Adam Schiff drops bombshell: Michael Flynn may have used encryption to hide Russia talks from US

[DonViejo]

Source: RawStory


DAVID EDWARDS
13 FEB 2017 AT 15:06 ET

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-MA) revealed allegations on Monday that President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Flynn, may have tried to hide his unofficial discussions with Russia by using encryption technology.

Speaking to CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Schiff explained that the Trump administration was not labeling allegations against Flynn as “fake news” because U.S. intelligence agencies may have audio recordings of him speaking to Russian officials while President Barack Obama was still in office.

“They know that if there is a transcript, if there are recordings, that can’t be dismissed,” Schiff said. “The fact that they would mislead the country about this is inexplicable.”

“What I think is interesting here, there are allegations — again, as yet unproven — that they may have also used encrypted communications,” he added. “Since Flynn was talking with the Russians, if he was using encrypted communications, it wasn’t to conceal it from the Russians. Then you have to ask, who were they concealing conversations from?”

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/adam-schiff-drops-bombshell-michael-flynn-may-have-used-encryption-to-hide-russia-talks-from-us/

[msongs]

1. speculation and allegations "as yet unproven" are not news nt

[FreeStateDemocrat]

2. It is considered newsworthy to me when it is being stated by a US Congressman on CNN as a matter of

public discourse. This is about the highest levels of government just like Watergate started out as speculation and allegations "as yet unproven" by Bernstein and Woodward at the beginning.

[MBS]

19. " " " " n/t

[iluvtennis]

28. +10000 nt

[dchill]

36. +1000 It's newsworthy.

[Hortensis]

3. True. IF WaPo, NYT, etc., etc., verify and publish over the next couple

of days, as has become a very common pattern with dozens of revelations about various layers and skeins of Russia-Trumpsters connections, it will be, though.

Itm, I find very interesting the point that the 45th administration has NOT launched a full-on Spicer/Miller/twitterings attack on this. Where ARE all the usual "fake news" claims?

[BumRushDaShow]

4. I checked and Schiff is the Ranking Member on the House Intelligence Committee

(he is that most senior Democrat on the committee where the GOP controls the Chairs of all the Committees)

http://intelligence.house.gov/about/hpsci-minority-members.htm

[adigal]

35. CNN or MSNBC said that Shiffer is very cautious, implying that just his suggesting this

means that it is likely.
This is beyond what many Americans will be able to handle Trump and Russia may have worked together to win the election.

[MontanaMama]

5. I am wondering why Flynn still has his job?

Oh yeah, right. The Russians own this administration. What was I thinking?

[Hortensis]

9. Umm. Lots of sides are united in belief that he is

a danger that needs to be removed. Something of a bipartisan/multidepartmental attempt to do something good for the nation and the planet. Widespread national disaster isn't really what the Kochs and other kleptocrats have in mind--cancelling most taxes and regulations, seizure and development of federal lands, and limited warfare in other lands would be infinitely more profitable.

45 currently seems to be hoping nobody'll connect Flynn with him, and he's undoubtedly Flynn's only hope.

And the only ones who don't want to get rid of Flynn seem to be the Bannon and Russia factions, and the latter may have decided Flynn's about used up.

So, let's hope after Flynn, then Bannon. His plans for destroying liberal democracy and replacing it and the current plutocrats with a new fascist state run by his people would be very bad for profits also.

[MontanaMama]

23. You ARE a smart one Hortensis!

So well said, I'm laying a heart on you!!

[Hortensis]

27. I take it you've been thinking this. :)

Thanks, MontanaMama. Same to you.

[workinclasszero]

6. Damn if that isn't traitorous WTH is?

Did Trump know and when did he know it?

[tenorly]

8. Nothing, according to the GOP, if a Republican does it.

Treason doth never prosper...

[workinclasszero]

14. Right

I always knew republicans hated America and freedom and democracy.

It will be clear to the whole country before BLOTUS 45 is done.

[tenorly]

16. If it does become clear, Trump may end up becoming a blessing in disguise after all.

Lawd works in mysterious ways.

[workinclasszero]

17. Well seeing as how the people Dump and his party will be

screwing over most bigly are his working class deplorables...

Maybe they will get a clue eventually.

[tenorly]

20. For 20 years or so anyway.

That's what happened after Herbert Hoover.

"Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate. Purge the rottenness out of the system so we may pick up the wrecks from less competent people."

