RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN 2016 US ELECTION & SPIN-OFF INVESTIGATIONS

[Duchess]

Maybe a new committee to investigate the investigative committee should be brought up

Nunes, dat u?

Gowdy?

[HairOfTheDog]

Is the entire investigation a real investigation that encompasses all aspects of collusion including the DNC, Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama or is it a set up disguised as an investigation to discredit Trump because he won? The question you asked "Is Trump above the law" I would say no. And neither is anyone that had a finger in this entire thing. Who paid Steele? We know it was the DNC to get info on Trump because it was looking like he was going to win. Or is that not relevant but Trumps business activities are? I see collusion with this investigative committee.
Maybe a new committee to investigate the investigative committee should be brought up as it seems they are not subjective enough to look at all aspects of this tangled web of deceit.
As Truman said "anyone that gets rich in Washington is corrupt".

I'm glad there is an investigation underway.

Our national security and intelligence agencies all agreed over a year ago that the Russians interfered in the U.S. election. Of course that should be investigated.

Russian individuals and organizations have been indicted as result of the independent investigation. Putin has said he doesn't care. He seems increasingly emboldened to do whatever the hell he wants these days.

So, while nobody expects Russia to send the accused Russians to the U.S. for trial, at least we're letting the alleged offenders know that we know and that kind of cyber warfare and infiltration (here and in Europe) by Russia is not going to be overlooked. Hopefully, the U.S. security and intelligence agencies are also doing something behind the scenes to prevent future hacks and covert operations.

We already know that Russian intelligence tried not only to help Trump, but also to help Bernie and Jill Stein -- anybody but Hillary. If there's evidence that Trump, Bernie, Stein or Hillary Clinton (or any of their campaign staffers) conspired or broke any laws, they should each be held accountable. Just because you haven't seen any indictments or leaks in regards to those campaigns, doesn't mean they haven't come up in the investigation.

As for the dossier, we know that it was originally funded by a conservative publication and later picked up by the Clinton campaign. Opposition research isn't a crime nor is it unusual. Lying to investigators about talking to Russians to get dirt on a political competitor -- like saying the meeting was about adoption if it wasn't -- however, is a crime.

I'm watching where the investigation goes and look forward to viewing the results/evidence when it becomes available.

[pyropappy]

Ha haha...

Just read that two democrats started the Mike Horowitz's investigation into the WSJ leaks because they were concerned about info leaking on the Clinton Foundation. The IG, Horowitz, is an Obama appointee. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Does this count as a terrible gun attack too?

You can't make this shit up.

[HairOfTheDog]

It doesn't matter who appointed Horowitz; his job is to focus on facts and evidence and, as far as I can see, he does just that. People can do their jobs objectively regardless of their political affiliations. I remember Horowitz's report on 'Fast and Furious' was highly critical.

Plus.......Obama appointed several Republicans, though I don't even know whether Horowitz is a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent. I do know he worked for the Justice Department under Republican administrations prior to his IG appointment during Obama's tenure.

And, I don't think it was two Democrats who kicked off the IG investigation. Horowitz publicly announced back in January that the new Clinton investigation was launched in response to requests from numerous Chairmen and Ranking Members of Congressional oversight committees, various organizations, and members of the public.

Anyway, the full IG report is expected to be released later this Spring. It should make for interesting reading.

[HairOfTheDog]

The Data Harvesting / User Targeting Component

Today, former Cambridge Analytica contractor Christopher Wylie said he assisted developing a “psychological warfare weapon” in order to capitalize on “vulnerabilities” of Facebook users.

Cambridge Analytica, established by conservative GOP mass donor Robert Mercer, harvested Facebook users' posts, likes, personality test results, etc.....for the Trump campaign.

Those Facebook users were targeted by the Trump campaign during the 2016 election cycle. Are they the same FB users who were targeted by the Russian misinformation operation? We don't know yet, but I bet they are. Mueller has just asked Cambridge Analytica employees for their internal communications/docs related to the 2016 election.

According to former Cambridge Analytica contractor Wylie, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon wanted to change politics by first changing culture, which could be achieved by obtaining an “arsenal of information weapons.” I think Bannon was right about that.

Facebook recently suspended Cambridge Analytica and Wylie when it became public that the Facebook user info they'd harvested hadn't been deleted, which was part of the business deal.

Facebook's under increasing fire for selling their users' information to marketing (and political) parties without specific consent from its users. Today, FB's market value plummeted.

[pyropappy]

The Data Harvesting / User Targeting Component

Today, former Cambridge Analytica contractor Christopher Wylie said he assisted developing a “psychological warfare weapon” in order to capitalize on “vulnerabilities” of Facebook users.

