FBI Suspects Russia Hacked DNC; U.S. Officials Say It Was to Elect Donald Trump

[RockaFowler]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/25/fbi-suspects-russia-hacked-dnc-u-s-officials-say-it-was-to-elect-donald-trump.html?via=mobile&source=twitter


The FBI suspects that Russian government hackers breached the networks of the Democratic National Committee and stole emails that were posted to the anti-secrecy site WikiLeaks on Friday. It’s an operation that several U.S. officials now suspect was a deliberate attempt to influence the presidential election in favor of Donald Trump, according to five individuals familiar with the investigation of the breach.


The theory that Moscow orchestrated the leaks to help Trump, who has repeatedly praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and practically called for the end of NATO, is fast gaining currency within the Obama administration because of the timing of the leaks and Trump’s own connections to the Russian government, the sources said on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing and developing quickly.

[liberal N proud]

1. Watch for that on the evening news

I will not hold my breath.

[RockaFowler]

2. Thinking the same thing

[Blue Idaho]

15. It's actually getting traction in the M$M...

The FBI has already identified one group of Russian hackers that have previously hacked the White House and the State Department. Now they are tied to hacking the Democratic Party.

The question to ask is, where was Wiki Leaks during the republican convention? Why no dump on trump?

[kairos12]

22. It will be displaced by Benghazi and emails.

[Wounded Bear]

3. K & R ......for visibility..

The more press we can generate on this the better.

[Blue_Tires]

4. Snowden and Greenwald were unavailable for comment

[Cali_Democrat]

29. Is Snowden still in Russia? nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

5. Let's not forget what happened there was a break-in at the DNC.

And Donald Trump's nowhere near as smart as Nixon, nor does he possess the very faint sliver of humanity that Nixon had.

[apnu]

38. I don't think anybody considers Trump anywhere near Nixon. Trump is not the puppetmaster here...

...he is the puppet, that much is clear. Trump is W Bush 2.0: an easily led and controlled buffoon. Global forces see an opportunity to influence America into a leader that, they think, would favor them in some way. Either because they already have connections with Trump or they think Trump is that stupid and that predictable they can manipulate him into doing what they want, or both.

[emulatorloo]

53. Agreed about Trump. But Paul Manafort is intelligent and seems a bit sketchy

Not jumping to conclusions yet but will be interested to see what FBI turns up.

[Blanks]

6. It's ironic that the republicans...

Have ties to the Russians. Do you suppose Trump will use this opportunity to tell everyone that we were big allies with them in 'The Big One'.

[RockaFowler]

7. Richard Engel is reporting this now, too (NBC News)

Richard Engel ?@RichardEngel · 50s50 seconds ago

An American cyber security expert says Russia hacked DNC emails to help Trump win presidency because he’s seen as pro-Putin, less pro-NATO.

[Blue Idaho]

16. Not only that

But The Trump campaign worked to soften the republican platform on America's commitment to NATO.

[tallahasseedem]

8. No shit...

FBI, go out and get this thing fixed!

[get the red out]

9. I find this to be scary shit

Very worrisome alliance between Putin and Trump.

[Avalux]

10. I asked for evidence, this is good.

I am now taking the Russian hacking to help Trump story out of the conspiracy theory category.

[imanamerican63]

11. Snowden is hanging out with the KGB, just another way to screw America!

[napkinz]

12. K&R

[Initech]

13. Aren't Putin and Trump BFFs now?

[ymetca]

14. So the problem is the hack

...and not the malfeasance of the DNC?

Does no one see the neocon obfuscation here?

[SunSeeker]

17. Is it impossible for you to condemn Russians meddling with our election to help Trump?

[Ford_Prefect]

25. So the content of the emails has no meaning to you at all?

The fact that no one has denied that DNC staff members wrote the emails which were released at, yes, a very awkward time?

Forest and trees here folks.

Trump and Putin shouldn't do nasty things to the Democratic party = true.

The DNC shouldn't engage in nasty things done to fellow Democrats = also true. (hint: It is in the bylaws of the democratic party that way for a reason.)

[ymetca]

32. How silly...

... I couldn't care less whether it was "the Russians", or your neighbor's teenager who did the hack. It's this ridiculous neocon march to war I find appalling. Especially coming from the supposed Democratic side of the equation.

[SunSeeker]

37. You could care less that Russians are hacking to help Trump?

Wow.

[ymetca]

39. How did this help Trump exactly?

The MSM is going to spend days trotting out so-called "experts" to warn us of the unprecedented dangers of Russia meddling in our politics at the supposed behest of a candidate the neocons detest. Follow the money. It leads to nowhere but more defense spending.

[SunSeeker]

42. It helps Trump's narrative delegitimizing Hillary.

It depresses the Dem vote. In other words, it helps Trump get elected. Putin desperately wants anti-NATO Trump elected so he can engage in absorbing eastern European states without fear of those states bring defended by NATO.

