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MelissaB

(16,420 posts)
Mon May 29, 2017, 08:59 AM May 2017

NSA in Unprecedented Hunt for KremlinGate Evidence

NSA in Unprecedented Hunt for KremlinGate Evidence

America’s most important spy agency pulls out all the stops in its investigation of Russian interference in 2016

By John R. Schindler • 05/29/17 8:02am

... snip

On this basis, Admiral Rogers confirmed the existence of highly classified signals intelligence which establishes some sort of collusion between Team Trump and the Kremlin during the 2016 election campaign. However, now that the Justice Department has appointed Robert Mueller special counsel charged with running the Russia investigation, NSA is apparently pulling out all the stops to track down any additional evidence which might be relevant to the expanded inquiry into KremlinGate.

Specifically, last week NSA is believed to have sent out an unprecedented order to the Directorate of Operations, the agency’s largest unit. The DO, as insiders term it, manages all of NSA’s SIGINT assets worldwide, making it the most important spy operation on earth. The email sent to every person assigned to the DO came from the Office of General Counsel, the NSA’s in-house lawyers, and it was something seldom seen at the agency—a preservation order.

... snip

An undertaking of this size and scope has never happened in NSA’s 65-year history. Although preservation orders have been issued previously, never has the entire DO been told to search all its databases for SIGINT on named individuals, then preserve anything that’s discovered. KremlinGate is a unique event in our nation’s history, with accusations of nefarious meddling by hostile intelligence agencies in our democracy, and it’s bringing about unprecedented developments in our spy agencies too.

More: http://observer.com/2017/05/mike-rogers-nsa-issues-preservation-order-kremlingate-russia-trump/
24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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NSA in Unprecedented Hunt for KremlinGate Evidence (Original Post) MelissaB May 2017 OP
informative new report from John Schindler bigtree May 2017 #1
I think trump is so fucked. Lochloosa May 2017 #2
There is a serious rot throughout the Republican sphere. There will be many falling this year. TheBlackAdder May 2017 #16
This. I think this is going to topple much more than agent Orange. AgadorSparticus May 2017 #20
But, according to this article, they already have evidence of collusion, they're now just looking Squinch May 2017 #3
Yep, no doubt tightening the noose so there's no wiggle room on this one. n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #5
Am somewhat concerned BumRushDaShow May 2017 #4
There's the NY observer and then the British one, not sure which this is. RKP5637 May 2017 #6
This is the NY Observer Stinky The Clown May 2017 #8
Thanks! n/t RKP5637 May 2017 #9
You are right to be concerned. This is, in fact, Kushner's newspaper Stinky The Clown May 2017 #7
I had looked at the "About" BumRushDaShow May 2017 #12
Oh, yes. Good point. Squinch May 2017 #10
This is far from the first time the Observer has published stuff that doesn't make tRump gang happy. Bernardo de La Paz May 2017 #11
Since stuff is starting close in on the owner BumRushDaShow May 2017 #13
Didn't Kushner sell the Observer? DeminPennswoods May 2017 #14
I don't think he sold it but he stepped down from running it in January. nt BumRushDaShow May 2017 #15
Given Trump's History of Destroying Documents, This Makes Good Sense dlk May 2017 #17
This is what happens when you piss off the IC. roamer65 May 2017 #18
Rachel has been saying for months that it's global. Amaryllis May 2017 #19
Who investigates the collusion of US citizens, the FBI counterintelligence or the NSA. dem4decades May 2017 #21
Ruh Rho COLGATE4 May 2017 #22
TIA is going to undo the perpetrators of any collusion. L. Coyote May 2017 #23
Why don't they just ask our allies? perdita9 May 2017 #24

Squinch

(50,916 posts)
3. But, according to this article, they already have evidence of collusion, they're now just looking
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:12 AM
May 2017

for icing for that cake.

Yikes. That's huge.

BumRushDaShow

(128,502 posts)
4. Am somewhat concerned
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:24 AM
May 2017

about the source of this info... if this "Observer" is the same one that Kushner owned (and at one point ran).

Stinky The Clown

(67,762 posts)
7. You are right to be concerned. This is, in fact, Kushner's newspaper
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:32 AM
May 2017

Observer Media Group

Run it through the google machine.

BumRushDaShow

(128,502 posts)
12. I had looked at the "About"
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:55 AM
May 2017

at the OP link and figured as much. But also searched around to see if anyone else had some reporting or inkling of this story...

Not that it might not be happening "behind the scenes" but given the ownership and concern about fake (or at least insidiously crafted) crap being slid into a legitimate news narratives, this just sortof got my spidey sense tingling. I have heard of him and read his stuff and he has his own site and posted it here as well - https://20committee.com/2017/05/29/nsa-in-unprecedented-hunt-for-kremlingate-evidence/

But given the Kushner connection....

Squinch

(50,916 posts)
10. Oh, yes. Good point.
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:52 AM
May 2017

Odd message, though, if they are trying for an inoculation story. They say they already have evidence of collusion, and are just looking for more.

Though the "unprecedented" stuff certainly could be used for a "poor persecuted us" argument.

Bernardo de La Paz

(48,961 posts)
11. This is far from the first time the Observer has published stuff that doesn't make tRump gang happy.
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:52 AM
May 2017

I saw it during the election.

From the Observer's own page:

John R. Schindler

John Schindler is a security expert and former National Security Agency analyst and counterintelligence officer. A specialist in espionage and terrorism, he's also been a Navy officer and a War College professor. He's published four books and is on Twitter at @20committee.

Some recent articles:

"Exclusive: NSA Chief Admits Donald Trump Colluded with Russia": http://observer.com/2017/05/mike-rogers-nsa-chief-admits-trump-colluded-with-russia/
"This can't end well for Trump": http://observer.com/2017/05/donald-trump-kremlingate-james-comey/

BumRushDaShow

(128,502 posts)
13. Since stuff is starting close in on the owner
Mon May 29, 2017, 09:58 AM
May 2017

it might be interesting to see if any true "independence" exists.

dlk

(11,514 posts)
17. Given Trump's History of Destroying Documents, This Makes Good Sense
Mon May 29, 2017, 10:31 AM
May 2017

Trump has a long history of destroying documents, even defying court orders not to do so. He has never really been held accountable to any great degree for his extensive criminal actions. Given this, it makes perfect sense for the NSA or any other government agency to find and preserve what evidence they can of any wrongdoing. To date, Trump has made no effort to comply with regulations requiring document and information preservation for the WH, and it's very likely he's and his cohorts have already destroyed any incriminating evidence. He's been a criminal for a very long time.

L. Coyote

(51,129 posts)
23. TIA is going to undo the perpetrators of any collusion.
Mon May 29, 2017, 11:44 AM
May 2017

Total Information Awareness is very powerful, especially once an evidenciary trail is followed back in time.

perdita9

(1,144 posts)
24. Why don't they just ask our allies?
Mon May 29, 2017, 11:46 AM
May 2017

I'm sure countries in Europe would be THRILLED to hand over intelligence on Trump.

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