DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Gabbard Claims Obama Officials ‘Manufactured’ Intelligence of 2016 Russian Election Interference

Gabbard claims Obama officials ‘manufactured intelligence’ of 2016 Russian election interference

BY BRETT SAMUELS AND REBECCA BEITSCH 07/18/25 06:26 PM ET


Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard released a report Friday alleging Obama administration officials manipulated intelligence related to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Gabbard asserted in a statement that former officials engaged in a “treasonous conspiracy” and said her office was turning over evidence to the Justice Department for possible criminal referrals.


“The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government,” Gabbard said. “Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people.”

Friday’s memo cites officials such as former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey.

President Trump has for years claimed the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether his campaign colluded with Moscow was a “hoax,” targeting officials like Brennan and Comey with frequent attacks.



Trump in March signed a memo ordering the declassification of “all files related to Crossfire Hurricane,” the name given to the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.


The very intelligence agencies that Gabbard now oversees have long concluded that Russia sought to influence the 2016 election — an assessment that was backed by other outside entities.

That includes a three-year bipartisan Senate investigation that concluded in a more than 1,300 page report that Russia was aggressive in seeking to interfere with the election on Trump’s behalf, including by launching a massive social media campaign.


Gabbard’s memo, as well as another 114 pages of related documents, primarily rests on claims there was no indication of a Russian effort to directly manipulate the actual vote count.

However, that is not at odds with the conclusion of the intelligence community or the Senate report, which determined there was “no evidence that any votes were changed or that any voting machines were manipulated.” The Obama administration said it had seen no evidence that hackers tampered with the results.

Gabbard’s release was immediately panned by Intelligence Committee Democrats, who noted that it comes amid fractures within the Trump administration over how to handle scrutiny over the Jeffrey Epstein case.

“It’s a day that ends with ‘y’ and Donald Trump desperately wants to change the subject, so Director Gabbard is rehashing decade-old false claims about the Obama Administration. Few episodes in our nation’s history have been investigated as thoroughly as the Intelligence Community’s warning in 2016 that Russia was interfering in the election,” House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said in a statement.

“Every legitimate investigation, including the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee investigation, found no evidence of politicization and endorsed the findings of the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment.”

Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, also criticized Gabbard.


“It seems DNI Gabbard is unaware that the years-long Russia investigation carried out by the Senate Intelligence Committee reaffirmed that ‘the Russian government directed extensive activity against U.S. election infrastructure’ ahead of the 2016 election, and that it ‘used social media to conduct an information warfare campaign’ in order to benefit Donald Trump. This conclusion was supported on a unanimous basis by every single Democrat and Republican on the committee,” he said in a statement.

Also Friday, the Justice Department moved to release some evidence from the Epstein case, including some grand jury testimony, under pressure to release more information about a figure Trump used to socialize with.

The move from Gabbard comes not only amid fallout from the Epstein saga but shortly after reports that she had fallen out of favor with Trump over intelligence related to Iran’s nuclear program.


Friday’s release underscores how probing the origins of the Russia investigation has remained a fixation for the president nearly a decade later. The memo also focuses on the Steele dossier, a collection of salacious allegations about Trump’s ties to Russia, some of which has been discredited.

Gabbard received praise from GOP figures for the report.

“DISMANTLING THE DEEP STATE!” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote on social platform X.


“The Russia hoax was a political hit job manufactured by Obama officials and weaponized by intel agencies to take down President Trump. Accountability is long overdue!”

However, in Democratic circles, Gabbard has been accused — in this instance as well as others — of tailoring intelligence to suit the needs of the administration.

Warner noted that Gabbard previously called on Trump to pardon leaker Edward Snowden, who released thousands of National Security Agency documents showing the bulk collection of Americans’ communications data.


“It is sadly not surprising that DNI Gabbard, who promised to depoliticize the intelligence community, is once again weaponizing her position to amplify the president’s election conspiracy theories,” Warner said.

“It is appalling to hear DNI Gabbard accuse her own IC workforce of committing a ‘treasonous conspiracy’ when she was unwilling to label Edward Snowden a traitor.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/admini...-officials-manipulated-intelligence/amp/



NEW EVIDENCE OF OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CONSPIRACY TO SUBVERT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S 2016 VICTORY AND PRESIDENCY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ODNI News Release No. 15-25
July 18, 2025



New Evidence of Obama Administration Conspiracy to Subvert President Trump’s 2016 Victory and Presidency

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard revealed overwhelming evidence that demonstrates how, after President Trump won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, President Obama and his national security cabinet members manufactured and politicized intelligence to lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Trump.

In the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) consistently assessed that Russia is “probably not trying … to influence the election by using cyber means.”
On December 7, 2016, after the election, talking points were prepared for DNI James Clapper stating, “Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the US Presidential election outcome.”
On December 9, 2016, President Obama’s White House gathered top National Security Council Principals for a meeting that included James Clapper, John Brennan, Susan Rice, John Kerry, Loretta Lynch, Andrew McCabe and others, to discuss Russia.
After the meeting, DNI Clapper’s Executive Assistant sent an email to IC leaders tasking them with creating a new IC assessment “per the President’s request” that details the “tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election.” It went on to say, “ODNI will lead this effort with participation from CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS.”
Obama officials leaked false statements to media outlets, including The Washington Post, claiming, “Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election.”
On January 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months.
After months of investigation into this matter, the facts reveal this new assessment was based on information that was known by those involved to be manufactured i.e. the Steele Dossier or deemed as not credible. This was politicized intelligence that was used as the basis for countless smears seeking to delegitimize President Trump’s victory, the years-long Mueller investigation, two Congressional impeachments, high level officials being investigated, arrested, and thrown in jail, heightened US-Russia tensions, and more.

“The issue I am raising is not a partisan issue. It is one that concerns every American. The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government. Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people,” said DNI Tulsi Gabbard. “Their egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic. No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again. The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it. As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve.”

The files and a memo on today’s release are available on DNI.gov. DNI Gabbard will post updates on X (@DNIGabbard) and Truth Social (@DNlTulsiGabbard).


https://www.dni.gov/index.php/newsroom/press-releases/press-releases-2025/4086-pr-15-25


Obama admin 'manufactured' intelligence to create 2016 Russian election interference narrative, documents show
'There was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government," Gabbard said
Brooke Singman By Brooke Singman Fox News
Published July 18, 2025 1:02pm EDT

EXCLUSIVE: The Obama administration "manufactured and politicized intelligence" to create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise, Fox News Digital has learned.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard Friday declassified documents revealing "overwhelming evidence" that demonstrates how, after President Donald Trump won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, then-President Barack Obama and his national security team laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump–Russia collusion probe.

FBI LAUNCHES CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS OF JOHN BRENNAN, JAMES COMEY: DOJ SOURCES


Documents revealed that in the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the intelligence community consistently assessed that Russia was "probably not trying…to influence the election by using cyber means."

Tulsi Gabbard testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
One instance was on Dec. 7, 2016, weeks after the election, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s talking points stated: "Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the U.S. presidential election outcome."

Fox News Digital obtained a declassified copy of the Presidential Daily Brief, which was prepared by the Department of Homeland Security, with reporting from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, State Department and open sources, for Obama, dated Dec. 8, 2016.


"We assess that Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure," the Presidential Daily Brief stated. "Russian Government-affiliated actors most likely compromised an Illinois voter registration database and unsuccessfully attempted the same in other states."

President Barack Obama, center, with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, left, and FBI Director James Comey, right, sit during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, July 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
July 19, 2016: President Barack Obama, center, with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, left, and FBI Director James Comey, right, sit during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/The Associated Press)
But the brief stated that it was "highly unlikely" the effort "would have resulted in altering any state’s official vote result."

EX-OBAMA INTEL BOSS WANTED ANTI-TRUMP DOSSIER INCLUDED IN 'ATYPICAL' 2016 ASSESSMENT DESPITE PUSHBACK


"Criminal activity also failed to reach the scale and sophistication necessary to change election outcomes," it stated.

The brief noted that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence assessed that any Russian activities "probably were intended to cause psychological effects, such as undermining the credibility of the election process and candidates."

John Brennan
Former Director of U.S. National Intelligence James Clapper (right) listens to former CIA Director John Brennan (left). (Gary Cameron/Reuters)
The brief stated that cyber criminals "tried to steal data and to interrupt election processes by targeting election infrastructure, but these actions did not achieve a notable disruptive effect."


