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Donald Trump Wasn't Told About Unverified Russia Dossier, Official Says
NBC News ^ | JAN 11 2017, 10:32 AM ET | by WILLIAM M. ARKIN, ALEXEY EREMENKO and ALEXANDER SMITH

Posted on 01/11/2017 12:45:00 PM PST by Resettozero

President-elect Donald Trump was not told about unverified reports that Russia has compromising information on him during last week's intelligence briefing, according to a senior intelligence official with knowledge of preparations for the briefing.

A summary of the unverified reports was prepared as background material for the briefing, but not discussed during the meeting, the official said. During Trump's press conference Wednesday morning, the president-elect said he was made aware of the information "outside that meeting."

A 35-page memorandum published by BuzzFeed on Tuesday includes claims that the Russian government has been cultivating, supporting and assisting Trump for five years — even obtaining compromising information in an effort to blackmail him. The document, which was not prepared by the U.S. government, contains obvious errors. It was originally generated as part of opposition research by anti-Trump Republicans and then shopped by Democrats.

Related: Seth Meyers Confronts Conway Over Trump Allegations

Two U.S. officials told NBC News that materials prepared for Trump in advance of last week's intelligence briefing included damaging allegations from the memorandum — unverified by American intelligence agencies — about his dealings with the Russians.

Officials prepared a two-page summary of the memo for Trump's briefing Friday at Trump Tower in New York. The summary was an "annex," or addendum, included in the "supporting documents" that accompanied the classified briefing report.

While multiple officials say the summary was included in the material prepared for the briefers, the senior official told NBC News that the briefing was oral and no actual documents were left with the Trump team in New York. During the briefing, the president-elect was not briefed on the contents of the summary .

"Intel and law enforcement officials agree that none of the investigations have found any conclusive or direct link between Trump and the Russian government period," the senior official said.

According to the senior official, the two-page summary about the unsubstantiated material made available to the briefers was to provide context, should they need it, to draw the distinction for Trump between analyzed intelligence and unvetted "disinformation."

The briefers also had available to them unvetted "disinformation" about the Clinton Foundation, although that was not orally shared with Trump. The Russian government on Wednesday denied reports that it has compromising information about Trump, dismissing the claims as a "total hoax."

Amid increased interest in the dossier Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected all of the allegations out of hand. Trump later blamed intelligence agencies for allowing the dossier to leak, tweeting: "Are we living in Nazi Germany?"

"The Kremlin does not have compromising information about Trump," Peskov said, according to Russian state-run news agency TASS. "It's a total hoax, absolute fabrication and utter nonsense. The Kremlin does not collect compromising information."

Peskov also called the reports "pulp fiction."

Trump did not respond to the reports directly but sent a tweet appearing to refer to it on Tuesday night.

FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017 Early Wednesday, he sent several others that followed Peskov's comments.

Russia just said the unverified report paid for by political opponents is "A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FABRICATION, UTTER NONSENSE." Very unfair! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

Russia has never tried to use leverage over me. I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA - NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

I win an election easily, a great "movement" is verified, and crooked opponents try to belittle our victory with FAKE NEWS. A sorry state! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

Intelligence agencies should never have allowed this fake news to "leak" into the public. One last shot at me.Are we living in Nazi Germany? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2017

Trump has repeatedly cast doubt over findings by American intelligence officials that Russia interfered in the U.S. election with the aim of helping him win.

NBC News reported last week that the gulf between Trump and U.S. intelligence agencies had grown so wide that the two camps couldn't even agree on the scheduled date of a briefing Trump had been due to receive.

Peskov mentioned Trump's initial tweet, and went on to say that some people were "boosting the hysteria and go to any lengths to maintain this state of 'witch hunting.'"


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dossier; trumprussia
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To: HiTech RedNeck
She had the most quizzical look on her face..

...because her mind knew you meant Trump, and yet she knew he hadn't even been sworn in yet, so she decided to wait until he was sworn in and then if a war broke out, it would be true.

41 posted on 01/11/2017 1:30:51 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: riverdawg

Rick Wilso wasn’t “Catfished”.

This was a hit designed to be released during the primaries.

Didn’t Rick Wilson work for Ted Cruz during the primaries?


42 posted on 01/11/2017 1:37:39 PM PST by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small pittance)
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To: riverdawg; RushIsMyTeddyBear; Bushbacker1; true believer forever

Then Wilson gave it to mcmuffin, who then gave it to mcshame, who then gave it to the alphabet agency...

H/t bushbacker1 & true believer forever for these graphics:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3512801/posts?page=1#1

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3512801/posts?page=73#73


43 posted on 01/11/2017 1:38:23 PM PST by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
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To: Steve_Seattle

REAL NEWS: Russians help TRUMP win US election so that Americans can rid themselves of their corrupt ruling elite.

