Of course they SHOULD know that [there is no evidence of direct contact with the Trump campaign and Russia. in fact, the Mueller report proves there wasn't. ] - but they are in denial. Some of them still live and breathe the Clinton arranged Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. Some people are so dumb and foolish, they still don't understand that the Mueller report was a big nothing burger.
It's pathetic on one hand, but fun on the other to watch people make fools of themselves talking about 2016 and the Russia Hoax and Mueller
Originally Posted by berryberry
Did you miss eyecu2's post?
In both linked reports, just search for Manafort
Let me add some specifics:
https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/...rt_volume5.pdf
III. (U) COUNTERINTELLIGENCE CONCERNS
A. (U) Paul Manafort
1. (U) Introduction and Findings
(U) Paul Manafort is a former lobbyist and political consultant with ties to numerous
foreign politicians and businessmen, most notably in Russia and Ukraine. In March 2016,
Manafortjoined the Trump Campaign as convention manager. By May 2016, then-Candidate
Trump officially elevated Manafort to be the Campaign's chairman and chief strategist. On
August 19, 2016, following press articles related to his past-work in Ukraine for a pro-Russia
political party h~aded by former Ukrainian President Viktor Y anukovych, Manafort resigned
from the Trump Campaign.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
(U) Under Deripaska's guidance, Manafort outlined for Deripaska and Rothschild a
strategy for a political influence campaign in Ukraine. Manafort referred to this influence
campaign as "our program."113Manafort described how the program would be a broad system
for influence with distinct political, lobbying, communications, and legal components.114The
Ukraine program was, according to Manafort's memorandum, undertaken "pursuant to the
directivesofMr. Deripaska" and in supportof"our mutual friend in Ukraine,"115almost
certainly a reference to Rinat Akhmetov, to whom Deripaska had previously introduced
Manafort and his firm, Davis Manafort Partners.116Akhmetov, Ukraine's richest oligarch, was
the primary backerofYanukovych and maintained close ties to Deripaska and other Russian
government and organized crime figures.117Akhmetov and other oligarchs in Ukraine began
funding Manafort's work there, while Deripaska provided Manafort other funding and strategic
guidance as partofa broader influence campaign.118
(U) Manafort's objective was to avoid future events like the Orange Revolution. Todo
this, Manafort sought to sway the political directionofUkraine to benefit thePoRwithout the
heavy-handed tactics that Russia and Deripaska had used in 2004.119This involved a strategy to
"subtly influence the perceptions"ofWestern governments and create "an acceptable
explanation for actions by governments not totally in concert with Western thinking."120
Manafort outlined this goal in a 2005 memorandum to Deripaska and Rothschild:
113
114(U)/,i.
115Ibid.
116SCOReport,Vol. I, p. 132;see alsoSSCI Transcriptofthe Interview with Bo Denysyk, June 12, 2018,
p.1....
(U)The exact funding structure at this time1sunc ear, buty 2005, and proceeding thereafter, Manafort made
millionsofdollars from Akhmetov, Deripaska, and other oligarchs.
~~~~~
COMMITTEE SENSITIVE-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION ONLY
(U) The Committee found that Manafort's presence on the Campaignat;tdproximity to
Trump created opportunities for Russian intelligenceservicesto exert influence over, and
acquire confidential information on, the Trump Campaign. 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 and associatesofOleg Deripaska,
represented a grave counterintelligencethreat.
Hack and Leak
(U) The Committee found that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian
effort to hack computer networks and accounts affiliated with the Democratic Party and leak
information damaging to Hillary Clinton and her campaign for president. Moscow's intent was
to harm the Clinton Campaign, tarnish an expected Clinton presidential administration, help the
Trump Campaign after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, and undermine the
U.S. democratic process.
~~~~~~~~~~
(U) Prior to joining the Trump Campaign in March 2016 and continuing throughout his
time 6n the Campaign, Manafort directly and indirectly communicated with Kilimnik, Deripaska,
and the pro-Russian oligarchs in Ukraine. On numerous occasions, Manafort sought to secretly
share internal Campaign information with Kilimnik.
~~~~~~~~~~
After the election, Manafort continued to coordinate with
Russian persons, particularly Kilimnik and other individuals close to Deripaska, in an effort to
undertake activities on their behalf. Manafort worked with Kilimnik starting in 2016 on
narratives that sou ht to undermine evidence that Russia interfered in.the2016 U.S.
election
-------------------------------
Mueller report:
https://www.justice.gov/archives/sco...73816/download
Summer 2016.Russian outreach to the Trump Campaign continued into the summer of
2016, as candidate Trump was becoming the presumptive Republican nominee for President. On
June 9, 2016, for example, aRussian lawyer met with senior TrumpCampaign officials Donald
Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and campaign chairman Paul Manafort todeliver what the email
proposingthemeetinghaddescribedas“officialdocumentsandinformationthatwould
incriminate Hillary.”The materials were offered to Trump Jr. as “part of Russia and its
government’s support for Mr. Trump.”The written communications setting up the meeting
showed that the Campaign anticipated receiving information fromRussia that could assist
candidate Trump’s electoral prospects, but the Russian lawyer’spresentation did not provide such
information.
Days after the June 9meeting, on June 14, 2016, a cybersecurity firm and the DNC
announced that Russian government hackers had infiltrated the DNC and obtained access to
opposition research on candidate Trump, among other documents.