Intercepted Russian Communications Part of Inquiry Into Trump Associates

[djg21]

Source: NY Times

American law enforcement and intelligence agencies are examining intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into possible links between Russian officials and associates of President-elect Donald J. Trump, including his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, current and former senior American officials said.

The continuing counterintelligence investigation means that Mr. Trump will take the oath of office on Friday with his associates under investigation and after the intelligence agencies concluded that the Russian government had worked to help elect him. As president, Mr. Trump will oversee those agencies and have the authority to redirect or stop at least some of these efforts.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/19/us/politics/trump-russia-associates-investigation.html?action=Click&contentCollection=BreakingNews&contentID=64816371&pgtype=Homepage

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This is the beginning of the end. One way or another.

[democrank]

1. K & R

[benld74]

2. Is this new? I can't keep track honestly

[fountainofyouth]

3. It's confirmation of what the BBC and McClatchy have reported

That there is an interagency effort looking at some of Trump's associates and their possible ties to Russia.

What's new in this article is that it discloses three specific targets of inquiry: Paul Manafort, Carter Page, and Roger Stone. Some of Manafort's contacts in Ukraine/Russia apparently may have FSB connections, so the NSA was trying to gather intelligence on that front. To be clear, that doesn't necessarily mean their investigation began with an assumption that Manafort was working with FSB. But it does mean, at the least, that he probably crossed paths with some shady people.

[cstanleytech]

4. Well you are right about it being a beginning but is it of the ending? I doubt it because even if

they find something that Trump himself did something illegal the Republicans control both houses and considering how unethical they are they probably wouldnt impeach him and even if they did Pence becomes President next unless he to was involved and then he would have to be impeached as well again by the same unethical Republicans.

[dalton99a]

5. Trump can order it to be shut down tomorrow.

"We have to move on. We have to make America great."

[JenniferJuniper]

6. And he will

If we're alive when he's gone we may find out more then.

[cstanleytech]

7. He could try but it would raise a number of flags so if he didnt do anything treasonous his

best bet is to let the investigation proceed without his interference.

[dalton99a]

9. Problem is Trump has never cared about appearances

so dollars to donuts we'll never hear about this again.

[cstanleytech]

10. That might trigger an investigation by the Inspector General though so again

if he actually did nothing treasonous he would be far better off to stay out of it and let them do their jobs.

[EllieBC]

12. Red flags don't matter. His supporters won't care.

They will just think everyone calling for the investigation is "whining".

If he does shut it down, I hope someone leaks it all to the press or to anyone who can get it out there.

[mn9driver]

8. Shutting down the intelligence investigations will be his first official act.

Count on it.

[tableturner]

11. If he does there will be a massive blowup about it.....remember the Saturday night massacre?

If Trump shuts down investigations, he will not be able to keep that a secret because there are probably more anti-Trump Justice Department civil service officials than pro-Trump, and the same can be said of the CIA. The facts would get out almost instantly and there would be massive protests beyond anything this country has seen since Vietnam. One minor hint on what might happen: Think how fast the GOP caved on the ethics issue as a result of indignant public reaction a few weeks ago.

Edited to add: And given that the original point of the investigation was the influence of Russia, many Republicans would jump ship even before the intense public pressure. People like McCain and Graham would go beyond ballistic!

[roamer65]

13. Bad move. Then the UK's GCHQ and MI6 would leak the information.

The Brits are playing to win.

[Native]

14. So Sessions would be the ONLY person in the gov't authorized to seek foreign intelligence wiretaps?

The lingering investigations will pose a test for Senator Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, who has been nominated for attorney general. If Mr. Sessions is confirmed, he will for a time be the only person in the government authorized to seek foreign intelligence wiretaps on American soil.

Mr. Sessions said at his confirmation hearing that he would recuse himself from any investigations involving Mrs. Clinton. He was not asked whether he would do so in cases involving associates of Mr. Trump.

[GliderGuider]

15. K&R

Nothing to say, so nt...

[Blue_Tires]

16. Greenwald and his shitstains at the Intercept were unavailable for comment