Clinton Ally Says Smoke, But No Fire: No Russia-Trump Collusion
Former Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, who endorsed Hillary Clinton and called Donald Trump a dupe of Russia, cast doubt Wednesday night on allegations that members of the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
Morell, who was in line to become CIA director if Clinton won, said he had seen no evidence that Trump associates cooperated with Russians . He also raised questions about the dossier written by a former British intelligence officer, which alleged a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia.
His comments were in sharp contrast to those of many Clinton partisans — such as former communications director Jennifer Palmieri — who have stated publicly they believe the Trump campaign cooperated with Russia's efforts to interfere in the election against Clinton.
Morell said he had learned that the former officer, Christopher Steele, paid his key Russian sources, and interviewed them through intermediaries.
"On the question of the Trump campaign conspiring with the Russians here, there is smoke, but there is no fire, at all," Morell said at an event sponsored by the Cipher Brief , an intelligence web site.
"There's no little campfire, there's no little candle, there's no spark. And there's a lot of people looking for it."
Morell pointed out that former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Meet the Press on March 5 that he had seen no evidence of a conspiracy when he left office January 20.
"That's a pretty strong statement by General Clapper," Morell said.
About the dossier, Morell said, "Unless you know the sources, and unless you know how a particular source acquired a particular piece of information, you can't judge the information — you just can't."
The dossier "doesn't take you anywhere, I don't think," he said.
He continued: "I had two questions when I first read it. One was, How did Chris talk to these sources? I have subsequently learned that he used intermediaries.
"And then I asked myself, why did these guys provide this information, what was their motivation? And I subsequently learned that he paid them. That the intermediaries paid the sources and the intermediaries got the money from Chris. And that kind of worries me a little bit because if you're paying somebody, particularly former FSB officers, they are going to tell you truth and innuendo and rumor, and they're going to call you up and say, 'hey, let's have another meeting, I have more information for you,' because they want to get paid some more.
"I think you've got to take all that into consideration when you consider the dossier."
Another former CIA officer in the room pointed out that the CIA also pays its sources.
"But we know who the source us and we know how they got the information," Morell responded.
In August, Morell accused Trump of being an "unwitting agent of the Russian Federation."
Morell said Wednesday that he continues to believe that the Russian campaign of hacking, leaking and fake news, which the CIA says was designed to hurt Clinton and help Trump, was a hugely consequential action to which the U.S. has not sufficiently responded.
Putin, he said, has suffered no consequence for his unprecedented interference in the U.S. election.
"This has never happened before in American history on this scale, never not even close. And Putin did not pay any price for this — nothing, zero."
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This guy was number 2 at the CIA. I wonder how many of our friends here will listen to this and take the time to think objectively?
I've always wondered-- if Clinton knew this was going on, why didn't she use it in the campaign? Did she not know anything for sure? Was she too busy putting out her own fires to take on his? I'm just asking.
Maybe there wasn't anything going on, but it looked like there was. That happens a lot. A lot of things considered improprieties are just "looking bad", not really bad.
I hope that both sides stop making spurious accusations.
That's a wish we can all get behind, Dowser.
Yet the conspiracy theory will live on.
I thought you would want to know. I was, in no way, trying to be mean to you!!!
I did. Thanks for pointing it out,
Yet the conspiracy theory will live on.
Not sure it will without fuel.
I haven't seen the D's hold onto a completely bogus witch hunt anywhere near as long as the R's do on anything yet.
Which would you take, the over or the under, when comparing the Trump/Russian connection conspiracy to say the 30 years of Whitewater insanity or even the more resent Benghazi crap?
I'd definitely take the under on the D's staying as crazy as the R's over anything.
"Personal opinion only" but I'm thinking Trump was hobnobbing with the Russians and the Chines in a pursuit for personal wealth, more than any type political affiliation.
I think Trump is envious of the wealth Putin has been able to skim off the Russian economy and he's been reaching out to see if there are ways the Russian, Chinese and other countries can help him cash in during his own time in office.
Just a working theory of course.
I think the D's have been failures in the past when it comes to the past because they have held back or not have had the evidence to drive a wooden stake through a Republican Presidents heart. This time is different because they have not had to dig and other evidence on their own. In this case the idiot in the White House continues to give them more to beat him over the head with and more to push for an impeachment with. In this case he hs besmirched the reputation of our closest ally of all, Great Britain, in his fantasy and outright lie, by saying that President Barack Obama worked with them to wiretap Trump Tower. This is not only ignorant from the level that he is operating from a pure bullshit lie that he pulled out of his ass after reading Breitbart added to his own mental illness and paranoia along with his advancing senility or Alzheimer's disease.
He is ruining our relationship with the country has since WWII been our strongest and most dependable ally by trying to include them in his lie and paranoid fantasy. After this why should they ever believe anything that Trump and America says. All he has done since he started campaigning and stole the office is lie and lie and lie some-more. Even today the Healthcare plan, which is not a healthcare plan but really is a huge ta cut for the rich, is going down the toilet and he says it's going wonderful and about to pass.
If we don't get im out soon, in one way or an other, e won't have any allies left and we will be standing alone against the world. And we are just not strong enough to do that. Not without destroying the entire world. And I wouldn't put it past that certifiable lunatic.
Or it could be that President Trump has to deal with the Russians, because they have more nukes than just about any other country out there and has to deal with China (and it's economy, which id the largest economy in the world).
Randy-get back on topic or as a Moderator, remove your comment.