Russians threw the election?

[FromWayDowntown]

I found it interesting that with Hillary's email, the official word was we can't possibly determine if it was hacked, or if it was hacked, who hacked it. Then with the DNC emails suddenly "unidentified CIA sources" can say with absolute authority that it was the Russians. Just seems curious.

So you're good with the tactical choice of a campaign in the midst of a dog-and-pony show, and would prefer to disregard the conclusions of our intelligence agencies. That seems like a prudent course of action.

On top of that I found reading REAL EMAILS to be quite illuminating. The Democrats must have felt that way too since they crucified Debbie Wasserman Schultz for it. I'm all for having all the real information I can have to make a decision when voting. Personally, I find the outrage that "The Russians published the real emails we sent which made people not like us" to be hilarious.

No question it's illuminating, and perhaps we should write laws that require that sort of transparency from all political parties and candidates. (it's interesting, too, that those who say they think transparency is great at this point have very little concern with the fact that Trump still has never released any of his tax returns, but that's a question for another time and place). But that's very different from saying that there's no real issue with a foreign power's efforts to have a say in our political contests.

Again, I'd be as distressed by this if it had been a bunch of stuff about Trump that came out in the same way.

It's a pretty short step from saying that there's no big deal here because the right guy won and because we learned more in the process, on the one hand, to inviting any and all interested foreign powers from interjecting themselves into the way we handle our politics, on the other hand.

[boutons_deux]

Democrats’ emails came under attack right before the election: report

CrowdStrike, the firm hired by the DNC to protect its network, says a second attack happened days before the vote

An unreported cycberattack targeting the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee days before the election was disclosed Monday, intensifying concerns that Russia deliberately tilted the election to President-elect Donald Trump.


The attacks, conducted in late October, used a “phishing” technique to procure login information to the secured networks, Yahoo News reported on Monday. CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm hired by the DNC to prevent attacks on its network, told Yahoo News that DNC staffers were able to reject the attack because they knew the unsolicited emails were su ious.

CrowdStrike was the first group to conclude Russian intelligence perpetrated the DNC hack.

CrowdStrike identified an individual known as “Fancy Bear” as the hacker who breached the DNC’s network in April of this year.

The hack resulted in the leak of thousands of internal DNC emails that were later published by WikiLeaks.

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/12/demo...ection-report/

[Clipper Nation]

Where was the outrage from the left when Obama traveled to Britain and campaigned against Brexit? That was a sitting US president brazenly meddling in another country's affairs.

, our political consultant class can often be found working on campaigns in foreign countries during our off years. For instance, Bernie's chief advisor Tad Devine has worked on campaigns in Colombia, Israel, Peru, Bolivia, Ireland, Honduras, the Ukraine and Afghanistan. Boris Yeltsin hired American consultants to run his campaigns. Shouldn't the left be really angry about all this subversion of other countries' electoral processes?

[boutons_deux]

No, Paul Ryan doesn’t support an investigation into Russian election interference

He just wants you to think he does.

the strongest Stance Ryan has taken on an investigation: a statement that the House Intelligence committee is already doing such work, and that he trusts Rep. Nunes to handle the issue.

Nunes, however, says he has no intention of opening an investigation.

“At this time I do not see any benefit in opening further investigations, which would duplicate current committee oversight efforts and Intelligence Community inquiries,” said Nunes, citing the Committee’s previous investigations into cyber attacks, including Russian attacks.

This isn’t particularly surprising for Nunes. On Friday, in response to the allegations, Nunes issued a statement that attacked the Obama Administration, and did not mention the need for any new investigations.

This is an elaboration of Nunes’ previous stance: On Friday, he issued a different statement that, rather than expressing a functional response from the Intelligence Committee, instead attacked the Obama Administration.

“Russia’s cyber-attacks are no surprise to the House Intelligence Committee,” Nunes’ Friday statement read. “ Unfortunately the Obama administration, dedicated to delusions of ‘resetting’ relations with Russia, ignored pleas by numerous Intelligence Committee members to take more forceful action against the Kremlin’s aggression.”

Nunes is a member of Trump’s transition team.

https://thinkprogress.org/no-paul-ry...59a#.pjscq0hlh

[Reck]

Where was the outrage from the left when Obama traveled to Britain and campaigned against Brexit? That was a sitting US president brazenly meddling in another country's affairs.

To be fair, that idiot Farage told Obama to butt out when that whole was going on. Yet Farage himself inserted himself into American Politics. Even appearing in one of Trump's rally.

You drew a poor example here.

[spurraider21]

Where was the outrage from the left when Obama traveled to Britain and campaigned against Brexit? That was a sitting US president brazenly meddling in another country's affairs.

