The Durham probe isn't turning out how Donald Trump said it would | CNN Politics
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Special counsel John Durham and former President Donald Trump Dept. of Justice/Getty Images CNN —
After then-Attorney General Bill Barr appointed attorney John Durham in December 2020 to look into the origins of the FBI investigation of Russia's meddling in the 2016 election, Donald Trump insisted that the probe would uncover widespread wrongdoing by Hillary Clinton and Democrats.
"What they did was so illegal, at a level that you've rarely seen before," Trump said in November 2021. "Now, in all fairness, it looks to me like this is just the early building blocks."
By February of this year, he was going even further. "It looks like this is just the beginning, because, if you read the filing and have any understanding of what took place, and I called this a long time ago, you're going to see a lot of other things happening, having to do with what, really, just is a continuation of the crime of the century," Trump told Fox News. "This is such a big event, nobody's seen anything like this."
All of which makes the news that the Durham probe appears to be wrapping up its work all the more impactful. CNN reported that one of the top prosecutors working with Durham has left the Justice Department for a job in the private sector. And The New York Times reported that a grand jury empaneled by Durham has expired, with no plans for another one to be revived.
To date, the Durham probe has led to three prosecutions - none of which even come close to the grandiose claims made by Trump that Clinton and her associates would somehow be implicated in the investigation. As CNN noted:
"There are reports that Durham's team also looked into a wide range of other matters that … Trump has publicly complained about - without bringing any charges. This includes potential wrongdoing by the CIA and other parts of the US intelligence community, on topics related to Russia's pro-Trump interference in the 2016 election."
It's also worth remembering here what the FBI's original counter-intelligence investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election actually found: That Russia actively sought to meddle in our election, with the express purpose of helping Donald Trump and harming Hillary Clinton. They did so because they believed Trump would be better for their interests.
That was the conclusion of not just special counsel Robert Mueller, who conducted a probe into the matter, but also of a bipartisan report from the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Now it's worth noting that the Durham probe is not, in fact, over just yet. And that we have not seen the final report that Durham will produce on his findings. (It will be up to top Justice Department officials how much of the final report is made public. Attorney General Merrick Garland has said he would like to release "as much as possible.")
So, it's not over until it's over - and all that.
But what seems plain is that all of Trump's hype of the Durham probe has been empty. Three low-level prosecutions is not the "crime of the century," as Trump has called it. Nothing that has come out to date suggests that Hillary Clinton or anyone remotely in her orbit had anything to do with the start of the FBI's counterintelligence operation to look into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.
These facts will, of course, not get in the way of Trump's continued obsession. He has, of late, used his Truth Social platform to villainize the Department of Justice and, if the Durham probe winds up being a total nothing burger, will likely insist that it's because the department has been weaponized against him.
His proof of that claim? Nonexistent. But that won't keep his base from believing him. Just like they did about the Durham probe being the thing that would blow the lid off of the whole grand conspiracy of people out to get him - or something.
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The Trump Russia probes by the CIA and FBI were legally predicated on Trump and Co seeking out and meeting with and establishing long term relationships with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the lead up to the 2016 US election...
Beginning by at least 2014 and continuing right up to election day in 2016 Trump was in secret negotiations with Vlad Putin to build a new Trump Tower in Moscow. Trump even went so far as to offer Vlad Putin a luxury penthouse suite as a bribe to close the deal.
The CIA and FBI would have been neglected not to have investigated. Every other intelligence agency in the world did including MI6 and Interpol. Having retired from public office in January of 2013 Hillary Clinton had nothing to do with ordering the Trump Russia probes.
Trump got himself investigated for his dealings with Russian spies!
and Co seeking out and meeting with and establishing long term relationships with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the lead up to t
Lie.
Talk about mis/dis information. That
way up there.
That's the job of the gqp/maga supporters/enablers.
Didn't know that particular member is gqp/maga supporter/enabler. Thanks for the clarification.
That would be you
" The report , the fifth and final one from the Republican-led Senate intelligence committee on the Russia investigation, describes how Russia launched an aggressive, wide-ranging effort to interfere in the election on Donald Trump ’s behalf. It says Trump associates were eager to exploit the Kremlin’s aid, particularly by maximizing the impact of the disclosure of Democratic emails that were hacked by Russian military intelligence officers ."
The findings echo to a large degree those of special counsel Robert Mueller ’s Russia investigation, with the report’s unflinching characterization of furtive interactions between Trump associates and Russian operatives contradicting the Republican president’s claims that the FBI had no basis to investigate whether his campaign was conspiring with Russia ."
“Taken as a whole, Manafort’s high-level access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services , particularly Kilimnik, represented a grave counterintelligence threat ,” the report says.