[ymetca]

46. Don't you mean "re-absorbing"?

And besides, if there was nothing incriminating in the emails it wouldn't be an issue, right?

Putin regained power precisely because of the West "inviting" those former Soviet satellites right on Russia's border into NATO.

It's not like we're not busy hacking them for political reasons either.

All this ginned up hysteria has a purpose, if not nefarious, but maybe simply to CYA.

[SunSeeker]

47. No. "Incriminating" is a loaded word. There is nothing criminal in those emails.

And your defense of Putin's aggression is duly noted. The whole of Europe is on "Putin's doorstep." That does not give him the right to invade.

[ymetca]

49. Duly noted

Not incriminating but embarrassing, perhaps.

And Lord I don't want to defend that despot. Just acknowledge his political tactic as the same type of fear mongering our politicians indulge in here.

[AgadorSparticus]

44. Good god....really??!?!!!

[ymetca]

50. So..

... what would you suggest we do even if Putin says "yes, I did it to help Trump get elected?"

[AgadorSparticus]

55. We may not be able to get rid of Putin, but we sure as hell can put the brakes on Trump.

[lakercub]

23. Are you serious?

I backed Bernie all the way and I'm disgusted by the DNC's behavior. But if Putin and Trump are in bed together, and if Trump is found to be using a dictatorial strongman's help to get elected through nefarious means (including the cyber equivalent of breaking and entering), that's about a million times worse.

[Ilsa]

43. An American election, American democracy is being manipulated by a

Dictator with human rights abuses. We can guess at his end game, and it's serious on an international scale. That beats the problem of shitty emails that didn't have an effect on the primaries. Is there a problem at the DNC? you bet. But we need to apply a tourniquet now and manage the sprained ankle tomorrow.

[SunSeeker]

18. K & R for exposure.

[joshcryer]

19. Manafort is about to get into deep shit.

[ksoze]

24. He thrives in deep crap. It his milieu.

Will be tough to prove a direct link from him-Russia-hack and don't expect him to help.

[ksoze]

20. Its not the medium its the message

To paraphrase McLuhan, how they got seen will not over shadow what they say to those who wish her bad. May help divert some of the attention, but the content will give enemies fodder for spin.

[Kingofalldems]

21. Watergate II

[Metric System]

26. Digital Edition

[Mc Mike]

27. Putin helps the stupidest people in our country put in the stupidest nazi as our prez. rec, nt.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. If it was to elect Donal Trump, then we should not take the bait! We need to UNIFY NOW!!!!

[Sam1]

30. No one seems to be thinking about this reason

that the Russians may have had.

It is IMO that given the hack of the DNC the Russians are in possession of all Clinton's e-mails from her private server and maybe playing reverse psychology. Even if the is a straight forward attempt to influence the election we are well and truly up a Gump stump.

[amandabeech]

48. I've been thinking about it, and I agree with you.

That private server probably was the server for the Clinton Foundation and for Bill's e-mails, too. There have been some ugly allegations with respect to the C.F. and Bill's speaking fees running rampant on the net. I would hate to read that there is something to them and that the Russians have the proof.

[spanone]

31. so, why didn't they hack the RNC?

[Il_Coniglietto]

35. Well, that's precisely the point.

How do Trump or Putin benefit from the RNC being hacked? Plus, that would hurt down ballot Republicans who would need to be elected in order to pass potential President Trump pro-Russian/anti-NATO policies.

[Avalux]

36. I just read an interview with Assange on Democracy Now.

He wasn't asked why the RNC wasn't hacked. From what he said, Wikileaks distributes from sources (or hackers). He can't be sure where the data came from because Wikileaks gets it and then presents it; they don't actively hack. Release to the public is often in cooperation with a media outlet but he said this time, they didn't need the media because the story is so big.

He also said that the DNC has been hacked frequently in the past, there are lots of people trying to do it.

I really wish Amy Goodman would have asked him about the RNC.

[aggiesal]

33. Why didn't they just do it the legal way? ...

Donate to a SuperPAC unlimited amounts of money.

SuperPAC's don't have to disclose their donations, and we all know
it's illegal for candidates to accept donations from foreigners.

And illegal for SuperPAC to accept donations from foreigners, but since
they don't have to disclose who donated, how are we going to find out?

[War Pigs]

34. should we refer to "The Russians" as

tRump's bankers from now on?

[napkinz]

40. two fascists ...

[backscatter712]

41. Time to start calling Donald Trump "Traitor Don"... n/t

[LW1977]

45. K&R

[RapSoDee]

51. #ComradeTrump - leader of the Republican-Russian Cabal - is betraying America

[teenagebambam]

52. Can the FBI subpoena his tax returns? n/t

[notadmblnd]

54. Why would Russia want to have Trump elected?

"Donald says nice things about me- let us hack the DNC email servers and give them to Wikileaks so as to help get the guy who says nice things about me elected? I don't see it.

Exactly how does it benefit Russia to have Trump elected and not Clinton?