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

[Mike 03]

Washington Post

Feb. 21, 2020 at 2:16 p.m. MST

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 the 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’s 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.

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

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Maybe now

The GOP Senate will get off their asses and do something?

[Squinch]

12. Not likely. They want to run against BS more than anyone else. That's why Russia is doing this.

[Mike 03]

2. A little more:

Sorry, I cut Bernie's quote in half up there. Here is the rest of his quote:

“In 2016, Russia used Internet propaganda to sow division in our country, and my understanding is that they are doing it again in 2020. Some of the ugly stuff on the Internet attributed to our campaign may well not be coming from real supporters.”

A spokesperson for the Sanders campaign declined to comment on the briefing by U.S. officials on Russia’s efforts.

[ehrnst]

3. Well, now it's official, and no one can say that it's "ridiculous" that he's the clear

choice of the GOP and Russia.

[Mike 03]

4. Now on CNN: Wolf Blitzer is interviewing the reporter who

broke this story.

[pfeiffer]

5. Here's the Tweet/Link:

Link to tweet

[SunSeeker]

6. K & R for exposure.

[pnwmom]

7. He was briefed a month ago. Why are we only learning this now? nt

[UniteFightBack]

8. And he just dissed the Washington Post...ya know they are out to get him. Yuck.nt

[Mike 03]

9. In that interview on CNN, Bernie said he's known about this for a month.

A reporter asked him why it's just coming out now and he said, "I'll let you guess" and something after that that I didn't understand (maybe something about Iowa?).

Then he didn't take any more questions.

[UniteFightBack]

11. He dissed Wapo after that ...like they are out to get him. He sarcastically called them 'good

friends'. It really just reminds me of someone else that I really do not like.

[MerryBlooms]

13. Do you think all our candidates knew or suspected then, and that's why they haven't

really gone after Sanders much? There could be a fierce backlash from Russia against Warren if she went after Sanders like she did Bloomberg. Egad, I'm sounding like I'm wrapped too tight in tinfoil! I hate what this shit is doing to my brain.

[Laelth]

10. Yikes!

Russian interference in our elections has taken on a new dimension. It’s bad enough that the Russians want to help Trump win. It’s worse that Republicans are actively trying to help Bernie win by voting in our caucuses and primaries. It’s really bad when the Russians are working to help Bernie win the nomination.

I feel utterly helpless against this onslaught of ill-meaning people who are threatening American democracy. This is more than we can reasonably fight.



-Laelth