Eyes turn to Hillary Clinton, not Trump in the Russiagate scandal

[The Bobster]

Eyes turn to Hillary Clinton, not Trump in the Russiagate scandal

Russiagate, the collective delusion that Donald Trump was secretly a Russian agent aided and abetted by the Kremlin, the topic of uncountable inches of Washington Post and New York Times copy and t…

nypost.com

Eyes turn to Hillary Clinton, not Trump in the Russiagate scandal​

By
Post Editorial Board


February 13, 2022 9:37pm
Updated









Hillary Clinton's camp threw 'justice out the window': Sen. Blackburn




So there you have it.
Russiagate, the collective delusion that Donald Trump was secretly a Russian agent aided and abetted by the Kremlin, the topic of uncountable inches of Washington Post and New York Times copy and the entire primetime lineup of MSNBC, was a dirty trick by the Hillary Clinton campaign. Not just part of it. All of it. One of the most diabolical, successful misinformation campaigns ever concocted.
We already knew that the Steele dossier was garbage. Christopher Steele was paid indirectly by the Clinton campaign to dig up dirt, which he did by turning to other Clinton operatives, laundering every outlandish rumor about Trump he could find into an “investigative” document.
He shopped it to the FBI, which couldn’t verify his sources or any of his stories, but the agency dragged out the investigation to cast maximum suspicion on the new president. In the meantime, Steele found willing accomplices in the media to push his propaganda. The dupes at BuzzFeed even decided to print the whole pack of lies, with the flimsy rationale of “Well, why not?”
Democrats are calling for Clinton to be investigated for her role in Russiagate. Masterclass via REUTERS President Donald Trump holds up papers as he speaks about the coronavirus in the James Brady Press Briefing Room.Alex Brandon/AP
We got to the point where New York magazine was running a cover story that was one long piece of fan fiction that Trump was secretly a real-life version of “The Americans,” a sleeper agent now seated in the highest office in the land. The Times and Washington Post won a freaking Pulitzer!

A made-up story​

Now another piece of Russia, Russia, Russia is kaputski. A computer server operated by Trump’s company was secretly communicating with a Russian firm, claimed Slate magazine and endless Twitter threads of would-be tech experts.
But as special counsel John Durham outlines in his latest indictment, that was just a story made up by tech executive Rodney Joffe, who desperately wanted a job with the Clinton administration. He hacked Trump’s servers, cherry-picked privileged Internet data he had access to, and molded it to look like something nefarious.
Recent Durham filings have shown that Trump’s suspicion that he was being spied on was true. Bob Child/AP
He was coached by lawyer Michael Sussmann — who was being paid by the Clinton administration, although he lied about that to investigators. Sussmann goes to the FBI as a “concerned citizen” — not a “Clinton stooge” — to try to get them to bite. The ultimate goal: Be able to leak to the Times that Trump is under official investigation.
Durham “definitely showed that the Hillary Clinton campaign directly funded and ordered its lawyers at Perkins Coie to orchestrate a criminal enterprise to fabricate a connection between President Trump and Russia,” says Kash Patel, the former chief investigator for the House Intelligence Committee.

Beyond outrageous​

Of course, Hillary didn’t get what she wanted — the presidency. But her operatives didn’t stop, going on CNN to give “very concerned” interviews about a theory they knew was bull. All to undermine Trump’s presidency. It would take three years for the Mueller report to finally put the lie to rest, and we’re now, five years out, at the point where Durham is detailing the full conspiracy.

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If this had happened to a Democrat, the press would be losing its mind. A candidate for president weaponized the nation’s Justice Department to pursue an investigation into their political opponent based on what they knew were lies. Americans were wiretapped! Some were entrapped for flimsy claims of perjury. The director of the FBI went into the Oval Office to tell the president that there was a sexual rumor floating around, so that it could be promptly leaked to the media. “Outrageous” doesn’t cover it. And still no shame from Hillary Clinton and her supporters, because it’s Donald Trump — anything is fair game to take him down.
All these things we’ve been lectured about over the past four years: Norms being broken, internet misinformation, perversion of government — it was all happening. It was the Democrats who were doing it. Think anyone in the left-wing media will notice?

