Post by the Scribe on May 21, 2020 0:21:43 GMT
Trump's 'Obamagate' conspiracy theory just got blown to pieces
www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-obamagate-conspiracy-theory-just-211509470.html
ssheth@businessinsider.com (Sonam Sheth)
Business InsiderMay 20, 2020, 2:15 PM MST
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama in 2017.
Jack Gruber-Pool/Getty Images
President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have in recent weeks latched onto a vague conspiracy theory, dubbed Obamagate, that centers on former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
It accuses Obama administration officials of improperly "unmasking" Flynn's name in intelligence reports monitoring former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's communications.
But a Washington Post report on Wednesday blew up that allegation when it revealed that Flynn's name was never "masked" in the first place.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/michael-flynns-name-was-never-masked-in-fbi-document-on-his-communications-with-russian-ambassador/2020/05/20/e94ee050-9a0b-11ea-ac72-3841fcc9b35f_story.html
The Obamagate conspiracy theory also accuses former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden of having advance knowledge of the FBI's plans to interview Flynn about his communications with Kislyak.
But a newly declassified email appears to debunk that claim as well.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
President Donald Trump, Republican lawmakers, and right-wing media personalities have in recent weeks latched onto a vague conspiracy theory accusing former President Barack Obama and his administration of masterminding the Russia investigation and engineering a "deep-state" campaign to undermine Trump's presidency before it even began.
The conspiracy, dubbed Obamagate, revolves around former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of lying to the FBI as part of the bureau's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
Specifically, Flynn admitted to lying to investigators about a December 29, 2016 phone call with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, during which the incoming national security adviser asked that the Kremlin not retaliate against new sanctions Obama had levied against Russia, and suggested the Trump administration would be more receptive.
Obamagate accuses former Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials of improperly requesting that Flynn's name be "unmasked" in intelligence reports monitoring Kislyak's communications.
The conspiracy theory picked up steam last week when Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, declassified a list of Obama administration officials who made unmasking requests which included Flynn's name between November 30, 2016, and January 12, 2017. Biden was among the names on the list.
Trump and his allies seized on the development and said it showed Biden and others improperly and illegally unmasked the former national security adviser's identity.
But a Washington Post report on Wednesday blew up that allegation when it revealed that Flynn's name was never "masked" in the first place.
"When the FBI circulated [the report], they included Flynn's name from the beginning" because it was essential to understanding its significance, a former senior US official told The Post. "There were therefore no requests for the unmasking of that information."
Moreover, the list documented unmasking requests made through the National Security Agency, while transcripts documenting Flynn's conversations with Kislyak were an FBI product, meaning the names on the declassified list Grenell released are unrelated to Flynn's conversations with Kislyak.
The US intelligence community surveils hundreds of thousands of foreign targets per year, and "unmasking" is a routine and legal tool officials use to make more sense of the communications they're monitoring. The intelligence community gets thousands of unmasking requests a year.
www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05-13%20ODNI%20to%20CEG%20RHJ%20%28Unmasking%29.pdf
The Obamagate theory also accuses Obama and Biden of having advance knowledge of the FBI's plans to interview Flynn about his communications with Kislyak during the 2017 presidential transition period.
That allegation centers on an Oval Office meeting that took place on January 5, 2017, and included Obama, Biden, then-national security adviser Susan Rice, then-FBI Director James Comey, and then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
Rice sent herself an email documenting the meeting afterward — known as a contemporaneous memo — and Trump and his Republican allies have seized on the email as evidence that Obama ordered the FBI to "spy" on the Trump campaign.
But the email, which was declassified in full this week (though much of it had already been declassified), appears to indicate otherwise.
During the meeting, according to Rice's email, Obama emphasized "his continued commitment to ensuring that every aspect of this issue is handled by the Intelligence and law enforcement communities 'by the book.'"
"The President stressed that he is not asking about, initiating or instructing anything from a law enforcement perspective," the email said. "He reiterated that our law enforcement team needs to proceed as it normally would by the book."
Obama said, however, that from "a national security perspective," the outgoing administration should be "mindful" when sharing information about Russia with the incoming Trump administration, according to Rice's memo.
Comey then affirmed that he was proceeding "by the book" but said he was concerned about Flynn's frequent conversations with Kislyak and that the communications "could be an issue as it relates to sharing sensitive information."
