Wednesday, February 15, 2017

New revelations show that multiple Trump campaign aides had ongoing contact with Russian intelligence during the year before the election.

Okay how fast can we fire and replace every person working in American intelligence? No reason, just wondering.
Courtesy of WaPo: 

Phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, according to four current and former American officials. 

American law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time that they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, three of the officials said. The intelligence agencies then sought to learn whether the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russians on the hacking or other efforts to influence the election. 

The officials interviewed in recent weeks said that, so far, they had seen no evidence of such cooperation. 

(Perhaps not yet, but stay tuned. Cause you know it's coming.)

But the intercepts alarmed American intelligence and law enforcement agencies, in part because of the amount of contact that was occurring while Mr. Trump was speaking glowingly about the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin. At one point last summer, Mr. Trump said at a campaign event that he hoped Russian intelligence services had stolen Hillary Clinton’s emails and would make them public. 

The officials said the intercepted communications were not limited to Trump campaign officials, and included other associates of Mr. Trump. On the Russian side, the contacts also included members of the Russian government outside of the intelligence services, the officials said. All of the current and former officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the continuing investigation is classified.

Well isn't that interesting?

Especially since the push back from the Trump administration and the Republicans is that the now fired Mike Flynn ONLY talked to the Russians AFTER the election.

This article suggests otherwise, AND that he was not the only one colluding with the foreign government that hacked out election.

Oh I'm sorry, so far there is no evidence that they were actually "colluding" with Russian intelligence.

I guess that will likely be tomorrow's headline. 

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:38 AM

    Eventually he'll blame the Propecia

    ~Canuck~

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So if you own stock in Propecia, sell it NOW.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous8:48 AM

    He " hoped" the Russians would hack. Knowing his
    Elephant size ego, he must have already known they were actually hacking.
    Just so he could boast about it later. He is a traitor and and a huuugh and bigly liar!!His supporters are also despicable!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:14 PM

      Make that deplorable, too.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous8:54 AM

    OT FYI>
    https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/flip.it%2FPgbgYH-russia-backed-malware-can-now-target-ma/f-484b67f685%2Fengadget.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous9:07 AM

    Trump Voters Show President They Can Complain on Twitter, Too

    When President Trump is ready to let the world know that he is disappointed with the intelligence community, the United States judiciary, individual journalists, department stores or whatever else lands on his radar, he uses Twitter to blast his targets.

    It was only a matter of time until his supporters adopted his style.

    “I voted for you but you’re still acting like a baby,” one supporter from North Carolina wrote on Sunday, the same day Mr. Trump insulted the billionaire Mark Cuban by saying that he was ‘‘not smart enough to run for president.’’

    “When are you going to act Presidential???” wrote another supporter in Arizona that day. “Not every thought needs tweeting.”

    “I voted for you but this is embarrassing,” someone else wrote last week, responding to the president’s tweet attacking the department store Nordstrom.
    Continue reading the main story
    Related Coverage

    In the Face of Weighty Problems, Trump Focuses on Squabbles FEB. 12, 2017
    The 307 People, Places and Things Donald Trump Has Insulted on Twitter: A Complete List JAN. 28, 2016
    CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK
    Trump, Twitter and the Art of His Deal JAN. 15, 2017

    Complaints like these are being logged by a Twitter account called @Trump_Regrets. Since November, the account, managed by Erica Baguma, a 23-year-old Canadian college student, has climbed to more than 220,000 followers by curating some 1,500 messages, mostly from exasperated people who claimed to have voted for Mr. Trump.

    https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/politics/trump-voters-show-president-they-can-complain-on-twitter-too.html

    https://twitter.com/trump_regrets?lang=en

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. #Trump_Regrets: great hashtag!

      As the classic song goes, Miss Otis regrets she's unable to lunch today.

      Too bad these voters didn't get a crippling case of the regrets before November 8.., [sigh]

      Delete
  5. Anonymous9:07 AM

    "Just who the hell do you think you are?"
    " If you were a smart guy with unimpeachable integrity and a good heart who was enacting wise policies for the betterment of all humankind, you’d still be subject to sharp scrutiny from news media, oversight from Congress, restraint by the judiciary — and public opinion."
    "Mr. So-Called President. You’re now what is called a “public servant” — in effect, an employee with 324 million bosses." RE$IST!

    Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article132721909.html#storylink=cpy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous9:10 AM

    Sen. Rand Paul: ‘It Makes No Sense’ For Republicans To Investigate Republicans
    Probing Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia would be “excessive,” he said.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rand-paul-michael-flynn_us_58a36eeee4b094a129efc452?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:39 PM

      How ridiculous, if his wife snuffed his son, then no one needs to be investigated? Because they are all family?!
      Fekker!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:42 PM

      That is the reason for independent investigation. Dumb to dumber

      Delete
  7. Well then...just what were they talking about?
    The weather?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous9:14 AM

    The wall of Congressional Republicans supporting Trump has begun to crack as calls are growing for an independent investigation into the President's relationship with Russia.

    ...The Russian chickens are coming home to roost. Flynn’s resignation didn’t end the scandal. It ignited an inferno.

    The wheels are being set into motion for a full-scale, independent investigation into Donald Trump. The keywords that Sen. Graham used were “all things related to Russia.” The investigation wouldn’t be centered on Flynn’s activities, but the activities and communications of the entire Trump campaign with Russia.

    The Russia scandal has the potential to take out Trump, Pence, the upper White House staff, and Republican Congressional leader Speaker of the House Ryan and Majority Leader McConnell. It is a scandal that could be bigger than Watergate in size and scope because it involves a presidential campaign potentially colluding with a foreign power that is hostile to the United States to win an election.

    If an independent investigation is launched, it will mean years of scandal, that will wreck the Trump presidency.

    America is one more revelation away from a political scandal that could bring down not just a president, but an entire political party.

    http://www.politicususa.com/2017/02/15/trumps-republican-support-congress-cracking-momentum-grows-independent-investigation.html

    Bernie Sanders Wants an Investigation. Republicans Only Want to Talk About Tax Cuts

    The trouble is, this is what he is up against, what Paul Krugman identified yesterday as the Republican obsession for tax cuts in favor of investigating threats to our national security.

    This is not just an obsession but a diversion. Appearing on CNN’s New Day, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) bragged about Donald Trump’s “bold tax plan” while downplaying any concerns about Trump himself.

    http://www.politicususa.com/2017/02/15/bernie-sanders-investigation-republicans-tax-cuts.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous9:23 AM

    Image Of Naked Putin Fondling Pregnant Trump Haunts New Yorkers

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-putin-art-hater_us_58a479e3e4b03df370dc52a1?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Didn't he himself also have a server inside the T Tower, that was caught communicating with Russia? Then he changed it, and one of the first contacts with him was that Russian Bank (starting with 'A...')...

    They should go after HIM, and get his tax returns (which the GOP just yesterday voted down - they think his returns are not relevant... yeah, RIGHT! All his loans from Russian banks and his business connections to Russia etc would be revealed. Maybe then the GOP might even get implicated. Is THAT why they don't 'need' his returns?
    .
    .
    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:27 PM

      http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/10/was_a_server_registered_to_the_trump_organization_communicating_with_russia.html

      Delete
  11. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Donald Trump Ducks Questions About Administration’s Ties To Russia

    President Donald Trump on Wednesday ignored shouted questions about his administration’s reported ties to Russia.

    During a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump took two questions from U.S. media outlets about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the Iran nuclear deal.

    Neither of those questions centered on Russia ― the biggest issue this week that ultimately led to the resignation of Trump’s National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, who served less than 30 days at the post.

    When CNN’s Jim Acosta tried to ask Trump about Flynn, the president smiled, thanked the audience and walked away.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-russia-ties_us_58a494e8e4b0ab2d2b1b588c?nbmgsf4h12kxzuxr&

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:43 AM

      LOCK HIM UP! LOCK HIM UP!

      How does it feel Cheeto-man?

      Delete
    2. Oh, it would feel dreadful! No KFC, no golden toilet, no Twitter...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:28 PM

      Then he ran out of the room like the lily-livered chicken shit he is. With due apologies to liver and poultry.

      Delete
  12. Anonymous10:08 AM

    President Donald Trump held a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, but he got through it without answering any questions about his campaign’s reported contacts with Russian intelligence agencies.

    The reason for this was simple: Trump only called on sympathetic conservative news outlets including Townhall and the Christian Broadcasting Network over more traditional media outlets.

    CNN reporter Jim Acosta, who drew the ire of the White House earlier this year when he tried to ask the president a question during a press conference, tried to get a question in about Trump’s Russia ties, but was promptly ignore as the president walked away at the end of the conference.