Fox News Digital obtained declassified, but redacted, communications from the FBI on the Presidential Daily Brief, stating that it "should not go forward until the FBI" had shared its "concerns."

Those communications revealed that the FBI drafted a "dissent" to the original Presidential Daily Brief.

The communications revealed that the brief was expected to be published Dec. 9, 2016, the following day, but later communications revealed that Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "based on some new guidance" decided to "push back publication" of the Presidential Daily Brief.


View PDF
"It will not run tomorrow and is not likely to run until next week," wrote the deputy director of the Presidential Daily Brief at Office of the Director of National Intelligence, whose name is redacted.

The following day, Dec. 9, 2016, a meeting convened in the White House Situation Room, with the subject line starting: "Summary of Conclusions for PC Meeting on a Sensitive Topic (REDACTED.)"

WHITE HOUSE WANTS OBAMA INTEL OFFICIALS 'HELD ACCOUNTABLE' FOR ROLE PEDDLING 2016 RUSSIA HOAX


The meeting included top officials in the National Security Council, Clapper, then-CIA Director John Brennan, then-National Security Advisor Susan Rice, then-Secretary of State John Kerry, then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch, then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, among others, to discuss Russia.


Then National Security Adviser Susan Rice in a March 21, 2014, file photo.
The declassified meeting record, obtained by Fox News Digital, revealed that principals "agreed to recommend sanctioning of certain members of the Russian military intelligence and foreign intelligence chains of command responsible for cyber operations as a response to cyber activity that attempted to influence or interfere with U.S. elections, if such activity meets the requirements" from an executive order that demanded the blocking of property belonging to people engaged in cyber activities.

After the meeting, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Clapper’s executive assistant emailed intelligence community leaders tasking them to create a new intelligence community assessment "per the president’s request," that detailed the "tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election."


"ODNI will lead this effort with participation from CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS," the record states.

Then-AG Loretta Lynch, Sec of state John Kerry and President Barack Obama in Feb. 2016
Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Secretary of State John Kerry look on as U.S. President Barack Obama makes a statement after meeting with his National Security Council at the State Department, Feb. 25, 2016, in Washington. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Later, Obama officials "leaked false statements to media outlets" claiming that "Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election."

By Jan. 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released that, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "directly contradicted the IC assessments that were made throughout the previous six months."


Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital that the ICA was "politicized" because it "suppressed intelligence from before and after the election showing Russia lacked intent and capability to hack the 2016 election."

Officials also said it deceived the American public "by claiming the IC made no assessment on the ‘impact’ of Russian activities," when the intelligence community "did, in fact, assess for impact."

"The unpublished December PDB stated clearly that Russia ‘did not impact’ the election through cyber hacks on the election," an official told Fox News Digital.



Robert Mueller, former special counsel for the U.S. Department of Justice. (AP newsroom | Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Photo by Mike Cohen/Getty Images for The New York Times)
The official also said that the ICA assessed that "Russia was responsible for leaking data from the DNC and DCCC," but while "failing to mention that FBI and NSA previously expressed low confidence in this attribution."

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence officials told Fox News Digital Friday that they have been investigating the matter for months.

Officials told Fox News Digital that the new assessment "was based on information that was known by those involved to be manufactured i.e. the Steele Dossier or deemed as not credible."


Officials said that the intelligence was "politicized" and then "used as the basis for countless smears seeking to delegitimize President Trump’s victory, the years-long Mueller investigation, two Congressional impeachments, high level officials being investigated, arrested, and thrown in jail, heightened US-Russia tensions, and more."

From left, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper sit together in the front row before President Barack Obama spoke about National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance, Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at the Justice Department in Washington. The president called for ending the government's control of phone data from millions of Americans. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
From left, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper sit together in the front row before President Barack Obama spoke about National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance, Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at the Justice Department in Washington. The president called for ending the government's control of phone data from millions of Americans. (Carolyn Kaster/The Associated Press )
Gabbard told Fox News Digital that this "is not a partisan issue," but one that "concerns every American."

COMEY SAYS MCCABE LIED, CONFIRMS HE KICK-STARTED PROBE THAT LED TO HIS FIRING


"The information we are releasing today clearly shows there was a treasonous conspiracy in 2016 committed by officials at the highest level of our government," Gabbard told Fox News Digital. "Their goal was to subvert the will of the American people and enact what was essentially a years-long coup with the objective of trying to usurp the President from fulfilling the mandate bestowed upon him by the American people."

Gabbard said the "egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution" by Obama-era officials "threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic."

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Tulsi Gabbard and her husband Abraham Williams, holds up Gabbard's commission for her new role as Director of National Intelligence after she was sworn in, in the Oval Office at the White House on February 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Gabbard, who will oversee the 18 intelligence agencies and serve as Trump's advisory on intelligence, was confirmed by the Senate 52-48. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Tulsi Gabbard and her husband Abraham Williams, holds up Gabbard's commission for her new role as Director of National Intelligence after she was sworn in, in the Oval Office at the White House on February 12, 2025 in Washington, DC. Gabbard, who will oversee the 18 intelligence agencies and serve as Trump's advisory on intelligence, was confirmed by the Senate 52-48. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
"No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again," Gabbard said. "The American people’s faith and trust in our democratic republic and therefore the future of our nation depends on it."


Gabbard added: "As such, I am providing all documents to the Department of Justice to deliver the accountability that President Trump, his family, and the American people deserve."

CIA Director John Ratcliffe testifies
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, joined at center by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, testifies as the Senate Intelligence Committee holds its worldwide threats hearing, on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Tuesday, March 25. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press )
Fox News Digital reached out to Obama, Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Rice, Lynch and McCabe for comment and did not receive a response.

The declassification of records and release by Gabbard and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence comes after Fox News Digital exclusively reported that former CIA Director Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey are under criminal investigation for activities related to the original Trump–Russia probe.


The criminal referral for Brennan came from CIA Director John Ratcliffe, after he declassified records revealing that Brennan did, in fact, push for the discredited anti-Trump dossier to be included in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment, despite the CIA’s consensus that it was filled with "internet rumor."

That dossier ultimately served as the basis for the Trump–Russia probe inside the FBI and for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

Kash Patel testifies
FBI Director Kash Patel declassified an FBI reporting document containing the allegations. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press)
Ratcliffe sent the criminal referral for Brennan to FBI Director Kash Patel, who then opened a criminal investigation into Brennan and into Comey.


CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Reacting to the news of the investigation, Trump said he thinks "they’re very dishonest people."

"I think they're crooked as hell," Trump said. "And, maybe they have to pay a price for that."


Trump added: "I believe they are truly bad people and dishonest people. So whatever happens, happens."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ob...nterference-narrative-documents-show.amp

yea this has already been hashed thru....

On November 2, 2020, the day before the presidential election, New York magazine reported that:

According to two sources familiar with the probe, there has been no evidence found, after 18 months of investigation, to support Barr's claims that Trump was targeted by politically biased Obama officials to prevent his election. (The probe remains ongoing.) In fact, the sources said, the Durham investigation has so far uncovered no evidence of any wrongdoing by Biden or Barack Obama, or that they were even involved with the Russia investigation.[50]

As Durham was winding down his investigation in January 2023, The New York Times observed:

But after almost four years – far longer than the Russia investigation itself – Mr. Durham’s work is coming to an end without uncovering anything like the deep state plot alleged by Mr. Trump and suspected by Mr. Barr. Moreover, a monthslong review by The New York Times found that the main thrust of the Durham inquiry was marked by some of the very same flaws – including a strained justification for opening it and its role in fueling partisan conspiracy theories that would never be charged in court – that Trump allies claim characterized the Russia investigation.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durham_special_counsel_investigation

and what about the SC ruling on presidential immunity?

At this point, I think it's just an attempt to distract from Epstein...

Oh, that happened before this new info was found! KIDDING

Most of the stuff is a distraction from stuff the administration is either doing or not doing. This administration has taken "Flood the Zone" to unprecidented levels - and there is only one reason to distract, deflect and flood the zone with excrement... And the Trumptards gobble it all up and ask for more with a big fat grin on their faces all the while not realizing exactly what complete patsies they are.

Anyone want to guess why there are so many parts of the Big Beautiful Bill that don't kick in until after the 2026 mid terms?? lmao.