Obama asked Comey if he was saying the National Security Council should not share sensitive intelligence about Russia with Flynn, to which Comey replied: "Potentially."
He added, however, that he had no information indicating that Flynn had passed any classified information to Kislyak, though their "level of communication" was "unusual," the memo said.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Republican Southern Grandma 43 minutes ago
Bipartisan Senate report says 2017 intel assessment about Russian interference and Trump was accurate
April 21, 2020, 10:58 AM EDT
A bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee has validated the January 2017 U.S. intelligence assessment describing Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election — including Russian efforts to help Donald Trump — describing it as accurate, thorough, and untainted by political bias.
"The Committee found no reason to dispute the Intelligence Community's conclusions," said Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C.
The CIA and other spy agencies produced the assessment during the final weeks of the Obama administration, and a version of it was made public on Jan. 6, 2017. It told a story of a Russian covert operation designed to undermine American democracy that evolved into an attempt to help Trump win.
The new report by the Republican-run committee — which examines how the assessment was put together — undercuts criticisms by some of President Trump's supporters that the spy agencies overstated Russia's activities. A long-running theory on the right holds that the assessment was "rigged" by a cabal of hand-picked intelligence analysts led by then-CIA Director John Brennan, who has become a vocal Trump critic.
The Senate report found no evidence of that. To the contrary, the intelligence committee was told that debate over the conclusions was free flowing and that no one exerted undue influence.
"In all the interviews of those who drafted and prepared the (assessment), the Committee heard consistently that analysts were under no politically motivated pressure to reach specific conclusions," the report says. "All analysts ... were free to debate, object to content, and assess confidence levels."
That conclusion is significant, because it comes as a prosecutor appointed by Attorney General William Barr is said to be examining Brennan's role in the assessment, which was written based on intelligence gathered by the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency, among others.
I am Q 32 minutes ago
This is exactly why folks call it a cult. There's a groupthink that mirrors cult behavior. It's not their beliefs that matter, but whatever their leader believes. If Trump changes his belief 180 degrees then the whole cult changes their beliefs even if it's the opposite of a day ago. Liberals have their own nuttiness, but I'll give them this much, they can't stand any leader because no one could ever fit all of their often conflicting woke standards. But at least they have something like standards. The Trump cult has only one: what does Trump believe and whatever that is becomes their belief instantly.
HandWashingFaceToucher 1 hour ago
Every distraction distracts from another distraction, which in turn, distracts from yet another. It’s distractions, all the way down.
Step one: Deny the reports while arguing that even if true, there is nothing wrong with what was done.
Step two: Divert attention to a subplot that implicates political rivals.
Step three: Discredit investigators by accusing those involved of a deep state or partisan witch hunt.
Justin 57 minutes ago
BREAKING NEWS! THIS JUST IN!!!!!!!!!Obama Gate:11.6 million jobs added. Health care for 15 million more Americans Defeated Ebola & h1n1 Pandemics
Weekly earnings up 4% after inflation s&P rose 166 percent
Saved the auto industry wind and solar power increased by 369% won Nobel peace prize 0 impeachments 0 indictments
ana2rosa2003 50 minutes ago
I thought Trump could "investigate anyone". He's had 3 1/2 years. How come Comey, Obama, and Hillary are not sharing a cell right now?
Why? Because Trump's accusations and conspiracy theories are just pablum for his poorly educated supporters
Manup 31 minutes ago
Let’s get this straight Dave Chappell said it best the republicans only help and serve rich people. So if you are a poor republican you just a pawn. You are not inside their circle. Name one thing that the republicans have done for their middle class tax payers I’ll wait.
Serious B 32 minutes ago
Really?? For those of you who are loyal to the end to this man known Legally as Individual#1 or IQ45 to rest of the World,
No explanation or truth is ever possible. For those who are educated enough to see it, hear it, and know it, No more explanations
and truth are necessary.
Peek A Boo 36 minutes ago
Why r u such a baby? They did the exact same thing to virtually every modern president, yet you somehow think they are picking on little Trump. Did u post the same when they went after Obama’s birth certificate? Grow up. This is politics and this is how it’s been done for decades. The difference here is Trump is a little crybaby and can’t take it.
www.yahoo.com/news/trumps-obamagate-conspiracy-theory-just-211509470.html
ssheth@businessinsider.com (Sonam Sheth)
Business InsiderMay 20, 2020, 2:15 PM MST
President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama in 2017.
