Political Fallout From DNC Hack
Part 4: Russia-US Presidential election: Kremlin concern that political fallout from DNC e-mail hacking affair spiraling out of control
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| Verified | |||||
| Probable | |||||
| Unknown | |||||
| Unlikely | |||||
| Debunked |
This is the fourth part of a point-by-point review of the Russian dossier compiled by former MI6 agent, Cristopher Steele, which details how the Russians were afraid of all the negative attention they were receiving in the American press, but pushed forward by maintaining ‘plausible deniability’ of their ongoing pro-Trump and anti-Clinton operations.
Unfortunately there is not much to go on as far as any reporting uncovering these facts.
This report was filed by Steele on July 30, 2016.
Read Part 3 here.
A high level of anxiety on the fallout from publicity surrounding the DNC e-mail hacking scandal.
| UNKNOWN |
Speaking in confidence to a trusted associate in late July 2016, a Russian emigre figure close to the Republican US presidential candidate Donald TRUMP’s campaign team commented on the fallout from publicity surrounding the Democratic National Committee (DNC) e-mail hacking scandal. The emigre said there was a high level of anxiety within the TRUMP team as a result of various accusations levelled against them and indications from the Kremlin that President PUTIN and others in the leadership thought things had gone too far now and risked spiralling out of control.
The Kremlin wanted the situation to calm
| UNKNOWN |
Continuing on this theme, the emigre associate of TRUMP opined that the Kremlin wanted the situation to calm but for ‘plausible deniability’ to be maintained concerning its (extensive) pro-TRUMP and anti-CLINTON operations. S/he therefore judged that it was unlikely these would be ratcheted up, at least for the time being.
An intelligence exchange had been running between Trump and Russia for at least 8 years
| UNKNOWN |
However, in terms of established operational liaison between the TRUMP team and the Kremlin, the emigre confirmed that an intelligence exchange had been running between them for at least 8 years. Within this context PUTIN’s priority requirement had been for intelligence on the activities, business and otherwise, in the US of leading Russian oligarchs and their families. TRUMP and his associates duly had obtained and supplied the Kremlin with this information.
The Kremlin had more intelligence on Clinton and her campaign
| UNKNOWN |
Finally, the emigre said s/he understood the Kremlin had more intelligence on CLINTON and her campaign but he did not know the details or when or if it would be released. As far as ‘kompromat’ (compromising information) on TRUMP were concerned, although there was plenty of this, he understood the Kremlin had given its word that it would not be deployed against the Republican presidential candidate given how helpful and co-operative his team had been over several years, and particularly of late.
This report in the dossier was completed on July 30th, 2016 and the intelligence on Clinton may be the Podesta hack that was carried out in May 2016 and released in October of the same year.
Conclusion
As with most of the Dossier, there is a lot that is unverified, and may be for a long time.
Read Part 5.