Why didn't O Biden release the files?

Well...based on what has now been declassified it appears that Mr Durham's work was quite lacking. Interesting how Durham missed the part about career agents repeatedly saying that the basis of the Russia BS was not credible...missed that Comey used made-up intel to try and trap the elected President...missed that Obama's hands are all over this act.

I can hear it now...but...but...but... what about January 6th...aka Pelosi's Liberation Day.

BDS.

Why do Republicans say these things? According to Republicans it was because he was trying to cover for rich and powerful democrats. According to republicans democrats had a pedophile ring. According to republicans when trump took office they were going to blow the lid off of the entire thing and release the Epstein list. They were going to prove that Bill Clinton was involved. They were the people strutting around like a banty rooster claiming they already had all the answers and it would all be exposed.

Now the time has come and what happened? "It's sitting on my desk" one week. The next week, "There is no list." Trump even said he didn't want the support of many in his own party that insisted the files be released.

And all you got is "What about Biden?"

Come on man.

You mean the same Comey that announced the FBI was going to continue the Hillary Clinton investigation just a few days before the election that helped sway voters on the fence? You still can't see when you're being slopped like hogs in a pen.

The simple fact is that Trump and his minions stirred up the hornet's nest by saying they would release everything on Epstein.

Biden made no such promise.

Trump made that bed, now he has to lay in it.

And they have to release the investigative files, not the grand jury files.

That's just another bait and switch con game. Grand juries focus on the accused in question. It's only to show there's enough evidence to take a case to trial. They aren't going to have a list if names or nearly all of the facts presented at trial. He's hoping he can fool them with this.

If the Dems had any evidence of Trump wrongdoing in Epstein files, they would have sacrificed whoever to get Trump. The fact they did not release any files shows there was no real Trump evidence. I am confident of that.

The dems just cling to anything.

My feeling is they better cling to the voters leaving the sensible dem party to join the socialist/communist wing.

The Democratic party is fracturing before our very eyes.

It isn't the Democrats that have been been screaming for it to be released. It isn't the Democrats who came up with the conspiracy that democrats are pedophiles and the proof is Epstein's list. It wasn't the Biden administration who said the list was on their desk only to claim there was no list days later.

And these aren't democrats.................

Trump can't stop MAGA from obsessing about the Epstein files

MAGA-friendly media has been torn over how to respond to a base that wants more on the Epstein files and a president who wants it to move on.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-maga-jeffrey-epstein-files-rcna219073

You refuse to take responsibility for anything anymore and look for anybody but your own kind to blame. And you are still fooling yourself that a communist and a socialist are the same thing. Much less open your mind up to understanding what a democratic socialist is. I'm glad we're at the age where our generation will no longer control this nation. Too many of our generation have refused to learn and grow with age. People such as you keep wanting to feed a system that has proven to fail and gotten us to where we are now. It's time that smarter people with new ideas take over. No matter what you say they can't screw things up any worse than our generation has.

Wow!!!! I don't want freedom I want to be enslaved! I want a government to control me. I never thought I would ever hear Americans say these kinds of things. Really sad! Men and Women died for freedoms in this country and the lazy want to just give it away.

So what does it say when the very people who promised to release the list refuses to release it? The people that told you "It's on my desk" and then a few days later told you "There is no list"? What does it say when a man says to his own voters that if they still demanded the Epstein files be released they are no longer his supporters? Some of you need to put a mirror on your Christmas list.

Your answer? "Yeah but the Democrats."

I am disappointed because I do believe he is trying to protect some people that should not be protected.

What they didn't fight and die for is a king to defy the Constitution by using a pen. Nobody said anything you just stated. We have watched this country be ruled by a powerful few and money. That isn't the freedom you claim it is. That's Freedumb. Keep making BS up to make you feel better. Like I said, you are what it looks like when people are stuck in the mind and refuse to find out what democratic socialism is. You have helped screw this country up to a point that a change you despise is coming. And it was you in part who will have made it happen.

How do you consider a man in charge who consistently punishes and attacks law firms, the media (You remember freedom of the press don't you?) universities and anyone else who challenges him "Freedom"? I don't think you even know what the word means anymore.

Then air your freaking disappointment up your own chain for crying out loud. Call your Republican senators, reps, etc and air your grievances.

A good amount of our political problems would be addressed if we were more like this, to a fever pitch level.

We have to stop treating politics like sports teams. We have to be tireless in holding our politicians accountable regardless of party.

None of them should ever feel comfortable in their seat.

You can put lip stick on a pig all you want but democratic socialism is nothing more than a dressed-up way to say Communism. No thanks. I am not jealous of those more successful than me. That is what is great about capitalism. You get out of it what you put into it. Work hard, play by the rules and good things will happen. You get out of it what you earn. Putting your hands out and asking for handouts is not the American way.

Oh, memories.

And you are using lipstick to redefine words you refuse to understand or look into the difference of. Democratic socialism is not pure socialism and communism isn't socialism. A quick look at the definition of those words could easily clear up your confusion. You can stop blaming me and or the left for that any time now.


Are you saying trump "played by the rules" to gain all of his wealth? So I actually need to post facts showing you that's not true? Do you think having a multi billionaire like Musk being able to spend over 250 million dollars to help influence an election a rule you support? Why are you confusing the word jealousy with wanting billionaires to actually pay the same tax rate as the average American?

All of your ridiculous rants are so precious.

The United States of America is a Democratic Republic and should always stay a Democratic Republic. It is not a democracy even though it uses democracy principles, but it certainly is not socialist. With check and balances designed to make change slowly. socialism of any kind should be rejected and seen as a form of treason. This country principle of capitalism is the fairest system the world has ever seen. It is not perfect, but it is the best system. People are free to achieve whatever they want to achieve. You can take your hand outs I don't want them.

That's a good question. If he and Obama and Comey concocted these files to harm Trump, why didn't they release them?

That's a good question. If he and Obama and Comey concocted these files to harm Trump, why didn't they release them?

The United States will be what future voters decide it should be. Seemingly unbeknownst to you that's what decides how the country runs. The voters decide. You claim Social Security is treason? You claim Medicaid and Medicare is treason? Minimum wage is treason? So any changes other than totally unbridled capitalism is treason? Anything you disagree with or are against is treason? That is what dictators say. Nobody wants to "wipe out" capitalism. This is what people such as yourself who have no clue what democratic socialism is say because you refuse to inform yourselves.

There can be no true "capitalist system". That's been proven over and over again. Any system of government can be abused and it has been. That's why we have safety regulations. That's why workers compensation came about. That's why business had to be regulated. That's why we have child labor laws. That is why we have minimum wage and Social security came about. The list is virtually endless of the many ways capitalism has been abused in the past. Keeping capitalism in check is needed and has had to come about over the abuse of it. We have been taught the need and for almost a century now lived in a society where capitalism has been mixed with socialism. You can't promote capitalism and the wealthy only to ignore the people. There has to be a balance.

You call that treason. But then of course you would. Do you actually even engage your brain before you post? Socialism has been a fabric within our society for almost a century now. Did you not understand that? And pure capitalism is the very reason that happened in the first place.

Everywhere socialism has existed it has not worked. It is a system that empowers the few and makes peasants out of the many. No thanks I do just fine working for myself. Go get your hand outs I don't want them.

My hands aren't out. It's just that I'm a human being that cares about people other than myself and understand the abuses that unbridled capitalism has caused that socialism has helped stop and prevent.

As per usual you ignore the entire content of my post only to come back with more mindless nonsense. I've told you that nobody is trying to do away with capitalism and replace it with socialism.

But you aren't interest in anything that resembles a discussion. You just want to repeat lame GOP talking points instead.

It could've just as easily been that there was incriminating evidence in there against them... and releasing would hurt them just as much as Trump.


I may only speak for myself, but Trump and his corner had been stoking this conspiracy theory throughout the campaign... but now want to hand-waive it away now that he's in office. Like someone said above, he made this bed and now he gets to lay in it.

If the Democrats had the goods on Trump they would have sacrificed their own Mother's to get him exposed. I believe there are names on that list that will take down people on both sides. I don't care if you were a contributor of child sex trafficking you should not be protected you should go down.

I agree. Many haven't grown with age. We just disagree on who has grown and who hasn't.

Oh....USSR...united soviet socialist republic....commie any way you cut it.

If you insist on a differentiation, Socialists are adolescent Commies.