 

[The Bobster]

Ex-DNI Ratcliffe expects ‘more indictments’ in Durham’s Russiagate probe

John Ratcliffe said Monday that he expects to see “quite a few more indictments” come out of Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation.

nypost.com

Ex-DNI Ratcliffe expects ‘more indictments’ in Durham’s Russiagate probe​

By
Callie Patteson


February 14, 2022 1:46pm
Updated









Durham probe alleges Clinton campaign paid to infiltrate servers, fabricate connection between Trump, Russia







Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Monday that he expects to see “quite a few more indictments” come out of special counsel John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the FBI probe of claims that former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.
Ratcliffe also revealed that he’d seen intelligence that Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign “was creating a plan to vilify Donald Trump [and] to falsely accuse him of ties to Russia,” and further alleged that the intelligence community, the FBI — as well as then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden — were all briefed on the matter.
“[Then-Attorney General] Bill Barr, John Durham, and I, all looking at this intelligence, agreed there was not a proper predicate to open a criminal investigation into the Trump campaign, yet that happened,” Ratcliffe said.
“So, those are the issues that John Durham is looking at, and I think there’ll be many more — I would expect there to be quite a few more indictments because of that. There was not a proper predicate to begin that investigation. John Durham has said that publicly already.”
John Ratcliffe said he expects to see “quite a few more indictments.”Drew Angerer/Getty Images John Durham is the special counsel investigating the origins of the FBI probe of claims that former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.U.S. Department of Justice via AP, File
Also Monday, Fox News reported that Durham’s investigation has “accelerated,” with more people “cooperating” and testifying before a grand jury than previously revealed.
A source familiar with the probe told Fox there’s been “much more activity” behind the scenes “than has been visible to the public,” adding: “Durham does this right and keeps it a secret.”
Ratcliffe’s comments came during an appearance on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” in the wake of Durham’s blockbuster Friday court filing.
John Durham filed a motion alleging that Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign paid an internet company to extract data from servers at Trump Tower.JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images Donald Trump shakes hands with Hillary Clinton during the town hall debate at Washington University on October 9, 2016.Scott Olson/Getty Images
That document alleged Clinton’s campaign paid an Internet company to extract data from servers at Trump Tower and the White House to try to tie Trump president to a Russian bank.
Ratcliffe declined to say who he expected to wind up in the dock but recounted a discussion he had with Durham in the fall of 2020, around the time Ratcliffe ordered the declassification of documents related to the FBI probe in the fall of 2020.
“We talked about [then-CIA Director] John Brennan’s notes, talked about, you know, Hillary Clinton’s campaign advisers,” Ratcliffe recalled. “Obviously the pleadings talk about Hillary Clinton’s campaign lawyers, now you’re talking about consultants.”
John Ratcliffe and John Durham discussed then-CIA Director John Brennan (above).AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File

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Among the documents Ratcliffe released were handwritten notes by then-CIA Director John Brennan, who briefed President Barack Obama of “alleged approval by Hillary Clinton on July 26, 2016 of a proposal from one of her foreign policy advisors to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by Russian security services.”
“He [Brennan] briefed President Obama and Vice President Biden and other members of the national security team about this specific intelligence, that John Durham now has, about a Hillary Clinton plan to falsely accuse and vilify Donald Trump with a scandal, and the discussion around that and whether or not it was good intelligence,” Ratcliffe said. “So everything that happened after that … is one of the reasons that John Durham is investigating.
Ratcliffe said he believes Durham has found evidence of a conspiracy.Bob MacDonnell/Hartford Courant/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Earlier in the interview, Ratcliffe added that he believed Durham had found evidence of “a conspiracy, meaning two or more people in furtherance of a crime; and anyone that was aware that this campaign plan was going to be falsely pitched to the FBI or the CIA or law enforcement or intelligence authorities would be subject to criminal prosecution for any number of criminal crimes — mail fraud, wire fraud, lying under oath, congressional testimony, false testimony to prosecutors, all of those things.
“So it could go broadly and deeply. I think it does, based on intelligence that I have seen and that I discussed with John Durham.”
Ratcliffe’s comments echoed similar remarks he made in November following the indictment of Igor Danchenko, a key contributor to the discredited Steele dossier, who was arrested on charges that he lied to the FBI regarding his sources.
At the time, the former DNI chief warned that everyone involved in creating the dossier was in “jeopardy.”
The Friday motion by Durham alleged that a Clinton campaign lawyer, Michael Sussmann, “had assembled and conveyed the allegations to the FBI on behalf of at least two specific clients, including … the Clinton campaign.”
“Based on the allegations, a tech executive [Rodney Joffe] and tech company used what was originally lawful access into government servers, but to gain information and to use it for an unlawful purpose,” Ratcliffe explained. “So what John Durham’s pleading talks about is that Hillary Clinton’s lawyer, Michael Sussmann, took this information from the tech executives and pitched it to the FBI as evidence of Trump-Russia connections that simply weren’t true, and that the lawyer, Michael Sussmann, and the tech executive knew not to be true.”
Sussmann has also been charged with lying to a federal agent, and pleaded not guilty in September. He allegedly falsely told the FBI he was not working on behalf of the Clinton campaign when he presented the agency with documents that supposedly linked the Trump Organization to a Kremlin-tied bank two months before the election.
However, Durham claims “records reflect” that Sussmann “repeatedly billed the Clinton Campaign for his work on the … allegations.”