Jack Gruber-Pool/Getty Images
President Donald Trump and his Republican allies have in recent weeks latched onto a vague conspiracy theory, dubbed Obamagate, that centers on former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
It accuses Obama administration officials of improperly "unmasking" Flynn's name in intelligence reports monitoring former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak's communications.
But a Washington Post report on Wednesday blew up that allegation when it revealed that Flynn's name was never "masked" in the first place.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/michael-flynns-name-was-never-masked-in-fbi-document-on-his-communications-with-russian-ambassador/2020/05/20/e94ee050-9a0b-11ea-ac72-3841fcc9b35f_story.html
The Obamagate conspiracy theory also accuses former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden of having advance knowledge of the FBI's plans to interview Flynn about his communications with Kislyak.
But a newly declassified email appears to debunk that claim as well.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
President Donald Trump, Republican lawmakers, and right-wing media personalities have in recent weeks latched onto a vague conspiracy theory accusing former President Barack Obama and his administration of masterminding the Russia investigation and engineering a "deep-state" campaign to undermine Trump's presidency before it even began.
The conspiracy, dubbed Obamagate, revolves around former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of lying to the FBI as part of the bureau's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
Specifically, Flynn admitted to lying to investigators about a December 29, 2016 phone call with then Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, during which the incoming national security adviser asked that the Kremlin not retaliate against new sanctions Obama had levied against Russia, and suggested the Trump administration would be more receptive.
Obamagate accuses former Vice President Joe Biden and other Obama administration officials of improperly requesting that Flynn's name be "unmasked" in intelligence reports monitoring Kislyak's communications.
The conspiracy theory picked up steam last week when Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, declassified a list of Obama administration officials who made unmasking requests which included Flynn's name between November 30, 2016, and January 12, 2017. Biden was among the names on the list.
Trump and his allies seized on the development and said it showed Biden and others improperly and illegally unmasked the former national security adviser's identity.
But a Washington Post report on Wednesday blew up that allegation when it revealed that Flynn's name was never "masked" in the first place.
"When the FBI circulated [the report], they included Flynn's name from the beginning" because it was essential to understanding its significance, a former senior US official told The Post. "There were therefore no requests for the unmasking of that information."
Moreover, the list documented unmasking requests made through the National Security Agency, while transcripts documenting Flynn's conversations with Kislyak were an FBI product, meaning the names on the declassified list Grenell released are unrelated to Flynn's conversations with Kislyak.
The US intelligence community surveils hundreds of thousands of foreign targets per year, and "unmasking" is a routine and legal tool officials use to make more sense of the communications they're monitoring. The intelligence community gets thousands of unmasking requests a year.
www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05-13%20ODNI%20to%20CEG%20RHJ%20%28Unmasking%29.pdf
The Obamagate theory also accuses Obama and Biden of having advance knowledge of the FBI's plans to interview Flynn about his communications with Kislyak during the 2017 presidential transition period.
That allegation centers on an Oval Office meeting that took place on January 5, 2017, and included Obama, Biden, then-national security adviser Susan Rice, then-FBI Director James Comey, and then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
Rice sent herself an email documenting the meeting afterward — known as a contemporaneous memo — and Trump and his Republican allies have seized on the email as evidence that Obama ordered the FBI to "spy" on the Trump campaign.
But the email, which was declassified in full this week (though much of it had already been declassified), appears to indicate otherwise.
During the meeting, according to Rice's email, Obama emphasized "his continued commitment to ensuring that every aspect of this issue is handled by the Intelligence and law enforcement communities 'by the book.'"
"The President stressed that he is not asking about, initiating or instructing anything from a law enforcement perspective," the email said. "He reiterated that our law enforcement team needs to proceed as it normally would by the book."
Obama said, however, that from "a national security perspective," the outgoing administration should be "mindful" when sharing information about Russia with the incoming Trump administration, according to Rice's memo.
Comey then affirmed that he was proceeding "by the book" but said he was concerned about Flynn's frequent conversations with Kislyak and that the communications "could be an issue as it relates to sharing sensitive information."
