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New Russia probe memos expose massive errors in NYT anti-Trump story, Steele dossier
Just the News ^ | July 17, 2020 | Sharyl Attkisson

Posted on 07/18/2020 5:27:27 AM PDT by gattaca

The first document is a 57-page summary of a three-day FBI interview in January 2017 with Christopher Steele's 'primary sub-source' in the anti-Trump allegations and 'dossier.' Document number two takes apart a New York Times article written by Michael Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti, and Matt Apuzzo.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has released two newly-declassified documents related to government surveillance abuses against the Trump campaign in 2016.

The first document, withheld from public view until now, is a 57-page summary of a three-day FBI interview in January 2017 with Christopher Steele’s so-called "primary sub-source" in the anti-Trump allegations and "dossier."

According to the analysis by Sen. Graham's office:

The document reveals that the primary "source" of Steele’s election reporting was not some well-connected current or former Russian official, but a non-Russian-based contract employee of Christopher Steele’s firm. Moreover, it demonstrates that the information that Steele's primary source provided him was second and third hand information and rumor at best. Critically, the document shows that Steele's "primary sub-source" disagreed with and was surprised by how information he gave Steele was then conveyed by Steele in the Steele dossier. Document number two, also withheld from public view until now, takes apart a New York Times article written by Michael Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti, and Matt Apuzzo.

Comments made by then-FBI agent Peter Strzok undercut a litany of claims made in the Times article, which was entitled: "Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contact With Russian Intelligence."

Claim in NYT article: "Phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, according to four current and former American officials."

Note by Strzok: "This statement is misleading and inaccurate as written. We have not seen evidence of any individuals in contact with Russians (both Governmental and non-Governmental)" and "There is no known intel affiliation, and little if any [government of Russia] affiliation[.] FBI investigation has shown past contact between [Trump campaign volunteer Carter] Page and the SVR [Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation], but not during his association with the Trump campaign."

Claim in NYT article: "... one of the advisers picked up on the [intercepted] calls was Paul Manafort, who was Mr. Trump's campaign chairman for several months ..."

Note by Strzok: "We are unaware of any calls with any Russian government official in which Manafort was a party."

Claim in NYT article: "The FBI has obtained banking and travel records ..."

Note by Strzok: "We do not yet have detailed banking records."

Claim in NYT article: "Officials would not disclose many details, including what was discussed on the calls, and how many of Trump's advisers were talking to the Russians."

Note by Strzok: "Again, we are unaware of ANY Trump advisers engaging in conversations with Russian intel officials" and "Our coverage has not revealed contact between Russian intelligence officers and the Trump team."

Claim in NYT article: "The FBI asked the NSA to collect as much information as possible about the Russian operatives on the phone calls ..."

Note by Strzok: "If they did we are not aware of those communications."

Claim in NYT article: "The FBI has closely examined at least four other people close to Mr. Trump ... Carter Page ... Roger Stone... and Mr. Flynn."

Note by Strzok: "We have not investigated Roger Stone."

Claim by NYT: "Senior FBI officials believe ... Christopher Steele ... has a credible track record."

Note by Strzok: "Recent interviews and investigation, however, reveal Steele may not be in a position to judge the reliability of subsource network."

Claim by NYT: "The FBI's investigation into Mr. Manafort began last spring [2016]."

Note by Strzok: "This is inaccurate ... our investigation of Manafort was opened in August 2016."

Claim by NYT: "The bureau did not have enough evidence to obtain a warrant for a wiretap of Mr. Manafort's communications, but it had the NSA closely scrutinize the communications of Ukrainian officials he had met."

Note by Strzok: "This is inaccurate ..."

There is as yet no explanation in the documents or from the New York Times as to the identities of the four "American officials" who apparently provided the misleading and false information; or what their motivation was.

However, it is clear that inaccurate reporting such as that in the Times had a significant influence on the trajectory of the Trump-Russia collusion probe, which ultimately concluded there had been no collusion on the part of Trump, anyone in the Trump campaign, or any U.S. person.


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1 posted on 07/18/2020 5:27:27 AM PDT by gattaca
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To: gattaca

Those weren’t “errors”. They were strategic deceptions.


2 posted on 07/18/2020 5:30:35 AM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: gattaca

Where is Liberty Valence when we need him?

The new york times must be burned to the ground. They have constantly yelled Fire, Fire, Fire in a crowded theater.


3 posted on 07/18/2020 5:32:00 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: gattaca

btt


4 posted on 07/18/2020 5:32:01 AM PDT by KSCITYBOY (The media is corrupt)
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To: facedown

Yup. They weren’t errors, Jim. They were part of the plan.


5 posted on 07/18/2020 5:35:33 AM PDT by shelterguy
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To: gattaca

Where is Liberty Valence when we need him?

The new york times must be burned to the ground. They have constantly yelled Fire, Fire, Fire in a crowded theater.


