Ex-intel official who created controversial Trump Russia dossier speaks out

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

(CNN)Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, the man behind the "Steele Dossier" that claimed Russian officials held compromising information on former President Donald Trump, defended the claims made in the dossier in his first on-camera interview since it was revealed in 2017.

In a clip from an upcoming ABC News documentary released Sunday, Steele said he decided to sit down for an interview now because he wanted to "set the record straight" about his role in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. ABC released a portion of the documentary featuring parts of Steele's interview on Sunday, with the full documentary slated to be released on Hulu early Monday morning.

"Most of the world first heard your name about five years ago, but you stayed silent up until now. Why speak out now?" host George Stephanopoulos asked.

"I think the first and most important (reason) is that the problems we identified back in 2016 haven't gone away, and arguably have actually got worse, and I thought it was important to come and set the record straight," Steele said.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/17/politics/christopher-steele-dossier-trump/index.html

[Lasher]

1. I wish we'd heard from him sooner.

Most people don't realize this was opposition research, the kind of thing major candidates often have done.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

8. A great deal of what he will presumably say is most likely already known

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-dem-releases-testimony-from-steele-employer/

If 'most people don't realize' it's because they neglected to inform themselves.

I suspect he's kept mum at least in part because of ongoing civil and maybe even legal matters related to the dossier.

The defamation case against Buzzfeed was settled not that long ago, for instance.

On edit: one thing not mentioned in the article I linked, but I'm pretty sure I recall from the actual transcript is that this dossier was never given to Clinton's people because Steele felt its overall severity transcends politics and that it needs instead to be in the hands of Nat Sec type people.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. Cool, the Pig can sue him for defamation too!

[Joinfortmill]

3. Excellent news. One more nail in Trump's coffin.

[Bayard]

4. This evening?

Wish I'd known to record it.

[steventh]

5. Full interview scheduled for Monday

From the article at the link:

This evening (Sunday) only a preview clip will air

the "...full documentary slated to be released on Hulu early Monday morning."

And now you know.

[trusty elf]

6. ...

[Kid Berwyn]

7. Steele. Christopher Steele. DAH-rum DAH-rah da-RA-ra.

From election meddling to Trump business ties with Moscow, Steele was right about most everything, wot?

“I’m not into golden showers.” — Donald J Trump