What we know so far #TrumpRussia
I was so fascinated by Congressman's Adam Schiff's opening statements at the hearings today, I had to write out all the facts just to get my head around them! Here is the video, with summary of facts (which are a matter of public record per Mr. Schiff) below. I've removed his opening statements and just included the facts/timeline that he gave in the body of his speech.
TIMELINE
• It was July/August 2016 when the Russians started using information to actively harm Hillary Clinton and aid Trump. What was going on at that time?
• Early July, a Trump National Security Advisor named Carter-Page, traveled to Moscow on a trip approved by the campaign (approved specifically by JD Gordon, another Trump advisor). Page had been selected by Paul Manifort (Trump campaign manager) to be a go-between on Russian interests. While there Page gave a speech criticizing the U.S. as hypocritical in its efforts of democratization and the prevention of corruption.
• Per British intelligence agent Christopher Steele, Paige also met with Igor Sechin, Putin advisor and Russian CEO of gas giant Rosneft, and was offered brokerage fees on a deal including 19% share of the company. Later that day, Reuters reports a sale involving 19.5% of the company to “unknown purchasers and unknown brokerage fees.”
• Per Steele, at this meeting Page is also offered hacked information on Hillary Clinton. This is offered in exchange for Trump policy promises to de-emphasize the invasion of Ukraine and focus instead on criticizing Nato for “not paying their fair share”. Both of the policies came to pass when Trump became president.
• Right before the GOP convention, a delegate is pressured by the Trump campaign to remove a provision in the platform that supports the sale of lethal weapons to the Ukraine. (I.e, the new platform will not provide these weapons). The Trump campaign denies making this platform tweak, but the delegate insists it came from Trump.
• Mid July: Everyone heads to the GOP convention: Paul Manifort, Carter-Page, Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, JD Gordon, Trump foreign policy advisor Walid Phares, and Jeff Sessions. Jeff Sessions meets with Ambassador Kislyak (which he denies during his confirmation hearings). Carter-Page also meets Kislyak.
• Later in July: the first stolen emails harming Hillary Clinton appear on wikileaks. “Goocifer 2” acts as a front, claiming responsibility, however U.S intelligence confirms Russian Intelligence did the hack. Trump makes public statements praising Wikileaks and encouraging Russia to hack his opponent’s emails.
• August 8th: Roger Stone, long-time Trump political advisor boasts that more is coming, including an “October surprise”; He predicts John Podesta’s personal emails will soon be published – before John himself knows he has been hacked.
• Wikileaks releases it’s first leak of John Podesta emails and continues on a daily basis until election day.
• Trump wins
• Michael Flynn is appointed national security advisor. Michael Flynn has been paid by Kremlin’s propaganda outfit, RT, as well as other Russian entities.
• December Michael Flynn has a secret conversation with Ambassador Kislyak about sanctions imposed by Obama over the hacking. Flynn lies about the conversation. Pence unknowingly tells the U.S. that no conversations have taken place. The President is informed [by Sally Yates] that Flynn has lied and that Pence has misled the country. The President does nothing. Two weeks later the press reveals that Flynn has lied and Flynn is fired. The President praises the man who lied and chastises the press.
Representative Adam Schiff closes by saying it’s possible that this is all coincidental. He asks Comey to commit FBI resources to working on this because his resources are limited, and to also establish an independent investigative committee clear of partisan interests. He points out that democracy itself is as stake, both here and abroad, and the battle between authoritarianism and democracy hangs in the balance. Putin has singled out America as a playing-field for this battle, and a thorough investigation is the only way to inoculate ourselves against future attacks, and those also directed at Europe and already underway.