    Appearing on CNN afterward, Acosta said that Trump’s decision to only call on sympathetic outlets was part of a broader strategy to avoid facing any tough questions about his administration.

    “He got no questions at this news conference about this major news that we’ve seen breaking in the last 24 hours… that associates of the president, aides of the president during the course of the 2016 presidential campaign with Russians… who are known to the U.S. intelligence community,” he said. “This president, this White House, has come up with their own solution for, basically, questions that they don’t want to answer at this point.”

    Acosta said that despite the Trump administration’s evasions, however, that these kinds of tactics “don’t work” in the long run.

    Watch the whole clip below.

    http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/cnns-jim-acosta-slams-trump-for-ducking-russia-questions-by-only-calling-on-right-wing-news-outlets/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:09 AM

      Its pretty obvious that trump doesn't have a clue .The leaders of other countries as well as his administration have his number.They will continue play him until someone stops him for good. He is dumb as a post as our leader

      Delete
  13. Anonymous10:10 AM

    Russia is flexing its muscle and floating a submarine off the coast of Connecticut. Maybe you should focus your attention there?

    http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/connecticut-lawmaker-begs-trump-to-stop-tweeting-and-get-that-russian-spy-ship-off-her-states-coastline/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe they're coming to pick up their operaTive.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous1:30 PM

      Wouldn't that be operaTrump?

      Delete
  14. Anonymous10:12 AM

    Addressing the revelation that Flynn had been in conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) posed the Watergate question of ‘What did the president know and when did he know it.’

    “The much bigger issue is, what is the connection with Russia and the Trump administration? It’s not only how far up does it go — was the campaign in collusion?” Nadler asked. The congressman was asked if he trusted the FBI to properly investigate the Russian connection to the election, whereupon he replied, “I don’t know.”

    Even Republicans now have grave concerns with House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA) wondering what exactly is going on and whether the FBI has any answers as part of their investigation.

    “I expect for the FBI to tell me what is going on, and they better have a good answer,” Nunes said.

    http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/fbi-better-have-a-good-answer-comey-under-siege-after-trump-russian-contact-allegations-leaked/

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous10:52 AM

    Good gosh! the many ways for trump and associates to co mingle with Russians is easy. Don't they rent or own an entire floor in trump tower? or maybe the russian neighbors in florida? Yep several trips to Russia, lots of phone calls made. These morons would have to be morons to believe that the usa intelligence and other intelligence have not been tracking and listening to every call, meeting and scheme of this group of deplorable idiots have made in last 5yrs. More than likely snitches, bitches and moles were helping too. There is no loyalty to a dictator.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous11:10 AM

    I feel like in the movie silence, effing scum running Us govt. All the so called godly wh and legislatures full of liars, cheaters, coveting, robbers in the house. Scums of the earth in the house. And no good is coming out on top. Time to burn bibles?
    This is so backarsewords.

    ReplyDelete
  17. White House pulls Pudzer's nomination.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andy-puzder-goes-down_us_58a4a8bce4b094a129f176f4?

    Guess they didn't want to risk a fail.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous3:47 PM

      And they all fall down.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous11:19 AM

    Calls for expanded Russia investigation enrage key House Republican

    The chair of the House Intelligence Committee—the same guy who already said he wouldn’t investigate what Donald Trump knew about Michael Flynn’s conversations with the Russian ambassador, and who was more concerned that Flynn’s conversations leaked than that they happened—is getting ragey over the idea that maybe his “investigation” of Russian election interference isn’t cutting it and a select committee might be in order.

    http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/15/1634078/-Calls-for-expanded-Russia-investigation-enrage-House-intelligence-chair

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:21 AM

    Comrade Trump misses the adoring crowds so much he’s decided to hold a rally this Saturday, in what’s no doubt an attempt to steer the conversation away from the news he and his staff may be compromised by the Russians. After canceling a visit to Milwaukee and a visit to Ohio, Trump will allegedly head back to Mar-a-Lago this weekend and he has announced a Floria rally to boost his notoriously fragile ego. Here are the details:

    http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/2/15/1634090/-Donald-Trump-just-announced-a-Florida-rally-THIS-WEEKEND-here-is-how-YOU-can-attend

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:34 PM

      Looks like time to reserve a ticket. gigglesnort.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous4:08 PM

      Pretty soon he'll stay in Florida most of the time, charging the federal government a per diem. He can tape black plastic garbage bags over all the first floor windows as he did with the small room where the reporters were sequestered.

