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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsStill Peddling False Equivalence Between Trump Collusion and Steele Dossier? Let Me Make It Simple
The Republican flying monkey squad (ie-Fux News, House Republicans, and the AM radio goons) are doing their best to peddle a false equivalence between the Clinton Campaign paying a company that hired former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele to talk to Russian intelligence officers, and the Trump Campaign getting dirt on Hillary Clinton from Russian intelligence officers.
Let's make the distinction very simple, shall we?
1. Trump took opposition research from a HOSTILE FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, which is intent on weakening, damaging, or destroying the United States. The information was obtained by breaking U.S. laws, and deliberately released by the Putin government as an official act of policy. The Trump Campaign's efforts were PART of a Russian plot.
2. All Steele did was secretly talk to members of the Russian government, and all he did was to EXPOSE the Russian plot.
3. If you still can't see the difference, simply consider this: The Russians that Trump talked to are all doing fine, while the Russians that Steele talked to ARE ALL DEAD NOW.
Tommy_Carcetti
(43,079 posts)Yup, exactly the same.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)Those goofy syllogisms always make the Fox viewers throw a connection fit, and wave their prehensile tails with glee.
Joseph Stalin had a handlebar mustache
Geraldo Rivera has a handlebar mustache
Ergo
Geraldo Rivera is a f-ing latino BOLSHEVIK! I KNEW IT!!!
GusBob
(7,286 posts)The FBI was investigating Papadopolous and Page prior to the Steele dossier was known to them
5. When the dossier was initially given to the FBI, they tossed it around but did nothing much about it
6. The folks that the FBI talked to, Flynn, Manafort, Cohen and others are all in big trouble.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)It's always amusing, but whenever you confront somebody who believes a crackpot conspiracy theory with facts that argue against the theory, they never take it as proof that the conspiracy theory is false. They take it as proof that the conspiracy is even BIGGER than they imagined! It must be, in order for somebody to go through all the trouble of putting out false 'facts!' MORE people are involved!
The fact that the investigation into Papadopoulos started BEFORE the Steele dossier has forced the RW-nutosphere to come up with an even more frightening conspiracy theory. They now say that the FBI sent a spy named Stefan Halper to fill George Papadopoulos's head full of ideas that the Russians had Clinton's emails, and then sent Australian diplomat Alexander Downer to get him drunk, and repeat what Halper said, as if it was his own idea. And therefore providing the excuse to spy on the Trump campaign.
Their latest crackpot theory is that the FBI deliberately entrapped the Trump Campaign in order to bring him down. *sigh*
GusBob
(7,286 posts)Cuz' that's what FBI informants do. Right
The fact is they had an FBI informant then for the same reason they have leakers in the WH now. Because some level-headed person with a conscience can see they are a bunch af crooks
Control-Z
(15,681 posts)of dead Russians and what the count is.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)I was keeping track for awhile, but have since given up on the number of Russian-linked sources that have either been killed or just vanished (like Joseph Mifsud...the latest one).
Control-Z
(15,681 posts)It needs to become part of the conversation again. How many are dead, in a Russian jail, or missing. And how they were connected to Trump.
I also wonder if any were disappeared on US soil.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)mwooldri
(10,291 posts)I don't remember which campaign but it was AFAIK a Republican campaign that started the Steele research.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)It was neo-conservative Republican Bill Kristol, and the Washington Free Beakon that originally funded the opposition research through Fusion GPS while Trump was still running against the establishment Republicans to get the GOP nomination. I assume Kristol wanted Jeb Bush or somebody to be the nominee instead of Trump. Then, after Trump was the official Republican nominee Kristol stopped funding the research, and the Clinton campaign picked it up.
How does that square with the Republican line that the Steele Dossier was a phoney 'Democrat' thing? They pull a little slight of hand over the fact that (I believe) Christopher Steele wasn't hired until after the Clinton Campaign took over the funding.
But that's a distinction that only matters to Republican flacks, and the knuckle-draggers they're feeding it to.
You're right, the Fusion GPS opposition research was originally funded by Republicans.
Me.
(35,454 posts)Jeb hired him first
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)But I'm pretty sure Kristol was operating on Bush's behalf. But I'm sure Kristol would have been equally happy to have Rubio, Graham, or any of the other conventional neo-cons instead of Trump.
Kristol stopped funding the oppo research after Trump officially got the nomination, and then the Clinton Campaign picked it up. Steele wasn't hired until after the Clinton Campaign began the funding.
That's a NOTHING distinction. The effort to stop Trump WAS originally started by Republicans. But that little detail hasn't stopped GOP flack throwers from claiming that the Steele Dossier is a 'Democrat party' thing.
Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)Thanks for the thread TrollBuster
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)My wife is still wearing an (extremely sexy) 'BIRDIE SANDERS' tee shirt as a night shirt!
Uncle Joe
(58,107 posts)TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)apnu
(8,722 posts)Thank you sir, you just won DU for the day. Take a victory lap.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)Back on Halloween, I think...
apnu
(8,722 posts)Still get the love all the same. More so for citing your sources.
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)And may the PASTA be with you!
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,779 posts)All they have left is ginning up conspiracy theories about the mythical "deep state" staging a "coup".
TrollBuster9090
(5,953 posts)already plead guilty...they just say "but NONE of them plead guilty to collusiion with the Russians!" Um..yeah, that's the whole point. Mueller is allowing them to plead guilty to lesser charges IN EXCHANGE for turning state's evidence.
Have these people never seen a SINGLE episode of law & Order? Hahah!
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,779 posts)trickyguy
(769 posts)and consequently doesn't see what damage he does to OUR government
but is mainly interested in promoting himself and his brand around the world
as in Trump Tower Moscow.
BSdetect
(8,989 posts)niyad
(112,427 posts)progressoid
(49,824 posts)"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
That's all the RWing hears on Fox and AM radio
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"
"The Steele dossier, bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton"