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Home Front: Politix
U.S. intelligence told lawmakers of Russian bid to boost Trump re-election
2020-02-21
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence officials told lawmakers last week that Russia is interfering in the 2020 election campaign by aiming to cast doubt on the integrity of the vote and boost President Donald Trump’s re-election, a person familiar with the briefing said on Thursday.

The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity, said Trump’s Republican allies on the Democratic-led House Intelligence Committee questioned the assessment presented by officials of the Office of National Intelligence last Thursday.

"The Republicans responded as you would expect. They went nuts," said the person. "They questioned the intelligence."

The briefers warned the committee in the classified briefing that Russia was working to cast doubt on the integrity of the Nov. 3 vote while at the same time boosting Trump’s election to a second four-year term.

"They (the Russians) are favoring one candidate while they do it," said the person, adding that the briefers identified that candidate as Trump. The source declined to elaborate.
Posted by:Besoeker

#12  the screwball press takes information and distorts it. in this case the reported statement was that the Kremlin did not oppose Trump's reelection. This became, as reported through an unnamed person, that it supported Trump's reelection.
Typical?
The other odd fact is that if classified information is leaked by a member of the intelligence community that is a felony. However leaking something false is perfectly legal.

Posted by: daniel    2020-02-21 20:49  

#11  Doesn't the Democrats do a good enough job of doing that themselves?
Posted by: bbrewer126    2020-02-21 17:56  

#10  Projection at its finest.
Posted by: Jirt Platypus8917   2020-02-21 12:54  

#9  Which "Russia" is interfering? Isn't the Russian ruling class a mob of oligarchs presided over by Putin? In that case it would be no surprise if some oligarchs favor Trump and some don't... This considering Russia, or China for that matter, as a monolithic entity is sophomoric.
Posted by: magpie   2020-02-21 12:51  

#8  Anonymous source + anonymous ‘briefest’ == Reuter’s pulled this out of their ass.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2020-02-21 10:09  

#7  Intelligence analyst faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking classified information to two journalists - including one he was dating
Posted by: Skidmark   2020-02-21 09:49  

#6  So this purported Russian agent has now:

- Pulled out from the ABM Treaty.

- Sold our most potent missile defense system to both Poland and Sweden.

- Reversed Obama's policy of refusing lethal military aid to Ukraine.

- Reversed Obama's Syria policy and directly confronted Russia on the ground, killing scores of Russian mercenaries and soldiers in Syria.

- Tripled defense initiatives to deter Russian aggression in Europe, staged maneuvers on Russia's borders, increased the anti-Russian defense budget by ~50%.

- Sanctioned ~40 oligarchs and Russian officials, expanded the Magnitsky sanctions list, closed consulates & diplomatic annexes, expelled 60 diplomats. 

Ah, but never mind the above: Trump MUST be Putin's puppet. The Mad Hatter said so.
Posted by: Lex   2020-02-21 09:16  

#5  Source: (a) The usual anonymous sources. Source: (b)Reuters. (c) = Fake news.
Posted by: b   2020-02-21 09:04  

#4  KGB notes on Sander's honeymoon trip would be far more effective.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2020-02-21 07:00  

#3  Bloomberg (the Chinese candidate) spends 1/2 billion. Russia spends?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2020-02-21 04:50  

#2  I wish the Russians would make up their mind.
Posted by: Grunter   2020-02-21 03:48  

#1  And there you have it, straight from our top men in the intelligence community. Betrayed by his own people. Bernie simply can't catch a break.
Posted by: Besoeker   2020-02-21 03:31  

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