Cambridge Analytica, established by conservative GOP mass donor Robert Mercer, harvested Facebook users' posts, likes, personality test results, etc.....for the Trump campaign.

Those Facebook users were targeted by the Trump campaign during the 2016 election cycle. Are they the same FB users who were targeted by the Russian misinformation operation? We don't know yet, but I bet they are. Mueller has just asked Cambridge Analytica employees for their internal communications/docs related to the 2016 election.

According to former Cambridge Analytica contractor Wylie, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon wanted to change politics by first changing culture, which could be achieved by obtaining an “arsenal of information weapons.” I think Bannon was right about that.

Facebook recently suspended Cambridge Analytica and Wylie when it became public that the Facebook user info they'd harvested hadn't been deleted, which was part of the business deal.

Facebook's under increasing fire for selling their users' information to marketing (and political) parties without specific consent from its users. Today, FB's market value plummeted.

Stupid people have been manipulated for centuries. It got fairly organized with the start of the Progressive movement at the turn of the 19^th century under Edward Bernays. Technology is only speeding up the process.

This is why I warn of the dangers of big government; Washington has been using this technology for decades. If you are not informed you will fall prey. A few powerful people are deciding what is important for the average people to know; that never ends well. It will only get worse until folks wake up.

Educate yourselves because both sides of the political spectrum are going to use it for their enrichment at our expense.

[Jimbone]

Utilizing data to influence campaigns is here to stay. Obama was lauded for his use of big data and social media to influence his campaign outcomes, and rightly so. They leveraged technology and data effectively.

"A final aspect of the Obama campaign’s social media success comes from the increasing sophistication of online data collection. We may equate data harvesting with large online presences such as Google or Amazon, but they aren’t the only ones mining user data. The ability to collect and analyze data on a large scale allowed the Obama team to model behaviors and coordinate and target communications based. They could, for example, predict which types of people could be persuaded by which forms of contact and content."

http://mprcenter.org/blog/2013/01/how-ob...-campaign/

Anyone who is upset about the Cambridge Analytica story is being intellectually dishonest IMO. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Though I thought was interesting to me that Facebook got hit financially for it. Who on earth didn't think Facebook was collecting and selling data?

[HairOfTheDog]

I don't know many people who'd be surprised by Cambridge Analytica's activities.

And, it's true that reaching and influencing people via social media is not new.

What's at issue here though is whether there's a connection between the Russia troll factory and the data gathered by the Trump campaign via Cambridge Analytica to target specific Facebook users, and whether Facebook has an obligation to control false and misleading content featured as 'news'.

I do think a lot of people who swallowed and spread some of the misinformation and conspiracy theories that appeared in their Facebook news feeds during the election would be surprised to find out they'd been specifically targeted to be duped. I've seen one of them interviewed......................she was adamant that the misinformation campaign discoveries were fake news (about fake news), even when irrefutable evidence was presented to her.

[Maggot]

Anyone can mine facebook for info and they have. This is another nothing to discredit Trump, and the masses will eat it up like candy. It's a pattern that quite a few can see through though. Oh well.

[HairOfTheDog]

Anyone can mine facebook for info and they have. This is another nothing to discredit Trump, and the masses will eat it up like candy. It's a pattern that quite a few can see through though. Oh well.

That's false Maggot. Not anyone can mine Facebook data on such a specific, detailed and large scale. It takes technical expertise and a lot of time and effort.

And, how is this an effort to discredit Trump rather than an effort to get to the truth? What if Trump had no knowledge about the source of the misinformation? What if he had nothing to do with the Cambridge Analytica data being supplied to Russian trolls (if indeed it was)? What if he did?

I think cyber warfare is a significant threat to our culture right now. Misinformation and lies fed to Americans as "news" via a large media organization by adversaries is definitely something the U.S. should be investigating and defending against, don't you think?

[Maggot]

Anyone can mine facebook the info is there on the internet now if you change the perimeters of the statement and add on a large scale then you are right a person would need more tools. But people being the way they are will put their info out there for the masses, then anyone can get it. I'm not a big fan of facebook for that reason.

You are insinuating that Trump working with the Russian's "may" have mined facebook I don't believe mining facebook is illegal but you tossing in "with the Russians" looks like you may be hoping for another deep water fishing expedition as is most people trying their hardest to discredit Trump. hopefully you are just repeating media expression and not using your own "opinion" as I am.

[HairOfTheDog]

Wrong again Maggot.

