Putin Happy With Return on Investment for Hacking 2016 Election, Officials Say

Yahoo>Newsweek ^

[NorseViking]

For less than a half-million dollars, Russian President Vladimir Putin got what he most wanted out of the Kremlin's campaign to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election: a destabilized American democracy and Hillary Clinton out of his hair, U.S. officials say.

The Kremlin views its influence campaign, which it called an "active measures" operation, as a remarkable return on investment, U.S. officials briefed on post-election intelligence told The Washington Post. Not only did it shake up Americans' faith in their democratic process, but the operation also achieved Putin's primary goal of stymying Clinton's White House aspirations, one official told the newspaper.

And for a steal at that. For less $500,000 by some estimates, it was "more than worth the effort" for Putin, according to the Post.

“Putin has to believe this was the most successful intelligence operation in the history of Russian or Soviet intelligence,” Andrew Weiss, a former adviser on Russia in the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations, told the Post. “It has driven the American political system into a crisis that will last years.”

[chris37]

[SunkenCiv]

Washington ComPost.

[Signalman]

Fake, fake , fake, fake, fake, fake.

[piasa]

The rats are spinning very, very hard here... and no wonder, from the last radio report it sounds like some crap is starting to roll down on Comey and the Hillary campaign...

[unlearner]

These people are certifiably insane.

There is NO evidence to support that Russia had anything to do with Trump winning the election.

[Kickass Conservative]

$500,000 did more than $2 Billion? Yeah, got it.

Anyone think Putin even knows what a Swing State is? LOL

[Karl Spooner]

Well, they know somebody is going to believe it.

[DesertRhino]

Such bullcrap. I seriously doubt -any- of it happened.

[hal ogen]

Liar...liar...pants on fire.

[KC_Conspirator]

I would not let my pets take a dump on this article. Fake, fake, fakery.

FYI to the buffoons that wrote this - Russian sanctions still remain in place.

[Texas Eagle]

Andrew Weiss, a former adviser on Russia in the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations, told the Post. “It has driven the American political system into a crisis that will last years.”

Yyyeahhhh. I don't think a FORMER adviser is the same as a U.S. official.

[DesertRhino]

Wanna expand on that zippy? Maybe YOU have the proof Russia interfered in the election? Hillary will be so excited you finally found her proof.

[Alberta's Child]

So nobody can say exactly what Russia did to "hack" the 2016 election, but they know it only cost $500,000?

Gotta hike the cuffs of my pants up, the bullsh!t is so deep here.

[PGR88]

Clinton spends $590 million, but loses election to Putin, who spends $500 thousand.

That is the definition of L.O.S.E.R.

[Signalman]

It seems the articles by the libs are getting more and more desperate, now that the walls are closing in on them.

[blackdog]

Exactly where and how was the election hacked? That is the headline.

[dsc]

How could a person imagine that Putin would rather see Trump win than Felonia?

[Flick Lives]

My question is how much did Fusion GPS pay WaPo writers during the election.

[familyop]

Newsweek was a publication of the left in the past. Recently, it’s been experimenting much more with insanity. It appears that harmful drugs might have something to do with it.