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[The Bobster]

The lefty press is giving Hillary Clinton a pass for Russiagate

Big Media’s messengers for the Deep State are nothing if not consistent.

nypost.com

The lefty press is giving Hillary Clinton a pass for Russiagate​

By
Michael Goodwin


February 15, 2022 9:38pm
Updated

ABC via Getty Images






Here’s a quick quiz: How do we know the new developments in special counsel John Durham’s investigation are important?
Answer: Because the New York Times and Washington Post claim they aren’t important.
Big Media’s messengers for the Deep State are nothing if not consistent. For years they sold the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax as the greatest story ever told. And now that the entire story is being unmasked as a figment of Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambition, the same suspects insist there’s nothing to see here.
Move along, they say. And by the way, did you see what Donald Trump did today?
It is awfully late in the game to be surprised that our national press corps puts its political agenda ahead of the national interest, but the refusal to treat the Durham probe with the seriousness it deserves takes the dereliction to a new level. The refusal involves deliberate attempts to mislead the public.
Then again, the motive is obvious. Giving Durham his due would require the media to re-examine its role in perpetuating the dirtiest dirty trick in American political history.
They won’t do that re-examination now for the same reason they wouldn’t do it after Robert Mueller couldn’t find the Trump-Russia collusion the press and Democrats insisted was in plain sight. The truth of how they screwed up would destroy careers and ruin reputations.
Unearthed tweets from the 2016 presidential campaign show how Hillary Clinton promoted unproven reports that Donald Trump conspired with the Russians.

Bogus Pulitzers​

A deep dive into the facts would prove all those collusion “exclusives” were flat-out wrong. In that case, scores of anonymous sources would have to be requestioned and outed and the Pulitzers and other awards would have to be returned.

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That would be a horror show for the cream of the media crop — and so it can’t be allowed to happen. Most of all, the outlets that bet their business on turning Trump into a traitorous monster couldn’t bear to see him crowing in vindication at their expense. So they are battening down the hatches and sticking to their story.
Yet even now, nearly six years after the Russia lies first burst into the headlines, it still boggles the mind that the scam succeeded for as long as it did. Key among the unanswered questions is how Clinton operatives managed to sell the FBI, the Obama-Biden White House and the Washington media the lie that Russia and Trump were working together to steal the 2016 election.
What we do know is that once that sale was made, all the rules about fairness and due process were jettisoned like so much trash. In the rush to demonize Trump and elect Clinton, trusted institutions abandoned their standards and shattered their public trust.
And to judge from the reaction to Durham’s latest court filings, those same individuals and institutions intend to defend their misconduct with all their power.

The Friday filings relate to an earlier indictment of Michael Sussmann, a lawyer charged with lying to the FBI. Sussmann allegedly tried to convince the bureau that a private internet executive found reams of evidence that the Trump campaign had established secret connections with a Russian bank.
Asked the name of his client, Sussmann allegedly said no one, he was there on his own as a private citizen. In fact, Durham alleges, Sussmann was working to help Clinton get the FBI to investigate Trump. As proof, the indictment says Sussmann billed the Clinton campaign for his FBI meetings.
The new filings go a giant step further in claiming the tech executive working with Sussmann, Rodney Joffe, used researchers and his own special access to gather “derogatory information” about Trump from computer traffic at Trump Tower and later, the White House.
Donald Trump chastised the media for not uncovering Clinton’s infiltration during the 2016 campaign.EPA

Media coverup​

Those actions were allegedly in addition to the collusion narrative Clinton had created with the phony Steele dossier.

