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Judiciary Committee Releases Hearing Testimony on Russia Meeting

By Jeralyn, Section Trump Administration
Posted on Wed May 16, 2018 at 04:53:53 PM EST
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The Senate Judiciary Committee released 2,500 pages of congressional testimony today including testimony concerning Donald Trump's 2016 "Russia Meeting" in which he hoped for dirt on Hillary.

WAPO analyzes what it all means.

A question: Who did Trump, Jr. call or get a call from after the meeting? The four minute call is to or from a blocked number. Did he talk to his father? He testified he doesn't know (or remember.)

As to alleged efforts to cover-up the real reason of the meeting and protect Don Jr., I think the account in Michael Wolff's book sounds pretty plausible.

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    Judiciary Committee Releases Hearing Testimony on Russia Meeting | 12 comments (12 topical)

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    The Intelligence committee (5.00 / 3) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed May 16, 2018 at 05:46:10 PM EST
    Made news today too

    Senate panel backs intelligence agencies findings on Russian meddling in 2016 election

    WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate intelligence committee said Wednesday that it agrees with the U.S. intelligence agencies' assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 presidential election to hurt the candidacy of Democrat Hillary Clinton and help President Donald Trump.

    The conclusion is at odds with Republican members of the House intelligence committee, who said that while they agreed that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to hamper Clinton's campaign, that didn't mean he wanted to help Trump. The House committee said the intelligence agencies failed to use "proper analytic tradecraft" when they assessed Putin's intentions
    The June 9, 2016 (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by KeysDan on Sat May 19, 2018 at 12:31:48 PM EST
    Trump Tower meeting's smoking gun suffers from becoming publicly known for a while.  But, this meeting is no common Trump grifting meeting with which we have become inured.  It was an unlawful attempt to help Trump and hurt Clinton.

    If made public today, in the context of the information, guilty pleas, and indictments, this meeting so readily agreed to by Don Jr. should blare the headlines of "Collusion/conspiracy between the Russian government and Trump campaign  proved"  The Mueller investigation could end, along with the jailing of the participants, and the impeachment of Trump, if not for the Republican Congress's complicity.

    What's to think?  Don Jr. takes a meeting at Trump Tower, on June 9, 2016 with at least 8 people--top campaign officers and Trump family members: Don jr, Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, Russian lawyer/Kremlin connected, Natalia Veselnitskaya, and other Russians with Kremlin connections.  The convenor, Rob Goldstone, indicated in emails that the Russian government was involved, and that the quid pro quo was: dirt on Hillary/Magnitsky Act (sanctions).  

    The Trump Tower meeting was a brazen undertaking, which was found out only in a revised security clearance form provided by Jared Kushner in which he was required to identify any meetings with foreigners..  When discovered, the purpose of the meeting was repeatedly lied about--adoptions, nothing at all, a waste of time.  Helped in the lies by Trump via Hope Hicks.

     As to the blocked call, it seems likely that Don jr. would call his father, but this information is probably known by Mueller, and, Trump has new lies ready to go.

    Just heard Frank Figluizzi (none / 0) (#2)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri May 18, 2018 at 04:10:00 PM EST
    Speculating that the "spy" that has Trump would so agitated might have been from another government.  Possibly an ally or possibly even a Russian double agent.

    Holy Shiite

    Looks (none / 0) (#3)
    by FlJoe on Sat May 19, 2018 at 08:18:43 AM EST
    like it's an American
    In mid-July 2016, a retired American professor approached an adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign at a symposium about the White House race held at a British university.

    The professor took the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Carter Page, whom Trump had named a few months earlier as a foreign policy adviser.

    But the professor was more than an academic interested in American politics -- he was a longtime U.S. intelligence source. And, at some point in 2016, he began working as a secret informant for the FBI as it investigated Russia's interference in the campaign, according to people familiar with his activities.