, our political consultant class can often be found working on campaigns in foreign countries during our off years. For instance, Bernie's chief advisor Tad Devine has worked on campaigns in Colombia, Israel, Peru, Bolivia, Ireland, Honduras, the Ukraine and Afghanistan. Boris Yeltsin hired American consultants to run his campaigns. Shouldn't the left be really angry about all this subversion of other countries' electoral processes?

is there a distinction when it's covert? i dont think there was nearly as much outrage over farage campaigning vs russians allegedly working beneath the shadows

[Clipper Nation]

To be fair, that idiot Farage told Obama to butt out when that whole was going on. Yet Farage himself inserted himself into American Politics. Even appearing in one of Trump's rally.

You drew a poor example here.

I'm not the one whipping up a scandal over foreigners sticking their noses into our election process. The left is, even though Obama did that exact thing in reverse last summer.

You're also ignoring my other example of how America's cottage industry of hack political consultants goes over to other countries in our off years and works on political campaigns there.

[FromWayDowntown]

Where was the outrage from the left when Obama traveled to Britain and campaigned against Brexit? That was a sitting US president brazenly meddling in another country's affairs.

One of those things is transparent, is generally done at the behest of a side in the race, and can be considered by voters. The other is clandestine, done without consent or request, and is meant to interfere and can be used to undermine elections.

But I get it. Your cool with it all cause your guy won.

I don't think anyone can legitimately gripe about foreign leaders and governments having a view in our elections. The issue is with how they go about acting on that.

[Clipper Nation]

is there a distinction when it's covert? i dont think there was nearly as much outrage over farage campaigning vs russians allegedly working beneath the shadows

I don't think it matters that much whether it's overt or covert. Covert meddling is dishonest, but overt meddling reeks of arrogance and thumbing your nose at other countries' voters. Neither one is a good look for any country doing it.

[boutons_deux]

I don't think it matters that much whether it's overt or covert. Covert meddling is dishonest, but overt meddling reeks of arrogance and thumbing your nose at other countries' voters. Neither one is a good look for any country doing it.

USA has provoked overthrow of other countries' govts, armed insurgents, and who knows what else? How does it feel?

[boutons_deux]

House Republicans split over further investigation of Russian election hacks



The Republican Party is fairly soiling itself trying to decide whether the intervention of a foreign power in our presidential elections is something worth caring about or not. House Homeland Security Chairman Mike McCaul is of the opinion that this is indeed a big deal.

"Russia's recent hacks should be taken very seriously, and the United States must make it a top priority to investigate any outside interference aimed at undermining our democratic process," the Texas Republican said in a statement. "These types of intrusions, whether from a nation-state or cyber criminals, must be met with a response that is forceful, public and decisive."

But the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is Rep. Devin Nunes, a member of Donald Trump's own transition team. And in the conflict between intelligence and Donald Trump, Nunes comes down on squarely on Donald Trump's side, dismissing the notion that other Republicans might want to do their own investigations.

Rep. Devin Nunes said Monday that further investigations would be redundant. [...]"The House Intelligence Committee is conducting vigorous oversight of the investigations into election-related cyber attacks," he said in a statement. "At this time I do not see any benefit in opening further investigations, which would duplicate current committee oversight efforts and intelligence community inquiries."

For the record,

there were eight different House and Senate inquiries into Something Something Benghazi.

Trump transition team member Nunes is pretty sure this one doesn't require more than just the one he'll be heading,

however.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/1...28Daily+Kos%29

[CosmicCowboy]

Democrats’ emails came under attack right before the election: report

CrowdStrike, the firm hired by the DNC to protect its network, says a second attack happened days before the vote

An unreported cycberattack targeting the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee days before the election was disclosed Monday, intensifying concerns that Russia deliberately tilted the election to President-elect Donald Trump.


The attacks, conducted in late October, used a “phishing” technique to procure login information to the secured networks, Yahoo News reported on Monday. CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm hired by the DNC to prevent attacks on its network, told Yahoo News that DNC staffers were able to reject the attack because they knew the unsolicited emails were su ious.

CrowdStrike was the first group to conclude Russian intelligence perpetrated the DNC hack.

CrowdStrike identified an individual known as “Fancy Bear” as the hacker who breached the DNC’s network in April of this year.

The hack resulted in the leak of thousands of internal DNC emails that were later published by WikiLeaks.

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/12/demo...ection-report/

Sadly, I get phishing emails every day on my business account. At least half a dozen a day are disguised as 'real" business correspondence wanting me to open files that are supposed to be invoices, or receipts, or orders...whatever...they change every day. , maybe I'm getting hacked by the Kremlin too!

