Do you think it's only Republicans who pushed propaganda or took $$ from Russia?

[MelissaB]

What happens to those in our party who have taken part of Russian influence campaigns if there are any?

How do we (or the administrators) handle it here at DU?

Asking for a friend...

[maxsolomon]

1. Do you know something we don't?

It sounds like it.

[getagrip_already]

2. I can think of one candidate...

who actually honeymooned in russia and had very suspicious ties. Jill stein isn't our party, and technically neither is the other candidate, but both are pretty dirty. If nothing else, they helped engineer trumps election.

[Hortensis]

13. What? Get a grip? Would not lump the two together.

Sure, Putin promoted both candidacies as part of his election interference, and of course at some point by that spring or summer both knew it and both kept quiet.

But the OP mentions knowingly specifically taking money from Russia, and at that I think you are out of line regarding him. There's no evidence of that.

As for "engineering" Trump's election, that's even worse, pumping him up to a major figure instead of just a typical Nader-type spoiler.

This comes from someone who came to despise and distrust him for reasons I expect will someday fill maybe a half page at most in all but the thickest history books.

And I think Melissa's going to be disappointed.

[getagrip_already]

19. lots of skeletons....

maybe you are right, it was just ignoring the obvious. Although a lot of contributions seemed to come in after all hope should have been lost. And then there is his wifes finances.....

TAX RETURNS!!!!

[Hortensis]

26. I always figured his returns would probably just contradict

the self image he wanted to project, no big deal, but with all that's been happening I do think he should release them. Transparency is needed in a time of unparalleled corruption and election tampering.

As for donations, both Republicans and Russia were flooding social media with Sanders promotions, doing their best to create a picture of him as the leader of a major movement of millions of Americans who were outraged against "the establishment," and these floods actually increased after he conceded. Maybe that's not it entirely, but it would seem to explain it.

I have friends who imagine his lake house, etc., shows he's really wealthy, but I used to be a real estate appraiser, and...no. For a well-connected man in DC during decades of exploding wealth, his and his wife's "fortune" is actually impressive for being so paltry. For those who started with money, over the last 30 years it tended to grow like the Paradise fire, but being in government is not the best way to amass great wealth. To me it looks as if, like the Clintons, he just wasn't interested in wealth collection most of his life. These days, of course, you're not among the super wealthy if your net worth isn't in the hundreds of millions, and above those are the billionaire classes.

[MelissaB]

21. What on earth?

This comes from someone who came to despise and distrust him for reasons I expect will someday fill maybe a half page at most in all but the thickest history books.

And I think Melissa's going to be disappointed.

You're saying I'm going to be disappointed in what exactly?

Edited to say I was a Bernie supporter if that's what you are saying.

[Hortensis]

23. In your worry that Democrats have been accepting

Russian money as some Republicans have. Oh, I wouldn't bet money I couldn't afford to lose that one or two among hundreds and not among our leadership didn't accept a campaign donation, but no equivalence.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

25. Here is a better question than the OP?

Who thinks only the Russians bribed Donald and Ivanka Trump?
Read this:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211455819

[Hortensis]

34. OMG! I heard about sausage casings but missed voting machines.

Unbelievable, except that it is. Such a better question, yes, and massive presidential family corruption is not even a question.

If this had been in a novel, I would have tossed it away as just too stupid to read.

[shanny]

31. lol

"honeymooned in Russia" fwiw it was the Soviet Union and the trip was part of a certain person's job as mayor .


but please do proceed.

[MelissaB]

4. I don't think so.

But I keep reading that this will involve both parties and some familiar beloved names keep popping up.

[maxsolomon]

18. Then fuck them.

Let the chips fall where they may.

Until we hear something specific, what you're doing is indistinguishable from Concern Trolling, and you would never do that.

[guillaumeb]

3. Jill Stein?

One possibility.

[shanny]

30. She's a Democrat now?

[guillaumeb]

38. No, speaking that it is not only official GOP members.

[MelissaB]

5. We know about Tony Podesta

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/former-lobbyist-tony-podesta-others-under-investigation-federal-prosecutors-over-n896396

Former lobbyist Tony Podesta, others under investigation by federal prosecutors over alleged foreign work
Sources say this investigation follows a referral from the special counsel’s office and is said to involve registration of work as foreign agents.