see also​

McCarthy says GOP will probe John Durham findings if it wins back House​

If Durham can prove these broad new claims, he will have performed a huge public service. Indeed, that was his assignment — to investigate the role of the FBI, CIA and other federal agencies in spying on the presidential nominee of the opposition party. So far, all roads lead to Clinton.
Durham’s probe has been slow-moving, partly because of COVID and partly because it has been difficult cutting through the tangled web of deceit, parts of which include classified documents.
But his pace does not justify the sneering tone of the Dems’ media handmaidens. In its Tuesday story, the Times was especially dismissive, with a headline on a supposed straight news story declaring that “Court Filing Started a Furor in Right-Wing Outlets, but Their Narrative Is Off Track.”
The article insisted that “The latest alarmist claims about spying on Trump appeared to be flawed” and essentially argued that journalists should feel free to ignore them.
The Washington Post also framed the story as nothing new with a headline that said, “Here’s Why Trump Is Once Again Claiming ‘Spying’ by Democrats.”
In both papers, the obvious intent to undermine the idea that Trump was the victim of government spying should be recognized for what it is: disinformation.
But don’t hold your breath waiting for Twitter or the rest of Big Tech to label it as such. In this case and others, they are part of the disinformation complex.
Clinton did not answer questions about the investigation from Post reporters Tuesday.Getty Images
“Democracy dies in darkness,” reads the Washington Post’s motto. “All the news that’s fit to print” declares the Times.
If only they practiced what they preach.

Stealing city’s mojo​

The Post’s story on the serial thief with 167 arrests on his record is a damning illustration of how the criminal justice system has broken down.
Reporters Tina Moore, Tamar Lapin and Amanda Woods report that in the latest bust, Jamel Pringle, 39, was charged with stealing 48 items valued at $430 from a Rite Aide on Second Avenue near East 96th Street.
Jamel Pringle had 167 arrests on his record when he was busted again this week.Steven Hirsch
They write: “Police sources joked that the serial thief ‘gets frequent flier miles’ cycling through the system each time he’s freed on supervised release, thanks to the controversial bail reform laws.”
Although a judge held him on bail this time, Pringle’s stay behind bars likely will be brief and he will probably repeat the pattern.
By all means, police and prosecutors must pay attention first to the violent criminals turning the city into a shooting gallery. But they must not ignore the career thieves who are destroying businesses and neighborhoods. Their crimes may be relatively minor, but they have a major impact on life in New York.
Pringle was arrested Monday for stealing 48 items worth nearly $430 from a drug store in Manhattan.Steven Hirsch

Doubt Joe is running show​

Reader Brian Sullivan has doubts about who is really the boss in the White House, writing: “The Biden presidency is the biggest failure ever but it is not due to Joe Biden himself. He is just the figurehead and too senile to realize that those setting his policies are failing.
“In 50 years in politics, Biden never espoused views as radical as ones his administration pushes. At 78 years old, he didn’t come up with these policies, many in direct contrast to his past positions.”

 

[The Bobster]

Hillary Clinton mum amid ‘Russiagate’ before big Democrat speech in NYC

Hillary Clinton was tight-lipped amid new allegations that her campaign paid for computer research to tie rival Donald Trump to Russia.

nypost.com

Hillary Clinton mum amid ‘Russiagate’ before big Democrat speech in NYC​

By
Paul Martinka,

Steven Vago,

Bernadette Hogan,

Carl Campanile and

Bruce Golding


February 15, 2022 7:43pm
Updated









Hillary and Chelsea Clinton leave Philippine bistro in Queens






Hillary Clinton was tight-lipped when The Post caught up to her Tuesday amid new allegations that her campaign paid for computer research to tie rival Donald Trump to Russia — and just two days before a major speech that could launch her on a renewed quest for the White House.
Clinton and daughter Chelsea Clinton spent about three hours inside a Queens restaurant that was closed to the public so they could be recorded on video for an unspecified project.
“There was a film crew,” a worker at Kusina Pinoy Bistro in Woodside told The Post after the two left.
“There was an area that was exclusive for them, a back room.”
00:00 01:22

The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and her and ex-President Bill Clinton’s daughter were served four traditional Filipino dishes, including bamboo-shoot spring rolls, crispy pork with peanut sauce and sizzling chopped-tofu and chopped-pork dishes, the worker said.


Clinton waved to onlookers but ignored questions from The Post when she emerged from the eatery wearing a royal blue coat over a black pantsuit around 3:30 p.m.

According to a legal filing, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign paid an internet company to “infiltrate” servers at Trump Tower and the White House in order to link Donald Trump to Russia.Paul Martinka
Earlier, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) vowed to investigate the latest revelations from Special Counsel John Durham’s “Russiagate” probe if Republicans win back control of the chamber in the November elections.


On Friday, Durham filed court papers in which he alleged that a Clinton campaign lawyer enlisted a tech executive to help “mine” Internet data from locations including Trump Tower and the White House “to establish ‘an inference’ and ‘narrative’ tying then-candidate Trump to Russia.”


In the wake of the bombshell filing, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe revealed that he’d seen information about a Clinton campaign “plan to vilify Donald Trump [and] to falsely accuse him of ties to Russia,” and that officials including then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden were briefed on the matter.

