What we Know and Don't Know about the Trump-Russia dossier--NYTimes

[pbmus]

How did American intelligence officials come to brief President Obama, President-elect Donald J. Trump and lawmakers about supposed Russian plans to try to blackmail Mr. Trump? There are far more questions than answers. But here is a look at the story so far.

What We Know
･ Last year, a Washington political research firm, paid by Mr. Trump’s Republican rivals, hired a retired British intelligence officer to investigate the candidate’s ties to Russia.

･ After it became clear that Mr. Trump would be the Republican nominee, Democratic clients began to pay the firm for this same “opposition research,” standard practice in politics.

･ The former British spy, who had long experience in Russia and a network of connections there, compiled dozens of reports detailing what he heard from his contacts. The memos he wrote, mostly one to three pages long, are dated from June to December.

･ The memos contain unsubstantiated claims that Russian officials tried to obtain influence over Mr. Trump by preparing to blackmail him with sex tapes and bribe him with business deals. They also claim that the Trump campaign met with Russian operatives to discuss the Russians’ hacking and their leaking of emails and documents from the Democratic National Committee and from Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John D

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/us/politics/trump-intelligence-report-explainer.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share

[2naSalit]

1. Sex tapes, sex tapes... where have I heard that before?

Oh looky here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141584873

[Hoyt]

2. He and Conway will just say this was some hack job paid for by Democrats.

Won't change anyone's mind, unless some kind of espionage or something is proven. Not even sure that would make a difference. He really could shoot someone in the street . . . . . .

[pbmus]

3. Agreed, there is more coming...

[canetoad]

4. Great article.

Thanks for posting.

I liked the end section best: 'Questions You May Be Asking'.
• Why did James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, write two letters about Ms. Clinton’s emails before the election, but not about this?

Why indeed?