Clinton and DNC Funded the Trump-Russia Dossier: Well Sorta, Almost, Maybe

Potentially the Biggest Scandal in American Political History

(The so-called “Pee-Pee” tape)

Note: This post today is quite long, but very important, too. 

The post below has been updated with this new headline story from here (October 25, 2017 – updated version):

“The Clinton camp and DNC funded what became the Trump-Russia dossier: Here’s what it means”

First and foremost before you read this update and the original story below, watch this short Washington Post video from the reporter who broke and wrote the story. It is about 2 minutes and 30 seconds long, and it clearly sets the scene for the two articles and in the reporter’s own words much better than anything else. Listen carefully to his words – very enlightening:

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The Washington Post broke the story Tuesday night that the Hillary Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee helped pay for that now-famous dossier of research on President Trump.

The Post's Adam Entous, Devlin Barrett and Rosalind S. Helderman report that powerful Democratic attorney Marc E. Elias retained the firm Fusion GPS for information, and Fusion GPS later hired Christopher Steele, a former British intelligence agent who was versed in Russia-related issues.

The dossier, which was published by BuzzFeed News in January, has been partially confirmed, though its most salacious allegations have not been.

There is a lot to sort through here. Below are four key points (also modified from the original story):

There is a lot to sort through here. Below are four key points.

(1) Clinton supporters — though not the campaign itself — were previously reported to fund the dossier: The fact Democrats were behind the funding for the dossier is not totally new. When CNN first reported on the dossier's existence back in January, it said the research effort was originally funded by President Trump's GOP opponents and then, when he won the nomination, by those supporting Clinton.

(2) Yes, the dossier was funded by Democrats: Some of the push back on the left has focused on the fact that a still-unidentified Republican client retained Fusion GPS to do research on Trump before the Clinton campaign and the DNC did. Thus, they argue, it's wrong to say the dossier was just funded by Democrats.

But The Post is reporting that the dossier's author, Steele, wasn't brought into the mix until after Democrats retained Fusion GPS. So while both sides paid Fusion GPS, Steele was only funded by Democrats.

(3) Trump's allegation of FBI payments is still dubious: After the story posted, some on the right seized upon The Post noting the FBI had agreed to pay Steele for information after the campaign. The argument seemed to be that the FBI was engaged in a witch hunt against Trump using Democrats' sources.

(4) The appearance problems for Democrats: There is, presumably, a reason Democrats haven't copped to funding the dossier — something they still haven't publicly confirmed. Fusion GPS threatening to plead the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination also raised eyebrows last week.

First among those reasons is paying a foreigner for opposition research for an American political campaign. Given Democrats' argument that Russia's interference on Trump's behalf was beyond the pale, the Clinton camp and the DNC paying a Brit for information would seem somewhat problematic.

Continue at the link above for more details in this continuing saga.

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ORIGINAL STORY (Note: That story said Clinton supporters – not her Campaign or the DNC paid to get the dossier – a huge difference now):

The below headline is one that the GOP rightwing/others all across RW Talk Radio laa-laa and will (again) run with add to (again) to the Hillary Clinton cesspool from The Washington Post (Original version October 24, 2017):

“Clinton campaign, DNC paid for research that led to Russia dossier”

(1) Clinton supporters — not her campaign staff — were previously reported to have funded the Christopher Steele / Trump-Russian so-called “Pee-Pee” dossier: The fact Democrats were behind at least some of the funding for the dossier is not totally new. When CNN first reported on the dossier's existence back in January, it said it was originally funded by President Trump's GOP opponents and then, when he won the nomination, by those supporting Clinton.

Here's what CNN reported back then: “The raw memos on which the synopsis is based were prepared by the former MI6 agent, who was posted in Russia in the 1990s and now runs a private intelligence gathering firm. His investigations related to Mr. Trump were initially funded by groups and donors supporting Republican opponents of Mr. Trump during the GOP primaries, multiple sources confirmed to CNN. Those sources also said that once Mr. Trump became the nominee, further investigation was funded by groups and donors supporting Hillary Clinton.”