President Putin remarked “Things will be better for EVERY NATION on this planet after these evil, villianous, corrupt lying thieves are removed from the powerful offices they constantly abuse for their own personal enrichment”.


44 posted on 01/11/2017 1:39:01 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Lost my tagline on Flight MH370. Sorry for the inconvenience.)
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To: RushIsMyTeddyBear

“Wonder how much Wilson payed for it?”

Not near as much as he is going to pay!


45 posted on 01/11/2017 1:39:24 PM PST by Dalberg-Acton
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To: Resettozero

46 posted on 01/11/2017 1:39:39 PM PST by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: tennmountainman; Williams

How did Sissy’s mascara look today?


47 posted on 01/11/2017 1:40:59 PM PST by Dalberg-Acton
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To: jonno

CNN is still trying to sell their “Pee Pee Briefs” to the left wing moonbats..but buying dirty panties for masturbation fantasies is typical for them


48 posted on 01/11/2017 1:50:05 PM PST by tophat9000 (Tophat9000)
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To: RightGeek

Ok what?..I knew about the Japanese anime porn in the “report”... but this was really in there??? Trump had the Russians pushing the child in the Harambe cage??? ....KEK...KEK

Come on you’re making this up this up...there is no way that was in there cuz if they was in there how the hell would they ever release this thing and think it was anyway real.. unless they didnt read it


49 posted on 01/11/2017 1:56:47 PM PST by tophat9000 (Tophat9000)
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To: tennmountainman

“This was a hit designed to be released during the primaries.”

(1) From whom did Rick Wilson receive the hoax/rumor? He claims it was obtained from an ex-MI-6 agent, but that ex-agent hasn’t come forward to verify or deny Wilson’s claim.

(2) Why wasn’t the “hit” released during the primaries, as Wilson would have certainly wanted, if he had it then?


50 posted on 01/11/2017 2:12:26 PM PST by riverdawg
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To: riverdawg

I can’t answer either question.

You will have to ask Rick Wlson.


51 posted on 01/11/2017 2:19:15 PM PST by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small pittance)
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To: Dalberg-Acton

Hopefully!


52 posted on 01/11/2017 2:22:45 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear (****happy dance**** BIGLY!!!!)
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To: tennmountainman

“I can’t answer either question.”

Then what is the basis for your claim that this was a hit designed to be released during the primaries?


53 posted on 01/11/2017 2:30:46 PM PST by riverdawg
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To: Resettozero

Trump News Network. is my guess.


54 posted on 01/11/2017 2:45:59 PM PST by Gator113 (I use liberal tears in my milkshake ~DRAIN THE SWAMP~ ~ LOCK HER UP ~ ~DRAIN THE SWAMP~)
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To: UCANSEE2

Maybe she was that far gone... she hadn’t paid attention to what Hillary and Obama were doing AT ALL.

But yet, all this talk about the Rooskies trying to get Donald Trump elected. You don’t mean that Vlad loves Donald do you?

Except it looks like they do (in a bromance way). There will be no war. Only the most disgusting center-to-right cooperation.


55 posted on 01/11/2017 3:33:20 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
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To: riverdawg

What is your basis that Rick Wilson got “Catfished”?

Rick Wilson is a political operative.


56 posted on 01/11/2017 3:51:43 PM PST by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small pittance)
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To: tennmountainman

The most plausible story I have seen is that someone on 4Chan fed a laughably ludicrous hoax rumor to Wilson as payback for some dismissive comments Wilson made about that website. Wilson claims that an unnamed ex-MI-6 agent (allegedly Christopher Steel) gave him the rumors as part of some opposition research Steele was doing for anti-Trump Republicans and Democrats. But Steele has not come forward to confirm or deny Wilson’s claim.


57 posted on 01/11/2017 4:53:54 PM PST by riverdawg
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To: riverdawg

Wilson worked in both the Rubio and Cruz campaign during the primaries.
Rubio first. Then Cruz.


58 posted on 01/11/2017 5:25:40 PM PST by tennmountainman ("Prophet Mountainman" Predicter Of All Things RINO...for a small pittance)
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To: catnipman

By the time they finish obfuscating, no one will know what happened. But the media has screamed so much they have caused people to tune out.


59 posted on 01/11/2017 5:28:01 PM PST by Luke21
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To: tennmountainman

Yes, Wilson is virulently anti-Trump but I doubt Rubio and Cruz are involved with this. Rubio, in particular, does not want to get down and dirty with Trump’s people given what’s out there on him.


60 posted on 01/11/2017 5:30:51 PM PST by riverdawg
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