      Didn't Sarah Palin do something similar while she was governor of Alaska? Hmmm.
      Beaglemom

      Delete
  20. Anonymous11:26 AM


    Surprise! Guess Who Benefits From Trump's First Bill Signing
    Sean Spicer had to cut yesterday's presser short to attend a bill signing. This is that bill signing.

    And it's remarkable, because here is Congress actually passing legislation and a so-called President signing it. The Republican Congress hardly ever did that with President Obama.
    This one is special. Donald Trump says we're bringing back jobs! In the plant! And in the factory! We're bringing back energy jobs, yay!

    And it would be great if the bill he signed did that, but it doesn't.

    This bill, House Joint Resolution 17, erases a rule that was supposed to go into effect in 2018. This bill benefits oil companies and Vladimir Putin.

    That rule said that oil and natural gas and other energy companies have to disclose when they make a payment to a foreign government. Taxes, fees, whatever, if an American company pays a foreign government money, they have to report that.

    Not anymore they don't.

    Trump's remarks indicate he had no idea what this bill was. From the White House transcript:
    “This is a big signing, a very important signing. And this is H.J. Resolution 41, disapproving the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rule on disclosure of payments by resource extraction issuers. It’s a big deal. And I want to thank Speaker Paul Ryan for being here. He’s been tremendous. Jeb Hensarling very, very important and really worked hard. Representative Bill Huizenga and all of the friends – Peter – all of my friends are up here. And we really appreciate it.

    “This is one of many that we’ve signed, and we have many more left. And we’re bringing back jobs big league, we’re bringing them back at the plant level; we’ve bringing them back at the mine level. The energy jobs are coming back.”
    Steve Benen:
    Show of hands: who believes Trump knows what this bill is and what the legislation does? Based on his comments, the president seems convinced the legislation has something to do with energy-sector jobs, but that’s really not the case.

    What’s more, this keeps happening. Trump was reportedly annoyed with his aides recently when he wasn’t fully briefed on an executive order – after he’d already put his signature on it. Soon after, the president signed an order allowing financial advisors to rip off investors, and by all appearances, he had no idea what his directive was all about.

    Guess who lobbied against this regulation when it was passed in 2010? Rex Tillerson.
    Just a few hours before the vote, ... Tillerson personally... lobbied Congress during the Wall Street reform effort, urging lawmakers to reject a provision that “required drilling and mining companies to disclose any payments they make to foreign governments.”
    Tillerson reportedly argued at the time that forcing oil companies to disclose such payments “would put them at a competitive disadvantage. He also explained that the provision would make it especially difficult for Exxon to do business in Russia, where, as he did not need to explain, the government takes a rather active interest in the oil industry.”

    Way to drain the swamp Donald!

    PS. The exchange at the end of this video would be hilarious if it weren't terrifying. Trump turns to Paul Ryan:

    TRUMP: He's working on Obamacare -- it's going to be very soon. Right?

    SPEAKER RYAN: (looking surprised) Yes.

    http://crooksandliars.com/2017/02/surprise-guess-who-benefits-trumps-first

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous11:28 AM

    Excellent letter to #45 the "so-called-President - reminding him he is an employee now who works for the people

    Mr. President: ‘Just who the hell do you think you are?’
    "...there is one thing to which your election does not entitle you. It does not entitle you to do whatever pops into your furry orange head without being called on it or, should it run afoul of the Constitution, without being blocked.

    Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article132721909.html#storylink=cpy"

    #WeWillRise #RESIST #TheResistance #donthecon #popularvoteloser

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous11:30 AM

    Benjamin Netanyahu Is in Bed with the Trump Administration—Almost Literally
    Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has a long history of staunchly supporting Israel's right-wing elements.

    http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/jared-kushner-israel-netanyahu-bedroom

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous12:55 PM

    The Trump administration gives 2 shites about Israel. The SOLE interest (pandering to the far right evangelical wing nut base) is to ensure the re-build of the ancient Jewish temple to hasten the 'second coming.' Problem: site co-exists with sacred Muslim site. Intersect of Dominionists & fringe evangelicals (Cruz) with fascists (Steve Bannon, et al.). Imploding and 'unsustainable.'

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous1:22 PM

    Whatever happened with this story: Server in Trump Tower Pinging Russia
    http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/cover_story/2016/10/was_a_server_registered_to_the_trump_organization_communicating_with_russia.html

    ReplyDelete

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