusive.

SNIP

A secret order authorized by the court that handles the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) began after Manafort became the subject of an FBI investigation that began in 2014. It centered on work done by a group of Washington consulting firms for Ukraine's former ruling party, the sources told CNN.

SNIP

The FBI then restarted the surveillance after obtaining a new FISA warrant that extended at least into early this year.

11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

marylandblue

(12,344 posts)
2. This does not surprise me
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 04:57 PM
Feb 2018

I suspect there was a FISA warrant on other Trump officials too, and that the tapes are very interesting listening.

Nevernose

(13,081 posts)
3. Thats where Pence really comes in
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 05:16 PM
Feb 2018

According to other published sources, Manafort kept having daily phone calls with Pence throughout the transition, almost until the inauguration. And those phone calls were all legally recorded by the FBI, NSA, CIA, and god knows who else.

 

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)
4. And it looks as though Pence's name is left off of many, many emails in the
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 05:26 PM
Feb 2018

transition that he was "heading."

Plausible deniability? Covering the quarterback?

If Manafort is any indication of their computer literacy, Pence is probably BCC'd on a yahoo email, thinking that no one could ever trace that....

BigmanPigman

(51,608 posts)
9. Manafort has zero smarts or scruples.
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 07:11 PM
Feb 2018

While he was under house arrest I believe I read that Mueller found out he was still writing editorials with his former foreign business contacts/partners.

pnwmom

(108,980 posts)
6. I said the article was from September, so that would be 2017. But it's still interesting that the
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 05:48 PM
Feb 2018

warrant was going on "at least" in January . . . so maybe even longer.

If it continued to yield important intelligence, it would have been renewed.

Bernardo de La Paz

(49,002 posts)
7. It's cool. I only highlighted it because the bolded sections stood out referring to "last year".
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 05:50 PM
Feb 2018

My fault for only skimming the OP and not reading in depth.

pnwmom

(108,980 posts)
11. I kinda did in the 2nd sentence when I noted that the story was from September.
Sun Feb 25, 2018, 09:51 PM
Feb 2018

September was in 2017, so . . .


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