The entire EU bloc is well to the left of the U.S. politically — and many EU nations are WAY WAY left of the Democratic Party. Yet none of those countries are 'socialist,' and many rank among the highest in quality of life, education, and healthcare.

But I get it—those are nuances that might be hard to grasp if your only news diet is Fox/Breitbart talking points. When you’re spoon-fed propaganda, critical thinking tends to take a backseat.

I would again caution utilizing a country’s name as emblematic of the style of government they run.

For example, I think we can all agree that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is anything but that.

I do think there is a lot of reactionary fear basis in the boomer generation revolved around the notion of communism because of the red scare and whatnot, with decades of reinforcement and the likes of Joe McCarthy. But that does not mean everything that happens here that may be a move tk the left should automatically trigger that same 1960’s fear of communism dawning.

Day mentioned earlier that socialism doesn’t work. I would argue that any form of government can work or fail depending on how extreme that government operates and how quickly or effectively that government can address inevitable pitfalls.

For example, the socialistic setup of Venezuela is ineffective. However, late 18th Century France (which many could compare economically to our current situation) was also a failure. Same with 1917 Russia. The Venezuela model vs the latter two forms of government are on complete opposite ends of the spectrum.

Even in our own history, when it comes to things like not needing handouts or the need to lower taxes and preserve the wealthy, that can be driven to extremes. I don’t think any of us would look in our history books and consider the Gilded era to be a prime representation of what we should all build towards. We came into our economic prowess under the New Deal President, his successor, and then a Republican whose tax rates would be considered “communist” in the modern era.

If you ask me, the biggest problem we run into now, is we have too many on both ends of the economic spectrum who are doing the opposite of what Kennedy mandated and asking “What the country can do for them” vs the vice versa.

And that actually brings up another point. Why are handouts viewed so myopically as poor individuals seeking them vs large corporations? Take a look at the handouts given to oil, gas, pharmaceuticals and defense. If your argument is that it’s to stimulate the economy, I would ask that you look again at 1) objective, decades-long data behind the effectiveness of “trickle down” and 2) the rates at which the mega corporations receiving handouts have repurchased their own stock since receiving those benefits, vs handing out jobs, building new locations, growing, etc.

A tax break is not a handout. It is keeping more of the money earned. A handout is receiving money not earned!!! Let corporations keep more of the money they earned, and they will in turn invest more, hire more people, give employees raises, etc.... That does not work for the left because they want people to stay home, smoke weed, and receive free healthcare, education, and checks for doing nothing. That is the difference.

How many posters here that are "on the left" in your mind, " stay home, smoke weed, and receive free healthcare, education, and checks for doing nothing"? I see you wish to ignore trailer parks in the south who vote for trump. Meth heads in Florida who vote for trump. As many of those people vote your way as the other way in those areas. You just refuse to admit it and own it.

And allow me to give you a basic explanation of how the economy works. Not some in depth look but one a child of three can understand.

Corporations and all businesses are in business to make money. There's nothing wrong with that. Who would work for free? As such that don't build products and hire people just because they have more money. They don't invest money when the demand for their products isn't there. Letting them "keep more of their money" has nothing to do with them investing more or hiring more people or giving their employees raises. Many corporations make billions upon billions of dollars. If they wanted to pay their employees more they could easily do that now.

For someone who promotes pure capitalism so much you seem to have no clue how it works. It's based off of supply and demand. When unemployment is high and there is a plentiful workforce available the advantage goes to the employer. They have no need to raise wages. When unemployment is low and they have trouble finding workers they raise wages to attract employees because they are competing against other employers for the available workforce. "Supply and demand".

Corporations build products people purchase from them. In order to maximize profits they attempt to use as few employees as possible to produce those products. Why would any company or corporation pay employees they don't need to run their business? They pay those employees what the going rate is. They don't just give them raises because someone gives them a tax break.

A company or corporation doesn't just expand or build more products unless there is a demand for those products. That doesn't happen by putting money in their hands. That only happens by putting that money in the hands of the people who purchase those products.

This had been proven time and time again. But still we see people post nonsense like you did.

I agree. You still spout the same nonsense you did 20 or 30 years ago.


And there you have it. You think just because someone places a label on something that's what it is. As has already been explained to you, according to your standards most every nation in Europe would be communist countries. I mean they have that dreadful national healthcare and more regulations to protect their people. But hey, they don't "call themselves communists" so that can't be. They're more on the side that blend socialism with democracy. England, Spain and France are just like Russia because they mix socialism with democracy in your world. After all according to you they're all the same thing.

I disagree Kennedy in the 1960's created a good economy by lower taxes. Reagan turned the Country around using that same principle. Trump had the economy rolling before Fauci and friends pulled their crap and shut the economy down. So, it has worked time and time again.

Faucci had no power to "shut the country down". Those decisions were made by politicians. And not just democrats. How does your brain create these stories in your mind?

Stop deflecting you stated that "Let corporations keep more of the money they earned, and they will in turn invest more, hire more people, give employees raises,"

I debunked every word of that nonsense. It's certainly true that if you target major tax cuts by putting that money in the hands of consumers that need things, appliances, cars and goods, they will in turn purchase those products. That creates the demand for those products. Then and only then does business need to expand and hire more employees to meet that demand.

What we see now is the bulk of tax cuts going to major corporations and the wealthy and a much smaller percentage getting in the hands of consumers. That in no way stimulates the economy.

A bunch of one line BS doesn't change any of that. Your entire "Let corporations keep more of the money they earned, and they will in turn invest more, hire more people, give employees raises," has been proven to be nothing but nonsense. Now deflect away from that some more. You have no intent on having anything close to a meaningful discussion.

It is a fact that businesses make more money they invest infrastructure to make more goods. That creates jobs in the construction world to build that infrastructure. Once created, the employer will then hire more people to produce more goods with the added infrastructure Which in turn causes more people employed and working to make money and buying goods for them and their families. Which causes businesses to make even more money and employees then get raises. Which all of that creates more tax revenue at a lower rate. I don't expect folks who always have their hands out to understand a simple concept like that though.

They don't build homes that aren't selling. They don't make products there is no demand for. I don't expect people that have no understanding of how things work to understand that. They have been programmed to believe this BS.

I'll tell you what. Ask any business owner in any field if they expands their business and production unless there is a demand for his or her product? I don't have my hand out. I just have a basic understanding of how this all works. And it's very basic. Something you can't seem to grasp.

As of now communities are actually giving huge tax breaks to companies just to come to their towns. The result is workers pay the taxes and the businesses don't.

Please explain one logical reason businesses would make or build things that are not selling? They only make and build things based on demand. Dear Lord man.

More people working will drive the demand. More money in the hands of those that supply the jobs to those that need to be working kicks start the whole process.

Only more people get hired when a business needs workers to meet increased demand. At this point you sound so ridiculous it's obvious to see you're doing nothing but trolling. Everyone knows that our our economy is based on supply and demand. Even those acting like they don't. But it's what trumpians do.

Oh, memories.....

‘It’s just wildly misleading’: Why the administration’s latest allegations about the Russia investigation don’t add up

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard declassified and released new intelligence documents Friday that she claimed were evidence of a “treasonous conspiracy” by top Obama administration officials to manufacture the notion that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

But the allegations conflate and misrepresent what the intelligence community actually concluded, according to a review of a GOP-led Senate investigation from 2020 and interviews with congressional sources familiar with the probe.

The newly unsealed documents do nothing to undercut the government’s core findings in its 2017 assessment that Russia launched an influence and hacking campaign and sought to help Donald Trump beat Hillary Clinton, the sources said.

The new allegations from Gabbard lean on assessments before the election and statements from Obama-era intelligence officials finding that the Russians did not alter the election results through cyber-attacks aimed at infiltrating voting systems.

But the January 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment never concluded that Russian cyberattacks altered the outcome of the 2016 election or compromised any election infrastructure in the first place, though state voting systems were probed.

Instead, the assessment focused on Russia’s influence campaign ordered by President Vladimir Putin and cyber operations against US and Democratic Party officials, including the hacked emails released by WikiLeaks.

“These are two different things — cyberattacks on infrastructure and hacking the DNC — which they’re conflating in an attempt to make a political point,” said a former senior congressional source familiar with the Senate review. “It’s just wildly misleading on its face.”

In 2020, a bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee review agreed with the intelligence community’s conclusions on Russia’s election interference and Putin’s role directing the effort.