Senate draws final conclusion on Trump campaign's contact with Russia (thegrio.com)
The "lie" is that there was no reason to investigate the Trump campaign and that there weren't dozens of connections between them and Russian agents. The fact is there were dozens of connections found and we KNOW Russia worked hard to get Trump elected, as even Marco Rubio had to admit, " We found irrefutable evidence of Russian meddling". To not investigate such connections would have been irresponsible and a dereliction of duty.
If this were a murder investigation where a wife was killed by a foreign assassin for hire who was found to have numerous contacts with the woman's husband who was the only one to benefit from her death, but in the end, police couldn't conclusively prove the husband ordered the hit, would that mean the investigation wasn't warranted or that the initial accusations by friends and neighbors who believed the husband was involved was a "hoax"?
There is a big difference between not being able to prove guilt and being found innocent. The Russian investigation proved a crime was committed on Trumps behalf, Russia did illegally hack private US servers and released them during a campaign with the specific intent to aid the Trump campaign, the only thing never proved was the existence of a payment for said crime. Of course, for Putin, undermining American democracy and trust in our elections and helping install an incompetent moron as President might have been payment enough.
Thank You! Now we see if any of your truth actually sunk in...
I doubt that will happen since the truth would have to squeeze up past the tight seal around their necks formed by their own anuses to reach their ears...
Is your version of an argument simply throwing words like Trump and Russia together and imagining you've addressed the point?
Not a single sentence in your word vomit provides any proof that :
Try and support the actual false claim at issue. Here's a hint. The IG produced a report detailing the legal predicate for the Trump Russia probe. Read it and then ask JBB by why he continues to lie about it.
happen since the truth would have to squeeze up past the tight seal around their necks formed by their own anuses to reach their ears..
The irony....
The probe began when it came to the attention of the FBI that a Trump campaign associate , George Papadopolous had been bragging about "dirt" on Hillary Clinton he had learned about from Russians.
That is more than enough to demonstrate that DP and JBB are not wrong. You just want to nitpick the situation.
No. He learned it from a CIA informant, Joseph Mifsud a Maltese academic.
at is more than enough to demonstrate that DP and JBB are not wrong.
Of course they are. The claim that it was predicated on "Trump and Co seeking out and meeting with and establishing long term relationships with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the lead up to the 2016 US election." is 100% false and you know it. The legal predicate was a drunk Papadopoulos in a bar gossiping with an Australian diplomat about what Mifsud told him.
That's it. The entire predicate was a low level volunteer gossiping about information a cia informant told him.
Nothing about long term relationships with Russian secret agents or any of that nonsense. You should be better than pandering for partisan reasons.
Papadopolous believed the dirt on Clinton was coming from the Russian government, the same way Donald Trump Jr believed that same thing a few months later.
The idea that there is innocence here and not worthy of an FBI investigation is insane.
The entire rationale for the existence of the Trump presidency, let alone his criminal behavior related to Ukraine and Jan 6, is now that he had to act these ways because he was provoked by the "Russia hoax" investigations.
There is no "Russia hoax" and never was. The investigation of the Trump campaign was appropriately predicated and you know that. You should be better than to continue to propagate nonsense.
ehe and not worthy of an FBI investigation is insan
You keep moving the goalposts.
JBB is misrepresenting what the predicate was for the investigation. The sole predicate was Papadopoulos getting drunk and gossiping about what Mifsud told him to an Australian diplomat.
It's no mystery why Democrats feel compelled to lie about and exaggerate the predicate. Think about how low that bar is.
We are not the ones moving goalposts and misrepresenting ANYTHING.
So are you saying that it doesn't matter that the investigation found numerous contacts between Trump campaign officials and Russian operatives and concluded that Trumps campaign managers "high-level access and willingness to share information with individuals closely affiliated with the Russian intelligence services , particularly Kilimnik, represented a grave counterintelligence threat", and that those facts should never have been known and should never have been investigated because the "predicate", in your opinion, was too thin?
Do you believe that what the investigation found shouldn't alarm anyone even though they confirmed intentional illegal Russian interference in the election? I believe only those who unpatriotically put party over country would ignore such findings, then support the lie about election fraud while simultaneously defending those who were inspired by that lie to violently attack our Capital in an attempt to install the candidate who lost into power. If someone is more upset about Hunters laptop than they are about what was found in the investigation of the Trump campaign and Russian interference in the election, the big lie of voter fraud and January 6th, then they clearly have their head stuffed up their own ass.
I'm saying he lied about the predicate for the investigation. All your deflections and hand waving won't change that.
Why, do you think, this board is filled, day after day post after post, with lies about the predicate for the Trump investigation? Is it just impossible for the truth to squeeze up past the tight seal around their necks formed by their own anuses to reach their ears?
Your whole thing is to try to nitpick and dissect every factoid of the investigation in what always seems like a desperate attempt to rehabilitate Trump and his campaign.