6 posted on 07/18/2020 5:36:54 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: facedown

+1

5.56mm


7 posted on 07/18/2020 5:38:19 AM PDT by M Kehoe (DRAIN THE SWAMP! Finish THE WALL!)
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To: gattaca

bump


8 posted on 07/18/2020 5:45:32 AM PDT by VeniVidiVici (Why does NIKE support child slavery?)
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To: facedown

Actually, they were bald-faced lies. Intent to destroy reputations, sedition and a host of other crimes are evident.

NYT - All the lies we can print. They are worse than National Enquirer.


9 posted on 07/18/2020 5:48:11 AM PDT by NTHockey (My rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners. And to the NSA trolls, FU)
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To: gattaca

Bkmk


10 posted on 07/18/2020 5:48:49 AM PDT by sauropod (I will not comply.)
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To: gattaca

The New York Times: subversion masquerading as news since 1860.


11 posted on 07/18/2020 6:01:58 AM PDT by niteowl77
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To: gattaca
Someone correct me if I am wrong but didn't Michael Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti, and Matt Apuzzo win the Pulitzer prize for this garbage?
12 posted on 07/18/2020 6:19:03 AM PDT by Kid Shelleen (Beat your plowshares into swords. Let the weak say I am strong)
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To: gattaca

Errors?

That code word political correct language for LIES?


13 posted on 07/18/2020 6:19:33 AM PDT by cranked
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To: cranked

the NYT link, which only showed up on my google results, once I included the “writers” in the search:

14 Feb 2017: NYT: Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence
by By Michael S. Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti and Matt Apuzzo
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html

well laid out by Attkisson:

17 Jul: Sharyl Attkisson: READ: Newly-declassified Trump-Russia documents show anti-Trump leaks planted in NYT were shockingly wrong— 9 times
https://sharylattkisson.com/2020/07/read-newly-declassified-trump-russia-documents-show-anti-trump-leaks-planted-in-nyt-were-shockingly-wrong-9-times/

of course, it wasn’t just carried by NYT - it undoubtedly got picked up by most of the FakeNewsMSM worldwide:

15 Feb 2017: MSNBC: Rachel Maddow: NYT: Trump camp and Russian intel officials in repeated contact
Rachel Maddow relays breaking news from the New York Times that U.S. officials say Donald Trump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian intelligence officials, though evidence of collusion has not yet been found.
https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/nyt-trump-camp-and-russian-intel-officials-in-repeated-contact-877431875691

15 Feb 2017: AOL: NYT: Trump camp, Russian officials in contact
Rachel Maddow relays breaking news from the New York Times that U.S. officials say Donald Trump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian intelligence officials, though evidence of collusion has not yet been found...

15 Feb 2017: Sky News UK (Comcast): Problems keep piling up for Donald Trump’s administration After less than a month in power, leaks, mixed messages and issues of trust continue to dog the new White House team.
By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Correspondent in the US
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate Intelligence Committee is “highly likely” to look at contacts between Michael Flynn and Russia’s Washington ambassador...

They’re (White House) yet to respond to claims in the New York Times that Trump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian intelligence ahead of the election...
https://news.sky.com/story/problems-keep-piling-up-for-donald-trumps-white-house-10768737

16 Feb 2017: Business Times Singapore: Trump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian intelligence officials
US law enforcement and intelligence agencies have phone records and intercepted calls
PHONE records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contact with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, according to four current and former US officials....
https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/trump-campaign-aides-had-repeated-contact-with-russian-intelligence-officials

14 Feb 2017: The Week: Report: Intercepted calls show Trump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian intelligence
by Catherine Garcia
https://theweek.com/speedreads/680240/report-intercepted-calls-show-trump-campaign-aides-repeated-contact-russian-intelligence


14 posted on 07/18/2020 6:32:59 AM PDT by MAGAthon (g)
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To: MAGAthon

the entire FakeNewsMSM were complicit in the Russia Hoax/coup attempt against Trump, which is why they have attacked him/continue to attack him relentlessly. lockdown the FakeNewsMSM:

14 Feb 2017 updated 15 Feb 2017: ABC15: Trump aides were in constant touch with senior Russian officials during campaign
By:CNN
(CNN)— High-level advisers close to then-presidential nominee Donald Trump were in constant communication during the campaign with Russians known to US intelligence, multiple current and former intelligence, law enforcement and administration officials tell CNN.

President-elect Trump and then-President Barack Obama were both briefed on details of the extensive communications between suspected Russian operatives and people associated with the Trump campaign and the Trump business, according to US officials familiar with the matter...

Among several senior Trump advisers regularly communicating with Russian nationals were then-campaign manager Paul Manafort and then-adviser Michael Flynn...

Manafort dismissed the account to The New York Times, which published a similar story Tuesday night...