Multiple congressional sources familiar with the Senate report said that Gabbard is trying to lean on intelligence assessments that no voting systems were breached to falsely make a broader leap that a Russian influence and cyber campaign did not occur. The Senate review included interviews with the intelligence analysts who drafted the report, none of whom reported any political interference, the congressional sources said.

In response to questions from CNN, an ODNI official said, “What the IC assessed before the Obama-Brennan-Clapper politicization, was that attempts by Russia to meddle in the 2016 election were designed to undermine public confidence in the vote outcome, not ‘hack’ U.S. elections.”

Intel assessment sparked Trump’s distrust of ‘deep state’

Gabbard’s declassified document release is only the latest example of Trump administration officials trying to rewrite the history of the Russia investigation during the president’s first six months in office.

Last month, CIA Director John Ratcliffe also released a review that criticized the intelligence community’s conclusion that Putin sought to help Trump, which he said was reached “through an atypical & corrupt process.” Ratcliffe referred former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey to the Justice Department, which is now investigating, CNN previously reported. Gabbard also threatened on Friday to refer Obama officials to the Department of Justice for potential prosecution.

Trump and his allies have spent years trying to denigrate all aspects of the Russia investigation, which consumed much of the first two years of Trump’s first term – including the 2017 intelligence assessment; special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe and the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane investigation; and the infamous dossier written by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, which was funded by the Clinton campaign and alleged coordination between the Russian government and people associated with the Trump campaign.

Trump touted Gabbard’s findings over the weekend, reposting videos of Gabbard speaking on Fox Business and memes of former President Barack Obama and his top officials in prison jumpsuits. Earlier this year, Trump declassified and released redacted documents from a binder that the White House compiled in 2020 criticizing the FBI’s probe, including the bureau’s errors in relying on the dossier to obtain foreign surveillance warrants on a Trump adviser.

“Obama himself manufactured the Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX. Crooked Hillary, Sleepy Joe, and numerous others participated in this, THE CRIME OF THE CENTURY!. Irrefutable EVIDENCE. A major threat to our Country!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social Monday evening.

The January 2017 intelligence assessment, released days before Trump took office, was a key first step in turning Trump against the “deep state.” He’s long disputed the conclusion that Putin and the Russian government aspired to help him win, believing it undermined the legitimacy of his 2016 victory.

A 2018 report by the GOP-led House Intelligence Committee disputed the tradecraft behind the conclusion that Putin tried to help Trump. Ratcliffe was a member of that committee at the time, and FBI Director Kash Patel was a top aide on the panel. Ratcliffe’s review last month did not dispute the intelligence community’s finding that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Allegations tied to Steele dossier

Gabbard alleged that the intelligence assessment on Russian interference relied on the Steele dossier and was used by the Obama White House to “subvert the will of the American people.”

In an 11-page memo accompanying the declassified documents, Gabbard cites emails from intelligence officials and an earlier September 2016 intelligence assessment stating that foreign adversaries don’t have the capability to “covertly overturn the vote outcome.” The memo points to talking points in December 2016 for then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, stating: “Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the US Presidential election outcome.”

Gabbard’s memo alleges that when the January 2017 intelligence assessment on Russian interference was released, it “falsely alleges, based in part on ‘further information’ that had ‘come to light’ since the election, that Putin directed an effort to help President Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.”

“This ‘further information’ is later confirmed to be the Steele Dossier,” the memo states.

But congressional sources took issue with both of her claims: The intelligence community conclusion of a Putin-directed campaign was not evidence that the election outcome had been altered, they said, and the committee’s interviews with the analysts who drafted the assessment said that the Steele dossier did not inform its analysis.

There was an internal debate about whether the dossier should be part of the assessment or a separate annex, but the CIA insisted it be kept out of the report, according to the committee’s report.

“All individuals the Committee interviewed stated that the Steele material did not in any way inform the analysis in the ICA — including the key judgments — because it was unverified information and had not been disseminated as serialized intelligence reporting,” the committee report states.

Gabbard’s memo claims the dossier was involved in the assessment on the basis of an “ODNI whistleblower,” who had worked previously on election interference and said they were sidelined on the January 2017 Russia document.

The memo states that the whistleblower was “shocked” to be told in helping to respond to a 2019 Freedom of Information Act request that the dossier was “a factor” in the intelligence assessment.

But the email that’s cited in the memo merely states that the dossier was a factor because it was an annex to the intelligence assessment — there’s no suggestion that means it was involved in the crafting of the analysis itself.

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the panel’s investigation resulted in a “unanimous, bipartisan conclusion” that Putin interfered in 2016 to benefit Trump.

“This is just another example of the DNI trying to cook the books, rewrite history, and erode trust in the intelligence agencies she’s supposed to be leading,” Warner said.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/22/poli...rite-history-of-the-russia-investigation

Gabbard threatens Obama officials with criminal referral over 2016 election assessment

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Friday threatened to refer Obama administration officials to the Justice Department for prosecution over the intelligence assessment of Russia’s 2016 election interference, in the latest example of officials going after perceived enemies of President Donald Trump.

Gabbard declassified documents Friday that she claimed were evidence the Obama administration’s intelligence officials “manufactured and politicized intelligence to lay the groundwork” for the FBI’s Russia investigation into Trump.

In a post, Gabbard said she was “turning over all documents to the DOJ for criminal referral,” though she didn’t specify whether she was referring any specific officials. A criminal referral does not necessarily mean the Justice Department will investigate or prosecute.

Earlier this month, however, CNN reported that the FBI is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey for possible false statements to Congress following a referral from the current CIA Director John Ratcliffe, which was also related to the intelligence assessment on Russia’s election interference.

Both Gabbard and Ratcliffe declassified documents this month as part of an effort to undermine the intelligence community’s 2017 assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 US election and tried to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton – a conclusion that contributed to Trump’s longstanding distrust of the intelligence community.

Other reviews did not discover such issues, however, including a bipartisan 2020 Senate Intelligence Committee report that supported the intelligence community’s assessment of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

Democrats criticized Gabbard’s release Friday as an attempt to “rewrite history.”

“The Senate Intelligence Committee conducted a bipartisan investigation reviewing hundreds of thousands of documents and interviewing witnesses over several years. The unanimous, bipartisan conclusion was that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump,” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the committee, said in a statement. “This is just another example of the DNI trying to cook the books, rewrite history, and erode trust in the intelligence agencies she’s supposed to be leading.”

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement, “Every legitimate investigation, including the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee investigation, found no evidence of politicization and endorsed the findings of the 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment.”

The FBI’s criminal investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia began in 2016 and stretched into the first Trump administration. It then became the subject of investigations by the Justice Department’s inspector general and by special counsel John Durham, who was appointed by Attorney General Bill Barr to also examine the handling of intelligence that led to the Trump-Russia probe.

The Durham probe ended with no finding of wrongdoing in the handling of the intelligence, but it did end with the indictment of three people, including a former FBI lawyer who pleaded guilty to falsifying information in a surveillance warrant request targeting a Trump campaign aide.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/19/politics/gabbard-threatens-obama-officials-2016-election

Gabbard’s Russian interference claims directly contradict what other Trump officials have said

When President Donald Trump sided with Vladimir Putin over his own intelligence community on the topic of Russia’s interference in the 2016 US election, then-Sen. Marco Rubio sharply rebuked Trump.

The Florida Republican said in 2018 that the intelligence community’s “assessment of 2016 is accurate. It’s 100% accurate. The Russians interfered in our elections.”

He added: “I think it was not a good moment for the administration, obviously. Hopefully, something like that never happens again.”

But seven years later, it just keeps happening — over and over again — as Trump and his most loyal allies seek to sow doubts about that 2016 episode and punish their political enemies. That’s now taken the form of Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard threatening criminal referrals and even floating allegations of treason for key officials in the Obama administration.

Her argument is full of holes, as even critics of the Russia investigation such as the National Review’s Andrew McCarthy have noted. (Basically, the whole thing conflates Russia’s attempts to influence the 2016 election with nonexistent attacks on election infrastructure that changed votes. )

But just as notable is that Gabbard’s move to cast doubt on Russia’s 2016 interference is wholly at odds with several top Trump administration officials, most especially Rubio, along with a pair of congressional investigations spearheaded by Republicans.