(2) Trump's allegation of FBI payments for the dossier is dubious: After the story posted, some seized upon The Post noting the FBI had agreed to pay Steele for information after the campaign. The argument seemed to be that the FBI was engaged in a witch hunt against Trump using Democrats' sources. 

But The Post originally reported on the FBI's agreement back in February. At the time, it also reported it never actually paid for the work after the agent was identified in news reports:

“The former British spy who authored a controversial dossier on behalf of Donald Trump’s political opponents alleging ties between Trump and Russia reached an agreement with the FBI a few weeks before the election for the bureau to pay him to continue his work, according to several people familiar with the arrangement.”

. . .

“Ultimately, the FBI did not pay Steele. Communications between the bureau and the former spy were interrupted as Steele’s now-famous dossier became the subject of news stories, congressional inquiries and presidential denials, according to the people familiar with the arrangement, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.”

Despite there being no proof the FBI actually paid Steele, Trump suggested it might have in a tweet last week — along with “Russia … or the Dems (or all)." Of those three groups, only Democrats have been reported to have actually paid Steele. And again, that was already kind-of known.

(3) The appearance problems for Democrats: There is, presumably, a reason Democrats haven't copped to funding the dossier — something they still haven't publicly confirmed. Fusion GPS threatening to plead the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination also raised eyebrows last week.

First among those reasons is paying a foreigner for opposition research for an American political campaign. Given Democrats' argument that Russia's interference on Trump's behalf was beyond the pale, the Clinton camp and the DNC paying a Brit for information would seem somewhat problematic.

(The Clinton campaign has also, notably, denied working with the Ukrainian government to dig up dirt on Trump. Republicans have pushed dubious comparisons between the Ukraine allegation and Russia's alleged Trump advocacy.)

Some on the right even alleged that Democrats paying Steele amounts to “collusion” with foreigners. But Russia-Steele comparisons aren't apples-to-apples. The British after all are, unlike the Russians, America's allies. Also, Steele was not acting as an agent of a foreign government, which is what would likely be required to prove collusion in the case of the Trump campaign and Russia.

(4) Yes, the dossier was funded by Democrats: Some of the push back on the left has focused on the fact that a still-unidentified Republican client retained Fusion GPS to do research on Trump before the Clinton campaign and the DNC. Thus, they argue, it's wrong to say the dossier was just funded by Democrats. But the dossier's author, Steele, wasn't brought into the mix until after Democrats retained Fusion GPS. So while both sides paid Fusion GPS, Steele was only funded by Democrats.

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Kind of related story here (Yourtango means your turn I guess. Pretty good site).

My assessment for what it’s worth: First of all, and with The Post updated version of the facts – a lot is on the proverbial table as were:

There is no there, there in regards to scandal vis-à-vis the Clinton campaign camp – none that I see in this excellent story – but one surely the Trumpsters are worried sick about (if proven to be true). Ergo: that is why Trump himself keeps alive the phrases “Fake News” or “Hoax” alive to cause people to lose interest.

So, what if people who supported Clinton funded the dossier report findings? 

As heard in the tape clip at the end the first donor to fund research on Trump was a big GOP donor.

Did Hillary Clinton know what they were doing beforehand? Seems likely, op research is conducted all the time by all sides. Nice to know info, isn't it?

Well now we know that her campaign and DNC indeed funded the dossier… again, so what, if proven true? Trump won despite whatever it says, right?

She lost not for what may or may not be in the dossier but she lost for a ton of other reasons not needed to be repeated with this story. One is done / one is not. That is the issue. The dossier needs to be made public for what is or is not. 

The public has a compelling right and need to know the whole truth and nothing but the truth – but in all honestly nowadays, is that even possible?

Stay tuned – for what? I’m not entirely sure.

Thanks for stopping by.