Clapper saying what no intelligence official has been comfortable saying yet:
“Of course the Russian efforts affected the outcome. Surprising even themselves, they swung the election to a Trump win." https://t.co/sMymVVTvUO
— Kate Brannen (@K8brannen) May 23, 2018
In his new book, he goes on to say: "To conclude otherwise stretches logic, common sense, & credulity to the breaking point. Less than 80K votes in 3 key states swung the election. I have no doubt that more votes than that were influenced by this massive effort by the Russians.”
— Kate Brannen (@K8brannen) May 23, 2018
Not an expert, obviously, but this seems like the FBI’s branch of the much-discussed “Intelligence Community” taking an overt position…
This staggering conclusion by nonpartisan former DNI James Clapper should be a headline as big and bold as the attack on Pearl Harbor. Instead it’s buried in an unending stream of so-called “breaking news.” https://t.co/VnAwy1lZrC
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 24, 2018
Former DNI James Clapper: "We did not use [the Steele dossier] as a source for our Intelligence Community assessment. It was based on traditional intelligence sources." pic.twitter.com/13zeRBZmJn
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) May 23, 2018
In response — was this the intended result? — the Oval Office Occupant goes for straight-up bullshit:
Clapper has now admitted that there was Spying in my campaign. Large dollars were paid to the Spy, far beyond normal. Starting to look like one of the biggest political scandals in U.S. history. SPYGATE – a terrible thing!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 24, 2018
And “his” political party — seconded by the Media Village Idiots — chooses to follow Dear Leader…
Republicans aren’t just helping Trump cover up his own wrongdoing—they are helping to cover up Russian wrongdoing, because if the full extent of it is known, it will call Trump’s legitimacy, and the legitimacy of their majorities, into question. https://t.co/ct71uAF4zW
— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) May 24, 2018
You are not required to literally use the words that the President uses. You are not required to carry his message far and wide when it’s propaganda. You are not required to treat a lie like a live controversy.
— Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) May 24, 2018
Russiagate Open Thread: The FBI Posts A Receipt?Post + Comments (157)