To be clear, Gabbard is basically suggesting there was no Russian interference.

Her memo last week cited what it cast as false reporting “that the CIA ‘concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened’ in the election to help President Trump.”

The memo said the assessment “falsely alleges … that Putin directed an effort to help President Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.”

Gabbard in Fox News interviews accused the Obama team of ordering a “a manufactured piece of intelligence that detailed not if, but how Russia tried to influence the outcome of the United States election.” She cited an intelligence document that purportedly said Russia “did not attempt to affect the outcome of the election.”

In fact, that document — a President’s Daily Brief, or his daily intelligence report — merely said Russia hadn’t impacted the election results “by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure.”

It was referring narrowly to a very specific (and severe) type of potential election interference. The Obama administration never alleged such interference took place or that Russia manipulated actual votes that were cast.

This is a kind of sleight of hand we’ve seen before with Trump allies trying to call Russia’s election interference into question.

But Gabbard’s commentary is especially striking when juxtaposed with those she serves with in the second Trump administration.

Rubio didn’t just rebuke Trump for siding with Putin’s denials back in 2018; he also spearheaded the Senate Intelligence Committee’s big, bipartisan Russia report in 2020.

The report concluded that Russia had “engaged in an aggressive, multi-faceted effort to influence, or attempt to influence, the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.”

It not only said Russia had interfered, but also that it had done so to benefit Trump.

“The Committee found that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian effort to hack computer networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak information damaging to Hillary Clinton and her campaign for president,” the report said. “Moscow’s intent was to harm the Clinton Campaign, tarnish an expected Clinton presidential administration, help the Trump Campaign after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, and undermine the U.S. democratic process.”

The report differed slightly from a similar report from the House Intelligence Committee in 2018. The House report, which was written by Republicans, did not say that Russia aimed to help Trump, but it did say it interfered and that Putin had ordered it.

“In 2015, Russia began engaging in a covert influence campaign aimed at the U.S. presidential election,” the Republican-led House report said. “The Russia government, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, sought to sow discord in American society and undermine our faith in the democratic process.”

Gabbard, who was a Democratic member of Congress until 2021, now suggestively casts all three of these pillars as false: that Russia interfered, that Putin ordered it, and that it was meant to help Trump.

And her conclusions also run afoul of other Trump administration members’ statements.

During his 2020 confirmation hearing to become Trump’s director of national intelligence, now-CIA Director John Ratcliffe — who then served on the House Intelligence Committee — made clear Russia interfered.

“Chairman, my views are that Russia meddled in or interfered with active measures in 2016,” Ratcliffe said. “They interfered in 2018. They will attempt to do so in 2020. They have a goal of sowing discord, and they have been successful in sowing discord.”

Even just days before Gabbard launched her effort last week, Ratcliffe issued a report that not only didn’t dispute that Russia interfered, but actually praised the initial intelligence assessment’s “analytical rigor.”

Mike Waltz, Trump’s nominee for United Nations ambassador and his former national security adviser, has also issued strong statements on the topic.

He at one point even warned that people were conflating Trump’s claims of “no collusion” with the idea that Russia didn’t interfere at all.

“We do have to draw a bright line between ‘no collusion’ … versus the Russians attacking our constitutional system and attacking our electoral system, which they absolutely are doing,” Waltz, then a Florida congressman, told CNN’s Jake Tapper in 2019.

He added: “We have to stay focused on that, because that is our democracy under attack.”

Today, Trump’s administration is yet again seeking to blur those lines. The conflations are continuing. And these officials will apparently just keep doing it — no matter what they said before.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/22/politics/tulsi-gabbard-russia-trump-obama-analysis

Yet another Epstein distraction. When asked about Epstein today this fake BS is all trump talked about.

YouTube wipes out thousands of propaganda channels linked to China, Russia, others

Google removed nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts tied to state-linked propaganda campaigns from China, Russia and more in the second quarter.

Google removed YouTube channels, Ads accounts, and a Blogger blog linked to RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet accused of paying prominent conservative influencers for social media content ahead of the 2024 election.

The active removal of accounts is part of the Google Threat Analysis Group’s work to counter global disinformation campaigns

Google

announced Monday the removal of nearly 11,000 YouTube channels and other accounts tied to state-linked propaganda campaigns from China, Russia and more in the second quarter.

The takedown included more than 7,700 YouTube channels linked to China.

These campaigns primarily shared content in Chinese and English that promoted the People’s Republic of China, supported President Xi Jinping and commented on U.S. foreign affairs.

Over 2,000 removed channels were linked to Russia. The content was in multiple languages that supported Russia and criticized Ukraine, NATO and the West.

Google, in May, removed 20 YouTube channels, 4 Ads accounts, and 1 Blogger blog linked to RT, the Russian state-controlled media outlet accused of paying prominent conservative influencers for social media content ahead of the 2024 election.

Tim Pool, Dave Rubin and Benny Johnson — all staunch supporters of President Donald Trump — made content for Tenent Media, the Tennessee company described in the indictment, according to NBC News.

YouTube began blocking RT channels in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The active removal of accounts is part of the Google Threat Analysis Group’s work to counter global disinformation campaigns and “coordinated influence” operations.

Google’s second quarter report also outlined the removal of influence campaigns linked to Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Romania and Ghana that were found to be targeting political rivals.

Some campaigns centered on growing geopolitical conflicts, including narratives on both sides of the Israel-Palestine War.

“The findings from the most recent update are in line with our expectations of this regular and ongoing work,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement.

Google took down more than 23,000 accounts in the first quarter.

Meta announced last week it removed about 10 million profiles for impersonating large content producers through the first half of 2025 as part of an effort by the company to combat “spammy content.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/21/youtube-channels-propaganda-china-russia.html

Good grief man…

1. There are more than just tax breaks with Every. Single. Group. Of corporation that I named.

2. Time has shown again, and again, and again that trickle down methodology you just named is a failure. I just talked about how they buy their own stock. It was at record levels when Trump passed the original bill during his first term. After Lockheed and Raytheon gouged the tax payers (they almost exclusively make money from the Govt) they went out and spent $20B of the money they just made from US to buy back their own stock.

You can’t just retort with anecdotal falsehoods because you don’t like factual data presented to you.

Gosh you are desperate to deflect.

Here's a quick recap for you so we can move on from your bogus misdirection and get back to the BS of this administration: From a quick use of the internet:

1: The Mueller Report:

The Mueller investigation uncovered extensive interference by Russia in the 2016 U.S. election through two key operations:

Social Media Manipulation:
The Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian organization, conducted a coordinated campaign to sow discord and support Donald Trump. This included thousands of fake accounts across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Hacking & Leaking:
Russian intelligence (GRU) hacked Democratic Party emails and leaked them through platforms like WikiLeaks to damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

Mueller concluded:

“The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion.”

Over 30 indictments were issued, including 12 Russian military officers.

The investigation did not establish criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia, but it did not exonerate the President on obstruction.


2: William Barr's Lies about the Report:

William Barr, who served as Attorney General under President Trump, was widely criticized for misrepresenting key findings of the Mueller Report in his March 24, 2019 summary and in public statements. Multiple fact-based critiques—including from Robert Mueller himself—show that Barr’s portrayal minimized the seriousness of the findings and distorted public understanding.

Here’s a breakdown of how Barr was untruthful or misleading:

Obstruction of Justice Findings Misrepresented
Barr’s claim: Mueller found there was no obstruction of justice, and he personally concluded that the evidence was insufficient.

Reality:
Mueller explicitly stated that he could not exonerate the President and detailed at least 10 instances where Trump may have obstructed justice.

Mueller wrote: “If we had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”

Barr’s summary ignored this nuance and instead claimed Mueller had deferred entirely to him to make a prosecutorial decision — which Mueller later contradicted.

Collusion vs. Conspiracy Language
Barr’s claim: The report found no collusion between Trump and Russia.

Reality:
“Collusion” is not a legal term used in the report. Mueller investigated criminal conspiracy, and while he did not find sufficient evidence to charge members of the Trump campaign with that crime, the report detailed extensive contacts and a welcoming attitude by the campaign toward Russia’s efforts.

Barr used the vague term “no collusion” to falsely imply complete vindication.

Barr released his “summary” almost a month before releasing the full (redacted) report, shaping public opinion in the meantime.

By the time the actual report came out, the narrative that Trump had been fully cleared had already taken hold — despite the report documenting serious misconduct.

