Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign

[Gothmog]

Source: Washington Post

U.S. officials have told Sen. Bernie Sanders that Russia is attempting to help his presidential campaign as part of an effort to interfere with the Democratic contest, according to people familiar with the matter.

President Trump and lawmakers on Capitol Hill have also been informed about the Russian assistance to the Vermont senator, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence.

It is not clear what form that Russian assistance has taken. U.S. prosecutors found a Russian effort in 2016 to use social media to boost Sanders campaign against Hillary Clinton, part of a broader effort to hurt Clinton, sow dissension in the American electorate and ultimately help elect Donald Trump.

“I don’t care, frankly, who Putin wants to be president,” Sanders said in a statement to The Washington Post. “My message to Putin is clear: stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/bernie-sanders-briefed-by-us-officials-that-russia-is-trying-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/2020/02/21/5ad396a6-54bd-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html?utm_campaign=wp_main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

[Gothmog]

1. Here is more from the Washington Post

This is from the article cited in OP

It now appears, however, that Sanders may have had a reason to suspect Russia was again injecting itself into the U.S. electoral process, repeating some of what occurred in 2016.

In a February 2018 indictment of 13 Russian individuals and three companies that were alleged to have orchestrated the social media scheme, prosecutors alleged that the group “engaged in operations primarily intended to communicate derogatory information about Hillary Clinton, to denigrate other candidates such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, and to support Bernie Sanders and then-candidate Donald Trump.”

Prosecutors alleged that in February 2016, while Clinton and Sanders were locked in a bitter battle for the Democratic nomination, an internal memo was circulated at the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency, which prosecutors said led the online effort, instructing their paid online trolls to “use any opportunity to criticize Hillary and the rest (except Sanders and Trump—we support them).”
The Internet Research Agency was bankrolled by a Russian oligarch close to President Vladi­mir Putin, according to U.S. officials.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. Dictators of the world, UNITE! We don't want democracy breaking out anywhere it could hurt us

Bernie is just a pawn to hand the election to Trump, and this official government notice is the proof, and also that Trump yesterday didn't want anyone to know about it.

[Liberalhammer]

4. He had over 120

Meetings with Russian interests and was at the table with Jill Stein.

Or maybe it works on people like you to create division.

[bucolic_frolic]

5. Who met with Russian interests, and what are you accusing me of? /nt

[mahina]

17. Nonsense

Is putting it politely.

Bye bye

[PubliusEnigma]

3. Bernie should care. And he should avoid being a Useful Fool.

[frazzled]

6. It seems clear that the objective

of Russia, whether correct or not, is to promote candidates they think will generate the most instability/chaos/internal division, in order to weaken the country. Also, picking candidates with isolationist foreign policies would be advantageous to their expansionist objectives.

[Liberalhammer]

10. I agree

[llashram]

24. true

[Squinch]

27. Filthy Donnie is a Russian operative. They want him. Yes, maybe BS is their plan B, but they're

in it for him because he'd be easiest to beat.

[Cal Carpenter]

7. Sanders's statement:

Link to tweet

[Squinch]

29. "All that disruptive shit my followers do? It wasn't US! It was the Russians!"

So he's not only not doing anything about it, nor is he trying to find a way to do anything about it, he's using it to whitewash his followers' most egregious behavior.

Passing that buck and taking what falls from the sky, no matter who dropped it.

[BigmanPigman]

8. Has the WaPo been nasty to Sanders in the past?

As he was ending his interview and the WaPo journalist asked him why he waited a month to say he was given this info from intel and Putin's 2020 election interference he said, "You're with the WaPo" without answering like he doesn't like them.

[rockfordfile]

11. It's clear all of these disruptions at Democratic events are connected to trump and Russia

[Fresh_Start]

26. no it is not at all clear

Bernie has support from bad actors all by himself...without russian help.

[nycbos]

12. I am shocked SHOCKED to find gambling going on here.

Last edited Sat Feb 22, 2020, 10:12 AM - Edit history (1)

Sanders voted no on the Magnitsky Act. There is a reason why Russin bots like him.

He will lose in a landslide to Trump.

[lanlady]

16. exactly

And Sanders serves to divide the Democrat opposition to Trump. The Russians had him figured out a long time ago. He is useful to them.

[truthisfreedom]

23. "Democrat opposition"??? Only repukes use that noun as an adjective.

You weren’t trained well. We detect you.

[concreteblue]

22. Really?

Every poll disagrees with you.

[nycbos]

33. Mike Dukakis was ahead of Bush Senior by 17 points.

[NYC Liberal]

37. Yep. And that was in July!

Polls this early mean nothing.

[nycbos]

38. Yup

[brer cat]

13. K&R

[Gothmog]

14. trump and Putin do NOT want Biden to be the nominee

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[Doitnow]

15. Exactly who are these officials? Sounds just like another attempt to smear Bernie. Don't be fooled!

I think that tRump is more afraid of Bernie increasing so as time goes on. He’s using reverse psychology.

[JudyM]

19. People aren't thinking. Why would this be happening with Bernie in the lead as he is?

You are so right.

[llashram]

25. I won't

ever, again.

[Blue_Tires]

18. I know St. Bern has been bulletproof so far

but this *really* should be the beginning of the end for his campaign...

[Gothmog]

20. #BernieKnew is trending on twitter

Link to tweet

[moondust]

21. Timing may be suspicious.

Right after Dumpy says Democrats will use the new Russian interference report against him we get this report about Russia also trying to help Bernie. Is somebody just giving Dumpy the same "ammunition" to use against Democrats?

[Prue]

28. It's not about the actions taken, it's about the response

I posted this on a similar thread. Sanders could have used this to his advantage and seized the narrative but he became the story because of his silence. He should have come out immediately and told the public what the current president was keeping from us but he as the President would always tell us the truth. He could have told his supporters to not get caught up in the divisiveness that outside influencers are peddling and to stay positive. But he did neither. He kept it to himself.......

[RandiFan1290]

32. Welcome Back to DU! nt

[Prue]

34. It took two years - lol

It took me two years to forget the warm welcome I received when I initially first joined. So far so good but I definitely try to avoid threads where certain members post.

[RandiFan1290]

35. Cool story, bro. nt

[Prue]

36. Too funny

I'm a girl - two years ago everyone thought I was a dude also. hahahahahaha Maybe I should change my username.......

Cheers

[Maxheader]

30. Yeah, that's a really toughie there...

Hmm...

U.S. officials have told

Who are these guys? Can stump get these guys to take a democrat candidate to the side and feed them full of shit?

Would that candidate view such allegations as reflective of their position in the race for presidente'...of the usofa?

[Gothmog]

39. Bernie Sanders never had any intention of informing the Public

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

40. Why is Jane Sanders on Russian TV

Link to tweet