Cogito Ergo Non Serviam

FBI Director Confirms Investigation of Trump-Russia Links

FBI Director James Comey confirmed in testimony before the House Intelligence Committee what many have suspected for a long time. "ve been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election," Mr. Comey testified. "That includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts." Criminal charges are possible. Two questions arise. How high up did this go? What can be done to prevent similar actions in the future.

Russia, both as the current federation and as the USSR, regularly tried to interfere in other nation's elections. It even funded a communist party in the United States. What is different about the 2016 interference is that it happened in cyberspace, and therefore, it occurred out of the light of day. Using Wikileaks as a cut out, and divulging intelligence once gathered, the Russians put a new twist on their election tampering. It certainly happened.

What is more troubling than the Russian state acting like the Russian state has done for a century is the behavior of some of Mr. Trump's staff (and perhaps the president himself). The New York Times wrote, "American officials have said that they have so far found no proof of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but current and former officials say they have uncovered evidence that Mr. Trump's associates were in repeated contact with Russian officials -- including people linked to Russian intelligence." This includes Roger Stone, Jr., a long time associate of Mr. Trump, who admits to communications with alleged Russian military intelligence personal Guccifer 2.0. Carter Page, a pro-Moscow foreign policy adviser to the president, was in Russia on a speaking engagement last summer, and his actions while there may be relevant.

Finally, there is the NYT example "Michael T. Flynn, a Trump campaign adviser who went on to be his national security adviser, was paid more than $65,000 by companies linked to Russia in 2015, including an American branch of a cybersecurity firm believed to have connections to Russia's intelligence services, according to congressional investigators. Mr. Flynn was forced to resign after misrepresenting his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States."

Meanwhile, the director stated that there was no evidence at all that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower as the current president continues to allege.

In the committee room, the Republican members all seemed much more concerned about the fact of the leaks detailing most of this information rather than the information itself. Apparently, the potential betrayal of America is less important than apprehending the whistleblowers who drew attention to it. Patriotism demands leaks if government officials are breaking the law. The GOP seems to prefer covering up crimes. This will make preventing future interference all the harder, and Russia will engage in similar actions in 2020. They may not be alone in their assault on American democracy.

During the hearing yesterday, Representative Michael Turner (OH-R) told Director Comey, "By your announcement today, there is now a cloud that undermines our system." Exactly 44 years ago today, John W. Dean III had a conversation with President Nixon, "I began by telling the president that there was a cancer growing on the presidency and if the cancer was not removed that the president himself would be killed by it. I also told him that it was important that this cancer be removed immediately because it was growing more deadly every day."

As Mark Twain gets credit for noting, history doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes.

© Copyright 2017 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.



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