On May 1, 2019, Robert Mueller sent a letter to Barr stating that the AG’s summary:

“did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance of this office’s work and conclusions.”

Mueller made clear that Barr’s letter caused “public confusion” and urged the release of the report’s executive summaries — which Barr initially resisted.

Federal Judge’s Reprimand
In 2020, U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote that Barr's summary was:

Barr claimed Mueller cleared Trump of obstruction.
False — Mueller detailed 10+ potential obstruction events & said he could not exonerate the President.

Barr said "no collusion."
Misleading — "Collusion" isn’t a legal term. Mueller found extensive contacts between Trump’s team & Russia.

Barr withheld the full report for weeks.
He shaped public opinion before the facts were known.

Mueller publicly rebuked Barr for distorting the findings.
“Did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance.”

A federal judge later said Barr lacked candor.

Oh yes he can. Haven't you been paying attention?

I don't like lies either. I lived thru Jimmy Carter and now Joe Biden. I also lived thru Ronald Reagan turning this country around and it really has not stopped since. Clinton had a good economy after he passed tax cuts in year 3 of his term. Then Trump had the economy rolling in his first 3 years. That is lived experience not some spin doctor's theory.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. LMAO

Yes, Reagan maxed out the credit cards, put the cars into hock and took out a second mortgage on the house and came home and said “Wow, look at all this cash we have now!”

You’re definitely correct that has not stopped since his presidency.

Clinton is oddly enough the only conservative fiscal president we have had since Reagan. He cut taxes but he also cut spending…and he didn’t do it like a buffoon and/or lie about the cuts he made. The guy is a total sleazebag and definitely not without faults but the central point above rings true.

I should pull back and realize that I am chasing you down a tangential rabbit hole. My central point for which I am advocating is that trickle down is ineffective. In the post-Jack Welch era, margins are kings and shareholders are the absolute priority. Not customers. Not workers. That is rampantly evident. If you need proof, go to corporate deep dive and check out the bonus metrics for the C suite in every public corporation.

When mega corps come into money and are allowed to consume each other in rampant anti-competitive practices, it does not trickle down. The margins expand, our debt rises and the select few benefit. Look at how much Bezos was able to spend on his wedding while taxpayers likely subsidize a lot of the warehouse workers via Medicaid and other social benefits.

This may surprise you, but I am a fiscal conservative. The problem is that we have crossed a rubicon with how easy we have made it for corps and elites and never received the benefits of the benefits we have bestowed on them. Instead, we are in debt up to our eyeballs. Reagan is the one who made the snowball and started rolling it down the hill.

I was a big fan of his too…until I thought very critically about it.

All he has are GOP talking points. He provides zero evidence or facts to support anything he posts. He's the FOX News of Dawgtalkers.

Lemme see how much crap I can throw at the wall to give me cover on Epstein… hip-waders won’t help, too deep.

Try and keep up. Those files were sealed by a court. Biden couldn't have released them if he wanted to.. In fact, they were cleared to be released in January of this year, so trump can if he wishes, get them released..

Tell me again, why he won't release them? What's he afraid of? who or what is he protecting?

He's the leader of the gang that can't shoot straight. He presides over the worst, Most unqualified group of cabinet officials ever. They guys are so bad, they can't even get their lies straight.

Any bets on how long it will take for the DOJ to meet up with Maxwell, secure her cooperation and then offer her a pardon?

What do you think Day, do you think a deal is in the works?

Oh, Memories.....

He has adopted the GOP playbook. Make the other side disprove a negative talking point. I'm really disappointed.

OMG - the Trumptards must really be woprried -- they are pulling all sorts of stuff out to try and deflect. 2019? LMAO.

Either flooding the zone with excrement - or Dead Cat politics. Take your pick. Dead catting only works if you let them distract you of course, same for flooding the zone.

These videos are so good.

Even though you have to dig back in the archives for the clips and use them as distraction to ignore what's going on now. I can see why you would think that is good.

If all of this proves out, and it looks pretty credible, lots of people are looking at long prison terms. This runs up the ladder to President Obama.

I see lots of people boohooing this, but it is a pretty serious mistrust perpetrated on the American people....again, if it all proves out.

It will never prove out. It is complete bs. How can you not see that ?

Agreed. Kaitlan Collins blew it wide open with Gabbard.



There is a blatant effort to tie false equivalencies together as an accusation.

All that said, no more distractions.

Release the Epstein files.

LOL - there goes that critical thinking again. Funny how - based on nothing - you say it looks credible. But based on real eidence, testimony and convictions you dismiss claims that don't sit well ... or rather you dismiss things your echo chamber have told you to dismiss.

Regardless of it being credible, no one will go to prison.

I don't disagree with that. Looking at and actually getting are two different things, even if convicted.

I should be more fair…what about the report, in light of everything that was also assessed by the bipartisan committee, to you shows that there was “treasonous conspiracy” (Gabbard’s words)?

His statement is somewhat true, as Socialism is the stepping stone to Communism. That's what their own literature says. Also, I can tell you why certain countries are more prosperous. It has certain things to do with demographics. You won't like those talking points though.

And what do you say about the EU regulating and arresting people for what others deem petty insults on social media? You support that garbage as well? Also, you are free to pay more in taxes to the government then required. Keep giving them money to flush down the toilet into a 30 plus trillion dollar hole. And you'd trust them to do anything. So stupid and it defies logic as well.

Not sure what literature you're citing, but Karl Marx also said capitalism was a necessary stage in development of communism.

Originally Posted by PitDAWG
The United States will be what future voters decide it should be. Seemingly unbeknownst to you that's what decides how the country runs. The voters decide. You claim Social Security is treason? You claim Medicaid and Medicare is treason? Minimum wage is treason? So any changes other than totally unbridled capitalism is treason? Anything you disagree with or are against is treason? That is what dictators say. Nobody wants to "wipe out" capitalism. This is what people such as yourself who have no clue what democratic socialism is say because you refuse to inform yourselves.

There can be no true "capitalist system". That's been proven over and over again. Any system of government can be abused and it has been. That's why we have safety regulations. That's why workers compensation came about. That's why business had to be regulated. That's why we have child labor laws. That is why we have minimum wage and Social security came about. The list is virtually endless of the many ways capitalism has been abused in the past. Keeping capitalism in check is needed and has had to come about over the abuse of it. We have been taught the need and for almost a century now lived in a society where capitalism has been mixed with socialism. You can't promote capitalism and the wealthy only to ignore the people. There has to be a balance.

You call that treason. But then of course you would. Do you actually even engage your brain before you post? Socialism has been a fabric within our society for almost a century now. Did you not understand that? And pure capitalism is the very reason that happened in the first place.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////

Full stop one of the dumbest posts I've read in the last twenty years. We've got looney people advocating for Socialism like they haven't studied a lick of world history, economic systems, or politics. What makes you think a collective knows more than the individual about the said individual's own circumstance and how much quantity of goods\products they need? You're also falling into the price fallacy and trying to have people run the economy instead of the invisible hand. It doesn't work like that. I thought this was common sense, but I guess not. You CANNOT have people manually run an economy because they don't have enough information to make the correct decision in order to set quantity, supply\demand, and prices. The prices aren't really the prices because they're not using the true price indicator of the free market. That's your free Economics 101 lesson for today.

Any money that I give in taxes to any government entity, I completely disagree with. Last year may property taxes went up for a school levy that I didn't vote for, and put many people out of the neighborhood due to not being able to afford the increase. It kicked seniors out and took money right out of their pockets.

Did it work that time? Increasing people's property taxes? What about the time ten years ago? Twenty? Thirty? Personally I think property taxes should be illegal. Why do you trust an entity who is 30 plus trillion in debt to spend your money wisely? And you want to give them more of it. That's an award winning idea there.

There’s a lot to pick apart from Memphis’ tweet blasts and you can do a point by point address of it, but let’s go ahead and assume all of it is even true and that somehow the dots could be connected. How is this “treasonous conspiracy”…especially on the part of Obama?

Lisa Murkowski of all people also questions the timing of these allegations:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/gop-senator-says-timing-tulsi-111423827.html

“It does cause one to wonder if this is an effort by folks in this administration to have the conversation move on to something else, other than the Epstein matter. So let’s focus on someone else…prior presidents.”

