Frankie Cordeira Jr.

Description: 11 times Dems Repubs said no evidence of Trump-Russia collusion; 10 times people claimed there was To date scandalous accusations of treason against Trump haventborne out Incendiary claimsunsupported by public evidence after 10 months of probes The following is a news analysis Ten months after questions were first raised theres no evidence that Donald Trump colluded with Russia according to prominent Democrats and Republicans who have reviewed information or received briefings. Its too early to call it a closed case because various investigations into Russian influence in the 2016 campaign and links to Trump associates continue. That reportedly includes probes by the FBI Republican-led congressional committees and the military. The FBI has largely stayed mum on its work. But yesterday President Trump claimed James Comey as FBI Director personally told him he was not under investigation. Its significant that no evidence of wrongdoing by Trump has publicly surfaced long after multiple players in politics and media began insisting there was collusion. Among the allegations of treasonous behavior was a dossier peddled to the media and published in January. It made lurid claims about Trump ties to Russia involving bribery and prostitution. But it turns out the dossier wasnt an intelligence report; it was campaign opposition research compiled by Trump political opponents. This week Former Defense Intelligence Agency chief James Clapper told Congress that the sourcing trail of the dossier was so poor that the entire file was excluded from in an intelligence community assessment in January. Yet despite the persistent dearth of evidence theres been no widespread backtracking by those who have made claims against President Trump to date. The Flynn Question Whether President Trump conspired with Russia in some wayis separate from questions about some of his associates including former national security adviser Lt. Col. Michael Flynn. Among other matters Flynn is under fire for: Having discussions with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. that he didnt disclose to President Trump or Vice President Mike Pence (not inherently against the law but an ethics question and the reason he was let go from the Trump administration according to experts); and Allegedly failing to seek permission from or disclosing to the U.S. government his $67000 in payments from Russian organizations (a possible violation of federal law according to members of Congress). Russian Ambassador to U.S. Kiselev A Flynn spokesman has said heinformed the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) before and after giving a paid speech in Moscow. DIA spokesman Jim Kudla confirmed that Flynn reported prior to his trip in accordance with standard security clearance procedures. The problem with the media politicians commentators and pundits getting ahead of the evidence or contradicting it entirely is that it erodes trust in the accuracy of information. If and whenreal evidence emerges the publicmay mistrust what they read and hear. Here are 11 public statements aboutlack of evidence by those who have reviewed evidence or been briefed followed by a sampling of 10 claims against Trump (italics emphasis added): 1. The New York Times Nov. 1 2016 According to the newspaper the FBI says theres no definitive connection between Donald Trump and the Russian government reaching that conclusion after a wide-ranging investigation. The Times cited law-enforcement officials who said any cyberattacks carried out were aimed at disrupting the presidential election rather than electing Trump. The FBI also found no conclusive evidence of deliberate communications between Trump and a Russian bank that were alleged earlier. President Trump 2. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin House Speaker) Feb. 28 2017 No one has ever showed us any evidence that any collusion had occurred between an American involved with the political system and the Russians. 3. James Clapper (Former Obama Director of National Intelligence) March 5 2017 [Regarding] NSA FBICIADirector of National Intelligence (DNI) that had anything that had any reflection of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians there was no evidence of that included in our [January] report Clapper testified. He was asked but does it exist? He answered Not to my knowledge. Former Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper 4. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-California House Intelligence Committee Chairman) March 20 2017 During a hearing Nunes questioned then-FBI Director James Comey: NUNES: Do you have any evidence that any current Trump White House or administration official coordinated with the Russian intelligence services? COMEY: Not a question I can answer NUNES: Well I think I understand thatbut I can tell you that we dont have any evidence and were conducting our own investigation here. Rep. Devin Nunes Chairman of House Intelligence Committee 5. James Comey then-FBI Director March 20 2017 Comey was asked if he agreed with former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Clapper who said there was no evidence of collusion between the members of the Trump campaign and the Russians. Comey replied I think hes right about characterizing the [January] report which you all have read. 6. Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah House Intelligence Committee) March 20 2017 At this point everyone on this dais should agree with Mr. Clapper because we in the committee have seen no evidence zero that would indicate that there was collusion or criminal wrongdoing between any members of the previous [sic] administration or campaign and Russian officials. The Kremlin in Moscow is the official residence of the Russias President. 7. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California Senate Intelligence Committee) May 3 2017 When asked if she had evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign Feinstein replied Not at this time. 8. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia Senate Intelligence Committee) May 8 2017 People that might have said they were involved to what extent they were involved to what extent the president might have known about these people or whatever there is nothing there from that standpoint that we haveseen directly linking our president to any of that. 9. James Clapper (again) May 8 2017 At a hearing Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) asked Clapper if its still accurate that he has no knowledge of the existence of evidence of collusion between members of the Trump campaign and the Russians. Clapper replied It is. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) Photograph by: Frank Plitt via Wikimedia Commons 10. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California) May 9 2017 Rep. Waters has repeatedly stated that President Trump has colluded with the Russians but when asked if she has seen evidence to back up her claims Waters replied: No we have not. 11. President Donald Trump May 9 2017 In a letter of termination to FBI Director Comey President Trump wrote that Comey had informed him on three occasions that I am not under investigation. (This hasnt been independently confirmed by the FBI or Comey.) President Donald J. Trump A sampling of claims against Trump: 1.Politics USA and Huffington Post writer Sarah Jones October Shocker: FBI Has Explosive Information on Trump Conspiring With Putin Senator Harry Reid dropped the bomb that the FBI and national security experts possess explosive information about ties and coordination between Russia and Donald Trump and his campaign. Oct. 30 2016 2.Money & Power blog by Keith GirardTrump Treason: Did He Collaborate With Russians to Steal Election? Dec. 9 2016 3.Politico story written by Former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia Evelyn Farkas When it comes to Russia and its relationship with Donald Trump the election hacking may be only the tip of the iceberg. Dec. 12 2016 4. Was Trump lured into a Russian honey trap? Jan. 12 2017 5. New York Times letter to the editor by Michael Morell former acting head of the CIA Does Vladimir Putin own Donald Trump? In the intelligence business we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation. Feb. 10 2017 Former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell 6.Tweets by former NSA intelligence analyst John Schindler He will Die in Jail: Intelligence Community Ready to Go Nuclear on Trump over The Presidents collusion with Russian intelligence. Feb. 15 2017 7. Michael Moore Tweet: Trump Colluded With Russians Should Step Down Feb. 16 2017 8. Newsweek story by Ryan Goodman The Russian plot: how Putin and Trump colluded Feb. 17 2017 9. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) President Donald Trump absolutely was in collusion with the Kremlin and Putin and Russia during the campaign. Feb. 17 2017 Pre-order The Smear: How Shady Political Operatives and Fake News Control What You See What You Think and How You Vote the sequel to my New York Times best seller Stonewalled. 10. Daily Kos article by writer Mark Sumner Comey revealed that the FBI had possible evidence of collusion with Russiathen Trump fired him May 10 2017
By Frankie Cordeira Jr.
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