The extensive contacts drew concerns of US intelligence and law enforcement officials in part because it came at a time of Russian cyberactivities targeting mostly Democratic Party political organizations...
https://www.abc15.com/news/national/trump-aides-were-in-constant-touch-with-senior-russian-officials-during-campaign


15 posted on 07/18/2020 6:43:17 AM PDT by MAGAthon (g)
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To: MAGAthon

complicit:

VIDEO: 1m42s: 15 Feb 2017: CNN: Pamela Brown: Manafort, Flynn spoke regularly with Russians
CNN Tonight
According to intelligence, law enforcement and administration officials, President Trump’s then-campaign manager Paul Manafort and the president’s then-adviser Michael Flynn were in regular contact with Russian officials.
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/02/15/manafort-flynn-communicated-russians-brown-lemon.cnn

16 Feb 2017: Vice: New report says the Trump team had repeated contact with Russia during election
by David Gilbert
Fresh leaks from inside the White House claim that senior members of Donald Trump’s campaign team were in constant contact with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election — directly contradicting statements made by the president and his team.
Trump and his supporters are attempting to deflect attention from the crisis by criticizing the volume of leaks coming out of Washington, but unless they rapidly stem the tide, these disclosures could begin to undermine Trump’s presidency.

According to four current and former officials speaking to the New York Times...

On Tuesday, “Fox & Friends” conducted an interview with right-wing pundit Laura Ingraham, who described the controversies hitting the White House this week as “death by a thousand leaks” — adding that “the Left smells blood.”

In an interview with right-wing website the Daily Caller, Flynn said leaking information to reporters was a crime. “You call them leaks. It’s a criminal act. This is a crime. It’s not just a wink and a nod.”
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/78dvw4/a-timeline-of-trumps-long-history-with-russia

lengthy fiction:

16 Feb 2017: Newsweek: Donald Trump Is Learning the Cost of Business in Russia
By Mirren Gidda AND Jack Moore
Hours after Flynn left, a new blow struck the Trump administration. On Tuesday, the New York Times reported that several of Trump’s aides had been in regular contact with Russian intelligence officers and members of the government...

“There is a naivety amongst a lot of people [in Trump’s administration],” says the State Department official. “When you’re not in the government, you may practice secrecy and discretion in your business practices. But there is a different sort of perspective you have once you join the government and you realize you are exposed to the reality of what the world is,” he continues. “You have to be careful.”
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-donald-trump-michael-flynn-paul-manafort-557270


16 posted on 07/18/2020 6:59:49 AM PDT by MAGAthon (g)
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To: MAGAthon

more coup plotters:

15 Feb 2017: CBS: Trump team reportedly had repeated contact with Russian intelligence before election
Intelligence sources tell the New York Times that some Trump campaign officials and other associates had repeated contact with Russian intelligence before the election.

Sources told CBS News the FBI has questioned people close to the president, including General Michael Flynn, who resigned as national security adviser Monday night...
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-campaign-team-repeated-contact-with-russian-intelligence-michael-flynn/

15 Feb 2017: NPR: Reports: U.S. Intercepted Calls Between Trump Campaign Staff And Russian Intelligence
by Bill Chappell
Russian intelligence officials made repeated contact with members of President Trump’s campaign staff, according to new reports that cite anonymous U.S. officials...
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the calls at the same time as they investigated Russia’s attempts to tamper with the presidential election, according to The New York Times, which first reported the contacts.

Both the Times and CNN, which has published its own story about the intercepted communications, cite multiple current and former U.S. officials as the sources for their stories...
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/02/15/515358124/reports-u-s-intercepted-calls-between-trump-campaign-staff-and-russian-intellige

dead link:

14 Feb 2017: Fortune: Trump campaign had contact with Russian Intelligence...


17 posted on 07/18/2020 7:10:10 AM PDT by MAGAthon (g)
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To: gattaca

The punch line on this is “Non-Russian Contractor working for Steele”

It was a freaking TEMP!! A TEMP was the source, working for Steele.

What a HOAX!!


18 posted on 07/18/2020 7:19:06 AM PDT by dila813
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To: gattaca; acapesket; al baby; AllAmericanGirl44; Art in Idaho; BatGuano; Batman11; Bob434; ...

Sharyl Attkisson Ping!

Watch Sharyl host "Full Measure," a Sunday morning talk show on the Sinclair network. More info.

Now available: Sharyl's latest book Smear. Five stars!

Want on or off this ping list of 50+ FReepers and counting? Just click Private Reply below and drop me a FReep mail.

19 posted on 07/18/2020 8:17:49 AM PDT by upchuck (D.Horowitz: America did not invent slavery, America ended it. Preserve the American way of life.)
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To: gattaca

The document reveals the NYT are full of crap and propaganda.
NOT NEW NEWS


20 posted on 07/18/2020 8:48:29 AM PDT by Vaduz (women and children to be impacIQ of chimpsted the most.)
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