    A very detailed story laying out the targets (Page, Clovis and  Papadopoulos) and the methods and timeline. The targets and their lawyers (hello Victoria Toensing) know exactly who it is, so there is little doubt that a lot of people in Washington know his name. Most likely anyone who wanted to do a little research could figure it out. I imagine his name will leak out shortly, but in any case his cover is probably blown wide open both here an abroad.

    No big deal, really SOP in a counter intelligence investigation.  Of course in the tRumpian universe it's ok for the likes of Carter Who and the Coffee Boy talking to Russian operatives but outrageous that our agencies would try to do the same.

    Parent

    If it was either Sater or Page (none / 0) (#6)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 21, 2018 at 09:45:55 AM EST
    Neither one of them is camera shy :) I don't think having their cover blown would chronically upset either one.

    If there is a God though, at the end of all this, Erik Prince will spend the rest of his life hiding in the UAE running from certain prison.

    Parent

    I think it was either (none / 0) (#5)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 21, 2018 at 09:42:08 AM EST
    Sater or Page.

    It has been odd to me that Carter Page hasn't been charged with anything.

    As always though I must reflect on the fact that the Mueller investigation does not appear to leak, and I know very little. Just extrapolatin

    Parent

    It's (none / 0) (#7)
    by FlJoe on Mon May 21, 2018 at 10:02:50 AM EST
    been pretty much determined that it is Stephan Halper.
    A Cambridge professor with deep ties to American and British intelligence has been outed as an agent who snooped on the Trump presidential campaign for the FBI.

    Multiple media outlets have named Stefan Halper, 73, as the secret informant who met with Trump campaign advisers Carter Page and George Papadopoulos starting in the summer of 2016. The American-born academic previously served in the Nixon, Ford and Reagan administrations.

    Link
    It's actually not news as his name was floated weeks ago.

    Parent
    That story didn't get picked up (none / 0) (#8)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 21, 2018 at 10:18:22 AM EST
    By a news source that I consider credible.

    I don't cling to anything that the NYPost or the Intercept puts out.

    That is why I have my doubts this is the guy.

    Maybe it will soon

    Parent

    I (none / 0) (#9)
    by FlJoe on Mon May 21, 2018 at 10:35:50 AM EST
    do trust Empty Wheel whom seems to buy it. The timeline and the details reported in the NYT and the WP seem to match up exactly.

    Parent
    This morning (none / 0) (#10)
    by CaptHowdy on Mon May 21, 2018 at 10:58:47 AM EST
    The usual security suspects seem to accept his identity has been revealed

    As you say

    This is a very very serious development

    His life could now be in danger.  As well as the lives of everyone he has contacted.

    IMO that's a whole new level.  IMO there will be consequences

    Parent

    Not (none / 0) (#11)
    by FlJoe on Mon May 21, 2018 at 11:26:59 AM EST
    too sure about the danger or the damage done. His connections to the CIA and M16 have apparently known for decades, this revelation probably a nothingburger in the spook world.

    The real danger is the Repugs willingness to play this all out in public for purely political reasons is going to deter present and future sources from cooperating out of fear they will also be so recklessly exposed.

    Parent

    This guy though (none / 0) (#12)
    by Militarytracy on Mon May 21, 2018 at 12:32:03 PM EST
    THIS spy, if this is the spy

    He is a dyed in the wool Republican.

    How much play can they really get out of it?

    If it is this gentleman, and Trump chases this tiger down, what follows is going to be a nationwide discussion about treason and hostile foreign powers.

    An in depth bipartisan discussion about that has not really occurred yet. Liberals usually aren't crystal clear on those concepts either, we tend to be liberal and that is fine. But Trump's base is Conservative.  I don't speak Conservative but I've heard a couple in the past who really knew how to speak bipartisan about dealing with hostile foreign powers and treason.

    I would not go after this guy if I were Trump, which probably means Trump is going to go after this guy.  

    A Conservative spook professor forced into the revealed spook corner could eat Trump's taco bowl and drink his milk shake discussing the United States, democracy, treason, and espionage.

    I'm game

    Parent

    Judiciary Committee Releases Hearing Testimony on Russia Meeting | 12 comments (12 topical)

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