[Clipper Nation]

Also, even if the Russians did hack the DNC's emails, that still doesn't mean the premise that the Russians handed Trump the win has any basis in reality. The Russians didn't drive millions of Americans to the polls to vote for Trump. Hillary was already widely despised and viewed as corrupt long before she was even Secretary of State, let alone the email scandal. The Russians didn't reduce the Democrats to their fewest seats in government since Reconstruction, nor did they make "progressive" ballot items flop even in solid-blue states.

It's funny how Democrats - especially the ones with bylines - did nothing but downplay the email scandal while the election was still in progress. They insisted that the emails were not important and paled in comparison to all the fake Trump "scandals" that they kept fabricating. Now that the Dems are licking their wounds from their ass-kicking on election day, they want to make the emails into the ONLY reason Hillary lost so they can blame the Russians.

The truth, IMO, is somewhere in the middle. The email scandal was more proof that Hillary was unfit for the office and a national-security risk, but I doubt it changed anyone's mind about Hillary and I doubt it outweighed broader issues like immigration and the economy for most voters. If the Russians did hack the Dems, it was a huge waste of their time and resources since the emails didn't gain much traction outside of people who already disliked Hillary anyway.

[djohn2oo8]

Funny how these trump s were so concerned with Hillary and her emails/what she was doing behind closed doors, but are willing to ignore a foreign power blatantly undermining our democracy.

[boutons_deux]

"Russians handed Trump the win has any basis in reality"

Wikileaks published ONLY Dem, Hillary, etc emails, and Repugs and rightwing hate media ran with all of it.

Comey ed over Hillary twice.

Benghazi!

emails!

Hillary is a liar, can't be trusted!

But Don The Con Trash NEVER LIES, and is fully transparent with all his taxes, debts, businesses.

[HI-FI]

Considering how many elections the cia has ed over throughout its history, looks like they are going to try it again but here this time. We've truly become a banana republic.

[Clipper Nation]

Any lib politician/consultant/pundit who plays the "muh Russia" card should start turning down all contributions from George Soros and his organizations, effective immediately. They should also do the same with all Saudi money. If they're really outraged over foreign influence in elections, they should put their money where their mouth is.

[boutons_deux]

"all contributions from George Soros and his organizations"

False equivalence.

You conveniently ignore the 100s of illegal, bogus 501 "social welfare orgs" setup after VRWC's C-U ruling to hose dark, hidden $Bs into Repug campaigns, .

[mavsfan1000]

What a surprise Russia prefers the President that doesn't want to go to War with them.

[CosmicCowboy]

Considering how many elections the cia has ed over throughout its history, looks like they are going to try it again but here this time. We've truly become a banana republic.

good take

[pgardn]

Considering how many elections the cia has ed over throughout its history, looks like they are going to try it again but here this time. We've truly become a banana republic.

Truly Not even close.

[Thread]

Considering how many elections the cia has ed over throughout its history, looks like they are going to try it again but here this time. We've truly become a banana republic.

Yes, and it's moving fast now.

One most hope, no, one must pray that Trump and his operatives recognize the speed and take appropriate action(s).

[Wild Cobra]

Boo, what should we do...nuke a smaller city in Russia?...maybe sink a sub?

How about we tighten cyber security...

[Wild Cobra]

, maybe I'm getting hacked by the Kremlin too!

More likely, a private citizen with a Russian based account.

[Thread]

Does that really matter what their precise targets were? If there's proof that a foreign power is hacking into American political organizations and might be trying to influence/undermine/disrupt/effect our political processes, isn't that a concern?

I don't know precisely what the proof is, but if the proof is that there is reason to believe that agents of a foreign government may have hacked a major political party, it would be stunning to me that any Americans would just be indifferent to that.

I'm not here to suggest that this is some way to dispute the election results (as I've said; I agree with Winehole that re-litigating the election results ad naseum is a poor choice for Democrats to make at this point). But I'm also not sure why Trump's camp has insistently conflated concerns for the integrity of the results of an election he won and rather legitimate concerns for American national security that would exist without regard to that outcome.

Yes, it matters. I call you a [ for supporting that got Duncan and the Spurs] you come back over the top and call me names.

VS.

I come to your house, wait till you take the family to the drive in then break in and flood your house from ALL water sources then run like up the street and out the neighborhood.

---

And that's exactly what "you're" saying AND what "you're" aiming for. Trying to link him with Putin in a conspiracy to gain the WH. Christ, you can say it. [We've] been dancing around it all weekend.