Obama asked Comey if he was saying the National Security Council should not share sensitive intelligence about Russia with Flynn, to which Comey replied: "Potentially."
He added, however, that he had no information indicating that Flynn had passed any classified information to Kislyak, though their "level of communication" was "unusual," the memo said.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Republican Southern Grandma 43 minutes ago
Bipartisan Senate report says 2017 intel assessment about Russian interference and Trump was accurate
April 21, 2020, 10:58 AM EDT
A bipartisan investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee has validated the January 2017 U.S. intelligence assessment describing Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election — including Russian efforts to help Donald Trump — describing it as accurate, thorough, and untainted by political bias.
"The Committee found no reason to dispute the Intelligence Community's conclusions," said Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C.
The CIA and other spy agencies produced the assessment during the final weeks of the Obama administration, and a version of it was made public on Jan. 6, 2017. It told a story of a Russian covert operation designed to undermine American democracy that evolved into an attempt to help Trump win.
The new report by the Republican-run committee — which examines how the assessment was put together — undercuts criticisms by some of President Trump's supporters that the spy agencies overstated Russia's activities. A long-running theory on the right holds that the assessment was "rigged" by a cabal of hand-picked intelligence analysts led by then-CIA Director John Brennan, who has become a vocal Trump critic.
The Senate report found no evidence of that. To the contrary, the intelligence committee was told that debate over the conclusions was free flowing and that no one exerted undue influence.
"In all the interviews of those who drafted and prepared the (assessment), the Committee heard consistently that analysts were under no politically motivated pressure to reach specific conclusions," the report says. "All analysts ... were free to debate, object to content, and assess confidence levels."
That conclusion is significant, because it comes as a prosecutor appointed by Attorney General William Barr is said to be examining Brennan's role in the assessment, which was written based on intelligence gathered by the CIA, the FBI and the National Security Agency, among others.
I am Q 32 minutes ago
This is exactly why folks call it a cult. There's a groupthink that mirrors cult behavior. It's not their beliefs that matter, but whatever their leader believes. If Trump changes his belief 180 degrees then the whole cult changes their beliefs even if it's the opposite of a day ago. Liberals have their own nuttiness, but I'll give them this much, they can't stand any leader because no one could ever fit all of their often conflicting woke standards. But at least they have something like standards. The Trump cult has only one: what does Trump believe and whatever that is becomes their belief instantly.
HandWashingFaceToucher 1 hour ago
Every distraction distracts from another distraction, which in turn, distracts from yet another. It’s distractions, all the way down.
Step one: Deny the reports while arguing that even if true, there is nothing wrong with what was done.
Step two: Divert attention to a subplot that implicates political rivals.
Step three: Discredit investigators by accusing those involved of a deep state or partisan witch hunt.
Justin 57 minutes ago
BREAKING NEWS! THIS JUST IN!!!!!!!!!Obama Gate:11.6 million jobs added. Health care for 15 million more Americans Defeated Ebola & h1n1 Pandemics
Weekly earnings up 4% after inflation s&P rose 166 percent
Saved the auto industry wind and solar power increased by 369% won Nobel peace prize 0 impeachments 0 indictments
ana2rosa2003 50 minutes ago
I thought Trump could "investigate anyone". He's had 3 1/2 years. How come Comey, Obama, and Hillary are not sharing a cell right now?
Why? Because Trump's accusations and conspiracy theories are just pablum for his poorly educated supporters
Manup 31 minutes ago
Let’s get this straight Dave Chappell said it best the republicans only help and serve rich people. So if you are a poor republican you just a pawn. You are not inside their circle. Name one thing that the republicans have done for their middle class tax payers I’ll wait.
Serious B 32 minutes ago
Really?? For those of you who are loyal to the end to this man known Legally as Individual#1 or IQ45 to rest of the World,
No explanation or truth is ever possible. For those who are educated enough to see it, hear it, and know it, No more explanations
and truth are necessary.
Peek A Boo 36 minutes ago
Why r u such a baby? They did the exact same thing to virtually every modern president, yet you somehow think they are picking on little Trump. Did u post the same when they went after Obama’s birth certificate? Grow up. This is politics and this is how it’s been done for decades. The difference here is Trump is a little crybaby and can’t take it.