His ass should have been investigated for one reason alone, let alone all the other reasons. When he asked Russia to "find" Hillarys emails, at the same time period it was coming out that Russians had hacked into the DNC, that in and of itself should have led to him being investigated. Some of you guys on your side continue to try and claim Trump was joking.
Really? We can know he wasnt joking because he tried the same thing when he asked Zelensky to meddle in the US election by investigating Joe Biden, and earlier this year when he asked Putin to release dirt on Joe Biden (in the middle of a war for gods sake). Were those "jokes" too?
Trump is indefensible. The sooner you guys get that through your thick skulls the sooner the country can move on from this 7 year nightmare.
And exactly what part of the USC does that fall under?
The mistake you are making is assuming that people proving you wrong are defending Trump. Many of us don't give a fuck about him (especially to the level you do). It's the process that is being misused that we are fighting against. The sooner you get that through your dense melons the sooner you can move on to current problems instead of dwelling in the past.
You've never proved anyone wrong in your life on this site.
To try and argue that unless a president or presidential candidate is breaking a law then everything they do is ok is idiotic.
I see you are trying to avoid answering the question. Or are you dodging it as usual? It's a simple question John. What part of the USC does what you are accusing fall under? If it's a crime as you claim, it will be in the USC. I'll even get you started. Below is a link to the USC. Maybe you can find it here.
Why is it that the truth about Trump outrages you so much?
If Trump is the half the villain you claim he is, you and others should be able to attack him honestly. Why the need to exaggerate and lie?
You and others make that argument all the time with Clinton, Biden etc...
No one is exaggerating Trump's vile behavior. Im not even sure that is possible.
And the vile steaming pile of shit usually manages to top himself on a daily basis
Lol. Start with this exaggerated lie from this very thread: "Trump got himself investigated for his dealings with Russian spies!"
Reality: Trump was investigated because some low level campaign staffer got drunk and told an Australian diplomat some gossip he heard from a Maltese CIA informant.
"Sure an enemy foreign government illegally hacked one of America's political parties emails and released embarrassing emails during a campaign and spent $1.25M a month on seemingly domestic social media ads in an effort to help a certain candidate they wanted elected and that candidates campaign staff had dozens on contacts and were sharing sensitive polling data with Russian agents, but it's the 'process' that the American FBI used to investigate this that I really have a problem with!".
I really don't understand this kind of twisted logic. The only way it makes any sense is if someone is so infatuated with some populous leader that they don't give a fuck about the constitution or our country and will do and say anything in defense of the Dear Leader they have sworn absolute loyalty to. To say it has nothing to do with defending Trump makes absolutely no sense.
Of course you don't. And the rest of this moronic paragraph explains why you don't understand it.
You should work for CNN. That's about the level of inaccurate and disproven bullshit they've been publishing for years.
And yet Diane Feinstein has a spy as an assistant and no investigation.
Tell me you have nothing to say with out actually telling me.
A lie followed by memes. It must be a day ending in y.
Prove me wrong...
What have you got? So far your defense is non-existent...
They cannot. It's not possible.
Notice how articulately Trump's defenders make his case.
They are dumbfounded unto blubbering masses of gelatin...
You're using a quote from an FBI agent who was FIRED from the FBI over his texts about the "investigation" into the Russia collusion hoax.
Not to mention your childish meme has absolutely NOTHING to do with what I said.
You said I should work at CNN and a, "What about Hillary?".
Neither Mrs Clinton nor Myself have bupkiss to do with John Durham failing to convince anyone at all Trump was wrongly investigated by the FBI and CIA for his Russian dealings...
The fact remains that Trump got himself and his business and associates investigated entirely completely legitimately.
Durham has had years to prove otherwise and got nothing!
So you go from a discredited FBI "agent" to Clinton. That must me one hell of a squirrel you are chasing. Any more pathetic deflections you want to use?
They have Clinton Derangement Syndrome along with Hunter Biden Derangement Syndrome.
It's incurable.
No shit. It would be nice if they even REMOTELY stayed with the subject of the comment they were responding to. Dude is chasing so many squirrels it's almost funny.
And his cheering squad is just as laughable.
God I'm tired of seeing both those ugly faces just about every day here!
Durham's face is definitely a two bagger. In case one fell off...
Trump's and Durham's defender's case is reduced to, "Nunt Uh!"
Trump and his representatives had over one hundred documented meetings with known agents of Russian State Intelligence Services in the lead up to the 2016 election. The infamous Trump Tower meeting where Russian election interference was negotiated being only one. The CIA and FBI do not ever publicly release the details of their investigations, but the judges and lawyers involved do. Those who have seen those files universally affirm that the CIA and FBI investigations into Trump's Russian dealings from 2014 thru 2016 were one hundred percent justified by facts and legally predicated! Prove Me Wrong!
