Congress, law enforcement officials concerned Russia is trying to discredit FBI probe
Source: MSN/CBS News
CBS News has learned that members of Congress and U.S. law enforcement officials are increasingly concerned that Russia is already trying or will try to discredit the FBI counterintelligence investigation. The probe into whether Trump campaign representatives coordinated with the Russians during the 2016 campaign has been underway for about ten months. Former U.S. intelligence officials and current congressional sources say Russians will try to exploit vulnerabilities and spread misinformation as the investigation unfolds and as the FBI gets closer to a conclusion.
Multiple sources say Russian operatives are skilled at planting false information and watching it spread. Just this week, FBI Director James Comey testified on Capitol Hill that he believed the Russians were still meddling in U.S. politics and that he expected more Russian interference in upcoming 2018 elections and beyond.
The Senate Intelligence Committee continues its investigation into Russian meddling in the election and recently sent a letter to Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, requesting that he provide them with information including the following:
A list of all his meetings with Russian officials or businessmen from June 6 up until Inauguration Day; and the meetings he knows of between any Trump campaign affiliates who may have met with Russians;Emails, text messages, written correspondence and phone records during that time frame involving Russian officials or businessmen and Page or other Trump campaign affiliates; All information regarding his financial and real estate holdings related to Russia in the same time period.
Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/congress-law-enforcement-officials-concerned-russia-is-trying-to-discredit-fbi-probe/ar-BBAMOzG?li=BBnbcA1
murielm99
(30,745 posts)Page is refusing to turn over any information.
I worry that they will pin everything on Page and higher ups will get off scott-free.
C Moon
(12,213 posts)I sure hope we have solid evidence, and that it doesn't turn into high paid lawyers pulling another "the glove doesn't fit" situation.
DallasNE
(7,403 posts)Russia could have some success with playing that card.
elleng
(130,974 posts)and we're too slow, compromised, whatever, to uncover it, just waiting for them to take over the U.S. government.
'The probe into whether Trump campaign representatives coordinated with the Russians during the 2016 campaign has been underway for about ten months.'
Next, France.
BigmanPigman
(51,611 posts)All western democracies are targets. It is currently ongoing at every level in ways most of us haven't even considered yet. They are eons ahead of us in this type of international warfare. They have already infiltrated all aspects of our societies and we are barely able to acknowledge it let alone figure out how to detect and possibly deter it in the present and future globally.
elleng
(130,974 posts)Lint Head
(15,064 posts)We have been attacked by an enemy who wants American buried. Destroyed. All the while SUITS flap their jaws. When the hell is too late too FUCKING LATE! The hammer needs to drop now.
OldRedneck
(1,397 posts)who you are talking about.
You say: "We have been attacked by an enemy who wants American buried. Destroyed." Are you referring to Russia, or, the Republican Party, or, only Trump?
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)We will bury you us a famous quote by Nikita Khrushchev. I'm old enough to have witnessed him saying it. Russia has hacked our election and used propaganda to disrupt confuse and destroy free speech.
Putin us a murdering thug. He is of the old guard. The KGB. If they, or we, don't know by now that Trump and his crime family colluded to bulldoze the election someone is either deaf or blind.
We and they can debate ourselves till we are blue in the face but that accomplishes nothing at this point. The debate is over. Time to stop whistling past the graveyard before our democratic republic is in the graveyard.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)VigilantG
(374 posts)Rincewind
(1,203 posts)They are basically the same group now.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)It is frustrating that it is taking so long, but:
* It's a huge case, much bigger than Watergate, which took two years to make Nixon resign.
* The White House is stone-walling, refusing to release documents.
* The House Intelligence Committee was sabotaged by Nunes, who then recused.
* The Senate Intelligence Committee was delayed by Burr, but is picking up some speed.
* McCONnell is dragging his feet any way he can.
* Web brigades are sowing doubt and disruption. "Nothing to see here", "fake news", "look! Shiny French emails", ....
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)before it gets to the point it's irreparable? If this goes on too long it will involve more than just a cover up and collusion by the Trump criminals. Soon that old smelly idea that it would be too damaging to the country to prosecute the President will be rolled out. Hence a cover up by the very people who are supposed to prosecute crimes and have a duty to do so. The same thing happened with Richard Nixon. Gerald Ford said the long national nightmare has come to an end when he "pardoned" Nixon for his crimes. They did not want to put the nation through a prosecution of a President. President Obama did not pursue Bush and Cheney for war crimes and lying to the American people for then same reason. This bullshit has to end. Let the Constitution work for a criminal President just like it works for you and me and every other American. The lethargic laziness of entrenched law enforcement bureaucrats is more of a problem than most people realize. They just want to retire with a pension and not make any more waves than necessary.
Trump is doing everything he can to stop and bog down the investigation. And Comey has also said said Russia is still involved in American politics. Russia wants the investigation to end just as much as Trump does.
We are yap yap yapping our why to the destruction of a democratic republic while a budding fascist dictator negatively changes and controls every aspect of our lives. If we are waiting to vote we are waiting too long and soon it will be too late.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)The public doesn't have patience or taste for multiple attempts at impeaching a President, or multiple tries at prosecuting a Speaker or Senate Majority Leader.
When the indictments are unleashed, the evidence must be rock solid and ready to go. There can be some preliminary indictments if it is decided that plea deals might increase chances of convicting bigger fish.
There would be more damage to the country if the Republicons escape punishment; if they are not discredited in front of the media and the public.
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)It didn't happen then. Rush now and it won't happen this time either.
This time is more serious, more massive, and unlike the others involves treasonous collaboration with an adversarial foreign national entity.
"cite", not "site".
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)And I do not need to be corrected on spelling. Cite and site looks the same to spell check it is something I didn't notice. Thank you very much. It was not rushed. As a matter of fact you're making my point let's just string it out another 8 years. Then we'll see where the country is. Good luck with that.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)Nowhere do I suggest to "string it out another 8 years".
If you do not need to be corrected or can't be corrected, perhaps you are perfect or it is not possible for you to become better than you are now.
I proofread. I use spell check, but I do not depend on it. If I miss a spelling error in my post and it is pointed out, I simply say "Thank you" and mean it.
Lint Head
(15,064 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)I made a point about public tolerance, a point about solidity of evidence, a point about exceptions for plea deals, and a point about needing to discredit Republicons in public in my post #19
I disagree with your assertion that I "argue for arguments sake".
Crabby Appleton
(5,231 posts)"Russian operatives are skilled at planting false information and watching it spread"
I think the FBI is pretty skilled at that too.
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,011 posts)cstanleytech
(26,298 posts)wouldnt surprise me if the Russians were also doing it so as to protect their assets in Congress which have been most helpful to Putin and Russia.
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)And, if you don't think, "As easy as the last one," you might be one of the family too.
Link to tweet
dalton99a
(81,519 posts)jpak
(41,758 posts)Turbineguy
(37,345 posts)who came up with the "lousy relations between us and them" canard.