Posted on 10/10/2018 5:17:49 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
Former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele is taking a subtle swipe at President Trump, saying that the media has key responsibility to keep a "distorted" and "one-sided" U.S. government accountable.
Steele, the author of the controversial dossier about Trump's alleged ties with Russia, made the comment in an email to an editor of Vanity Fair after he was selected to be featured in the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the media, politics, entertainment and finance, according to Sky News.
"In these strange and troubling times, it is hard to speak unpalatable truths to power, but I believe we all still have a duty to do so," Steele wrote. "I salute those on your list, and otherwise, who have had the courage to speak out over the last year, often at great personal cost.
"At a time when governance is so distorted and one-sided, as I believe it currently is in the United States, the media has a key role to play in holding it accountable."
Sky News noted that the comment serves as the first time Steele has spoken publicly in 18 months.
Steele has become a highly scrutinized figure over the Trump-Russia dossier he compiled. The documents include many salacious allegations about Trump's ties to Russia.
They've also attracted skepticism from Republicans and Trump over the fact that the Democratic National Committee helped pay for the research that eventually led to the dossier.
Among other things, Republican lawmakers have charged that the FBI improperly obtained a search warrant on Trump campaign adviser Carter Page because authorities were not transparent about the dossier's origins.
Sky News notes that Vanity Fair ranks Steele No. 38 on its list.
"The former head of MI6's Russia desk compiled the infamous dossier that raised the possibility Donald Trump was vulnerable to Russian blackmail," Vanity Fair said. "Steele even grew a beard and went into hiding - merely adding to his mythic reputation on the left."
Sky News added that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation into Russian election interference, is ranked No. 1.
Trump, who has repeatedly labeled the investigation a "witch hunt," is not on the list.
Extradite to Guantanamo NOW.
Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Owned by Advance Publications.
Follow the money.
It doesn’t occur to this foreigner that it’s none of his business who the people of the United States elect, and it’s further not his business to “speak truth to power” in other nations.
He’s a high and mighty busybody whose schemes were found out.
Needs to extradited to US and sent to orison. Stop hiding behind May’s skirts.
Yes.
He is a domestic terrorist.
Then why did you manufacture lies instead Chris?
Vanity Fairies
Same publication that did a stylish spread on Valarie Plame, Secret Agent In Her Own Mind.
Yep, that is why your butt should be in prison, Steele.
(Sort of weird, reminds me of Remington Steele, the TV show)
British collusion in the US election. How queer.
Has he ever found any more evidence of this pee pee video?
And if you can’t speak truth to power, just make something up.
Maybe someone should remind him that he has the right to remain silent.
Why hasn’t this guy been sniped from 600 yards?
This presumptuous euroclown is not even an American and does not even live here. Let him speak his irrelevant truth to Parliament.
He needs to meet the pointy end of one of those Putin umbrellas.
That’s what normal people call “lies to power,” Chris.
Don’t you love it when reprobates take the high road.
But would he have created this “research” if he hadn’t have been paid to do it? It wasn’t truth to power...it was money for piss.
Steele: And if we have to make shit up, Soviet! I mean, so be it!
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