John Durham is slinking away in shame and because it is all true.
Provide a link..............please once and for all.
Thanks.
I have provided innumerable links before and do so now, again.
Thanks about time.
but did you read it? Read the timeline contributions? As you have been told before, there was a shit load of "about the Moscow Tower project" in there. As well as discussions about US/Russia relations should Trump win.
"We rate this claim partially true"
I can provide many more. Trump and Co had innumerable clandestine meetings with clandestine agents of Vlad Putin's Russian State Intelligence Services in the lead up to the 2016 Presidential election which resulted in the legal predicates for the CIA and FBI investigations into Trump's Russia deals.
Look it up yourself. Donald Trumps Junior and Michael Cohen and others within Trump's closest circle have publicly said that Trump was continuously negotiating with Putin to build a Trump Tower in Moscow right up to election day in 2016.
Right. As I and others have said, Trump Tower in Moscow. Not some bullshit claim he was soliciting nefarious help for the election. Any time anyone meets with a foreign enemy or ally, it is scrutinized.
According to you - they're just real estate deals.
It doesn't matter how much truth and facts you provide jbb, the impotent megaturd and his impotent enablers/supporters will defend that turd and the hate and the lies and the ignorance to their dying days.
What about Moscow Trump Tower do you need help understanding? Perhaps YOU should take a peek at jbb's linked article. You'll be glad you did.
YOU have nothing of value to provide. EVER.
We're waiting.
Start by discussing this article as you have avoided it, so far...
Given that I quoted and responded to YOU. That would indicate YOU haven't been discussing this article. Interesting...
You do not see to be able to wrap your head around a few basic realities. When Trump and Co sought out and met with and communicated with and established relationships with clandestine agents of Russian State Intelligence Services they necessarily became a part of the ongoing surveillance and investigations we normally conduct on enemy spies. This did not go unnoticed. Eventually these separate investigations became their own cases. Plural. There were multiple simultaneous investigations of Trump's shady foreign entanglements. It was business as usual.
Trump got him and his business investigated by the CIA by becoming involved with multiple Russian and other foreign espionage agents. The same as if anyone else would who sought out and met with and established relationships with foreign spooks, spies and secret agents! Are you beginning to understand?
Wow. Your attitude changed after being called out for hypocrisy. Now...If ANY of what you claim was such a violation then why was the end result no charges, no trial, no conviction. Oh, that's right. Because it's been proven false. You are mistaking a business meeting for something you WISH happened. To bad pipe dreams and your hurt feelings aren't prosecutable offenses.
Want to try for another chance to be wrong?
Then explain why Durham struck out in every single case? I have told you the same truthful account all along. Trump got himself investigated by the CIA and FBI because he and his agents sought out and met with Vlad Putin's secret agents. That means that the CIA and FBI investigations into Trump's Russian dealings were all legally and rightfully predicated!
And still, those investigations found zero evidence of any crimes committed by Trump.
Tell the whole truth.
Mueller said there was evidence of crimes. It doesn't matter as regards to Durham because the predicates were legal...
If one seeks out and communicates with spies spies will spy.
That is their job. To investigate what enemies are spying on.
The CIA and FBI do not and will not reveal the details of their investigations but in Trump's case they were doing their jobs...
Funny how the nation's leading investigation branch couldn't find anything at all to lead the Justice Dept. to prosecute Trump for anything. They must be incompetent or lying.
Must have been boring, what with no crimes caught.
And they came up empty as far as Trump was concerned.
I know you have no idea what the actual predicate was, but do you also not understand the predicate has not been at issue in these cases?
If you are going to continuously lie about something, at least make it relevant.
No, the Durham Investigation was all about establishing the legal, or not, predicates for the FBI and CIA Trump Russia Investigations.
Trump falsely claimed the CIA and FBI investigations into his Russian dealings were politically motivated. They were not!
He didn't strike out on every case. Doesn't he have a trial starting in October? That's far better than the Democrats and Bobbie Meuller has achieved.
And yet there were never any charges filed. You going to keep repeating the same garbage?
Have you forgotten all about Flynn, Stone and Manafort?
Have you forgotten those are unrelated to what was to be investigated?
Not at all.
So . . . Durham is not just a mindless stooge of Trump who would reject fair justice and just do whatever the evil orange man wants? You mean, the system actually worked?
A lot of innocent people had their careers destroyed by Trump's wreckless harmful unfair accusations but in the end we do not persecute and imprison our own investigators for doing their jobs.
Unfortunately, that is true at all levels of government and law enforcement.
Who?
James Comey, Andrew McCabe and Peter Strzok are three.
THIS James Comey?
Sounds like he is doing quite well for himself. Ruined career? Hah!
Drawing his retirement and enjoying life as a CNN contributor.
Became a best-selling writer.