[center]- Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, architect of the Great Depression.[/center]

[erronis]

15. Traitorous? That depends on your POV - Trump's is memememe

He entered this presidential race as a farce, as a joke, as a contestant in an Ugly Pageant.

He realized that the other laughing-stock entries were little people on HIS stage. He could roll over them.

After his little manhood got aroused by actually being a president, he has no personal capability to say "Whoops, I was kidding. Can't you take a joke? This creepy Pence would be much better and I can spend more time with Vlad."

Back the old days, some of these types of hucksters were made to sit on a rail riding out of town. I don't care what means of transportation is necessary, getting him away from levers of governance and power should be paramount.

[dchill]

37. How about a quickly cobbled together, one way...

Mars mission? With like a three man crew.

[gordianot]

7. Was Flynn under oath at the time he made his secret communication with Russia?

If so he has to turn over his encryption? If acting while being a private citizen that is espionage. Proverbial rock and hard place. Small plane disasters are too obvious my bet is on a serious health condition.

[workinclasszero]

10. Flynn better get a food taster

too.

Recent events in Russia demand it.

[Hoyt]

11. The term "Bombshell" is overused nowadays. I would think that just about any person would

use encryption when communicating with Russian officials. Heck, businesses use encryption all the time to keep unauthorized people from snooping.

There may well be other damning matters in all this, but I can't get excited about encryption that just about any email app will do with a mouse click. It's not like he had a bunch of code talkers or something.

[d_r]

13. My phone doesnt

Make encrypted calls.

[Hoyt]

30. I bet it would had you held positions like Flynn or you had looked for apps to do so.

[Raster]

31. Seriously?? "I would think that just about any person would...

...use encryption when communicating with Russian officials. Heck, businesses use encryption all the time to keep unauthorized people from snooping.":

Yeah, but MOST "ANY PERSON" WOULD NOT BE COMMUNICATING WITH RUSSIAN OFFICIALS...Or did I miss something? Do you converse with "Russian Officials" during the course of your average day? I know I don't.

While I understand your take that encryption is becoming more commonplace to assure digital privacy, the essence of the entire affair remains the same: why would Flynn even need to speak with he Russian ambassador, hell, anyone Russian?

If Flynn knew he was being "considered" for his national security role, wouldn't he want to avoid any hint of scandal or taint?

I personally would like to know the EXACT PHRASING of Flynn's conversation with the Ambassador... it is my understanding that Flynn basically said "when we win we will undo the Obama sanctions," NOT "if we win we will undo the Obama sanctions."

[Hoyt]

32. If you had quoted the other part, you'd have your answer.

"There may well be other damning matters in all this, but I can't get excited about encryption that just about any email app will do with a mouse click. It's not like he had a bunch of code talkers or something."

There are definitely questions in all this, but the encryption is not a "bombshell" and we've known about the communication for several days.

[Raster]

33. Encrypted from who? Certainly not the Russians...

...evidently they also were playing hide the bits and bytes. Again, I hear you, encryption is becoming far more commonplace. I use encryption both at work and at home (for certain applications).

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Moley, moley, moley....

[Blue Idaho]

18. If 45's Administration doesn't act soon

That means they are complicit in these treasonable acts - every last one of them...

[dchill]

38. That ship has already sailed.

[DinahMoeHum]

22. Slight typo: Schiff is from California (CA), not Massachusetts.

n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

24. And just breaking now CNN (paraphrased) - Liar: Liar has 'full confidence' in Liar

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/13/politics/michael-flynn-donald-trump-white-house/index.html

[catbyte]

25. But who would seriously investigate? Comey? Congress?

With that rat's nest running everything for at least the next 2 years, we may never know the truth.

[Amaryllis]

26. So why is it okay for Rep. Schiff to tell us this but all this is being dribbled out from different

sources? Why can't someone just tell us all the stuff they know that is declassified instead of this drip, drip, drip? Clearly he felt it was okay to tell us this...

[FailureToCommunicate]

29. They must have monitored communications...even if they were encrypted. LEAK THEM for

crying out loud!!

[librechik]

34. would also explain the long delay on getting transcripts n/t

[Merlot]

39. Adam Schiff is a California Representative

"Rep. Adam Schiff (D-MA)"

He used to be my Rep, then we redrew the lines and now he's more into Glendale I believe, definatly we didn't draw the lines the MA.