We're in the Russian Interference Investigation thread, remember? Steve Bannon worked closely with Cambridge Analytica during the Trump campaign and now Cambridge Analytica has been subpoenaed by the independent investigators looking into Russian interference.

That's 'real' news, fact. I'm curious to see what evidence is uncovered. If it shows that Trump and his campaign broke no laws in terms of the data mining/harvesting and the perpetuation of lies and misinformation....that's great. If he/they did participate in using people's data to target them with bullshit through one of the biggest media sources of news for tens of millions of Americans, so be it.

In either case, I consider massive politically-motivated efforts to misinform and promote discord a more significant problem for our culture than do you.

I also don't like Facebook and other social media organizations having no restrictions on mining/harvesting user data and providing it to whomever they want, including adversaries. Changes need to be made on that front, in my opinion. Difference of opinion, which is fine.

[Duchess]

most people trying their hardest to discredit Trump.

No one has to try hard at all. He puts it out there himself. That's why I don't want him impeached. Pence would never be so goddamn stupid.

...and just so you know, the Russia investigation did not start because of the dossier. It began in July of 2016 and the catalyst being a Carter Page speech in Moscow. trump didn't help matters any when he told Lester Holt he got rid of Comey because of the investigation. He also invited Russians into the oval office where he told them he got rid of the nutjob, or words to that effect, meaning Comey, because of the investigation.

[Maggot]

I believe Trump will be shown to not be involved in any of it. But I don't think that is the reasoning behind the investigation. Although I am looking forward to the IG report in the next month or so, until then I'm sure plenty of damage can be done through conjecture towards the Trump administration.

[HairOfTheDog]

Well, Mags, I'm glad we have oversight processes in this country and our traditional press covers it. It's certainly not exclusive to Trump.

Bill Clinton was investigated and impeached. His loyalists always contended it was a hit job or just didn't care, and he was re-elected anyway.

Hillary Clinton was investigated eight separate times by Republicans in regards to Benghazi, which was overkill and a waste of tax-payer money beyond the first couple of investigations, in my opinion. Did the massive conjecture hurt her politically? I don't know, but I'm sure many of her fans believe so.

You're trying so hard to discredit the investigation and defend President Trump. That's your right. I'm waiting to see what evidence is uncovered and not assuming guilt or innocence, which is my right.

I do think that Trump and his spokespeople are helping to create their own negative conjecture.

[Duchess]

trump called Putin to congratulate him on his re-election, no matter that it was rigged and he is someone who either kills or jails his opponents and that's aside from all the other bullshit. I'm waiting for the moment Putin tells him to lick his balls and trump drops to his knees. I hope it happens in prime time.

[HairOfTheDog]

Lawyering Out and Up



^ John Dowd, a personal attorney to President Trump, resigned his position Thursday amid a shake-up in the president’s legal team as Trump has sought more firepower to deal with the special counsel’s Russia investigation.

The resignation came Thursday, according to three people familiar with the decision. In an email to The Washington Post, Dowd wrote, “I love the President and wish him well.”

Dowd’s departure was a largely mutual decision made after the president lost confidence in his ability to handle special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation and Dowd became frustrated with Trump’s recent efforts to bring on new attorneys, they said.

In recent weeks, Dowd clashed with the president, including an incident in which he disagreed vehemently with Trump over a legal strategy, according to the people.

Last week, Dowd called on the Justice Department to immediately shut down the special counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, in the wake of the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe (and some Republican lawmakers told the press that it would pave the road to impeachment for obstruction if that were to happen).

Dowd said in a statement that the investigation, now led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, was fatally flawed early on and “corrupted” by political bias. He called on Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, who oversees that probe, to shut it down.

Dowd then told The Post on Saturday he was speaking for himself and not on Trump’s behalf.

Trump added former U.S. attorney Joe diGenova (frequent FOX contributor and conspiracy theorist) to his legal team last week.

Ref: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/...story.html

[HairOfTheDog]

Earlier this week, it was revealed that recently-ousted Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe (right) had authorized an investigation into whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions (his boss, center) had lied to investigators about interactions with Russian operatives prior to Sessions recusing himself from the Justice Department's Russia investigation.

Sessions was reportedly unaware that he was under internal investigation which began before special counsel Mueller was appointed..

Story: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/21/us/po...rjury.html

[Duchess]

Trump added former U.S. attorney Joe diGenova (frequent FOX contributor and conspiracy theorist) to his legal team last week.

Alex Jones with a law degree.

Respectable Ted Olson turned him down...twice. The second time publicly.

[Maggot]

Time will tell.