DOJ-NSD FISA spying on Trump campaign...VERY BIG DEAL

[madhatter]

[madhatter]

STEPHANOPOULOS: You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you. Do you think President Obama was behind it?

TRUMP: I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain. But you're gonna find that out. I'm not gonna make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that President Obama spied on your campaign?

TRUMP: I don't know. But hopefully, we're gonna find out.

he knows...

[XtremeJibber2001]

STEPHANOPOULOS: You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you. Do you think President Obama was behind it?

TRUMP: I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain. But you're gonna find that out. I'm not gonna make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that President Obama spied on your campaign?

TRUMP: I don't know. But hopefully, we're gonna find out.

he knows...

Context with Trump is always interesting, bold part I found particularly so.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It's very simple. There was no crime. There was no collusion. The big thing's collusion. Now, there's no collusion. That means they set -- it was a setup, in my opinion, and I think it's gonna come out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Who set it up?

TRUMP: I hope it’s gonna come out. We are going to find out very soon. Because I really believe it's gonna come out. When you look at Strzok, these FBI guys that were lowlifes, when you look -- 'cause the FBI's the greatest. But these -- the top people were absolutely lowlifes. When you look at Strzok and Page and they're talking about an insurance policy just in case she loses, that was the insurance policy.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, I've heard you talk about that before, which --

TRUMP: I really believe it’s gonna come out. When you look at Strzok --

STEPHANOPOULOS: I -- I understand that. But if they were determined to prevent you from becoming president, why wouldn't they leak it beforehand?

TRUMP: You know what --

STEPHANOPOULOS: It didn't come out before the election --

TRUMP: You'd have to ask them. Oh, they tried. They tried. And you know what? Had that gone out before the election, I... don't think I would've had enough time to defend myself.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you. Do you think President Obama was behind it?

TRUMP: I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain. But you're gonna find that out. I'm not gonna make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it.

STEPHANOPOULOS (VO): And of course our conversation took place against the backdrop of growing calls from Democrats eager to open an impeachment inquiry.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You're not worried about what happens in Congress?

TRUMP: Look. The Republicans in the Senate, every single one of 'em that I see know this is a witch hunt. They get it a hundred percent. And that's what matters. The Democrats are gonna do it only because they might think it helps them. I think it actually hurts 'em in the election. But there's never been a time in the history of our country where somebody was so mistreated as I have been. And this should never, ever be allowed to happen to another president again. A previous administration used the intelligence data and the intelligence agencies to spy on my campaign.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that President Obama spied on your campaign?

TRUMP: I don't know. But hopefully, we're gonna find out.

[Kpdemello]

It appears the evidence suggests that the FBI was more helpful than hurtful to Trump during the 2016 campaign:

During an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that aired in full on Sunday, President Donald Trump accidentally undercut the conspiracy theory he’s been pushing about how the Obama-era FBI leadership purportedly conspired to keep him from winning the 2016 election.

After Trump demeaned top FBI brass as “lowlives,” claimed that the entire investigation into Russian interference and his campaign’s role in it was “a setup” that President Barack Obama “must have known about,” and referenced an August 2016 text message in which then-FBI agent Peter Strzok mentioned “an insurance policy,” Stephanopoulos asked him a critical question.

“If they were determined to prevent you from becoming president, why wouldn’t they leak it beforehand?” he said.

But instead of pushing back, Trump acknowledged that Stephanopoulos’s premise was correct.

“You know what, you’d have to ask them,” Trump said. “And you know what — had that gone out before the election, I don’t think I would have had enough time to defend myself.”

In other words, even Trump agrees that had top FBI officials leaked word about the Trump campaign’s contacts with Russia being under investigation in the months leading up to the election, it likely would have been fatal to his presidential hopes.

The President accidentally undercuts the “Deep State” claim by admitting a leak about the FBI’s investigation before the election would have been fatal.

“Had that gone out before the election, I don’t think I would have had enough time to defend myself.”

But that didn’t happen. Instead, then-FBI Director James Comey repeatedly publicized the bureau’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s emails, while Trump confidant Rudy Giuliani appeared to be the recipient of leaks about it. Two days before Comey sent a letter to Congress announcing that the Clinton email case had been reopened, Giuliani went on Fox News and said Comey had “a surprise or two that you’re going to hear about in the next two days.” Giuliani later admitted to receiving a heads up about the “surprise.”

In short, the actual timeline of events in 2016 suggests that if anything, the FBI’s actions were a net positive for Trump’s campaign, not a negative. But that reality is inconvenient for Trump, so he’s trying to rewrite history — in more ways than one.

https://www.vox.com/2019/6/17/18681833/ ... acy-theory" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Highway Star]

STEPHANOPOULOS: You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you. Do you think President Obama was behind it?

TRUMP: I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain. But you're gonna find that out. I'm not gonna make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that President Obama spied on your campaign?

TRUMP: I don't know. But hopefully, we're gonna find out.

he knows...

Context with Trump is always interesting, bold part I found particularly so.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It's very simple. There was no crime. There was no collusion. The big thing's collusion. Now, there's no collusion. That means they set -- it was a setup, in my opinion, and I think it's gonna come out.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Who set it up?