Former lobbyist Tony Podesta, Mercury Public Affairs partner and former Minnesota Republican Rep. Vin Weber and former Obama White House Counsel Greg Craig are all under federal investigation by prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, multiple sources with knowledge of the matter told NBC News on Tuesday.

Those sources say this months-long investigation in New York follows a referral from the special counsel’s office.

The existence of this particular probe was first reported by CNN, which characterized the investigation as looking into whether lobbyists and operatives failed to register their work as foreign agents. None of the people identified as being under investigation have been charged with a crime.

In October, NBC News was the first to report that Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta and the Podesta Group were being investigated by Mueller’s office.

Tony Podesta is the chairman of the Podesta Group and the brother of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's former presidential campaign chairman. John Podesta is not currently affiliated with the Podesta Group and is not part of the investigation.

[Demsrule86]

9. Tony Podesta has nothing to do with our party.

The right wing has used this to smear Democrats repeatedly.

[emulatorloo]

11. Did someone hijack your acct to post Trump talking points?

[Demsrule86]

6. Why would you post this? The Russians wanted Trump and the GOP to win...

I would self delete.

[MelissaB]

10. Yes, they did.

No argument there.

[Shell_Seas]

7. *cough cough* Jill Stein

[shanny]

29. musta missed it that she is a "member of our party"

[Hekate]

8. Do you know something we do not?

[Beakybird]

12. Ignore the whispers. Ignore the rumors.

Follow the money.

[MelissaB]

15. No.

[struggle4progress]

14. In fact, I suspect many Libertarians have been pushing Putin's propaganda

on Russky roubles for a while now

[MelissaB]

16. Yeah, my senator from Kentucky for one.

[11cents]

17. Perhaps a response to a story John Schindler is pushing on Twitter.

If so -- he really shouldn't trusted in any way. His allegiances are with the far right. He just happens to be anti-Trump as well.

[getagrip_already]

20. Whose tax returns haven't we seen?

Now you have to ask why.

[uponit7771]

22. No, I would not be shocked or surprised if dems or Stein took funds from a hidden Russian company.

Seeing these companies and their influence is hidden in the discription of who's taking money and the companies and persons are hidden themselves.

The reasons why I can give dems a pass is because the Russians are no doubt siding with the KGOP on many issues relating Benedict Donald.

[rufus dog]

24. No

It will be 95% plus Repukes though. And the Dems will take care of their own and take out the garbage. The Repukes will stall, stonewall, deflect.

[dameatball]

27. I wouldn't be surprised, but I can wait until the report comes out. Once the evidence is clear the

admins should handle it honestly. I think they will.


I remember Mark Warner's comment about how the American people would be shocked by the extent of what this investigation uncovers. I think that would be woeful news for the GOP but it would not surprise me if a few Dems were caught up in the contributions aspect. We just need the truth and we need to deal with it. If it will help get dirty money out of our electoral process it will be worth it.

[shanny]

28. how transparent

"those in our party who have taken part"

gosh I guess it depends on how one defines "taken part". Someone Russia backed to sow division, without that person's consent or foreknowledge? is that a disqualifier? or only for certain persons?

asking for a friend

[MelissaB]

32. You convenietly misssed the

if there are any

.

I'm sure that was an accident, though.

[shanny]

36. nah I saw it

I just considered it a bit of cya, in case anyone pointed out the obvious. maybe I'm wrong. Hope so.

[MelissaB]

37. Yeah, i kinda figured you did.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

33. Tim Canova

I have no doubt he is dirty with Russian money. He has been pushing Seth Rich conspiracy theories and attacking Democrats over Republicans all the time.

My bet is that he is the unnamed congressional candidate in one of Mueller’s indictments who solicited hacked material on his opponent, given that his opponent was Debbie Wasserman Schultz and we know info on her was hacked.

[MelissaB]

35. Oh!

I forgot about that unnamed congressional candidate.

So much to keep up with. I wish there was a website with all of the details in an easy to find way. I say "easy to find way" knowing this is a complicated story.