Has all the markings of that…a tried and true strategy, and it is being spearheaded by someone who incurred Trump’s wrath a month or two ago, who now would need to save face.

You mean listening to it.Nobody has shown you anything to "look at". All of this has been investigated several times already and nothing was found. Suddenly in the middle of the Epstein drama you really believe they found something nobody before them could find? They're putting on another carnival show.

Your confusion lies with the fact in your mind you have invented some thoughts that I advocated a socialist government. I see the problem here. You read things you don't comprehend. That's why things that make common sense sound stupid to you. Here's just a hint on what you posted. Schools are just like anything else. As time goes on teacher salaries go up. Book and supplies costs go up. Old schools must be replaced with new schools. Building those schools cost much more than the ones they built 50 years ago. So guess what? That costs money. These factors are all a part of the capitalist system. The same thing goes for road repairs, maintenance and upkeep. Over time all those costs increase. Your answer to that? 'Increasing my taxes to pay what it costs to run schools is socialism!' Of course the cost of educating our children would be something you would object to.

The capitalist system is just fine so long as there are checks and balances in place to prevent capitalism from abusing the people. That's how it was back before changes began to come about in the 1930's and moving forward. I gave you examples of that but of course you ignored those things like the plague. Exactly as I expected you would do. Speaking of one of the dumbest posts I've read in the last twenty years.

You were being far too kind. All I see is a poop, more poop, and yet more poop. Posted by really ignorant people who are either trolling or are very very stupid. It's as simple as that. Occams razor .... What you're seeing is the right wing media and Trump flooding the zone. And Trumptards are gobbling it up.

The Situation: The Lies of Tulsi Gabbard
Benjamin Wittes
Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 5:12 PM

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Why is the director of national intelligence getting in on the retconning of “Russiagate”?



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The Situation on Saturday took a look at the president’s latest pressure tactic lawsuit against the media—his libel suit against the Wall Street Journal.

And it came to pass, in the days that followed the Wall Street Journal’s story about the president’s birthday wishes to the pedophile financier, that the director of national intelligence declared that “a treasonous conspiracy” had been “committed by officials at the highest level of our government” and that “Their egregious abuse of power and blatant rejection of our Constitution threatens the very foundation and integrity of our democratic republic. No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”

And it came to pass—only today, actually—that the president raged that his predecessor as president—the one whose middle name is Arabic in origin and which middle name the current president bothered to articulate clearly—was guilty of treason and should be prosecuted for nine-year-old conduct for which all statutes of limitations will have passed and for which Barack Hussein Obama would anyway be immune.

I am not going to spend this column rebutting the substance of the allegations the DNI makes in her very silly press release. Suffice it to say that it is—like the CIA director’s earlier effort to gin up an investigation of former intelligence leaders by lying about the review he ordered—a package of false rhetorical claims wrapping a set of findings that do not actually contradict what the intelligence community found in 2016 and do not remotely support the claims.

Even to rebut these claims requires giving them further attention, and life is short. I don’t want to spend more of it than I absolutely have to arguing with dilettantes and liars. Yes, it makes it complicated that, in this case, the lying dilettantes in question are the president of the United States and his director of national intelligence, who is discussing her supposed findings in an official statement and on an official U.S. government website. Such are the times we live in.

But acknowledging the awkwardness, I don’t argue with people about whether vaccines prevent infectious disease; I don’t argue with people about whether climate change is happening; and I’m not going to argue with people—even senior level officials—anymore over whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

I am also not going to freak out about the supposed “investigation” of Obama and the other supposed conspirators that will likely get announced now that Fox News has dutifully reported that the Justice Department has “received” the DNI’s referral. Yes, it is disgusting. It is an abuse of law enforcement. It is profoundly dangerous to use both the law enforcement and intelligence communities in this fashion. That said, as I wrote back when the CIA director pulled the same stunt a couple of weeks ago,

I don’t believe there is an investigation—not a real one, anyway.

There is an announcement of an investigation. There may be a paper investigation that gets closed quickly because there’s no evidence that anyone committed any sort of crime, the statute of limitations of which would have run anyway. There may be a decision not to close anything and to feed occasional further stories to Fox News or like-minded news outlets because having an investigation open—like opening it in the first place—is politically useful.

But an actual investigation? Come talk to me when a grand jury issues a subpoena or hears from a witness. Come talk to me when an actual agent is deployed to make an actual inquiry of someone.

The only reason to talk about this issue at all—and not just ignore it—is that it’s important to understand the play the administration is making here, which is not just about distracting from the Epstein controversy. There’s a reason why the distraction takes the specific form of harkening back to what Trump has trained an entire movement of people to call the “Russia hoax.” There’s a reason why, when confronted with the fact that he and his top aides promised to release the so-called Epstein files and then reneged, he falls back on the false claim that the Obama administration made up the Russia collusion narrative nearly nine years ago.

That reason is that the Russia story is the ur-text of all of Trump’s anxieties about his perceived legitimacy. Made to face genuine questions about his untoward relationship with the Russian power elite, which genuinely intervened on his behalf in the 2016 on his behalf, Trump concocted a defense mechanism which was remarkably successful. He labeled it all a hoax, the intelligence community which investigated it a treasonous cabal, and the whole investigation a witch hunt. And whenever new allegations would arise, on any subject—some connected, some not—he would treat them all as an extension of the “Russia hoax.” It was all a single witch hunt endlessly in search of a subject matter over time, and it all came back, always, to “Russia, Russia, Russia.”

So now Trump confronts a different sort of scandal, one that’s a little awkward for him. It’s not, after all, a scandal which Democrats or career bureaucrats have ginned up against him. It’s actually one that his supporters ginned up against Democrats—or at least thought they did.

But sometimes, the arrows that one looses against one’s enemies turn around midair and head back one’s way. And while the cry to “release the Epstein files” began as a call to expose the supposed liberal elites who were allegedly operating as some kind of pedophile cabal, it turned out that Trump’s own relationship with Epstein was perhaps the bigger story in those files. And in any event and for whatever reason, the new Justice Department and FBI leadership weren’t able to deliver the goods that Epstein was murdered to protect the pedophilia cabal.

All of which is pretty hard to sell as an extension of the witch hunt that began with Russia.

But Trump is trying anyway, and why shouldn't he? Running this playbook has never failed him before—not with his base, anyway—and reminding people that the cabal his supporters loath has always been out to get Trump and, indeed, that getting Trump is such a priority for this malevolent clique that its members even take a break from their satanic child-exploitation rituals to do it is thus not as crazy as it may seem in the information ecosystem that about which Trump most cares.

Decoded for the mainstream information consumer, Trump and Gabbard are saying this: We know you’re mad, but if you give oxygen to these allegations, you’ll be helping the people who have been after Trump the entire time he has been fighting for you against the Deep State. You’ll be siding with Obama and Comey and Brennan and effectively admitting that they were right all along. So we’re reminding you who the bad guys are. We’re reminding you that Trump is the guy who stands against them. We’re reminding you that they are treasonous. And we are asking whether you are sure you want to be on their side?

If you think I’m drawing connections here between unconnected threads, I promise it’s not me who’s doing so. It’s Trump himself.

Trump’s rant today began not in response to questions about Gabbard’s findings. It began in response to a question about whether it was appropriate for the Justice Department to reinterview Epstein sidekick Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump responded: “I didn't know that they were going to do it. I don't really follow that too much. It's a—it's sort of a witch hunt, just a continuation of the witch hunt. The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama, absolutely cold, Tulsi Gabbard, what they did to this country in 2016, starting in 2016, but going up all the way going up to 2020 in the election.”

A continuation of the witch hunt.

I’m done engaging the substance of the lie. There’s nothing new to be said. As Renee DiResta eloquently put it the other day, “the truth remains: Russia interfered in the 2016 election. It did so to help Trump and hurt Clinton. It relied on both trolls and hackers, memes and leaks, real-world events and digital manipulation. This conclusion was not remotely controversial at the time. And it isn’t controversial now.”

The only way I know how to respond to the barrage of lies emanating from the highest levels of America’s intelligence apparatus is to go meta—to explain how the lies work and how I think they are designed to operate on the minds of the president’s supporters.

To explain, in other words, how the lies help ensure that The Situation continues tomorrow.

https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-situation--the-lies-of-tulsi-gabbard

I think you and I are saying the same thing. The only difference I'm seeing is pointing out the hypocritical about-face this admin is trying to do.