TRUMP: I hope it’s gonna come out. We are going to find out very soon. Because I really believe it's gonna come out. When you look at Strzok, these FBI guys that were lowlifes, when you look -- 'cause the FBI's the greatest. But these -- the top people were absolutely lowlifes. When you look at Strzok and Page and they're talking about an insurance policy just in case she loses, that was the insurance policy.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You know, I've heard you talk about that before, which --

TRUMP: I really believe it’s gonna come out. When you look at Strzok --

STEPHANOPOULOS: I -- I understand that. But if they were determined to prevent you from becoming president, why wouldn't they leak it beforehand?

TRUMP: You know what --

STEPHANOPOULOS: It didn't come out before the election --

TRUMP: You'd have to ask them. Oh, they tried. They tried. And you know what? Had that gone out before the election, I... don't think I would've had enough time to defend myself.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you. Do you think President Obama was behind it?

TRUMP: I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain. But you're gonna find that out. I'm not gonna make that statement quite yet. But I would say that President Obama had to know about it.

STEPHANOPOULOS (VO): And of course our conversation took place against the backdrop of growing calls from Democrats eager to open an impeachment inquiry.

STEPHANOPOULOS: You're not worried about what happens in Congress?

TRUMP: Look. The Republicans in the Senate, every single one of 'em that I see know this is a witch hunt. They get it a hundred percent. And that's what matters. The Democrats are gonna do it only because they might think it helps them. I think it actually hurts 'em in the election. But there's never been a time in the history of our country where somebody was so mistreated as I have been. And this should never, ever be allowed to happen to another president again. A previous administration used the intelligence data and the intelligence agencies to spy on my campaign.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe that President Obama spied on your campaign?

TRUMP: I don't know. But hopefully, we're gonna find out.

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

There was never any intent of revealing that they were investigating and SPYING on the Trump campaign.

[Kpdemello]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

[madhatter]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

ya gotta do what they tell you...

[XtremeJibber2001]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

Never mind that Comey's statements about Hillary were in Trump's favor ... probably part of the deep state's long game.

[Highway Star]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA.....WHEW LAD.

They withheld revealing the "investigation" because everybody involved knew for a fact that it was an illegal spying operation and there was no real probable cause to get a FISA warrant. Admiral Rogers had to go to Trump tower and tell the transition team they were being spied on.

Do you have brain worm....?

[Highway Star]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

Never mind that Comey's statements about Hillary were in Trump's favor ... probably part of the deep state's long game.

Funny how people still can convince themselves of that. Comey had to make a statement somehow letting her off because the evidence was overwhelming that Hillary committed a crime with her handling of classified information.

[Kpdemello]

They withheld revealing the "investigation" because everybody involved knew for a fact that it was an illegal spying operation and there was no real probable cause to get a FISA warrant.

Huh. I guess that federal judge who issued the FISA warrant and then renewed it multiple times must be in on the conspiracy, huh?

BTW, couldn't they have leaked the dossier without revealing the ongoing investigation? It was opposition research, after all. They could have just blamed the Clinton campaign.

[madhatter]

They withheld revealing the "investigation" because everybody involved knew for a fact that it was an illegal spying operation and there was no real probable cause to get a FISA warrant.

Huh. I guess that federal judge who issued the FISA warrant and then renewed it multiple times must be in on the conspiracy, huh?

clearly yer not "in" on anything...particularity reality...amazing how adamantly uninformed you are...

[XtremeJibber2001]

Time and event context is also interesting. They had the dossier in process in mid 2016. They could have easily released it and hammered him as being compromised by the Russians. However, they chose to go with the Access Hollywood tape as their October Surprise for obvious reasons. When they refer to the "insurance policy" they are talking about their probe of Trump campaign and the strategic importance of continuing it.

What are the "obvious reasons" for withholding the info on Trump being compromised by the Russians? It seems like something that could have tipped the scales prior to the 2016 election. Why hold it back? Why not release both? This conspiracy theory logic makes no sense.

It's much more logical that they held it back because they weren't sure of the truth of it, and they wanted to continue their investigation into the facts without improperly influencing the election. At least that's how it seems to me.

Never mind that Comey's statements about Hillary were in Trump's favor ... probably part of the deep state's long game.

Funny how people still can convince themselves of that. Comey had to make a statement somehow letting her off because the evidence was overwhelming that Hillary committed a crime with her handling of classified information.

Most agree Comey was not obliged to make the statement he did in late October 2016, regarding reopening the Clinton e-mail case, which undoubtedly helped Trump.

[Kpdemello]

Never mind that Comey's statements about Hillary were in Trump's favor ... probably part of the deep state's long game.

Funny how people still can convince themselves of that. Comey had to make a statement somehow letting her off because the evidence was overwhelming that Hillary committed a crime with her handling of classified information.

Yes, when Trump gets investigated and then no evidence is found of collusion with Russia, it's something that unfairly hurt him politically. When Comey does the same thing for Clinton and her wayward email server, it's somehow helpful. Trumpette logic.

[madhatter]

Never mind that Comey's statements about Hillary were in Trump's favor ... probably part of the deep state's long game.

Funny how people still can convince themselves of that. Comey had to make a statement somehow letting her off because the evidence was overwhelming that Hillary committed a crime with her handling of classified information.

Yes, when Trump gets investigated and then no evidence is found of collusion with Russia, it's something that unfairly hurt him politically. When Comey does the same thing for Clinton and her wayward email server, it's somehow helpful. Trumpette logic.

comey whitewashed that whole server thing....he'll pay for it soon...you'll still be dumber than a turnip...