[naturalman1975]

I don't have links to all of the articles I've read on this over the last few weeks or the things I've seen on television about it. I also, obviously can't link to the conversations I've had about it - I know a lot of people in the Australian political and diplomatic communities as friends - I even know Downer himself, slightly, although haven't spoken to him since 2015 so certainly haven't discussed this with him (and probably wouldn't anyway).

So this isn't where I read the information (I think it was an article in The Australian from around the same date - but it's what I've been able to find quickly and seems likely to have drawn on the same sources.

'Romantic encounter' set off Australia's role in triggering Donald Trump investigation

This is a new article The drink that started the Mueller investigation: George Papadopoulos and Alexander Downer tell us everything

The meeting was arranged by Erika Thompson, an Australian who was a political counsellor at Australia's London High Commission and whose partner worked at the Israeli embassy.

He suggested that Mr Downer should meet Mr Papadopoulos.

The detail these are missing that I've heard from other sources is that 'political counsellor' (I've now checked his name Christian Cantor) was a friend (or at least acquaintance) of Papadopoulous and he introduced Papadopoulous and Thompson, and it was at that meeting Papadopoulous asked if she could arrange for him to meet Downer.

Like I say, I'd love an official inquiry into all this - to make it all clearer. But I'd very surprised if it emerged Downer did anything inappapropriate.

It comes down to the word of a man who has been convicted in the United States of lying to the FBI versus the word of a man who has served his country with distinction for forty years, and who has a personal history of utter commitment to both the Australian-United States alliance, and conservative politics.

[Grimmy]

As an outsider looking dimly in, and just reading what the msm produces...

I get the feelz that Downer got played by the bad guys too.

And, in some ways, it feels a bit like at the beginning of the Afghan war when the msm couldn’t distinguish between the taliban and AQ.

From what I’ve been able to understand, NZ was more active in allowing itself to be used as a backdoor for US agents to spy on US citizens rather than Oz. And of course, to msm, one is the other is the other.

[palmer]

It comes down to the word of a man who has been convicted in the United States of lying to the FBI versus the word of a man

Good grief, Papadop (and the Trump campaign) was a victim of your guy.

[TigersEye]

The first link definitely doesn’t help, it doesn’t say how/why they met and has falsehoods that even Downer contradicts in his Bolt interview. The second link is the same one I gave you.

I appreciate your effort but there is no substantiation that “Papadopoulos requested the meeting.”

The fact that Mueller convicted Papadopoulos of lying to the FBI is the weakest support you could possibly come up with FWIW.

[P-Marlowe]

I Think you are going to be proven very wrong. The Brits and Aussies were up to their eyeballs in colluding with the Obama Adminstration in order to spy on and undermine Trumps candidacy and Presidency. This was a set up. The Truth is coming and it is going to be embarrassing to some of our allies. They didn’t want Trump to be President and they wanted to ingratiate themselves with the incoming Clinton Administration. None of these people thought a Trump would win, so they went along to get along.

Ocaam’s Razor.

[Chickensoup]

It comes down to the word of a man who has been convicted in the United States of lying to the FBI versus the word of a man who has served his country with distinction for forty years, and who has a personal history of utter commitment to both the Australian-United States alliance, and conservative politics.

____________________

You do not understand the absolute bunk that is the US jurisprudence system. We have a justice system similar to the USSR’s and it is a tragedy.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

It comes down to the word of a man who has been convicted in the United States of lying to the FBI versus the word of a man who has served his country with distinction for forty years, and who has a personal history of utter commitment to both the Australian-United States alliance, and conservative politics.

.........................

Papo was set up. We have yet to see the transcripts of all the recordings made by the FBI while baiting him.

Nor do we have any idea what "the man who has served his country with distinction for forty years" did behind the scenes. I'm assuming you were not there and are not Aussie intelligence service with access to what happened. I'm not.

I've no doubt it will come out.

Then we will have something to discuss factually.

Until then, it is opinion.

My opinion is that the UK and Australia spied on the Trump Campaign, family and associates to circumvent US laws on doing so.

If so, Australia and the UK will need to be reminded about what it means to be an ally.

Already, Italy and the UK have fired intelligence officers. Australian may follow suit.

And finally, if Trump says Australia should be investigated, it is likely he knows what they did.

best,

PS - being in office is not serving. It is being paid to wield power and influence.

[AAABEST]

It comes down to the word of a man who has been convicted in the United States of lying to the FBI...

You mean like the very head of the Australian government?

You're pissing off the entire membership. Maybe just STFU now.