Chelsea Clinton spent hours with her mother inside the Queens restaurant, along with a film crew, according to a worker.Paul Martinka
Clinton, 74, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address Thursday at the state Democratic Committee’s Nominating Convention at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel.


The speech will come about a month after Democratic pollster Doug Schoen and former Manhattan Borough President Andrew Stein wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that she was “already in an advantageous position to become the 2024 Democratic nominee.”


Last week, a source told CNBC, which was first to report on Clinton’s address, that she was “beloved by the mainstream members of the Democratic Party” and that “her popularity is likely higher than that of President Biden.”

The Clintons didn’t react to questions about the new allegations that her campaign paid for computer research to tie rival Donald Trump to Russia.Paul Martinka
But some New York Democrats told The Post that they disagreed with party Chairman Jay Jacobs’ decision to give Clinton the platform amid speculation she could run for president again.


“I do not think a resurrection of Hillary Clinton’s political ambitions is appropriate, nor do I think she’s helpful to the long-term future of the New York Democratic Party,” Assemblyman Phil Steck (D-Colonie) said.


“I think we need to show people we care more about Main Street than Wall Street and Hillary Clinton does not do that for the Democratic Party.”

Kusina Pinoy Bistro served the Clintons four traditional Filipino dishes while they were inside filming.Paul Martinka
Committee member Patrick Nelson, who represents a district around upstate Saratoga Springs, also said, “I wish the Democratic Party leadership would have chosen someone for keynote speaker who was more forward-looking and unifying.


“We have the youngest woman elected to Congress from New York — AOC,” Nelson said, referring to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represents parts of The Bronx and Queens.


“Hillary Clinton has been quite divisive.”

 

[The Bobster]

Hillary formally endorses Hochul at Dem convention after being met with NY jeers

Hillary Clinton knocked former President Trump, Sarah Palin, Fox News and Facebook Thursday speaking to New York state Democrats amid speculation she might try a third bid for the White House.

nypost.com

Hillary formally endorses Hochul at Dem convention after being met with NY jeers​

By
Ben Kesslen


February 17, 2022 2:30pm
Updated









Hillary formally endorses Hochul at Dem convention after being met with NY jeers



Hillary Clinton knocked former President Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Fox News and Facebook Thursday speaking to New York state Democrats amid speculation she might try a third bid for the White House and controversy surrounding the Durham probe.
“They’ve been coming after me again,” Clinton said, referencing the Durham probe, telling the crowd not to “get distracted by some new culture war nonsense or some new right-wing lie on Fox or Facebook.”
“It’s fine, the more trouble Trump gets into, the wilder the charges and conspiracy theories about me seem to get, so now his accountants have fired him and investigations draw closer to him,” she said, in remarks reminiscent of a campaign speech.
Clinton went on to say Fox News is “getting awfully close to actual malice in their attack,” referencing Palin’s failed defamation suit against the New York Times.

Clinton arrived to jeers from a few protesters outside the convention, but walked onto the stage for her speech to Sia’s song “Unstoppable” and robust applause.


Clinton, in what sounded like an early 2024 campaign speech, formally endorsed Gov. Kathy Hochul for her re-election campaign and praised Mayor Eric Adams for his “hands-on, energetic, no-nonsense leadership” in her speech.


“Welcome back, Hillary Clinton,” Hochul said in her speech following Clinton, whom she praised as a “great leader.”


“It is so great to see you and hear your voice of reason,” the governor said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during the New York State Democratic Committee Convention.Reuters Hillary Clinton arrives at the New York Democratic Party 2022 State Nominating Convention in Manhattan on February 17, 2022.REUTERS
Clinton addressed the crowd in Times Square at the state Democrats’ nominating convention, where just four years ago she spoke in support of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in disgrace last year amid allegations of sexual misconduct from several women. He has denied any wrongdoing.


The former first lady, senator, secretary of state and two-time Democratic presidential candidate’s speech comes as Dem insiders have floated a comeback for Clinton, 74, as President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris continue to tank in polls.


But Clinton has found herself in hot water once again after last week’s court filing by special counsel John Durham alleging that her 2016 presidential campaign paid for computer research to link then-candidate Trump to Russia.

Hillary Clinton raises arms with New York Governor Kathy Hochul at the New York Democratic party 2022 State Nominating Convention REUTERS
Clinton shot back on Tuesday, saying on Twitter that “Trump & Fox are desperately spinning up a fake scandal to distract from his real ones.”


The few protesters who met Clinton outside appeared to be protesting vaccine mandates, and one was holding a sign with the Canadian flag in an apparent nod to the anti-vaccine trucker “Freedom Convoys” up north. One woman had a sign that read, “Evil Killary.”